Lets turn it into a backyard bar! We'll start with fixing the door and the stairs. It's well over 105F in the summer in Phoenix, we'll start working on it as soon as the weather cools off this fall.
I'd be interested in the yellow pages book if you're willing to sell. My best friend grew up there back in those days and her dad that passed away yrs ago probably has a listing in it and it'd be cool to give it to her. Also her step dad had his business there too after her mom remarried.
Owned my property in north phoenix for 15 years before I realized I had a shelter burred in my back yard. Ran across the lid to it when i was trenching for new sprinklers. To say i was surprised would be an understatement. My home was built in 1956 and shelter has a date stamped in the walls of 1961. Its being renovated and connected to the home now. around 600 sf.
Atlas Shelters channel might be worth a look for ideas if you are thinking of restoring it as a shelter. In particular an escape route that’s not the main hatch is one he has discussed often. Seems to be a hatch through to an area filled with sand with a relatively thin soil layer above. Both layers sealed off with plastic to reduce water build up. Open the hatch, puncture the plastic, let the sand drain out then dig through the soil to escape. Be a real issue if the only exit is that main entrance and that hatch got blocked either accidentally or deliberately. He has also discussed ventilation systems on some of the videos.
Do you realize how much that would cost to build nowadays???? That definitely increases the property value. I would definitely bring it up to standards. Very awesome.
@@Brandon-eq7hk if nothing else its a good example of how different we are. What arouses our curiosity and what doesn't. Some people will ponder the creation of the universe their whole life, Myself I really don't care. I am interested in what those that do have to say about it, but not enough to join the club. Likely the things that do engage my mind they would see as trivial and not worth their time. But something like this that's in your face I would feel compelled to know whats down their, even knowing there's a good chance there is nothing of any interest to me, but I'd have know.
The difference between (Huppies) Hipsters / Yuppies…. And real world 🌎 survivors… Anyone who doesn't have faith in the system, would probably spend equal attention on that as their home 🏠. But oh well, just my opinion.
I would love to have that in my back yard. The silver painted walls and ceilings was probably to reflect the light and temperature. That could easily be made into a nice cosy little shelter / hideaway. Just imagine a bunker like that and building a small cabin over it to live in. Who knows it may come in useful in these unstable times. Have fun with the restoration from Jersey Uk 🇯🇪🇬🇧 Subscribed to see what you do with this treasure.
Hey Dorry! I like the idea of hiding it with a shed or something. I think the paint was for radiation perhaps? We're going to make a series on the channel of it's repairs, stay tuned and Subscribe, it would help us a ton!
That silver paint looks like the same thing I had to use on a tin roof on one of my father's rental properties. It was supposed to help seal it as well as keep it from getting too hot or too cold.
@@HerbOMatic I will also subscribe and keep track of tour progress. Yes, hide it with a small cabana and do NOT advertise it to your neighbors--or lie to them and tell them you filled it with dirt!
Get a hold of Ron at Atlas Shelters and get a made to order outer door. They are equipped with gas lift shocks which make opening it easier plus its lockable. You could probably replace the lower entry door with one of his gas tight doors as well. Good luck on this project!
They have electric filtration systems with a hand crank in case the power is out that filters even radiation particals. My advice would be to stock the bunker with food and whatever you might need if things go sideways👍
Hey Ethenios, that's the plan man! Consider subbing, were going to fix it up this fall. We should do some efficiency tests on the room see how cheap it would be to AC it. Should be damn well insulated!
By the way, put some heavy grease on the entrance for ease of opening. Get metal stairs put in and later ball bearings. Holy cow it's huge! God! I could so do much with that place! The hole in the door is for ventilation, not a doggy door! Lol! The suspended tanks are for water storage for showers and toilets.
@@HerbOMatic Get an angle grinder and a wire cup brush and a RESPIRATOR!!! and grind the rust off of it first. Next, put coat of primer and then some automotive paint on the friction points to reduce corrosion and rusting. (*Hint: I've done one of these before, but yours is the freaking BOMB...shelter). But, I can't emphasise enough, the need for you guys to wear respirators down there with GOOD filters, until you can get that place cleaned out. I would first get all that stuff out of there, then get someone like Servpro to get the dank mustiness out, or just rent or buy and Ozone maker yourself. UV lights will be needed to retard mold growth. Be careful with any paint chips, as they could have lead in them! This thing is COOL, but I don't know if the Health Dept. is going to sign off on it as a bar, or public establishment. If I were you, I'd talk to that gorgeous bride of yours and talk to Ron Hubbard at Atlas Survival Shelters and Get him to help you with the Swiss-made ANDAIR VA-150 NBC air handler, a submarine door in place of the old one, and an AR-500 hatch with gas pistons to assist opening it and to make it bulletproof. But that can be down the line. Meanwhile, pay attention to the comments above! I'm envious of what you've got, and happy for you at the same time! Have fun and be safe!
