It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit auto industry hard, with delays and cancellations becoming the new norm. But the question is this – how has the pandemic affected shops building custom trucks and cars?
We recently spoke with Travis Pruis, owner, operator, builder, and head honcho at CTP Concepts. In case you missed our exclusive feature over the weekend, CTP Concepts is a shop based out of Gardnerville, Nevada, that specializes in custom trucks with a Bow Tie badge, including the outrageously cool 1968 Chevy C50 Crew Cab flat bed known as Nighttrain shown at SEMA last year.
We asked Pruis how the pandemic has affected shops building custom trucks. Here’s what he had to say.
“I think the biggest thing is getting parts,” Pruis told GM Authority. “Getting parts has been tough. And that’s across the board, everyone I’ve talked to, you’re just waiting for parts.”
Typically, Pruis says it takes one or two days to get the parts he needs for a build. Now, it can be a week out, with big delays as the new normal.
That said, demand is far from dried up – surprising, considering the financial pressures of the pandemic.
“People are buying a ton of stuff right now,” Pruis tells GM Authority. “Everyone is just buying parts, and everyone’s wanting to do builds, everyone’s wanting to get on the list for doing stuff, and I know that’s across the board for shops.”
“I don’t know if it’s just they’re bored at home!” Pruis adds.
In addition to shipping delays, car show cancellations are among the biggest challenges facing custom shops this year.
“You build something like the Nighttrain, and you’re like ‘Oh, I can’t wait to get this thing out to car shows,’ and well, there are none,” Pruis said.
To that point, Pruis says that a robust online presence has become even more important, and continues to be a great way to share builds and enthusiasm for the wild custom trucks CTP Concepts puts out.
“A lot of it has gone [online], and you have C10 Intervention, Carlos and Tony are there, they’ve done their virtual car shows and stuff like that, I’ve seen a lot of those pop up. At least so people can see what’s going on,” Pruis told GM Authority.
“Social media is now where I think people are turning to see what everyone is doing.”
So then, dear reader – what effects have the COVID-19 pandemic had on your automotive passions and experiences this year? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more GM-related COVID-19 news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
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