What Squid's Rod Shop does

Squid's Rod Shop is a custom automotive fabrication and restoration business headquartered in Hickory, North Carolina, operating from a 7,000 sq. ft. climate-controlled facility that includes a 1,500 sq. ft. parts showroom and a 5,500 sq. ft. shop and paint area. Founded in 1998 (originally as Rutter's Rod Shop, rebranded in January 2024), the company builds and services street rods, classics, customs, and muscle cars, with capabilities spanning fabrication, machine work, body work, paint, wiring, plumbing, chassis assembly, and modern powertrain integration including Coyote Gen. 3 engines and 10-speed automatic transmissions. The firm has completed more than 300 vehicles over its operating history and has earned Detroit Autorama class wins and NSRA Builder's Showcase recognition.

The business operates two integrated revenue streams: (1) project-based custom build services ranging from partial builds to full turn-key turnkey vehicles, with no fixed published pricing due to the variable nature of each project, and (2) e-commerce parts sales as an authorized dealer for HP Tuners (MPVI4, CORE ECU), Dakota Digital gauges, Roadster Shop chassis, and Vintage Air climate control systems, with shipping across the continental US. Customers are individual automotive enthusiasts reached through car show participation (Goodguys, Detroit Autorama, NSRA Nationals), website project galleries, and direct phone/email consultation. Customer engagement during builds is supported by the GlobalWorkshop portal, which provides chronological photo and invoice updates. The firm is privately held, employs approximately 5 people, and operates on a 4-day/10-hour workweek schedule.

Name

Squid's Rod Shop

Legal name

Rutter's Rod Shop, Inc.

Website

https://squidsrodshop.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Squid's Rod Shop is a Hickory, North Carolina custom hot rod and classic car builder founded in 1998, serving individual automotive enthusiasts with full and partial custom builds, modern powertrain integration, and authorized-dealer parts sales through an e-commerce catalog.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Hot Rod and Classic Car Building

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632), Motor Vehicle Transmission and Power Train Parts Manufacturing (33635), Machine Shops (33271)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)

akta.pro primary industry

Powersports Powertrain & Drivetrain Manufacturing (Engines/Transmissions/Final Drive) (IMACAEAJ)

Keywords

• Custom hot rod builds
• Classic car restoration
• Aftermarket auto parts
• Street rod fabrication
• Muscle car customization

Headquarters

HQ city

Hickory

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Build Services: Full-service custom hot rod, classic, custom, and muscle car builds ranging from partial builds to complete turn-key builds. Services include fabrication, wiring, plumbing, chassis work, powertrain installation, suspension and brake upgrades, body work, and paint. Revenue is project-based with no fixed pricing due to the custom nature of work.
2. Parts Sales: E-commerce sales of aftermarket hot rod parts through their website catalog. They are authorized dealers for HP Tuners, Roadster Shop chassis, Dakota Digital gauges, Vintage Air climate control systems, and many other manufacturers. Parts include chassis, suspension components, gauges, AC systems, and specialty items.
3. Parts Consultation and Pre-Purchase Inspection: Advising customers on part selection based on experience as professional builders, and offering vehicle inspection services before purchase to identify hidden issues.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Squid's Rod Shop builds custom hot rods, street rods, classic cars, and muscle cars through full and partial builds, supported by an authorized-dealer parts catalog and in-house fabrication, body, paint, and machine shop services. The shop integrates modern powertrains (e.g., Ford Coyote Gen. 3 with 10-speed automatics) and tunes them via HP Tuners MPVI4 and CORE ECU systems, and documents each project through the GlobalWorkshop online platform.

