Jeff Mitchell - Apprentice & Friend

Our incredible Apprentice here at Alter Ego Master Craftsmen of Motor Cars and Motorcycles, started out as a client who needed some machining done. And, when Jeff Mitchell saw the precision custom machining that Alter Ego MC Owner, Johann Gyver, could do, a friendship was built, and, thereafter, a mutual working relationship between a Master Craftsman and an Eager-to-Learn Apprentice, quickly came about.

It's a very rare thing for Gyver to agree to train an apprentice. A person with the character needed to learn these types of Old World Skills is improbable to come across. Over the years, many people expressed interest in learning the craft, but, Gyver said he found few who had the inherent perfectionistic nature necessary to learn how to be the kind of Builder he wanted to pass his lifelong skills on to.

And, then, much to his great surprise, there was Jeff Mitchell.

Jeff Mitchell was drawn to Gyver's Master Craftsman Skills - but- also was really intrigued by his ethics in business, and, its reflection in the daily operation of his business and personal life, which Gyver lives by.

Mitchell served eight years in the United States Army, serving for a time in Germany.

During his Junior and Senior Year in High School in Alabama in Shop Classes, he found he really had an interest in automobiles, however, he really didn't get a lot of hands-on-experience at that time. In Germany, he had opportunities for hands-on-experience.

While In Germany, he found he excelled at car stereo building. He also found an old Chevy Vega he worked on during down time, and, eight years later he took on another vehicle since, by then, he was full-throttle into this growing love for working on cars.

In 2012 he accepted a job opportunity in Sierra Vista, Arizona, and, that's where he began his professional relationship with Johann Gyver and Alter Ego MC - in 2019.

In addition to being such a dedicated student of Building, Machining, and, Fabricating, Mitchell has been generous with his time inside and outside the Alter Ego Shop, helping out in a myriad of ways, without even being asked to.

Not at all afraid to get his hands dirty, Mitchell says there are interesting equalizers among those who find a love of the automotive arena. "Everyone gets treated the same in the automotive field," Mitchell says.

"There are no barriers - the only barrier to Building is the money it takes to Build. But other than that, it's been my experience that there ordinarily aren't barriers of color, or age, or gender. Everybody just hangs out and for the most part, everyone is treated the same. How great it that?" he exclaimed.

Mitchell has been working on his own Luv Truck when he can get the time in to do that, and, he's found the wisdom of holding to the Alter Ego MC unrelenting perfectionist protocols in all aspects of Building. While perfectionism does take a whole lot more time than just completing a project, it actually saves time not having to re-do work from outside sources where perfectionism isn't Standard Operating Procedure.

"I really love the creativity in this field. It sure isn't easy work. But it sure is satisfying work. I'm really grateful to be learning by watching the hands of a Master like Johann Gyver who I think is a legend in the Automotive and Motorcycle Fields."

"And, it's nice that Johann considers my interests in Building, too, as far as where future endeavors might lead. I tell him that I'm the new generation of the people who are getting interested in this perfectionist level of fabricating, machining, and building. What I think people want in this time-line is LS Motors in Fords. I keep whispering in his ear about it...."

Thanks, Jeff Mitchell. You are an awesome human, a dear friend, an outstanding apprentice, and, now
if you keep it up, we might just be calling you the "Alter Ego Whisperer..."

You are deeply appreciated not only for what you do, but just for who you are.