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It's begun! A board of directors has been selected by a larger general body and board meetings have already been held. An application will soon be filed for this new group to become a non-profit organization consistent with the laws of the land. Watch Dawg has been provided with their mission statement and it is attached to this newsletter along with your application to join this new association if you so choose to apply for membership. The initial board of directors are, Dennis Gailey, Brent Stevens, Jack Berry, Mark Alvord, Sam Salisbury, Val Adams, Dee Ray Bennett, and Dan Harding. This board is a group of courageous business owners who recognize both the need and the value for body shops in Utah to get united and to further promote the industry. The board has elected Val Adams as the association's first President with Dennis Gailey as Vice President and Jack Berry as Secretary/ Treasurer. The board of directors were selected from a larger group individuals who met to create this new organization. This new board and fresh association welcomes your support, ideas, and maybe a little bit of your time. Receipt of your membership application and attached dues will really get this organization rolling. The design for this new association's logo is still under review. This logo will be used in advertising promotions, on banners, plaques, and decals to display at your shop showing all that you are committed to high standards and top notch repairs for your customers. The new association will probably network with similar associations in other states throughout the country. They will probably hold seminars, golf tournaments and other activities to promote industry relations and business networking. They will work with vendors and others who want to improve the industry throughout the state. One thing that the association will not do is set prices (called price fixing), labor rates or regulate your business practices. Membership in the association is entirely voluntary. There exists a great deal of diversity in ideas and practices within the association already. However, some great strength can be had with a wide variety of input. We encourage you to take a look at the enclosed membership application and send a completed application along with your check for $100 to Jack Berry at Jack's Place, 12277 South 550 West, Draper, UT 84020. Associate Member status is available to non-body shop owners, such as vendors, for $175 annually. The purpose of the association is not merely to collect dues. The dues will be simply used for basic operating expenses, postage, letterhead and purchasing of a plaque or decal as the association may decide. This will be a non-profit organization. None of the officers or directors receive any type of salary. Their participation is entirely voluntary. However, they need you and your support. This association will benefit you and your business. They will avoid making the same mistakes that the past organization made. We're asking you to be courageous, join with body shops from throughout the state. Many of you have given us your support verbally. Now is the time for you to show some action! The membership list and mailing roster of the association will be kept confidential. The end
As we talk to body shop owners and others concerning this publication, we often get the question that in effect says, "Who are you guys, and why are you doing this?" The answer is simple. We like cars. We like helping others and getting paid. We are a law firm. We have years of experience representing people injured in automobile collisions and we also represent businesses like yours. Some law firms spend money advertising in the phonebook. We hate that. Some law firms put their mugs on TV. It's a free country, but we hate TV attorney ads even more. Philosophically we believe what goes around usually comes around. So we thought it would be better to spend our time and effort building up others and their businesses. We know that by doing so, it will eventually come back to us. If we can honestly help you achieve your goals by having a stronger more profitable business for you and your employees, we know that when it comes time to refer your injured customers for legal help you'll think of us first, and feel guilty sending them anywhere else. Furthermore, there is nobody better in Utah at what we do. Not only can we help your injured customers with their legitimate bodily injury claims, but we can also help you get what you need to complete a quality repair on that customer's vehicle.
We understand auto shops, what they go through and how they operate. We understand insurance companies, what they go through and how THEY operate. With our knowledge and expertise. we can assist you with not just a specific adjuster giving you grief on a particular repair, but your office procedures, paperwork, corporate matters, leases, contracts, business problems and come up with some real solid solutions for you. If we can't help you we'll find somebody else who can. In our last issue you had a chance to read some "testimonials". We could fill this newsletter with them. Give us a try and give us a call. Send your injured customers this way. ] If you or your customers are getting "manhandled" by an insurance company let us know. The insurance carriers know who we are. Just like you, we have to work with insurance companies daily, but when we're through, they respect us in the morning. Do they respect you? If not, give us a call and we can help.
In referring your customers to us, they must have the "two I's" in their case. In other words, they must be Innocent and Injured . The accident had to be the fault of somebody other than your customer and they have to be injured as a result of that accident. If your customer has "two I's" , let us know about it. If we representing them for their bodily injury claims we will generally represent them for their property damage claims at no charge. If we're involved, we can make a difference in the way that the insurance company handles the claim and how they treat you in the repair job.
