<\/p>\n
Mention Jimmy\u2019s 4\u00d74 around the Cortez area and most people think of the longtime transmission shop just south of Main Street. Mention Jimmy\u2019s 4\u00d74 to members of the off-road racing community they think of one of the pre-eminent off-road car design companies in the world.<\/p>\n
No doubt, the last decade has been an amazing one for the one-time small-town repair shop. Originally run by Jimmy Rodd, Jimmy\u2019s 4\u00d74 has grown from a small local business into an international phenomenon, designing off-road vehicles for drivers around the world.<\/p>\n
PRODUCTION FACILITY<\/p>\n
To truly understand just how big Jimmy\u2019s has become, one must start at the company\u2019s production facility located just north of Cortez near the Cortez Industrial Park.<\/p>\n
Housed within a large building are all the implements necessary to serve local needs when it comes to lift kits, rims, tires, accessories, programmers and racks. In addition, the facility is also home to a machine shop capable of producing off-road vehicles ranging from rock-crawling Jeeps to full-scale racing rigs.<\/p>\n
Nine people, including owners Randy and Cottin Rodd, work at the facility, taking care of everything from day-to-day production needs to long-term company planning.<\/p>\n
WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM<\/p>\n
Partially as a result of their top-notch production facility, Jimmy\u2019s has grown from a mom-and pop operation to an international company that serves off-road enthusiasts around the world.<\/p>\n
In addition to building off-road vehicles for local drivers, Jimmy\u2019s produces cars for racers and off-road enthusiasts hailing from Romania, Portugal, Mexico, Italy, Germany and England.<\/p>\n
Multiple well-known off-road drivers, including Brian Deegan, drive cars manufactured by Jimmy\u2019s, and with regularity, Jimmy\u2019s vehicles appear on the biggest off-road racing circuits around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re usually anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of the cars in each event across the country,\u201d said Randy. \u201cBasically, 90 percent of what we do is build vehicles for hard-core play and racing.\u201d<\/p>\n
HUMBLE ROOTS<\/p>\n
As big as Jimmy\u2019s has become, the company enjoys humble roots. Founded by Randy\u2019s father, Jimmy, as a small repair shop, Jimmy\u2019s spent many years serving the repair needs of the Cortez community while modifying Jeeps on the side.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen my dad came from California, he bought a brand new 1968 Jeep,\u201d explained Randy Rodd. \u201cHe put a V-8 (engine) in it and we began modifying Jeeps. I\u2019ve been doing this since I was 13 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n
As off-road racing and rock crawling became increasingly popular, Jeep modification became an increasingly large part of Jimmy\u2019s. As the company continued to produce quality machines, the business\u2019s reputation began to spread worldwide.<\/p>\n
VISION FOR FUTURE<\/p>\n
Now housed in its new facility for roughly one year, the off-road portion of Jimmy\u2019s 4\u00d74 plans on continued expansion. According to Randy, there is hope that Jimmy\u2019s will one day include franchises around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re trying to brand the image of Jimmy\u2019s as a huge family,\u201d said Randy. \u201cIt\u2019s the people who buy the cars, it\u2019s the people who race the cars, and it\u2019s the people who work here. We want to be worldwide, so our future is dependant on branding this company.\u201d<\/p>\n
LOYALTY TOWARD LOCALS<\/p>\n
Even with grand plans for the future, Jimmy\u2019s has no intention of losing touch with its small-town roots. Both lifelong Cortez residents, Randy and Cottin are aware that their success would not be possible without the local community. As a result, they plan on giving back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to keep the revenue that we generate local,\u201d said Cottin. \u201cA lot of the panels that you see, the fiberglass is done in Farmington. Our paint is done in Cortez. There is a lot of stuff on the cars that we try to keep right here in town if we can.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to bring customers to local restaurants, hotels and area businesses,\u201d added Randy. \u201cEvery morning, I wake up, and it\u2019s rewarding to be involved with something that has helped me bring people to Cortez.\u201d<\/p>\n
And perhaps, Jimmy\u2019s small-town roots, combined with its big-time potential, are what make the company so unique.<\/p>\n
Promising to be a fixture in the area for years to come, Jimmy\u2019s is doing its part to boost the local economy and put the town of Cortez on the worldwide map.<\/p>\n