Three years into his ambitious underground garage project, Colin Furze faces one of his biggest engineering challenges yet: constructing a hydraulic car lift capable of lowering his DeLorean into a hidden room beneath his driveway. This substantial update covers six months of fabrication, design revisions, interior improvements, and structural installation. Rather than presenting the garage as a nearly finished creation, Furze documents the complicated process of turning an extraordinary concept into something functional, revealing the extensive preparation required before the lift can even move.
The interior transformation provides an engaging contrast to the heavy engineering work. Furze wants the garage to feel different from his existing bunker and tunnel, drawing inspiration from traditional smoking rooms with dark green wall panels, stained wooden surfaces, and aged brass lighting. His hesitation about covering the original steel walls makes the design process more interesting, particularly as he experiments with paint colors and installs removable magnetic panels. The addition of Boxo tool cabinets, custom wooden worktops, electrical sockets, and industrial-style lighting gradually changes the space from an unfinished steel chamber into a distinctive workshop. His willingness to reconsider materials and finishes gives these sections a welcome sense of experimentation.
The most technically substantial portion follows the construction of the lift's four enormous telescoping legs. Furze explains how engineering reviews identified excessive deflection in the proposed lid beams, requiring thicker structural components before fabrication could proceed. The manufacturing process involves cutting heavy steel sections, welding mounting plates, machining hydraulic openings, installing guide pads, and fitting custom hydraulic cylinders. Particularly valuable are his explanations of the hydraulic rupture valves, adjustable cylinder supports, and maintenance access. These details demonstrate that the project involves far more than making powerful machinery move, although the compressed presentation sometimes makes it difficult to appreciate the full complexity of individual fabrication stages.
Furze's approach to mistakes and revisions is one of the update's most entertaining qualities. Incorrectly spaced floor supports require additional welding, a forgotten 15-millimeter plate creates clearance problems, and several components need repositioning to accommodate future maintenance. He also catches potential problems before installation, including hydraulic cylinder removal access and interference with the planned turntable. Rather than concealing these difficulties, he uses them to explain why designing a unique mechanical system demands constant reconsideration. His nervousness about committing to the final installation feels genuine, especially when dealing with components weighing approximately 700 kilograms each. The combination of humor, uncertainty, and practical problem-solving makes the engineering accessible without pretending the process is straightforward.
Installing the lift columns and legs provides some of the update's greatest tension. Precise alignment is essential because even small deviations could cause the mechanism to bind as it rises. Furze describes using laser levels, digital measuring equipment, adjustable mounting plates, and repeated cross-checks to position the components correctly. Lowering the enormous assemblies into the underground space introduces additional challenges, including overhead telephone cables and the lifting limitations of his JCB. The subsequent construction of the upper steel framework is similarly impressive, particularly because much of the work takes place around an exposed opening. While the demonstrations communicate the difficulty involved, viewers looking for comprehensive engineering guidance should recognize that the presentation does not independently establish the completed lift's safety or regulatory approval.
The driveway covering introduces another interesting design compromise. Furze originally planned a concrete surface, but switching to a porous resin driveway raises concerns about water accumulating and freezing inside the lift's concrete tray. His solution uses approximately 1.2 tons of removable, eight-millimeter checker plate supported by a welded steel framework. Moving the heavy sheets into position proves unexpectedly difficult, with attempts involving a lifting magnet, winches, clamps, and crowbars. The resulting surface receives a practical test using three vehicles weighing approximately 1.6, 1.9, and 2.5 tons. Furze reports maximum measured deflections of roughly two, five, and six millimeters respectively, comfortably within his stated expectations. This is a satisfying demonstration of progress, although the informal measurements cannot substitute for formal structural verification or establish long-term performance.
Despite the impressive accomplishments, the presentation has some limitations. The sheer amount of work covered means several technically important processes receive only brief explanations, while the engineering drawings and calculations are discussed without enough detail for independent assessment. The Incogni sponsorship and promotional discussion of the merchandise bundle also interrupt the construction narrative, although the equipment partnerships remain relevant to the project. Most significantly, the central hydraulic mechanism is still unfinished. The four lift legs and upper framework are installed, but the hydraulic pump, motor, balancing system, and initial powered movement remain for future installments. Furze acknowledges this limitation openly, ending with a believable mixture of relief, excitement, and apprehension about the work still ahead.
Pros
- Extensive fabrication coverage demonstrates the considerable engineering effort involved in constructing a custom underground hydraulic car lift.
- Honest explanations of design mistakes, revised components, and maintenance considerations provide valuable insight into real-world problem-solving.
- The dark green paneling, stained woodwork, brass lighting, and organized tool cabinets give the underground garage a distinctive visual identity.
- Installing the massive lift legs and structural framework creates genuine tension and a strong sense of progress.
- Vehicle load testing supplies measurable results that help demonstrate the driveway covering's initial performance.
- Furze's humor, enthusiasm, and willingness to acknowledge uncertainty keep an exceptionally complicated project entertaining.
Cons
- Several fabrication and engineering processes are compressed so heavily that viewers receive limited technical detail about critical design decisions.
- The structural calculations, safety arrangements, and load tests are not documented thoroughly enough to independently verify the system's overall safety.
- Sponsorship and merchandise promotions occasionally disrupt the momentum of the construction work.
- The lift has not yet undergone powered operation, leaving the project's most important functional test unresolved.
Colin Furze delivers an impressive construction update that combines inventive engineering, substantial physical progress, and a surprisingly stylish underground transformation. His openness about mistakes and technical uncertainty makes the project especially engaging, while the successful installation of the lift framework and encouraging initial load tests provide meaningful milestones. Although the unfinished hydraulic system and limited verification of some engineering details prevent a definitive assessment of the design, this remains a fascinating and highly entertaining demonstration of ambitious hands-on construction.
