Another not so good trend

[Greg Bryan]

I went to my machine shop last week and there he was looking glum. Don’t get the stuff out of your truck, we’re closing down, he said.
Another auto machine shop bites the dust.
I knew the writing was on the wall - he’s 75 and been looking for a buyer for years. The last straw was his landlord of 40 years passed away recently and his kids sold the property to a developer, so even if he had found a buyer, the location is gone.
He’s finishing up what he has going and that’s it.

[Jacques Lefriant]

My local machinist who did Porsche and VW pieces retired and i bought a few of his machines to supplement the ones i had buy only to do my own projects.
j

[Adam Wright]

I think some machine shops are booming. I read an article a few years ago about several that were located near Tesla that had more work then they could handle fixing flaws in the Tesla parts. But yeah, the old guys who can do what we want are probably fading fast. Finding someone to do anything strange is hard too. When I needed custom work to make Rudge spinners work on fake Rudge wheels I had to go to several places before I found someone who would do it.

[Greg Bryan]

I pretty much got the same story the last time I went to Christensen Chrome Plater shop. Said you better get done what you need soon - California is making it very difficult for chrome shops to stay in business - a little different situation but same result - fewer places to get stuff done and the guys doing it are aging out.
There are a few go-to specialty machine shops such as competition and Ollie’s, but they have 6 month or more backlogs

[Martin Benade]

That’s also part of being 60+ years old, like lots of us. Most of the people we count on, doctors, people who fix things, etc are all retiring. I did that to my customers too.

[Jon Schmid]

I pretty much got the same story the last time I went to Christensen Chrome Plater shop. Said you better get done what you need soon - California is making it very difficult for chrome shops to stay in business - a little different situation but same result - fewer places to get stuff done and the guys doing it are aging out.
There are a few go-to specialty machine shops such as competition and Ollie’s, but they have 6 month or more backlogs

Chrome plating in CA is a done deal. No more after 2039 which is barely 15 years away...

[Mike Wilson]

Jose at Christensen's told me he's retiring in three years. He thought about relocating to Arizona but decided against it based on cost and his age.

Greg, if you are talking about Engine Machine Service, yes, he's retiring to Reno. Ask Ed or John W. who they might be using.

Mike

[Jim Liberty]

Our shop does primarily motor rebuilds and general repair. I'm 84, but my partner the best tech anywhere is just 70. I've stopped restorations of 356s. The message here is our trade partners here in So. Cal. are all near closing up. No young people want to get their hands dirty. ....................Jim.

[Alex Parmenter]

Not all is lost, lots of young kids who love old cars and want to get into the business, I met a cool guy a few years back at one of our local C&C events, he’s now just finishing his freshman year at https://www.mcpherson.edu/programs/auto-restoration/ where you can do a 4 year degree in auto restoration! The students are also working on a car for Pebble Beach! Also helped him to get an internship at a friends classic Porsche 911 custom shop (he’s got the P car bug!!)

So shout out to McPherson college and the next generation coming into the classic car world!

[Greg Bryan]

Jim - I'm not so sure that the younger people have sworn off working with their hands, although our society in general does not value getting your hands dirty. If you're in your 50s or even 60s, I bet you could find one or two youngsters to train. Rainer Cooney has, and Scott Hindrey found a young guy to take over his business, but you have to give them some of your time to get them on their feet. You can still make a great living in the business if you learn your trade well.
My 2 pfennig

[Greg Bryan]

Jose at Christensen's told me he's retiring in three years. He thought about relocating to Arizona but decided against it based on cost and his age.

Greg, if you are talking about Engine Machine Service, yes, he's retiring to Reno. Ask Ed or John W. who they might be using.

Mike

Yes, Engine Machine Service - I was pleased with their work and Dick really knows his stuff. Over 40 years in the biz

[Ron LaDow]

Folks, there is an economic principle known as "market clearing price"; it is the highest price which ends demand. You folks selling services need to deal with that to your gain and that of the rest of us. We ask (and will pay for) that you should charge enough to hire apprentices.
Example: Vic, double the price of your rebops and hire a kid..
You get the point

[Dave Erickson]

Greg, actually you are very lucky. Most of the good ones closed shop or died 15-20 years ago in this area. There aren't any machine shops that do 356 work within 50 miles; more like 100 miles. I end up shipping my bottom end parts to one of the few remaining places doing good work, like Marine Crankshaft. I send my transmission work to Jacques. Both are 300-400 miles distant.

[John Clarke]

Yes All Very Sad.
And at last ,People finally Waking Up to what They are doing to Us All. Not wanting the Independent Guy earning a decent living. Being paid in dollar bills which are hidden currency . Shortly to be replaced completely by digital currency. Where we will be told what we can and can't buy with 'Our Money" They don't want these old skills which give you Independence to continue, and They continue to outlaw and eliminate them under the fake guise of Climate Change. We need to fight back on this and get the youngsters involved in these dying trades. There is a super living to be made.
Anyway you are correct. Things are rapidly changing and It's Not Good ! You should know who 'They' are
Regards Jay

[Martin Benade]

It’s not the government driving this. When was the last time you heard a high school student say they wanted to become a machinist or a car restorer? Mostly nobody wants to do those jobs any more. Working with your hands has become obsolete.