Brian Champagne
Lindon man builds custom Jeep 'SUV' to fit family of 7
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted May 6th - 2:47pm
Jeep's four-door Wrangler Unlimited wasn't big enough to fit one Lindon designer's family of seven, so he built his own three-row version — and he was just the guy for the job.
No one saves and drives a family heirloom like this Tooele family
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Apr 8th - 2:36pm
It sat in a garage for decades and now a Tooele family is driving the payoff of a barn find they didn't have to go find.
Midvale man's vintage Civic is cool, getting cooler
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Feb 26th - 3:03pm
It's little, it's hard to get parts, but it's getting more valuable every day
Blazer restorer restores one for himself
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Jan 7th - 3:26pm
Andy Kawahara works on other people's Chevy's by day, and on his own by night.
Collection of Caddies keeps connection strong between father and son, 2 generations over
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Nov 5th - 11:32am
Kevin Watkins has kept all the cars his father gave him, going back to when he was 14 years old. He says the collection helps keep memories of his father vivid, and is helping him create new memories with his son.
Mother-daughter connection puts the 'ma' in Camaro
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Oct 1st - 1:44pm
When an Alaska bush pilot passed away, she left her daughter memories she could drive — loud and fast.
After more than a decade, Saratoga Springs family finds their Mustang that 'got away'
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Aug 6th - 2:02pm
Most of us have that "one that got away." This family got theirs back, but not without a lot of luck and hard work.
Major car show pulled off in Salt Lake City with COVID-19 precautions
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Jul 23rd - 8:40am
National car show promoter Goodguys Rod and Custom Association came to Utah at a "challenging" time, but organizers say they pulled off a great car show this past weekend.
How thinking like a boat racer led to the creation of a very unique pickup truck
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Jul 9th - 3:35pm
If you’ve ever had to work using two mirrors, like when shaving the back of your neck, you’ll appreciate what a Salt Lake man did to get an engine into the bed of his pickup truck.
Logan man combines vehicle 'souls' to build rat rod from the ground up
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Jun 4th - 11:30am
"Rat rods" are built from pieces of different cars; Ron Kidman calls his a convergence of souls.
You can hate on this electric-converted 1958 pickup truck, just don't race it
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted May 14th - 12:57pm
Salt Lake City car enthusiast Casey Loter converted a 1958 Chevy pickup truck to Tesla power, and the results are beyond ludicrous.
Coronavirus restrictions put Manti's annual Rat Fink Reunion in jeopardy
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Apr 18th - 1:08pm
While many cities in Utah canceled events and programs upon first hearing of COVID-19 social distancing, Manti is holding out and hoping for its summer programs and, most importantly, its international event in early June.
South Jordan man turns MINI Cooper into in-home racing simulator
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Apr 2nd - 1:30pm
Brent Cheney always wanted to build a racing simulator. The one he built in his basement is probably the most realistic driving simulator you’ll ever see.
Ogden man predicts his electric 'Herbie' is the future of hot-rodding
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Mar 12th - 7:01pm
Steve Nestel’s Herbie-style VW Beetle goes from zero to 60 mph thanks to its electric Tesla Model S engine. But Nestle is still waiting for respect from hot rod purists.
Orem man builds car show inside his show car
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Jan 2nd - 1:14pm
At most car shows, you stop to look under the hood. When you come to Don West’s vehicle, you’ll get hooked by what’s in his trunk.
'Something blew up every 6 months’: Salt Lake man finally gets bare-metal rat rod on the road
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Dec 6th - 11:46am
Joe Averett always wanted a rat rod. But he didn’t plan on the battles he’d have with real rats and series of blown parts he’d have to replace to get his 1948 Chrysler New Yorker going.
Bigger outside Utah than in: Rat Fink reunion draws people from around the world
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted May 28th - 3:01pm
Rat Fink is a character and an attitude created by a Utahn. A reunion in Manti next week will embrace both, though it's more popular in the rest of the world.
Kane County man's 1940 Ford was a long journey in the making
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted May 2nd - 11:15am
Dave Nicholson loved the 1940 Ford he had at BYU in the 1960s; enough to find another and spend years getting it back on the road.
Joy and tragedy got Grantsville man's GTO on the road
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Apr 4th - 12:24pm
Years of fun with and then mourning without his older brother make a Grantsville man's 1965 Pontiac GTO convertible a great-looking and great-feeling ride.
Honeyville man drives rescue history
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Feb 8th - 10:45am
You'll see it on the highways, but you'll have to catch this 1965 Manviile, New Jersey Rescue truck at a car show to find out its story.
Alpine man inherits love of Ford Broncos from high school teacher, rebuilds 3
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Jan 3rd - 12:24pm
A shop teacher in East LA inspired an Alpine man to get into machining and Ford Broncos. Both have stuck with him into adulthood.
Alpine man invests $75K to rebuild car into 200-mph racer
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Dec 25th - 11:06am
When Ted Cox's Dodge aged from cool and sporty to just another used car, he repurposed it into a heart-thumping hot rod with a world record for a goal.
25 years as a helicopter mechanic prepares Salt Lake man for challenging classic car rebuild
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Nov 1st - 11:58am
What does it take to keep a 91-year-old car in its original form and on the road? Parts and knowledge quests from all over the country. Fortunately, that's not a problem for Salt Lake resident Joe Bordelon.
Logan man went way over budget restoring Thunderbird, but he has no regrets
Brian Champagne, KSL.com Contributor | Posted Oct 4th - 6:29pm
Tom Westre blew his budget on his 1960 Thunderbird, spending thousands more than he thinks it will ever be worth. But he's OK with that.
