I get some various toyota parts from the yard and flip them for a few extra bucks to buy more car parts
Wouldnt call it a side hustle, just a way to make, maybe 300 bucks a year...very little. But every bit helps, right?
My 'side hustle' is making teaching material and posting it on TeachersPayTeachers. This year wasnt as good, but some years Im right at $600 for stuff I use myself, so that's a nice bonus.
Again, I use it for car parts and records
slowbird said:In reply to therieldeal :
Oh, it's that car! I've seen videos of it before. He's pushing a lot of power so it makes sense he needed a better transmission. The stock ones don't hold up under boost, it's a known problem in the BP/Escort GT tuning world.
Who knows, maybe I'll need one of those adapter plates someday
Yes! He did an excellent series of videos covering his build. Much better documentation than I've ever had the time/talent to put together.
You know where to find me if you need one!
My side hustle is writing, and I sorta blame David S Wallens for pushing me over the edge and convincing me that I can actually do it way back at the $2014 Challenge (it's all your fault, man!). After we got home, I leaned on some contacts at BangShift.com and started submitting stuff. They liked it, and I've been at it ever since. I even got to do a few stories here for GRM, which was amazing! I've gotten to do some really great stuff over the years, and even went to my 1st ever real deal press event a few weeks back and sat amongst some writing and car culture legends. Everyone was super accommodating to "the new guy" and happy to have me there. That was a big moment of validation for me that my stupid hobby of writing about stuff was actually something real. Hell, I sang Happy Birthday to Wayne Carini (the Chasing Classic Cars guy). Never had that on my checklist when I started doing this.
These days, I'm mostly writing about Project Power Laggin', my '79 Dodge W150 Power Wagon, both here and on BangShift.com. I also started a YouTube channel earlier this year, but the day job got real busy so I haven't had much time for producing content. I'll revisit that soon, hopefully, as it's a lot of fun.
It was recommended I pop in here. I started used oil analysis side gig focused on us amateur racers. From my other thread:
Bob-"too many dang korean eurasian linx"-zilla said:
Have the contact and form live. I have kits ready to roll. Offseason is kinda the worst time to start but at least I'm ready for spring!
bob-"too many dang korean eurasian linx"-zilla said:It was recommended I pop in here. I started used oil analysis side gig focused on us amateur racers. From my other thread:
Bob-"too many dang korean eurasian linx"-zilla said:
Have the contact and form live. I have kits ready to roll. Offseason is kinda the worst time to start but at least I'm ready for spring!
I think it's the perfect time to start! I will be dumping my oil in the next couple of weeks, prepping for 2022 and totally on board for your service.
I don't have a side hustle anymore, but did for several years. Without getting too specific, I started out fabricating an exhaust component that streamlined a popular engine swap for a niche platform. That grew a little at a time until I had an online store with headers, downpipes, cats, cat-back mufflers, and all kinds of stuff to make it work together.
It was equal parts rewarding and exasperating. In a lot of ways, it was a perfect match. I had been driving the car for which the parts were developed for many years, and that made fabrication and test fitting a driveway affair. I already had a connection to and rapport within the community that worked in my favor. Nobody else in the world was really offering exhaust systems for this platform, and it was intensely satisfying to fill that niche.
But there was too much volume and too many tasks - everything from product design to fabrication to component outsourcing to banking to website maintenance to shipping to customer support - to make it alone. On the other hand, the sales volume wasn't big enough to justify quitting my day job and going full time, let alone hiring anybody to help or outsourcing production.
Profitability was tough because the customer base was inherently low-budget and couldn't justify paying for handmade parts. On top of that, many of them were largely unskilled kids with their first cars. They didn't always have basic mechanical experience and needed a little hand-holding. And being of the Amazon/eBay generation, they were accustomed to a delivery timeline that just wasn't possible. After a series of frustrating events, I finally threw in the towel.
All in all, I'm proud of what I did, and I wish it would have come to a more graceful end, but I'm also glad it's over.
