jon1440

I have been thinking about going to this place for the last 10 years. Yes that long. Back then they was getting ready to add the cnc classes. At that time I thought I would be missing out by not being able to take them. So I waited and never made it back. The block and cylinder head classes cost about 34,000 up to 40,000. I'm not sure what people are getting paid after going to this school building engines. I'm sure being employed by the average engine shop would not pay so well. I would think you would have to work in a high end shop to justify this cost. Which goes back to how good a person is at building performance engines. In the state I'm located in, there are very few shops to my knowledge. The class that has my attention is actually the EFI Tuning. Cost is about 15,000. Also where I live I believe there to only be one tuning shop. I'm not sure how good they are but surely has this area cornered. Just my thoughts, but I would think learning to tune, above average, would be the ticket. I have been tuning with my own vehicle for the last year and have learned quite a bit, but know for certain I can only teach myself so much watching youtube and reading hp tuner forums. A chassis or engine dyno with lots of testing is what is really needed to learn. 3rd gear highway pulls isn't the best solution. If I did go I for sure wouldn't leave there without taking the efi class. the machining class would also be a great class. I have read nothing but great reviews about SAM, and it doesn't even compare to other performance directed schools. I would guess for every engine build, that one engine probably gets tuned at minimum 5 times.
This is just my thoughts and opinions from what I see. Of course this is from a place that isn't heavily populated with performance minded people. So if you have been to this school and things are working out the way you hoped or maybe not, just tell me what your thoughts are. I know for me personally, the only thing that I've ever been excited to do is mess around with engines and vehicles.
Also please don't start saying how going to a 4 year school and getting a bachelors degree in some random field of work would be the better choice to spend money on. I know plenty of people with four year degrees that hate going to work, and wish they had followed their true interests. I personally have paid in full for someone's four year degree to only hear how they wished they had went into something else. If I wanted only money I would stay where I'm at but trust me it can only keep you happy for so long.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

I didn't go to SAM but had two friends that did.

Here's a brief outline of their career paths after graduating from SAM. Both worked at tuner shops like MTI when it was one of the top shops and Lingenfelter Performance ie LPE for a couple of years. This required relocation to a new city.

Next move was to a Busch NASCAR engine builder Wegner Automotive Research. This required relocating to a new city. One did engine assembly and the other cylinder head development and work. This was when I met them and we become friends. Big part of their success was great attitude, very strong work ethic, developing contacts, continually learning and refining. After a couple of years at Wegner, both were ready to advance In their career paths.

One went to Roush Racing and focused primarily on cylinder head development. Last I spoke with him he was still in this role after several years and seemed very happy working for Roush Racing, which is one of the top racing teams / shops in NASCAR and other Motorsports.

The other went to work for Robert Yates Racing. At first build engines and gradually becoming more involved with tuning. Soon he was traveling with various race teams and involved in tuning dialing the the cars at the track. As NASCAR moved to EFI he became very very busy. He also excelled at tuning. We talked on occasion and he was happy working for RYR.

Outstanding tuning skills are in demand, McClaren (Yes that McClaren) made him an offer and he went to work tuning all sorts of engines from Formula 1 to anything in the McClaren stable. He was very successful at McClaren and promoted to engineering & management. This role also required lots of travel and trips to Great Britain to visit the home of McClaren.

I was fortunate enough to have these expert friends help me with my 99TA's heads & cam and my 91 RS Camaro's 383 LS1. Both have grown professionally way beyond working on hotrods & doing LS heads and cams projects. Most of the little bit I know about high performance I learned from them.

My impression is SAM is definitely worth while. You will need to be a go getter with an excellent work ethic that's open to the idea of relocation to where the Motorsports careers and jobs are at. You will have to work hard and pay your dues in learning and time to move up the Motorsports career path. This can mean entry level jobs at quality tuner shops at the start.
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Tan327

iTrader: (15)

Buddy and I were stationed overseas and separating from the military in 2014, he was a mechanic and a car junkie and wasn't quite sure what he was going to do after the military. I asked him if he'd heard of SAM, he said nope, I showed him the site and told him the GI Bill will cover it. He now works on supercars, I work in a partial cubicle.

Che70velle

iTrader: (6)