My New Gig-Business-Life

[Brisco]

......and No, I'm not getting back on the road. At least for a while.

Over the last year of my self "unemployment", I've probably driven a few of you nutts with my ideas I've been coming up with on what it is I actually wanted to do. I've been throwing out ideas from board to board. I've talked about building a Haul & Tow, talked about running with a "box truck", possibly Expediting, talked Garys ear off about dispatching me with a custom built 22ft flatbed truck pulling an 18ft low profile trailer(majority of weight on my Class 4-5 truck keeping trailer under 10K weight) and other little ideas here and there.

I finally made up my mind a couple of months ago and am going to follow my "True" passion. I'm going to start buying and selling Classic Cars online. You guys know I'm a certified "Car Nut". Always have been, always will be. I Love Hot Rods, Customs, Rest-Mods, Classics, Vettes, Camaros, (owned quite a few of both over the years), just about anything and everything in the Customized Automotive world.

I signed a 2 year "Commercial Lease" 3 weeks ago for a 2000 sq ft building. I have applied for my Texas Dealers License. Man, you guys think it's hard trying to get your own "Authority", try applying for a Dealers License. First off, you have to be an "Operating Car Lot" (Lease-Phones-Office-Display Lot-Surety Bond-LLC/Corp/SP Filings-Federal Tax ID #'s-Insurance-ETC) before they will even "Look" at your application. And then the process takes 6-8 weeks before license is sent. So basically, you will be an "operating car lot" for your first 2 months but cannot "buy and sell" as a dealer or at auctions because you don't have a "license". Ass-Backwards, IMO.

My main business, at least for NOW as a start up, is going to geared towards "Fleet Return" sales. IE-Cargo Vans-Ford Rangers-Small "Box" Trucks-Etc. to get the business rolling with an income. Example here:
http://www.usautohouse.com/cgi-bin/showroom.cgi?d_id=1007

But I am eventually going to go this route full time:
http://www.carsofthetimes.com/index.html
http://www.cactusclassics.com/inventory.html
http://www.petesclassiccars.com/

My "little warehouse" is eventually going to look like this:
http://www.hotrodhotline.com/feature/garage/09joemitchell/
(Probably not that "overblown"!!! But it will have a "Hot Rod" Theme to it)

So far I have less than $4,000 of my own money invested in this venture. (Lease deposit-first month rent-license fees-surety bond-ins dp-phones-etc) But, will probably put another $5,000 or so to get it the way "I" want it. Lot less than getting back "on the road" with my own authority. I already have 2 banks offering "Floorplans" for financing my inventory and am going to apply for both Manheims and Adessas "Floorplan" options too.

Here's some pics of what it looks like today. Remember, I just signed the lease 3 weeks ago and still have about a month or so for my license to come in, so it looks kinda blahhhhh right now! Still haven't got a computer in there yet. I'm going to put a 21-23inch LCD monitor on the wall to the left of the TV and make that "L" part of the desk my main work area. Going to have AT&T U-verse for Cable TV and will eventually replace that 27 inch TV with maybe a 32 inch flat screen TV. I was allowing one of my brothers clients to store a bunch of tables and chairs in there for a month or 2 but he just let me know tonight that his client said to just give me all that stuff and said to "sell it all" on Craigslist if I wanted. Hell, there's probably $2000 worth of tables and chairs there so SELL IT I will.

So. like I said above, I probably won't be back out there with you guys for a while now. I really want to work my way up to buying and selling at all the Great Car Auctions. RM Auctions, Russo-Steele, Kruse, Barrett Jackson. (Sell Only!! I won't buy anything at his auctions, too high, but I damn sure will sell my stuff for 5-10 times their worth every day of the week through his auctions!!)

Don't hate me for it, OK!! I know I'm great asset out there:D, but this is a chance I have to take, and have felt comfortable with my decision so far. If it wasn't for Obawa and his minions messing with our financial institutions and screwing the well-off, financially stable, and credit worthy guys like me, I would have been out there with a H&T months ago if banks were "loaning" money. But I'm not playing his game and going ahead with making a life for myself. I don't need any Goverment hand-out to get me by, I'm doing this (starting my own business) my way. I am following the "Free Market" way of life America offers and doing something on my own.