Good idea about the mask! We'll be careful from here on out. I didn't mean a public bar, more of a home bar. I don't know how far we'll go with the project I have so many! Thanks for the advice!
@@HerbOMatic I'm glad you're open to advice. Also, be sure to wear eye protection, especially when using the wire cup brush, as it can send metal brush pieces flying, and you only get one set of eyes per lifetime. By the way, I'd love to help you on your project! Phoenix is a long way from Alabama...I should know, I moved from her to there and back, once in my 20's, for a girl who lived in Gala Bend, AZ.
@@HerbOMatic Hey, I think you mentioned your wife was looking at it as a root cellar/canning storage area or such. Which IS useful.... not to mention, constitutes emergency supplies if you need the shelter for it's original purpose. Though with relatively constant cool temperatures, it is ALSO a good place to store cases of beer. Which are also emergency supplies.
If it is 50 years old ,it looks reasonably good. The funky furniture and debris has to go. Run a line through the vent pipe to see where it goes and is it clear. I think a storm shelter is an asset. I have viewed videos here on how to place a shed over hidden stairs to sub grade shelters. This was built well. The wiring is just scary.
@@isaacmarin9353 That was my thought. What kind of weather are you expecting? If it’s a bomb shelter, the enemy is too close. I’m not saying it’s worthless, I’m just saying the enemy may live in your neighborhood. So, it boils down to how long can you survive in there?
I can't believe you've lived there that long and know virtually nothing about it. If I was you, I would have spent more time in it than in the home cleaning and fitting it out.
Step 1, set off a raid fumigating foger for two hours to kill anything living down there. Step 2, put a fan at the door to suck out all the leftover fumes. Step 3, then explore safely knowing any bugs, spiders, scorpions, sbakes, or mice are all DEAD...
Looks like scrappers were after the copper. The sewing machine looks to have a moter so was a foot powered and converted at some point. Some of those chairs and the like could fetch some serious cash if cleaned up and repaired. I will say, if cleaned up and fixed it should add seriously to the property value. Ceiling tanks were likely for a water supply for the shelter. The walls should be patched and tested, water tanks replumbed, metal stairs put in with a solar system for lights and batteries in another area. Good find.
@@HerbOMatic Was thinking on the sewing machine and am wondering if they had turned it into some sort of foot powered generator. Seen people do that with bikes before.
i can't be the only one who was expecting some sort of supernatural plot twist. the piled up furniture. the dug out part of the wall. putting the camera up in the rafters and behind the piles. i was tense as heck. i was expecting it to go full found footage horror movie any second.
My guess is, the previous owner was an upholsterer and used the space as a workshop, given the industrial sewing machine and all the furniture projects stacked up. 😁 I’m so surprised there are so many termite tunnels down there. Don’t bring any of that stuff up in to your house so you don’t transfer the termites into your living area, probably also explains why the stair treads were taken out. You guys are probably too young to remember the 1970’s TV sitcom “Happy Days” about post World War II teens growing up in the 1950’s. One episode was all about atomic bomb hysteria and everyone building bomb shelters. Not a bad idea considering all the nuclear testing going on in the deserts out West. For fun, you might want to check out the Rom-Com “Blast From The Past” (1999) about a kid who grew up in a fallout shelter to emerge 35 years later to find supplies in a post apocalyptic world. Can’t wait to see what’s next. Have fun…
Hey Admin, we just watched that Blast from the Past the other night! Good point about the termites, we won't bring it inside. Good guess!, spot on. The shop on the property was called European Custom Upholstery.
This is one the largest and elaborate shelter I've seen from that era. The plan was clearly to be down there a long time. A water supply, toilet, and tub?! Wow. I wonder how air was supplied /refreshed. Not sure how they planned to still have electrical supply after a nuclear exchange. Perhaps they were hoping that the particular location in the valley would have been far enough from nuclear targets such that fallout would have been the primary threat.
