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Steamboat Springs — The Michigan employment situation was ugly when JC Cirisan lost his job in the high-tech sector.

The automotive expert worked in vehicle simulations and had been racing cars since 2002. So when he didn't land a new job, he headed to Routt County in November to teach at Steamboat Springs' Bridgestone Winter Driving School.

Now he's launching a business of his own. Cirisan started Yampa Valley Customs, where he plans to customize and revamp street rides, rally cars, antique vehicles and whatever else comes his way.

"Anything anybody really needs," he said. "From what I can tell in this town, there are really only a couple of people that can help someone out with small accessories. I'd like to be able to help people who need help bolting on accessories they order on the Internet : to full restoration jobs for people who want a custom project done."

And yes, that includes chrome rims and grills - but not custom paint jobs.

Right now, he's working on his shop car, a 1961 Chevrolet Apache, and two rally cars for Mark Cox, who owns Rally Art Organization, which runs the driving school. Cirisan rents his two-vehicle space at 1712 13th St. from Cox.

Cox said Steamboat was lucky to snare someone with Cirisan's talent.

"He's kind of unique in the sense that he has a pretty vast pool of experience," Cox said. "He has experience with everything from race cars to one-off custom street rods, as well as any kind of antique or vintage car. He's a pretty well-rounded guy, pretty capable in a variety of areas."

If Cirisan weren't building his rally cars, Cox said he would have to get them shipped in from Chicago or Vermont.

"It's nice to have someone right in the valley," Cox said.

Nice lines

Cirisan said he didn't expect to get into full swing until he gets a bigger working space. He's had a lot of interest already, however.

"Right now, we are officially unofficial," he said of Yampa

Valley Customs. The only hint of his company's presence is a metal YVC sign outside his shop. Cirisan welded it.

His family is still in Michigan, north of Ann Arbor in Pinckney. Cirisan wanted to spend some time in Steamboat before making a permanent move. His wife, Samantha, 10-year-old daughter, Payton, and 6-year-old son, Darcy, will move out this summer.

"I love it here," Cirisan said. "Hopefully, the wife and kids will like it here. I really enjoy the laid-back atmosphere of the place. : Everyone knows each other, takes care of each other."

In addition to his Apache, a shell of a Subaru sits in Cirisan's shop. It's one of the vehicles he's reworking into a rally race vehicle for Cox.

Taking a regular road car and preparing it for rally racing takes two to three and a half months, depending on what category the driver would like to race in, Cirisan said. It costs $10,000 to $15,000 to prepare a car for a rally, depending on the changes the customer wants, Cirisan said.

He also is willing to do bits and pieces of preparations. If a driver just needs a cage installed, for example, the price drops to $3,000 to $5,000.

Cirisan said he didn't have a favorite vehicle to work on.

"I like 'em all," he said. "They're all made to be driven, and I just really enjoy new cars to old cars, anything with nice lines. I like taking something that might look like a hunk of junk : and turning it back into the work of art some engineer back in the day envisioned."

Cirisan said he hopes only to build a business that can survive. And for the first time in a while, he's enjoying his work.

"I'm coming from more of a corporate setting and having to be a little more formal," he said. "To do something like this in a tight-knit community that's fun. It's refreshing. I'm looking forward to filling up mud season and summer with this."

- To reach Blythe Terrell, call 871-4234

or e-mail bterrell@steamboatpilot.com