The creation of custom cars – from hot-rods to muscle cars to rat rods* – has captured a huge following of car-loving hobbyists and garage enthusiasts across the country for many years. So much so that dedicated television networks and programming of 30- to 60-minute shows highlighting the build process have gained immense popularity. Die-hard, loyal fans have emerged reiterating the nation’s enthusiasm for the custom build craze.
Custom car shops are known for putting their unique style into their final prized designs. While their approaches may be different, one thing they have in common is the need to beat the heat in their shops when the mercury rises. Hours spent with shop doors open means air conditioning options are impractical. Any cool air they could keep in would quickly escape out considering the kinds of garage facilities in which they work. Additionally, these craftsman and mechanics are often working in tight spaces where having access to cool air is helpful for their productivity and overall focus.
Portacool is thrilled to be the official portable evaporative cooler of choice for several custom garages that are featured on TV. The teams that operate out of these shops depend on wheeling our coolers where they need them. Here’s an overview of these well-known shops:
Custom Car Shops Turn to Portacool Evaporative Coolers
crew of mechanics, fabricators and welders who create one-of-a-kind vehicles. Known for creating unique rat rods, Steve Darnell’s WelderUp shop in Las Vegas, Nevada is not the average car customization shop. Steve has built a reputation around creating unexpected and imaginative masterpieces. The shop and Steve’s work became famous after his show, Vegas Rat Rods, was picked up by Discovery Channel. In the day-to-day operations of the WelderUp shop, Steve’s team works more than five months out of the year in sweltering Vegas temps that typically range from 90-115°F. Given that the shop doors stay open and the fabricating machines put off tons of heat, keeping the work area cool had been a challenge. “I’m in the shop 75% of my time,” Steve says. “I want to be comfortable and as a shop owner I need it to be cool enough for my guys to be safe and productive. I would recommend Portacool to anyone with a garage or shop!”
Shannon leads the fabrication process and full assembly takes place in his side of Count’s shop, building upwards of 15 Counts Kustoms Pro-Street bikes a year. And, it is one HOT bike shop – literally as much as figuratively. “It can get up to 98-100°F inside the shop,” says Shannon. “I can’t work in that kind of heat.” Shannon discovered portable evaporative coolers in the 90s and since then, he won’t work in the shop without one running. In fact, Shannon says that having a Portacool evaporative cooler is an absolute necessity for him. And, over the years he has honed his perfect Portacool set-up to stay optimally cool. “Currently, I use two Portacool Jetstreams – a Jetstream 250 and 260 – in the bike shop to make sure I get cross-ventilation. I put the smaller one by the interior door of the shop and the bigger at the exterior door. I get the temperature to a comfortable 75-80° inside the shop,” says Shannon. Mike and Ryan can also be seen using their Jetstream 230s in their side of the shop while painting.
Each year, our team is thrilled to welcome the big personalities represented on these shows in our booth at the annual SEMA Show. While SEMA 2020 is cancelled, we look forward to seeing the guys and their loyal fans in 2021.
*Not familiar with a rat rod? It is a custom car with a deliberately worn-down, unfinished appearance, typically lacking paint, showing rust, and made from previously cast-off parts.
