The SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) named South City Rod and Custom as the council’s newest spotlight member.
Get to know their story in the SEMA News interview with South City Rod and Custom’s owner, Bill Ganahl, below.
SEMA News: When was your company founded?
Bill Ganahl: I started as a very small shop in 2007. We went full time and moved to Hayward, California, in 2013.
SN: Tell us about your business now in 2026 and what you’re focused on?
BG: We just doubled our space and are opening a service side of the business where we do service work, small jobs/repair, full detailing services, and concierge storage. This is all in addition to the full builds that we will continue to do.
SN: What are your thoughts on the popularity of the hot rod industry around the world?
BG: While the years and styles of the cars that are being built are continually changing, the market for custom cars has never been bigger. People are building more today than ever, and the price and quality of the builds has skyrocketed over the past two decades. In my almost 25 years in business, I have never once been worried about having work to do. In fact, our problem is finding qualified employees to keep up with all the demand!
SN: What is something most people don’t know about your shop?
BG: Many of us here are multi-generational hot rodders. Donny who has worked here for over a decade, his dad was a hot rodder and drag race photographer, and my dad was a prolific journalist in the industry, editor of Hot Rod, Street Rodder, Rod and Custom, and the Rodder's Journal. We are die-hard hot rodders here, with cars in our DNA.
SN: Do you have advice for other hot rod businesses to be successful?
BG: Be patient and do quality work even if it doesn't pay off right away. Your reputation will grow slowly, and anyone who does good work with integrity will rise above the rest over time. I have been doing this for decades now, and it's taken a very long time to gain a reputation as a good high-end shop, but it all pays off with time and dedication.
Fill out a HRIA member spotlight form to highlight how you or your company are contributing to the hot rod industry. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on HRIA’s social media, SEMA News and future HRIA-member updates.