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2,155 Posts
Wow. I can understand this but I went exactly the oppisite direction. I was a auto tech for 20 years, had my own shop and worked for others. I guess all I can be here is a devil's advocate.
After several years working on other peoples greasy broke down cars I got realy tired of it. It wasn't fun anymore, it was work. My own projects got pushed to the back of paying jobs so I could turn a buck. When I had a chance to work on my own, I didn't realy have a good time, at least doing the actual work, cause I always had some other paying job waiting and some customer on the phone.
I worked on high end forign exotics and custom rods. This sounds like the exciting life. Yes, it's better then slamming clutches in old Toyotas, but you know what, an old greasy Mercedes is no picknic either.
So, I'm not trying to dissuade you from becoming an auto tech. But be real about that job also. It's work.
My one sugestion I would give you would be to specialize in one thing. Pick something and become realy good at it. Engines, auto trans, gear set-up etc. If you do that and become THE guy that does that, you can do pretty good. Start that before you quit your day job and buy all the tools for that particular specialty. It's a whole lot more personaly satisfying then having to know everything about everything and keeping up on the cascading new tech that comes down the line every year. Also, if you are a gear man, working on your own engines, doing paint etc. will stay new and fun and visa-versa.
When I went to work doing what I do now, I fell back in love with building cars. I enjoy it. It is fun again. That's why I got into it in the first place.
Hal
Love hard, drive fast, wear your seat belt.
PS, thats's my 'bird...... My Mustang is too ugly to take pictures of yet........*G*.
http://www.teleport.com/~cosa/bird2.jpg
After several years working on other peoples greasy broke down cars I got realy tired of it. It wasn't fun anymore, it was work. My own projects got pushed to the back of paying jobs so I could turn a buck. When I had a chance to work on my own, I didn't realy have a good time, at least doing the actual work, cause I always had some other paying job waiting and some customer on the phone.
I worked on high end forign exotics and custom rods. This sounds like the exciting life. Yes, it's better then slamming clutches in old Toyotas, but you know what, an old greasy Mercedes is no picknic either.
So, I'm not trying to dissuade you from becoming an auto tech. But be real about that job also. It's work.
My one sugestion I would give you would be to specialize in one thing. Pick something and become realy good at it. Engines, auto trans, gear set-up etc. If you do that and become THE guy that does that, you can do pretty good. Start that before you quit your day job and buy all the tools for that particular specialty. It's a whole lot more personaly satisfying then having to know everything about everything and keeping up on the cascading new tech that comes down the line every year. Also, if you are a gear man, working on your own engines, doing paint etc. will stay new and fun and visa-versa.
When I went to work doing what I do now, I fell back in love with building cars. I enjoy it. It is fun again. That's why I got into it in the first place.
Hal
Love hard, drive fast, wear your seat belt.
PS, thats's my 'bird...... My Mustang is too ugly to take pictures of yet........*G*.
http://www.teleport.com/~cosa/bird2.jpg