A series of 27s led to the name of the new 27 Automotive Service and Repair in Jenkinsburg. The number has come up so often in the lives of owners Buddy and Christy Daniell that when the decision to open their own shop was made, the name was a natural. So was the decision to hold a ribbon cutting on July 27.
Buddy, a high-performance car technician, and his wife Christy run the shop at 2361 Ga. Highway 42, where they provide major and minor repairs for engines and suspension, oil and lube maintenance, air conditioning repairs and system diagnostics.
“I was hoping to be their first customer,” said William Mullis of Jenkinsburg, who had Daniell check out his engine while he was there for the Butts County Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting. That title went to Steve Jeffcoat, who said he had plenty of vehicles for 27 Automotive to work on.
“I’ve been working on cars pretty much all of my life,” Buddy said. “My grandfather began sliding me under cars when I was little.”
While serving in the U.S. Marine Corps Buddy said he worked on F-18s. “I went back to working on cars after that,” he said.
Buddy has made a career out of building high-performance, record-setting race cars. Along the way, he discovered a penchant for solving the puzzles and challenges a malfunctioning automotive electrical harness can create in any modern vehicle.
“When other people can’t fix it, I’ll get to the bottom of it,” Buddy said. “One guy came in expecting (to have to buy) a motor. I ended up fixing a bad relay and a blown fuse. You’ve got to get down to the actual problems. I want to do it right. I’m very meticulous about my work.”
After spending years driving to Cumming to work on racing vehicles, Buddy said, it was time for a change.
“My father had always wanted me to own my own business,” Buddy said. “One day I noticed that this place, which I drove by every day, was for rent.”
“The Lord just planted a seed in him,” Christy said. “God continues to show us his blessings and they always come to us in the number 27. We hope to be a blessing to the community. It’s why we’re here.”
Their oldest son Brandon Daniell was born on the 27th at 11:58 p.m., she said. It is the anniversary of their first date and their marriage.
“I rented a trailer to haul some stuff up here (to the shop) and it was $27,” Buddy said. “The doughnuts we bought for the ribbon cutting came to $27.”
There were tragedies, too. Christy lost her fiancé and Buddy lost his sister, both on the 27th day of different months.
“Everything important, every time, that number comes up,” Buddy said.
Buddy would like to get involved with local veterans’ activities and help them with their cars. He plans to offer specials to veterans, their widows and families.
“I’m not here to make a million bucks,” Buddy said. “I want this to be a small, reliable shop.”
For more information, call 27 Automotive at 470-251-5515.
This article originally appeared on jacksonprogress-argus.com
