Customs Looking for bodywork/metal work apprenticeship in L.A. area!!

Hey thanx for the advice!! I just wanna learn man!! im not in this for the money. if i can make some money one day great, if not, no big deal!! i study online and read as much i can, but i've never actually been in a shop where they build great customs. I just wanna observe and help if someone will let me, i'll sweep the god damn floors if i have too, i don't care!! This chevy im building right now is my first build ever, i dont think my car is the most original or anything but im pretty proud of the outcome so far. everything i did on this car i researched online prior to doin' it. i dont know **** but im pretty p***ionate and serious about this custom car thing!! I just wanna know the right way to do things so that one day maybe i'll be able to build a car all metal finish. That simple!!

Ian

 

cool man . lemme know what happens . when i get a chance i still wanna come by and see the chevy . looks like you have made good progress . i think you are close enough i can ride the bmx over . i am at burbank and hollywood way .

 

right on bro!! we are close!! come by next week, i'll be in the garage ....of course!

 

Hey
I would tell you to come on by. You look like you would fit right in with your surfing and all. We stop work and hit it whenever it is good.
But, we moved out of LA to Wilmington, NC. Only 15 minutes from Wrightsville Beach. Our build shop is in Wilmington, NC, and we only buy and sell out of LA right now.

The best piece of advice I would give is to apprentice, but tell the shop what that really means. So many of the people ( literally 100s) who want to apprentice at my shops think an apprenticeship is say you will work for free to learn, then after a couple of weeks they should be making $20 an hour.

Obviously by your pics you have done some cool work.
It is pretty easy to do really nice work, it is also pretty easy to do fast work, but to make it in a shop you have to do really nice work really fast. That is what separates the men from the boys.

If is also not very complicated to do, but it takes about 5 years of paying your dues to be on it, if you are putting in 60 hours a week, and not being paid for half you hours if you are lucky. But after 2 years of 60 hour weeks, and only getting paid for about 20 hours per weak you will have the hang of it.
If you can tough it out for those 5 years, you will have something, a good living, and a great job.

Not many people, maybe 1 in 1,000 that start the journey make it to the 5 year period. Many think they can do, but really can't because they fooled themselves into thinking they knew it all after a couple of years working only 40 hours a week and wanting to get paid for every hour they work.

If you just show up and put the hours in, anyone can do it. Some are better at other aspects of the job that others, but everyone can find their spot whether is is bodywork, mechanical, paint, repairing, or custom work.
Many guys who are great at fixing cars incredibly well like the engines, can not fabricate to save their lives, and vice versa.

Basically, it is like college for 5 years, but you don't have to pay, just get paid a little.

I hope that this was helpful.
Take it with a grain of salt.

Maybe tell a shop you will give them 3 months free as a try out to be an apprentice just keeping your mouth shut and cleaning or doing anything they ask. Then if it is all working well, they can talk to you about trading knowledge for your work for another 3 months and then set down again.

I think it will help you get in the door if you tell them they don't have to teach you, and you won't ask any questions for 3 months.
Answering questions for people is extremely costly in time=money for the shop.

Also, when you approach a shop, have pics of your work to leave with them, and a list of what you can do / have done, and a list of people with their phone numbers who will vouch for you both in a work environment, and personally. Not some puffed up standard resume.

Again, I hope this gave you some things to think about, and will help you in some way.

Good luck
Wil Sakowski
visit www.sakowskimotors.com
310 978 9558 Los Angeles
910 399 5939 Wilmington, NC

 

Sakowski, how you been, hope everything is going good for you out there, i could have not said it better,..raunchero13 if your interested on help out here with my crew give me a call.

 

Holy **** Jesse! Thank you so much, Im gonna call you tomorow!! STOKED!!