Funny thing though............3 weeks ago when my brother and I were going out to meet with the leasing manager to sign my lease, I was supposed meet him there at the big movie theatre there off of 35W just north of 820 in Ft Worth. He was supposed to meet me there at 2:15-2:30 or so. (he was in a meeting) Well, I show up at 2:00 of course and he doesn't drive up until 3:00. During that hour I was sitting there in that large parking lot all alone "LISTENING" to the sounds of I-35. (trucks-traffic-road life going by) I have not sat there and heard the sounds of "Life On The Road" for a long long time now. Visions of driving across the country were going through my mind again and I got to second questioning this decision. Yes, I miss being out there on the road. But, I went ahead and signed the legally binding 2 year lease anyway. Being in my office, and at my friends "Restoration/Hot Rod" Shop in the building next door(I'll post pictures of his shop in next post), I know I made the right decision. Or did I??? Of course I did!!! Or did I??? Yes I did...................:D

[Brisco]

Oh Yeah...........

Sorry, I'm not going anywhere either!! I'll still be right here, and on the other boards, messing with you guys every day.

You're not getting rid of me that easy. :p

[Buster]

Congratulation and Good Luck Brisco! Call me if you need something hauled!!!

[ccoop769]

Just dont let us see you on centraldispatch posting 30 cpm vehicles;)

We would have to ban you from this forum:eek::eek:

Congratulations on your new venture. Looks very exciting:):)

[haulin rv]

I spent a few years in the "car" business. Ventured out started buying and selling on my own and I too signed the lease and applied. And yes here its the same have all the stuff building, insurance, and so on. I checked with the city first to have my "ducks" in a row and guess what two months later when it came time for them to sign off I was all of a sudden not in an acceptable location. In the end I lost my rear. I should have stayed playing under another guys plate and doing it from home. Do you remember when Yahoo had an auction site for cars?? And ebay was just getting going? Its been a while..

[shstransport]

Good luck Brisco. Sounds like fun but the licensing is a pain looked into doing it here same rules I'm semi retired wanted to do small time 10 cars or less but they don't want you to do that full blown or don't do it. I'll just keep bending the rules LOL 6 per year my name wife 6 son 6 daughter 6 ends up where I wanted to be anyhow :) Friend of mine does it in Florida started in NY restoring classic Mustangs he's turned into a car dealer now also. There is money in it just takes time and your in a good area to start. On another note you see co-part sells to anyone now not just dealers?

[NDanecker]

Good luck Brisco! I know we don't know each other outside this forum board....but I just wanted to wish you the very best of luck in your new venture!!! From your post I can see your enthusiasm & passion for cars, and that goes a long way when trying to start up and run a successful business. Ya gotta love what you do and I think you sir.....have it all!! Good luck!!! ;)

[ColoradoRVHauler]

Good Luck Brisco. Wish you the best! Now is a good time to be buying cars. Just finding the right buyer has gotts be more challenging than it used to be.

Carey

[tomsws6]

I did the warehouse thing for a while. Loved it not really havin to wash the pollen off the cars everyday or brush the snow off!! Also did the muscle car thing too. LOVED IT. Good luck!

[blacktruck]

Please keep us all informed on how things are going for you. I'm new to the forum and I'm amazed at the wealth of information here from you and some of the others that have been in the business for awhile. Please keep posting and sharing what you know.
Ken

[Brisco]

Earlier I had started a long post Thanking everyone for their wishes and encouragement. I had also spoke of other things I had been working on that led up to me finally getting this little business venture going. But as I went to "copy and paste" a quote from one open tab, I accidently closed the tab this reply box was in, so screw it. Man did it tick me off!! I was so close to finishing too!!!:mad:

What I was trying to say was "Thanks!!" Thanks for the replies, wishes, and encouragement.

I feel like I'm 10 years old again. Why do you ask?? (Haha)

Well, remember when we were kids and we got that 1 main toy at Christmas, or for our Birthday, that Dad had to put together for us to play with? IE- The model train set with miles of track involved, that remote control airplane that had to be built, that slot race car track that had to be built, and each one taking hours of your Dads help to be built. Well, forget about it on Christmas day, with all that was going on around the house during Christmas. If it was on your Birthday and your B-Day was on a Tuesday, forget about til the weekend, and that was if Dad had time to help over the weekend. I recall getting this really nice, really large remote control plane for Christmas one year as a kid that I didn't get to play with until the summer because Dad never had time to put it together for me. (Parents owned a chain of bookstores, 27 between him and his partner at 1 time all thoughout Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico as well as 2 magazine/book wholesale distributorships as I was growing up and Dad was always gone) Can't remember how old I was (9-10-11???) but I remember that box sat up in the closet for months until we both sat down together 1 Saturday and built it only to crash it into smithereens Sunday. Yeah, those were the days. :D

Anyways, I have that feeling now. Here I have this new Adult Toy (keep your jokes to yourself :p), my car lot, and I can't play with it until Dad (The State) finally gets around to finishing the project. Funny way of looking at it, but it's the truth and a good comparison. Know what I mean.

