Overnight, another massive oak, stretching 50 to 75 feet in the air, had cracked and fallen, smashing several classic cars JLP Motorsports had been restoring.
When workers returned Tuesday morning, they found several of the cars they'd been painstakingly restoring buried under tons of rotted wood and leaves. The 1977 Ford LTD was smashed, as was the 1967 Buick Skylark. A 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air was crushed inside a shed that was hit by one of the tree's main branches.
Maybe worst of all: A 1968 Ford pickup belonging to Max Bridges, who works at the shop, was totaled. Its restoration was nearly complete, and the truck had gone for a spin Monday, hours before the tree fell.
"We're just not even sure where to start," said Lois Simmons, who owns the shop, at 10301 U.S. 301, along with her fiancé, Jasen Law.
JLP Motorsports opened about two and a half years ago and does a little bit of everything. The shop specializes in classic car restoration but also repairs RVs, does body work and auto repairs.
Workers spent Tuesday making sure the cars that were spared – including a '78 Corvette, a '69 Camaro, a '64 Falcon and a couple of 1954 Chevys – were out of harm's way. The tree didn't touch the main garage; so with a little tree-trimming, workers were able to get in there. The shop's outdoor lift also was still in operation.
Simmons said she was waiting for the insurance adjustors – hers and the neighbor's, because the tree was rooted next door – before bringing in a tree service.
Considering the tree had damaged or destroyed several classic cars, it was hard to estimate the extent of the damage, she said.
In the meantime, work continued, with intermittent breaks to gaze up at the second tree looming over the property, and to talk about the damage that already had been done.
"We got lucky," Simmons said. "We had several other vehicles right next to the lifts and on the lifts, and it just missed them.
"It could have been worse."
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