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What to do....

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by iFlip, Nov 29, 2010.

  1. iFlip
    Joined: Jul 8, 2010
    Posts: 173

    iFlip
    Member
    from San Angelo

    Well it's about halfway through my junior year in highschool, and i figure it's about time to decide what i'm going to do after i graduate. All i know is that i want to work with old american iron.

    A spokesperson from UTI comes to my autobody class every year, and tells us how great it is blah blah blah, and i've considering going there for the HotRodU program that they have, but from what i've heard that UTI isn't all it's cut out to be. I've also looked at http://www.hotrodinstitute.com/ , but it's kinda far, but would it be better to go to?

    Another option is move to DFW or another major city and just find a shop and go head first into the buisness. I did an apprenticeship at a shop in town for a little, and i've taken the autobody class at my school for 2 years, and plan to take it again next year so i know a little.

    What would you guys recommend? I wanna hear some opinions.
     
  2. BISHOP
    Joined: Jul 16, 2006
    Posts: 2,571

    BISHOP
    Member

    There are alot of beautiful women in San Angelo. Find one with money.
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2010
  3. iFlip
    Joined: Jul 8, 2010
    Posts: 173

    iFlip
    Member
    from San Angelo

    That would work aswell. :D
     
  4. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,388

    Squablow
    Member

    Nothing like starting off your new life with a huge chunk of debt, no job, and the same amount of knowledge you would have had if you just got a job and started working at a body shop. Not trying to be a dick, but no body shops are lining up to hire UTI graduates for 50K a year. Experience is what makes a body man/mechanic valuable.

    If you're determined to work on old cars, try to find a job at a resto or custom shop. Take whatever you can get, do what they say without complaining, even if it's emptying trash cans for minimum wage. Build some projects of your own to prove yourself when you want to move up.

    I worked at a resto shop for 5 years and I learned a ton. Now I have my own shop. And I went to tech school at night for 2 years, welding, school is great as long as you pay your way through, no debt.
     

  5. ChekrdPast
    Joined: Jun 8, 2010
    Posts: 146

    ChekrdPast
    Member

    You are already ahead of the game I'd say because you are young and have some idea of what you want to do. I got started late in life with the car stuff. I am a City employee in New York, NY and from a biased point of view I would say take a 2 year course in an automotive field that interests you the most when you graduate and gain hard skills. Then try to get hired by a municipality, maybe fleet maintenance, maybe the fire department or any job that offers steady pay and benefits and a tolerable regular job. If you play your cards right and stay motivated you can build a hobby into a profitable business in your spare time while still having the financial security of a municipal job that offers a pension that can keep your creative needs satisfied after retirement. Times are tough for everyone and I thank god every day I have a career I love and a hobby that keeps me busy and from time to time makes me a little money. Hope I didn't overload you. Best of luck no matter what you do...
     
  6. thirtytwo
    Joined: Dec 19, 2003
    Posts: 2,639

    thirtytwo
    Member

    i wouldn't do it....

    get really good at collision work... then maybe find a shop that works on a commission basis....build hot rods on the side ...start learning to work with sheetmetal...learn how to do that well...really well....by the time you are on your 3rd or 4th hotrod if you are intellegent at all ,..you will have learned a lot of what school could show you ...always maintain a hunger for knowledge and a drive to improve ..you will be in demand in a few years.....good car builders pay dues....lots of stuff can't be covered in 18 months of coarses
    ...if your dumb ...well , you wouldn't have picked up much at hot rod school anyway...except for a big student loan
     
  7. Gremlinguy
    Joined: Oct 29, 2009
    Posts: 505

    Gremlinguy
    Member

    All the above replys nailed it!
    I am 27, do auto body and paint for living. Graduated WYO-Tech in 2001. When I got out of school I was in the same position as I was when I went to school.
    Get a job at a shop (Make sure they have good rep for quality work) pushing a broom, taking out the trash, handing the old boy his tools or doing his grunt work, whatever... Apply yourself, ask questions, stay late for free. Go home and apply it to your hot rod hobby. Your knowledge and skills will grow just as fast if not faster than school.
    Working for next to nothing is better than paying thousands of dollars to learn the same things.....
     
