Odessa, Missouri · Family owned & run

Rust to rolling art.

A family shop in the heartland where full restorations, engine builds, and one-off kustoms get the patience and craftsmanship they deserve. From an oil change to a frame-off build, we do it all.

Call the Shop See the Work
The Shop

Family owned. Heartland built.

Hotchkin's Rods & Kustoms is a small, family-owned and run shop in the heartland of America. The first car ever through our door was an all-original 1965 Ford Galaxie 500, a car that's been in the family since it rolled off the lot new.

That's the standard for everything after it. We treat every car that comes in like it's our own, whether it's a numbers-matching classic, a slammed lead sled, a lifted squarebody, a ground-up rod project, or just an oil change and a set of tires done right.

No corporate playbook. No shortcuts. Just real craftsmanship from people who'd rather be under the hood than behind a desk.

Christian Hotchkins Owner · Hotchkin's Rods & Kustoms LLC
The all-original 1965 Ford Galaxie 500, the first car through the shop's door, parked at Hotchkin's in Odessa, Missouri
The 1965 Galaxie 500. The first car through our door.
100%
Family Run
All
Makes & Eras
8–5
Mon Through Thu
What We Do

One shop. Every job.

From a weekend tune-up to a frame-off custom, the same hands and the same standards go into every vehicle that rolls in.

01

Full Builds & Restoration

Frame-off, ground-up projects managed start to finish. We handle the metal, mechanical, and assembly, and bring in a trusted painter to finish it right.

02

Engine Building & Swaps

Rebuilds, LS and crate swaps, cam and carb work, EFI conversions. From a mild refresh to a built powerplant that runs and sounds right.

03

Performance & Tuning

Modern power in a classic body. Cooling, fuel, and drivability dialed in so it's a blast to drive, not just a garage trophy.

04

Metal Fabrication & Rust Repair

Floor pans, patch panels, cab corners, custom brackets, and one-off pieces fabricated to fit and last. The work that separates a real shop from a parts-swapper.

05

Suspension, Lift & Exhaust

Lowered classics, lifted trucks, and custom exhaust with the right note. Stance, handling, and sound, done to match the build.

06

Everyday Service & Towing

Oil changes, tires, brakes, and general repair on your daily driver too. Plus towing and recovery when you need to get it here.

The Work

The proof is in the metal.

A look at what's rolled out of the Hotchkin's shop. Real builds, real customers, real iron.

Featured Build

The Mach 1 that came back to life.

A finished yellow 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 parked outside Hotchkin's Rods & Kustoms in Odessa, Missouri

This 1970 Mustang Mach 1 is a true family heirloom. It had been off the road for a while, and it came to us all the way from Texas with one goal: get it running and back where it belongs.

We tried to save the original engine, but pulling the intake told the real story. Bent pushrods and chewed-up cam lobes. That motor was done.

So the owner made the drive to northern Iowa for a used 351 Cleveland out of another 1970 Mach 1. We dropped in the new heart, built a full custom 2.5-inch exhaust from scratch, and set the stance the way a Mach 1 should sit: fat rubber out back, skinny up front, on air shocks.

After months of anticipation, it fired up and rolled out under its own power. From here, it only gets better.

1970 Mustang Mach 1 351 Cleveland V8 Custom 2.5" Exhaust Staggered Wheels & Air Shocks
The Mach 1 as it arrived, dusty and hauled up from Texas
As it arrived, up from Texas
The used 351 Cleveland V8 that became the car's new engine
A used 351 Cleveland, its new heart
The full custom 2.5-inch exhaust built for the Mach 1
Full custom 2.5-inch exhaust
A black 1972 Chevrolet Nova SS with an LS3 swap, built by Hotchkin's Rods & Kustoms
Resto-Mod · LS Swap
1972 Chevrolet Nova SS
430hp LS3 6.2L · 4-speed Muncie · Holley EFI
A Petty-blue 1973 Plymouth Road Runner restored by Hotchkin's
Classic Muscle
1973 Plymouth Road Runner
Rebuilt 318 · cam & 4-barrel · 58k original miles
An all-original 1965 Ford Galaxie 500
All Original
1965 Ford Galaxie 500
The first car through our door
A restored black Chevrolet Squarebody 4x4 pickup, lifted on polished wheels
Full Restoration
Chevy Squarebody 4×4
20 months · floor pans & metal · rust to glass
Before & After

The Squarebody, 20 months apart.

The Chevrolet Squarebody truck before restoration, faded paint and surface rust
Before
The same Squarebody truck after a full restoration, glossy black and lifted
After
Why Hotchkin's

Built on trust.

Real Craftsmanship

Every build gets the time and attention to detail it deserves. We don't rush good work.

One Shop, Start to Finish

Metal, engine, fab, suspension, exhaust, and everyday service, plus paint through a trusted partner. Managed by one crew.

Heartland Honest

Family owned and run. Straight talk, fair work, and a handshake that means something.

Any Make, Any Era

Muscle, trucks, hot rods, classics, customs, and daily drivers. If you love it, we'll work on it.

Got a project in mind?

Bring us the vision, the barn find, or the box of parts. Let's talk about what it could be. The best way to start is a phone call.

Call 816·633·4613
Find Us

Stop by the shop.

Location
120 US Hwy 40, Odessa, Missouri 64076
Call (the best way to reach us)
816·633·4613
Hours
Monday – Thursday · 8:00am – 5:00pm
Follow the Builds
Facebook · @hotchkinsrods_kustoms
Hotchkin's Rods & Kustoms
120 US Hwy 40
Odessa, Missouri 64076
Right on US Highway 40 in Odessa. Look for the sign and the row of builds out front.
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