Hot Rods & Hijinks Episode One: Chris Spalding on SoCal Lowriders, Hot Rods, and Custom Car Culture

On this episode of Hot Rods and Hijinks podcast recorded at LilyJack Customs Shop in downtown Greeneville, hosts Reed Lane and Tommy Bennett interview Southern California hot rodder Chris Spaulding about growing up around Ascot Raceway and Lions Drag Strip and getting hooked on cars after seeing a neighbor’s burnout. Chris recounts building a 1964 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 lowrider, the rise of hydraulics and indoor car shows, and the role of car clubs and shared builds. He describes owning 34 cars, including a Boss 302 Mustang, Volkswagens, vans, a Pro Street ’47 Chevy he later crashed, and a scratch-built ’26 touring car with an Ed Iskenderian engine. Chris also discusses meeting major figures like Chip Foose, Boyd Coddington, and George Barris, compares past and modern craftsmanship, and shares his current projects: a ’56 Buick, a ’64 Fairlane, and the ’26 build.