I've specialized in vintage American car restoration. The market is very small, but the work has never been this heavy. Bookings for work extend out to over seven months and I just cannot sustain the work load any more.

I am a one man shop and this specialized work list keeps getting tighter and yet there is more and more work I am asked to do. Where was all this work twenty years ago?

I can say that it is not only satisfying work to do, It has also allowed me the opportunity to write a book (a second one is the way) and work with others that want to expand their
business into this field.

Hi Fred thanks for the reply I’ve got your book and have read it cover to cover more than once I love it thanks for putting it out!

I can’t wait for the next one there is so little in the way of coach trimming techniques that has been recorded.
Being booked up for all that time is amazing but it’s also a double edged sword I guess because if you fall behind it holds all the other work up. Have you ever employed anyone or have you always worked alone?

I’m based in the UK an generally do classic and vintage work I find it very interesting and the most demanding work compared to modern stuff I have been trimming for 14 years but only running my shop for 4 years and always wonder if specialising is the right way to go?

In the uk and we do everything.
Four of us working various hours.Do loads of camper van stuff for 3 or 4 different convertors,seat repairs, classic and vintage, do some stuff for a lotus specialist(carpet sets, headliners,interiors, etc), stuff for a ford rally specialist,lots of porsche and tvr stuff.We make up lots of stuff for other people to sell on, ie the lotus and rally stuff.We will do boat and motorcycle stuff but not so often.
At the moment we are so busy and have been for the last 6 years at least (when I started).I've got some leather door panels, handles and pockets, bit of seat repair work, and a carpet set on a porsche, another porsche for a full interior and another box of porsche bits to cover, that'll keep me busy for a week or two.

my main work is aimed at the hot rod , custom drag racing and American car world , and even though I'm in the the uk I cant cope with demand .... id say that I don't make the money I would like to but I enjoy it the most where as the car trade and private general seat repairs is where I make more money !!!!!!!!
its so much more difficult to price up the custom stuff as a lot of it is make it up as I go along because I'm always trying something different so end up doing extra work for free.
I look up to gabe lopez and the guys at bill dunn for inspiration and one thing that has stuck in my head when I had a chat with the drag racing legend don garlits "you are better off living your life being poor but enjoying what you do rather than being rich and not enjoying what you do "
fred your book has just been mentioned in uk hot rod mag street machine !!!!! here is the pic but read the text

Hi Keith,m sounds like you guys do all general trimming but have been dragged into the Camper stuff... its ok if you like campers but im really not that keen on them.

The work you do for making things for people to sell on sounds different though, i don't think i've spoken with another trimmer that does that.

Sounds like you've got a lot to get on with i'm not sure i would be able to get it all done in a couple of weeks do you all work on the same projects so that the turn over is quicker or have set jobs to get on with?

Not a lot gets done in a couple of weeks, we have a morgan thats buried in the corner, its been there for a least 7 years! One of our guys is pretty much on camper stuff all the time, the younger guy does a lot of seat repairs, carpet sets and general stuff, I get a lot of stuff that need a bit of thinking about and is here for a bit longer(I only work 3 1/2 days a week).
This is a tool pocket for a rally car, I normally make them 3 or 4 at a time.