Buses latest vehicles to spend time in Krapohl Body Shop’s big bays

Kyle Hauger, left, and Shawn Siegel flip the Baja frame so prep work can continue. Body Shop’s prep work will lead to smooth, long-lasting paint job Kyle Hauger, a technician in the Krapohl Body Shop, was busy Monday scuffing a black frame from the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers Team at Central Michigan University. Kyle Hauger uses a scuffing pad to reach the hard-to-get spots on the frame. It’s tedious work, prepping for a paint job. First, a degreaser was applied to clean the frame. A wire wheel took care of scuffing much of the frame. That left Hauger, using a scuffing pad, to hit the tiny details by hand. Overall, the prep work took about 2.5 hours to complete, a mini version of what a typical vehicle takes. Properly scuffed, the black metal piping was left with a dull finish. “You’ve got to get into all of the nooks and crannies, or the paint won’t stick,” he said. The Baja team is one of Krapohl Ford & Lincoln community partners. The program at CMU challenges students to engineer, fabricate and race developmental, single-passenger, off-road vehicles. It’s a real-world manufacturing project that teaches students skills such as engineering, technology, logistics and marketing. Krapohl provides support by loaning the team vehicles to travel to in-state races, and the Body Shop offered to paint the Baja and formula car frames. Hauger, a Beal City High School graduate who has worked in the Body Shop for about 18 months, said he enjoys the Baja team project because he’s never too far away from dirt track racing. His father-in-law, Willis McKenzie, is the defending champion in the Hobby Stocks class at Mt. Pleasant Speedway. Kyle helps out by working on Willis’ vehicles. The final step for the Baja car — painting in the bay — likely will happen later this week.

Accessories make your vehicle work for your lifestyle. For example, a remote starter can ensure a clean windshield and warm car on a cold Michigan morning. A bedliner for a truck prevents scratches. A backup camera makes it easier to park and, of course, back up. Accessories also make great gifts. Here are the top five suggestions from your team at Krapohl Body Shop and Custom Accessories: The FloorLiner HP is the latest line of car and truck mats from WeatherTech. WeatherTech floor mats: Noah Pontius, one of our estimators and often among the first to greet customers in person or on the phone, said WeatherTech has a variety of floor mats to keep vehicle interiors clean and dry. One of the company's newer products — FloorLiner HP — is "more rubbery," according to Noah, making it easier to take in and out of a truck or car. Remote start system for Fords: If you haven't experienced starting your car from inside the house with a push or two on a key fob, it's time to try it out. A remote start makes cold-weather mornings easier to handle. Noah said remote starts can work with existing keys on vehicles made since 2018. Older models will need a button added to a fob. Running boards: It's great to drive an F-150, Ranger or other type of pickup. Running boards look good and make it easier for everybody to enter or exit the truck. There are several styles of running boards, and Krapohl has several models to look at. Roll-up bed covers for trucks: Again, customers can choose from several styles of convenient The Revolver4X hard-rolling cover offers convenience and security. roll-up bed covers. Noah pointed out a newer version from Bak — the RevolverX4. It's a hard rolling cover that latches automatically to provide security. TruXPort offers a more economical model that also offers easy installation. Spray-in bedliners: Another one for the trucks. A spray-in bedliner prevents chips, scratches and rusting of the bed. Bonus: They should last the lifetime of the truck. Drop-in bedliners are another option. Other items to consider: Undercoating, keyless entry systems, heated seats, seat covers, mud flaps and hood deflectors. Curious? Stop by Krapohl Body Shop and Custom Accessories or give us a call at 989-773-3105.

Brandon Sadler, left, laughs at a comment from Doug Randall while working on a vehicle part. One year later, Brandon Sadler on his way to a Body Shop career Doug Randall and Brandon Sadler both stood in front of vehicles, working to repair front ends on a busy, noisy Thursday morning at Krapohl Body Shop and Custom Accessories. Doug Randall has been with Krapohl Body Shop and Custom Accessories for 23 years. "I didn't have a mentor when I started, but I was like a prairie dog, watching how the others handled the tough jobs." The two men have worked side by side for much of the past year as Doug, in his 23 rd year working in the Body Shop at Krapohl Ford & Lincoln, has mentored Brandon on the fine art of taking a crumpled car and making it look new again. The pairing is one of the latest examples of Krapohl leaders recognizing young employees who have room for growth and assigning them a mentor to set them up for long-term success. Brandon, a 28-year-old Mount Pleasant High School graduate, arrived at Krapohl about six years ago and worked as part of the team in the Quick Lane Tire & Center attached to Krapohl. From there, he moved to the Body Shop, first as an estimator before asking Kevin Telfor, the manager, if there was hands-on work he could learn. “I really enjoy cars,” Brandon said. “I have a Ford Focus RS and two BMW project cars at home.” Being paired with Doug, Brandon said, has allowed him to reach the point where he handles most projects on his own and can call on Doug or another technician if it’s more complicated. “The basic mechanics, I pretty much have that down,” he said. “Krapohl has been good. I think they knew I was somebody who would put forth the effort in any job. Doug is a good teacher; he goes at your pace and never makes it overwhelming.” Doug, who learned body repair in his family’s business, said he has mentored several apprentices at Krapohl. Newcomers such as Brandon who are a bit older tend to do well, in his opinion. A natural aptitude toward mechanics and automobiles helps, too. “This isn’t for everybody,” Doug said. “It takes years and years to get all of it down, and just when you think you know it all, you’ll see something new. It can be a little scary for a new person to see a car all gnarled up, and you have to decide where and how to begin.” Doug said helping employees find their best fit and encouraging them to get the necessary education, certifications and mentoring is one reason the dealership is successful. “There is no other place like this,” Doug said. “I know people who have left and then they end up coming back when they find that out. (Co-owners) Tom Krapohl and Mark Smith — they are just good folks to work for. I know I’m in the right spot.” Brandon, when asked if he’s found his career, was quick to respond. “I think so, yeah.”