Expert Details
General Automotive, Automotive Design, Wheel Design, Wheel Manufacturing, Aftermarket Automotive
ID: 728241
California, USA
As a Former mechanic, car enthusiast and hobbyist, car have not only been his business it's his life style he has a total of 41 years experience restoring, and modifying cars for himself as his hobby and has been doing it professionally for the last 10 years as part of his custom car business.
Expert was the top salesman of OEM and Aftermarket car parts for a well known Porsche Toyota mail order parts house in the late 1980’s. He has been featured a guest on several Automobile related Television shows. He possesses an incredible eye for detail, noticing even the slightest modifications done on a stock body. He is the former Vice President of the Los Angeles Shelby American Auto Club, and he's an expert in Shelby motor cars.
Expert has extensive knowledge of how Alloy wheels are manufactured, from CNC, Forged, to low pressure casting, and the variations in finishing processes. He is an expert in general Automotive as well, especially in dealing with American made cars. He has obtained a lot of historical knowledge of the automotive industry aftermarket and original manufactures.
Expert is currently writing a Guide on getting a custom car built for new comers to the hobby. He designed the Good Guys Give Away car (Good Guys is a world renowned Hot Rod & Custom Car club that puts on 22 national car shows a year). He has also served as an expert witness in automotive design case in the last year.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1994 | Degree: B.A. | Subject: Industrial Design | Institution: California State University Northridge |
| Year: 1989 | Degree: Diploma | Subject: Graphic Design | Institution: Platt College |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1999 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Owner/ Chief Designer | Department: Design |
Responsibilities:Owner and Chief Designer for design consulting studio specializing in custom conceptual car designs; Design and illustrate custom cars for various publications and write accompanying articles; Design aftermarket wheels for major wheel manufacturers; Design and develop body kits for early and late model car/truck/SUV applications; Design and prototype scale model cars for toy industry. I have extensive experience in building vintage American cars, and doing restorations as well as customization and modifications. I am a former professional mechanic, (per-computerized engine management systems), when I was a professional I did everything from brake jobs to full engine rebuilds. I am a fabricator, I build brackets, reshape fenders, build spoilers, scoops, and wings from scratch. I have painting experience as well. I have set up suspensions for road racing, lowered cars for clients, and done custom fitment of aftermarket wheels so that the widest, deepest offset rim and tire combo would fit under a lowered car without rubbing on the fenders. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1995 to 1999 | Employer: Superior Industeries | Title: Chief Wheel Stylist | Department: Marketing Dept. |
Responsibilities:Chief Wheel Designer for original equipment manufacturer of aftermarket replacement wheels for: BMW; Chrysler; Dodge; Ford/Lincoln/Mercury; Isuzu; Land Rover and Nissan; Act as liaison between styling department and engineering department and build three dimensional clay models to aid engineering department; Design aftermarket accessories; Design aftermarket Ad art and layout for sales brochures. |
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International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2009 to 2009 | Country / Region: Austraila | Summary: He designed a custom mercury for a client in Brisbane, who is planning on putting these cars into limited production a 100 copies or so |
| Years: 2009 to 2009 | Country / Region: Austraila | Summary: He designed a custom Ford Ranchero for a shop in Southern Australia. |
| Years: 2009 to 2009 | Country / Region: New Zealand | Summary: He exported some of his custom Hot Rod air stacks to a speed shop called Traditional Speed and Custom in New Zealand. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| A member of SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufactures Association), HRIA (Hot Rod Industry Alliance), LASAAC (Los Angeles Shelby American Automobile Club), Good Guys Rod & Custom Association, IDSA Industrial Designer Society of America, Wheel Industry Council. |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| Vice President of LASAAC (former) |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| His cars have won many trophies, A cat litter box he designed won the American Pet Product of the year award. Several of his wheels have won best looking wheel design of the year award in Truckn' magazine. 1st place George Barris Show in Culver City CA 1st place Grand National Roadster Show, won invitation only Fresno Autorama (Blackie Gejeian’s show) Rod & Custom’s top 10 at Good Guys Pleasanton Eagle One award at Good Guys Pleasanton, CA 1st place Saugus Speedway show Saugus, CA, Best of Show George Barris show in Culver City |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| He has his name on about 5 wheel design patents, on a cat litter box, and on his own custom hot rod carburetor air stacks he designed and put into production in 2008. He also has multiple publications in different automotive magazines. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| He worked on a case in 2008 where a major automobile manufacture was suing an after market parts supplier on patent infringement, on their replacement body panels. He performed all the research and found the defendant published prior art a year before the car in question was actually introduced, thereby assisting to invalidate the auto manufacturer's claim. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| He not only designs custom cars but also job captains some of them, so he has to order parts and source those parts, or companies that can make the parts special order. |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| He has worked in the wheel industry as a designer for 16 years so he has a very good finger on the pulse of that industry, and designing in the specialty market place such as high end show cars he has a real eye on future trends as he is also creating them. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
|---|
| He can illustrate something that may not be clear to a layman in just words. |
Fields of Expertise
automobile, automobile body, automobile racing, automotive design, automotive ergonomics, automotive wheel, design process, rust protection, rust-preventive coating material, rusting, steering wheel, automotive instrument panel, automotive interior, automotive exhaust system, automotive paint, automotive air-suspension system, automobile driving, internal combustion engine, automotive metal, automotive tire, automotive material, automotive maintenance, automotive engine, automotive brake