Hypothetical question:
How well would a performance shop do in the Tampa Area? Based on supply versus demand. I know there must be a few performance shops in the area...but are there enough?
Would there be "room" for a shop that offers these aftermarket services:
ENGINE
-complete custom work: building/porting, installation, tuning
-tranny and rear-end installs, service, rebuilds
-forced-induction installation, service (SC, turbo, N2O)
BODY (specific models)
-complete restoration of modern and classic cars
-custom paint
-accident repair

Basically, a complete performance/restoration shop.
IS THERE A MARKET in the tampa and surrounding area FOR A SHOP SPECIALIZING IN THIS WORK?
If the answer is no, then where in Florida IS there a demand for this work

thanks in advance for any replies

 

A successfull tuning shop is for sale in palm harbor area...has built in dyno, three bay doors ( one specifically for the dyno) The owner moved to pursue an auto teaching opt. www.Tunetechauto.com the site is no more but an email link is there. If you buy it you have to hire me as employee just cuz. I had wanted to buy it with a friend but finances fell through. Very sweet deal. Location is not my choice of favorites though, but he stayed very busy.

 

Thanks for the tip RMC.
To be perfectly honest, this isn't something that is going to happen anytime soon. Kinda scoping out how successful a business of this nature would be in the tampa area, as opposed to other areas.
Anybody else think a shop of this kind would do well?

 

Anyone have an opinion...i'm looking for that next career move

 

Hmmm, I can't really say, but I know who can.

www.badrap.net <-- These guys are hardcore domestic racers and they can probably give you a better opinion than I could. They were very friendly with the guy that ran the above mentioned Tune Tech place. Gave him lots and lots of business and he treated em real good. You could easily fill up the dyno during club Dyno days.

www.tamparacing.com <--- Mainly imports, but some domestics. They might be biased in their opinion cause some of the guys on there are involved in performance shops.

www.cffb.net <--- They are based in Orlando, but there are some Tampa people on there.

I hope this helps


John

 

Thank you Soluxx, this is the type of info I was looking for. I'm gonna check out those sites right away. Don't like dealing with the import crowd as much as American muscle but you gotta appeal to everybody.
Thanks alot!

 

If you do start a business here I'd definately give deals to the car clubs like us at badrap and tampa racing. That way you'll spread by word of mouth across the racing community. The speed shops ive seen and walked around in stay busy all the time. Even ones that do a **** poor job imo. Tampa has a car show every saturday which is usually packed.
IMO Tampa is one of the best places to open a speed shop.

 

I definitly think there would be demand for it. Just make sure you get the word out on here and at car shows. The publicity wont really cost anything and youre sure to benefit. The best location would probably be along US 19 but then again if it was closer to I4 then you could get the Orlando crowd. I have been kinda looking around and wondering if there were many shops around here (I live in Spring Hill/Brooksville but I travel to Tampa regularly) and I haven't really found much of anything. A shop like thunderracing, agostino, MORE, or other Fbody shops would do wonders around here.

 

If you build it.......they will come.
Yeah, but seriously, there are alot of F-body owners in the area. It all depends on the pricing, service, and location.

 

Do a better job than the shops that are already here and you'll get plenty of business. It seems like the "service" at most of the shops is pretty snooty. If you don't hang out there 24 hours a day and spend 5 grand on your motor you're a waste of their time. At least that's what I saw. But I don't usually frequent "speed" shops all that much anyway. My car is already fast enough for now.