Mention Jimmy’s 4x4 around the Cortez area and most people think of the longtime transmission shop just south of Main Street. Mention Jimmy’s 4x4 to members of the off-road racing community they think of one of the pre-eminent off-road car design companies in the world.
No doubt, the last decade has been an amazing one for the one-time small-town repair shop. Originally run by Jimmy Rodd, Jimmy’s 4x4 has grown from a small local business into an international phenomenon, designing off-road vehicles for drivers around the world.
PRODUCTION FACILITY
To truly understand just how big Jimmy’s has become, one must start at the company’s production facility located just north of Cortez near the Cortez Industrial Park.
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.
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.
WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM
Partially as a result of their top-notch production facility, Jimmy’s has grown from a mom-and pop operation to an international company that serves off-road enthusiasts around the world.
In addition to building off-road vehicles for local drivers, Jimmy’s produces cars for racers and off-road enthusiasts hailing from Romania, Portugal, Mexico, Italy, Germany and England.
Multiple well-known off-road drivers, including Brian Deegan, drive cars manufactured by Jimmy’s, and with regularity, Jimmy’s vehicles appear on the biggest off-road racing circuits around the world.
“We’re usually anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of the cars in each event across the country,” said Randy. “Basically, 90 percent of what we do is build vehicles for hard-core play and racing.”
HUMBLE ROOTS
As big as Jimmy’s has become, the company enjoys humble roots. Founded by Randy’s father, Jimmy, as a small repair shop, Jimmy’s spent many years serving the repair needs of the Cortez community while modifying Jeeps on the side.
“When my dad came from California, he bought a brand new 1968 Jeep,” explained Randy Rodd. “He put a V-8 (engine) in it and we began modifying Jeeps. I’ve been doing this since I was 13 years old.”
As off-road racing and rock crawling became increasingly popular, Jeep modification became an increasingly large part of Jimmy’s. As the company continued to produce quality machines, the business’s reputation began to spread worldwide.
VISION FOR FUTURE
Now housed in its new facility for roughly one year, the off-road portion of Jimmy’s 4x4 plans on continued expansion. According to Randy, there is hope that Jimmy’s will one day include franchises around the world.
“We’re trying to brand the image of Jimmy’s as a huge family,” said Randy. “It’s the people who buy the cars, it’s the people who race the cars, and it’s the people who work here. We want to be worldwide, so our future is dependant on branding this company.”
LOYALTY TOWARD LOCALS
Even with grand plans for the future, Jimmy’s 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.
“We try to keep the revenue that we generate local,” said Cottin. “A 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.”
“We try to bring customers to local restaurants, hotels and area businesses,” added Randy. “Every morning, I wake up, and it’s rewarding to be involved with something that has helped me bring people to Cortez.”
And perhaps, Jimmy’s small-town roots, combined with its big-time potential, are what make the company so unique.
Promising to be a fixture in the area for years to come, Jimmy’s is doing its part to boost the local economy and put the town of Cortez on the worldwide map.
imaclaren@cortezjournal.com