Just looking for experienced advice!

[Nnips]

Hey all,
First my name is Alex and I'm looking for advice on finding my place in the Pro Touring world.

Too long;Didn't read : I'm 24 years old, I've been working on cars, recreationally, since I was 16, I'm smart, I'm good with my hands, I can go to school, I want to build pro-touring dream cars. Where should I start?

I recently separated from the Marine Corps after 5 years of honorable service as an Infantryman and High-Risk Training Instructor. I am currently going to school working on my basics, taking advantage of my GI bill. I've always loved working on cars but felt that I needed to find something that made more money. After my time in the service I realized that chasing paychecks and being miserable is not something I want to do. My true passion is building things, I love creating things that are functional, I have an excellent attention to detail and I love cars so combining the two leads to working on cars. I bought a 1971 Camaro with an engine, a transmission, and a steering wheel when I was 16 and fixed it up. It took two years of hard work but with guidance from my father and my own perseverance but I got it running.. then I wrecked it on the way home from prom.. fixed it, wrecked it again, fixed it, blew the gen III small black and joined the Marine Corps. My Camaro was sitting in storage for 5 years and just before I got out I decided I wanted to do an LS swap. I always knew I'd end up fixing it again and the last 2 months I've been performing the swap. So far I've done everything myself. I bought the engine, did research on all the parts I needed and how it would fit. I've spent hours on forums searching and asking questions. I decided to modify my LS wiring harness into a standalone harness and after hours and hours of research and googling, and even days of cutting and soldering I was successful. I now have an LS 5.3 from a 2000 yukon with an LS1 style intake, stock internals, corvette accessory drive that runs and needs to be tuned haha. I put a Vintage A/C system in, new interior, new EFI gas tank (in-tank pump), plumbed the car myself, rebuilt the steering system, and installed rear sway bar. I'm currently getting ready to put a 2002 4L80E behind it and hopefully will be driving it in the month. I've encountered setback after setback but I've pushed through and loved every minute of it. This car is going to be my daily driver and I will continue to improve it as I drive it.

So that's most of my background with cars, other than that I have experience doing transmission conversions in 67-72 C-10s, and various random repairs on more modern cars.

What I need advice on is, how do I navigate my way through the car world with a desired end state of building up classic cars into pro-touring vehicles? I understand a high level of skill in various fields is going to be required, I know I'm not going to get straight into the pro-touring industry and I'll have to work my way up. I think the best fit for me would be a fabricator/technician/welder. I would even like to own my own shop one day.

Like I mentioned earlier, I have the GI Bill and I have no problem going to school for a degree in metalworking/fabrication/automotive services. I've considered getting a degree in business management and getting OJT working my way up mechanic/automotive welding jobs until I'm comfortable starting my own shop.

What should I do?

Thank you for your time.

,Alex

[andrewb70]

Hi Alex,

Welcome to the site. If you ever have the ambition to start your own shop, then I suggest you take as many business course as possible, and maybe even focus on getting a business degree. Marketing would probably be the most useful, perhaps with a minor in management if that is available. The marketing knowledge will help you understand how to promote your business and drive customers to your door. I would also take marketing classes that are focused on services, as building cars is almost 100% service. Management will come into play when you have to deal with HR issues and overall business strategy. I also suggest taking accounting classes, specifically managerial accounting. Managerial accounting will help you with the cost side of your business so you can actually figure out if you are making money, and how to allocate overhead expenses, etc... The financial accounting can be outsourced to a good CPA.

That's my 2 cents...

Andrew

[Schwartz Performance]

Welcome.

It depends on your skills, really. You may be able to get your foot in the door of a pro-touring shop (such as Schwartz Performance), but you won't make much $ to begin with, since you don't have much of a track record/resume for that type of work.
From there, you could either work up your skills & not go to school ever, or decide to go to school & do internships.
I attended McPherson College & got a BS in "Automotive Restoration Management." Then I interned here at the shop with my dad every summer. McPherson has many opportunities too, and help get students into internships.
(Side note, McPherson is not a Pro-Touring builder shop.. they do antique restorations.. You will learn pro-touring on your own or at a shop.. but you will learn sheet metal fab & other aspects of automotive).

Also, just a heads up, some shops / owners will not like to hear that you want to own your own business one day. They feel it may be threatening, and that you are going to take all of the business practices you learn & run off to then compete with them. That's how I feel anyway, lol. Internships are different since they're short term.

Starting your own shop right off the bat isn't a good idea IMO, unless you have the funding to do so (you won't make money for a few years typically).

That's my $.02.

Also, might want to update your profile with a location. I didn't see where you were from.

-Dale Schwartz

[Nnips]

Thanks for the reply Dale!

I live near Austin Texas. I checked out your website and your projects, pretty awesome builds yall got. I'm excited to see how that 56 safari turns out.

Also, since you own a shop you should be able to answer this. If you were gonna hire someone with no professional experience what skills would they have to have?

Thanks again, Alex

[Nnips]

Thanks Andrew,

Thanks for the tips. I really would like to open up my own shop eventually so I'm leaning towards majoring in business and minoring in auto tech/restoration.

,Alex

[gdphillipswagon]

Dale,

It's awesome that you took the time to offer career advice to a young, aspiring automotive enthusiast.

Thanks, Gordon

[badazz81z28]

I'm always looking for new talent to work on my cars....In fact need a my DSE roll bar welded in. It seems some of the big names are just so expensive its stupid and they don't even do comparable quality for the price. If you can get out there, do good work and charge a price that fits, you will do well.