If you read Street Machine magazine, chances are you’ve seen a build by Shepparton-based car builder Southern Rod and Custom.
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While many probably expect to find a leader in their field based in the suburbs of one of Australia’s capital cities, non-car folk are possibly not familiar with the world-class builds that roll out of this Goulburn Valley rod shop.
Owner, or perhaps ‘wizard’ is a better description, Shane Rowe initially started the business somewhere even further remote to the big hubs than Shepparton; in Deniliquin.
But, for the past 10 years, this one-stop shop for the most elite show-stoppers getting around the country has been nestled in an eastern Shepparton industrial estate, in Provincial Dve.
Buildings that form a production line house a body shop, paint booth, machine shop, trim and upholstery shop, and a fabrication and final assembly shop.
Mr Rowe’s Chassisworks forms a separate division, where he designs and develops separate components, including chassis components, door knobs, suspension arms, and custom exhaust clamps, which are designed and developed in-house.
About the only thing that can’t be carried out at Southern Rod and Custom is chrome plating.
The VIP vehicular village is topped off by a jaw-dropping showroom that displays several completed masterpieces to summon drool from the mouths of many motoring aficionados.
Next year, it will even operate a coffee shop for the public.
Until then, entry to the showroom is only available via private and group tours Mr Rowe and his team facilitate.
Now, the oldest and largest hot rod shop in the country (it will turn 40 next year), employs 11 staff, nine of whom are hands-on, on the floor.
Project and workshop manager John ‘Duck’ Wood, who has been building cars for 42 years for various employers, said Southern Rod and Custom not only produced cars with an X-factor, but the work environment was also something special.
“It’s the only job I’ve ever been happy to go to, actually wanting to go to work each day,” Duck said.
He said the kind of projects the team worked on were for serious enthusiasts, with it not unusual for builds to take between 3000 and 4000 hours of work, plus parts.
Currently, the crew is working on more than 20 builds.
The methodical process is what drives Mr Rowe’s passion to continue almost four decades on.
“I enjoy the building, the journey. I’m not into finished cars,” he said.
“You have to be able to see the vision. I can see it in my head at the beginning what the car is going to look like at the end.
“Because even after the first few weeks of work, you can’t even see with the eye what’s been done.”
One of his favourite projects was converting pro golfer Stuart Appleby’s BMW M5 sedan into a ute, 16 years ago.
It was a three-year build, with Mr Rowe’s stamp all over it.
“The brief was to end up with a ute as good as the sedan was,” Mr Rowe said.
He stripped the 2006 model down to the floor pan, split it, widened it and built a body around it, before starting again, balancing weight distribution and such.
It’s just one of many masterpieces that have passed through the doors.
There have been 16 Southern Rod and Custom cars and counting inside Street Machine, including six taking the cover spot, plus many builds and restorations featured in other esteemed publications.
It’s the birthplace of Australia’s two most-acclaimed cars: Les Lawry’s 1930 Ford Victoria and Chris Retzos’ 1957 Chevrolet.
It has built for many celebrities, with Adam West’s (Batman’s) Buick also passing through its doors.
One of Southern Rod and Custom’s exports even took out the top prize at the first-ever MotorX event.
These guys don’t need to compete with any of the big boys in the city.
They are the big boys who inspire the city folk to compete with them.
Southern Rod and Custom is yet another claim to fame for Shepparton.
For more information and to see a portfolio of past builds, visit the Southern Rod and Custom website.
Senior journalist