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closeATWATER -- With a sputtering economy, the Reed brothers are keeping their car and truck customization business rolling by expanding the operation.
Since the beginning of 2008, Reed Customs has been selling automobile parts as a way to draw more customers.
"We will match any prices, but typically we don't have to," said 28-year-old Adam Reed.
The showroom isn't much bigger than a walk-in closet, so the East Broadway shop keeps a low inventory, which also tends to keep the price down. It works with Manteca and Hayward warehouses that can ship parts overnight most of the time.
Even with the added revenue from parts, Reed said they've still noticed about a 15 percent drop in the amount of money its customers are spending.
Reed's 31-year-old brother, Danny, opened the business in 2005 after more friends of friends wanted the brothers to modify their cars. Besides selling parts and the off-road customization, Danny Reed works on import cars, another local niche he thinks his business can help fill.
The brothers learned to work on engines from their father, who brought his diesel trucks to their Winton home to fix.
"We've been doing this since we could pick up a wrench," Adam Reed said.
For the next month or so, Reed will be working on Mike Douglas' Chevrolet Silverado to make it ready for Baja-style racing -- where racers speed through Mexico in the fall.
"It's an adrenaline rush," said Douglas, 27, of Livingston. "I've been wanting something to play around with."
Douglas has been involved with off-road racing for the past five years and has been saving money to afford the custom work.
The suspension will cost about $8,000 and the roll-cage and body work will put the total bill at about $25,000.
His truck wheels sagged on the car lift because the new shocks, with 24 inches of give, need to be installed.
"(Baja racing) is pretty crazy stuff," Reed said, noting that they had to replace a transmission three times one year.
Some of the top trucks at the races can cost about $500,000, and the shop is planning to build its own racing truck, which will cost about $100,000, but also help with advertisement.
The business can cut and bend pieces of sheet metal and is trying to find ways to improve the performance of auto parts. It's working to secure a patent at the moment.
"We see how it breaks," he said, "and see how we can improve it."
Reporter Scott Jason can be reached at (209) 385-2453 or sjason@mercedsun-star.com.
Reed Customs
LOCATION: 158 E. Broadway
HOURS: Noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday
PHONE: (209) 357-0966
WEB: www.reedcustoms.com
