……. Probably cause there’s nothing else to do so while I sit here in JayGee next to a 26,000sf facility darkened while we all watch a global pandemic pass over our earth……let me be a little philosophical about this shop, our mission, where we are and if we’re lucky where were going. Is is like the bumper sticker “Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket”?
Yesterday, taking an inventory of the rolling stock around here…… some 34 Motorhomes and 16 other non GMC related machines………After over 20 years of putting this load bank together I have already endured many hardships. When I started this in 1997, we sought to fill the price of the marketing pics vacated when CLASCO closed up.
It’s mission was solely dedicated to the GMC and it’s future. Back then they were a raw material filled with 8track tape players, cigarette ashes all over, mauve seats and dinglberries which everyone thought were good ideas……kinda like double knit 3 piece measure suits and clackers!
They were raw materials to make new machines for the next generation (at that timr). Oh yeah, cassette tape players, A Flock of Seaguls and Greenpeace.
“The Dreams Alive” was CLASCO’s subtitle and that was exactly the reason I got into this mess.  I say a mess because it has not been a walk in the park. There’s a good reason not many businesses focus on this unique machine……none of it is easy and to find, train workers thru the learning curve then try to heard cats to a specific mission has been my struggle.
911 was a slap in the face, I don’t think we ever realized how messed up some people can be. 2008 , my 11 year old business endured a screwing by the backs that was unpresidented , oh and you know they did a good job on us!
Then there was a mutany and I found out how deceptive some people can be. Trolls from the big bad internet fell upon us and boy did both of those things rock my world. Once again it amazed me how cruel some can be.
Hey but with a little help from my friends I was able to piece back together the mission once again “The Dreams Alive”. The stresses and people around me struggling a heart attack ensued and then a crash because I wouldn’t take it easy……and now this. WOW, this has been a blast getting to where we are today. I knew this was not a moneymaker business……which is again why few do this. And that’s ok with me, I’ve never wanted to fit in between the lines.
So what now sweetheart? I’ve gotten both praise and criticism about the decision to close up while we figure out if there is a hole in the earth. Automotive mechanical shops are deemed “essential work” and many mechanics are out there still in the mud, the blood and the beer turning wrenches……and yes, we could do that but wait……..what is the greater mission?
This dream will still be alive when how many will not because of this. Is it the end of the world as we know it or has this been overblown like the “dirty laundry” the press always seeks to impress us with? I’m really nor smart enough to really know and what is not really knowing you decide to do something that in hindsight was not good. Like eradicating your feet to see what kind of insert to put in your shoes or Cocaine in soft drinks or lead pipes.
Strolling the grounds here it’s hard to believe where I started and where we are. I will say as most past businesses in this industry growing meant going outside the confines of this niche market bringing in more work to support the ever growing financial needs.
Some brought in other Motorhomes (SOB) some other brand big box Motorhomes……they failed. So right now I’m in a quandry, how do we stay vital, continue to grow and still try and stay true to our mission?
The talent that’s needed to pull off work on these coaches takes a unique wide open skill set. Folks like that can do many things and for the past several years I have allowed our interests to drift a little looking for a good fit to augment the GMC Motorhome restoration efforts.
And while those 16 other vehicles has brought income to us, our focus has always been and will always be the GMC Motorhome. We’ve worked on other deserving vintage rv’s, worthy adversaries which also suffer from folks not knowing the nuances of their repair. I’ve found us pretty good at messing with those. The cars and trucks we’ve also been messing with has been pretty good business but during those projects I’ve been worried we would loose our way.
The future of pleasure time will include a portion of social distancing even after this Corona thing passes. Folks are going to travel…..our hiway system can take us anywhere. The movie lifestyle is getting a ghost right now.
that is the motto on my coach JayGee put there by the previous owner……..our country believes this but now we will want to do that apart from others. This is something a motorhome can do for society. There’s always interest knowing a Rolex, just like folks seek out the best of everything. We’re a bit subjective but the motorhome we have our sights on is that Rolex!
So when this is all over…..may not EVER be all a over but on the other side of whatever this turns out to be you can be assured we will be here for the GMC Motorhome specifically. Some have asked me if we were going to get away from our prime directive……let me tell you now we will refocus on the vintage RV world, we may do a car or a truck………but make no mistake, we are a GMC Motorhome restoration shop, we will continue to focus on what I saw in 1991 as an empty platform for the future. That was then, this is now and the dream is still alive. Have no fear we will be beguiled by cool stuff like this
have no fear THIS is what we are here for
my phone starts acting up when I get to long winded and it’s giving me hell right now. All that is to say we are not working right now to be here in the future.  I am troubling my efforts to keep this ship on target…….i hope you all appreciate I am committed to this end and we will always be a GMC Motorhome restoration shop first……see you tomorrow…….
This is where we need to be, come with us…..
Go, man, go! I just wish I was closer to you to get my POS serviceable and safe.