How BIBs Started

Jon grew up in North Idaho graduating from Lake City High School in 2007 and starting his engineering degree at North Idaho College (NIC).  After parting out his 2.4T swapped 98 Neon R/T to pay for his first semester and then spending 2 years there, Jon transferred to the University of Idaho (UofI) where he received an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering in 2014.  His first internship at FCA was in Abarth Vehicle Integration the summer between NIC and UofI.  Jon took his H22A swapped 93 Accord, fit everything he could into it, and drove to Michigan where he spent 8 years in vehicle dynamics at FCA/Stellantis.  Jon worked on every Jeep but the Wrangler specializing in ride and handling development.  He also worked with tire suppliers to design OE platform specific tires, tuned springs, bars, jounce bumpers, and his mastery, damper tuning. Jon's day job was ripping prototypes around test tracks, the Arizona desert, California backroads, and wet test tracks in Texas making 1mm changes to sway bars, 3% changes in spring rates, and changing damper valve internals 40-60 times to develop a production level valve code.

Jon then made the move onto Multimatic in the sales division as a Product Engineer where he focused on the business and manufacturing end of vehicle development.  Given his newly found balance of work and home life he decided to turn his old Honda into a Pikes Peak car and dove in head first.  His work on that vehicle has inspired others and he began getting requests for custom work and tuning consultation.  Eventually free time ran thin and one day Jon realized he could scale up what he was doing and start a business and so Bad Investment Builds LLC was founded in 2023 by Jonnyboy Cotton. 

The business focuses on developing properly engineered and safe aftermarket parts for any platform, at an extremely competitive price.  Bringing chassis customization, tuning, and optimization using OE level tools and experience to the aftermarket at a price that fits the weekend warriors budget.  Jons main focus is on integrating lightweight and stiff composite materials into new chassis components, developing coilovers and sway bar packages custom tuned to a specific vehicle, not just some off the shelf mass produced units with random valving in them.  This allows the college kid with a 30 year old Honda to have a track car that handles as well as the chassis will allow, while also retaining smooth flat ride, acceptable harshness, and safe predictable handling characteristics using material generally used on high end vehicles.

After a few years of running the business, Jon realized he hasn’t made a single thing for his own cars and decided this winter was the time for that. He is now working on adding 2-low to his jeep's transfer case by redesigning and adding another detent to the drive selector. He is also planning to make a new shifter and cable to accompany it. Whats next? What ever tickles his fancy.

If you'd like to hear more in depth, check out the podcast Jon did with Break Check!