Trying to open my first Hot Rod Shop!! Help Hambers!!!

I have to agree with everyone's comments, stick with nursing. My wife is an RN here in San Francisco bay area where they are in shortage. Seems that there is always a new Phillipine arrival to take an opening.

If you are not an RN, get to that level, then you will not have to worry about finding work. Keep cars as a hobby, maybe build up side business. But stick with being a nurse.

 

The fastest way not to enjoy rodding ,is trying to get someone to pay you on time for work you have done .And the secret is they don't like to pay .
I have 2200 sq ft com. building with all the equipment and enjoy working on street rods for my self .Still don't get paid, but the cars are all mine.
Had two shops ,never again .

 

Would you prefer a TIG or MIG.

I want to be an astronaut when I grow up.... can someone donate a space suit??

 

After I saw "Days of Thunder" I wanted to race NASCAR....
After I saw "Top Gun" I wanted to be a Navy Fighter Pilot....

 

You have to charge high labor to cover all the fixed costs and pay your employees. There is not that much markup on parts. You better do your homework before opening a shop.

 

Look rig, I know you're getting beat up here pretty bad, but you have to admit that your idea is way out in left field. My thought on handouts, donations, etc., is that the only ones who deserve them are ones who can't help themselves. If you're able bodied, you gotta work for it.

My suggestion would be that you start small, rather than try to open a complete shop. Specialize in something that not allot of others do, something that won't take allot of cash to get going. Pin striping, etching, powder coating, polishing, etc., are a few ideas to run with. Once you've established yourself in a niche market, take it up a level. I wish you the best of luck.

 

i think you should be looking for a brain...not tools.


anyways, good luck!

 

I used to run a shop before I got my real job (you know- benifits,retirement) and grew to hate working on my own cars. Now I come home and wrench into the night happy as can be.

 

lol no ......MRN= Master Registered Nurse........ yep they make good money, thats why i don't work. my girl friend does......

goodluck in the NEW HOTROD shop hope it works for you

 

Ummmm.......It's taken me 30 years of almost daily working on cars to get good enough to do it for other people and accumulate all the tools and experience I need to do the job. No one helped me I did it on my own through hard work and dedication..............

 

That's the truth!!! I used to love airplanes untill I started working on them for a living! Now I can't stand the sight of them!

NEVER make your hobby your job!

 

I wonder if he has money to pay for shipping ?
Some people have balls.. I wanna start a revolution against hi gas prices and medical insurance.. Please send weapons and ...

Dave

 

Hey that's my business plan!!!

 

Just curious....what hot rods have you built?...
Have you done welding, fabrication, metal work, body work, paint, motor work, suspensions, etc,etc.?
Dont want to sound like a prick, and Im all for following your dreams...but seriously....re-think this one......

 

What have you built or done? Show us some pic's of your skill and finished product? .....

 

Check with the astronaut farmer!!! Heard he has some left>>>>.

 

I have been building Race Cars (drag race, circle track, road course, whatever), Hot Rods and whatever other kind of fabrication that someone wanted me to do for 23 years now. I turned 40 two weeks ago. I have never worked for anyone else. I starved alot of those 23 years. I do top quality work on whatever I do, I don't rape people on labor and I let them bring their own parts beacause they can always get it cheaper somewhere else. As soon as you do a job someone is going to knock it and say that you screwed them , or that it was done wrong and the people who you thought were going to bring you more business are going to drag your name through the mud. You are going to have to be a top notch mechanic, welder, machinist, fabricator, painter and body man to be able to survive.

I started building a line of fabricated parts 6 years ago that I sell online, and now I work less, get paid alot more, have more free time, and I don't have to deal with customers in my face. The tools and shop are now used to build cars that I enjoy building. I turn away Hot Rod work all the time because it just is not worth it anymore, but have at it!!!!

 

I think you may have a Tom Cruise crush.... go get some help.

But back to the topic! Oh, to be young and stupid again... The reality of the situation is: 1) No hot rod building experience, 2) no business experience, and 3) no tools even to dick around in the garage. Now go down to the bank and ask them to give you a business loan with that information. I'm sure the "but I've been a hot rodder since I was 5" will put them over the top on financing your endeavor.

I hate to generalize here, but your generation expects everything now without putting in the time or effort to get there. Asking for free shit doesn't even get you close to off the ground. I'm not sure that I would even let you do work on my car for free if you have no practical experience doing anything on cars. I want my car back better than when I gave it to you, not worse. With your limited experience, chances are I will get the latter in return.

If you really want this dream, the only way to get there is work hard at a job you may hate, save and sacrafice to get your tools, practice in your garage to see if you really do have any talent, and if you do finally start working on other peoples rides, it better be quality work if you want your business to turn a profit. Running a business is a lot harder than just hoping it will happen.

Just the way your going about this tells me you aren't really "mentally invested" in your dream.

Just my 2 cents....

 

I know some pretty successful hot rod builders. Two out of three of them make less money than me and work pretty hard. Stick with the good union job, it's pretty hard to beat. I am guessing you are not finished nursing school and are rationalizing your way out of the hard study of nursing school. Good luck in what ever you do.

 

Right on.

I'm gonna open a whore house...send sluts.

Bryan

 

I just watched the Ring, now when I grow up I'm going to live forever in a Vhs cassette!

 

Actually I was thinking of becoming a male nurse, does anyone have one of those sexy short skirts, some of those cute white shoes (size 10.5), one of those little hat thingies and a stethoscope for free and I'll tattoo your name on my ass.

 

All good advice. We've been open a year in a real storefront. Before that a few years in the shop behind my house part time.
Was it worth it? Paid the rent out of pocket again this month. But at least we brought enough in for the other bills. Long hours, I'll be there for a bit tomorrow. Can't make anything on parts. Sometimes it sucks, sometimes it's the best thing in the world. Learn to love noodle bowls and Ramen. I do IT work to pay the bills.

there are times....

 

you guys must have a certain amount of respect for the medical field or the price of sugar dropped today! i would build and finish that 53' chevy first and add up all the hours you have in it then compare that to your current job. you will be glad you kept your current profession.

 

you all have the correct answers, but if you dont have equptment of your own what is your work going to be like cause if no equiptment how do you work on your own stuff

it takes alot of effort with business, i know cause i own a landscaping company, towing company, and a repair garage, you always loose money in the first 5 years, you have to rob peter to pay paul, its not as easy as you think

get a job in your field

 

Before you open a shop in upstate ny you have to have people who want it.If it was that easy someone would have already done it.Where in upstate are you?

 

Not going to read anymore - you've got good advice (and drama) on the direction you need.

We're done.