I read this every time it comes back up and it gets me to thinking for a while. I really want to get back into building cars full time, but I won't do it like any of the shops I worked for. So, it's a worthwhile discussion for me.
I though about what was the original question again and I think it's these snips.
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Originally Posted by XLexusTech
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It got me thinking... could these principles help solve the problems that plague the custom car customer? Over budget, scope creep.... body shop hell... call it whatever you like... typically what you end up with is paying too much for less than you expected and getting it later than promised. Meanwhile the builder feels like he lost money...
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Does anyone ever want less than they can afford or want to pay more than what they think something is worth? In this day and age, are there any craftsmen/artists that make what they should or businesses make more money than they need to justify staying in business? The people that have the disposable income to build at $250K car didn't get there by being frivolous with their money. Everybody shops for the cheapest deal to get more bang for the buck. The only shops that get away with charging to much are the ones that have "status symbol appeal" mostly because they are on TV.
If someone had their car planned out 100% before they got into it and stuck with it over the one or two years required to build, they would grow bored and sell the car before completion. Technology changes quicker than cars can be built, financial situations change over the course of a year or two, things don't always work in reality like they do in your head. Scope creep is inevitable.
Body shop hell is tradeoff for wanting cheap and good. If you want it quick it costs money or it's shotty work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by XLexusTech
Problem 1: I will be far too old and unskilled to be a hands on craftsperson.
Problem 2: The business itself is plagued with bad business practice (the ole better craftsmen then businessmen issue)
Problem 3: Every build by its nature is custom and as such subject to lots of uncertainty.
Problem 4: To my knowledge no structured project management principles have precedence in the custom car world.
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Problem 1: While this is understandable that you wan't to try to contribute. Unless you can save more money than you cost it isn't going to work. You are going to have to justify your salary by saving money elsewhere and I just don't see that happening if you don't produce. The money in this business just isn't there to justify more overhead. But you haven't given a good enough description of how you could save a shop money. How will you sell yourself?
Problem 2: Yes, this definitely happens. I think there are more shops than there need to be. So for the lower quality shops, whether through inexperience or dishonesty, they sell jobs way under their realistic cost just to keep money flowing. I worked for a guy that failed even while covered up in business and investors.
Problem 3: When you know there is uncertainty, you plan for the worst. This is an area where experience shines. Let's say you bring in an old body covered in paint. Who knows what hides underneath. Quote replacing every panel on the car. If the cost scares of the customer, you saved yourself grief. If they stick around and you end up only replacing half the panels, you save money and please the customer.
Problem 4: They do, you just don't have dedicated project managers or time to keep a project schedule. Good employees and shop owners look ahead and plan things out in advance without devoting all their time to it. If a car costs $250K to build, how much of that money can be dedicated to a project manager. There are books on this subject about what percentage of a budget should be allocated to what. I think it's less than 4% for all management on a project. You do the math, but at 4% you have to turn 1.25mil to justify a $50K salary if that's all you do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by XLexusTech
So on to my question.. Is this pipe-dream something that the pro-builders and customers would have an appetite for?
Is there a problem here worth solving?...
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Sure, there are always problems worth solving when the ends justify the means. With what a business expert or PM demands for salary these days it isn't going to happen in the car world. Most shops can barely afford to pay a craftsmen/artist what they are worth.
In the end, the car is not a money maker. There is no return on investment, so there is no justifying anything that is done, especially not extra managers.
Through my own frustrations at work, I have plenty of "stories" about how project managers add so much cost and confusion to a job. I've done jobs (engineer side) where the physical work took 2 days and $100K in labor and parts. But there were 7 PM's, two executives, 2 engineers, 3 contractors with PM's and engineers and the months of worthless meetings and indecisiveness that cost $500K. Honest truth, that really happened recently. It took me longer to make drawings and revisions than it would have taken to do the actual work. No mangers added value, in reality they took away from any value.
I think lean and agile work well in high volume mfg. When everything is special, how can you be lean with equipment of labor? Most shops are already lean on parts inventory, they keep none and order only when it's needed. The machinery required to build a car is as flexible as possible. Farming out all the machining, laser cutting etc.. will not save time and eventually it will cost more than owning the machines. You can't rent the equipment required and you can't pick up employees at home depot in the morning. Most employees in this field are very flexible. There might be specialists in sheetmetal, machining and other areas, but they can usually do assembly, wiring and other things also. Where would you lean out a car shop and still do real work there? I have my own opinion about what lean and top heavy management has done to manufacturing in the US and it isn't good.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
as you see your practice is not universal 
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