Ian

 

Hey Wil! Thanx for taking the time to explain to me what's up. I remember a while back when you posted pics of your new shop in NC i was so blown away, beautiful spot!! I definitely don't want to be taken advantage off and i won't let that happen, that's for sure. Im a super nice friendly guy but im not a fool!! LOL! As for the money, it's not an issue, yes it would be nice to make some $$$$ ,but my wife has a very good career and she just wants me to be happy, i consider myself a very lucky guy and i don't take it for granted. That said, i wanna learn , learn and learn!! Tomorow im calling Jesse from LORDZ OF KUSTOMZ and im gonna jump on that opportunity for sure. Not to make money, but to watch help and learn!!

Thanx again Wil for the very helpful guidance!!

Ian

 

Rad !

 

Ian, the big secret is, before you can even step foot in the door of any of these places, you have to go in the parking lot and do a huge, full-arched, hand plant and then hit the quarter in the back of the lot for some HOHO action! You have to do all this with a dolly in your left pocket and balancing a shrinking hammer on your forehead.

OH! And you have to balance a boom box on your right shoulder playing anything by Suicidal Tendencies, Minor Threat, or Guerilla Biscuits.

 

That is what you have to do to get into our shop, but also tell us about your first Cro-Mags show.
Wil
www.sakowskimotors.com

 

You're ****ing crazy bro!! LOL!!

Ian

 

Wil! You rule man! Thanx for taking the time to talk to me this morning, means a lot bro!!

Ian

 

hey ian, you are forgetting what is a little ways down the road from you BARRIS KUSTOMS! When i was in burbank I never got the chance to stop in and check the shop out but it wasn't too far from where i was at...so its worth checking out.

 

Hey bro!! As far as i know it's only a museum type place, not an actual shop, but i might be wrong. I should be more nosy sometimes and not be intimidated to knock on doors!!

thanx homie!!

Ian

 

we drove by it a few times while going to LA and I saw that thunderbird thingy of theres in the back lot but we were always too busy to stop...oh well

 

I might be totally wrong????? i'll go snoop over there!! but i don't want to work on crazy futuristic movie cars, not that it's what they do but i know some other shop that build cars for studios and sometimes they're built out of cotton balls and glue... you know what im saying!! Barris= some of my favorite customs!!!

Ian

 

i think you are probably right...but ya never know i guess until you stop. Also the best barris kustoms were from a LONG time ago and good ol' george ain't building any more

 

Yep!!

 

I just enrolled in Gene's cl*** for the 2nd and 3rd of may in Mojave and im so stoked!!

Gonna watch and learn !!

Ian

 

Best of luck to you man. You can do anything you put your mind to as long as you've got the dedication and willpower.

 

I know Lordz of Kuztumz owner he was actually looking for help but of course you need to be reliable judging by what you wrote you seem like a stand up guy. I think now is a great time to do a career change since your looking for work! I myself offered my husband the option to go to school and i can bring the bacon home!

 

Someone give this cat a shot!
Wil
www.sakowskimotors.com

 

wish you didnt live so far away cuz youd have a home here

 

Thanx Alex!!! you have no idea how much i would love to be a part of your crew, I'd be honored!!!!!

 

Thanx Wil!!!

 

I thought Rick Erickson from EXK Kustoms told ya if you wanted a job just show up. Give him a call. He's a been a great help to me in building my Cadillac ch***is and he has a family history of building some Kustoms that would knock you right out of your socks. I'm sure you'll do well where ever you go. Best of luck!

 

So did you ever find a shop that you liked to work in or taken up any of these guys offers?

 

Hey bro, Rick was just kidding, but he is MILES away from my house anyways!! Too bad!!! I really wish i could work with Alex!!!

I just been working in my home garage!!

 

To work with Alex Gambino and crew would be a dream job. How about taking a few days a week and hang out at the shop. San Jose to So Cal is only a 6hr ride. I'd bet Alex could point you to a cheap Motel, you stay and do your thing for a few days and then back home to the family.

There has to be someone closer that would take you in though. You'd be an ***et to anybodies shop. Somebody hire this guy!!