We were lucky to catch up with Matthew Tyree recently and have shared our conversation below.

Matthew, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Our Mission Statement: “At Tyree Customs, our mission is to design and build unique, high-quality hot rods that embody the spirit of individuality and automotive artistry. With a commitment to precision and customer satisfaction, we strive to exceed expectations in every build. We honor the artistry of every classic car and hot rod while integrating modern technology to ensure each vehicle we create blends timeless aesthetics with cutting-edge performance. Whether it’s restoring a classic or creating something totally custom, we’re here to make your automotive dreams a reality.”
Here at Tyree Customs, this serves as our guiding beacon in everything we do. It articulates our core purpose and values, emphasizing our commitment to designing and building unique, high-quality hot rods that embody individuality while also creating a community. This not only defines our identity but also aligns our team towards a common goal of exceeding customer expectations through precision, creativity, and dedication to customer satisfaction. It also ensures that every vehicle we produce not only showcases aesthetic excellence but also delivers cutting-edge performance. Our dedication to turning “automotive dreams into reality” reinforces our promise to customers and setting a standard of excellence in the hot rod industry.
Ultimately, our mission statement serves as a constant reminder of why we exist, what we strive to achieve, and how we aim to make a difference in the automotive customization industry. It guides our decisions, inspires our innovation, and strengthens our commitment to delivering exceptional craftsmanship and personalized service to every client.

Matthew, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

It all started when I was sixteen years old and I got my first job at a speed shop in Chatsworth, California, building race cars. I knew from an early age that I wanted to be in the automotive industry, so right out of high school, I attended an Automotive trade school called WyoTech in west Sacramento. I studied high performance engines, chassis fabrication, and hot rods. During that time, I was able to master the fundamentals and build my foundation of mechanics while also learned the skill of welding. After graduating from WyoTech, I got hired at Chevrolet to be a technician and after completing the Chevrolet Program, I went on to be a certified Chevrolet technician. But at the end of the day, my passion was to build and work on high-end classic cars and hot rods. After working ten years in the automotive industry, being featured in classic car magazines, it became prominent for me to start my own business. In 2017, I started Tyree Customs. We are located in Thousand Oaks, California on Thousand Oaks Boulevard. We specialize in building hot rods and classic cars from the ground up! We do custom metal fabrication, wiring, vehicle upgrades, about everything from mild to wild. Building everything from show cars to daily drivers we strive to exceed the client expectations without cutting corners. What sets our shop apart from others is our high attention to detail and quality work. We are most proud of our fantastic clientele that allows us to build these rolling works of art to a high standard. From a vision to reality, it’s amazing that we now have a waiting list of six months and six figure builds. Which is just the beginning of what we are striving to do here at Tyree Customs.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When we opened our shop in Thousand Oaks, CA, it was in 2020 during the height of COVID. While most people were leaving the state for better opportunities, I was determined to build this business and take it to the next level. Although that seems easier said than done, I spent many long days and late nights in the shop making sure I did whatever it takes to not only make the customer happy but put out a product and service that only few have achieved in this business. From there I was able to build my customer foundation without one dollar spent on advertising leading to upgrading and moving to a bigger shop in 2024.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Creating a relationship with my clients is very important to me since all of my business is through word of mouth and posting our work on social media. I’ve been lucky enough to have clients with multiple cars that understand the value in having someone that knows how to work on vintage cars correctly and thoroughly. Fostering brand loyalty is all about gaining the trust of my customers since we are working on such rare vehicles. Some of our projects also hold extreme sentimental value to our clients, which we also emphasis the importance just as if it was our own. I want my clients to know that once they are a part of the Tyree Customs Family, we will always have their best interest in mind. I do not hesitate when it comes to going the extra mile, I put a lot of effort into clear communication continuously throughout a project so our customers know we are taking care of them. I have received more and more referrals from our clients to their own family and friends because that’s how much they value my work and opinion on the direction of their car builds. And for that, I truly appreciate my customers. It’s a two way street and all I want to see are happy people driving TC hot rods!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tyreecustoms.com
• Instagram: @tyree_customs
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TyreeCustoms/
• Twitter: @tyreecustoms
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr2lKG8vWGj1SgQLPAUU3lg
• Other: TikTok: @tyree.customs

Image Credits

Michelle Munesato