History The end of another auto parts store/machine shop, im jobless

Yep another great old machine shop auto parts store is closing, the big O (oreilly) moved in to town a couple of years ago and bought out our parts supplier which was no big deal until Oreilly bought out checker, so now they have a store directly across from ours, so basically we are in direct competition with our parts supplyer, they say they are gonna play nice but we all know how that goes, they had been talking to my boss for a few months and he finally decided to sell out and retire, so thats how it goes, do it know while they are nice, or wiat untill they get nasty.

So onto the machine shop, the arent gonna buy any of the shop equipment so Dave gave me first shot at it, but im still undecided about buying it all or just some of it, im leaning towards some of it, and then upgrading some more sheet metal working equipment and focusing more on that type of stuff instead of the machine shop stuff, it just doesnt seem challenging enough for me anymore so it gets boring.

So onto me, im out of the job, which is ok, ive been wanting to start working at home full time building hot rods and stuff so well go down that road and see how it goes.

heres some pics of the shop equipment in my home of 5 years (the shop)

jeff

 

Like I said, buy it! And make sure you get the client list! Good luck, I will see you in a few weeks!

 

frightening........best of luck

 

Damn Jeff, sorry to hear about this.
I hope you can make a go of it at home, you have the talent.

Good Luck.
TZ

 

Jeff, sorry to hear about the job and Best of Luck on Your new biz Your shop looks great and with the addition of the goodies your going to buy WOW. Please let us know what kind of work you'll be doing so I can send you some work. Are you going to be dropping axles again? If there is anything you need just ask!

 

Best of luck !!! You've got the right idea.

 

Sorry to hear about it...

If the shop owner is going to auction the equipment off, you may do better ($$) bidding at auction than buying it up-front. Just depends how much the owner thinks it's worth.

 

Mate, I hope it all works out well for you. Buy it all, build bitchin cars and enjoy life.
Doc.

 

Good luck man, let me know if you need anything. If you do end up buying the equipment....that's a good idea to get the client list.

 

Good luck hope it works well for you.....

 

Jeff, I bet the seller would be willing to finance the sale of this equipment to you. He probably faces a big tax bill if he gets cash up front after selling his business. This could be to your benefit.

 

if you are really planning on doing the same work ,

Get the phone number !

then those calls can go to an answering machine where you can tell the callers you are doing machine work only etc and call your number for more info,

Beaulieu

 

Thats good advice right there...almost free advertising and business!

 

Get all the paper catalogs before they go in the dumpster.

I got a bunch from a guy that closed up last year. Valuable information.

The auto machine shop business is dead around here. Nobody is rebuilding anything anymore, just replacing engines with junkyard stuff. Not even the head business is going good. But this might change as the ecconomy gets worse. and the general public needs to keep the older imports running.

Good luck to you whichever way it goes.

 

Where I live you have to drive 65 miles to find an automotive machine shop. If you live in an area with farms I would think a business like that would be kinda like gold.

 

good luck with that. hey, if you get enough of the "boring" stuff coming in you can always hire some young guy (even if you have to train him) to do it. you can turn a profit with little to no effort on your part. thats how the rich get rich. having other people make money for them.

 

I would buy it all...
that may seem boring... but its a trade you can lean on the rest of your life...
and you could use the money you make from that equipment to buy more.

Go for it.

Tuck

 

If there is no machine shop competition near where you worked you can't go wrong buying the equipment and setting up at your place. You already know how to use the stuff and there is always a demand for machine shop services. That might not be the case for a hot rod shop for the next few years as hot rods are built with mad money and when the ecomony turns sour the mad money dries up and your left with an empty shop and an empty bank account looking for a new job which there aren't any. The machine shop could provide a nice steady income and the hot rod work can be a fill in. If you get too busy find an ambitious young guy who isn't afraid to work and teach him the ropes. You become an employer instead of an employee and you have the foundation for a prosperous future if your willing to work hard AND smart. Just remember, when one door closes usually another one opens, just go in with your eyes wide open and willing to work and get your hands dirty. Good luck, this is almost like how I got started and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Frank

 

That's a VERY good idea about the phone number.

 

Sorry to hear, but good luck with it. At least there is a nice hemi block sitting there too.
One other suggestion, don't just do engine work. Machines can do machining on all kinds of stuff. Make sure people know you can machine other stuff too if needed. Furniture, or architecture, contractor stuff, welding if you know how. Just do great work and do the best job you can at it and work with less not more. But, buy a machine if you need it to do a job. But, don't buy machines and space you just don't really need. Be good and efficient and above anything else responsive, friendly and nice to work with and do what you say you will do no matter what it takes to get it done. do not promise work or time deadlines you can not deliver and don't be hard to work with.

Nice people doing good honest work on time will never go out of style or demand. You might not make a killing out of it, but you will likely be able to get by on it for the time being anyway.

That is how people get through hard times.

Good luck!

 

i say buy it all and go into business too. even though it seams like a lot of automotive machine shops have closed up , i know there is still a good market for one. in my small little town there used to be 3 of them , now there is only one..and he is so damn busy that anything takes at least a month and his prices are sky high! in fact , his prices are ridiculous . he used to work for someone else , now he has 5 guys working for him.

yesterday , i hauled a 283 for boring to a one man shop 35 miles away...he told me as other shops have closed up he has just gotten busier and might have to hire some help

 

I,d send business your way.I know you do good work,good luck!

 

I say buy it all and go into business for yourself. Then become a Alliance vendor and then you can cut us a little break once and a while.

 

I think you should buy up the equipment, but then I am thinking of myself because who else do I know that does machine work! Seriously though Jeff, whether you buy the equipment or not you will do just fine building hot rods at home. If you don't want to do machine work anymore then why waste the money. You do need to let us all know who to go to for our machine work now though.
Good Luck
-Scott

 

1) Buy everything that's in the building.
2) Through nothing out.
3) Try to keep the company name, phone number and
phone book listing.
4) Your customer base will be your biggest asset, and they
will expect the shop to be able to do all the work as in
the past.
5) Expand your capabilities and equipment as money
allows. Once the parts are gone, you should have
plenty of space.

 

Jeff has been a huge help to me with PM's, and
e-mails about my Hemi!!! Thank's for all the help!
Buy it all!
Take care, Rich

 

You know that equipment better than anyone else.......I would say you have alot of options.....Goodluck to you and your better half.......Littleman......maybe move to Austin...or?...setup shop

 

Jeff, sorry to hear about the shop shutting down. I do think that you should buy the equipment because, like someone already said, you know it better than anyone. It may be boring but at least it is not a factory job with little to no skills that is being eliminated, you can always use it for a backup or filler between rods. Good luck with the home shop. I will send you work whenever I can.

Rich
Wicked Tin

 

Jeff, since I have no hard connection to a good machine shop out here I would use you. You know I make it up that way a couple times a year. Wanna work on a banger block!?

 

sorry, to hear about yer boss getting run out of bussiness, I
hope it works out well for you, and hope you can get the machines
you want!