New Business Idea

Good idea

  • Yes

    Votes: 6 23.1%

  • No

    Votes: 11 42.3%

  • Maybe

    Votes: 9 34.6%
  • Total voters
    26
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John Martin said:
I am thinking of an idea and wanted to gauge its popularity with the intended customers.

The idea is to start up a business that will sell, service, restore and provide parts for “1960-1974 focused” Chrysler Products.

Imperial
Chrysler
Plymouth
Dodge
Dodge Trucks

My idea is to make it like one were to step back into time and land at the respective dealership for each brand.

Each “dealer” building would have a showroom featuring models from a certain model year (i.e. 1968 Valiant, Belvedere, Fury, etc.) All models would be restored or unrestored in good condition and everything would be available 2-doors, 4-doors, wagons, etc.

Parts department would sell used original parts that would be refurbished and in good condition, new reproduction parts, nos parts, and new Mopar Performance parts (where applicable) for each make.

Service would be a full service department offering most common services in-house and use real vintage equipment and modern equipment.

Restoration Shop would take on customer-pay jobs and restore vehicles for sale by the house for the lot. All lot vehicles would be restored faithfully to factory specs and 100% stock according to each model year.

A fuel station would be located on the premises to provide high-quality fuel (i.e. Sunoco) for all vehicle, and would be accessible to customers.

Just a thought and wanted to see what the reactions would be.
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Hire me! Lol

The way to do this would be buy an existing gas station/shop and redo it. Gas station stores make $$$$. I work at a gas station now, $2000 goes through the register every day and that’s just cash.
 
mbaird said:
I think on a smaller scale it is viable .
3 bays with lifts for repair .. a seperate larger bay for open door projects . Maybe a gas pump with higher octane fuel . 60s gas sation theme . You would need $100k to start it but it could work if you have the right demographics . You wouldnt get rich but could probably clear 50k/yr once it got going .
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you are way out of touch with today's cost a good friend of mine is retiring after40 years of owning and running his own auto repair bussiness that's what he has is a 3 bay garage with lift's nothin fancy you could buy the building and land for 750.000 that don't include tools and equipment or fuel sales and storage which is a whole nother EPA can a worm's. 100k your in lala land
 
Lowcar said:
you are way out of touch with today's cost a good friend of mine is retiring after40 years of owning and running his own auto repair bussiness that's what he has is a 3 bay garage with lift's nothin fancy you could buy the building and land for 750.000 that don't include tools and equipment or fuel sales and storage which is a whole nother EPA can a worm's. 100k your in lala land
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Why buy when you could lease the building . Even here in Boise there is ample space like that for reasonable terms.
 
why buy i thought we were going make showrooms and turn it in to a old timey feel shop do that to a rented space no way
 
Did you just win the lotto or inherit a substantial sum? I love your idea, but there’s several things to consider… it would probably take 1,000,000+ to get this business off the ground – not to open it but to get you through the first year or two supply issues and lean times considered. Also, being close to a major metro area like Chicago would help, except that you have long brutal winters. If you decided to move west or south you’d be able to operate year-round, maybe someplace like Phoenix or Las Vegas. I’m an optimist and I’d love to see your business succeed, there are just several major hurdles to be overcome before it would have a chance.
It reminds me of an old saying: “If you wanna make $1 million in this business, begin with 2 million.“
 
Always dreamed of owning/running a gas station/gas station store and have a speed shop out back.
 
It's funny too. I have enough property to do it and no money. LMAO
 
Cope said:
One big problem will be your "shop rate".

Working on hot rods, muscle cars and race cars is a highly skilled job. People that do it for a living charge a permimim for their services. Now you wanna make a profit off that and that is fine BUT it WILL require your shop rate to be even higher than most other shops.


The problem (as I see it) is this.

Your busness plan is basicaly all mark up.
That is a failed plan. Why would anyone buy your marked up parts?

We have the internet now days.

So parts sales are a wash.

Your labor rate will be higher than competing shops.

Not good.


Add in a classic 60s diner and you could REALY burn cash quick.


This is just my opnion but i do work on old cars for a living and I did stay at a Holliday Inn once....
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I’m pretty sure that’s how all business works. You buy low and sell high.

Internet is everywhere so as a business owner I would be foolish not to take advantage of it.

It’s a free market so it is your choice to take your business elsewhere if you don’t like what I do.

(That’s not a personal attack, it’s the way we do it in this country.)
 
John Martin said:
I’m pretty sure that’s how all business works. You buy low and sell high.

Internet is everywhere so as a business owner I would be foolish not to take advantage of it.

