The hot rodding legend was eager to share his secrets with the world, right up until his final days.
The automotive world has lost a legend. Gene Winfield passed away on March 4, 2025 from cancer after a lifetime filled with customized cars. While he was a legend in the world of hot rodding, some of Winfield’s best-known work are his movie cars, including the 6000 SUX from Robocop and the vehicles from Blade Runner.
Winfield’s interest in cars came at a young age, after his brother opened a wrecking yard. In 1951, he would race on the Bonneville Salt Flats for the first time, and open Winfield’s Custom Shop in Modesto, California soon afterward. Winfield’s skill in both metalwork and paint garnered him attention early, and he would graciously spend the latter part of his lengthy career teaching these old-world skills to generations of hot rodders who grew up entranced by his impeccable sense of automotive style.
Many of those younger enthusiasts – like myself – grew up building model kits that Winfield had helped design for AMT before making the switch from styrene to sheetmetal. When they did, Winfield was all too happy to demonstrate his techniques. He would host frequent metalworking seminars at his shop – two of which are still advertised on his website. From 2013 onward, Winfield had toured the car show circuit plying his craft for a live audience as part of the “Summit Racing Equipment Chop Shop.”
In a tribute on Facebook, customizer Jesse James posted a clip from his Discovery show Monster Garage that featured Winfield. “In 2004 I sure thought I was the king of the world, then I got out worked and schooled by a bunch 70 & 80 year old Legends,” James wrote. “I remember it was close to midnight on Friday night. I just sat on my workbench for a minute and watched them all. I didn’t want the week to end.”
Many who were lucky enough to attend Winfield’s seminars had a similar experience. We hope that Winfield will rest easy knowing that his legacy – and the world of automotive customizing – will be safe in the hands of the hundreds, if not thousands of enthusiasts that he shaped, both literally and figuratively, into the future of hot rodding.
Rest easy, Gene. Thanks for everything.
Photo: Winfield’s Custom Shop
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