Oh yeah, Issue 5 of my zine is now available. :)
In reply to David S. Wallens :
So I tried to google the title, and I looked through this thread and I looked at your Twitter page and I don't see where one could buy said magazine. Do you have a link to purchase somewhere or can I stuff a fiver in an envelope and send it to you or what?
In reply to NY Nick :
I have an Etsy store. (I need to create a bundle with all five issues.)
Or you can Paypal the money to me. I'm easy.
Thanks.
The drivers occasionally throw money my way when I shoot grassroots drift events. I do it for fun but getting tips is nice.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
My side hustle started out restoring cars. I did that post Vietnam through 2000 because of that I started making trailers. Finished with the 28' 3 axle. Figured I had over 40 hours in it and wound up with a profit of $11 ( still have the molds).
Restoration turned into race prep. That carried me through some lean periods. But started to interfere with my career. Ended when I started construction on my house.
Technically since I drive a bus and income from that is my side hustle, do I•••?
In reply to David S. Wallens :
I had Mrs. NYN buy it on Etsy, started with issue 1.
Thank you very much for the order. Packing it up now. :)
I hand build slot cars from scratch:
I also build scale model car replicas and do freehand car art. I designed the logo for a local hillclimb.
At age 55, I started Cars of My Youth two years ago this month. Best thing I have done in many years. By making my hobby into an official business, it has allowed me to expand my projects and use the tax laws to my advantage. Two years later, I am completing my new shop, have an inventory of fun cars, two client projects and a big smile all the time. If I had to depend on this as my sole source of income, the hobby would become a job and probably take the joy out of it, but for now it is really just covering my expenses and allowing me to expand my collection and build a shop I would have only dreamed of a few years ago. Been a fun ride so far.
I have been rebuilding T5 manual transmissions for years. Started out as part of my day job restoring old Mustangs and now it is about the only automotive work I do for customers. I have slowly over the years expanded and now do T5s, Ford Toploaders, Muncies, 3650s, T56s, and now MT82s (I am still a Mustang guy at heart.) Good months, I will do 12-15 transmissions a month. Nov and Dec, I may only do 1 or 2. After 20 years, most of my business is word of mouth, but I do have an ad on FB market.
Day job pays for household expenses and the "side" cash helps pay for track days. Like most here, I found something that I like doing a there was a demand for.
Always looking cores if anyone near Atlanta has a few busted ones sitting in their way!
dherr (Forum Supporter) said:At age 55, I started Cars of My Youth two years ago this month. Best thing I have done in many years. By making my hobby into an official business, it has allowed me to expand my projects and use the tax laws to my advantage. Two years later, I am completing my new shop, have an inventory of fun cars, two client projects and a big smile all the time. If I had to depend on this as my sole source of income, the hobby would become a job and probably take the joy out of it, but for now it is really just covering my expenses and allowing me to expand my collection and build a shop I would have only dreamed of a few years ago. Been a fun ride so far.
I just enjoyed a few moments on your site. Well done!
I have done powder coating for years. I have put it on hold due to Covid since I'm under mandatory requirement to work an extra 48 hours per week at my main job. I'm not complaining. Overtime at my main job far exceeds any side hustle financially. It's also pushing my retirement closer due to the added retirement contributions.
But, last week I did disassemble my main blast cabinet and begin refreshing some seals and new hoses and such. It looks like things are starting to quieten down a little on the work front so I'm hoping to be back at it by summer. I sure enjoy the craft. It's very cathartic to me.
Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) said:I'm under mandatory requirement to work an extra 48 hours per week at my main job.
An >extra< 48 hours per week? So you're mandated to work 88 hours a week? Or just 48 total? What do you do that has mandatory overtime?
DWNSHFT said:Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) said:I'm under mandatory requirement to work an extra 48 hours per week at my main job.
An >extra< 48 hours per week? So you're mandated to work 88 hours a week? Or just 48 total? What do you do that has mandatory overtime?
