ICON 4x4: Creative Restorations and Modifications

i started the brand because i thought there was a lot of opportunity to kind of get out of traditions to kind of rethink how we build classic vehicles so like classic transportation design revisit it in a modern context and like what does that mean i don't really know but i like the question i'm corrupted enough by the luxuries and performance of modern cars but i find aesthetically that they're just soulless and they don't hold my interest so even as a kid you know looking back at the old stuff and like so much design continuity and passion and character and quality to them but wanting to like make a modern car or truck that hides all the modernist under that vintage look so it's basically my childhood dream under the false pretenses of a business even as a hobbyist since i was about 15 for some reason my odd head was always like questioning traditions or conventions so like when i came up with this silly idea you know there was concourse dead stock you'd recreate it to factory perfection including all the imperfections i always looked at that i'm like well why we have access to better coatings you know we know that if you leave that raw it's the first problem it's always question stuff like that and then if you look at all these sort of conventional segments or styles create silo and it seemed like individuals and shops alike were always kind of feeling how to fit into one of these categories so i went into this question like first of all creatively i don't put constraints on myself i maintain my ridiculous passion for it and i've learned through a bunch of sort of lives and careers that that's imperative so especially the dnr like business-wise it's pretty stupid like the amount of time and resources and intellect and talent that goes into those at the end of the year i would have been much better off to just build x many more fjs or broncos or what have you but creatively it's just the sweet spot and not just for me but for the team basically it's like a customer-funded skunk works like what could be better every single job there's something unique about powertrain they want or the suspension engineering or doing the electric derelicts and reformers there's fresh challenges with every single project which just grows our experience and our intellect over time [Music] all the incredible automotive brand founders and industrial designers that really inspire me they always beg that sort of question [Music] if it was just me running this i'd be out of business by now so as soon as possible i built out a master alliance of people with different perspectives and expertises where collectively i think we're able to kind of transcend that model we're hyper organized hyper clean intensive and cad this is traditionally an analog process but i saw the value of computer-aided design on many levels [Music] with this whole somewhat unique way of looking at what we do that has to flow through to the actual process right first step generally will be to liberate that body from its chassis lock the body in position we bring in an expert in that reverse engineering laser scan we'll scan that body then we'll convert that to true surface data because it's billions of polygons so we have the opportunity to look at all of that kind of digitally early on in the process before we press go on the labor it looking perfect in in cad often uh comes with some surprises of the things especially in the one-off world that you did not consider so then there's that analog build to print and handcraft those final details then it's engineering for the primary systems and components we've got the vehicle does it fit on that chassis we thought we had perfectly yes or no boom team meeting tear down and plating in ceramic and polishing and polyurea and powder coat and then all back together pretty then fluids and turnkey then test drive then go yay and then begrudgingly let the customer have it [Music] when you drag in an old carcass and then you drive it back out and you've given it a new life seeing that transition that's a key moment for for all of us especially with dnr because it's like a two-man team will be responsible for that vehicle from my stupid ideas outlined in some models through to that first test drive out that imbues a level of commitment and passion that is important to all of us here [Music] success is keeping it passionate for me and every single person here the fact that we've been able to support so many families we've felt proud to be a part of the revival of consideration and craftsmanship in american goods success is that clients still show up and allow me to do this and aren't asking me to compromise the fact that the passion of the brand has been protected and i've been allowed that luxury that's success would i like to be rich uh hell yeah but honestly this this brand and the way i've grown it it's only gonna work a certain way which means we're only going to be afforded a certain amount of scalability past a point it can no longer be what the brand is and i won't allow that being passionate about what you do is the craziest game changer decision you can make in your life and being able to be inspired to do it so every morning every week and whatever you're like looking forward to it you're dreaming about it i encourage everyone get in your garage build that vehicle craft that thingamajig it does so much for the spirit therefore for us all you

Channel: Petrolicious

Views: 47,664

Rating: 4.9550815 out of 5

Keywords: classic cars, vintage cars, petrolicious, top gear, drive

Id: LLS-qxouKjk

Length: 6min 46sec (406 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 27 2020