Help Wanted-

[jpistorius]

Classic Car Restorer Wanted- Body and/or Mechanical experienced only (Odessa, FL)

Business is great and we are expanding! Auto body and/or mechanical experience needed. This is the dream job for most car guys. Must be dependable, mature, responsible, reliable, attention to detail and quality work. Location in Northwest Tampa, FL Call 813-714-1019

Pistorius Collectible Autos

Brando Pistorius (813) 917-9205  brando@oldwheel.com

Joanne Pistorius (813) 714-1019  joanne@oldwheel.com

 

Sales & Restoration Services

www.OldWheel.com

 

[Restorer32]

On the car in the third picture down you need to reverse the landau irons. They are upside down. The hump at the center goes up.

[keiser31]

26 minutes ago, Restorer32 said:

On the car in the third picture down you need to reverse the landau irons. They are upside down. The hump at the center goes up.

I agree.

[1940TORPEDO]

3 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

On the car in the third picture down you need to reverse the landau irons. They are upside down. The hump at the center goes up.

 

I bet there are more cars on the road these days that have them backwards opposed to correct.

 

[Restorer32]

Easy mistake to make. You have to look at how the landaus would look if the top were actually folded down. As pictured the landaus would stick out way past the rest of the top if folded.

Knob always goes up so the landaus sit neatly alongside the body when the top is down. The pivot point is under the center of the knob. Only one way they can fold.

[kings32]

You should check with Penn College in Williamsport Pa  .They have some great students and put out some great cars for the AACA Musem .

[Dave 38]

Why can't you be on the left coast?

 

[junkyardjeff]

I wish you were closer to Ohio and I do upholstery too,

[jpistorius]

23 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

On the car in the third picture down you need to reverse the landau irons. They are upside down. The hump at the center goes up.

Oh we know, that was corrected shortly after that photo was taken!

 

15 minutes ago, jpistorius said:

Possibly. Call Brando directly to discuss 813-917-9205. If you want to send me photos and your valuation of what you are trading, my direct email is joanne@oldwheel.com

 

Thanks!

 

[R Walling]

 I hope that you can find an auto body worker. I own a body shop and finding a worker is almost impossible.  Most auto body shops have only one worker that knows what he is doing, the rest are either "sand and maskers", or "parts changers", and one painter.

 

 I have tried hiring an experienced workers and found that because they usually work on a flat rate pay schedule, they expect a huge hourly pay rate to make up for their perceived value. (the one week that they had made $2500)

 

 The best workers that I have are the ones that I have trained from the start.

[Restorer32]

An observation re grads of the various schools for restoration. One of our very best employees is a graduate of one of the schools and we've had several others over the years. While our guy is extremely talented I think most of his "value" to us in in his attitude and inborn mechanical aptitude with his formal training being just a framework that he can hang what we have taught him on. We've had very little luck with guys who have a traditional body shop background. Because of the fussy nature of restoration we have generally found employees with a machine shop background to be our best shot. Hardest skill to find is a wood worker who can think in 3 dimensions and is comfortable with curves. Cabinet makers are great at straights but usually not so good at curves.Our current woodworker is a trained sculptor and is the finest wood worker we've ever employed. Knows next to nothing about cars but man can he work wood!  If we have one complaint about restoration school grads it is that most come out of school looking to open their own shop and tend to see our shop as, if you will, graduate training in running their own shop. Right now we have the best crew we've had in 37 years.

[poci1957]

1 hour ago, Restorer32 said:

An observation re grads of the various schools for restoration. One of our very best employees is a graduate of one of the schools and we've had several others over the years. While our guy is extremely talented I think most of his "value" to us in in his attitude and inborn mechanical aptitude with his formal training being just a framework that he can hang what we have taught him on. 

 

If we have one complaint about restoration school grads it is that most come out of school looking to open their own shop and tend to see our shop as, if you will, graduate training in running their own shop.

 

Both very apt statements indeed. I was one of those young graduates once and agree about the framework but as a big value also.  Unfortunately the planning their own shop is probably too often true too, I had that idea early on but got it out of my head in short order (and my Dad never forgave me).  I often wonder what might have been but when I think about OSHA, paint fumes, money collection and payroll, etc. I know that ownership model is not all it seems for me, Todd C

[JACK M]

I started up a few businesses in my life and I have to agree that finding good help is the toughest part.

My dad always told me that if you do find good help make sure to pay them enough to keep them interested.

And it seems that everyone thinks because you are the owner you have lots of money. HA.

I also hear that it takes a good five years to get established and start making a good profit. With hard work this is true. Being a glutton for punishment that's about when I would sell and move on to more torture.

My last business was a boat dealership, I kind of liked that seasonal surge and stuck with that one for awhile.

Sure do like retirement.