I am considering starting an all everything 914 business here in SoCal near Downtown.

I am going to be putting initial emphasis on welding at first and then conversions etc depending on demand.

What do you think?

tino

I think there's always a need for qualified people to help restore or repair our cars. But I'm sure most would like to hear about your background, experience, maybe some pictures of your work.

Good luck with your venture!

Jeff

Most 914 customers we have are DIY'ers. Although we do have shops buying panels, and sales of 914 sheet metal is going up.

Its a well known fact that us 914 owners are the cheaper Porsche enthusiasts, and try to get most of the work done ourselves. But as prices rise, more people will pay to get sheet metal replaced.

Pete

There ARE a lot of 914s in the area, but I doubt you'd be able to keep the business sustainable early on. Like Pete said, by in large, we're cheap SOBs.

Especially rough as you'd need a pretty good rep around here before many would take you seriously.

Not trying to be a dick...just setting realistic expectations.

Try doing some work for people and take a shit-ton of pics for people here to see. Actions will mean everything to the people around here.

Good luck!

oh yeah ...

One of my biggest problems with any kind of welding business is INSURANCE!!!
Insurance people do not like us and consider us a major liability. Here in Washington, I am lucky to pay $1100.00 per year,Farmers is the only one willing to insure me and Triad west. Good luck.

Do you mean that California still allows something as dangerous as welding? With all the other propositions in the Republic, I'm surprised that something this environmentally irresponsible is legal as you must be polluting the atmosphere with all that smoke and shielding gases! :-)

Maybe add classic Bug restoration too, to broaden your client base? Should be plenty of business in the LA area between bugs and 914s.

A tough business to get started... so get some great recommendations posted on Yelp quickly! Get a web site that showcases your work and shop.

Tons of dumpy welding shops in LA. Set yourself apart by having a great looking facility.

An "all everything 914 business" might be a little narrowly focused for a business start-up. Might want to broaden your business plan to something like "Auto repair", and after your business has a foothold in the local market (about 2-years or more), you could refocus your business towards a speciality.

On the other hand, with proper marketing and advertising, a virtual business could easily be more specific and turn a profit. Look at your marketing area first. Are there enough 914's running around your area in need of repair to be profitable for you and your employees? If so, then go for it. Hope everyting works out.

Is the Old Volks Home still in Rapid City? How about the Box Elder Lounge? ( Sorry for the hi jack).

You'll find few, if any, businesses anywhere that do 914's only. See above posts for those reasons. Chris Foley is probably the closest to a 914 only shop that I know of, and I'm pretty sure he does other Porsche work, as well as making and selling products. If you do pursue this, I hope you're wife/girlfriend is VERY loving and patient and makes good money on her own Say goodbye to 9-5, say goodbye to weekends..........

There are people that ship there cars from the west coast to Scotty's for restoration. If you are that good and can replace body panels as good as factory for reasonable prices you will get some business. But I would also open it up to other Porsche's and VW's depending on work load.

Thanks all...much food for thought.

tino

We have a few customers with other aircooled Porsches and we sell exhaust systems for 912Es and Type 4 conversions but more than 90% of our work is on 914s.

I can say from experience that an all everything 914 business is likely to fail - or at best produce nearly no income for the owner for many years.
Better to remain focused on a narrower range of work.

My business background is custom fabrication, welding, and vehicle rust repair so that's what I started with. I added exhaust system manufacturing right away and mechanical service work a short time later.
Race prep is something I thought we'd do more of but there hasn't been a lot of work like that on 914s in the northeast.
During the recession (and continuing since) I developed lots of products to help keep my employees busy but all that r&d has been costly.
I still don't sell enough of my products to put the machinist on full time yet.

I've tried to set up a body shop to complement all our other capabilities but that hasn't worked out too well so far.
My current staff isn't talented enough at that work and they're mostly busy on what they do best.
I found a part time painter with excellent skills but he had a stroke around Christmas and is only now getting back to work.
He also has a limited range of other capabilities so I can't give him any work except prep and spray on bodies.

So right now I'm on the lookout for someone who can do custom metal shaping (english wheel, etc.), rust repair, bodywork, and spray paint. If they could do interior resto work too that would be great.

My uncle does roadster related machine shop work in Houston. Not exclusive to his marque of choice, and he says he has more business than he has time for.

Just build a few radical 914 street machines, take to car shows, grow some dreads, bathe weekly and change your clothes bi-monthly.
You will hit the mother lode of $caChing and be wealthy forever
Realistically, go for it...welding is a great trade !
Marty

I need a set of sway bar mounts welded in. Do you do house calls???

You can sell taco's as well...914 and taco's I'll come
but on a good note right on man!

I'd prolly show up for a Taco Tuesday Teener night.

For anything I couldn't do myself, like welding, I'd stop by. I recently had a hard time finding an alignment shop that could align 914s. When I did, it took them a day to look at it and figure it out since they hadn't aligned one in so long. I doubt you could make it as a just 914 shop, but maybe you could make it as a Vintage Porsche/VW shop who specializes in 914s.

Oh I'd show up for tacos as well

-.... You think that's bad, I have a neighbor that asked me to move my car while it was warming up on my own driveway and polluting his side of the air. Then the accuse me of operating s repair shop in a residential area ( I work on my own cars ).....I responded this is America and they should simply go back to where they moved from.
Cali is full of ....

Back to OP, if you can do metal work similar to the shop in Denver Colorado ( you will have to look up thread ) you will get lots of business.
Good luck and if you do open, please post your address so those that are in LA can drop in.

That's an understatement. They aren't called BDMF'ers for nothing....

A welding shop can also be a great outlet for your craft skills, not limiting yourself to just one narrow product or service (914).
For instance; we just built a small fleet of welding carts for a plumbing contractor , complete with drink holders.
Build whatever your craft skills allow, your bank deposits will appreciate it.
Oldschool, the top of the cart could double as a grill for tacos !
Need tacos
Marty
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PM sent and free bump - did you decide to move forward with this?

-Steve

After further discussion with my welder I decided against.
Thanks for your interest and for some reason I did not receive your pm.

tino