SASHA HOLLENBACH
> MELBOURNE, VICTORIA
The Sorcerer draws people in like a magnet and was the car that put John Zeigler on the map. It’s pretty surreal to be working on it
WE STOPPED by Delux Kustoms at Dandenong in Melbourne to check on the progress of The Sorcerer makeover we told you about last month (SM, Dec ’17, p10), and were very impressed with their digs. We chatted to main man Sasha Hollenbach about cars and customs, and the amazing work of this quiet achiever.
Oh man, my heart just skipped a beat – that is John Zeigler’s epic Sorcerer ute!
It has that effect on people! I’m giving it a makeover for his son, John Jr, who owns it now. It’s crazy; it’s had such a strong and positive impact on so many people over the years that it’s still worshipped today. It draws people in like a magnet and was the car that put John Sr on the map. I’m a Mad Max and Running On Empty kid, so grew up knowing all of the ‘star’ cars, so yeah, it’s pretty surreal to be working on it, that’s for sure.
Is this type of build your normal bread and butter?
I specialise in Volkswagens and early Porsches, but will try my hand at just about anything, and that has led to a few rotary builds, a couple of Falcons and an EK panel van. I’ve even built a few Vespas too. If I’m interested in it, I’ll do it, and am fortunate to have built up a great customer base.
What got you started with cars?
At 14, I bought a 1973 VW Type 3 fastback – super-rare with a factory sunroof – and at 16 built a ’65 Type 3 notchback that I painted blue with scallops. That was 26 years ago, and I’ve been playing with cars ever since. I’m pretty much selftaught and actually studied a Bachelor of Business majoring in marketing, but worked at Volkspower as a floor sweeper through high school and uni, which got me a leg-up into the industry. That was a great experience and the boss even let me build one of my Beetles there; that car was featured in Fast Fours & Rotaries back in the mid-90s when I was 17. I spent all my time reading car mags when I should have been studying and, well, here I am [laughs].
How long has Delux Kustoms been around?
I started back in 2002 – when spelling custom with a ‘K’ was still cool [laughs] – and have been keeping busy ever since. We built a split-screen Kombi 23-window microbus that took out Best Modern Classic and People’s Choice at last year’s Motorclassica in Melbourne. It’s been a cover car for a few different magazines and a career highlight for both me and Delux Kustoms, but I still enjoy the grassroots stuff as well.
What’s next for Delux Kustoms?
First up for the shop is a ’66 Mustang, then we’re back into Porsches, with five on the cards including a 356 and a ’74 930 Turbo. Porsches are an incredible car, but I don’t have the coin for one of my own, so just have to enjoy everyone else’s [laughs]. We also have a few VW projects of my own on the go. There’s a 1961 Beetle that I’ve owned since I was 15 that will score a serious elite-type resto, and a Type 3 fastback that I’ll tackle after. I still have a race-spec Alfa 105-series Guilia Sprint GT Veloce that I spent a decade restoring between the ages of 16 and 26, which is due for a tidy-up. So yeah, between that, my XL ute and the Volkswagens, my tastes are pretty eclectic.