Background

706-276-RODS (7637)

Hello, my name is Daniel Bell. I was born and raised in Pickens County (North Georgia). I was raised up around hot rods and fast cars. I learned mechanical skills early in life helping my dad, who was always working on an old car or truck. I realized at about 14 years of age I wanted to learn paint and body.

I was blessed to be born in a county that had a technical school in it, Pickens Tech, now known as Appalachian Technical College. I signed up while I was in the 10th grade where I was able to go for two periods a day and the same when I was in the 11th grade. I was able to go full time my senior year only having to take one English which was taught at the tech school. I graduated Pickens High School in 1988 and one month later I graduated Pickens Tech.

I took a job at a body shop about 15 miles away and was there for two months. I received a call from Lanier Ingram of Ingram Truck Body, I met him at the tech school. Lanier told me he had a friend in Dawsonville, Georgia who needed someone to restore some of his old cars. I told him I wasn't interested due to the 40 mile comute. Thankfully he called me back a few days later told me who is friend was, Bill Elliott. He told me he would set up a time for us to go meet him and I quickly agreed. He hired me on the spot.

I started working on race cars and didn't do any restorations. I was under the supervision of Melvin Turner, who had worked with Bill for a long time and Phil Seabolt with graduated with Bill and was a childhood friend. We won the Winston Cup Championship that year. Here I was just a young man out of school who thought he had made it to the big time. I worked there until 1991. Bill went to drive for Junior Johnson in 1992.

I took a job at a local Ford dealership as the Service Advisor. I built a body shop at home where I would work on old cars after hours and weekends. I became the Service Manager in 1997 and I received a call from Phil Seabolt at the racing shop. He told me that Bill Elliott and Dan Marino had gotten together to start a team with Jerry Nadeau as driver with First Plus Financial as primary sponsor. Phil ask if I would come back and help him. I left my job at the dealership and started back working for Bill Elliott in 1997.

We started working six to seven 12 hour days to prepare for the 1998 season. I started practicing with the Pit Crew as rear tire carrier and back-up jack man. I was hesitant to commit to the pit crew because I was raised up not work on Sunday, but I agreed to travel with the team as long as I was needed. I ended up going most of the season. I got to see places and people that most country boys never get to see.

The #13 First Plus team broke up later that year due to the fall of First Plus Financial. Lots of guys were out of a job, but Bill kept a few of us local guys to keep working. We started selling vintage race cars. This was a full-time job. We would keep these cars up for the guys who had bought them. They would rent tracks and play for a day or compete in vintage races. They kept us very busy.

Myself and the other co-workers approached Bill in 2001 about starting a company called "Bill Elliott Rods & Customs." We would own and operate it out of Bill's racing shop. He agreed and we quickly got started on a project for the "Shades of the Past" hot rod show in Pigeon Forge, TN. We had enough time to get a chassis built, equipped with all Winston Cup race car goodies. We received a lot of positive attention that weekend and was very excited Monday morning, then 9-11 hit that Tuesday. We as well as all the nation mourned the loss of our Country had experienced. We kept working on race cars as well as some hot rod stuff, even projects for pro-wrestler, Bill Goldberg.

Being partners in a four-owner business was a tough situation, so we dissolved at the beginning of 2003, just prior to the birth of my first child. I left and came home to my shop and started "Daniel's Hot Rods." I am equipped to do full rotisserie restorations, metal fabrications and custom painting.