Opening my own race prep garage ???
Discussion
hiya guys i need info here on how and what i need to do to eventually open my own garage ?? what sort of qualifications do you need ?? where do i get them ? im 22 and a plumbing and heating engineer but ive always wanted to work on cars ..am i to old now to start going back to college ?? i want to also be working on engine modification like turbos and superchargers ... basically i just dont know where to start and could do with a hand starting of and a point in the right direction ??? cheers guys 
marcus
marcus 
margy said:
hiya guys i need info here on how and what i need to do to eventually open my own garage ?? what sort of qualifications do you need ?? where do i get them ? im 22 and a plumbing and heating engineer but ive always wanted to work on cars ..am i to old now to start going back to college ?? i want to also be working on engine modification like turbos and superchargers ... basically i just dont know where to start and could do with a hand starting of and a point in the right direction ??? cheers guys marcus
Here is one approach: marcus 1) Decide what sort of car you would like to work on.
2) Go and buy one.
3) Modify it to the best of your ability.
4) Keep records of everything you do.
5) Go to someone already doing what you want to do, show them your car and the records and ask them for a job.
6) Learn everything you can from them.
7) Go to some evening classes on starting your own business.
8) Join some form of business mastermind group.
9) Start your own business.
10 Keep learning.
Understand that the above will take 5 to 10 years.
If you don't get much further than step 2, forget it and do something else.
You can PM me if you like.
Alfie Noakes said:
Here is one approach:
1) Decide what sort of car you would like to work on.
2) Go and buy one.
3) Modify it to the best of your ability.
4) Keep records of everything you do.
5) Go to someone already doing what you want to do, show them your car and the records and ask them for a job.
6) Learn everything you can from them.
7) Go to some evening classes on starting your own business.
8) Join some form of business mastermind group.
9) Start your own business.
10 Keep learning.
Understand that the above will take 5 to 10 years.
If you don't get much further than step 2, forget it and do something else.
You can PM me if you like.
This all sounds sensible OP, and I'd take him up on the PM offer. Agreed that if you don't get further than 2, move on. Don't take months getting to 2 either. The first step in any venture is the hardest.1) Decide what sort of car you would like to work on.
2) Go and buy one.
3) Modify it to the best of your ability.
4) Keep records of everything you do.
5) Go to someone already doing what you want to do, show them your car and the records and ask them for a job.
6) Learn everything you can from them.
7) Go to some evening classes on starting your own business.
8) Join some form of business mastermind group.
9) Start your own business.
10 Keep learning.
Understand that the above will take 5 to 10 years.
If you don't get much further than step 2, forget it and do something else.
You can PM me if you like.
StyleTechnik said:
To be able to go out and start your own business you need to be able to go out and find this info your self.
Not trying to be rude but if you cant find out what you need yourself how are you going to run a company doing it?
oh i thort i might just sit on the sofa and let the wisdom come to me :/ im not asking colleges ,company's and and people in the know on mass forums or anything ?? DICK .....,massive thank you to everyone that's helping tho thanks alot guys Not trying to be rude but if you cant find out what you need yourself how are you going to run a company doing it?
StyleTechnik said:
To be able to go out and start your own business you need to be able to go out and find this info your self.
Not trying to be rude but if you cant find out what you need yourself how are you going to run a company doing it?
I don't think you're being rude just a bit dense as you're suggesting he does exactly what he is already doing LOL. Not trying to be rude but if you cant find out what you need yourself how are you going to run a company doing it?
Human beings learn is only three ways
1. From reading books I.E digesting others knowledge on the subject
2. Asking questions I.E digesitng others knowledge on the subject
3. Trial and error and building your own knowledge base
My advice would be to research who are the current teams and then approach them and offer your services for free on race weekends. Get involved and work hard and then and you will have a wealth of knowledge on a lot of the aspects you need. At that point you will be much better placed to decide if you actually want to setup on your own.