It’s a free market so it is your choice to take your business elsewhere if you don’t like what I do.

(That’s not a personal attack, it’s the way we do it in this country.)
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Wait, so you haven’t even opened a shop yet and already you’re telling people they can take their business elsewhere if they don’t like it? LOL!
 
Topless69 said:
Wait, so you haven’t even opened a shop yet and already you’re telling people they can take their business elsewhere if they don’t like it? LOL!
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No, obviously you missed the point.

I would love to have everyone’s business if I have earned it but I know the reality is that I can’t make everyone happy all of the time…
 
Why limit to certain Mopars ? You would be working with a limited customer base. Nice thought to be loyal to the brand, but to make a buck you would need attract all available customers. Don't know if now is a good time to fire up a business, and lay out a lot of cash.
 
44070dart said:
Why limit to certain Mopars ? You would be working with a limited customer base. Nice thought to be loyal to the brand, but to make a buck you would need attract all available customers. Don't know if now is a good time to fire up a business, and lay out a lot of cash.
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You didn’t read. I said the focus is on 1960-74 Mopars but I didn’t say I would turn down anyone who has a car in other years outside of that window.

Lets say if someone had a rare LS6 Chevelle and they wanted a ‘Charger with a 440 Six Pack I would take it on trade and they pay the difference and I sell the Chevelle to someone who wants it…
 
John Martin said:
You didn’t read. I said the focus is on 1960-74 Mopars but I didn’t say I would turn down anyone who has a car in other years outside of that window.

Lets say if someone had a rare LS6 Chevelle and they wanted a ‘Charger with a 440 Six Pack I would take it on trade and they pay the difference and I sell the Chevelle to someone who wants it…
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Guess I didn't see that .. still don't :) (also think the LS 6 may be worth more) :poke:
 
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Start with a gas station and garage, run it successfully for 5 years. At the end of that 5 years, IF it is turning a profit, talk to a banker for a loan to expand. My bet is that you won't get that far.
 
Ottmundr said:
Start with a gas station and garage, run it successfully for 5 years. At the end of that 5 years, IF it is turning a profit, talk to a banker for a loan to expand. My bet is that you won't get that far.
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Thanks for the confidence. Lol

I have no intentions to start out huge. I want to expand as I go. The whole idea is to do what Mr. Norm (in the spirit of his efforts) did but take it up to today’s standards and help anyone who loves Mopars and classic cars.
 
you are all over the place your first post is about as big as it get's. you are aware that mr norms was a chrysler dealership that was in a time of the muscle car era and i would bet that even back then his main income came from the sales of the family 4 doors that supported the muscle part of the dealership
 
Lowcar said:
you are all over the place your first post is about as big as it get's. you are aware that mr norms was a chrysler dealership that was in a time of the muscle car era and i would bet that even back then his main income came from the sales of the family 4 doors that supported the muscle part of the dealership
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Not all over the place at all. It’s a dream and would like to get it that big. I know it will take hard work and time.

If you had read my initial post I said selling sedans and wagons was part of my idea.
 
I can't see anyone making money on this type of venture - especially for such a niche market (Mopars). For someone to go down this path, it'd have to be a hobby in my opinion; and people generally lose money on hobbies.
 
yea but they haven't made sedan's and wagons for how long now? chrysler is still here in name because of new dodge trucks and jeeps not for challengers and 300's you would have to build these cars you speak of and if you think those cars you see on the internet for cheap are anything but pieces of crap that need everything you need to build one and see how much money you loose
 
Lowcar said:
yea but they haven't made sedan's and wagons for how long now? chrysler is still here in name because of new dodge trucks and jeeps not for challengers and 300's you would have to build these cars you speak of and if you think those cars you see on the internet for cheap are anything but pieces of crap that need everything you need to build one and see how much money you loose
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I built a 69 Charger R/T for myself and have a 72 Valiant I am doing now, then I have a 70 Dart last in line. I am well aware of what it takes.
 
So you are a experienced mechanic, body man and have the business experience and capital it takes to open a venture like what you described. I wish you the best of success and luck
 
There was actually a couple of guys who tried this in Macon in the early eighties. "Supercars Unlimited" was the name of the place. They had a bunch of cool stuff down there.....in a showroom just like a dealership. Well, they were a dealership. They got their asses busted wide open because they were fronting for cocaine trafficking. LOL In fact, a friend of mine HAS one of their old cars today. It's a 71 Super Bee. Still has the faded Supercars Unlimited sticker on the rear bumper. lol
 
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