This is Us
As some of these photos show, we have been at this a while. Good things take time. Benny's childhood was illustrated on asphalt. His father taught him not only to appreciate classic muscle cars but how to bring them back to life. His education led to passion and that passion gave way to owning his own shop. It would be hard to calculate the number of hours Benny has spent in a rod shop; but it's not hard to appreciate what he has learned.
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Our Team
We love cars- we love coming to work and we love a good project.
Every day we strive to learn more about our craft with the latest tricks to make your car a one of a kind classic. Come down and meet us we'd love to discuss bringing your project to life.
Be sure to check out www.bennyzautosales.com
Benny HamptonOwner/Pit BossBenny is our rod shop. He is the work, he is the place, he is the energy he brings to each project. His friendly nature and down to earth personality make him a guy you want to talk to about your dream car.
He jumps into each project with enthusiasm and a smile. He crafts the plan, he disassembles the car, and he orders the parts. He works the metal, he arranges for upholstery and he installs the glass. And then behind his goggles and suit, he cranks up the rock music and he paints. Like a mad scientist Benny converts hard steel into emotions and dreams. |
Rocci GrayPainterRocci is an Italian with a heart for painting masterpieces. He told me, he walked into the shop and literally melted into the smells of home. He grew up in a body shop his grandparents opened over 40 years ago. He said a regular day in his youth was running through the shop where his grandparents, parents and aunt worked, checking out the cars and paint until this someone shushed them out. Rocci’s grandfather and namesake taught him about cars and he worked alongside his family for years, but their business was primarily insurance repair work and he really wanted to “do work he could appreciate.” He says he misses his family and home in California but really loves doing work he considers “art.”
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Chris PedersenChris certainly grew up in a “car family.” One of his Grandfathers returned from war as a diesel mechanic. His other Grandfather raced Porsche’s 962’s. Chris spent countless hours admiring his Grandfathers work and was always excited to see what new projects were in the works. His Grandfather had worked on many cars over the years, but his fully rebuilt Model T is what inspired Chris to take on rebuilding his own motor as part of his senior project at Wood River High School. Once his project was complete Chris had no doubts he wanted to dive deeper into the automotive industry.
After a little convincing, Benny agreed to let him sweep the floors and clean the bathroom at the shop. Chris’ contagious enthusiasm for cars became evident early on, which slowly allowed him more projects and responsibilities around the shop. In Fall 2020, he will be pursuing a degree in high performance automotive design Chris is motivated and hardworking and we know this kid is going places! |
Dirk WalkerDirk has always considered Idaho "home." After living in Alaska and Washington, he returned in early 2020. He showed up at the shop looking for a job and we couldn't say no. We've been happy to have him ever since!
Dirk brings his mechanic and welding skills along with his wiring knowledge. You can hear Dirk's enthusiasm echo throughout the shop, mostly in the form of yelling things like "yaaaaa babbby." |