Aftermarket Parts Come to the Market
D and C Extreme has a long, but unofficial history of building aftermarket parts. It actually started many years ago when two high school friends, named Damian Grihalva and Chris Normile made spare money detailing cars. Slowly the dreams broadened and the duo began rebuilding, restoring, and customizing Porsches with aftermarket parts. That also ended with Damian going into the mission field and then marrying his bride Christy. Education was the goal for Damian and before that goal got accomplished Christy gave birth to a beautiful son named Matthew.
Months later, Chris got a hold of Damian and talked him into taking a semester off school to custom build and program a new electroplating facility in Union City, California. Out of state tuition at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs had taken its toll on his budding family and he agreed to come out to work off some debt.
While in California, Damian visited Anything Scout in Palo Alto to see what he could do to improve his 1970 International Scout 800a with aftermarket parts. After awhile he started nickel plating components for Anything Scout. Later, Bill, the manager, asked if Damian could weld a nice aftermarket part tire carrier for his tricked out International Scout 800. He agreed and soon had a beautiful aftermarket bumper mounted tire carrier for Bill’s Scout. As luck would have it, Bill talked Damian into producing tire carriers as an aftermarket parts manufacturer. D and C Extreme was reborn.
From that humble, and almost by chance, beginning in Feb. 1999, D and C added “Extreme” to the end of its name and designed its first aftermarket parts, a new front and rear bumper to complement its tire carrier. D and C Extreme’s first appearance was at the 1999 IH Western Regionals (a.k.a. Tulare 99). They borrowed a beautiful 1973 Scout II (from Jim Parker), outfitted it with their prototype bumpers and nerfbars, and headed to the show in a borrowed RV. At the show they were asking only $175 per bumper or tire carrier and only got one order. Despite dismal sales, they met Rod Phillips (of Giddum Up Scout), John Comer (of Gryphin Racing) and tons of great Scout folks. Those contacts and the orders that trickled in for aftermarket parts afterwards were what inspired Damian to continue with D and C Extreme’s custom line of bumpers for the IHC Scout and Scout II.
From their humble beginnings inside Damian’s in-laws garage, D and C Extreme Ind. steadily matured into a full-fledged aftermarket parts 4WD customization firm. To aid them in their tremendous growth, Chris Normile moved to Colorado Springs to help move into and set up the first shop in December,2000. By December, 2001 they had outgrown the small 1600 sq ft facility and obtained a new 4,375 sq ft facility. By March of 2002, everything was set, work was pouring in and D and C Extreme grew from 2 friends into 2 friends and 3 other employees.
Satisfied that he’d finished his part, Chris moved back to Northern California where he now is the shop foreman at the 4 Wheel Parts Performance Center in San Jose, California. Chris has always been a cherished friend and his experience in custom ‘building’ large shops was greatly appreciated during the growing time.
By September 2002 D and C Extreme was back up to four highly motivated fabrication wizards. Fast forward to October, 2012. D and C Extreme had become a well known name to Scout, Bronco, and Jeep enthusiasts and Damian decided it was time to take on new challenges. It was time to sell the shop. An extreme XJ fan named Eric Younger immediately became interested in taking over the business and a deal was done. Eric has a vast background in welding, even starting a successful welding supply company. This knowledge assured Damian that the quality of D and C Extreme’s aftermarket parts and products. Eric is set to take D and C Extreme to many new levels reaching many new enthusiasts.
We hope you like what you see!
Eric Younger
Owner, D and C Extreme Industries.