For the Love of Automobiles

Even before his first one, Nathan Simmons’s love for cars began with building toy cars – models, to be exact. One of his first was a functioning quarter-scale model engine that seemed impossible but his determination to make it perfect finally prevailed. Two or three model kits later, the engine was perfect and he’d moved on to the next challenge: constructing RC cars, then motorized scooters, custom Volkswagens, and now owning his own high-end collision repair and customization auto shop.

C & C (Custom and Classic) Collision on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena is an auto shop that doubles as a safe haven for weary car-lovers, from classic car owners to the “amateurs” who love their expensive and sometimes brand new rides.

Unlike other shops, where picking up your car comes with expectations of either an astronomical bill or an additional fault in the car, C & C hangs it hat on completing the job honestly and “with perfection.”

“Think of me when you have anything that you need wrong with your car because if I can’t do it, I know somebody that can. I’ll refer you to somebody that I can stand behind,” says Simmons.

The South Pasadena native runs his shop with business partner Rett Comer – the two have been friends since they both entered the same first grade class one year early. Since, then, they’ve been designing different types of motorized transportation — including the custom scooters they built and used to travel the neighborhood in packs 20 years ago. He knows the neighborhood and, more importantly, he says, he knows the people living around him.

The two started the business in 1998, then known as Custom and Classic Paint and Body on Washington Blvd., after spending years fixing and painting the cars of friends and family in a garage in South Pasadena.

When they changed their name and expanded to a larger space in 2004, they set out to be the premier collision shop around “by investing in nothing but the best equipment, training, and materials,” Simmons says.

Simmons’ artistic side was always screaming to get out, but never translated to the traditional two-dimensional canvas. He found that he could picture his designs, but could not transfer them, they just remained stuck inside his head. It wasn’t until he discovered his talent for designing in actual spatial environments – landscapes, architecture, and naturally, cars.

“I wanted to go to Art Center, take transportation design, and design cars, but I just didn’t really enjoy drawing on paper,” he says. “I realized I liked to do it on the real thing.”

With his designs already in mind and his hands ready, Simmons provides a fully realized concept to car owners when the customers are looking for something different, or even a complete custom overhaul. C & C’s staff is specialized, split into those who work on customizing and those who work on the collision work.
To Simmons, cars are the application of his artistic side, and perhaps, he says, why he strives so much to perfect his projects.

“Your definition of less than perfect and my definition of less than perfect can be two different extremes,” says Simmons. “So to solve all of that controversy, all I ever do is perfect work.”

The 100% guarantee, and accompanied lifetime warranty on all his work seem to speak towards his confidence. Perfect, though, doesn’t always mean expensive. To customers that bring in their wrecked cars, “you get what you pay for.”

“A lot of our customers are surprised at how cheap it is when it’s something little or the $20 quick fix although the average customer severely under-estimates the cost of collision repair,” Simmons remarks.

One of his most recent projects, and one that piques his attention, is replacing the roof on a new BMW M3; the trend now is to replace the standard steel roof with a carbon fiber roof.

His favorite customer, though, is the car enthusiast who won’t trust their Mustang or exotic car with anyone but Simmons himself.

That’s not to say there’s a bias. Simmons got into the car business to work on all sorts of cars with all sorts of problems, as an artist would. Every car gets the same treatment, from a Prius to a Porsche.

“Our goal is for it to be perfect.,” says Simmons. “If it’s not perfect, I don’t even call you to pick up your car.”
C & C Collision, 826 South Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena. (626) 795-4749