Career advice

[Roman Legion]

I'm going to start General Services Technician training (8 month course) through vocational rehabilitation because I've always been interested in cars and motorcycles. After years of not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, a few months ago I decided not just cars, but more specifically classic cars were my main interest. How can I go from that training to classic car restorer, if anyone here is in the field, which I'm going to say someone among us here is.

Any advice and guidance is most welcome, but it's a good feeling when you search yourself for a long time and it finally clicks what you really want to do with your life. I'm not even sure how much the field pays, but I'm sure it's well above minimum wage since it's skilled labour. Post here or PM me, please, I'm looking for someone's experience to help guide me to what I want to do.

[ccurzio]

You have to do it for fun for a really long time, get ridiculously good at it, then you need to promote yourself with photos of your work online and off. Make a website to show off your skills.

Keep doing that over and over until people start requesting your help. That's where the business part starts.

[David_NYS]

It depends on how serious you are I guess. I used to work at a classic car garage for a few years. I learned a lot about how much money and time goes into a restoration. It seems that most people who get into this field do it via informal apprenticeship.

There are schools dedicated to the art of restoration; the McPherson Collage for example, but it's not cheap.

http://www.mcpherson.edu/autorestoration/

Follow your heart and your passion!

[Michael]

Automotive restoration is kind of a trade that you grow into. You are starting right in the general services training which will get your feet wet but that's just one of many aspects. Most automotive restorers employ a group of people all skilled in one area. In a body shop I worked at in school there were two main groups of employees...body workers and painters. A restoration shop has fabricators, interior people, mechanics (I prefer the term technician) and probably a few more people who are called when needed. It's very rarely a one man show because each one of these trades is a lifetime of training to get to a skilled level...remember the old saying jack of all trades master of none? I will not even mention the upfront costs of a facility and paint booth, as well as the financial side of running a business. Even if one person could do all the above he still would not have the turnaround to support a week to week or even a month to month income. Restorations often take months and sometimes even years.

If I were in your shoes(and that's not to say this is the best advice) but if I knew, really knew that I wanted to perform restorations then I would have to seek out higher education for whatever area I wanted to go in. That means I would seek out a vocational college and maybe find work at a garage as a oil change tech or light duty..even technical colleges charge tuition. Of course if you start work as a tech then you will need tools upfront and that can turn into a sizeable investment in itself so don't be too proud to do a entry level job until you have money to fund your education.

Above all else be true to yourself. Very few people get up and love to go to work. Even I don't love it every day and I started my business too. Automotive restoration is a hands on dirty job. Just be honest with yourself as to what you realky want to do for a living. You might find you like the aspect of flipping cars better than full blown restoration work. I do that a lot in the summers. I happen across a car, fix it up cosmetically, and sell it on Craigslist. I would hate to depend on that for my income but if I get my dealers license and started a small lot I really think I could take a fancy to that. Just don't latch onto the first thing that strikes you. You may just like the idea of restoring cars and there is a big difference between liking an idea and making that your livelyhood.

[DMCVegas]

What he said.

To add to that, a General Services Technician is going to do the basics of oil changes, tune ups, etc. If this is definitely a career you want, what you want to eventually do would be expand your certifications to MVAC, ASE, and get some specialized training too such as Automatic Transmissions, motorcycles, diesel, etc. Something to also give you that leg-up and also plays into your future career plans. Now those would just be part of the whole equation. The other thing you'll need is experience in a garage. Dealerships can provide this too if you get on with one, and can certify you as qualified for certain vehicles, systems, etc. Keep in mind that pretty much almost ALL DeLorean repair centers as we know them are ran/owned by people who started out as mechanics themselves.

Now that would be to get yourself established as a mechanic. The next phase would be your specialist work on classics. Pickup a project car here and there, and get involved with a club or two. For vehicles that you restore, you want to build a portfolio of your work complete with photographs. Plus the awesome thing is with project cars, be it classics or late model drivers, you can get some decent cash to help fund your future goals as you flip them.

Finally, once you've gotten yourself established, have a reputation, have a portfolio along with a resume, then see if you'd like to strike out on your own. If so, take some business courses at your local college in business finance, bookkeeping and various operations. Because if you're in business for yourself, you've got a whole new host of responsibilities to take on. But that is of course if you wish to open up your own shop.

[Farrar]

Don't forget to read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

[RoyHinkley]

Seek out what you love in life. That's more rewarding than any paycheck.

[Michael]

Seek out what you love in life. That's more rewarding than any paycheck.

Try running that line by the mortgage company.

[RoyHinkley]

I understand where you are coming from, but in all honesty I don't have a mortgage so I have no mortgage company. I live debt free. It's actually very fulfilling, but I understand it just not possible for everyone.

[Farrar]

I think some of what Mr Black has to say is appropriate in this instance.