We know that some of you may be afraid. You fear that if you get too close to a law firm or refer customers here that somehow the insurance companies will cut you off andnever pay your bills again. In actuality we've found just the opposite to be true. When the insurance carriers know you're friends with an experienced law firm they tend to lift their leg on you less often knowing you can easily] call in some legal heat if you're not treated well. Body shops have been referring us customers for years. Likewise, we have been referring our clients to body shops for years. Hiring lawyers to obtain civil justice has become a necessary evil in our society. Insurance companies know that many people will hire attorneys regardless. Often insurance companies prefer dealing with us than emotional or unethical victims. Adjusters know that we don't take every case that comes along. We take only legitimate cases where people are actually hurt. The source of our clientele remains confidential anyway. So take courage and give us a try. We can make a difference for your customer. theend.
The mission of the Auto Body Owners Association of Utah is to ensure the future of Utah's independent auto body shops and auto dealership body shops. The association is limited to non-insurance owned body shops.
Our 4 goals are:
Maybe we should all be investing in insurance companies! See below: Allstate profits up 70%
Thursday, February 6, 8:14 a.m. Allstate Profits Up as Premiums Rise
NORTHBROOK, 111. (Reuters) - Allstate Corp., the No. 2 U.S. car and home insurer, on Wednesday reported its fourth quarter profit rose almost 70 percent as it increased some premium rates and trimmed expenses. The Northbrook, Illinois-based company, second only to industry leader State Farm, said fourth-quarter profit rose to $447 million, or 63 cents per share. That compares with $264 million, or 37 cents per share, a year earlier. Total revenues rose 3 percent to $7.59 billion, helped by modest premium increases. "They beat expectations," said Deutsche Bank analyst Alain Karaoglan. "They have reached price adequacy - they don't need to fix their margins that much any mor=." Allstate, which has been looking to raise premium rates in areas it was losing money. That strategy is taking effect. In the fourth quarter it paid out 97.8 cents in claims and expenses for every dollar of premium it received. It lost $1.04 for ever premium dollar in the year-ago quarter. "While we took some rate increases in the fourth quarter, the need for rate actions abated somewhat in the second half of 2002 as rates taken earlier in the year proved to be adequate," said Allstate Chief Executive Edward Liddy. Liddy also said that claims for mold damage in Texas - which has cost insurers hundreds of millions of dollars - were reducing as it limits mold claims in its new policies. Excluding certain items, Allstate reported 87 cents a share operating profit. Wall Street expected 77 cents a share, on average, according to analysts polled by research firm Thomson First Call. Looking forward, it forecast 2003 operating earnings, assuming average losses from storms and earthquakes, of $3.20 to $3.40 a share. That is in line with analysts' estimates, as polled by First Call. The end
Most of you have been receiving this newsletter now for several months. We have set this newsletter as a means of acting as a forum for thought and a motivation for action. We want to bring the Utah auto body industry together in a more united front to improve the industry. This newsletter is published by Bryan A. Larson, P.C. (P.C. stands for "Professional Corporation", it's a business form set up by the Utah State legislature). Mr. Larson is part of the law firm of Larson, Turner, Fairbanks and Dalby. Mr. Larson's partners endorse, encourage, and tolerate his activities. (Or at least some of his activities). We are not part of the Auto Body Owners Association of Utah. We have helped organize it and set it up, we encourage and promote it, but we are not owners of an auto body shop. We are who we say we are, (see the accompanying article, "Who are those guys"). It's possible that the new Auto Body Owners Association of Utah will eventually publish its own newsletter and take away some of the need for this publication. However, until that time, we encourage you to send us your cards, letters, checks, encouragement, gripes, or what have you, and if it is fit to print, we'll publish it. If you would like to write an article for this publication, let us know. If you want to sell something or report something, let us know, we'll publish that too. This newsletter goes out to most body shops. However, we have purposefully not sent this newsletter to some body shops that we perceive to be too imbedded with the insurance companies. They may get these newsletters anyway, but let them get it from somebody else and save us the postage. Sometimes what we write in this newsletter may be cheeky or irreverent. Sometimes it will be philosophical or patriotic. That's one of the great things about this country, you can generally say almost anything you want. We won't necessarily be politically correct or "diverse" in what we say. If we say something that sounds like gossip, be careful because it's probably true and we can back it up. You may agree or disagree with the things that we write here and that's okay. However, we plan to make a difference for your customers and your industry. Making a difference starts with communication, and that's what we're about. The End
I proudly flashed my Utah Auto Body Watch Dawg press pass and attended the first two days of the 2003 AutoRama at the South Towne Exposition in Sandy, Utah. This incredible assembly of automotive chrome, paint and style again lived up to its reputation of being Utah's best annual indoor car show.