There are a couple vents in the ceiling that are now blocked off at the surface. I think they were planning on waiting out the radiation for a few months at least! I think generally the idea is to wait until the radioactive fallout decays enough to safely leave the area.
@@HerbOMatic I just saw appear on RU-vid today a 1965 government film on surviving fallout. Easy to find. I probably saw this as a kid while my dad was a Civil Defense member. You mentioned seeing a wire labeled "antenna." Radio broadcasts were to provide fallout forecasts based on winds aloft measurements and the location of detonation. Grim.
The external power going in all seems later, and seems to have been added as an afterthought, probably when someone started using it as a little storage area mini shop area.
Could definitely refurb that, and put in an arcade, bed, reinstall the kitchenet. Yeah, that would be an excellent storm shelter, or guest space, if it were brought up to code, and all. Very cool find.
Bug bombs in there first, then a thurough cleaning with shop vac and portable power lighting. Toss out the furniture and old plumbing that is likely toast. Update with new wires and plumbing, and install some dehumidifiers for added measure. New stairs and bettter blast door at the bottom. Obviously and better top entry with maybe hydraulic assists. Perfect bunker!
Agreed! Plus an NBC air filtration system and bury a water storage container outside next to the bunker to draw from. You never want your water storage to be inside.
That furniture looks like it's from the 80s. Looks like some we had. Yeah, I'd renovate it too. Aerostar was our first van too. Ok. Those chairs look older than the 80s.
When I went to California and stayed with my uncle in Fresno, he had a Cold War era Nuclear Bomb shelter on his property in the backyard and I got to go down in it. It was my first time seeing and being in a Cold War era Nuclear Bomb shelter!
The big water tank just might be the first rain water collection bin for the bunker 🤗 that would prove they were very smart close to genius level or clairvoyant!!🤗
Im looking forward to this video becoming a series as you renovate this shelter. I would definitely update it as a shelter, stock it with everything possible for survival and install an N.B.C. FILTER SYSTEM !!!!! You could probably order one from Ron at Atlas Survival Shelters. "COOL" place to hang out during your 100+ temperatures. I would definitely replace that entry hatch with a steel door with hydrolic pumps. Ron can do that also.
It will be a series starting this fall! I'll look into Atlas Survival Shelters. I want to keep as much original as possible, so I will find a way to make the door operate.
Just saw your video... that is just awesome! I haven't read all the comments, but you should definitely give Atlas Shelters in Texas a call.. he would definitely help you bring that up to today's standards! Your property just went up tremendously in value for sure! Let's us know how you guys are making out with it! 🇺🇸👍
I'll reach out to them when I get the project underway this fall, stay tuned! I bought the whole property in 2012 For $79K its been a helleuva journey fixing it up we have finally got to the shelter.
Wow should have made a plan, it was like you were breaking into the Pyramids,,,,Fun Vid! I hope you plan on finishing that bunker if you do not flood. Awesome additional Living space or a real Man Cave!
Exactly. Having this is such a blessing. Wouldn’t take a whole lot of money to fix it up. I bet with $20k, it could look like the inside of the house, have NBC air filtration, and a water storage tank underground that they can draw from on the outside of the shelter.
Are you restoring it , I would ! Cool space to hang out in when it’s hot ! Fix her up and use it for a studio and workshop ! I’d build a small shelter over the door making it more hidden . I’d love to have one , my friend bought a house and nobody knew about the bomb shelter not even the people he bought it from ! We found it while remodeling the kitchen ! His was 30’ x 30’ with 2 bedrooms a bathroom and kitchen/ dinning room ! No furniture though ! It doubled his square footage ! Lol
I've lived in Arizona my whole life and never seen a bunker here! I'm not going to lie i'm very jealous and would love to see it in person!!! It would be really easy to completely clear that thing out and start fresh, I'll get my gloves and hammer!!!
Don't get pissed at me I'm not a perv and I mean this as a compliment , you're wife coming down the ladder was my favorite part of the video ! Sorry, I had to say it ! Have a good one. The shelter would be a great man cave/ tourist attraction. Peace to you both@
Hi pal, this is awesome!! Did you know what it is before you got the property? I'm surprised you couldnt find a pole for leverage with that crowbar but clever thinking with the strap and vehicle! If you don't mind me saying, I don't think it would take much to erect a shed on top of it to disguise it and a frame for a hoist. Make a simple platform or even just a pallet and frame for said hoist and easily maneuver furniture that way if you wished. Lighting the place could be as simple as an led strip with a usb source into a battery bank, like power practical make. Use the existing pipes as conduits for flexible pipes or whatever, and you'll have new stuff as simple as that for electrics and plumbing. Clean that basin or replace it, add a toilet of some sort and a bed or sofabed or just empty it all for storage. Idk what it would take to replace those hatch sliders though, but youve got incredible space down there, really exciting!
