C & J Motorsports Custom Tuning Cars in Kent

You may have seen, or even heard, the work done by C & J Motorsports over the past year.

Several of the cars cruising high above Kent streets with oversized chrome wheels and lots of speakers blasting bass tones are the product of this local business.  

The company at 1000 Mogadore Road specializes in the installation of audio and in-car video systems, as well as oversized wheels and suspension lifts.

"We do a lot of special customization, a lot of fiberglass work in doorpanels and on dashboards," owner Cliff Hoffman Sr. said.

His customers' most frequent job request is for custom upholstery work and audio-video systems. The oversized wheels and suspension lifts are the next-most-requested job.

His biggest seller in car audio systems is the db Drive line of products. "It's a super strong, quality line," Hoffman said. 

When it comes to his customers' favorite oversized wheels, it's the Rockstar brand.

The popularity of these big wheels on lifted cars is a fairly recent phenomena. "The 28-inch and 30-inch rims have become popular in the last two to three years," Hoffman said. He added that it's a style that he's seen move up from the South.

The term "donk" car is used to describe these custom vehicles with oversized wheels and lifted high into the air. In most cases the term refers to a "large American sedan with wheels 20" or greater in diameter," but there are many trucks and other vehicles on the road now sporting the same chassis upgrades.

This donk style caused a stir in Cincinnati, OH, earlier this year when police in that area began seizing and impounding vehicles that fit that description. Some of the authorities there cited a public safety code and alleged the vehicles were unsafe for the road.

There hasn't been any notable outcry or move by police in Northeast Ohio against donk vehicles yet, and Hoffman said he's received no complaints locally from anyone about the oversized rims and high-lift autos.

C & J Motorsports also does custom upholstery work and audio-video installation on boats and motorcycles. They do work on security alarms and remote start systems, too.

The remote start system lets you automatically start your car some distance away from it — even from inside your home. Hoffman stresses the winter benefit of this, as you can step into an already warmed-up car when it's cold outside.

Hoffman uses Compustar remote start products with a lifetime warranty and Auto Page security systems.

His custom shop even does basic auto care.  

"We're a one-stop shop, we do everything," Hoffman said. "No job is too big or too small, and anything that needs to be done, we can do it."

The shop is family owned and operated, and it opened in Kent in May 2010. He moved his business here from Akron, where he officially went into business in 2000.

His very first custom project was a stereo and speaker installation 23 years ago on a 1972 Dodge Charger when he was 17 years old.

"I love working on cars," Hoffman said. He is self-taught in his profession. "It's all been hands on. You just get in there and do it."

His favorite specialized job was on a 1972 Volkswagen bus. "It was a camper, and we turned it into a full custom bus," Hoffman said. "It went from two bucket seats to six and got a full custom paint job."

Entire rebuilds and specialized work on interiors for all classic air-cooled VW's is something C & J Motorsports does that sets them apart from most auto shops. Few locations in Northeast Ohio will do the extensive work on classic VW's that Hoffman can do.

The first part of the name of his Kent business originated from the names of his 6-year-old twin boys, Cliff Jr. and Jeff. His wife of 12 years, Kim, is a native of Brimfield.

"You can feel safe with your car left in our care," Hoffman said.