This year there were less hopping/bouncing lowriders with 13 inch tires and chain steering wheels, and not as many jacked to the ceiling 4WD trucks flashing pinstriped frame rails, rows of chromed shock absorbers and tailgates airbrushed with murals of Pocahontas hugging some fluffy timber wolf in the midst of a snowy landscape. That was just fine with me. Now don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against lowriders, 4WDs or pretty women. I'm married to one (a pretty woman). But all my trucks had distorted tailgates, I've never had a cuddly dly wolf for a pet and the last time I had a seriously undersized tire in my wheel well was when a used car dealer sold me a Packard that I didn't realize until it was too late, had a space-saver spare in the trunk. With that, I will confess to being somewhat of a back to the roots, hot rod purist when it comes to car shows.
Because of this inclination, I can't stomach PT Cruisers. Don't misunderstand, I don't mind them on the road as milkrun econoboxes, but I get goose flesh whenever I see one on display at a car show. When I travel the summer community car show circuit, it never fails. There in the middle of incredible vintage cars from the '30s, '40s and '50s is some polyester geek with a PT Cruiser sliding mirrors under it to show off an OEM tailpipe. He's gen erally applying his magnetic flames just as I pull up. After I've parked my restored with love ride, he's popping his hood to ArmorAll the upper radiator hose and to better show off his new red Walmart spark plug wires. Invariably, he's chromed the easily removable fuel door. Before my Smitty glasspacks quiet down and about the time my dashboard hula girl has stopped gyrating, the PT owner has already unfolded his chair in front of his imitation ride. Sometimes there's a homemade sign taped to the side glass proudly listing extensive vehicular upgrades which generally amountto stereo enhancements, a custom velcro CD disc holder on the visor and an imitation wood, plastic shifter knob. Be still my hot rod heart. As more of my scarred knuckle buddies rumble onto the parade grounds with their real hand built machines in various stages of hard core restoration, bare metal, primer and paint, the PT guy smiles and waves as if he were one of us. I view such PT owners as retro-style groupies, hotrodder wannabees, and the true drugstore cowboys of the hot rod and custom hobby. I suspect the only time they get grease under their nails is when they "do lunch" at Tony Romas.
With that said, there was an absurd PT Cruiser on display at the AutoRama this year. The guy had chromed about every body or suspension part he could easily unbolt and dip in a tank. He had even chromed the brake rotors on this stock PT! If it was a "driver" like he said, he'd have a wild ride trying to get it stopped. It too had mirrors under it so you wouldn't miss the chromed oil pan. Whoopie. If ever there was a "checkbook" project this was it. Each time I walked past this garish Liberace version of a PT, the prissy owner was flitting around flicking dust off it with perfectly manicured fingernails. Not my type.
Why not make those wanting to have their cars in shows, be monitored/metered at the entrance like some swanky nightclubs do with potential patrons. Assign some mean looking buff bald dude in dark sunglasses with gold chains about his linebacker no-neck stuffed into a black gangster suit deciding who gets past the velvet ropes to be displayed at the car show, . . and who doesn't. "Hey, the dude with the long grey beard and the ZZ Top looking coupe, you're in. The guy with the forehead tattoo sitting on the smokin' Harley shovel head Hog, you're in man."
"The brother with the white plastic pocket protector and ballpoint pens, revving up the green AMC Gremlin, go home. The `32 Highboy with the baby-Hemi mill, come on in. You there, with the 4 door post `78 beige Ford Fairmont sporting the Greenpeace bumper sticker, get lost. Hey you over there with the `67 2+2 Hypo 289 Mustang Bullitt clone, you're definitely in, and all PT Cruisers just leave now!"
I was thrilled to have the chance to visit with famed auto designer/customizer, George Barris, at the show. I had last seen him to talk to about 10 years ago. He looked really good for a guy who's been chopping tops on `49-`51 Mercs since the GIs liberated France. He's the father of all the Batmobiles and the Munster TV show dragsters, too. Even the fabricated rock group, the Monkees, had a Barris created Monkee-mobile based on a hot/blown orange/red stretch Pontiac.
"General Lee", the slow-mo, swamp leaping Dodge Charger from the Dukes of Hazard TV series, was also Barris' baby. We all built the AlaCart cus tomized pickup truck plastic AMT model kit as kids. That's Barris', too. If the show car had a chopped roof, with a smoothed body, decked nose and frenched headlights it was probably Barris', or certainly Barris inspired. If the body was way out weird with a bubble top and a too tall shifter, it was probably "Big Daddy" Ed Roth's work, George's wonderfully eccentric friend who left us just two years ago this month. Ed's pretty widow had a great booth as always at the show, and I got me a new Rat Fink tee shirt.
