In the past number of years, we have seen a definite trend based on the strength of the custom vehicle industry. Auto body shops throughout the US are starting to entertain options other than conventional insurance/collision repairs. The insurance industry has kept a tight rain on body shops holding and in many areas dictating shop rates, repair times, even percentages of mark-up on materials or parts. One State Farm report stated that the East cost average on shop rate was just over $45 per hour with some shops as low as $32 per hour. Growing up in a body shop I loved to build special projects, restorations, custom cars, but my Dad always was shy about building them, stating that the value of the car was less that the cost of repair. It still takes the same amount of time to restore a car now as it did in 1980 but the value of the car supports the cost. Shop owners have made their investment in facilities, equipment and tools. The switch to a performance-based shop in most occasions can be seamless and relatively painless. The major issue with the transition is surrounding themselves with efficient, skilled technicians. Restoration shops can utilize most seasoned technicians requiring simple fabrication skills, while shops building ground up custom designs require a very different skill set. Performance fabricators require a multitude of skills from many different associated industries. Most of the current workforce is a generation of fabricators that have lived through an evolution of concept vehicles’, most born between 1935 and 1965 have learned a combination of skill utilizing the cut and try methodology. Over the years, facilities have offered short term training that would take experienced workers and expand their skills. Although the US Department of Labor doesn’t recognize the hot rod industry as a stand-alone industry incumbent worker grant programs will allow existing businesses to shift gears, so to speak, in the form of workforce training. In the past ten years, the Departments of Labor, state and federal, have placed value on strengthening existing businesses by training workers already employed. Body shop and mechanical shops wishing to expand into performance fabrication can contact local workforce development agencies for these incumbent workers programs. As in many instances, training institutions address the needs of industries that have the biggest needs. Skills training programs focus on one particular area of instruction. A proficient hot rod fabricator has MIG/TIG welding knowledge, metal shaping and component development skills. When available most training facilities offer individual programs taking years to complete.

Finding a multi-skilled experienced fabricator is a task. We see many shops searching out fabricators from the racing arena. Race team technicians usually last in the fast-paced industry about five to ten years and welcome the opportunity to work in a less restricted environment.

Americans love for the performance automobile has kept United States ahead of its international counter parts in production of the hot rod, muscle car, custom car market! Even with some companies mass-producing parts over seas, the American attitude and American imagination still reigns supreme in the area of custom cars.