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I have a Lincoln promig 135 that I am using to do most of the work on my car. It is fine for doing work to a car. Welding on a bulldozer or heavy stuff it just doesn't have the power to bite deep enough but for tubing it is fine.
Check the local high school vocational school they will have a evening class on how to weld. You will get to use high quality equipment of various types to learn good metalworking. Also check around and you might find a friend of a friend that is a certified welder that can get you started. If nothing else just get a welder and look online for help. I would say Youtube and places will probably have some decent welding tutorials. I learned on my own and the only book I had was the one that came with the stick welder I initially got. I learned by welding stuff together then beating it with a hammer and seeing how the weld broke. Then adjusting how I welded till it didn't break anymore.
some of the tools I am using to build my car
- chop saw, find one that has a decent amp rating. Lowes, Home Depot. Etc..
- 4 1/2 inch angle grinder. Same thing find one with decent amp ratings.
- bender. I use a harbor freight 16 ton bender, they are cheap but you have to shim the dies when bending tubing or it will crush it. No big deal just have to have some metal to to fill in the dies fit the tubing. Works good on pipe, tubing, and exhaust tubing once you get it figured out and is way cheaper than any other.
-Mig welder. I have a Lincoln promig 135. Good welder and is not that expensive
-Stick welder, not really useful for most car stuff but when you have really thick stuff to weld and don't want it to come apart a stick is great. You can also cut stuff with it by running it at full power and blowing through the metal instead of welding it.
-plasma cutter/oxy-acetylene torches. You have to be able to cut metal. I have a Hobart Airforce 250ci Plasma Cutter that comes with a built in air compressor. It is a good cutter and not having to hook it to an air source is pretty nice.
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