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Author
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Topic: Auto Body Tech? (LONG)
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Mooney
Gearhead Posts: 116
From: Marietta, Ga
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 12-05-2003 08:47 PM
   
I was thinking the other day of what it would take to become and auto body tech. The guy my parents bought this house from restored Shelbys and AC Cobras, so down stairs in the basement where the guys paint booth was theres a list of all the Cobras, on the wall, that he had worked on at this house.
I wouldn't even consider it except my Dads a Master Tech and he's been workin' under someone elses rule since he was 17. And I thought that if I was able to do bodywork then we could start buying cars and fixing them up etc. and it could just expand from there, maybe get him to be his own boss and get me off to a good start.
Also, it might give me some direction... as of right now I'll be graduating around Christmas and then I'll start a full time job with the guy I'm working with part time doing remodeling until around june/july when I'll take my VW bus (the popup camper kind) and just go for a lil roadtrip around and see things that I just gotta see before I get tied down and can't find time to do it for a couple years.
I was curious if anyone on the board was an auto body tech or just might be able to point me in a direction to find some stuff out. In the next couple days I was going to shoot by some of the body shops around here that work on classic cars (reputable ones) and see what they can tell me about it.
Sorry for the long question, just thought I'd get some input.
Thanks!
Luke
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Dubz
Gearhead Posts: 823
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 12-05-2003 09:07 PM
Well I was thinking of going the same route, and spoke to quite a few people that used to be in the buisness. Bodywork gets boring, wet sand a couple cars and see how much you like it after then. All the people that i know that started off loving it, hated it and quit within a year. I am personally graduating (3yr BSc Comp Sci Major, Physics minor) and figure i'm going to take a mechanics course and go that route instead of bodywork which i had been looking into.I think building custom rods would be a sweet setup if you and your dad could work it, and if you did fabrication work instead of the bodywork you'd enjoy it a million times more. (may just be me, but i'd rather build something and have someone else make it look really purdy  ) If you tinker around with one car you can usually find out what you enjoy most, whether it's mechanical, or fabrication or bodywork.
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steve'66
Gearhead Posts: 6852
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 12-05-2003 09:32 PM
Luke,I took auto body classes in HS and thought about it as a career. But, I didn't and have used my knowledge for my own cars the last 30 years. I can't imagine doing it for a living.  Everytime I do a project car it tales me a year or more to "want" to do another one. If it was someone else's car that would really take the "fun" out of it.  Now chassis fabrication or even body fab (like shaving door handles) would be fun, then turn it over to someone else to put the hours into blocking it out. I will say that bodywork is an art! The good artists are rare and can do what I can do in 1/10 the time. It's a noble trade and most of us pay them big money for their services.  SteveW
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Mooney
Gearhead Posts: 116
From: Marietta, Ga
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 12-05-2003 10:56 PM
Just curious, I've never really thought of doing the fabrication, but what kind of classes would you take for something like this? Besides your basic metal-work classes etc? Do the people that do this type of fabrication actually have a title/job description?
Thanks,
Luke
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Dubz
Gearhead Posts: 823
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 12-05-2003 11:09 PM
i would guess they are called fabricatorsa general metalworking class would be a start, but i know some of the automotive schools in the states also have fab courses designed for learning how to do fabrication work. http://www.wyotech.com/ and there are probably many others.
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