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Anyone have contacts at any exotic restoration places?


Kerplop
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I'm going to have a real personal moment here with you LP. So bear with me.

 

Things have taken a turn for the worst at my place of employment. Worked here for 12 years. I'm miserable. Nothing is getting better. Things are worse and worse. I'm waking up every day hating what I do. The money is good, but I ask myself, "Do I want to do this in a year? 2 years? 5 years? 10 years?" I know the answer. I do the same things that aren't challenging, mundane, with management that is out of this world insane, in a company that I see no foreseeable gain.

 

I've been working on cars now, Porsches and everything I can under the sun for the last 10 years, and as you know now... My first love, Lamborghini.

 

I had a moment the other day. I'm sitting there writing code for the GPS unit for the speedometer I'm making and I'm thinking, "I'm programming a GPS receiver, putting together a stepper motor to convert a 30 year old gauge set into modern technology. Why in the hell am I wasting my time waking up each day doing crap I hate? Why am I not doing this stuff every day?"

 

I took a car that was pure trash and revived the motor. I've converted it to a full ITB conversion, standalone EFI, I've done all my own fabrication, cross referenced things, hell.. i've even printed my own circuit boards (recent "hobby" i picked up).

 

I realized... the thing that makes me the happiest every day is the moments I spend working on exotics. Soldering, electronics, mechanical things, getting dirty, getting to the core of something handmade with my own handmade results. I'm fcuking miserable right now and the ONLY thing that keeps me from wanting to just fade into the dark abyss of nada is the things that bring me the greatest joy, exotics. There is something beautiful in life about the way someone shapes the automotive world into the world of mechanical. It isn't because it's "efficient" or "always makes sense", but because it's beautiful. It was made to be beautiful, amazing, a rolling piece of art. There's no word for it otherwise. At the end of the day, the only thing that drives me is completing my own dreams, which I have realized professionally revolve around that.

 

I want to see other people's dreams come true. Someone who works hard, who put their life's effort into gaining that rolling piece of art into something they can be proud of. Something that screams, "Look, not only did I make it, but THIS represents my inner being, THIS is part of me." and it makes me happy every time I work on one.

 

I was wondering if anyone knows anyone at any of the exotic restoration, mechanic, or exotic dealers out there. I've seen amazing things about places like bobileff and many others. At this point in my life my investments are very strong, I own ALL of my assets, can sell my house very easily and am ready for the next step in my life. I'm 32. I have nothing to lose and I'm not going to be happy until I chase my dreams.

 

I don't know if anyone out there is willing to vouch for me, give me info on anyone who may be hiring, or where I should even start. I had my own business doing leatherwork and custom restorations for wheels for several years. I'm no stranger to running a business. But I'm not cutout to run a huge business. I'm far happier working at the core of exotics. At the end of the day I am happiest with a wrench, soldering iron, or any number of software suites to program things on my own custom microcontrollers.

 

I'm in a place where I need change in my life, and I see no other outcome than devoting my entire being to the things I am most passionate about.

 

Call this a cry for help, a vouch, a point in the right direction, tough love, whatever you guys want to call it. But I'm willing to give everything I have (minus my lambo, of course) to make it happen. I've never been here, and I don't even know where to begin.

 

I have nothing to lose at this point. There comes a point in every person's life when one must choose between pursuing that which makes one happy, or doing the same repetitive stuff only to end up living a life full of regret wondering, "What could it have been?" I am at that point.

 

You're like a second family to me and this is incredibly hard for me to put into words.

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I don't have any connections or anything but I've been to Norwood Auto Italia a few times here in Dallas and it's an amazing shop. Dallas is a good place to buy a home too!

 

Regardless I wish you nothing but the best! I commend you for coming to this realization and deciding to make some moves! Keep us updated and I'll keep you in mind if I come across anything. Do what makes you happy!

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Why not hit up Jonathan Ward @ ICON? It isn't 'exotics' but he builds some awesome stuff and your skills sound like they would fit in very well there.

 

A piece of advice my grandfather gave me that i've heard repeated many times. Don't turn something you love to do into a job, specifically around labor intensive tasks. Give yourself the thing to strive for, to do on your own time because you enjoy it. Building crap for other people will never be met with the same passion.

 

If you enjoy welding and fabricating there are many great careers down that path. Why pigeonhole yourself into a super small market? Specialty welders get to travel all over the world and are paid really well (attorney rates per hour).

