At GForce Customs, they turn automotive dreams into reality.
Known for their custom vehicle restoration and modification work, the father-and-son business opened in 2008 in Algona. In 2016, with business booming and their wait list growing, co-owners Ron and Brandon Baade began seeking financing options to help fund the construction of a larger shop.
Eventually, the duo found Corn Belt Power Cooperative’s and Midland Power Cooperative’s low-interest revolving loan funds, which were initially started through a series of United States Department of Agriculture grants.
Each co-op lent the business $150,000 to help fill the financing gap left by traditional lenders. The loans allowed GForce to purchase nearly an acre of land on Highway 169, four miles south of Algona, and construct a 9,200 square foot shop.
Today, GForce is known across the state and region for its quality work and attention to detail, turning out vehicles that are often equal parts art and machine.
“What our customers want today is a classic car that runs and drives like their late model pickup or car,” said Ron. “A lot of our customers are motivated by nostalgia. A customer may have had a car when they were in high school, sold the car, had kids, and now they want that car back. Or someone may have always wanted a certain vehicle and now they’re able to fulfill that dream.”
Most GForce projects start by stripping a vehicle down to its frame and meticulously rebuilding it one piece at a time. The final product is a better-than-new quality vehicle.
“Every nut and bolt is replaced on the car,” Ron says. “The frames are sandblasted and powder-coated. The drivetrain is all updated. Every door gap is fitted perfectly. We’re sticklers, and we want the final product to be the highest quality. When that car leaves here, it’s our name on it.”
Ron estimates that each restoration takes between 1,000 and 1,500 hours, meaning Ron, Brandon, and their two full-time employees only complete a handful of cars yearly.
However, despite the significant cost and lengthy turnaround time, GForce has a waitlist of more than two years.
“GForce is a great example of how the revolving loan fund can benefit small businesses,” said David Speed, Midland Power’s business development and community relations manager. “They were able to utilize the loans to grow their business, paying them off nearly two years early. Those funds can now be lent to other eligible area businesses, continuing the cycle.”
Despite having worked in other fields throughout his career, Ron says his love of cars kept pulling him back.
“There’s something about four wheels, a cool engine, and a nice paint job that just lights people up. I think that’s probably (my) drive,” Ron said. “And then the end product, the finished product, when that car’s done and rolls out. You can just look at that car and go, ‘wow, that’s really, really nice.’”