  8. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,459

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    I'm going to steer you in the other direction. If you like working with your hands, take a trade like welding or electrical, maybe HVAC or plumbing.

    Something you can make a career at and some real money.

    Save the working on old iron as a hobby and you will be happier in the long run.

    I've seen too many guys chasing the work in a rod shop dream and they end up spending a good portion of their lives broke.

    Of course there is the other side where guys do well, but they are few and far between.
     
  9. GaryB
    Joined: Dec 19, 2008
    Posts: 3,529

    GaryB
    Member
    from Reno,nv

    x2 same thing my dad told me,Im about to retire glaziers union 25+yrs
     
  10. scottybaccus
    Joined: Mar 13, 2006
    Posts: 4,109

    scottybaccus
    Member

    I'm going to play the old man card on you. You just sound like you have a brain, so skip the working on cars for years to gain experience. Go get a real education, at least two years of regular college centered around basic business management.

    Why? (I speak from experiene here) You will open more doors to the higher pay scales in the long run, with minimum expense in your education. I dropped out of HS and got my GED. By the time I was 30, I was working for guys 5 years younger that were making 2.5 times what I was earning. I've spent 10 years making up the difference. Now I have the same experience of guys 10 years younger that have a better education. I am at a disadvantage from the get go when new opportunities arise.
    You can get your foot in the door the boring way, have a chance to stair step up into managing a shop (or many more higher paying jobs outside the auto biz), earn real money by the time you are 30 and be able to afford a real lifestyle AND the Hobby.

    Don't believe me? Go ask 6 people you see in the same place that you want to be in at their age, ranging from 25 to 50.

    Think you can't afford it? Sure you can. My wife works in Student Lending. ANYONE can afford school. You only need to educate yourself and fill out he forms. Your highschool counselors can get you started. Your college admissions dept. will have more info.

    Do yourself a favor and think bigger than your short term interest.
     
  11. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    It's hard to make money working on hot rods.

    I met a nice gal in engineering school, she takes care of me. And she gets to retire in a few years.

    If you make money some other way, you're more likely to feel like working on your own cars.

    Good luck....
     
  12. justinpba
    Joined: Nov 5, 2010
    Posts: 29

    justinpba
    Member

    I'll be the first to say it, consider the military. Want to work on stuff? Become a aircraft, humvee whatever mechanic. Every branch has jobs for mechanics. They'll send you to school, give you experience and after your tour they'll give you the GI bill to go to Wyotech or wherever. I speak from experience man. I went into the Navy at 18, learned a trade, got hired right out at 23 making really good money because of my experience and now the VA's not only paying for my school but giving me a monthly stipend too. It's not for everybody, but it's an option worth considering.
     
  13. iFlip
    Joined: Jul 8, 2010
    Posts: 173

    iFlip
    Member
    from San Angelo

    Both of my parents are in the military, and it just dosen't seem like the right thing for me.

    Thank all of you. Definentaly changed my mind about going to UTI.
     
  14. '54Caddy
    Joined: Sep 11, 2009
    Posts: 985

    '54Caddy
    Member

     
  15. 57Custom300
    Joined: Aug 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,424

