Andy Heintzelman, a construction worker by trade and a member of a car club in Long Beach called the Sultans, takes pleasure in putting personal touches into his cars. All decisions about the car go my way. Heintzelman had a 1957 Ford Ranchero on display with custom modifications such as Lake exhaust pipes, custom grill, dummy spot lights and a scalloped paint job he completed himself. Another custom car on display at the show was a 1934 Ford three-window. The owner, Tanner Barton, an ex-firefighter who has been working on cars for 30 years, said he tries to put quality details into his hot rod that no one else has.
Some custom builders can afford to spend thousands of dollars modifying a car.
They store their creations in air conditioned garages and expect a trophy at every show. Others are stuck scraping together enough cash to purchase a car or do a paint job. The backbone of customizing any car is money. The future of custom cars appears bright. Companies that deal in custom automotive parts and accessories are growing and more people are becoming involved in the custom car lifestyle.