Guest ON3GO Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Wanted your say on this, like what customers look for in a shop car if they were to bring there car based on what they see, and from say a shop owner that has built shop cars. Its going to be awhile till this dream comes to life but i might as well get some of the basics done while i have the chance now. A few buddies and myself are thinking about opening up a small shop that we all will do on the side, we will use my shop that im having built. will be a 45 by 45 foot shop based on what the builder has right now. pretty much a open shop that will have a lift (one for now) but alot of nice tools and a wood shop in another closed room. its going on my little land that my house will be built on whenever that ever happens. My father and I are paying for the shop (loans are so much fun!!) as it will be in my backyard but my friends will be paying rent on it and etc. so question being, what do you look for in a shop car, and what are somethings you do to a shop car for the guys that have done this/do this. the shops theme will be a oldschool import/euro performace shop that will deal with engine swaps, custom fab, welding, body work, oldschool and rare parts, and i want to bring American engines in import cars to the plate. i wont be doing this full time, dont plan on doing it full time even if it gets some what big, i want to do full on work to cars but it will be a first name bases with our customers and it will be a hush hush type of deal. we dont need a HUGH client list but we do want big and rare/different builds that will make us known. We can keep it like this if this isnt a full time job, i dont want this to be something i depend on making money off of, but something i can do as a adventure. so whats somethings you look for in a shop car, want to see in a shop car. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnutthehutt Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Mike, I think the work that you've done on your Zs is pretty sweet, and I'm a big fan of that BMW blue on "Ole Blue" I think that if you want something that will be a sort of calling card you have to keep it purposeful. I'm not a big tech guy, not enough knowledge yet, but I like to see a car that looks fast sitting still, but doesn't have a whole lot of Bling on it. I guess my first question for you would be, what model car are you looking to build? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ON3GO Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Will be a S30 Z and a Datsun roadster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnutthehutt Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Roadsters are cool. I'd swap in an SR20det and try and fab up something so that the little hoodscoop works. French the tail lights and maybe replace them with the tips off some pointed Chevy Impala type lenses. Shave the corner lenses, emblems, door handles, maybe even seal the doors up, it is a roadster after all. And some flares of course. Wheels, nothing over a 14 so they can be auto-x beefy. Panasports or clones, but powdercoat them to match or contrast the body. Lexus, I think, has a really cool orange out right now. It's kind of a burnt candy pearl but it's not exactly low profile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody 82 ZXT Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Don't have 5 unfinished project cars. Makes customers feel like you won't get their stuff done. Even if you not finishing your projects because your working on their stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 details and evidence of forethought. there is nothing more disappointing than a "shop" car that is littered with poor planning. when I tear a car apart Im looking for poorly routed wires, overzealous use of AN fittings and hose, cheap auto-parts stores accessories, and common catalog parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I look for quality of workmanship and well though out design. I think that is the key to any shop car. Of couse it helps if it hauls a$$! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kennysgreen280zt Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I look for quality of workmanship and well though out design. I think that is the key to any shop car. Of couse it helps if it hauls a$$! Agreed, There is a RB26DETT S14 that is a 'shop car' around here, actually there are alot of 240sx's that are shop cars. They all arent quite finished, but they are all at shows and kids are drooling over them. Main things are for sure being finished, and high quality workmanship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnutthehutt Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 In a word, Sano. Clean welds, smooth bodywork, immaculate engine compartment, no Kragen/Checkers/Schucks/Autozone parts. Find a job shop with a five axis CNC and see if you can work a deal with them for fabricating pieces that no one sells. CAD pieces are so much more reliable as far as fit and finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ON3GO Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 thanks for the ideas guys. i now have a contact in japan so i hope to be getting some cool parts in the near future. right now im beyond broke but things will be looking up soon, very soon. i plan on selling all my cars but one to put the money into the shop so i wont have to worry about having unfinished cars laying around. my current job i have a CNC machine and all that nifty tools at my hands to use, but im still new here and dont have alot of time to just mess with stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnutthehutt Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 FWIW, from someone who recently came out of what you're looking to get into; Get everything with your friend set up in writing. If they get offended, then that's all the more reason to get it down on paper. Write up every single little detail, nothing is too small. Heck, even who gets to sweep up at the end