    57Custom300
    Member
    from Arizona

    Great advice here. The post from Squablow hit it on the head if your bound & determinded to work on hot rods. I would stay away from commission paid jobs for now, I will get into that later.
    I think Blueone has the best idea. All the shows I go to some of the best cars were built by guys that don't wrench 50hrs. a week. After bustin' knuckles all day, the last thing your going to want to see is another car. When your young it's all fun & games but sooner or later you'll burn out.
    Commission jobs used to pay well but since 99 it's just terrible. Warranty labor times are a 1/3 to a 1/2 of what they were in 99. Chilton & Motor's decided that was a good idea so they cut their book times as well.
    I've worked at Ford dealers for 40+ yrs. Started out at 2$ an hour, walked uphill in the snow 40 miles both ways and all that shit and I find myself unemployed after the last place canned me (have an ongoing cancer thing and I'm sure its driving the ins. rates up. Can't prove it but I know how these places think).
    When I first started EVERYONE there told me to get out now. At 61 it's a little late for a do-over.
    If want to hire in at a bodyman/mechanic job, talk to all the old guys first. Some may have an ax to grind, but if they all say the same thing, listen.

    Sorry about the rant at the end, but I'm still pissed. GOOD LUCK.
     
  16. Listen to Squablow.

    There are trades that it doesn't hurt a thing to go to school for. But auto repair isn't one of them. If you feel that you must do it the hard way do a UAW apprenticeship.
     
  17. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    scottybaccus got it right. Think about the way this economy is going and what standard of living you want to have in 10 years. Youth is not forever and you only have a few years after HS graduation to build the foundation for your future as life gets more complicated. You must first add value to yourself by increasing your skill sets through education and experience. All other things being equal the resume with advanced education will get the job.
    The military is also a great option.
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2010
  18. treb11
    Joined: Jan 21, 2006
    Posts: 3,947

    treb11
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I feel for ya man. its chicken and egg. its hard to get hired without experience, but how is a young guy supposed to get experience? I agree with the guys who recommend getting a basic skill set of some kind, even if it isnt automotive related. They pay ya for what you know, so the more you know, the more they pay ya.
     
  19. The best thing you can do, is find a good shop to work and learn from. Work hard and work your way up. I think most of the really good techs come up this way.
     
  20. dabirdguy
    Joined: Jun 23, 2005
    Posts: 2,404

    dabirdguy
    Member Emeritus

    Get an education and do the cars as a sideline.
    I'm 60 and I do programming. I YEARN to get home and out to the garage.
    BUT....
    At 60 I'm still able to because I've worked inside all my life.
    My hands and elbows and knees are virtually pain free because I haven't been hammering or wrenching all my life.
    I still LOVE cars (I hate my work...LOL).

    They say "Too soon old...Too LATE smart."
     
  21. chaos10meter
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 2,191

    chaos10meter
    Member
    from PA.

    I went into the Army after high school , I was a tanker, not many job openings in that field when I got out but I did I learn how to juggle .
     
  22. 53sled
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 5,817

    53sled
    Member
    from KCMO

    Not many of my friends who did 4 year Automotive or Diesel at Pitt State, still like to work on their cars. They all got boats or harleys instead. I work in manufacturing and still love my cars. I don't know any body guys who made enough money to be "well off". I know lots of HVAC guys with a lake house and a hot rod.

    It is a numbers game. Virtually all americans want to be air conditioned, have to have a place to crap, and have to have electricity. Very few pay for hot rods to be built.
     
  23. JOECOOL
    Joined: Jan 13, 2004
    Posts: 2,771

    JOECOOL
    Member

    NEVER ,EVER have your hobby and your job the same. You will be so tired of hammering on other peoples junk you will find excuses to not work on yours.
    Same advice as others from an old man. A good friend went into the military at 18 ,out at 38 with a decent pension ,goes to work as a boiler man at a local college,He is in the operating engineers union so after 22 years he retires with a nice pension.He worked with me this summer and now is on unemployment for the winter. His two pensions ,SSI and his unemployment are bringing him in $7100 a month. With that income he can build anything he wants anywhere he wants.
    Look at the future ,it will come really fast.
     
  24. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    I was just thinking about that, I'm almost 50 and my right hand doens't move like it used to. I just changed the engine in an old truck, and skinned every knuckle on my hand doing it. This shit gets old.
     
