Long before the memes and the multi-million-dollar jobs, and way before the pressure of primetime TV and throngs of fans worldwide, West Coast Customs founder Ryan Friedlinghaus had a simple mission. He just wanted to work on cars. Since Ryan was 14-years-old, his passion has been turning regular rides into dream machines.

From the time his grandfather helped him start his first garage in Orange County, Friedlinghaus and his team have built a reputation as one of the top custom car shops in the world, pulling off jobs very few else could even attempt. West Coast Customs has amassed a stronghold of loyal collectors and count some of the biggest names in entertainment, sports, and beyond as their frequent clients.

From MTV to Tik-Tok, multiple generations of fans have watched West Coast Customs make magic out of the ordinary, obliging even the wildest requests from clients. They have withstood the storms of time and not only managed to hang around for almost 30 years but grow into one of the premier auto industry brands on the map. Six Flags even unveiled a West Coast Customs roller coaster, which is an honor usually only bestowed upon superheroes.

Now, continuing the long line of entrepreneurship in the Friedlinghaus family, Ryan Jr. is working with his dad, helping to run the business and setting his sights on the shop’s future. The father and son team tackle the craziest car jobs on the planet while also building what has become a solidified brand, from franchises in other countries to licensed merchandise and collaborations.

The Hundreds and West Coast Customs have been working for over a year on a very special collaboration that celebrates the shop’s incredible work and style as well as our mutual admiration for classic California workwear. The kind of clothes that the West Coast Customs team wears while they work, the kind of gear that lasts a lifetime and never quits on you, no matter how difficult the job, that’s the stuff we strive to make. It’s meant to be worn, not kept in plastic. You’re supposed to get it dirty, and it’s made to get frayed here and there.

Both Ryan and Ryan Jr. share our deep love of California workwear and rely on gear like this to get their job done, so we knew any collaboration between the brands had to start there. I caught up with father and son Friedlinghaus before we drop the collab to discuss where they’ve been and where they’re going.

DUKE LONDON: Ryan, after your grandfather helped plant the seeds for your business to grow in the early days, how much does it mean to you to work with your son in the business now?
RYAN FRIEDLINGHAUS SR.: I feel like most fathers would love to have their firstborn take over the business. My dream is that Ryan Jr. follows this path as he has great style and vision and has been involved with very big projects since he was a teenager.

What is your working relationship like? Do you guys butt heads creatively or logistically or do you pretty much see eye-to-eye on things like that?
SR: Our working relationship is tough as it’s family, but I have to step back from time to time as I realize I am old school and he has his finger on the pulse of the younger generations which will be key to WCC’s future. We don’t butt too often but there has been plenty of arguments that end up happening at the dinner table.

What are each of your favorite projects you’ve worked on the past year?
SR: Bieber’s reimagined Rolls Royce Wraith, as I was able to look into the future for style and design and deliver a very special 1-of-1.

JR: I would say my favorite in the last year was probably Travis Scott’s Urus. We put a Mansory Kit on it and painted it his signature brown!

West Coast Customs has evolved into so much more than a customization shop. You’ve had TV shows, countless high-profile commissions, and even your own attraction at Six Flags. Has the whole journey been a roller coaster ride?
SR: YES! A chaotic roller coaster, with both super lows and highs, twists and turns but exciting as can be.

If you could redo any of those early jobs, which one would you do differently?
SR: When I look back at all of the builds over the past 27 years that did capture the trends at the time…I can humbly say doing any fish tanks was regrettable.

You haven’t “pimped out” the WCC brand that often throughout its history. What was different about this collaboration with The Hundreds and what do you guys think about how it came out?
SR: It’s very rare we do collaborations with any brands that we don’t share the same vision with. In the case of The Hundreds, the brand is true to the spirit of the WCC brand and along with Mr. Cartoon, this three-way collab with authentic LA-built brands is as great as it gets.

Why is dependable workwear like this such an important part of running your operation day-in and day-out?
SR: The Hundreds are the best in the workwear space, especially when it comes to wearable, reliable, and authentic style. So having my team geared up with a look I can be proud of is key. Lastly, sharing the drop with the public gives fans the opportunity to get a piece of history, which is very important to me.

As the car industry evolves, how is WCC adapting to the new generation of vehicles? And what are some exciting new things your team has been able to accomplish that you never could have dreamed of when you were starting out?
SR: Looking back, taking the digital assets of Super Mario Bros. and making a real-life Mario Kart was something I never thought would be possible. Today, taking 2D design renderings into the 3D NFT metaverse world was something I had never imagined. In the coming years, the auto trend that most interests me is converting classic car models into electric cars, as manufacturers will likely look past the models that mean so much to the older collectors.

What’s next for West Coast Customs?
SR: One day, to take all the notoriety of the WCC brand, the skills I have gained in this industry coupled with the hard lessons I have endured, to turn WCC into an automotive training academy. In short, since auto shop is no longer taught in high school, there’s a real need to give back to this industry. To encourage others that don’t want corporate office jobs, creatives who love cars and want to work with their hands, or people that have a tough time entering the workforce coming out of prison or the Armed Forces, this is calling me. Stay tuned…