Product overview

Squid's Rod Shop is a Hickory, NC-based custom hot rod, street rod, classic car, and muscle car builder founded in 1998 (originally as Rutter's Rod Shop). The company operates a 7,000 sq. ft. climate-controlled facility with in-house machine shop, fabrication shop, body/paint facility, and showroom. Their product portfolio consists of custom builder services (complete and partial builds) combined with a parts sales catalog. The parts catalog features authorized dealer relationships with HP Tuners (MPVI4 diagnostic interface and CORE ECU engine controllers), Dakota Digital (VFD3/VHX/HDX/RTX gauge systems for various classic vehicles), Roadster Shop (REVO/Fast Track/Ride Line/SPEC chassis), and Vintage Air (Gen II/IV/V SureFit climate control systems). They also offer project tracking through GlobalWorkshop for customer documentation during builds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Hot Rod, Street Rod, Classic & Muscle Car Build Services Full-service custom vehicle construction for individual automotive enthusiasts, covering design consultation, fabrication, bodywork, paint, machine work, powertrain integration, and final assembly, performed in-house at the 7,000 sq ft Hickory, NC facility.
• HP Tuners MPVI4 Diagnostic Tool Aftermarket OBD-II diagnostic and ECU tuning interface sold by Squid's Rod Shop as an authorized HP Tuners dealer, targeted at DIY tuners and professional builders.
• HP Tuners CORE ECU Aftermarket standalone engine control unit sold as an authorized HP Tuners dealer product, used to replace or upgrade factory ECUs in custom and performance applications.
• Dakota Digital Gauge Systems Digital instrument clusters and gauge systems sold by Squid's Rod Shop as an authorized Dakota Digital dealer, intended for hot rod, street rod, and custom vehicle applications.
• Roadster Shop Chassis Systems Aftermarket chassis and suspension systems sold by Squid's Rod Shop as an authorized Roadster Shop dealer, used as foundations for custom and pro-touring vehicle builds.
• Vintage Air SureFit Climate Control Systems Aftermarket heating, ventilation, and air conditioning kits sold by Squid's Rod Shop as an authorized Vintage Air dealer, designed to integrate modern climate control into classic and custom vehicles.

Quantifiable outcome

• First place class win at 2020 Detroit Autorama with Jim Chapin's 1956 Nomad
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 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.

• HP TunerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized HP Tuners dealer offering MPVI4 interface for diagnostics, high-speed data logging, and calibration with VCM Suite. Also offers CORE ECU standalone engine controller for performance applications. The shop uses this same tuning hardware in their highest-end builds.
• Dakota DigitalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized dealer for Dakota Digital gauges and instrumentation. Dakota Digital manufactures high-quality instrumentation and specialty electronics for custom cars and trucks, designed and manufactured in the USA.
• Roadster ShopcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized dealer for Roadster Shop chassis and suspension components. Offers chassis for Ford, Chevrolet, Mercury, Cadillac, and Mopar vehicles spanning multiple decades.
• Vintage AircoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Vintage Air dealer offering Gen II and Gen IV SureFit climate control systems for classic vehicles. Complete kits include evaporator, compressor, condenser, and all components for installation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Classic Industries: Major muscle car and classic car parts retailer. Comparable as an aftermarket parts distributor serving DIY builders, representing both a potential channel partner and a competitive pressure on Squid's parts margins.
• Roadster Shop: Both a chassis manufacturer (one of Squid's key parts suppliers) and a custom build shop. Overlaps as a peer in custom hot rod builds while also being a supplier, representing a hybrid competitor-vendor relationship.
• Speedway Motors: Large-scale hot rod and racing parts retailer. Competes on the parts retail side with broader catalog and faster shipping, while Squid differentiates through builder expertise and customer consultation.

Direct peers

• Ringbrothers: Wisconsin-based custom hot rod and muscle car builder with global reputation. Directly competes for the same high-end custom build customer and operates at a comparable design + fabrication quality level, though at significantly larger scale.
• Bobby Alloway Hot Rod Shop: Tennessee-based traditional hot rod and muscle car builder with multi-decade reputation. Closely comparable in scale, custom build focus, and traditional American hot rod aesthetic.
• Kindig-It Design: Utah-based custom car builder featured on Velocity's 'Bitchin' Rides.' Competes in the same custom classic/muscle car space with strong brand recognition; both shops emphasize design-forward builds and show-quality finishes.
• FastLane Rod Shop: Custom hot rod and street rod builder operating in a similar small-shop model. Direct competitor for partial builds, chassis work, and custom fabrication in the mid-Atlantic/Southeast region.
• Steve's Auto Restorations: Oregon-based full-service restoration and custom build shop. Comparable in service breadth (body, paint, fabrication, mechanical) and target customer (classic car enthusiasts), but with larger facility and staff.
• Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters: California-based custom vehicle manufacturer operating larger-scale facilities. Comparable custom fabrication and coachbuilding capabilities serving both individuals and OEMs, though at much greater scale.

Others

• Eddie Motorsports: Manufacturer of billet aluminum hot rod parts (hood hinges, grille inserts, etc.). Adjacent ecosystem participant — supply chain partner rather than direct competitor, but represents the type of specialty manufacturer Squid's distributes as authorized dealer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/squids-rod-shop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Squid's Rod Shop