Anyways, I can't wait to get started with this new venture. Right now I'm just biding time between my shop and friends Hot Rod/Restoration shop for now. (Pics Below)

I know in this market I'll do well. Hopefully both my Commercial Vehicle sales and the Custom sales, with Jeffs work on the cars of course. I'll answer a couple of posts below instead of one loooooong post as I tried earlier, only to screw up and close the tab as I did losing everything at once.

Pics of Jeffs shop (10,000 sq ft) showing some of his projects going on:

[Brisco]

More Pics:

[Buster]

Brisco, I know of a 1953 COE in all original condition, running (just barly), with a factory diesel engine that is for sale. Needs restoration. I'm told that the old trucks are the new wave in old cars. If interested send me a pm and Ill send you the contact info. They are asking $6000 for it but I know that number is negotiable.

[LBZ]

I think I was gone when this was posted, but congrats Brisco. Sounds cool to have the freedom to work the hours you want to, DOT doesn't regulate that too do they? Yet? ;)

Definitely want to see the '68? Firebird when it is done.

[Brisco]

Brisco, I know of a 1953 COE in all original condition, running (just barly), with a factory diesel engine that is for sale. Needs restoration. I'm told that the old trucks are the new wave in old cars. If interested send me a pm and Ill send you the contact info. They are asking $6000 for it but I know that number is negotiable.

I'd love to convert an old COE into a custom car hauler someday, just not right now.

Yes, "Trucks" of all kinds are makng their way into the "Resto-Mod" market today. Possible reason behind it is that most of the "rebuildable" CARS from the 40's-50's-60's that are popular with the Hot Rodders and Custom Builders are either 1, they've already been customed or resto-rodded and are being sold/traded/and auctioned just as HotWheels are amongst the collectors and builders who have more money than brains, or 2, the ones that need work are owned by idiotic morons that think just because a '67 Camaro was sold for $65,000 dollars at a Barrett Jackson auction that their rusted out '67 Camaro is worth $25,000 dollars. They just will not accept the fact that it probably took $100,000 dollars to get that '67 Camaro to that $65,000 dollar mark.

I hate to talk negative about fellow auto enthusiasts here in my area, but this guy here is well known for being a "Joke" amongst all the car nutts in this area.
http://www.ctcautoranch.com/index.html

Look through his "cars for sale" area and look at the stupid prices he's asking for rusted out shells that may not make it onto the back of a flatbed without falling apart.
http://www.ctcautoranch.com/Cars/Cars.htm

I say this because I know of a guy that went out and bought a 41 Chevy 2dr Business Coupe from him for something like $3000 dollars. Sure, it had all the usual rust in usual places, and he talked him down from $4-$5K, but when he had his flatbed wrecker out there trying to load it up, it literally fell apart (frame and all) as the guy was trying to winch it up onto the flatbed. And then the guy at CTC said "all sales final" and would not return his money to him. The guy just left the car sitting right there where it fell apart at, took 40-50 pictures of it, and last I heard was filing a small claims case against him in Denton County.

So yeah, "Trucks" are the next generation for the Hot Rodders and Resto-Rodders because they are an untapped resource for custom builds since the supply for "rebuildable" cars is dwindling down.

Speaking of COE's, here's a picture of a nice one that was for sale at last years "Good Guys" at Texas Motor Speedway. Asking price............only $50,000!!!:D

[Brisco]

Just a quick example..........

Go to this page here:
http://www.ctcautoranch.com/Cars/Car%20Sub-Pages/Cars%20Chevrolet%20Cars.html

Do down and look at the "1955 Chevrolet 4 Dr Station Wagon".

There's 15 pictures of that car listed. Look through all 15 pictures, the interior, the shell, the floorboards. After $2500 worth of sandblasting to remove all the rust, you've basically destroyed that car as a whole and will be left with almost nothing except maybe a potmarked frame, which will be useless, and maybe a shell that will need every panel replaced. And he wants $2500 for it?? Moron, IMO.

For every 1 1955 Wagon that's left, there's maybe 1,000 1955 Pickups that are in much better shape that would make for a great "Resto-Rod" project.

[Brisco]

I think I was gone when this was posted, but congrats Brisco. Sounds cool to have the freedom to work the hours you want to, DOT doesn't regulate that too do they? Yet? ;)

Definitely want to see the '68? Firebird when it is done.

No "DOT" Regulations, but highly regulated by the "DMV". (Department of Motor Vehicles)

They regulate "Hours" just as DOT, but it's not an HOS type of regulation. My hours are going to be 10AM to 6PM M-F and 10-4 Sat. So I must be at my location during those hours or a "Rep" I have registered there. Yes, they do come check.

