There a lot custom car builders located across the great country, and we thought that it would be a great idea to see if we could locate one from each state and bring you guys some insight into what these shops are building. Welcome to our Stateside Shop Tour, where we’ll be cutting a path across the U.S. of A to find brilliant, badass builders who are taking cars to another level with awesome rebuilds and restorations. To start things off, we’re hitting the Evergreen State, Washington, to explore what wonders the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Off-road builds are also a part of DSR’s operations.

The Internet brought us to Divers Street Rods out of Startup, some 44 miles northeast of Seattle. The owner, Tim Divers, is a man who gets to live the dream daily, working on and managing all of the builds currently in motion. Tim takes pride in the work he and his team produce, and part and parcel of that is the great deal of time required to execute each project.

“Everyone who comes to us has to understand that our process is long-term,” said Tim. “We currently have about seven vehicles in rotation right now, and to take on a new build would take at least a year before we could even start it – our waiting list is that long.”

This Bel Air build as it began.

Like so many of us, Tim and his brother, Scott, grew up around cars. Scott learned he had a knack for upholstery and interiors, while Tim could handle fabrication and mechanical tasks.

Though Scott isn’t a permanent fixture at DSR’s daily operations, his unique concepts and renderings make him a valuable asset for customers looking to build something original.

One car that’s currently in the works is a 1955 Bel Air hardtop, that belongs to an owner from Arizona. “It was bought with a pink and white paint scheme, and came to us to be worked on about a year ago,” said Tim. “We’ve come a long way with the build so far, but we still have to test drive it for 500 miles and take care of some other stuff before it’s ready to roll out.”

The team installed a 480 hp LS3 as the heart of the Tri-Five. It’s been mated to a 4L65-E transmission and 9-inch rearend using 31-spline axles. All these items are attached to an Art Morrison chassis. Other currently-finished touches include the paint, an Ididit steering column, a Dakota Digital gauge cluster, and a set of Magnaflow mufflers. The interior reuses all of the stock Bel Air trim, but has an updated air conditioning system to help with the comfort needs.

You know the old saying – “Any job worth doing is worth doing right,” and Divers Street Rods is a living testament to that maxim, and if that sounds like the kind of quality and craftsmanship you’d want for your ride, Tim and his team are a phone call or click away. Stay tuned to more Stateside Shop Tour, and come back next week as we go to Idaho.