Here's a little about myself. My name is Derrick Smith. I'm 35 years old. I was born and raised in Cartersville, Georgia about 1/2 way between Atlanta, GA and Chattanooga, TN. I have been around Hot Rods, Race Cars, and Show Cars all of my life. My dad had me washing cars at his ford dealership when I was 10 years old. You could always find us at a racetrack or car show on the weekends. I had an interest early on about painting and detailing, honing those skills on model cars, bicycles, go-karts, or whatever else I could paint and rebuild. I went to work at the dealership body shop when I was 16 years old. By the time I had graduated high school, I had learned to paint and do bodywork. I also had a big interest in race cars. I built my first drag car while in high school. It would go 10.80's in a quarter mile. I eventually worked my way up to a heads up class called Pro 5.0, running as fast as 6.89 at 200 mph. My engine builder, Bill Glidden, showed me a lot about car preparation. I stepped away from racing in 2002 to concentrate on my family and business. I am married to my high school sweetheart, Tosha. We've been married for almost 12 years and have 3 boys, Dustin (12), Austin(9), and Prestin(2). The boys love cars and hot rods as much as I do. When my dad sold his Ford dealership in 2002, I needed a place to work. The decision was made to build a shop at our home at that point. I worked here part time up until 2007 when I decided this was what I needed to be doing full time. I don't do every day crash repair or insurance jobs. I'm a one man show and I do every car if it were my own. I don't do cheap all over repaints. I can do anything from a sand and buff to a frame up restoration. My work has been featured in many national magazines. I take pride in doing the best job I can do on EVERY job. I don't have to make excuses when a car leaves my shop. Keep in mind, this is a two man show, not a high production shop. It may take a little longer, but the end results speak for themselves!!! In 2010, I was so lucky to have Jimmy Whitten join me. He is the best at what he does. He is so very talented, and I could not ask for a better co-worker. We think of him as our family and hope that he is around for many years to come! Take a look at the current and completed projects on our website. Browse around and make yourself at home. Give me a shout if I can help you on your next project. Thanks, Derrick |