Back in 1948, the very first Hot Rod Show sponsored by Robert "Pete" Petersen, founder of Hot Rod magazine, had only one custom car invited to be there and on exhibit, a one-of-a-kind creation by George Barris. This guy's been turning out winners for a long time.
Mr. Barris is an undisputed automotive icon who still has an incredible influence on custom hot rodding. He remains the permanent prom king of the annual Paso Robles cruise, the leading customs gathering in the nation. Mr. Barris is still solidly at the helm of Barris Kustom Industries with a great website at Barris.com. Mr. Barris took time to outline for me that probably his favorite custom project was the first Batmobile, the one that Batman actor, Adam West, drove on the 60s TV series. BIFF. POW. ZAM "We built it by hand, piece by piece, by trial and error, not like the other Batmobiles for the movies that were designed and drafted by computer CAD systems under my direction. " In my mind, if Ed Roth was the abstract Picasso of auto design and gearhead motor art. George Barris is Van Gough. I didn't leave without his autograph.
The actor who portrays "Mini Me" in the Austin Powers movies was the other guest celebrity appearing at the 2003 AutoRama. He had no connection with the hobby that I knew of; I guess it's a marketing thing. The line waiting to see this little guy was long. The line to visit with George Barris was unfortunately about as long as the line in front of the guy unsuccessfully pitching Allstate Insurance nearby to some hairy bikers. Thanks to that, I got my interview. The Salt Lake Tribune article about the AutoRama failed to even mention Mr. Barris' guest appearance. In Los Angeles, Oakland, Detroit or Paso Robles, Mr. Barris would have been appropriately mobbed.
Congratulations to Dan Worth of Worth's Customs, a full service body shop in Sandy. Utah. They walked away with no less than 7 trophies at this year's AutoRama. Dan's a genius artist with an airbrush and does his best work when his accomplished foreman, Rock, keeps things running smoothly up front so Dan's creative juices can flow uninterrupted in the back. They also restored a very rare Hurst package 1965 GTO convertible for a Vietnam vet customer (and you thought that Hurst only did Olds packages back then) and that "goat" was on display, too. It was a real show stopper. If you want a Harley gas tank/fenders paint scheme like no other, just call these guys at (801)568-0305.
The 1958 Chevy Sedan Delivery customized by Steve Burrows and team at Rust to Rods was cop per hued and amazing. It was air bagged at all four corners with a multi-function remote control actuator. Steve spent the day mingling incognito with the wowed crowd around his latest creation with the silent clicker remote in his pocket. When admirers got too close to the `58, Steve, from several feet away, would make his gorgeous auto artwork suddenly jump, jerk and dance, spooking young and old, and reminding them of the immortal words of J.C. Hackett, "you can look, but don't touch ".
The AutoRama also featured a shiny chorus line of Corvettes, one for every year Chevrolet built them. 1953 through today, with the exception of 1983 (there were no 1983 units produced while Chevy was tooling up for the all new '84 Corvette design). It has been years since such a complete bevy of Corvettes has been assembled in the mountain west. The `53 with its original "blue flame II" stovebolt 6 cylinder and the lineup of side draft carbs was my favorite 'Vette there.
Someone even brought out a pink Corvair for all to ogle. I had a convertible one of these air cooled nightmares in college (but, thankfully it wasn't pink) It had four cylinders, but never ran on more than three at a time. and rarely the same three. The engine splattered around more hot oil than a Greek short order cook during noon hour rush. What oil didn't bum blue out the tailpipe just seemed to run out on the ground from greasy heater boxes or just oozed right out through the porous engine block. It's the only car that should have come with an accessory cookie sheet/drain pan that you could slide under it to catch hot drippings during the night, and then be used to pour recovered oil back into the motor each morning before starting it. It wasn't too peppy either. I think Car and Driver in `63 clocked its zero to 60 time with sand in an hourglass. Where did GM get the name Corvair? "Sporty like a Corvette, dependable like a Belair the new Corv-air, by Chevrolet. "
As always, the motorcycle display was awesome and a little bit of Sturgis right here in Utah. Chrome, black leather, spikes and miniature skulls everywhere, with custom frames and flames galore. They fired up a few and they sounded great even at idle. Can you chant, "Potato, potato, potato ".
If you missed it this year, too bad. Make plans now to attend the AutoRama next year, but please leave your PT Looser in the parking lot.
See you next month. BB
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