Meet Dave Shuten of Galpin Speed Shop in Van Nuys

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dave Shuten.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Dave. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
My story starts in a small town outside of Detroit, Michigan. Where even as a small child I was obsessed with cars and art. If I wasn’t dragging Parts home to create go-karts and mini bikes from the junkyard I lived near, I was drawing pictures of the things I wanted to build. I believe going to the indoor cars shows in the mid-’70s, and Hot Wheels are mostly to blame… it wasn’t long before I was customizing them and model kits to be more like the real cars I’d seen at the shows!

At the age of 14, I was starting to build my first car, a 1966 Chevy Impala… and ever since that’s all I’ve wanted to do! I spent 16 years working at G.M. As a toolmaker and was always building cars at home in my spare time. I’ve lost count of how many I’ve owned or built, but it’s never gotten old. I was always inspired by the amazing and artistic work or Ed Roth, George Barris, Dean Jeffries and the other legends of custom cars. So in 2003, I decided to build a replica of Roth’s iconic twin-engine Mysterion since it was known to have been destroyed. That was a pivotal moment, as it elevated my skills to the next level.

That build got me my first major magazine cover for Rod & Custom magazine, and I’ve never looked back! Now I’ve restored or recreated more historical show cars than anyone, my work has been on dozens of covers and in hundreds of publications over the last 20 years. Now, I work for Beau Boeckmann, president of Galpin Motors in Van Nuys, CA. My first project for him was the restoration of Ed Roth’s Orbitron bubble top show car.

After that in ‘08, I decided to move to CA and do cars full time! Together we have started Galpin Speed Shop, and that’s where I do Beau’s historic restorations, and some high-end customer builds. It’s a dream job, and I couldn’t be happier! I work alone and do all aspects of the build process except the upholstery. Design, fabrication and custom painting are among my favorites! I’m also known to build and paint all kinds of other things from furniture to skateboards.

Since I studied art mostly through school, it’s a way to combine art and cars. Basically, I have a hard time leaving anything alone… everything can be made to look better somehow! I’m very thankful to be able to make a living doing what I love to do!

Has it been a smooth road?
As with all things that matter, in order to be successful… sacrifices have to be made. So, while working full-time jobs, and going to college full time, I still made sure I was in the garage every day and got at least one thing accomplished. This is also a very expensive obsession, so it’s all I’ve ever really done, everyone at GM would go out for holiday vacation… and I’d be in my home shop 24/7 until I had to go back to work…

From the time I was a teenager through my 20’s people always told me I’d be wasting my time on “those old cars” lol I never paid them any attention… I’ve pretty much always followed my own path… so I did what I wanted to do… and it seems to have worked out pretty good!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Galpin Speed Shop story. Tell us more about the business.
The Speed Shop offers what few other shops can provide… I can do a concourse restoration on your historical custom car or hot rod, or I can build you the hot wheel you played with when you were a kid, from scratch. The customer’s imagination is the only limitation!

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Hopefully doing more one-off builds for more celebrity customers!

Contact Info:

• Phone: 8184856090
• Email: dmshuten@aol.com
• Instagram: @daveshuten
• Other: https://daveshuten.threadless.com/

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