Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

Im about to start mine up and was wondering if there was anything in particular that you have found useful that i have foregoten.... I have a 2400sq ft shop.... lift... mig... tig... all that stuff... have a nice setup at a friends house for uberdata... i would like to move it here though so runnin back and forth just to tune wouldnt be a bitch so thats at the top of my list... other than that what else do u think i would need... ill just be doing motor swaps... junkyard turbo kits... tuning... i also have more than 60ft of work bench space for dissasembly and such.... so what am i forgeting????

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

I work in a van by the river

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

Make sure you have enough customers to pay for the lights, heat and rent...no seriously.

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

tools? advertisement? misc liquids (gas, cleaners, oil, lube, sealant, coolant, etc)? engine stands/cherry pickers? outlets, extension cords, droplights? jacks and jackstands? haynes/chiltons books or a computer broken full of how-to's, torque specs and sequences, etc?

there's lots to need to run a shop.

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

How about some skill and knowledge of waht you are doing. ASE certifications will also go a long way.

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

yea, and you have all those welders, but did you attend a welding school/college?

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

ok i should have illaberated earlier... i have all the tools i need... My profession use to be a welder... i have all the "liquids"... I own the shop... it is my personal garage... im not renting out a place... so all the basics are there... and there will be no additional bills really than what i have now so i wont have to worry about making ends meet at first... I have built a few ls/vtecs and a few junkyard turbo kits... the work is easy.. i know im capable except for tuning which i know is a big part of it which is why my friend with the uberdata is helping.. he has tuned dozens and dozens of cars in the area...

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

Dyno tuned or street tuned?

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

mostly street tuned... dyno tuning cost $$ we dont have at the moment... and people arent willing to pay for dyno time so we really dont have a choice

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

where you located?

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

Chattanooga Tennessee

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

do you have a reputation around the area? -or just a few local people. running a garage and haveing a garage to work out of are 2 different things.


are you gonna do this full time?

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

i have a reputation for quality cars and really clean cars... nothing absolutely amazing at the track or anything... right now im un-employed so i figured for now i would try to see how much business i pull in and go from there.. i can also do bodywork and such... i might be better off buying some shells or stockers and making kits and doing body work on them and making them clean cars and selling them... that would cut away at alot of my problems...

BTW thanx for not flaming away on this

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

insurance is prolly number one thing you should look at getting first.

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

lots of good points in the entire thread.

Your best bet is to go talk to a lawyer if your gonna do it right. if you wanna just do some "on the side" type ---- like buttrex, start stupid simple. -as in your moms garage until you establish yourself.

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

exactley. if you like to weld, start making manifolds- turbo and n/a. i know once i get better at welding i've got a couple n/a guys who might want some 4-1 type-r replica's. or put an add in the paper, if someone wants a body kit molded (if that's what you do) to call your number and you guys can work out a deal.

you don't start a "shop" until your business is too big for mom's garage :8

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

Solid advice there.Tax free then too. O0

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

well its not "moms" garage... We restore cars.. i have a 57' Chevy bel air in thw works right now

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

you need customers

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

i HAD one...but cocaine is a hell of a drug...

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

i have enough customers to keep myself busy... but turning a good proffit would involve other employees and i dont trust people when my name is on the work... not theirs

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

Well thats when you have to pay them well enough and still kick their ass so they get the job done right. And if someone is expendable fire them to show that you will fire people if they aren't working the way they should be. And be an inspector of their work and you can't be their friends. You are a boss. If they want to hang out you have to say No. And only hire people that are good at what they do. Not some dumbass or a friend. Thats just through my experiences working at Kawasaki and having my own buisness for a while. Thats what you have to do if you have emplyees

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

If you dont advertise you will go hungry and die.Dont be cheap and fork out for some advertisement.

Good luck.

Re: Anybody have their own shop on here?
 

Only work by yourself, tell the people it's going to take twice as long as "Johnny's Speed Factory" and charge them twice what Johnny would.

It'll work. :)