Thanks Cleveland! Battery LED strips and battery power in general is a really great idea. It originally had standard 110v power but that wouldn't work in an attack. Perhaps a 12v system and a small solar panel to keep it topped off? We are going to start fixing it this fall, stay tuned. I'm working out an idea on fixing the door slide. The shed disguise is a really good idea! The guy I bought the property from thought it might have been an old well, I suspected it might have been a shelter... but wasn't sure.
@@HerbOMatic thanks pal, so what did you buy the property for-seems not for this? :) The shed would also be a frame and shelter from elements as well as a disguise, and a hoist would only cost £50 here in britain-your pricing isn't much different as far as I know but availability and such will be. You won't need anything fancy lol. Try led strips inside semi circularguttering, be it metal or plastic, and some sort of reflective material applied like foil or whatever and a frosted sort of transparent sheet-glass is free when thrifting easy, but not safe or anything obviously. You'll know of emergency lights turning on automatically when power goes out to find way to the exits of commercial buildings? I suggest you go off that principal for ever charging batteries, then switching to something else, or just renewable as you mentioned-but, if shtf someone will steal a power commodity. Posts can be used as bladeless turbines, it's either being or has been released but one RU-vidr (Australian if I remember right) figured it's simply a speaker: a copper hopp instead of spinning, knocking back and forth like a pendulum through a magnet. It's the same and it's disguised! Perhaps add bollards to avoid collisions. I wasn't sure whether you'd use this as a bunker, but either way why not have supplies if you have such a thing eh ;) you'll know this too, but if not, consider batting the walls ceiling and floor to airate, a little protection from potential ingress, future proofing for anything like insulation etc-then something for a wall like cladding idk. From that, you can add anything anywhere be it shelves or a clock etc without a masonry drill into the concrete each time :p idk whether that hatch is cantilevered when opened but simple guided castors on a fully supported surface will surely suffice. You've got an amazing thing going on there pal! I'm really jealous, you're lucky I'm not local to insist on helping haha :p I surely will keep tuned pal
Ed Hamblen ran for Maricopa County supervisor in the 1962 election. This shelter was most probably built under the impression of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Hope all went well. When you go into a confined space like that you need ventilation before you enter and as long as you are in the space. Blow new air to bottom of space and get three changes of air before you enter. If there is water and sediment in the chamber and you disturb it you can quickly create fatality bad air.
Lucky!! I'd fix it up and turn it into an airbnb looks like plumbing and electrical needs updating but wow..what a cool spot.. that's been one of my dreams to have and undergrown shelter. Your so blessed.
Being next to the house, you move to it when political diplomacy is edgy like it is right now so you're already there when at "home." A surprise attack however is a 50/50 proposition, maybe you're warned and maybe not.
Your bomb shelter is very dang cool and I really wish I had 1 just like it. I would definitely make it into a special man cave. But what we kept thinking all the way through, is what a cool, fun, attractive couple you are. We are neighbors too... Northeast Mesa.
Thank you Dennis! I see that you're into aviation, we have a 67 Mooney. The engine just died so I'll be doing a video on yanking that thing. We are going to start making it into a man cave this fall too damn hot right now, as you know.
Ditto on nice couple and pilots in the mix. Retired mil pilot in Tucson (A-7, A-10, F-16). I bet there are tons of these around. You could start a reality series exploring these! Lol I wonder if the city had/has plans of this needed for permitting. Building these in the late 50s/early 60s was probably a cottage industry. It would be interesting if they do. I second the man cave plan. You could make a cold war era themed home theater/lounge down there.
It looked like there was an area cut out of the concrete about the size of a suitcase just behind the last 5 pieces of furniture. Did you ever get them moved?
That place just became storage, but it definitely has potential with solid construction. You might be able to get a reinforced door from Atlas Survival. I might even pay to have them inspect the place and make some recommendations. Looks like a cool place that needs a ventilation system, a bathroom, electrical and some work. Again, seems to have a lot of potential.
