HISTORY OF HCC & JP

              Hello, my name is John Paul Townsend and I own Hardcore Chopper Concepts. My family has worked in the automotive repair industry in one form or another for as long as I can remember. My grandfather started this, years ago by repairing old vehicles with my father and uncle when they were young, for extra cash. My father and uncle continued on in this field and have successfully operated businesses in totaled automobile rebuilding, vinyl top installation, fire truck manufacturing, utility bed installation, body shops and a DuPont paint store which is in operation today. Although my grandfather and father are retired, my uncle and I continue in our businesses and in a few more years may be joined by my son, the fourth generation painter. His first project? A customized skateboard painted in a tri stage system with a pearl mid coat and airbrushed skulls at 10 years old! I thought I had accomplished something cool when I painted my first bicycle in a single stage acrylic enamel metallic paint.

            During high school, I lived to talk about and wrench on old Chrysler muscle cars. My father had bought a 1969 383 4 speed Road Runner new in 1969 and gave it to me as my first car in 1984. I spent all my time and money during high school on this car and although in need of restoration I still have it today. During and after high school I worked a couple of dead end jobs. I eventually wound up at the family business, Central Fire Apparatus. I was capable for my age and learned a lot while there but it was very difficult to work for family as a teenager.

            After Central Fire Apparatus I went to work for Pioneer Sign Company in Elizabethton Tennessee. There I learned a little about sign work and was introduced to what computers were capable of. Mostly, I built sign structures and boat dock slips under the owner’s supervision. We became friends and later in my life he would have even more impact on me. Being young and not able to keep focused on careers, I thought I would try college. I took a couple classes and didn’t like it very well and dropped out. I wound up playing with old cars, street racing on weekends, getting into trouble and staying broke.

            After pressure from my parents to consider the military I joined the United States Navy. I had seen the movie Top Gun a couple years before and I liked the idea of working with air craft. I was an AMS, aviation structural mechanic. I signed a four year enlistment and was guaranteed a few schools after boot camp. Boot camp was a reality check for me but I made it through. I was assigned to VFA 151 Vigilantes stationed at NAS Lemoore California. The Vigilantes is an F18 squadron and had just returned from being stationed in Japan. Our squadron was attached to the USS Constellation on the west coast. I performed well in the Navy and got to see places and things most people only hear about. The Navy sent me to a lot of schools over a four year period. Aviation hydraulics, advanced composites, corrosion control, aircraft structures, corrosion basics, paint, touch up, aircraft markings, F/A 18 structures and many more.

            I remember the first time I saw an F/A 18 at my squadron when I arrived. It was on jacks with the landing gear up. It was absolutely the most high tech coolest thing I had seen in my life! My supervisor told me to get on the plane and pull a couple of panels for inspection and I couldn’t believe I was allowed to wrench on something like this plane which then cost 43 million! Two years later I was burnt out on aircraft! Our life revolved around the plane being able to fly and it can wear a person down. I understand why though. I enjoyed being a part of something bigger and more important than myself but decided to come out of the Navy in 1995.

            After the Navy I took a couple of weeks off to decide what I wanted to do next. I fished and visited friends I had not seen in a few years. During the next couple of months I went back to work for Pioneer Sign Company and was married to my wife. We started a family and were baptized on March 23 1998 at Central Church of Christ where we still attend. While at Pioneer Sign Company I was able to use skills I had gained through the years and add to them. I learned how to design, build and install signs. I learned a whole new level of quality and how to achieve it in the sign industry. I found that I had patience for detail oriented work but not the experience. Over the next few years I got deeper into the motorcycle world and eventually Smith Brothers gave me a chance. Working with them I learned what level a chopper or Harley should be done on.

            It took a few years of trial and error to be taught to paint motorcycles in detail and is a constant struggle to keep raising the bar. I took time to learn cosmetic paint systems and procedures. The custom paint world can be hard to gain experience in. Some painters believe in trade secrets and think all techniques must be kept secret or the next guy will take your business. It probably happens sometimes but I believe anyone can be trained to do anything and will eventually achieve it if they persist in the pursuit of it. I have an open door policy about paint techniques and share my experience when I can. Competition controls quality and price and attitude problems with painters comes from thinking they can do something someone else can’t.

            It’s been a rough road learning what it takes to offer a presentable job. Thanks to Christ, my wife, my family and friends I am able to support my family by doing something I enjoy and I plan to continue on. Any accomplishment however large or small can only be found in the pursuit of it.

 J.P. Townsend