Brian Davis living his automotive dream
Brian,
son of the late Terry Davis and Donna Davis-Strangio
and a 2003 graduate of Bonners Ferry High
School, has had a passion for all things
automotive since he started devouring automotive
magazines at age 13.He owned his first car before he even had a license to drive. He ordered a massive audio system and installed it himself, getting good results, but he wanted more. He took it to a shop in Coeur d'Alene, and had a huge sound system installed, and he was hooked ... and started down the path that would lead to the grand opening of his own shop.
While in high school, he met some people who were into building custom cars, and he began hanging out with them, and eventually convinced the men to help him build his own vehicle.
To help pay, he swept the shop floor, cleaned parts and did other entry-level chores, learning more every day. By his senior year, he was selling and installing custom audio gear for schoolmates and adults alike.
After graduating, Brian went to Phoenix, Arizona, and attended Mobile Dynamics, an automotive audio trade school. After graduating at the top of his class, he went to work at Steinley's, the very shop that had installed his first custom audio system. He worked there for two years, then took a job with Aspen Sound.
In 2008, he moved to Portland, Oregon, where he worked at Kingpin Car & Marine, doing high-end custom interior fabrication. While there, he began hanging out with friends in the Oregon chapter of Relaxed Atmosphere, a national car club known for high quality custom automotive work.
Brian began doing serious suspension and chassis customization work for three years until moving to Seattle to work for Benchmark Motoring, where he worked on exotic cars owned by celebrities and the wealthy. He learned computer aided drafting and the use of automated cutting machinery, and worked on some of the most spectacular custom cars in the world.
He left his dream job at Benchmark due to a family emergency last year, moving back to North Idaho last year and to his previous job at Aspen Sound. After eight months, he decided that the time had come to set out on his own, and Hellbilly Customs is the culmination of all he's worked toward and dreamed of.
"I have worked at some of the most successful shops in the country, helped build several vehicles that have landed on the cover of magazines,." Brian said. "Taking all that I have learned in my travels I have combined all the skills into one unique destination to bring your vehicle. At Hellbilly Customs we specialize in custom. We can build anything and everything you can dream. Our commitment to quality is unparalleled. It doesn't matter if you need your radio replaced in your farm truck, looking for a complete custom interior or want to build the car of your dreams, we can do it!"
The grand opening of Hellbilly Customs, N6640 Government Way, Suite D, Coeur d'Alenetakes place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 19, and Brian and Jenna would be delighted to see some of their Bonners Ferry friends to stop in and say "hi!"
Hellbilly Customs will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment on Saturdays. To find out more, call (701) 621-1827.