I have a "34 Hour" reset also. I can either be open Saturday OR Sunday, just not both.

I have to be bonded and insured.

I have to keep a "logbook" so to speak. My "log" consists of what cars my dealer plates, temp tags, and sales tags are on and what dates they are on them.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hang on.............
Somebody KNOCK Ambrose off that DAMN Track!!!! (watching Nascar :eek:)

Anyways, Yes I am very regulated by "government" just as you guys are. I guess the best thing is I'm not regulated by 48 states, just 1.

That '68 Firebird now has both back panels cut off and when I was over there Friday, Pat was tacking the new ones on trying to get them lined up just right. It was like 120 degrees in Jeffs shop, so I didn't really offer a hand to help and was only down there for like 10-15 minutes. :D:p:D

[Brisco]

Just dont let us see you on centraldispatch posting 30 cpm vehicles;)

We would have to ban you from this forum

Congratulations on your new venture. Looks very exciting

I plan on using USHIP for all my pickups and deliveries for the cars I buy and sell.










Hahahahaha.....................Gotcha!!! :D :D :D

[Brisco]

Good luck Brisco. Sounds like fun but the licensing is a pain looked into doing it here same rules I'm semi retired wanted to do small time 10 cars or less but they don't want you to do that full blown or don't do it. I'll just keep bending the rules LOL 6 per year my name wife 6 son 6 daughter 6 ends up where I wanted to be anyhow :) Friend of mine does it in Florida started in NY restoring classic Mustangs he's turned into a car dealer now also. There is money in it just takes time and your in a good area to start. On another note you see co-part sells to anyone now not just dealers?

I'm hoping this works out as a "semi-retirement" business myself. I'm 45 now, and want to fully retire at 58-60 or so. My "retirement" plans have been in the works for years. If I could sell just 2-3 cars a month at a $1500+ profit a car, I'll do just fine. Hopefully I'll do 5-10 cars a month, and if I do that with my profit margins in the $800-$1000 range, that'll make me very happy.

Co-Parts is still "Dealer Only" here in Texas. I think they have a 1 day "open to the public" sale every month though. I'm not going to buy from Co-Part myself, but am going to buy for my friend Jeff so that he can rebuild those cars for extra money coming into his shop. The Co-Parts yard in far N Ft Worth off 287 is right across the street from the industrial complex my little shop is in. The land Co-Parts is on is also owned by the same guy(Ron Sturgeon) I'm paying rent to, so we both have the same landlord, so to speak.

Yes, I am in a very good area for auto sales. Did a demographical population study some months back. Our four main counties here, Dallas-Tarrant-Denton-Collin, have a population count of 6 million or so. Add that to the 13 surrounding counties and the population count is over 9 million. If I can't sell 5-10 cars a month to 9 million possible customers, I'm doing something wrong. :p

[blacktruck]

Brisco, how's it going for you? I have watched this post from the start. It takes balls to step out like you did. You get the right car or truck and one of these days I might just have to buy it. I'm into the older cars and trucks. Way more interesting than the new stuff. Gotta say it is inspiring to see someone take a step like you did.
Stay safe out there.
Ken

[Haul-A-Round]

Just a quick example..........

Go to this page here:
http://www.ctcautoranch.com/Cars/Car%20Sub-Pages/Cars%20Chevrolet%20Cars.html

Do down and look at the "1955 Chevrolet 4 Dr Station Wagon".

There's 15 pictures of that car listed. Look through all 15 pictures, the interior, the shell, the floorboards. After $2500 worth of sandblasting to remove all the rust, you've basically destroyed that car as a whole and will be left with almost nothing except maybe a potmarked frame, which will be useless, and maybe a shell that will need every panel replaced. And he wants $2500 for it?? Moron, IMO.

For every 1 1955 Wagon that's left, there's maybe 1,000 1955 Pickups that are in much better shape that would make for a great "Resto-Rod" project.


yep , he's the window licker on the short bus and has a bad reputation in the classic car world. he made Curtis Hart so made here he wanted to pop him. he tried to wheel in deal at the swap meets here for a while, it didn't work out well.

[ccoop769]

Do you do inhouse financing???? haha jk

[Brisco]

Wow.....

Can't believe it's been almost 6 weeks since anything was said in this thread.

Update......

Well, I'm finally a "Licensed" Auto Dealer in Texas! Went through hell with the state during the application process though.

