Rodz Kustomz & Restoration Is Sheetmetal Heaven

Rod has been in the industry for just over fourteen years and has worked on some amazing elite level cars within this time. One that stands out is Wayne McLaughlin’s Chevy powered 1956 Ford F100 when he worked for Fonzies Rod Shop, but before we get to that part let’s get some history on the talent.

When Rod was only fourteen, a chance encounter while driving along would set the wheels in motion for his passion and drive in pursuing a fabrication career. Rod was obsessed with EH Holdens, seeing one on the side of the road he just had to pull over. To his surprise it was non-other than Adam LeBrese’s highly modified 1964 EH Holden Panel van.

“Adam was very easy to talk to and talked me through the custom fabrication on the panel van which had me in awe, from that day I decided that I was going to teach myself Fabrication.”

After moving to the Gold Coast with four hundred dollars saved, he went and bought himself a sheetmetal folder and welder. He started with a roof chop on his own Dodge Kingsway in his carport.

Getting his first gig on the tools full time for Oz Rods doing body work, then for a short period of time he moved to Sydney to work for Paul Bennett of Bennett supercars. Here is where he showed his skills fabricating, creating most of the interior in Paul’s Borgward ‘Goliath’. After becoming home sick he decided to move back to the GC, he went straight back to do Metal Fab for Oz Rods for a few years before ending up at Fonzies Rod Shop.

“When I was twenty-seven, I decided I wanted complete creative freedom in metal fab. So, I went out on my own starting my first shop in Molendinar.”

Rod spent five years building up his business and needed to expand. His current workshop in Southport is filled with wall-to-wall restos and he is happier than ever doing fantastic work.

You can see the heart and soul that goes into Rod’s metal work, especially the custom chassis work, not only structurally sound but an absolute work of art. The builds at Rodz Kustomz are all in different stages, some of which barely resemble the cars make or model but there’s no challenge that Rod isn’t willing to take on.

One build that he’s currently working on is the fully hand-built HK Ute, nothing about this HK is factory with a fully customised chassis with massive body modification and is rolling on Roadster Shop suspension.

“The owner of the car wanted to do his take on a HK Ute, as his first car he was in love with them but just wanted something that nobody else has.”

There is no doubt that these builds will be show quality, we look forward to seeing Rodz Kustomz at future shows around Australia.