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The two-tone '39 Buick custom built in a Salt Lake City shop is a stunning mix of pearl gray and white, separated by subtle stripping.
But that wasn't what made jaws drop at the Goodguys West Coast Nationals in northern California when it was recently named American's Most Beautiful Street Rod.
Yes, judges liked its long, ultra-straight hood, the polished LS2 Chevy V8 engine and intricate details such as hand-built inlet tubes. But the most astonishing achievement by custom car designer Dave Kindig was that the winning entry was a four-door model.
"Guys don't make hot rods out of four-doors, they're kind of the ugly ducklings in the industry," said Goodguys spokesman John Drummond. "To take a four-door and made it beautiful is quite a feat. The car won because of its superior fit and finish work, and its unique design. Dave able was able to pull together a lot of simple details that made the overall package stellar."
Kindig, 40, has won a stable of trophies since he began designing and building hot rods and custom cars in 1999. Among the things that make his story unusual is that he is self-taught. He had to drop out of West High his senior year to support himself, but returned to earn a GED. He didn't go to college, and he has no art education, other than the Hot Wheels cars he pulled apart and reassembled as a boy. He likes to joke that Legos, bicycles and lawn mowers — anything he could take apart — played a part in his schooling.
"I personally know of some famous rock musicians who can't read sheet music, their talent just come naturally to them," said Drummond. "Dave is like that. He's one of those rare examples who has a natural-born ability to design automotive art. He is one of four or five up-and-coming custom car designers around the country who have the 'it' factor. They're able to see an old car, redesign it [mentally] and make it look much better than the original factory design."
Kindig said his earliest memories were of a fantasy world that he built in his mind.
"I envisioned things that were cool, and when I couldn't find what I wanted, I turned to drawing something that didn't exist," he said. "I wanted to see if I could make it happen."
Kindig-It Design at 164 E. Hill Ave. (4050 South) in Salt Lake City, is as distinctive as its owner. It is one of the few shops in which virtually all work is done in-house. He credits much of his success to his crew of 15 employees.
Kindig also likes to say that his career took off the day he met Charity Cox. Both remember the time and place, July 12, 1990, at the old Ritz dance club on State Street. And that was before he knew Charity drove a black 1967 Chevrolet Malibu.
She had helped sand and assemble the car, and was familiar with classic vehicles and their restoration. Her father, Richard, had a garage filled with projects, from a '55 Chevy and '35 Ford two-door sedan to a '29 Model A with a rumble seat. When the couple married, Kindig's father-in-law became his do-it-yourself mentor.
For years, Kindig had been taking apart Volkswagen bugs and reassembling them. It wasn't long before he talked his wife into selling her classic Malibu for a VW project, something he regrets.
She carries no grudge and was supportive when Kindig announced he was quitting his job applying ceramic coatings on car exhaust systems. He was starting his own business. At the time, they had a 3-week-old baby. Today, 15-year-old Bailey helps with the drawings and Kindig-It Design's clothing line, while 12-year-old Drew prefers welding projects.
Many of Kindig's clients have been business owners and celebrities, such as U.S. short-track speed skater Apolo Ohno. The shop is rebuilding Ohno's 1964 Cadillac Coupe Deville, which will be shown in November at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, which draws 100,0000 attendees and 2,000 exhibitors to Las Vegas. It is among the world's largest gatherings of businesses in the after-car market.
At the 2007 SEMA show, Kingdi won the GM Design Award with a '37 Chevy Coupe.
Bob Larivee, show manager for Michigan-based Championship Auto Shows Inc., said Kindig is among the nation's top 20 hot rod builders. The organization runs the World of Wheels, Autorama and Cavalcade of Customs throughout the United States, attracting 20,000 to 150,000 spectators at each event.
"Dave doesn't build clone cars," said Larivee. "He goes out of his way to build cars unlike anything anyone has seen before. When a car is done, it's a work of art."
Kindig doesn't disclose costs. He simply compares projects to what a vacation home would cost. Some projects are higher. Think a vacation home in an exclusive area — with a pool.
Kindig remembers his early years, ripping apart VW bugs, learning metal shaping, body work, mechanics and painting. His longtime, personal project will be a combination of an expensive hot rod and a cheap, utilitarian bug. It might be reminiscent of say, that ugly-duckling, four-door Buick, which in Kindig's hands became cool.
Twitter: @DawnHouseTrib —
Kindig-It Design
What • Hot rod and custom car builders
Where • 164 E. Hill Ave. (4050 South), Salt Lake City.
Employees • 15
Products • Flush vehicle door handles, apparel
Services • Full turn-key custom car projects, including suspension design, metal fabrication, paint facilities, concept drawings and project planning