My barn roof caved in and crushed my '67 Mustang shell

Last winter I thought my classic car storage was fine til 3 feet of snow hit and the old beam gave out. Took out the front fender and hood I just had painted. Anyone else trust an older building too long without checking the structure?

3 comments

3 Comments

laura_ross1mo ago

My 80s Camaro got wrecked the same way, an old garage roof gave out after heavy snow. It's a brutal lesson, now I check the beams and joists every fall before winter hits.

xena_rivera631mo ago

You ever have that sinking feeling when you hear a CRACK and realize you're about to lose months of work? Man, @laura_ross is right about checking before winter. I started doing a quick walk around every fall after my buddy's Nova got flattened. Look for rot near the beam ends where they meet the wall plates, that's where most older barn roofs fail first. Also check for any soft spots in the plywood decking before snow hits, because a small leak turns into a big hole real fast when water freezes and expands. If you got a metal roof, tighten up those loose screws too, the vibration from wind can work them out over time and let moisture in.

mason7981mo ago

Check for soft spots in the plywood decking" c'mon man, it's an old barn not a space shuttle. Unless you're parking a Bugatti in there I think we're overthinking this a bit. Snow happens, beams break, that's life.