JJ Rods, LLC

JJ Rods, LLC is a hot rod and classic car dealer at 35 Liberty Ave in Newark, Ohio. The business calls itself "Central Ohio's Premier Hotrod Shop" and is run by Jerry Jurden. It sells street rods, muscle cars and customized classics from its own stock, and invites shoppers to browse its inventory online or visit in person.

History and who runs it

JJ Rods does not publish a founding story on the pages we could read, but a sponsored feature in Dupont Registry dated January 2019 described the company as marking 13 years in business, which points to a start around 2006. The same article names Jerry Jurden as the head of a team of builders, private collectors and sourcing specialists, and quotes the company's stated goal of offering "tastefully upgraded classics at a fair market price." Jurden also writes the inventory posts on the company's website and is the named contact for buyers.

The shop has been visible in the hobby for some time. A 2012 HotRod Hotline shop tour recorded a visit by the Car Coddlers Car Club of Norwalk, Ohio, with 111 members arriving in 54 cars on their way to the Hot Rod Reunion in Columbus.

How the business works

JJ Rods operates as a dealer that owns what it sells. Nothing we found suggests it takes cars on consignment. According to the 2019 feature, the team scouts the country for undervalued classics, watches auction results to stay current with the market, and buys and trades its way up to more valuable cars. The company says it usually keeps one or two classic hot rods in stock at a time, alongside a wider mix of muscle cars and customized street cars. For buyers, that means the car on the page is generally the dealer's own and is presented as the company has prepared it.

What it sells

The site sorts its inventory into muscle cars, street rods and classics. Vehicles listed in late September 2026 included a customized 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, a 1983 Chevrolet K10 custom pickup, a 1955 Chevrolet 210 custom, a 1969 Buick GS400, a 1969 Mercury Cougar, a 1968 Ford Mustang, a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air and a 1933 Ford coupe. Stock changes often, and the company says as much on its own pages, so treat any list as a snapshot. The 2019 article describes the shop's approach to its builds as modern upgrades on classic bodies, including air conditioning, power steering, disc brakes and late-model engines such as the LS.

Buying from JJ Rods

The company's website says financing is available, and it keeps a sold-inventory section so shoppers can see what has already gone. It also publishes video tours of its stock on YouTube. We could not find published details on shipping, trade-ins or third-party inspections, so ask about each before you commit. For a custom build in particular, it is worth asking what was changed from stock, who did the work and whether receipts exist. Our guide to buying from a classic car dealer covers the questions that matter most when the car is a modified one.

Reputation

We did not find a BBB profile, Google rating or Yelp rating that we could read directly, so we are not quoting any. The testimonials page on JJ Rods' own site features buyers who describe Jurden as honest, friendly and knowledgeable, but these are selected by the company and should be read that way. As with any dealer, judge the specific car: inspect it in person or send an independent inspector, and get the title status and VIN in writing.

Visiting and contact

The shop is at 35 Liberty Ave, Newark, Ohio 43055, and the company lists (740) 404-9396 and [email protected] for inquiries. We could not confirm showroom hours from the company's own site, so call ahead before driving out. If you are comparing options in the area, you can browse Ohio classic cars for sale from other sellers around the state.