In the heart of Salt Lake City, Utah, where the mountains rise in the distance and the air smells faintly of metal and paint, there’s a building on East Hill Avenue that draws car lovers like pilgrims to a shrine. The doors of Kindig It Design are often closed to outsiders, but tonight, beneath the glow of neon and the hum of a restless city, those doors swing open. Inside, a world is revealed—not just of rare machines and gleaming chrome, but of dreams hammered into form, of artistry and engineering fused in a way that few have ever witnessed.

Dave Kindig’s garage isn’t just a workshop; it’s a living museum of American custom car culture. The first thing that hits you is the silence, thick and reverent, broken only by the soft whir of a paint sprayer or the distant clang of a wrench. Rows of cars—some worth more than most houses in the city—sit under the lights, their bodies sculpted to perfection, each one carrying the unmistakable Kindig signature. But it wasn’t always this way.

Dave Kindig was born in Salt Lake City in 1971, a kid with a wild imagination and a passion for Hot Wheels. His earliest memories are of sketching cars on scraps of paper, his mind racing with possibilities. By his late teens, Dave was already obsessed with the idea of building something that didn’t exist—taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. He spent years working at High Performance Coatings, mastering the art of paint and metal finishing, learning every nuance of body construction. The hours were long, the work demanding, but every project laid another brick in the foundation of his future.

In June 1999, after nearly a decade of preparation, Dave took the leap. He convinced his wife Charity to let him quit his job and follow his dream. He withdrew his 401(k), bought his first tools, and rented a tiny shop in an old industrial district. The space was barely large enough for a single car, but it was enough. “I got started in June of ’99,” Dave would later recall. “I was able to finally talk my wife into letting me quit my job, go draw cars.” Those early years were a struggle. Late nights, tight deadlines, and a handful of loyal clients who believed in the vision. Every drop of paint on the floor had value, and every mistake was a lesson.

Word of mouth spread. By 2003, Kindig It Design was officially registered as a private company, and the team grew to six full-time employees. Dave managed design and quality control, while Charity handled the business side. The garage began taking on bigger projects—interior customizations, body restorations, and eventually full builds. The standard was always the same: smooth, seamless, timeless. Every finished car was photographed and archived, a testament to the relentless pursuit of perfection.

The turning point came in 2011, when Dave filed a patent for recessed door handles—a small detail that would change the way cars felt and looked. Two years later, the patent was granted, confirming Kindig It’s place as a leader in creative engineering. “Kindig, it’s patented smooth custom door handles available in chrome or bare metal, handcrafted with universal fit,” Dave announced. The handles soon appeared on almost every build, giving each car a perfectly flat surface with no gaps or bumps. It was a touch you could feel, a detail that separated Kindig It from the rest.

As the shop grew, so did its reputation. By 2013, Kindig It Design was no longer just a small workshop; it had become a respected brand invited to major events and recognized by industry media. The customer base expanded beyond Utah, with contracts coming from across the United States and even Europe. The garage upgraded its paint systems, storage layouts, and technical crew, evolving into a self-contained production model. Dave oversaw every project, ensuring that the quality remained consistent, even as the team grew to over 20 members.

But it was television that truly opened the doors of Kindig It Design to the world. On September 2, 2014, “Bitchin’ Rides” premiered on the Velocity channel, giving viewers an inside look at the magic behind the garage doors. The show captured every stage of the process—from sketching to disassembly, painting to final assembly—with precision and authenticity. The rhythm of work, the tight coordination among departments, the quiet intensity of the team—audiences saw it all. Each episode was a ritual, a dance of craftsmanship and creativity. The show quickly became one of Motor Trend’s most popular, drawing fans from every corner of the globe.

“From sketching insects as a kid to building some of the most iconic custom cars in the world, I’ve always just wanted to make something truly one of a kind,” Dave said in a 2017 interview. That spirit—turning passion into mastery—was the heart of Kindig It Design. The garage was no longer just a place to build cars; it was a destination for manufacturers, artists, and collectors. Paint and parts brands collaborated, showcasing their products on the show. The fame brought financial independence, allowing Kindig It to continue expanding without sacrificing the handcrafted quality that set it apart.

By 2019, Kindig It Design had solidified its position in the global custom car scene. The show’s success redefined how automotive storytelling was brought to the screen. Dave’s garage was no longer a closed space between craftsman and metal; it had become a stage where technical precision, aesthetics, and the spirit of craftsmanship played together like a symphony.

