How Hobby Became A Hot Business

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday February 24, 1999

By BRENT DAVISON Motoring Writer

RAMPAGE. It is a new name in the business of automotive aftermarket accessories and one which came into being, believe it or not, when Brisbane man Brad Lower started building a hot rod.

Mr Lower, now general manager of the Rampage group, was having trouble sourcing parts for his hot rod. The only way to get what he wanted, he reasoned, was to import it himself from the United States. So that is just what he did.

Through the grapevine and the bush telegraph other rodders and street machine owners started hearing about this good gear coming from the States and wanted it for themselves.

`It started with a couple of people asking and soon others were coming around to look and started asking me to order things in for them,' Mr Lower said.

It didn't take long for the hobby to turn into a thriving business. Two years ago, Mr Lower opened his first Rampage shop on Brisbane's southside and before long he was trading from bigger premises just up the road.

This weekend, Rampage officially opens its second store, this one in Newcastle. The company recently bought the Pit Crew business at 45 Albert St, Wickham, as part of a move to establish itself nationally.

Keeping the faith with the loyal Pit Crew clientele, Rampage retained the Pit Crew staff and stock lines, at the same time adding to the variety with new lines and a section known simply as 4Effex.

4Effex is aimed totally at the four-cylinder market, a buyer group that is rapidly overtaking the traditional big six and V8 cars in customising popularity. For all cars Rampage has almost everything to make them unique. There are dress-up lines ? spoilers, bodykits and decals ? and performance enhancements with extractors, carburettors, sports seats, steering wheels, gearknobs, pedals and driving lights.

Supplying race and rally needs is also a specialty.