I would say setting up is not to hard if you have a bit of cash, getting a client is harder! You could try building your own race car and then selling it first. Pick something cheap say an MX5 and then race prep it meticoulosly, let someone drive it for free (or drive it yourself) and at each meeting offer help and advice to other competiotrs for free, this will build trust and will pay you back later on, getting good results will also help of course. Learn to do wiring to a very high standard as this is something I struggled to find someone to do and ended up paying about 4k for it all told so it's a good niche to get into, marry that with being great with data loggers and software and you WILL be in demand. Roll cage fitting is also another area that makes great money, that was another 4 grand for me to get done!
I hope that has helped you
The wiring/data-logging stuff is a good idea to be fair. From what I've seen it is something not many people do. If I wasn't so shocking at electrical stuff it's something I'd be tempted to learn more about myself. Dave Rowe doesn't seem to make a bad living out of that side of things.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
margy said:
oh i thort i might just sit on the sofa and let the wisdom come to me :/ im not asking colleges ,company's and and people in the know on mass forums or anything ?? DICK .....,massive thank you to everyone that's helping tho thanks alot guys
OP I will answer your email in due course, I am a bit busy at the moment.
Best advice is to offer your services free to someone in that area in which you want to work. Whether that's a race prep place, an engine specialist or whatever. You might just end up working Saturday mornings, answering the 'phone or making the tea, but you will pick up a lot of knowledge and will also get a feel for whether it is really what you want to do.
Most raceteams could use a spare pair of hands at weekends and in my experience, the most valuable commodities valued are reliability, accuracy and enthusiasm.
So do some research and go and knock on doors...leverage any contacts you may have and good luck!
Most raceteams could use a spare pair of hands at weekends and in my experience, the most valuable commodities valued are reliability, accuracy and enthusiasm.
So do some research and go and knock on doors...leverage any contacts you may have and good luck!
rubystone said:
Best advice is to offer your services free to someone in that area in which you want to work. Whether that's a race prep place, an engine specialist or whatever. You might just end up working Saturday mornings, answering the 'phone or making the tea, but you will pick up a lot of knowledge and will also get a feel for whether it is really what you want to do.
Most raceteams could use a spare pair of hands at weekends and in my experience, the most valuable commodities valued are reliability, accuracy and enthusiasm.
So do some research and go and knock on doors...leverage any contacts you may have and good luck!
I' agree with this up to a point but only go so far with it. I work in a different area but know people who offer their services for free in order to get a foot in the door. I have done it myself and invariably have been fMost raceteams could use a spare pair of hands at weekends and in my experience, the most valuable commodities valued are reliability, accuracy and enthusiasm.
So do some research and go and knock on doors...leverage any contacts you may have and good luck!
ked about by the people I was offering to do it "for free". Most of my peers agree with this. An alternative approach is to offer a barter.. Eg I will work for you for free for the next twelve Satudays if you take me to Le Mans with you.
Remember Graham Hill mechaniced for Colin Chapman in return for race drives.
Alfie Noakes said:
I' agree with this up to a point but only go so far with it. I work in a different area but know people who offer their services for free in order to get a foot in the door. I have done it myself and invariably have been fked about by the people I was offering to do it "for free". Most of my peers agree with this.
An alternative approach is to offer a barter.. Eg I will work for you for free for the next twelve Satudays if you take me to Le Mans with you.
Remember Graham Hill mechaniced for Colin Chapman in return for race drives.
Accepted. We used to employ people on this basis...but wouldn't even take them to Spa or wherever until they had proven they could even turn up to work for 6 days on the trot on time....needless to say, the pass rate for that first week was in direct correlation to their age and to whether those 6 days included a Saturday...ked about by the people I was offering to do it "for free". Most of my peers agree with this. An alternative approach is to offer a barter.. Eg I will work for you for free for the next twelve Satudays if you take me to Le Mans with you.
Remember Graham Hill mechaniced for Colin Chapman in return for race drives.
