Good story Mark!
Mark's Off Road Warehouse Fire Thread (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter 65swb45
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Status
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #183
So, can we see the 357?
There are probably lots of websites online where you can see pictures of them.
It's4am and I'm at work. Pending deadlines are keeping me from sleeping well. I've got to make another whack at getting stuff out of the warehouse this morning, and a second round on Saturday.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #184
THIS IS BIG!
The second exhale.
The tenant released the workshop behind the house to me this morning. This is the first INCREASE in space since I put up the lemonade stand at home. On track to have the house by COB Friday. Do some provisional demo work over the weekend. Move some stuff out of the office next week and start on office demo for the new pallet racks. Whoohoo!
The second exhale.
The tenant released the workshop behind the house to me this morning. This is the first INCREASE in space since I put up the lemonade stand at home. On track to have the house by COB Friday. Do some provisional demo work over the weekend. Move some stuff out of the office next week and start on office demo for the new pallet racks. Whoohoo!
Last edited:
Great news Mark! I'm going to have to come visit again to see the new digs
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #186
Great news Mark! I'm going to have to come visit again to see the new digs
If you want to help, you can come now. Otherwise, probably better to wait a couple of months.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #187
Cut open the fence yesterday and framed in the support for the new security mailbox.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #188
Brave New World
I got up at 1AM today, unable to sleep because of the anticipation. Today marked another huge turning point in the history of Mark's Off Road. Today my tenants finished moving out and handed me the keys to the house.
They moved into the house before I moved into the shop 28 years ago. It has been their home for the last 28 years.
Now Tina and I will have the offices we tried not to think about for so many years instead of the 150sq ft office we have quietly struggled with since opening day.
I got up at 1AM today, unable to sleep because of the anticipation. Today marked another huge turning point in the history of Mark's Off Road. Today my tenants finished moving out and handed me the keys to the house.
They moved into the house before I moved into the shop 28 years ago. It has been their home for the last 28 years.
Now Tina and I will have the offices we tried not to think about for so many years instead of the 150sq ft office we have quietly struggled with since opening day.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #189
Why did we wait so long? The answer won't surprise you. It was because of my father. The husband worked for my dad, and as long as my parents held the mortgage on the property, I was obliged to respect his wishes.
My dad simply said "Go easy on him. He's the only employee that never stole from me. Help him until it doesn't make sense any more." The mortgage was paid off before my father passed in 1999, but the commitment to respect his wishes lived on. The warehouse fire was a catalyst for yet another change.
So now I have the house, and a security gate. And I am less secure. @YOYOKID is going to help me get some high-tech remote camera system after I'm done remodeling and moved in. But it won't be the same as having someone living there. For something that is gained, something is lost.
My dad simply said "Go easy on him. He's the only employee that never stole from me. Help him until it doesn't make sense any more." The mortgage was paid off before my father passed in 1999, but the commitment to respect his wishes lived on. The warehouse fire was a catalyst for yet another change.
So now I have the house, and a security gate. And I am less secure. @YOYOKID is going to help me get some high-tech remote camera system after I'm done remodeling and moved in. But it won't be the same as having someone living there. For something that is gained, something is lost.
Last edited:
Thats great man!!!
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #192
I have a couple of go-to guys on the security systems, and I will mention it to them. Thanks for the tip.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #193
thebigredrocker
SILVER Star
The gate looks perfect, nice work. Now you need a junk yard dog in there. Protect all that cruiser gold!
Last edited:
I was going to suggest a Junkyard Dog.
Go see Mark Whatleys security crew! Impressive beasts. Mine would let the Russians in.
Go see Mark Whatleys security crew! Impressive beasts. Mine would let the Russians in.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #196
I have a note to try and call him this week about my trip up there. As for the dog, when I get one, it will be for pleasure, not for business.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #197
One step forwards, three steps back.
Tina and I spent the day yesterday doing demolition and evaluation. She's a true partner. Should have taken a pic of her wearing my KOH hat while she was working on overhead tasks to keep grit out of her hair and eyes. Smarter than me!
Conclusion. The house is in a lot sorrier shape than we realized, and it's gonna take a lot longer than we hoped until we can move the office. Built in 1939, we'd already agreed that if we found any cloth-wrapped wiring, we'd have the whole building rewired.
Since her dad was an electrician, she's pretty much fearless with the stuff. One arc-ed screwdriver later, she'd pulled every outlet and light cover and confirmed that most of the house was original wiring.
The bathroom will probably end up being rebuilt from the ground up. But that's not a priority. We just need to get one bedroom and the living room done to move the office, which is goal number one.
Tina and I spent the day yesterday doing demolition and evaluation. She's a true partner. Should have taken a pic of her wearing my KOH hat while she was working on overhead tasks to keep grit out of her hair and eyes. Smarter than me!
Conclusion. The house is in a lot sorrier shape than we realized, and it's gonna take a lot longer than we hoped until we can move the office. Built in 1939, we'd already agreed that if we found any cloth-wrapped wiring, we'd have the whole building rewired.
Since her dad was an electrician, she's pretty much fearless with the stuff. One arc-ed screwdriver later, she'd pulled every outlet and light cover and confirmed that most of the house was original wiring.
The bathroom will probably end up being rebuilt from the ground up. But that's not a priority. We just need to get one bedroom and the living room done to move the office, which is goal number one.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #198
Demolition continues. Had the house sandblasted yesterday so I can seal all the cracks in the 70 year old stucco when I complete the window and AC installs. Also demo-d two interior walls for pass thru lighting.
Discovered today that the tenants actually sabotaged the water heater when they moved out. Left an open line just beyond the shutoff and disconnected the copper outlet as well as crushing it. And I have some evidence of moisture in another room. I am at the point where it won't take much to demo out and expose the plumbing altogether and repipe the house. I have had nothing but good experiences using @tequila4x4 for my plumbing projects. Will put a call in to him tomorrow.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #199
Of course it's not all solitary drudgery. Tina decided she wanted two portals to let the light through.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2004
- Threads
- 1,391
- Messages
- 35,253
- Location
- 818-953-9230
- Website
- www.marksoffroad.net
- Thread starter
- #200
And there was some karma. The price of scrap is so low I've just been putting it out in 5 gallon buckets on trash day for the neighborhood trollers. Unfortunately, they often take the buckets too.
So today I catch the guy as he's loading up 4 blocks worth of pistons, con rods, wheel cylinders and the like. As I look in the bed of his truck I see a roll of stucco net, which I can definitely use in the remodel. So I ask him if he wants to sell it. He looks at my 8 buckets of iron and says 'you can have it.'
Sweet.
So today I catch the guy as he's loading up 4 blocks worth of pistons, con rods, wheel cylinders and the like. As I look in the bed of his truck I see a roll of stucco net, which I can definitely use in the remodel. So I ask him if he wants to sell it. He looks at my 8 buckets of iron and says 'you can have it.'
Sweet.
- Status
