Tips and Advice on Becoming a Classic Car Mechanic/Restorer

Hey guys, I'm currently in an ASE certified program getting my basic certifications but these classes are mostly geared towards newer cars and that's not where my heart is. I want to restore, fix, and get muscle cars on the road again. Especially 455 Buick Monsters!

Is anyone in the industry that can give me tips on what I should do to get me into this part of the industry. I'm located in South Florida and i have contacted so many classic car restoration, mechanic, and engine rebuilding/machine shops, and without any experience its very hard to get an apprenticeship.

Here is the letter I send to most shops.

Hello,

My name is Chris Drew and I’m contacting local restoration shops in the South Florida area to ask for an opportunity to become an apprentice working on classic cars. I’m hard working and passionate about classic cars, especially muscle cars. I decided to follow my passion and change schools and enroll into an automotive program. I started an automotive program at PBSC Lake Worth this year and will start collecting different ASE certifications as each class ends. I’m interested in all aspects of the restoration process from engine rebuilding/machining, body work, interior, mechanical, fabrication or electrical and everything in between. I would be grateful to shadow anyone in any department. I work on my own car every day and I’m constantly learning. I have done basic maintenance, designed, created, and installed interior parts, electrical repair and diagnosis, mechanical diagnosis, and more. My everyday life involves these classic cars from my own love of my 71 Skylark, the shows I watch, the research I do for hours and the automotive program I’m in. I have automotive tools and I’m constantly getting more. I have a creative mind and love to create and restore things. This has been a burning passion for a long time and I need to make this my career. I just need someone to give me a chance. I would follow your shops rules and be a helpful and responsible hand.

If you’re interested in allowing me to learn and gain experience at your shop you can contact me through email, calling or texting. If you don’t have interest, I would appreciate an email back with some helpful advice on how to get into the industry. Thank you so much for reading this and I hope to hear from you soon.

So what do you guys think? This letter is just raw and to the point, should i change or add something?

 

If you are good with your hands and know the basics I'd for go the school and get a job turning wrenches. If old school is what you want to do, the new schools are not going to teach you jack about working on our cars.
Un related but sort of related.. I own a HVAC company. Had many guys over the years apply that have completed a tech school and have a certificate. Unfortunately they dont know enough for me to hire them as a helper. The schools basically take your money and throw you out you into the work force. My advise to these guys is to go get a job with a company in a large metro area and learn hands on from the ground up. IMO its the only way to learn a trade. Not trying to be harsh, just the way I see it.

 

Chris,

Get the schooling.. what you want to get into is very different than what Briz is doing. Sure cars change over the years, but the basics are all the same.. the rear diff in a 2018 Chevy pickup works exactly like the one in a 70 GSX. It's to your advantage to understand and work with the newer systems, especially EFI stuff. Lots of guys going that way now, and my education and experience working with those systems is invaluable now, that I am getting into them in the shop now, for, yes, you guessed it, classic car customers.

The job your looking for is few and far between, but keep at it, get your education, certifications and start working anywhere.. build up a good work history, and then your qualifications and history will make you more appealing to the guy who has that job you want.

For about a dozen years, I did do everything your wanting to learn how to do on Buick GS's... I had several employees, and was always on the lookout for a guy like you.

My best advice, if and when you get that job is simple.

Be on time- always

Mouth shut, eyes and ears open. Keep your opinions to yourself.

Classic car restoration guys want things done a particular way, and their way is the correct way.. it's their business and personal name on the job.

And even though I have downsized and just do engines and transmissions these days, we still do the occasional "cool" project hot rod, and I still want things done a particular way.

Good luck

JW

 

My 2cents.

Ditch the letter approach and go strait to the shop, early in the am and speak with the owner. Tell him what you said in your letter.

And if you get in the door, when given a task. Don't worry what that task is. Don't prefer one task over the other. Treat every task as a privilege, even if it's sweeping. My grandpa had me washing cars at his shop for a real long time. Who knew thier was a proper way to wash a car, but there is.
Old school guys look at letters like a lack of effort. Shoot I wrote this in bed.
Much luck, and pray before every move.

 

Thank you for your guys advice. I have been to shops and talked to owners and the experience seems to be the problem. I have done a lot of work on my own car, but it doesn't seem to do enough for them to pull the trigger and higher me. I would be grateful doing anything in the shop, i don't care if i have to clean, organize and sweep the place for a month or two to earn an owners trust.

and yeah Jim i am interested in a lot of the newer technology and i think its useful, especially all the efi conversions happening in muscle cars.

I'm just gonna keep applying to all dealerships or shops I can. I just need one person to see the passion in me and take a chance on me, I know they wont regret it.

 

Do you have tools? The reason I ask is that something sounds odd about your struggle and that came to mind. There’s a shortage of good techs in north Georgia to the point that an experienced fellow I know is able to dictate ‘no drug screen’ and still get hired. Keep knocking and good luck!
In the interim, run ads on Craigslist as a ‘mobile mechanic’; a lot of people will be glad to have their brakes done for less than $150 per axle. Brakes, CV axles, radiators, timing belts, engine mounts, etc., jobs like that often are full of markup gravy for shops and, especially if you can buy wholesale or close, you can make some dough while saving owners money. There are a lot of people out there who can’t spend $250-500, but can when you cut that in half and do a good job, you’ll be their hero.
Patrick

 

I do have tools, not so much air tools because I never can use them. Yeah being a mobile mechanic is not a path im ready to take, i would like some mentorship before working on my own business. but yeah im gonna keep knockin those doors down!