  25. Joe Johnston
    Joined: Jun 29, 2008
    Posts: 127

    Joe Johnston
    Member
    from Ohio

    Funny how it is that today you need both experience and education. When you have both all of a sudden you find out you are overqualified! Today's job market is tough. A lot of good advice was given, pick and choose what fits YOU. I started college during the Vietnam War, drew a high lottery number and graduated with a BS degree. Had a so-called "professional" job for a year and then got a job in the local factory to earn much better money. Great union, benefits, and pay. Later served an apprenticeship for 4 years and became a skilled tradesman and spent the last 10 years doing CAD/CAM work and toolpathing with all the latest and greatest software and equipment. Tough job to leave! Along the way hung out nights at a small body shop while in college and learned all I could by watching and staying out of the owner's way. I'm 60 and retired at 53 and built many salvage wrecks over the years as well as restored other cars, ONLY because I could! Not being a smartass, but I had the knowledge and the money from a good job. Couldn't have gotten the jobs without an education and training. Do what you must but a career in a body shop is a hard life and remember an education is not heavy to carry around. Best of luck!
     
  26. str8 6 str8 edge
    Joined: Sep 7, 2006
    Posts: 246

    str8 6 str8 edge
    Member
    from Tampa

    All good answers. I just got out 3 years ago and I'm 39. Avoid flat-rate at all costs. It's a set up and you're the sucker. I work in a restaurant now and the waitresses make as much as I did as a Master Tech. When I decided to go to Tech school I was 19 and working for NAPA. I told one of our customers (a shop owner) that I was going to be a tech, he told me if I was going to trade school, to be a plumber. He said "look at the cars these techs are driving. Do you think they're rich? Look at what a plumber drives, he's got money". He was right. 15 years later I realized it, and now I'll pass it on. Be a plumber.
     
  27. FIFTY2
    Joined: Apr 9, 2008
    Posts: 340

    FIFTY2
    Member

    I agree , all good answers the only thing I can say is if you go to school, do your best to do it debt free, pay as you go or whatever. You seem to have an idea what you want to do(thats better than 90 percent of people about to grad. HS)

    the best thing you can do is what you did: ASK lots of questions.

    I will say one thing about going to college and getting a degree in (fill in the blank).
    If you look at alot of highly educated people that are out of a job right now, it doesnt matter how much education they have if they are in a field thats got more people than jobs.

    I may be biased, but if you like working with your hands, you cant go wrong with the service industry ( electrical, plumbing, HVAC) there will always be a need for people to fix/install things, no matter how bad the economy is. If your good you can work your way up, or start your own business.

    PM me if you end up in the DFW area!

    Good luck
     
  28. if your going to be working 8-10 hours a day to pay your bills you should enjoy what you do. don't not do something because it's your hobby and you love it. work is almost half of your awake life... that said if i could do it over...i'd move to the caribbean and paint smiley faces on coconuts for tourists!
     
  29. I went to Wyotech for collision and refinishing, graduated in 2000. Now, I work on junk oilfield equipment for 60-80 hours a week to pay the bills. I payed enough to go to that school I could have put a good down payment on my own body shop, and taught myself, or just paid others to work. I worked in the best body shop in the county for a year, in their paint shop, for 12 dollars an hour. With my Wyotech diploma, they started me at 8 dollars an hour. Do yourself a favor, save your money, get in a trade you want to do, start at the bottom, and learn from the people doing it for a living, not some chicken shit school. The diploma isn't worth the paper it's written on in the real world. Most of what I know I had to teach myself after I got out of school.
     
  30. skincat
    Joined: Jun 30, 2007
    Posts: 78

    skincat
    Member
    from kokomo, in

    It's funny that you bring this up because I am in school as we speak. Unfortunately, I am quite a bit older. I am majoring in automotive tech./ motorsports for my own toys and maybe on the side but I am also going to get a dual major in heavy truck/ diesel. Building hot rods sounds cool and all but I've been broke for so long, it would be nice to have a steady job that pays the bills and for the toys. I am 33 by the way. good suggestions by most of everybody else.
     

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