New member- introduction California to Michigan
 

Hi Folks,


My name is J (yes, just the letter J) I've just relocated from Oakland CA to Northwestern Michigan to start my own business - I shipped my 2000 Miata and a couple other vehicles when I moved and now that I'm out of CA I plan to turbocharge it, nothing groundbreaking, but I'm going to create some custom parts while building it. Don't worry, I've already contacted the forum about doing business on the site but either way Im a long way from getting to that point.


A bit about myself; I have been a pro fabricator for 15 years, mostly in motorsports and automotive. The first 5 years or so was all welding, lots of exhaust, some chassis and roll cage but I quickly moved into CNC, programming and product design. I worked at VAC motorsports for about 2 years before moving to CA to work for Specialized Bicycles doing prototyping- I was recruited by Tesla in 2013 to work in R&D Fabrication where I worked for two years. I worked freelance for about a year and was considering leaving CA but I landed a job at Apple working in their Product Design group on the autonomous vehicles program for just under 3 years. I left thinking I was going to relocate but wound up hanging around Oakland for another year where I did some freelance and wound up working at the National Laboratory at Berkeley doing CNC programming and machining for about 6 months before finally deciding to pack up and move. I have a small shop here I am in the process of setting up, I've got welding/fabrication equipment, my CNC arrived monday (Haas VF2) and should be up and running next week, I also recently installed a two post lift. It was just a shell of a building so I have been running power and plumbing, walls, insulation, gas, heat, etc etc - this takes up most of my time currently.


Wow, that went on way longer than I intended but I guess I havent really laid that all out before. Anyway - my Miata is a 2000, silver with black top and interior, 5 speed, LSD - cosmetically is ok, but its rust free and runs and drives well. The previous owner installed Raceland coilovers which will be replaced shortly with diy bilstein coilovers, I put 15x8 Advanti wheels and Toyo R1Rs, otherwise its stock.

Don't spend a ton of time and energy working on miata part's hoping to sell them. You will be vastly under payed for what your skill set can command. We are a bunch of cheap people around here.

Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to seeing what you can make.

Thanks!

Yea, the Miata is one of my side/personal project, just hoping to make some stuff during my build that I could potentially make a batch and sell to fellow enthusiasts.

Got any examples of your work? Always love some good weld/CNC porn.

Well you picked an absolutely beautiful place to live for the 6 months there isn't 4 feet of snow on the ground. Assuming you moved into the lower peninsula.

I wish you the best of luck with the business since there is pretty much nothing north of I69. Though I'm sure rent is cheap.

Start a build thread for the Miata we love to follow along with custom built cars.

Yea, Im up in Interlochen. I grew up in PA and have lived in VT, WY, and CO so Im used to snow and actually really enjoy it. I actually bought a place, and yes it was cheap- I'm not relying on the area for business, most of my jobs will come out of CA from past colleagues.

I'll start a build thread soon, just thought I'd set up my login and shoot out an intro today, its rainy and cold today and Ive been working pretty much 2 months straight getting everything together at the building- decided to take it easy today ;)

I dont really have much from the past few years since I've done mostly R&D at big companies that are pretty strict about sharing photos of the work you have done for them. I'll dig around - I at least have photos of the roll cage I did in my buddies 914.

Actually it just occurred to me one of the last projects I did at VAC was a Miata roll bar. Here is a link to where the owner posted up back in 2011, I wasnt stoked on the design, but it was challenging to build and fit. He wanted to keep the stock door panels and power hard top. It was a tight fit for sure.

Yeah understood, I work at Pratt & Miller over in New Huson, MI. Plenty of confidential stuff!

If you want to make some money on parts.. Overlanding crap for trucks is whats hot now.. It's crazy what those guys spend.

Welcome aboard :)

Welcome to michigan. I hope you like potholes.

Oh man, overlanding- i.e. car camping, or roadtripping. It is pretty amazing the cash these folks spend on their "rigs". I think the 4x4 sprinter market is the spot right now.

I've actually been surprised how nice the roads are up here. Word is when Sleeping Bear Dunes SP moved in in the 70's Benzie County road commission got a lot of funding and the state takes particularly good care of their roads out here for all the tourists. PA is usually rated worst roads in the country, I grew up there so I'm used to bad roads anyway.

Really like that roll bar you did. Coming from northwest indiana, those midwest winters really make you cherish your time with your car during the summer.

You are just a few miles down the road from me, look forward to meeting you! You will find that there are a ton of high level cars, and owners lurking up here. Some years ago, my Porsche buddy, who was a Sears appliance repair man, was out on a call, and noticed an original 550 Spyder parked in the garage; the folks said yeah, it's been our Summer bomb around car, and we just leave it up here. There's a great car culture salted away all around your new spot. You'l meet Cody Loveland, who builds Pikes Peak cars in his residential garage down the road in Buckley. Anyway welcome!

Yea, its kind of deceiving when you pass through, but there are a ton of really nice homes and vehicles tucked away up here. I'll shoot you a PM, youre welcome to stop by one day. I am familiar with Cody and his exploits, we were in touch about meeting up one day but I dropped the ball with all the work Ive had getting moved in and set up.