Mazak VTC-20B - questions about space required

Hi,

There's a 1995 Mazak VTC-20B available where I live and I was thinking about purchasing it. I know it's a very old machine, but I don't need to make any advanced parts and its capacity would be ideal for me. The problem is, my current workshop is not very big. The biggest problem is the ceiling and the door. The door is about 250x250cm (~98"). The machine is specified as 270cm high and 290cm wide (~106" and ~114" respectively). The ceiling is at 290cm high (~114"), so it's only a bit higher than the specified height. So now I have a few questions:

1. I'm guessing height is specified as the maximum height with the spindle up. Does anyone know how high it is with the spindle down? Or how low it can be without taking the whole thing apart? I would use 4" high skates to move it to the workshop.
2. How much space would I need around the machine for maintenance?
3. How much space would I need above the machine? Is 7-8" of clearance enough? Or will it cause me troubles?

I guess in a nutshell I'm asking if it's just too big of a machine and if I should just give up or would it work?

I have a VTC 30C and it fit through a 10' high door with the head down, sitting on the forks of a 20 ton forklift. There is a rotary air/coolant union on the top of the spindle that needed to be unbolted and layed to the side. Maybe gave me 6-8". Height is spindle up.
That machine sits about 8" from a wall on the left, wall about a foot or less behind it. The wall behind it has a 48" wide door that is at far left, swings out so I can get to the back of the machine if needed. There is just enough room to work on the traveling part if I move it to the doorway side. Really cannot get to the back of the machine from the right side, but just enough room to fill oil and air regulator maintenance. Right side has control cabinet that needs space for the door to open, and a bit more space if you need to get the X ballscrew replaced. Bought mine new in 1999 and about 10 years in the X ballscrew started making a lot of noise. I ignored it and noise went away after a few years. 3 years ago noise came back and machine alarmed out with X overload. Needed a new X ballscrew. The noise was because the oil emitter for the ball nut was plugged and the screw was running only on residual oil. About $8000.00 for that part. I did not have time to send it out for repair. New screw Fedex from Mazak. Ouch. Machine is currently on 4th spindle. First spindle went under warranty.

Thanks for the answer Scruffy887

Although VTC 30C is much bigger I see that you still got it much lower than the official spec height, sounds good for my situation. I think it's also similarly built, so can you tell me anything about removing stuff from the sides to get it in? Like, I need to get it at lest 20" smaller on one side in order for it to fit the door. Is removing parts of the enclosure?

Mine shipped without the back panels, and those panels are tucked in the little corner at rear left of the room. The cable tray in the back was also un bolted to gain some space, and I think I had to remove part of the OH door trim at the top. Also, my control cabinet was tied with a strap to? There was a cold weld in the fabricated cabinet support that let go in transit. The transformer prevented it from falling all the way over. We drilled and bolted it back. It shipped with the spindle about 6" from the table. It was resting on heavy wall paper tube about 6" dia.
There are times I wish I had gone with the 20 series because it would give me a bit more shop space. I bolted 4 vises on the operators side of the 30C and they have never moved since I set it up in 1999. 29" under the spindle has been a help.