 

At any rate I wish you the best of luck in whatever path you take. Spend a year and see what you like, you'll never regret that move. :icon_thumleft:

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Wanna come to NY ? LoL

 

At this point, I am willing to move anywhere, as long as I have a place to stay, work on my car, etc.

 

Any interest working with a racing team ?

 

That would be incredible actually!

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Brammo?

 

Don't they make motorcycles?

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Don't they make motorcycles?

Brammo has a history with Ariel Atom, Ultima GTR, and Caterham. I visited the facility back around May. I guess they have swung to bikes :/

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Brammo has a history with Ariel Atom, Ultima GTR, and Caterham. I visited the facility back around May. I guess they have swung to bikes :/

 

hmmm

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I guess I'm going to have to say it.......TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!!!! :eusa_dance:

 

What, that I won't be happy till i'm working on them?

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Contact Steve at Driven Exotics. All he does is work on old Lambo's and his shop has grown lots in the past two years! If I had your skills that's where I would want to work

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Contact Steve at Driven Exotics. All he does is work on old Lambo's and his shop has grown lots in the past two years! If I had your skills that's where I would want to work

 

I sent an email, I'll try giving a call tomorrow. Really it'd just be nice to talk to different owners and get a feel for who does what. Thank you everyone for the replies and for those who have opened lines of communication with me.

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What, that I won't be happy till i'm working on them?

 

 

Exactly!! A man with your talents is a rare find and since this is something you are passionate about it is the best of all worlds.

It has been said that a man that can earn a living is blessed, but a man that really enjoys how they make a living has received a gift from God!!!!

 

 

Good luck

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Make the move...Start your own business....I opened my 1st business when I was 32....tired of making everyone else money.....everyone told me I was crazy...If I hadn't I be driving a mustang instead of a lambo..watching your threads you are GOOD at what you do...I thought I was a pretty good wrench until I read your posts...you are up on the latest technology....a step above the rest....if you can go it on your own...DO IT NOW while you are young!

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A piece of advice my grandfather gave me that i've heard repeated many times. Don't turn something you love to do into a job, specifically around labor intensive tasks. Give yourself the thing to strive for, to do on your own time because you enjoy it. Building crap for other people will never be met with the same passion.

 

If you enjoy welding and fabricating there are many great careers down that path. Why pigeonhole yourself into a super small market? Specialty welders get to travel all over the world and are paid really well (attorney rates per hour).

 

I know guys who work at these custom car audio/fabrication places that go home and do nothing on their own cars because they are tired mentally and physically.

 

A related career path like emanon recommends sounds like a good idea.

 

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Make the move...Start your own business....I opened my 1st business when I was 32....tired of making everyone else money.....everyone told me I was crazy...If I hadn't I be driving a mustang instead of a lambo..watching your threads you are GOOD at what you do...I thought I was a pretty good wrench until I read your posts...you are up on the latest technology....a step above the rest....if you can go it on your own...DO IT NOW while you are young!

 

Thing is, I don't know where to start with something like this. I've been dabbling with making CNC designs lately and have a LOT of ideas for aftermarket oldschool lambo parts that are better than original. It was one thing when I had a business doing leather work and wiring. That was a nice little side gig. But starting something to totally replace what I have? Not going to lie, I'm terrified. However, if anyone would like to chat with me about it, I'm open to the idea.

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Exactly!! A man with your talents is a rare find and since this is something you are passionate about it is the best of all worlds.

It has been said that a man that can earn a living is blessed, but a man that really enjoys how they make a living has received a gift from God!!!!

 

 

Good luck

 

That means a lot, thank you very much. I'm happy to go to work for someone else or do my own thing. As i mentioned above I don't know where to begin. My passion is the older lamborghinis. Every time I'm around a countach, jalpa, urraco etc... I just feel so happy and at home. I love working on new stuff too. I suppose i'm a bit weird in the sense that I love taking new technology to make old things better.

 

I have ideas for replacement thermostat designs, airbox designs, ideas on plug and play EFI conversions, etc.

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Could you start a Lambo equivalent of Singer? Imagine a "Singer" Miura.

 

I am going to be honest. 911s are a dime a dozen car compared to the numbers of Ferruccio era cars. I would not do any such thing to them. I value them to the point that I see them as an original work of art, not to be redesigned.

 

That's just my personal opinion, however.

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