Last week I told you about Custom Rides in Hastings, Nebraska. The owner, Pat Brubaker, is doing his part to keep the metal shaping profession alive by holding classes approximately once a month. Brubaker describes the skills needed for metal shaping as ranging from finesse to controlled violence, and I don’t think these classes are for the faint of heart. Each class consists of four 12-hour days with a maximum of only four people in each class. The emphasis varies and may include basic fender repair, the use of tools (like the English wheel and power hammer) and the creation of entire body panels from flat sheets. Brubaker likes to have participants build entire bodies because something that seems initially overwhelming becomes less intimidating when taken piece by piece. Class participants leave armed with knowledge and fired up about tackling their own projects. Check out these pictures from some recent classes, and then see the Custom Rides facebook page for more information.
Boattail race car:
Model A & T bodies:
