Wheel be right: Dave Kindig tests competitors to join his crew.

Dave Kindig creates truly unique vehicles and has also come up with a new reality show in which he will determine if any contestants are good enough to join his crew.

For some people, it may seem a stretch to describe a car as a work of art, but Dave Kindig could make a carburettor seem creative.

Every weeknight this month, Kindig is taking viewers under the bonnet of his one-of-a-kind car design in Kindig Customs where he and the team at his fabrication shop make car enthusiasts’ dreams come true by designing and rebuilding their unique vehicles.

Then, we see what it takes to work in Kindig-It Design, Kindig’s shop in Salt Lake City, Utah, as fabricators from around America compete for a job in Camp Kindig.

From a Mercedes Gullwing to a 1941 Chevy, the cars Kindig rebuilds are striking and his work is creative. But despite all the time discussing the nuts and bolts of vehicles, Kindig says you don’t need to be a car enthusiast to appreciate the show.

He believes the originality of his work will appeal to anyone who enjoys watching people bring their creative visions to life.

“For people who like to see things being created, I think this is a great TV show to watch,” says Kindig. “For me, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched TV – just watching (something) like a Bob Ross painting happen. I just enjoy that stuff.”

Kindig’s talent for rebuilding cars is completely self-taught. As a five year old, he would draw pictures of cars and play with Hot Wheels.

This evolved into rebuilding plastic model cars and Kindig would rip parts off one model car and put them on to another, creating a Frankenstein factory of tiny cars.

It was inevitable that he would transfer these skills to the real deal.

“As I grew up, I was the only guy in the garage, or in the carport as it were, racing around with wrenches that were borrowed from my grandfather,” says Kindig. “There

was nobody building cars in the garage. I grew up very poor with no dad and it was just one of those things where if I wanted something, I had to go figure it out and do it for myself.”

Kindig-It Design is a family operation, with Kindig’s wife, Charity, and their daughter, Baylee, both helping the business wheels turn. The Kindigs work alongside a team of talented fabricators, realising ambitious visions for clients wanting to turn their vehicles into a piece of custom Kindig creativity.

“People who want a car built by Kindig-It Design understand that my style and tastes go in a lot of different directions,” Kindig says.

“I don’t build the same type of vehicle in a different colour over and over again. I have a love for being creative and a love for building things that are different.”

This commitment to creativity is also why people want a job working with Kindig and his crew. In Camp Kindig, 12 contestants from around America compete for a position at Kindig-It Design.

These established fabricators are put through their paces, facing challenges like repairing a rusted, dented fender and bending metal into perfect cylinders.

“Camp Kindig really came from the idea of being able to find more guys – and gals, for that matter – who had the talent and the ability to do metal shaping and metal fabrication, because one of the hardest things about my business is finding people with that talent.” Hundreds of people applied for the show, all wanting to compete for the coveted role. But before the cameras started rolling, Kindig had a little pre-filming apprehension. “Up until the first day of filming I had a little bit of a worry that I didn’t want to turn my show and my shop into a place that had a lot of drama. But after the first day it felt so natural that we’re actually rubbing elbows with these people who are competing for a chance to have a job in my shop,” says Kindig. “I’ll let you in on a little secret: the winner still works for me at the shop.” Kindig hopes audiences will feel motivated after watching his shows. “I’ve always been very passionate about cars, so I hope people come away with that same passion about something that they love,” he says. “It was once said ... that if you find something you love to do, you’ll never work a day in your life. And that truly has been the path that I’ve chosen and followed for the last 21 years.”

“If you find something you love to do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” – Dave Kindig