Opinion on Wyotech

[90Chevy]

I am a senior in high school in nebraska and soon to graduate. I am accepted to Wyotech and start classes in early Oct. I was wondering what good/bad things every hot rod builder has heard about this school. I will be attending the collision and refinishing, hot rod and chassie fab, along with high perfomance engine classes. so please post your opinion and give me some idea about the school

thanks

[kennyd]

save your money and go to work for a shop as a apprentice . this comes form a employer of a wyotech graduate .

[TravisB]

Originally posted by kennyd
save your money and go to work for a shop as a apprentice . this comes form a employer of a wyotech graduate .

And I would be the employee! I would only reccomend it if you have no experience in the automotive field! It is very entry level and it will only teach you the basics! Just dont expect much if you already know what is going on!
Oh and laramie, WY really really sucks!

[DHOTROD]

If you go there, say 'Hi' to a good friend of mine. He's one of the Hot Rod Instructors and teachers and he's a cool guy. His name is CW, he goes by those initials. He looks just like Jerry Garcia of the Greatful Dead. He had a great hotrod shop out here in LA.
He really know's his stuff, and is a really good person. You can learn a lot from him. As far as the collage goes.......... I don't know much about it.
Good luck......and please tell him, Dennis Smiley say's......'HI'.

[tim_bo16]

basic level stuff??? what.. haha choping tops... chassis fab... lol man if thats entry level stuff.. i got sum catchin up to do... !!.. ( by the friend of 90 chevy that is also going to wyotech... and ill try to remember to say hi to CW...

[vara4]

It don't sound like entry level stuff to me, but hay what do I know?


~ Vegas ~

[tim_bo16]

bout all i know is sectioning panels... shaving things (doors latches ect... ) very slight engine things... how to build one of course... and i just did a frame off resto... and i used to work at a body shop for 2 years... so other than that.. everything else would be new to me..

[TravisB]

Originally posted by tim_bo16
basic level stuff??? what.. haha choping tops... chassis fab... lol man if thats entry level stuff.. i got sum catchin up to do... !!.. ( by the friend of 90 chevy that is also going to wyotech... and ill try to remember to say hi to CW...

They already have you fooled! They make it out to be something it is not, sure it sounds to good to be true, a school for building hotrods, what most of us love to do! Trust me it is not what you think it is! Just because they tell you how to chop a top does not mean you can do it! You spend more time in the classroom playing cirlce jerk than you do in the shop and when you are in the shop you might as well have an insructor hold your hand you can't do anythiing on your own! When you are good at something they just make you keep doing it over and over so you don't get ahead of anyone that doesn't know what the hell is going on!

Oh and chassis fab you might as well go to welding school because that is what they stress the most! which is fine but i didn't pay 10,000 for three months for them to tell me how to weld(which I could do before I went)!

You asked for opinions and that is what you got mine is don't do it it is a waste of money! other builders that i know that have there own shops won't even hire kids from there because of the students they are turning out!

[tim_bo16]

well holy crap.. this is wonderfull then.. hah what would u recomend travis?? what did u do after that.. what do u do now.??? because choppin tops n makin frames n high performance engines and custom cars is WHAT I WANT TO DO.. and if i dont get anything out of this collage im gonna be so furious...

[TravisB]

go to a local tech school learn all the welding bodywork you possibly can find a shop in your area that will let you clean shop and do small projects and work your way up! basically be an apprentice you will learn much more than you will at that school

[tim_bo16]

ya i worked at a body shop around my area for two years..i started on the sweepin and takin out trash.. but then one day he just handed me a gallon of body filler, a bunch of cardboard a spreader, and a 1968 thundy-bird... and said go to work... so i know a quite a bit of stuff that way.. most of the stuff ive learned how to do on my own.. .. ive even painted a couple of cars before..(including my pickup) and even on my pickup.. i did everything on it.. ( everything) elcamino subframe and 283... (look below for some of the stuff on it) ... so ive gotten to do that much stuff.. and the thing is.. thats the only body shop within 45 miles .. all other ones closer are just the same lame new crap that im not interested in... so im kinda limited there... right now i live in the northeastern part of nebraska... so theres not too much around here.. i definetally dont wanna stay around here.. i wanna go somewhere in northeastern colorado.. but ya.. what school would you say to go to??? and what do you do for a job now??

[bobbyt]

I graduated from Wyotech years ago before they had a hot rod shop. I graduated in the early 80's from teh automotive section back when all they had was automotive, diesel, paint and body, or upholstery sections.
As far as the schooling I got, well, for me it was a basic overview of stuff I pretty much already knew. For others it was a big help. It did help me as the diploma opened doors that were previously closed to a 19 year old kid with very little experience. I went on to be a driveability tech for a Cadillac dealership for many years.
I no longer work in the automotive field (I got tired of being dirty and fighting with the factory to get paid on warranty repairs).
Wytech can be a great stepping stone

Good luck

Bobby