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Old 11 Jan 2007, 17:54 (Ref:1812510)   #1
Jamesd
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How can I become a (GT or TC) Mechanic?

Hi

I am 16 and intrested in becoming a motsport mechanic. I am intrested in Gt and touring cars mainly. What is the best way into it. Also i would love to do le mans.

Thanks
James
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 17:22 (Ref:1813474)   #2
DanJR1
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GCSE,s then A-levels (maths and physics or you can do foundation year at uni) then onto university to study motorsport engineering
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 17:27 (Ref:1813475)   #3
Jamesd
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When I pass my GCSE I was planning to go to collge than try and find a team and get a trainee experience.
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 18:24 (Ref:1813495)   #4
Robyn Slater
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Quote:
"GCSE,s then A-levels (maths and physics or you can do foundation year at uni) then onto university to study motorsport engineering"
Do you really need all these to become a mechanic?

Engineer certainly!! aim higher James..
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 19:01 (Ref:1813519)   #5
COLIN STUBBS
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James. whereabouts are you? someone on here is bound to know where a taem is situated that you could try and tag along with for the season. a friend of mines son was the same as you,and became a helper with a renault clio team,them a mechanic,and went on to do a good motor racing course at uni.
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 19:17 (Ref:1813525)   #6
Jamesd
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Hi

I am based at Swindon and I am helping out some teams at castle combe and a team said they will take me with them to big meetings
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 19:23 (Ref:1813532)   #7
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Al Weyman has a real shot at the podium!Al Weyman has a real shot at the podium!Al Weyman has a real shot at the podium!Al Weyman has a real shot at the podium!
Get a job in a regular garage and become a damned good reliable mechanic then start looking around when you have something positive to offer, I did this years ago although I never stayed in the game as I found like a lot of glamourous sounding jobs at the end of the day it was just a job and not usually the best paid in the world (ask a nurse!).
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 19:25 (Ref:1813535)   #8
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I have seen a team based at kemble airfield which do road cars and racing cars. I ahve tried them. Also i am plainning to go to Lackham collge and they are pased within 5miles of castle combe and they often get racing cars in there to work on.
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 19:35 (Ref:1813542)   #9
dave not neil
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Its not what you know, its who you know!

Qualifications at the end of the day are just paper. And don't get me wrong, its worth having them, but its not the be all and end all.

If you've just left school, or are about to, then why not think about doing a course at a motorsport college. The qualifications they give out aren't usually all that great, but the lecturers nearly always have a motorsport background, and will have contacts within race teams. Also a lot of teams will turn to college's for apprentices, prove your good to the tutors, and they might put a good word in for you.

Although if you go do go down this route, you won't be able to start the course til September.

So...... Option number 2!

Its the off season currently. The busiest time of the year for race teams.
Get in touch with them, tell them your situation, and see if they will let you help out for free, or a small amount. While your with the team, work your little nuts off and make a good impression, they might just take you on.
I'm pretty sure most teams will be glad of a helping hand!

http://www.nc4m.ac.uk/ - Link to the National College for Motorsports website.
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 19:46 (Ref:1813552)   #10
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Hi

I dont really have any local teams near me and the ones that are just ignor all my emails, I am planning to go to Lacham collge and the collge you said about are too far away from my house and lackham is the nearest to me
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Old 12 Jan 2007, 23:03 (Ref:1813711)   #11
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Suze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
Lackham college is a very very good college as well and great facilities there, know a couple of people who are there / were there and would certainly recommend it.
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Old 13 Jan 2007, 08:52 (Ref:1813869)   #12
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Al Weyman has a real shot at the podium!Al Weyman has a real shot at the podium!Al Weyman has a real shot at the podium!Al Weyman has a real shot at the podium!
Its very easy to ignore emails, go there in person so as to have the human interface effect.

Last edited by Al Weyman; 13 Jan 2007 at 09:01.
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Old 13 Jan 2007, 09:52 (Ref:1813893)   #13
dave not neil
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Yeah face to face is defiantely the way to go, has more impact, and shows your keen.

If you ring the team, do some research before. Find out the name of the boss, and ask for them personally when you call. Little stuff like that always reflects well.
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Old 13 Jan 2007, 10:53 (Ref:1813934)   #14
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Suze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
May be too late for you to see now but Wilts College have a stand with a Spectrum on it and the normal presence there so hope you get around them and get some good information!
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Old 13 Jan 2007, 12:22 (Ref:1813978)   #15
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James,
Have you read "The Mechanic's Tale" by Steve Matchett?
Apprenticeship, City&Guilds, workshops for BMW and Ferrari dealers. Started writing to F1 teams, asking for a job. So sound training and experience, then persistence, got him into F1 with Ferrari and Benetton.

That story starts in the 70's - I don't know where C&G stand in the training hierarchy today.

John
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Old 13 Jan 2007, 20:18 (Ref:1814472)   #16
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Hi

I have just got the book and about a quater way through.

I went to the autosport show today and spoke to teams and they said it was better if I went to collge and do a course. They normally dont hire mechanics with no experience unless it is a apprentiship and I cant do that as all the collges are too far away from me.

The collge at Lackham seems good to me as it has built a garage on the castle combe circuit and on race meetings and test days the students will go down there and let people put the cars in the garrage and fix them also they have just been hired to run a formulae ford car buy a team and they also have bought a rally car to race. So i think I will be getting a lot of expereince with racing cars
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Old 13 Jan 2007, 21:08 (Ref:1814507)   #17
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Suze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
Yes, the plans I've heard they (Lackham) have are very good.
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Old 13 Jan 2007, 21:09 (Ref:1814508)   #18
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AU N EGL should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridAU N EGL should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
UTI - NACAR Technical Instatite http://www.uticorp.com/default.aspx?tabid=257
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Old 15 Jan 2007, 19:30 (Ref:1815911)   #19
Jamesd
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Jamesd should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Hi

thnaks for the advice but i am not sure if i dont get into my choosen collge and no others wil take me do you think i should get a job with a team and try next year for collge i have seen this team http://www.neilgarner.co.uk/.

Does anybody know of any full time teams based near Swindon Wiltshire
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Old 11 Feb 2007, 16:48 (Ref:1838732)   #20
Jamesd
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Hi are there any racing mechanics on the forum
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Old 11 Feb 2007, 18:55 (Ref:1838823)   #21
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Suze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuze should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
Plenty James - wait and hope they see this thread!
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Old 11 Feb 2007, 21:32 (Ref:1838899)   #22
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hi,
i said my story to someone not long ago in another similiar topic that may be usefull to dig out.
but basically go to castle combe one weekend when there is a club meeting and talk to the people running cars the ones on there own are best as they always need someone to clean wheels or hold the spanner while they do this and that so get talking to them dont be shy im in a similiar situation only luckily i have more experience.
just start from the bottom and slowly you wil work your way up aslong as you:
keep asking be, confident and whatever they ask you to do (within reason) try to do it with a smile and at the end of the day if you helped them out then they may want you in future if not then you have another day of experience!

hope that helps

lewis
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Old 12 Feb 2007, 07:21 (Ref:1839041)   #23
Jamesd
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I am planning to help 3 teams at castle combe and a couple want me to go down before the season stats and help them to get the cars ready
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Old 12 Feb 2007, 12:39 (Ref:1839283)   #24
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there see the first step onto a very big ladder!
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Old 13 Feb 2007, 10:17 (Ref:1840234)   #25
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try that out probably one of the best school to be mechanic

http://www.lafiliereffsa.com/index.p...vmec&&codeL=gb
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