What Chassis Engineering does

Chassis Engineering, Inc. (CEI) is a US-based manufacturer of bolt-on suspension, chassis, and drivetrain-mounting components for classic American vehicles, primarily 1928-1954 Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and Mercury models used in street rod and hot rod builds. The company's core engineering proposition is a fully bolt-on Pinto-Mustang II independent front suspension (IFS) crossmember system with an interlocking design and exclusive ride height adjustment, supplemented by engine and transmission mounting kits, 4-link rear suspensions, brake kits, steering adapters, frame reinforcement components, swaybars, radiators, gas tanks, and related hardware across 14 product categories and 485+ SKUs. Products are engineered to install without welding, serving both professional custom shops and novice home builders who need drivetrain-swap and suspension upgrade solutions for vintage frames. The business operates on a direct-to-consumer hardware sales model: customers purchase through the company's e-commerce website or toll-free phone line (1-800-841-8188), with local pickup available at the Lake Zurich, Illinois facility. Pricing is transactional and ranges from approximately $80 for individual components to over $3,900 for complete IFS kits, with no recurring revenue or subscription layer.

Following an initial founding roughly five decades ago, CEI was acquired by Heidts Hot Rod & Muscle Car Parts in 2018, which consolidated the Iowa-based operations into Heidts' Lake Zurich facility. In February 2026, BMR Suspension acquired Heidts together with CEI and Alston Racing, positioning CEI within a four-brand family (BMR, Heidts, Alston Racing, American Performance Shock) that management describes as offering the most comprehensive line of suspension kits and components in the American automotive aftermarket. The company remains privately held with no disclosed headcount, revenue, or external funding, and operates exclusively in the US market.

Name

Chassis Engineering

Legal name

Chassis Engineering, Inc.

Website

https://chassisengineeringinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chassis Engineering, Inc. designs and manufactures bolt-on suspension, chassis, and engine-mounting components for classic American street rods and hot rods, selling a catalog of 485+ SKUs directly to enthusiast builders and professional shops across the US via its website and toll-free phone ordering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Aftermarket Parts

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (336330), Motor Vehicle Brake System Manufacturing (33634), Other Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (336390)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)

akta.pro primary industry

Aftermarket Suspension & Steering Components Manufacturing (Shocks/Struts/Bushings/Tie Rods) (IMACANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chassis Modules & Corner Assemblies (Complete Corner/Chassis Module Integration) (IMACAIAH), Chassis Frames & Subframes (Ladders/Unibody Structures/Crossmembers) (IMACAIAG), Brake Friction & Rotors (Pads/Shoes/Discs/Drums) (IMACAIAE)

Keywords

• Automotive aftermarket parts
• Chassis suspension components
• Hot rod parts
• Street rod components
• Bolt-on IFS kits

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Zurich

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Automotive Aftermarket Parts Sales: Direct e-commerce sales of automotive suspension components, chassis parts, and related hardware. Products are sold individually with pricing ranging from approximately $80 to over $3,000 per item depending on product complexity. No recurring revenue model; purely transactional one-time product sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chassis Engineering designs and manufactures bolt-on suspension, chassis, and drivetrain mounting components for street rod and hot rod builders of classic American vehicles (Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Mercury, and Universal). The company offers 485+ SKUs across 14 product categories including Pinto-Mustang II IFS crossmember kits, engine and transmission mounting kits, 4-link rear suspension kits, brake kits, leaf springs, sway bars, steering adapters, spindles, control arms, frame reinforcement parts, radiator supports, and gas tanks, sold direct to consumers and professional installers.

Product overview

Chassis Engineering is a manufacturer of high-quality bolt-on street rod and hot rod components, offering a comprehensive product line of suspension kits and components for the automotive aftermarket. The company provides parts supporting Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Mercury, and Universal applications across 14 product categories including crossmembers, engine mounting kits, brakes, steering, and suspension components. Products are designed for both professional installers and novice builders, with a focus on ease of installation and durability. The company was acquired by Heidts Hot Rod & Muscle Car Parts in 2018 and subsequently by BMR Suspension in 2026, now operating alongside sister companies Alston Racing and American Performance Shock companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crossmembers
• 4 Link Kits
• Rear Leaf Springs
• Frame Parts
• Engine & Transmission Crossmembers
• Brakes
• Brake Accessories
• Steering
• Spindles/Control Arms
• Shocks and Springs
• Radiators
• Gas Tanks
• Swaybars
• Motor Mounts
• Engine Mounting Kits

Quantifiable outcome

• Components designed with ease of installation and durability in mind creating an unmatched customer experience and product line
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BMR SuspensioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 2026BMR Suspension acquired Heidts Hot Rod & Muscle Car Parts along with sister companies Chassis Engineering, Inc. and Alston Racing. BMR focuses on late-model American performance cars while CEI serves the street and hot rod markets. The acquisition combines two major players in the American automotive aftermarket suspension market.
• Heidts Hot Rod & Muscle Car PartscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEI was acquired by Heidts in 2018. Both companies serve overlapping markets in street rod and hot rod suspension components. CEI's Iowa operations are being folded into Heidts' Lake Zurich, Illinois facility. Together they provide the most comprehensive product line of suspension kits and components in the automotive aftermarket.
• Alston RacingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company under the same ownership as Heidts and CEI. Alston Racing serves late-model muscle cars, performance cars, and drag racing markets, complementing CEI's street rod and hot rod focus.
• American Performance Shock companiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company under the same ownership, providing shock absorber products that complement the suspension kit offerings of CEI and other group companies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Heidts Hot Rod & Muscle Car Parts: Sister company under the BMR/Heidts parent and Chassis Engineering's most direct competitor; both sell bolt-on IFS kits, suspension components, and chassis parts to the same street-rod and hot-rod builder segments.
• Schwartz Performance: Builds bolt-on chassis and suspension packages for muscle cars and street rods, addressing the same GTO, Camaro, Chevelle, and similar restoration and pro-touring projects that overlap with CEI's classic-car focus.
• Ridetech: Aftermarket suspension specialist with strong overlap in street-rod and muscle-car coilover, air-ride, and chassis components, competing for the same installer and enthusiast customers as CEI.
• Speedtech Performance: Manufacturer of bolt-on chassis, suspension, and body components for street rods and pro-touring builds, serving the same enthusiast customer with similar chassis-kit solutions.
• Classic Performance Parts (CPP): Broad-line aftermarket manufacturer of steering, suspension, brake, and chassis components for classic Chevy, Ford, and Mopar vehicles, directly overlapping CEI's catalog across multiple product categories.
• Total Cost Involved Engineering (TCI): Direct competitor offering complete chassis, suspension, and drivetrain components for street rods and muscle cars, with a comparable focus on engineered chassis systems for classic American vehicles.
• Fatman Fabrications: Long-standing direct competitor offering bolt-on front and rear suspension kits, crossmembers, and chassis components for classic American cars and street rods, targeting the same professional and DIY builder base as CEI.
• Art Morrison Enterprises: Specializes in custom chassis and IFS packages for classic cars and street rods, competing head-to-head with CEI on premium bolt-on front suspension systems and chassis engineering services.
• Alston Racing: Sister company under BMR/Heidts focused on drag-racing and late-model muscle-car chassis and suspension; shares ownership and distribution infrastructure with CEI and competes for adjacent enthusiast budgets.

Broad incumbents

• BMR Suspension: Parent company of Chassis Engineering and a larger-scale suspension specialist focused on late-model American performance cars; offers overlapping components but at much greater scale and broader vehicle coverage.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/chassisengineeringinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chassis-engineering-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chassis Engineering