When I was growing up in Fresno, my girlfriend had a bomb shelter in her folk's backyard, they had it built in the early fifties when everybody was afraid the Russians were going to Nuke us, it went down 25 feet into an egg-shaped Dome, pretty sweet
Sounds like you have fond memories of that shelter! It was a scary time from what I gather, really I don't know if anything changed or we all got bored being afraid!
@@HerbOMatic you always need at least one other way out. Even something could fall on top of your 1 way out. If any real scenario. & Of course would be a pretty terrible slow frightening death being trapped under ground being unable to ever get out. Just saying. But anyway just my unsolicited advice. I am so envious of your set up!
I picked up the whole half-acre with 2000 sqft house, 5400 sq ft shop, and the bomb shelter for $79K! It was abandoned and took another $50K and countless hours to make it presentable. But still helluva deal! Consider Subbing Cody, we're going to be fixing that shelter up this fall!
The stairs are not built-in so you can take them down with you and others are less likely to try to get in. Not just for nuclear fall-out, but for protection from human raiders after a nuclear attack. Watch "The Day After" about nuclear strike on the US. Really old cheesy TV movie, but kind of gives a good sense of how people become just as dangerous as radiation.
What a gem! I would rehab it to modernize. It's definitely worth fixing up. The only flaw I see is to install a metal cage to emp proof your electrical and add ventilation filters
This is definitely a great place. If this bunker was on my property I would definitely make the investment it's a significant space. You would pay several thousands for a 10 x10 bunker this area is much deeper and wider. Awesome Bunker/man cave 💯
I found this in a Phoenix newspaper called the Arizona Sun from Thursday, May 24, 1962: "Ed Hamblen has announced his candidacy for Maricopa county supervisor in district one subject to the democratic primary September 11, 1962. Hamblen, a long time resident of the District he seeks to represent, is married and the father of three children. He and his family live at 61 E. Valencia Dr.. Hamblen 45 years of age is a real estate and investment broker, also is president of the Great Northern enterprise corporation. Ed has also been extremely active in Civic affairs. Hamblen pledges that if elected he will devote all his energies to the job of supervisor, a position which he feels is a full-time occupation. He also stated that he feels one or two terms in this office should be long enough to integrate reforms and make living in any area of district one better for the taxpayers and their children. Hamblen stated he has no idea of taking a do-nothing, hands-tied attitude. Hamblin also stated that he would have no objection to serving as chairman of the board, of which this district has not had for 10 or more years. Hamblin feels the taxpayer should know where and how their tax dollars are spent."
Derp, that's awesome! I love history and old structures. They tell a story. Wish taxpayers knew where the money went now! Thanks for looking that up. Stay tuned we've started renovations and will be posting videos soon.
Your regular fixer upper! A few hundred dollars and you could have a nice little man cave! Of course you would need to be very handy with renovating old buildings and basements.
A lot of people built bar shelters without permits in order to keep the fact that you had one a secret from your neighbors. If there is a disaster you don’t want everyone coming by to get your food A medical supplies.
@@jeffstone7912 I wouldn’t want a structure for this purpose not built to specifications to be a fallout/disaster shelter even if it did expose that I had one. It appears from the way this one was built it had plans even if it didn’t have permits.
I know of several I've helped out on in the last 20yrs that never had any type of permits, drawings or records. Cash jobs non-disclosure contracts. Loose lips sink ships.
Ed Hamblen ran for county superviser of Maricopa in the Sept.11th,1962 election so shelter probably made late 62 or earily 63. Really cool thanks for showing us.
What!? Exploring that would be the first thing I did! Well, now you got a bunker and an awful cute bunker buddy. I hope you got that thing ready, you might need it soon.
Ed Hamblen ran for Maricopa County Supervisor in District 1 in 1962. He was 45 and president of Great Northern Enterprise Inc. Married with three children and lived at 61 East Valencia Drive.
I reckon someone was growing down there in the 80s. There was what looked like an old ducted grow light chassis still hanging up on the ceiling also the electrical work and the reflective ceiling.
If you live somewhere it gets real cold in winter, put out about 2-3 hundred buckets of water and when it freezes, throw them down in there and insulate with hay and you have a year round fridge.
Nice part is you're somewhere dry, and it looks like it was kept dry by the look of the I beams. I've seen videos of shelters in the northeast states where water had seeped in through the door or bolted on seams, or the humidity and lack of ventilation had collected years of moisture.
