Quote:
|
Originally Posted by beaudeg
My... my aren't we just a bit critical. The young man simply asked a question about wanting to start up a custom shop. His log on name is Cutlass and maybe he has a sweet Cutlass that in many peoples eyes and mnds have become classics. I would not turn my nose up to an individual who enjoys customizing a Cutlass as a place to start. Nor would I be so quick to label ricers as really just caliper and ac vent paint. Do you really believe that is all that takes place with imports? You better look again. My shop who has 30 years experience in american and european classics recently, for the past 3-4 years, applied the same passion with Japanese IMports. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised if you attended some of the shows such as SEMA and see how these rides are truely customized or even try to attend some of your local clubs. When I started with a 1957 Nomad Wagon many many moons ago and was not considered a classic at that time, my father had a similar attitude and looked down on my conversions/customization/restoration. Lets not have the same wooden ears and eyes as our parent. Today that 57 Nomad Wagon is obviously considered a beautiful classic and I wish I still had her. AC vent paint and caliper paint is obviously not really what the younger generation is working towards.......customizing for ricers or a nicer label would be imports, is not exclusive to your examples. It in fact might be limited on some cars for budget reasons, but even many of these are sleepers.
Customization encompasses a variety of personalization to their rides to lowering not just for looks but also for greatly improved handling, custom paint jobs that will make the 50 Merc cry with envy, engine swaps that go well beyond changing a 6 cylinder to an 8, they do hybrid swaps in their cars that will blow your mind, they also take these little ricers with 4 bangers and produce mind blowing horsepower with 1/4 mile runs in the 8s, while turning heads with their awe inspiring stunning good looking paint jobs, body kits, rims, sound systems, bad ass custom multitone interiors wrapped in leather........to top it off if they are not putting the pedal to the metal these little cars get an average of 28 miles per gallon.
I highly encourage the members of this Forum to continue their passion and quest to modify/improve their rides regardless of what their rides happen to be. Start somewhere with something and let your experience become a step ladder to creating the ride that you enjoy. Our motto is " Creators if the Ride of a LifeTime" This means something different to all and that is what makes this such as huge success. It really is no different when all I could afford to do to my 57Nomad at the beginning was change the rims to chrome reverse rims and added some wider tires. At the time I though this addition was not only all I could afford but it was the beginning of a true love and pursuit of my passions.
|
Very nicely said.
Anyway, I am in the aftermarket area and run a one man crew. Mostly I am mobile but I also have a small shop. I mostly deal with vehicle electronics by adding things like remote starters, keyless entries, and the such. I also do DVD systems and HUGE sound systems along with custom stripes. Inbetween that, I do high end detailing.
I will tell you that it is a rough job but rewarding. I only did it because I lost my job and couldn't find anything else to do. I LOVE cars and working on them. The satisfaction of seeing the customer watch the neat things that their vehicle now does is priceless. I worked in a high end shop when I was attending Ohio State. I continued to work for them for a while then decided to try other things. Well, people kept tracking me down to work on their vehicles so it was kinda a no brainer to start a shop.
Money is real tight at times and other times it isn't. I'd love to have a huge bizz like West Coast Customs but I know that my rural area will never support it. At least I do not have to rely on many people other than me.
One thing you need to be is honest. If you are not, most people will pick up on it and it will catch up on you. I keep my overhead very low. I don't even have a published phone number. Most of my work comes from either area dealerships or word of mouth. That is the best way to get people to come to your door. I don't want people calling me for prices. Most of them will get their car hacked at a big chain store to save $20 anyway.
My suggestion is to get a quality college education first. While you are there, try to get hooked up at a high end stereo shop or custom shop even if you are just sweeping floors. Trust me, if they see your into what they are doing, they'll inadvertantly teach you things that you can not learn in a textbook.
Remember that this bizz is one of the toughest to get into but is certainly doable.