Spring Cleaning With 39 Cars: How One Yank Tackled Workshop Chaos

When Good Sheds Go Bad

According to Hagerty's Matthew Anderson, spring has arrived at his shared foundry workshop — along with a serious storage problem. The vehicle count peaked at 39 cars, plus a boat and trailer, with Anderson claiming ownership of roughly 15 of them.

The final straw? Local council workers blocking the main entrance for weeks during water main replacement, forcing everyone through a single side door. Time for a proper spring clean.

Building Up, Not Out

Anderson's first move was getting creative with vertical space. His Hobby 600 camper — a caravan that's been featured in his Balkan road trip stories — was the biggest floor-space offender. His solution? Stack it above his Citroën, noting the camper weighs roughly the same as a modern Land Cruiser despite its whale-like appearance.

The workshop game of musical chairs had become absurd, with every simple task requiring half a dozen vehicles to be shuffled around first. Sound familiar?

The Marque-Specific Shuffle

With density sorted, Anderson turned to organising by make. His Volvos have been consolidated into dedicated storage, making parts and project work more logical. The Hobby 600 got relocated to proper caravan storage, while his 1974 Volvo 145 wagon is being prepared for sale.

Perhaps most dramatically, Anderson's considering letting go of his beloved 164 — the very car that sparked his Volvo obsession. As he admits, even sentimental attachment has its limits when you're tripping over parts every morning.

The column serves as a reminder that classic car enthusiasm isn't just about the driving — it's about the constant juggling act of space, time, and that delicate balance between passion and practicality. We've all been there, just maybe not with 39 cars at once.