Hot rodding is in my blood. You can call me one of those lucky devils that actually does what he loves for a living. It all started when I was old enough to walk out to my dad’s garage. At any give time, my dad, Vern Tardel, had hot rods in his shop. Playing with pieces of scrap metal and buckets of nuts and bolts, I always skirted around his hot rod creations. Whether torn apart, in-progress, or complete, they sat there, beckoning me to a future I never anticipated.

In 2000, after spending a couple of decades tinkering with race cars, chassis and motors, I made the decision to start a shop of my own. Rex Rod & Chassis is not only a dream come true, it is a place where I use my experience to create cars that please and inspire.

Over the years, I’ve made it my goal to create a personal style while staying true to tradition. Hot rodders in the ‘40’s and ‘50’s used their ingenuity and skill to create fast and cool cars on a shoe string budget. On many occasions, I’ve done the same. Today, there are thousands of hot rodders out there who share the same values in style that I do. A lot of you have contacted me for help or information as you build your own cars. To those builders who are interested in pursuing this tradition, I’m going to share my knowledge as best I can. Check out this blog from time to time for how-to’s and works in progress.

My history and future are chronicled in the form and function of the hot rods I’ve built and will build. I’m proud of this work and hope you enjoy it too.

- Keith Tardel