guiltybydesign
+1y
So many have heard but for the ones who havent my 40'x80' shop was leveled back on may 22 when an EF5 tornado hit Joplin and destroyed 35% of the town.
I want to first start off by thanking everyone that has called, texted, commented, or personally talked to me expressing concern or relief about me. I was at the shop mere hours beforehand but decided to go home "since it was such a nice day". After it happened we rushed in to find the buildings structure completely gone. It snapped off every 6''x6'' oak timber at the concrete and wadded up the red iron building next door. In all i had 9 vehicles in the shop, 3 of wich are total losses and are already in the scrap yard.
Some pics of when we rolled up.This is facing west, it was the front of the shop
This is facing east, the back of the shop. You can see a house fire in the distance.
This is the center of the shop. The frontier was moved about 10' into a blazer, and that blazer was shoved under my girlfriends 64 bel air. The odd thing is the bel air was about 3'' off the ground and the blazer was up on jackstands. The body of said blazer is nowhere within 1/4 mile of my shop. My frame table is just to the other side of the bel air and was tweaked as well.
Better shot of the pileup. Hard to see the blazer frame under there.
My landlords 62 moris minor delivery i JUST put floorpans in
The area by my main door. Bobs mazda ended up on its side ontop of the pile.
After we got it down
And that brings us to my truck. It ended up about 50' from where it sat for 2 years. The body is a total loss but my frame is still straight. I will finish this f*cking thing one day! It will be a dually the 3rd time around so if anyone finds some 19s lemme know!
In the background you can see gabes exlorer. Somehow it ended up about 200' away and on the other side of the building. Were thinking it got pulled out a door and thrown around the building.
In all i lost about 90% of my inventory, 3 trucks, lots of hand tools, and a very sentimental bottle of crown royal. Insurance is paying for the building (wich i was renting) and everything else is a total loss. My customers have been more than understanding of this and were all looking foward to getting back on the trucks and making them better than ever.
Since the storm ive had lots of thoughts and prayers but ive had some people that dont owe me a dam thing step foward and offer whatever they could and i would like to personally thank them.
Keith from Nfamus. Ive never actually been able to meet Keith and for him to help says alot about him as a person. I dont want to go on record and say what hes giving me but i would like to say its more than i can ever give back to him. Keith like i said if i ever get to meet you i owe you a drink my friend.
Bill from Camp N Drag. Bill called me a week or so after the storm to inform me they are having a donation at the show for me. Ive been a part of camp n drag since its first year and have never missed a year even marrying 2 great friends there last year, and to think that an event that has already given me so many memories and good times is now willing to help me get a new start thats why im a part of this scene. I owe Bill a drink as well
Andrew from SOL truck show and my friends Mitch and John.They all have started a paypal fund for me and those affected by the tornado, even having a donation at SOL. Drinks are on me guys.
Jay Houk.Jays has offered his old frontier cab should we need it in the rebuild of travis' truck. I dunno what the guy drinks, but i owe him one too.
Plans are now to find a piece of land and build a new shop. There was alot that i didnt like about the old building (some of wich was actually holding me back) so when we do start construction it will be long and detailed but in the end it will be worth it. As of now when i do reopen i see it being a toybox for me, friends, and certain past customers but i may still do work for outside customers.
Again thanks to anyone that has offered to help or even just left words on the FB. Look for updates later in the summer.