But Dave Kindig wasn’t content to rest on his laurels. After conquering television, he set his sights on a bolder goal: to build the first car entirely of his own design, from the chassis to every line of the body. In 2021, the Kindig CF1 project officially began—a carbon fiber-bodied V8-powered homage to the 1953 Corvette. The CF1 weighed just 130 kilograms, with a total weight of 1.5 tons and a Lingenfelter LS7 engine producing nearly 650 horsepower. The production process was carried out under strict conditions inside the garage, with a sealed carbon fiber area and a laser chassis measurement system to ensure absolute precision.

Each CF1 was a standalone version, customized according to the owner’s specifications. The first ten units were completed between 2021 and 2023, each carrying a plaque listing the names of the technicians responsible for every stage. Internal test data recorded an actual output of about 673 horsepower, exceeding the initial published figure. Every adjustment was verified on an in-house dynamometer, ensuring that each CF1 maintained stable and balanced performance.

“The CF1 is a tribute to the first Corvettes, but recreated with 21st-century technology,” Dave explained. The fusion of heritage and innovation became the foundation that made the CF1 a true symbol of Kindig It Design. More than just a showpiece, the CF1 proved that Kindig It could move beyond custom builds to become an independent manufacturer, similar to Europe’s legendary coachbuilders. With the CF1, Dave set a new milestone, transforming his brand from a handcrafted garage into a high-tech creative workshop.

The recognition came quickly. In March 2024, the 1953 Corvette 12A Air, built by Dave for Dave and Tracy Maxwell, won the Riddler Award at the Detroit Autorama—the highest honor in North America’s custom car industry. Experts described it as inspired by F1 and Indy car engineering, but using only one horizontal spring. The award represented more than just a winning project; it showcased the fusion of classic design and modern technology that Dave had pursued for years. The suspension system, engine, and chassis proportions were all newly engineered, proving the limitless creativity of Kindig It Design.

After the Detroit victory, Dave brought 12 Air to SEMA in November, unveiling the CF1 Roadster, a 1958 VW Bug, and a 1959 Porsche. “We unveil our latest creation, the Riddler Award-winning 12 Air 1953 Chevy Corvette at SEMA 2024,” Dave said on stage, his pride quiet but unmistakable. The silver-white Corvette, rotating under exhibition lights, became an instant icon, its image spreading across every media platform.

Inside the garage, the personal display area drew special attention. Dave arranged the Porsche Panamera Snob Rod, his father’s 1957 Corvette, a 1967 Chevelle, a Ferrari 458, and Charity’s Mercedes S550 in a softly lit space. Each car was polished and displayed as a milestone from different stages of his career. The basement remained the most private area, where color samples, next-generation door handle prototypes, and unreleased concept parts were stored. It was where Dave tested materials, experimented with color combinations, and refined mechanical designs for upcoming projects.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Kindig It Design, a special video was released. The camera followed Dave through each area—the Carbon Lab Dino Room, paint line, and design tables. He continued his habit of personally inspecting every car before delivery, a practice that had kept Kindig It’s quality consistent for over two decades. In a later interview, Dave said he had no plans to open new branches or start mass production. The entire philosophy of Kindig It remained centered on keeping it handcrafted, but with industrial precision. This was what set his workshop apart from hundreds of commercial custom brands.

In 2025, “Bitchin’ Rides” entered its eleventh season. New episodes were still filmed at the Utah garage, maintaining steady viewership and positive reception. Staying visible on television helped Kindig It retain its appeal while capturing the authentic rhythm of the team at work. Today, Kindig It Design stands not just as a custom car workshop, but as a model for the American customization industry. The blend of advanced technology, traditional craftsmanship, and disciplined structure has turned it into a brand with influence far beyond national borders.

But the success seen today did not come overnight. Long before the Riddler Award and the bright exhibition lights, there was a young craftsman quietly working in a small paint corner in Utah. That journey began in the 1990s, where the Kindig story truly began. The corner built an empire.

Dave Kindig still walks slowly around each frame, his eyes studying every curve as he did on day one. Every completed project represents a small step in his philosophy—turning craftsmanship into art with the precision of engineering. From the cramped paint corner of 1999 to today’s two-story modern workshop, that journey is not only a story about cars, but also a testament to one man’s belief in perfection.

Now, when the garage lights go out, the gleaming curves still reflect the spirit of a craftsman who devoted his life to metal and color. The Kindig It empire continues to grow, and the legacy of Dave Kindig—the man who shaped dreams into form—lives on in every car that bears his name.

If you want to explore more of the machines created by Dave Kindig himself, stay tuned for upcoming episodes. Each video opens a door into a world of limitless creativity and engineering. Don’t forget to subscribe and share to keep spreading the Kindig It spirit—where passion becomes legacy.