 

Although now retired, I was an ASE master tech L-1 certified for many years. I was one of three teachers in an ASE-certified public school automotive program. If you can fix newer cars, you can certainly learn to repair the older ones. It is true that a model T or a 65 GTO or a Buick GSX are different then a new car, but many if not all of the mechanical stuff is at least similar. I remember pulling apart the differential in a '35 Chevy. It wasn't any different then a modern RWD unit. If working on older cars is your dream - pursue that dream. As JW said, keep your mouth shut and your ears and eyes open, and if you have the aptitude, you will do fine.

 

Thanks for words John! I plan on pursuing this dream. I always assumed that It would be less complicated to work on older cars then these new ones. but i need to keep hearing these things from you guys.

 

Do your Skylark from top to bottom , front to back, learn as you go and from the experience and the Internet. You'll be able to work on anything from the Muscle Car era from then on.....Then take it with you when you go looking for a job, tell them your Reume' is in the parking lot.........You'll get hired I can guarantee it.........

 

If you still can't get anyone to take a chance on you, try for an "internship" where you work and learn without being paid, perhaps deliver pizza's at night to get by? Or some other later in the day job so you can work earlier in the day learning the trade you want to end up in.

Might be a way to get your foot in the door and some experience hours under your belt in between the menial tasks that they'll probably have you do? The trick is to get the menial tasks done quickly so you're left with free time to learn. Make sure you do a good job with the menial crap they have you do so they don't think you are someone that does things half a$$ed. GL

 

I already began to restore my car by going through every system, the next part is to tear the car part and do the metal work and body work. but I need to someone to teach me how to do certain tasks so its not easy for me to do the full restoration on my own, but ill do it! even if i have to make a couple mistakes along the way.

as for the internship route, I have done that, I told shops I would work for free and sweep the floors, I would do anything to get my foot in the door! I don't know if its the shop owners around here not trusting people with a lack of experience, im not sure.

 

The biggest part may be that they don't want to train their future competition could be their deal?

I seen a school advertised before that teaches exactly what you're looking to learn, I'll see if in I can find that school for you.

 

https://www.mcpherson.edu/autorestoration/

 

http://ohiotech.edu/programs/classic-car-restoration-technology/


https://www.mcpherson.edu/autorestoration/

https://www.uti.edu/locations?&utm_...02&gclid=CJHgpJm37dkCFYaXxQIdHOsP4w&gclsrc=ds


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL59MjRcWz6I0JUPS3MXZ-esxnkM0cYYzR

https://www.trade-schools.net/automotive/restoration.asp

 

Back in the days of our youth it wasn't uncommon to work at a full service gas station after school, but those seem to be non existent any more. Stop in at every tire shop in town and and tell them you are looking for WORK, not just a JOB. There is a difference, especially to the owner! Start out busting tires, then on to shocks and ask a lot of questions and try to help on alignments. Keep buying tools as needed/afforded.

Shop owners have to open the doors at 6:00 a.m. and when everyone is gone, do all the paper work and finally lock the door at 10:00 p.m. Then get home BTS and deal with the wife who doesn't understand about business matters. Ownership is stressful and you have to knock on the right door at the right time. Thats always a crap shoot.

Be presentable, wide eyed, and don't look "overdone" from the night before. Tell the prospective owner about what you can do, not what you cant. Anything else like welding or machining stuff is a BIG PLUS. Be able to pick the stuff up after a single lesson; they dont want to train you on the job. Never tell them that "I cant get at that bolt", THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. Good luck Chris... we've all been there! ws

 

If you are referring to the electronics, it is in most cases true that older is less complicated (with the possible exception of a model T Ford ignition system). There are some jobs that are much more difficult, however. Remember that pre-WW2, labor was cheap and parts expensive. Some repair jobs are (by modern standards) a PITA. I would rather swap five radiators on most modern cars then one on the aforementioned '35 Chevy. The best reason to get into repair and restoration of older cars is that you love it. Working on a modern car is less stressful because if you break something you can replace it. On many older cars you simply cannot damage a part - there may be no replacement available.

 

Do you want to get into the mechanical end or the body/sheet metal restoration end? The two are very different, and each takes its own skill set. Very few pros do both, seeing as you need 2 different shops. The chemicals/sprays used in the mechanical end do not play well with body/paint restoration.

 

Yeah I know about all those schools but they are not close to me, that's why I decided to enroll in this basic ASE program. I have a lot of ties in my town with family, friends, girlfriend and her job is here, so its not realistic to move.

and yeah when I said it was easier i just meant its easier because no computers, the engine compartment is not as confined to get tools in as newer cars, etc.

I have applied every where from tire shops to restoration metal/paint shops/engine rebuilding/machine shops, etc, but its been online I think I need to start showing up to places. I hope I don't annoy people going in their shop haha

I would rather get into the mechanical/engine building/ electronics/ interior portion of restoration, but I'm really interested in also doing fabrication/ body work and paint too! I love seeing a rusty car become new again!

 

I lived with a ASE master tech for 5 years, we became good friends, and he showed me a ton of things about my Buick and other cars. He also got me access to lots of factory info and tools, and helped me immensely on my 67.

I'd say: complete the major handful of ASE certifications, then move to CA and get a job working for Jerry Seinfield, Neil Young, Jay Leno, or any obscenely rich corker with a fleet of old iron to maintain.