building cars for a living

MR.BA.GT.332 · 22-05-2008, 12:51 PM

do you really need to have a trade to be building cars for a living?

or can you start your own business, basically become like a manager for the build, chase parts, quotes etc and obviously employ trades people to do certain work or contract things out ie building engines/paint etc but the car gets "built" in your place of business.

make sense? i know wat im trying to say but dunno if its comming out as well as it is in my head??? more beer perhaps?

Powdered Toast Man · 22-05-2008, 01:42 PM

What do you mean by "building" cars? Are you talking rebuilding classics or modifying, or designing and manufacturing a car from scratch. I am assuming very low build quantities here.

If doing it from scratch, keep in mind you have too adhere to all of the design rules, government and industry regulations governing the design as well as the working environment and OH&S for your workers etc. Mind you same goes for modifying, or any manufactirung business really.

You dont have to be technically minded to run an automotive company per say, most CEOs originate from sales or accounting backgrounds. The best come from engineering backgrounds though. You would want to have a great idea and the money and strength to back it up. It's a very competitive, dog eat dog market out there.

Jayden · 23-05-2008, 04:43 AM

building cars would require tons of $ to start off. basically you also dedicate your life to finding investors, developing a car people want that is safe. and more business paperwork than fun. i found a wiki article with some small scale builders listed on it here:

you have to be pretty dedicated thats for sure. Id love to design one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...s_of_Australia

actually a few there i didnt even know about. like Goy.

dakota 58 · 23-05-2008, 05:13 PM

i think it would help to have a trade or a skill you can offer to the customer, On the same token if what you have to offer is personal contacts (trades people) and a good eye for detail then I dont see why it wouldnt work. We have 6 GT's one being a HO to paint at my work and 3 are from a ford shop so they are doing the same thing you are putting forward. Quality and Service is the key

TURBOTAXI · 24-05-2008, 09:38 AM

Please correct me if I am wrong, but if you are taking money of people for doing mechanical work on cars that are to be driven on the road you need a qualifiation (mechanic). So if your employees have the quals that woul be fine.

apolloxbgt · 24-05-2008, 09:21 PM

I think you would need to build some very high quality cars with your own cash before you will get anyone willing to hand over their cash.

Gammaboy · 24-05-2008, 09:58 PM

You could try Melrose Mustang's trick of taking people's money and never finishing their car...

vanman_75 · 25-05-2008, 08:19 PM

to answer your question no trade required you got the cash , hook in ! save time next time ford /gmh have a subsiduary up for sale make a bid :

Nikked · 26-05-2008, 05:59 PM

you would defenetly need trade certs.

Rev28K · 26-05-2008, 06:58 PM

Back in the dim dark past when it was easier to shift sideways in proffesions Howard Marsden started out as a tyre fitter (obviously before they had invented tyre fitting technicians) and Gary Cooper (Elfin founder) was a panel beater.

I have worked with structural engineers and they are usually a conservative bunch with 2:1 safety factors, etc. The scary thought I have is that Lotus founder Colin Chapman was a structural engineer (designing bridges?) while his designs were light and innovative they did tend to have high failure rates, especially for an ex-structural engineer.