73-87 chevy resto shop idea

[Cornfield creations]

Even when the economy was decent 8 years ago, there wasn't much of a market for "specialized" shops in the mid-west. Like mentioned earlier, most people with these trucks have them because they are easy enough to work on themselves and like them, or they don't have a lot of money and can't afford something newer. Everyone wants to do everything cheap. 90% of the calls we get at our shop are price shoppers. Most people are looking for the shop who does things the cheapest, but then complain about such a horrible job that was done when something goes wrong.

To limit to just 73-87 would be a mistake. Even a 4x4 only shop where you do anything custom will struggle in the mid-west. Maybe California has a better chance, but I just don't see that in this area.

PLUS, the gov. is making it even harder now to run a business. Taxes have gone up this year, utilities are going through the roof. Requirements keep changing. I couldn't imagine starting up a shop in this day and age.

 

[BoondocK5]

Plus the thing I always worry about. That is "WE" (us at CK5) live in a rather closed world, we eat, sleep, and breath, GM trucks specifically, and mechanical stuff generally.
We see things from "our point of view." Like when it comes to Dana 60F axle parts, I don't care what it costs or how long it takes, I'm using the strongest parts I can get my hands on. Who else, barring "us" here at CK5 is going to do that?
Answer... Not very many. 'Nuff said.

That is the mentality your dealing with.

 

[ryoken]

heck, just look around town at all the yahoo's running around with 40's, etc on 10 bolts...

"wha? what's wrong with that?"


the other aspect of this is refinishing.... anything bodyshop-wise these days, paintwork is exceptionally expensive to start up... whole nother ballgame with that, over just turning wrenches... and it isn't a resto shop unless you have that capability..

 

[Blue85]

If I was in the market for a brand new truck and could buy the current over-plasticed garbage for $40k or a mint, showroom fresh 87 K10 for $25k, I'd be all over the K10.

Yes, there are people who would choose the lower-priced vehicle as a work truck, but most would not. There are 3 main reasons people buy a new vehicle:

1) Warranty
2) Financing
3) It's new - latest doodads and newer than their friend/neighbor/brothers.

EDIT: I forgot two reasons
4) Supposed reliability
5) Improved MPG

So it seems like the key to selling "new" square nose Chevys would be to use modern engines and have a warranty available. I know that spending $40k on a new truck so that 2 more MPG will "save you money" is crazy, but people are doing it. I think it has as much to do with bragging rights as anything. But if that new truck was $20k and got the same mileage in town (old trucks are less aerodynamic, but tend to be lighter than the new ones - even though everything on the new ones feels lighter) it might be a winner.

 

[mrwilliamsburg33]

I think you could have a 4x4 shop somewhere in the south eastern part of the state. I know you've got to know about Harlan County... Mostly jeeps and buggys, but you should be able to do anything those guys do. They are making that area over their like a 4x4 World Fair.... people come from all over to drive up and down those mountains. I'm not sure how many good shops are down in that area. Might be a stupid idea, but you could probably build "rent-able" trucks and let people take them out... but that gets into a lot of liability I guess. There is a VW rail buggy shop in London... just had mine all freshened up down there... "Southern Buggys" He specializes in just old VWs... be it the old beetles or straight custom rail buggys. I thought that would be a small market but he's grown within the past few years and moved to a much bigger shop. I think trying a business is a great idea and would like to do the same someday, you just have to pick and choose something and somewhere that it will work. And with the buggy shop, he bought out a guy that owned it and then upgraded his business. So that might be a cheaper way to go about it... buy someone out that already has mostly everything you would need to get started...