Opinions from builders needed.

[ho428]

I've noticed more builders on this site than most others I look at so I need an opinion from you guys.
I've built about 10 cars to various stages, nothing earth shatteringly detailed. Personally I think I just do average car work, mainly a hobbiest, attention to detail but not so hot on spit and polish since they're my cars and not for clients.
Anyway I've been approached about building some cars for some European clients. not email scams, legit clients. I work with a lot of Europeans at my normal engineering job. Some have seen my car work and shop and have expressed interest in some American cars but they don't have a clue where to look, and frankly they'd rather deal with someone they know or were referred to. Mainly normal stuff, F-body is my specialty anyway. Some Pro-tour, some restos, maybe a Hotrodded car, etc... these would be exported. Sorry about that.

Right now I don't think I could compete against the good local shops for local work, which is why the European element seems like a better plan.
If I approached a client build like my own cars I'd still have to farm out a bunch of work, I just can't do it all, space, tools and ability, let alone time. So far they understand it'll be a 1-2 year build, down payments and incremental progress paments. With me an another guy we figure we couldn't do more than 3 to 4 cars a year anyway once the pipeline was started. Some cars would be simple mods while others would be full builds.
I've got two builds going at the same time as does he, and we both work regular jobs, also seems to work better being able to go back and forth rather than waiting on one thing for one car.
Anyway. we're not trying to get rich, just make some extra cash at the moment but if it panned out maybe pull in a living wage off it.
I'd probably buy a building (investment rather than a lease) if this got going. Both our home shops are full, at best I could intall a lift to clear up a bay. My buddy has a business license already but I'd have to be discreet doing client cars in my home shop.

I'll post a few pics of my work and shop, some have been up in other threads so I'll dump them after this thread runs it course.

Opinions?

Thanks in advance.

[MrQuick]

Sounds like a great plan but try to get a few small things you can do to make money as the large build projects take time and will take more money to do. Things like rare parts acquisition, parts reconditioning and small bolt on stuff.

Remember that the US dollar is low right now and if you already have clients that want your work that puts you at an advantage. Clients tell friends.Try to set up a contact with a current client. Also watch who you pick as a partner. Go at it alone if you can as its a headache if you get the wrong one.

Start shopping around for shipping companies. The more you can fill a container the better.

Start small and go from there. I agree buy rather than lease. Find a lot you can build on. Just incase you would like to expand later. Im not sure what the zoning laws are in SC but if you can find a 5k sq ft shop on an acre with utilities you'd be sitting pretty. Then you just have to worry about taxes.

[NOPANTS-68]

I think in these situations it's imperative to make the expectaions of the client perfectly clear. It's one thing to expect a car like mine that's a clean little street car, and another to expect something like a DSE or Rad Rods build. Their perception is everything. Obviously the first goal would be to find out what they intend to do with it and plan from there. I've just found that making sure everyone's on the same page up front as to what caliber car is going to be delivered, makes the job as a whole much more fluid. The toughest part is consistently the outsourcing for me and controlling things I just can't or don't want to do like interior work. Do a simple build leaving no detail out and see how it goes. You can always ramp it up from there. Go for it!

[2Bad4Ya]

Thats a big step up from tooling on your own toys imo. I am not trying to be negitive, just pass my opinion. A good friend runs a local shop, he has so much work lined up that he stopped doing collision repair 5-6 yrs back. He is also in a highly saturated body shop area. You can not go down one specific road where i live without seeing a body shop every block. I have personally counted 10 shops in a 5 mile stretch of the road.

"I have 3 employees and myself, we have 4 projects going at a time. I have to get 45.00 an hour per employee/project to keep this shop running", friend of mine who owns a shop.

I guess what I am saying is either go at it and build your own shop and do not worry about the other shops, or do small side jobs. I would not undertake those long term projects without more faciltities etc... at your disposal. Getting into a 1-2 yr comitment on the side is not worth the money.

BTW check EPA laws, they just passed a bill that says the hobbyist can paint 2 cars a year, then they are required to have have EPA approved paint booth, hvlp, air system, etc...

[ho428]

So far some very good advise. Thanks.
Shipping isn't an issue, we do overseas containers weekly so I know the drill.
I like the idea of getting a commitment for a simple project first. Find the client a car, maybe a base Camaro, he wants a crate SBC or LS conversion, maybe upgraded suspension, vintage air. Easy enough, maybe provide him with some extra parts needed for him to do some hobbist work of his own once the car is there.
Or perhaps find him a restorable project, load it with most of the parts we think it needs, ship it to him as a project. I've got one guy that threw that possibillity at me. He wants to do a restoration-build himself.

But for argument say a client later wants a Pro Tour 68 Firebird, Butler engine, 6 speed trans, 9" rear, upgraded air ride suspension with restored OEM style interior. Virtually impossible to build in Europe but the client knows about what he wants, doesn't want a ebay special but a car built-restored to his taste, just like a local would. That kind of build I could handle. I would have to farm out the paint but the rest is in house resto style work.

The long term commitment part of a project like that is a very valid point, that kind of build would definitely be a "later once established" project.

But that's why I'm asking these questions, I really had no intention of going into this, but once apporached by several people I figured I'd at least give it some thought.

Thanks again.