of the day. That way you'll always have something to fall back to if some sort of disagreement arises. Even in a full partnership, someone has to be in charge by .5%. Nothing spoils a friendship like money. Whether it's a lack or proliferation thereof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ON3GO Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 its my shop no matter what, i dont care if the biz doesnt even go anywhere, i just thought it would be cool to turn out some cool cars and make alittle cash on things we all like doing. i mean if my few friends end up leaving i wont worry about finding away to pay for anything, the shop will be behind my house on my property and paid for. i do understand what you mean, i ran into those problems when i was working at the shop in texas. money does get in the way of friendships which is why im gonna have to find away (in writing like you said) that will put everything in front of everybody and have everybody understand the rules and guide lines. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 This is a very cool idea. once you recover from being broke I think you could put out some sweet cars. I would do the Z first and build it complete japanese style...but a little more racy...then do the shaved clean sr20 roadster with like small(er) wheels. I don't think anything over 15"s would look good on a roadster. definitely like in an orange color with flat black panasports or if you have the $$$$ watanabes... just some ideas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 This is a very cool idea. once you recover from being broke I think you could put out some sweet cars. I would do the Z first and build it complete japanese style...but a little more racy...then do the shaved clean sr20 roadster with like small(er) wheels. I don't think anything over 15"s would look good on a roadster. definitely like in an orange color with flat black panasports or if you have the $$$$ watanabes... just some ideas... sounds like your personal goals... I think your prospective shop car should be a half scale 240z with a l20b in it... driveable of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnutthehutt Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 actually, he was basically giving the go ahead to a roadster I would build Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 just if I had a roadster... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I am thinking do a clean plain roadster with a clean turbo system and everything polished aluminium...everyone has their chrome and $10k paint jobs but you should just make something clean and simple without any huge wastegates or anything hanging all over the place...make it almost too clean to drive... If I had a shop and was building a shop car that is what I would do. Good luck on your project(s)!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ON3GO Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 paint on the roadster would be something i have planned out for one of my personal cars but what i think ill do is paint the roadster and the Z the same colors, same style wheels and same style everything but just different engines. roadster would get a CA18DET and the Z would get ??? mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 ... paint the roadster and the Z the same colors, same style wheels and same style everything but just different engines. yes, I was just about to write something similar. i like it when shops have a unique style or signature style. I personally love so many different kinds of automotive tastes, I would like to see a shop that can successfully mix multiple styles to the point of being universally enjoyed by the majority of car people. maybe something like flat black paint (but well done) satin finished aluminum or stainless...something very clean that wont be confined to a particular trend or time period. Ive always thought that a company like excile cycles had an extremely appealing style and I would like to see something like that in the automotive world but with euro/japenese Machinery. Ive always loved custom rods, clean hotrods, vintage german sedans, british roadsters, and anything japanese...especially something that had modern drivetrain/suspension/ammenities tastefully and thoughtfully integrated into classic styling. roadster would get a CA18DET and the Z would get ??? triple sidedraft RB30DE? might not be the fastest, but man that would be sexy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-TARD Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I worked at Shelby for a short time about 6 years ago. I saw quite a few rare cars while I worked there. One thing that always dissapointed me was the lack of workmanship in most of the cars. The original Cobra, which was converted from an AC Ace, is quite possibly the most hacked up looking car I've seen in a showroom. Being the first of it's kind however makes it literally priceless. We tried taking dimensions off of it while we were working on the chassis design for the new 289 FIA cobras, it was a waste of time because nothing on that car was symetrical. The point of all this is that workmanship is about 90% of the equation on a shop car. Getting it out of the door on time is important, but after that your client might have YEARS to pick apart every little detail that you had like 6 months or less time to complete. Getting everyone in your shop to be on the same page as far as quality control is concerned will be a big part of making a name for your shop. I like the idea of having a theme for the shop, something every car that leaves the shop will have in common. Staying away from current trends is probably a good idea. You may lose some customers due to this, but your cars have a better chance of standing the test of time, unlike the current crop of JDM/drift/Manga/"DUB"/Bling mobiles currently being cranked out by most "shops". Good luck man, keep it clean and sanitary and you will turn some heads. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.