okay seriously you guys ive been thinking about going to wyotech or the hot rod institute or maybe somewhere else i don't even know about yet. so lets hear about where you went to school for this stuff and if we could keep the, "my brothers cousins friend knew a guy who went somewhere and he was an idiot," out of it. i would appreciate some first hand experience. thanks guys
im at wyotech now. the hot rod classes here are pretty good but make sure you go to the one in blairsville, PA. the equipment here is much newer and its just generally a lot nicer. It's pretty expensive though so make sure you really want to do it before you decide to come. Some of their business practices are kind of sketchy sometimes too. it seems like they always want another dollar out of you. I would avoid uti and lincoln tech though. From what I've heard, wyotech is better. And if you come here make sure you take the chassis fabrication class. its the best class at the whole school. if you wanna know more pm me
I went to Wyotech and I would not recommend that school or any else for that matter. If you want to get into a hot rod shop I would instead spend the time learning how to do some stuff yourself and maybe apply for a job at a shop, once I got out of school I found a job for a local and well know shop making $8.50 an hour (this was only about five years ago) and then I quit there to only get a job at another shop making $10 an hour until I finally went to work for a bodyshop making real money and now I am starting my own buisness. What I am trying to tell you is that you will still need to learn the hard way even after going to school and to many kids get out of school thinking they know everything and the job offers will start pouring in but in reality most shops want somebody with experience and that is why people complain so much about the tech school graduates. I wish I spent my time and money just buying some tools and a few books and doing the stuff to my own cars. Driving up to a shop and showing them a car you built will impress them more than a piece of paper and hell I spent 23,000 on that school, I could have built one really nice car for that money and had more fun in the process.
Those schools are not bad, but very expensive. My reccommendation is to go to a good public tech, Vocational or Community college program. Learn the basics. Mechanical systems, hydraulics, electrical and tools. Once you have some basic skills get a job in a hot rod shop and learn as you work. I kown my own shop and have had several young guys in here. Thoses with no training jus lack the basic knowledge to get anything done and I don't have the time to teach them everything. Have had a couple of Wyotech or other High Zoot school young men in here and couldn't deal with the attitude. They thought they knew it all. I've been doing this for over 40 years and hopefully I learned something in that time. Learn the basics and OJT the hot rod stuff. That's my advice.
What are you wanting to learn? I didn't go, but I know the School of Automotive Machinists (SAM) owners well and they are a great bunch of people. Unfortunately their focus is on high performance engines and not much else, however as been mentioned you can learn many other qualities working for a good shop. If you want to be introduced let me know. Aaron
If college is a possiblity, you might look into the Vehicle Research Insitute at Western Washington University. Dr Seal started this program and the teams built anything and everything from the ground up. They brought a Can-Am looking hybrid car clear to New England to compete in the tour-de sol one year. They also raced in the Sunrayce(?) across Australia. At NHTI, we campaigned three cars in the NE race, and WWU was a top-shelf group. I visited Dr. Seal and saw their facilities. You will need some math and science...but don't think you won't get your hands dirty, these guys do.
I went to the local vocational tech school after earning dual bachelors degrees in completely unrelated subjects. I went in knowing the basics and came out really knowing the basics plus the theory behind why basics worked which is so important. Plus while was there I developed a lot of great relationships within the industry which opened a lot of doors to post graduation schools/programs/apprenticeships (i.e.- apprenticeships in shops, NASCAR school, body/fab shops, etc). If you are hellbent on getting out of town or you don't have a local vocational program, I cannot recommend McPherson College enough. Yes, it is considered a 'restoration' school but they teach you how to do things the right way. Once you have the basic skills you can apply them to whatever you wish. Check out their website here: http://www.mcpherson.edu/technology/ Also, do a search of the HAMB as well, this seems to be covered about once a month. Good luck!
yea im not gonna lie i wouldnt really "recommend" wyotech and definitely dont expect to get rich coming out of here, but I would recommend it over some of the other schools. a community college is probably best though in terms of bang for the buck
I had a friend go to Wyotech a few years ago. He didn't walk out of there as the next Chip Foose, but he did learn. I went out into my garage and started f'ing things up til I got them right. Now were both in the same spot and he spent $25K. You be the judge.
in kansas, there is a place called Salina Votech where i went to school, and the body shop department was amazing, custom paint jobs, airbrushing, pinstriping, the works... and the teachers were really kickass and let you do "custom" things and even help you along...
I'd avoid wyotech. The cost is high and the one young man that I knew that attended there was very disappointed. I've had friends attend the school in Salina and they learned a bunch. I think it is hooked up with K State. The automotive part of Pitt State is good and I've heard good things about McPherson. Some of the departments a Coffeyville Vo-Tech are very good.
this year during speedweeks i became aware of a program at north west ohio university//they were racing 2UMP modifies at volusia speedway and they also had an entry in the ARCA race//they seemed like they were taught very well and they were competitive every night a couple of nights that ment rebuilding the car during the day or between heats no experience but i was impressed by those kids
Look into other options before u head to wyotech. I went to the laramie campus in '05 for ASM, auto tech and chassis fab and would have to say i learned more at the local community college then in the auto program at tech. And i would have started at the same posistion and pay at the dealer i work at regardless of education. I did get a lot of good knowlage out of the chassis program and they teach u how to lay down some good welds.
There have been many threads on this. I to am a Wyotech Grad, and I would do it again./ But I went there treating it as my job, and walked out with what I put in....I also got a job in the hot rod industry making pretty good money...I did leave the shop and am currently doing fab work, but in the planning stages for my own...PM me if you want specifics...I feel ranted about "bitching students" etc enough haha
upzndownz post mentions the school I currently attend. The race program is impressive, I'm not taking any fab courses(diesel/auto) and I am only a few classes in so far. Learning alot. Quite expensive though. www.unoh.edu
Don't overlook community college. Like any school, some are better than others, and you'll get out of it what you put into it. the school I work at is about 1000 a quarter. 6 grand for a two year degree program, plus about 2 grand in tools. We don't offer a hot rod class,(yet!) but I'd put our collision and refinish program up against anyone's. (of course I may be slightly biased!)
Dont waste your money at the highly advertised "trade Schools' I am a high school auto shop teacher....I went to a community college for their auto program and then went to a 4 year school and got a Bachelors degree in automotive technology and only spent 10,000......I am master ASE certified and also certified in Advanced engine performance....Those trade schools are full of empty promises and large financial aid bills....You will learn the most working in a shop...There is no way you cal learn all you need to know in school...you have to do it for yourself.......
I have two Wyotech guys working at my shop... Both of them came from previous shops before I got em..Both of them were a little dis-illusioned by the promises of making BIG money....It doesn't happen...I have been fabricating cars, rods, motorcycles etc since I was 16 years old.. My training did take 20 years but was much cheaper. I still don't know it all.... and neither do they...Jason
I taught Vocational auto mechanics at the high school level for 13 years. In that time I had one student go to Wyo tech for the regular automotive repair course an one that I know of who went to UTI. The Wyo tech course was quite a bit faster paced than the UTI course according to the feed back I got. that was 20 years ago and I don't know what the schools are doing now. One of schools in the pnw with solid reputations are JM Perry in Yakima, wa http://www.perrytech.net/ It is across the street from where I work and has been around since the 40's.
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