We were looking on the internet for a street rod to get an idea of what was out there to replace our 1964 Pro Street Thunderbolt we sold to an individual in Australia. A 41 Willys caught my eye on Hot Rod Hot Line and the seller was JJ Rods. Some time went buy and we looked at a few vehicles that were more in the dollar area I wanted to spend. I kept coming back to the 41 because the money I would need to spend on other rods to get them the way I would want was already spent on the 41, so we made plans to drive to Ohio to see it. From the phone conversations leading up to the trip, I was already comfortable with Jerry. He was never pushy, and he spent his efforts making sure of what we wanted, not what he wanted to sell. When we arrived, with my wife, my 7 years old twin girls, and myself, Jerry greeted us and invited us into his shop. It was clean, there were 5 or 6 beautiful cars inside, and you couldn't help but be excited. We looked at the 41 and it was just as pictured online and in the additional pictures Jerry had sent me by email. Next was the test drive. While we were driving it, the motor ran a little hot, so we returned to his shop before we did any damage. I had also noticed a blemish in the paint I was concerned with when I had the 41 outside.

When I returned, I showed Jerry my concerns. This is when you really find out the quality of the person you are dealing with. Instead of Jerry making excuses or spinning things, he showed concern, and understood these items were important to me. I told him I would never want to worry about a car that runs hot. He offered to get the 41 looked at, get the running hot addressed, and get the paint repaired, then I could take a second look before there was any commitment, and I was comfortable. I told him I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. Instead of pressuring me, Jerry simply told me he was going to do the work anyway for the next customer, and he wanted me to be excited about anything I would buy from him, so he would keep in touch and let me know if he came across any other rods that may interest me.

On the drive home, I spoke with my wife how comfortable we felt with Jerry and his brother. We felt our girls were welcome there, Jerry was a true car enthusiast, and we could trust him.

After doing the search again, the same thing happened, and after some time, I contacted Jerry again. The 41 was at the body shop getting the paint repaired and then was scheduled to go to his mechanic. After some thought, I decided to see the 41 again after the paint work, bring some of my own tools, and check things out. We set that up, and returned to Jerry's shop. After pulling the plugs and doing a compression test, I felt confident I could address the running hot concern myself. We did some negotiating, and agreed on a deal. We drove home with the 41, excited as originally planned.

You might think this was the end to this story, but it was not. Upon arrival after a 4 hour drive, I opened my trailer to unload the 41. I found that during the ride, the alignment rod for the rear end was lying on the floor. One end was broken off the rear end. I can't tell you the concern I had at that moment. Just made the purchase, just got home, and realized what could have happened if that arm came off while driving with my wife on the test drive. This is when I found out who Jerry really is. His first response was for me to bring it back, no questions asked. Again, he stated he wanted me to be excited about my purchase. We decided to see what needed to be done to correct the issue. Long story short, I removed the rear end, had a new mount installed, and Jerry took care of the expense. He even had the previous owner phone me to go over the history of the 41 so I would feel confident everyone involved was up front and had my interests in mind.

The way Jerry handled this was outstanding. It made me feel I had options, settled me down, and in the end, I have a street rod we love, and a new friend that I purchased it from. I've had the 41 close to three years now. We frequently exchange emails with Jerry sending pictures of car shows we attend or of our twins. We've even met up at indoor and outdoor shows, and it's always a joy for all to get together. I know I have a friend I can trust, and when the day comes that I want to sell my 41 or get something else, the first call will be to Jerry. I know he will do all he can to help me.