Builder Series Episode 14 - Vinny Roberts

This week, Matt sits down with Vinny Roberts, a guy whose story runs deep with family, hard work, and a whole lot of horsepower. Vinny grew up watching his dad fall in love with cars before stepping into a life of honorable service in law enforcement. Meanwhile, young Vinny was spending his days hanging around the local salvage yard—until the day he was gifted his very first car: a ’69 Charger. That moment lit a fire that never went out.

Matt and Vinny dive into the age‑old truth that every guy has a brand—Ford, Chevy, Mopar—and how those loyalties shape who we are in the garage. Vinny walks through the long list of trades he’s picked up over the years: laying paint, pinstriping, turning wrenches as a certified mechanic, even tackling electronics. He’s a one‑man shop with the skills to back it up.

He shares the story of the Plymouth he’ll never let go of, a car built with pieces of his grandmother’s memory woven right into it. And then there’s the time he rolled into a show full of shiny, high‑dollar builds… and walked away with two awards, including Best in Show.

Matt and Vinny get real about the difference between what you see on TV and the realistic goals of building cars in the real world. Vinny also gives us a look at the ’57 Plymouth he’s crafting for the High Class Trash Invitational, the story behind the rubber duck riding shotgun on his rat rod, and why he loves adding flamethrowers to his builds.

The conversation rounds out with the memories made in the shop, on the road, and at local shows—the love‑hate relationship every builder knows too well—and Vinny closes with some solid advice on finding that spark that keeps you going.

This episode is all heart, all grit, and all the reasons we keep turning wrenches.

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