On Saturday, April 26, Mike Pulido was enjoying a day at the NSRA Western Nationals, in Bakersfield, Calif.  He says that around 1900 gearheads showed up for the weekend-long event, and the 84-degree weather was perfect for a car show. Oldies music filled the air, only interrupted occasionally by the sweet sound of V8’s motoring around the fairgrounds.

But, then, a slight disaster struck.

“As my wife and I, along with some new-found friends, were taking it all in, a gust of wind came from nowhere with the force enough to raise an EZ-Up canopy about 25 feet in the air,” says Mike. “As all eyes were fixed on this Wizard of Oz scene, the wind stopped as abruptly as it started, bringing the intact shelter straight down, and the calm returned.”

“Oh yeah,” continues Mike.  “It came straight down on top of my ’41 Willys Coupe!”

Mike says that after the initial shock, he accessed the damage: top on the passenger side, left front fender, right rear fender and the trunk lid. He says he was ready to pack it in and head back down I-5, for a four to five hour drive home, but his wife and friends talked him into staying.

“Which I’m glad they did,” says Mike. “We had a great time, and we left late Sunday night for the trip home. First thing Monday morning, with the car still in the trailer, I headed over to Lucky 7 Customs.”

There, Mike says he was greeted by “the master himself,” Marcos Garcia (PPG’s Trendsetter of the Year in 2007).  Mike says he pulled out the car, and Marcos examined the damage to the vehicle.

“My confidence was restored as Marcos kept telling me ‘It’s not a big deal, I can make it look like new,’” says Mike. “He said it would take about two weeks, as he would fit me in, between his current projects. He wrote out a rough estimate, and I was on my way back home.”

Mike says his next concern was insurance.

“I was not as confident with the anticipation of dealing with an East Coast insurance company, with me living here in the West,” explains Mike. “But, I was pleasantly surprised, as I was able to get straight through to an agent. Thinking I would have to get at least two estimates, and figuring they would hack away at the time and labor factor as well as waiting weeks for a return call, I was floored when he said ‘Take the car to anyone of your choice.’ Within two hours of this initial call, I received a call from an estimator from Sacramento, stating he would be out [the next day] to access the damage.”

Mike says that upon arrival, the estimator had a copy of the estimate and said it looked very fair.

“He said all the paperwork would be sent to Grundy on Thursday,” continues Mike. “I couldn’t believe it when I received a check with the full estimate the following Wednesday. How’s that for service?”

Mike goes on to say that dealing with Grundy’s “knowledgeable and professional staff” was an “exemplary experience.”

“It is a great feeling to know that they are as compassionate as we are about the hobby,” he says.

Mike got his car back this Wednesday and seems ecstatic to have his baby back.

He has collected cars since he was 16-years-old and owned (just in his high school years alone) a ’56 Chevy, ’66 396 SS, ’63 Corvette split-window Stingray, ’65 Buick Riviera and a ’69 Mustang Mach 1.

But, Mike says that he had wanted a Willys since he was a teenager, and buying this car two years ago was his dream coming true.

Grundy Worldwide is glad we were able to help keep his dream alive.

“It’s been a wonderful experience,” says Mike. “And, the insurance was the easiest part!”

And, within just a few weeks of that initial call to Grundy, Mike already has big plans for the Willys. This weekend, he will be hauling the car to Petaluma, Calif. for a tribute to the American Graffiti film. Mike says he looks forward to cruising the streets where the movie was filmed, years ago.  He also plans on attending a Memorial Day car show in Monterey, Calif.

Story by: Becky McLaughlin and Mike Pulido

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