So I wouldn't recommend the barter option until you have proven your worth to them, otherwise they'd say what I'd say to you if you turned up on my doorstep on day 1 with that proposal ...'sling yer 'ook...'
rubystone said:
Alfie Noakes said:
I' agree with this up to a point but only go so far with it. I work in a different area but know people who offer their services for free in order to get a foot in the door. I have done it myself and invariably have been fked about by the people I was offering to do it "for free". Most of my peers agree with this.
An alternative approach is to offer a barter.. Eg I will work for you for free for the next twelve Satudays if you take me to Le Mans with you.
Remember Graham Hill mechaniced for Colin Chapman in return for race drives.
Accepted. We used to employ people on this basis...but wouldn't even take them to Spa or wherever until they had proven they could even turn up to work for 6 days on the trot on time....needless to say, the pass rate for that first week was in direct correlation to their age and to whether those 6 days included a Saturday...ked about by the people I was offering to do it "for free". Most of my peers agree with this. An alternative approach is to offer a barter.. Eg I will work for you for free for the next twelve Satudays if you take me to Le Mans with you.
Remember Graham Hill mechaniced for Colin Chapman in return for race drives.
So I wouldn't recommend the barter option until you have proven your worth to them, otherwise they'd say what I'd say to you if you turned up on my doorstep on day 1 with that proposal ...'sling yer 'ook...'
OK, few things:
Opening your own race prep garage is the fast track to financial ruin. With the exception of the top teams in UK motorsport, the ones running Clio Cup cars, Porsches, BTCC entries, British GT cars etc, garages who do race prep are garages who do race prep, not race prep garages.
The race series I race in, all the garages supporting and preparing cars, are garages foremost and they race cars at the weekend.
You need mechanical experience. This isnt necessarily an equivalent of being a mechanic, there are definite splits in the skill set but largely, being a mechanic would be the best way to get the skills without spending 10 years or thereabouts doing your own mechanical work to try and get there.
Being a mechanic doesnt make you a race mechanic. The guy who supported me a couple of years ago when I ran my own car was a brilliant mechanic. I still use him for my road cars. But that doesnt mean he knew about race car set up. This takes years to accumulate and funnily enough, those that have it arent that keen to freely pass it on. Doing as doogz said is your best bet in this kind of situation and picking up anything and everything you can.
Working on turbo and supercharged engines is all a F&F for me tbh. Best way to put yourself out of business or create a terrible name for yourself would be tuning peoples engines but really using them to learn your craft and blowing them up. For every Dave Rowe or Ryan 2-bar-tuning there are 100 monkies whose names are mud from thinking they could read a book and map a car.
I'm not trying to be dismissive, just suggest you have a (hell of a) lot to think about before heading down this path
Opening your own race prep garage is the fast track to financial ruin. With the exception of the top teams in UK motorsport, the ones running Clio Cup cars, Porsches, BTCC entries, British GT cars etc, garages who do race prep are garages who do race prep, not race prep garages.
The race series I race in, all the garages supporting and preparing cars, are garages foremost and they race cars at the weekend.
You need mechanical experience. This isnt necessarily an equivalent of being a mechanic, there are definite splits in the skill set but largely, being a mechanic would be the best way to get the skills without spending 10 years or thereabouts doing your own mechanical work to try and get there.
Being a mechanic doesnt make you a race mechanic. The guy who supported me a couple of years ago when I ran my own car was a brilliant mechanic. I still use him for my road cars. But that doesnt mean he knew about race car set up. This takes years to accumulate and funnily enough, those that have it arent that keen to freely pass it on. Doing as doogz said is your best bet in this kind of situation and picking up anything and everything you can.
Working on turbo and supercharged engines is all a F&F for me tbh. Best way to put yourself out of business or create a terrible name for yourself would be tuning peoples engines but really using them to learn your craft and blowing them up. For every Dave Rowe or Ryan 2-bar-tuning there are 100 monkies whose names are mud from thinking they could read a book and map a car.
I'm not trying to be dismissive, just suggest you have a (hell of a) lot to think about before heading down this path
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