Preserving WWII History, one part at a time
Vultures Row Aviation in Cameron Park, California specializes in the restoration and reproduction of World War II Warbirds. Many have been shot down or recovered from oceans and jungles. All being rebuilt or repaired with surgical precision, newly fabricated parts or hand shaped panels. President, metal shaper and visionary Chuck Wahl is a rare breed.…
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Pursuit of Perfection: Murpho’s Rods and Customs
Listening to Murpho, owner of Murpho’s Rods and Customs in Austin, Texas, you can’t help but sense the peace and wisdom of a man who’s found his niche in life. “What do I do?” He reflected, “I think really what I do is… an endless pursuit of perfection. It’s… not quantifiable, this thing, perfection, but…
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Imagination Takes the Wheel: Kindig-it Design
Dave Kindig admits, “Problem for me is I have a very active imagination.” That’s what we’d call a good problem to have, and one that keeps the team busy at Kindig-it Design. “I really like to have more than 10 cars to build at any given time. There’s at least 25, 30 cars in here…
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Trick-Tools Racing Represents the #BaileighArmy at the NHRA Nationals
As Trick-Tools’s motorcycle zooms along the racetracks at the NHRA U.S. Nationals, Baileigh Industrial is riding along in spirit. You can see the Baileigh logo under the seat of the White Alligator Racing Pro Stock Motorcycle. The relationship between Trick-Tools owner Bruce Van Sant and Baileigh goes back a long way. “We’ve been selling Baileigh…
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Land of Wonderment: A Visit to Gas Monkey Garage
Passing from Gas Monkey Garage’s corporate offices into car territory, you might notice a white line painted on the floor. This line tells Richard Rawlings that it’s showtime. The shop owner explains: “when we were running and gunning and making Fast N’ Loud, [with] all a sundry of things going on, I’m trying to keep…
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Pieces of History: Brandan Gauthier and Gauthier Furniture
When an old building is destroyed, what happens to the parts, the physical remnants of all the labor and craftsmanship that went into the structure? All too often, those components are simply discarded. As historic buildings in Wisconsin’s Manitowoc County fell, Brandan Gauthier decided to do something with the unique bits and pieces left behind.…
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A Relationship with Metal: Josh Freeman and Freeman Fabrication
Some people seem to light up when they talk about their passions. Josh Freeman is one of them. Watching and listening to Freeman in his Denton, Texas shop, Freeman Fabrication, you can’t miss the joy and contagious enthusiasm for metal fabrication. As Freeman explains, “The ‘less is more’ doesn’t work for me. I like to…
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Moving Metal in Style: John McGraw Jr. and Flashback Kustoms
John McGraw Jr. started down his career path early in life, to say the least. “My parents told me that I knew how to tighten and loosen bolts before I could talk,” he remembers. McGraw’s father raised him around the dirt cars he raced. “As far as metal shaping background goes, it leads back to…
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A Quest to Create: Pete Watkins and Dexterous Engineering
Look up the word “dexterous” in the dictionary, and you’ll see that it means nimble and skillful with the hands and the mind. It’s an apt description for Pete Watkins’s work—and a fitting name for his shop, Dexterous Engineering. From Watkins’s perspective, “metal is metal.” Which means he tackles all kinds of projects without allowing…
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Passionate About the Craft: Mike Wagner and Cornfield Customs
Mike Wagner of Cornfield Customs Ltd. has made a name for himself with masterpieces on wheels. He’s a metal shaping star on social media. But the craft is its own reward for this self-described introvert. “I like to work, but the only time I really feel free is when I’m shaping metal,” he says. “I…
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Hungry for Success: Josh Romaker and Caged Crow Customs
Just looking at Josh Romaker’s handiwork might make your stomach growl. At Caged Crow Customs in Saint Germain, Wisconsin, Romaker builds stylish, attention-grabbing food carts and trailers that fit the flavors and personality of the eatery. Caged Crow also creates one-of-a-kind concessions trailers and pop-up shops. “We’ve never built the same thing twice here at…
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