Long story short......My business here is a registered LLC within the state of Texas. LLC filings were filed before application process even began for my license. First time the state rejected my license app (they send out "Deficiency Reports" saying correct this, correct that) it was due to not having enough pictures included with the app that clearly depicted my location as a "dealership" and for not including my "Assumed Name-DBA" paperwork. Well, pictures I kinda understood even though we sent in 20 pictures, but the "DBA" paperwork neither my brother or I understood because we knew we had included my State of Texas LLC "Assumed Name Certificate" within the app package. We then got out here and took 100+ pictures of my location, photoshopped about 60 of those pictures depicting this and that with lettering all in the pictures, and sent those 60 pics in with my State "CERTIFIED" Assumed Name paperwork again.

Well, 2 weeks later, received another "deficiency report" stating they were needing my assumed name-DBA paperwork. I called and spoke with one of the "reps" trying to figure out why they kept rejecting the paperwork from the state over my LLC assumed name. Told her the app department HAS my assumed name paperwork. She sent them an e-mail for them to call me. 2 days later I got a call. Lady told me to fax what paperwork I had to her directly. I did that, for the 3rd time she received the exact same thing. Again, another week later they sent me another deficiency report saying they need my assumed name-DBA filing....................AAgghhhhh!!!

Called my brother, we spent the next day calling Austin demanding to speak with a Supervisor over this. Had a long talk with her over exactly what it was they were talking about. Well the lady pointed out that they were seeking the paperwork from Tarrant County for where my assumed name was registered at. My brother tried to explain to her that my LLC was certified with the state and that it covers every single county in the state of Texas AND that it is forbidden within the Texas Business Codes to singularly register an LLC DBA in any county. Lady argued with my brother (8yrs College - Masters in Accounting - Owns a very large CPA firm here in the DFW area -etc) saying that is what their regulations state and if I was seeking to obtain my Dealers License, then I would have to file my DBA with Tarrant County to get it.

This happened on a Friday afternoon. Monday morning my brother called our state representative, Charlie Geren, of whom he works with regularly for a client of his that holds a dozen or so Bingo License's, which is controlled by the Texas Lottery Commission, and explained to him what was going on. (The DMV telling me I had to break state Business Regulations/Laws to get my Dealers License) Tuesday morning I get an e-mail from the state saying my License was approved along with a Certificate allowing me to operate as a dealer starting that day. Also said it would be 10 days-2 weeks for my actual license and dealer plates to come in, but they were in my mailbox Thursday morning.

So, Yes, even dealing with the states DMV division is as much of a pain in the ass as it is dealing with the DOT. And in our case, we used both of our "what we know" and "who we know" trump card to set the States DMV division straight. Know what I mean.:D

Sorry, said long story short earlier, but the State of Texas really pissed me off over this. My licensing approval process should have taken less than a month instead of the over 2 months it took. Plus, I wonder how many other "LLC" applications have been denied over this in the past due to the DMV not researching LLC business regulations. OR, how many LLC'd dealerships are out there that went through the process of registering their LLC DBA within their county to get their License only to be fined later when State Taxes come due. Know what I mean.

Anyways, still haven't bought or sold a car yet. Only had my License since last week. This week I've been working on getting my insurance set-up. Once that gets done, I'll be able to tap into my floorplans I've already got lined up to buy and sell with. (so far I'm sitting on $50K in floorplanning but am going to try to get 2 more sources lined up for an additional $50K)

Been selling the heck out of used tables and chairs on Craigslist though. (previous picture I posted showing all that crap in my warehouse. It's doubled since then though. That picture only shows 1 28ft Box truck load. Had another 1 1/2 truck loads come in since I took those pictures) I'm averaging a good $200 or so a day just placing ads on CL selling this crap. And, only really working 2-3 hrs a day doing it.

Also, got my computer all set up here in the office. Haven't gotten my 32' monitor that I want to put up on the wall yet. Paid $130 for this 22' LCD monitor in the pictures. I also got a nice curtain set-up over the front door. If I'm not expecting anyone coming over to buy some tables and chairs, I just pull the curtain shut and play here on the computer and watch TV in the dark. Hell, it's 105 degrees outside and this little 10X10 office is like an icebox when those curtains are shut. Makes me feel like I'm at home in my office!!:D

Still have a ways to go with making improvements to my office, my warehouse, etc. Looking into websites right now too. Just playing, that's all. I'll keep you guys informed.

And Yes, I am still here on the board every day!!! :p

[Brisco]

Do you do inhouse financing???? haha jk

Hahahaha..........:D

[blacktruck]

Good news to see there Brisco.
Glad to see you still participate here on the forum. Please do keep us informed. It also looks like dealing with Texas state government is about like dealing with it in Illinois. No sense anywhere in the capital. Sad state of affairs. Good luck to you and keep us posted.
Stay safe out there.
Ken