Try finding local body shops that will do restorations. Most places now will only do insurance work, but if you look hard enough you can still find places that will do restorations. There is a place not far from me that is well known locally for their restoration work. Stop in and apply. I started out as a painter's helper with no skills or experience when I was in my teens. I was hired at a local Dodge dealership. I started out doing a lot of prep work, sanding, masking, stuff like that. I learned how to wet sand and buff. Eventually I was spraying jambs and the underside of hoods and deck lids. After about a year and a half, I was hired as a painter at a small company that built handicap conversion vans. I took advantage of as much training that I could. I went to night classes at a local college to learn to weld. The place where we bought our paint supplies offered free clinics sponsored by the paint companies. I became a pretty good painter and a decent body man. The actual welder and I even restored our boss' son's 55 Chevy. Opportunities are out there, you have to seek them out because no one is going to come to you and offer you a job.
