IN CHATSWORTH California, what looks like a parking lot full of rusting cars, is actually home to some of the most original custom-built rides in the world. The vehicles that leave the 'Icon' workshop under the 'Derelict' brand are unique reimagined classics. Dated vehicles in awful conditions are revamped, making them fit for modern day driving. However, the company never restores the shells, giving these vehicles their trademark rough and rusty look. Founder Jonathan Ward told Ridiculous Rides: "Derelict will never repeat the same build twice, each one is a singular high-functioning sculpture." The first ever Derelict build, still owned by Jonathan, is a 1951 DeSoto Wagon mashed up with a Chrysler Town & Country. By combining elements from the two cars, the Derelict DeSoto is completely authentic on the outside, but modern on the inside. Modern A/C units and bluetooth audio connectivity are some of the modern-day features of this one-of-a-kind masterpiece. But why keep the original shell? "I wanted something alternative but imperfect, so that I don't have to worry about it - I don't want to be that guy who is super stressed out about that first scratch," said Jonathan.
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00:00 COMM: I wanted something alternative but imperfect. We get a lot of grief from people, I don't
00:09 really care. Each build is a singular high-functioning sculpture.
00:15 COMM: Chatsworth, California. This may look
00:24 like a parking lot full of rusting junk. But don't be fooled by the scruffy shells.
00:32 The vehicles that lead the Icon Workshop are unique reimagined classics.
00:37 Derelicts will never repeat the same build twice.
00:49 Each one is a singular high-functioning sculpture. But why the unorthodox finish?
00:56 I wanted something alternative but imperfect so I didn't have to worry about it. I didn't
01:02 want to be that guy who's like super stressed out about the first scratch, the bumper rash,
01:08 stuff like that. And this vehicle is an epic two-car mash-up.
01:12 It's technically a Chrysler Town & Country. But the front hood and grille is a like-conditioned,
01:19 kind of, sort of the same green '52 DeSoto sedan. Bolted the two together and then I
01:25 was like, "Yes, okay, now we're on." Original car didn't have AC. All the knobs
01:30 and the switches are still kind of, sort of, in the original position. For the modern AC
01:35 controls, I could maintain the consistency. Like same with the gauges. I didn't restore
01:40 them and make them all pretty. Everything down to the acrylic and the typeface is authentic.
01:45 But behind the scenes, it's all video circuit board, state-of-the-art. And then the audio
01:50 system, it's a Bluetooth-dependent digital sound processor interfaced amplified audio
01:57 system with bass, meaning I just control it from my phone and there's nothing visual that
02:02 you have to interface with in the vehicle. This was a 3,000-hour build for Jonathan and
02:09 his team. And it comes complete with some quirky touches.
02:13 It's just fun to add a little bit of tongue-in-cheek, have a little sense of humor in these builds.
02:19 With this one, I went to a really cool old aircraft surplus place and bought some vintage
02:24 hardware that's used throughout the vehicle. There's a cool before-flight release safety
02:30 pin that I used as the hold-down on the air filter enclosure. Overflow reservoir for the
02:36 radiator. I scored a 1800s whiskey bottle. And then with all of our vehicles, everything
02:44 has our mascot, the icon lizard on them. Fun thing with the Derelicts is he's never in
02:49 the same place and it's always responding to the shape of the car. Just feels natural,
02:54 like he would sun himself there. He's right there up front on the hood.
03:02 Jonathan's company started out as a land cruiser service center and he wasn't prepared
03:07 for the impact the DeSoto build would have on his business.
03:11 We're a little pinched. Is Thursday or Monday good for you? When I built this wagon, it
03:18 was like a nights and weekends personal project. But then within like a week or two of finishing
03:25 it, it started getting all sorts of love and attention. And next thing I know, it's on
03:30 the cover of Hot Rod magazine. It won some design awards and I was like, "Oh, I guess
03:35 I can keep building these. Let's call them Derelicts."
03:38 And now the Icon team are producing 10 of these one-off customs a year.
03:43 It starts with generally either a client has an appreciation for our antics and they come
03:49 and say, "I just love the concept. What do you want to build that you haven't built yet?"
03:54 Or it's hyper-specific. Something that the client already has a deep emotional relationship
04:03 with. Then I'll get kind of down and dirty with the client to understand a great number
04:08 of things including what's their style? What materials do you find appealing? How obnoxious
04:15 do you want it to be? Do you want it to be fast or do you want it to be stupid fast?
04:20 But despite business booming, not everyone shares Jonathan's vision.
04:25 We get a lot of grief from people with the Derelicts where they think we're idiots for
04:29 putting all that time and energy into it but leaving it looking as if it's left in the
04:34 barn. You know what though? I don't really care. It's stuff that excites me. And the
04:41 fact that it's not for everyone kind of makes it better to me.
04:46 [Music]
04:51 (whooshing)
04:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]