After a three year hiatus, "we" are back. Although life got very busy both on a personal and on a professional level, the main reason for the hiatus was the move of the 696 Project from St. Laurent garage to the Merivale garage on Colonnade Road. St Laurent needed the space which the 696 Project was housed necessitating our move. The whole area north of Belfast road is being redeveloped by OC Transpo in order to accommodate the new LRT maintenance center.
I estimate we lost about a year and half because of the move. First of all worked stopped on the car because now the main priority was to pack up and get ready to move. Second, all the work that I had done under the car had to be removed to accommodate the float that was to be used to physically move car 696. The remains of the original 696 had to be secured for transport. Added to all this work was the we also had to prep OTC car 905 for its move to Colonnade Road as well.
905 came to as a donation from a family that had made the car shell into a cottage. The 696 Project group stored the car outside but added a second roof to help protect the care from the elements. One of the good points about the move was now there was room to store 905 inside.
Our new digs on Colonnade Road would be the former tire shop. This shop was an appendage to the main garage. It had a roll-up doors on both ends, shop air, plenty of electrical outlets including a few for welders. It could also accommodate three cars with ease. Other than the time we lost the end result was positive.
Once the move was complete it took about a year to get back to normal. During that time junk had to be sorted, shelving erected then filled. Workstations were made for Georg, Rhéaume and I, an office for Peter and finally a carpenter shop for Mike.
Packing and securing everything we own and getting already by mid-December, 2011
This included the dismantling of the protective roof over car 905.
The front of Building 696 also had to be removed in order free 696.
Yes I know we are suppose to be restorations experts but I have to admit where is something very therapeutic about watching big machines demolish things!
The driver from Drummond Cartage & Excavation expertly slid the trailer into the bay...
then a few moments later he carefully pulled the trailer out with the new car body of 696 on board.
Drummond's Cartage & Excavation supplied transport for 696 new car body, old 696 and 905 all at minimal cost. They also kept the new car body on the trailer in their warehouse for a few days. This was needed in order to place 905 first in our new home. Next, the old 696 had to be delivered and moved in. Lastly, the new body of 696 had to be delivered.
OTC 905 being hoisted over the fence onto the trailer.
OTC 905 arriving at its new home on Colonnade Drive.
OTC 905 being readied to be lifted. The nice thing about using the former the tire shop is that it is a run-through garage. Once 905 is raised high enough the tractor-trailer only has to pull ahead and exit out the far door.
OTC 905 on a pair of dollies ready to be pushed and pulled into its place in our new shop.
Meanwhile back at St Laurent, the old 696 is loaded and ready to be shipped to Merivale garage.
The unwrapped and blocked old 696 is waiting for the dollies off 905 this it will be positioned next to 905.
Georg is phoning everyone to let them know that we have moved!
Rhéaume and Georg jack and level rear end of car while Mike keeps a close eye on the front.
Mike usually thinks "outside the box" but this time he "contained" his thoughts.
The move continues, we unload our containers of treasures and find place to store them.
Georg moving 696's compressor while Peter is demanding, "Where the hell is my office!"
Finally, Peter's office is in place.
By March 2012 we were pretty well all moved in but a few more months were needed to get set-up and rolling again.
