Krapohl Body Shop addition expands collision and repair work for large vehicles

Technicians put vital public transportation back on the road The lower-right side of this Harrison Community Schools bus was bent and ripped when it arrived at the Krapohl Body Shop. RVs and tractor-trailers have company in the largest bays in the Krapohl Body Shop. A school bus from Harrison and community transit buses from Roscommon and Alma recently were repaired by body shop technicians. “The school bus was caved in on its right side,” said Body Shop Manager Kevin Telfor. “We were able to refabricate the metal needed, and then we repainted it.” Telfor said a school bus body repair isn’t much different than a passenger vehicle, but the metal tends to be thicker and heavier. He said the school bus project needed to be done on a tight time frame because the Harrison Community School District needed it back on the road. Another recent repair involved the main door on a bus from the Alma Transit Center. Like the school bus, metal work and refabricating material was involved. A 4,524-square-foot addition completed in 2021 allows the Krapohl Body Shop team to work on RVs, semi-tractor-trailers and buses in two large repair bays and a 58-foot paint booth. Customers are bringing their RVs and semi-trailers from more than two hours away. Telfor said Krapohl Ford and Lincoln’s 70-year reputation, as well as its position as the only locally owned and operated full-service dealership, speak loudly to customers. The primary door to this Alma Transit Center vehicle was damaged when it arrived at the Krapohl Body Shop. The nearly completed door looks like new.

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.