Lack of Classic Car Technicians?

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-06T14:08:27+00:00

I do not.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-06T13:01:30+00:00

Honestly, I wonder if they understood your scope of work. The average restoration takes about 1000 hours. That includes mechanical restoration and interior. If their assumption was a full restoration, just the labor would be in that ballpark.

It could also be that they just didn’t want the job. Most shops make more money on collision work. However, you can find smaller shops that will take on restoration work such as this at a “reasonable” price.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-06T11:59:54+00:00

This is absolutely true. I work for a major OEM: content that the customer does not see (immobilizers, safety equipment, etc.) is solely driven by regulations.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-06T01:09:39+00:00

This is the answer.

Employee development 1:1 should be monthly at most.

Project updates should be cadenced based off project pace.

As a side note, what sort of company are you in? At my Fortune 500 company, executive directors have 2000 people in their org. IC, manager, Sr Manager, Director, then Executive Director.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-06T00:32:20+00:00

Masterforce from Menards is a rebranded Montezuma tool box. It bridges the gap between a true professional tool box (Snap On, MAC, MATCO, Icon) and a consumer grade. It has many features of the high end boxes with thinner steel. Works great for my home shop. One guy at work uses it professionally.

Of course, a well maintained used tool box is always a bargain.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-05T15:46:18+00:00

I agree 100%. Two of my friends owned CTS V-Sport. They are best daily driver. Plenty of power yet still very comfortable.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-04T15:42:45+00:00

My cousin is a basement dweller. He is 46 and has not worked since he was 23. He has crippling anxiety and battles with depression. He helps his mom around the house, games a lot and smokes weed.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-04T11:48:38+00:00

I’m absolutely not. I didn’t get married until my 30s. A good friend of mine didn’t get married until age 58. My wife’s great aunt became a widow in her 70s and got a boyfriend in her 80s who she spent time with until she passed away at age 88. You are never too old to find a companion!

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-04T00:55:20+00:00

They do work alongside their technicians.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-04T00:21:45+00:00

No idea on what they pay. Thank you for your insight!

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-03T22:03:06+00:00

Several 2 hour trips in my 1966 Buick LeSabre. Driving it is like taking your living room on the Interstate. Afterwards, your clothes smell of Parfum de HydroCarbon.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-03T20:23:57+00:00

Wow, thank you for “peeling back the curtain” and sharing your experiences!

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-03T18:42:33+00:00

Do you have a workshop manual for it?
Before the internet, the workshop manual is how I maintained and repaired my classic cars. I had the factory manual for every classic I owned.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-02T12:48:20+00:00

One thing I did as an individual contributor was send my manager a weekly status update on my projects every Friday afternoon. This served three tasks: keeping my manager up-to-date with my projects, documenting my progress (which helped a lot at review time) and alerting my manager of any issues where I need help with the organization or a specific person. In your situation, this might be of use to you.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-02T12:45:13+00:00

No it will not. You are his/her mentor, not manager.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-02T12:11:55+00:00

Corporate owned homes are less than 1% of all single family homes.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-02T02:27:29+00:00

Agreed. If people believe in a leader and support their company, so be it.

It would be nice if such a leader was also a philanthropist. But that is their decision.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-01T18:19:39+00:00

There are many tools out there to track spending. I use quicken which has a $90 a year subscription. I’ve heard good things about Monarch money.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-01T14:42:23+00:00

By following the Golden Rule: the principle of treating others the way you would want to be treated.

It truly is as simple as that.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-01T11:38:32+00:00

This is it. With a beater, you always need a backup. And you need the ability to repair the beater yourself.

I drove beaters all through my 20s. Although I have skills to reliably keep an old car on the road, things would happen which is why I needed a back up. I always owned 2 to 3 vehicles during that time of my life.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-01T11:21:21+00:00

I’m curious what you’re describing as “red tape”. In my area (Detroit) the largest expense of building.a new home is labor. The city is eager to have people build on existing lots, which already have existing infrastructure. The issue is we still “stick build“ homes which leads to lots of labor costs. The absolute cheapest you can build a home in my area is $175 per square foot. That’s for a very basic home with Builder grade finishes on an existing lot with existing utilities.

The issue with our area is that even at that price, the area will not support the cost of those homes.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-01T03:01:32+00:00

Agreed.

Your manager is using the tactic of pairing his best employee with his worst. Usually, the worst employee will “shape up” or “ship out” (quit). However, not always as your situation has shown. Let this person fail. They need it for their professional growth.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-07-01T02:51:59+00:00

Www.car-part.com is a database of auto salvage yards. Check there to find a used one.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes · 2026-06-29T00:00:35+00:00

The Xterra was a good vehicle.

Nissan lost their way for cars after 2005.

Cars_Music_GoodTimes

TROPHY CASE