I work for a city fire department. Last year I worked right at 4900 hours.. It's starting to take a toll on the guys and we are beginning to see some resign and seek their fortunes in greener pastures elsewhere. That puts us understaffed and further burdens the remaining people.
A fire department does not run short. You must have a minimum set number of people to staff the trucks. If you don't have that number you just force the guys to stay and work in 24 hour blocks. The rule is 120 hours maximum in a row without taking off at least 12 hours.
Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) said:DWNSHFT said:Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) said:I'm under mandatory requirement to work an extra 48 hours per week at my main job.
An >extra< 48 hours per week? So you're mandated to work 88 hours a week? Or just 48 total? What do you do that has mandatory overtime?
I work for a city fire department. Last year I worked right at 4900 hours.. It's starting to take a toll on the guys and we are beginning to see some resign and seek their fortunes in greener pastures elsewhere. That puts us understaffed and further burdens the remaining people.
A fire department does not run short. You must have a minimum set number of people to staff the trucks. If you don't have that number you just force the guys to stay and work in 24 hour blocks. The rule is 120 hours maximum in a row without taking off at least 12 hours.
Mental note... do NOT become a fireman.
About fourteen years ago, I took my Lotus Elise to California Speedway for a track day. By the end of the day, I noticed the dealer mandatory option clear bra was getting little cuts from debris being kicked up by other cars. Maybe I was following too close, but isn't that sort of the point?
Anyway, I started trying to find some sort of tape I could use to protect the bra and to make a long story short, founded what is now TrakkTape.com. My first order was twenty rolls sold to guys on lotustalk.com and it just kept going. Essentially, I started the track day protection business, in which there are now a number of other companies offering similar products. Over the years, it has always just been a little sideline business for me, but it has also been so much fun helping people protect their trackday cars.
As Trakktape was going along, I also started another little venture called TrakkRats.com. TrakkRats is a bit more hard core racer oriented with tools for setup and alignment. But, it is still tiny and I like to say that we sponsor EVERYBODY, because our prices for quality products are so inexpensive, it leaves more money in everyone's race budget. Again, getting to talk to so many great people is such fun. TrakkRats is my way of helping weekend warriors get out and pursue their passion, whether they run short track ovals, or asphalt road courses.
I am basically a retired architect who just fell into a couple of fun little side hustles and still enjoys pounding on his Lotus whenever he gets the chance.
After a long career as a auto mechanic. A work related injury put me out of work for a year. So I went into sales. Automotive tools & equipment. Then 2 years selling Industrial supplies for KAR Products and back to managing a store for the 1st company.
After more physical issues, went on my own, selling not only tools & nuts 'n bolts, but now a AMSOIL independent lube dealer. All the while involved in SCCA racing [as crew] Then 20 years of auto-cross, hill-climbs/rally-cross and safety with the local Ice Racing club. I became a Tire Rack dealer, selling to my fellows. My oldest son has a British only restoration service, in Isanti Minnesota. He also retrofits/upgrades MG's and other sports cars with more powerful engines.... *** He installs Camaro 3.4 V-6 engines/trans into MGA's & MGB's.... And other cars....
grapeape said:When I have time, I enjoy automotive art as well. I try to do slightly cartoonish versions and also do custom designs of people's rides. I've done hundreds of designs, and try to sell them on some different websites like Etsy, Zazzle and Cafepress. It used to be a nice little extra $$, but the sales haven't been as good as they once were. Here are a few that might interest this group.
NICE! I used to do caricatures at a theme park and I kept a copy of AutoTrader with me so I would offer to draw them with their car. I *loved* doing cartoon cars, never ran with it. I like your work here!
My favorite vehicle body draw was a tank mechanic who came in to get a caricature. I spent like half an hour on all the little detail work
My crappy summer college job got eliminated during the pandemic, so I decided to try and put my years of Volvo ECU hacking experience to work selling chips for 240s, 740s, and 940s. Now I finally have a real website at redblockpowered.com and have branched out into custom stuff (and hopefully other kinds of similar vintage Euro car eventually!)
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