
For almost 3 decades one of the countries busiest Rod & Custom shops that cranks out World Class cars has been located in Portland, Oregon. It's simply called S.A.R. (Steve's Auto Restorations) after its founder & owner, STEVE FRISBIE.
Like all of us, Steve's love of cars goes back to his youth. In Steve's case, he caught the "fever" hanging at his Dad's service station, and watching his Dad run in the Fri-Sat Nite Jalopy Derbys. His first car was a '38 Chevy, that he couldn't quite get to run. He had a "real" job at one time which really prepared him for what would come later, and after a life-changing event, went full-bore into doing what he really wanted to do: build street rods !
Steve & I met at Darryl Starbird's 2008 Tulsa Autorama on the day Steve was to be Inducted into the National Rod & Custom Hall Of Fame, and I wanted to document his history as he's been responsible for some of the most unique & special cars that you've probably read about in Rodder's Journal, Street Rodder, Hot Rod, et al.
AND, Steve's shop not only builds these Super Machines, but also has a great line of Real Steel bodies & parts that are sold WorldWide. In fact, his newest Real Steel '34 3-Window Coupe is one of the hottest bodies available right now...and we were among the first to record Steve's story mentioning that new body. ( NOTE: For a great story on the new '34 3-Window, read Chris Shelton's on-site experience with the company that presses those bodies into shape in the March, 2009, issue of Street Rodder.)
I got the info straight from Steve on ALL of the aforementioned items, and in addition, we discussed the fact that although the cars his shop puts on the street win major awards at shows all over the country, they are all built to be DRIVERS after the show's over !
Steve Frisbie is truly one of the "good guys" of the Industry, and it was a real pleasure to spend some time with him so that you'd get the chance to hear him tell his own stories, in his own voice...right here on the Hall Of Fame Legends Series WebSite !! JK
PS: DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS A PAST "CONNECTION" THAT LINKED STEVE FRISBIE AND THE LEGENDARY DARRYL STARBIRD...THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT UNTIL LAST YEAR ? SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE TO FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS !


(Above: S.A.R.'s Hottest New Product the Real Steel '34 3-Window Coupe )

(Above: A '38 Chevy Coupe like Steve's first car...only this one runs !)


(Above top left: The NewMad; above top right: The Baron Von Kuhl; Above left: The '64 GTO featured in Hot Rod; Above right: The NewMad which Steve did in collaboration with Chip Foose)


(Above: Just a few of the mags that S.A. R. Super Rods have been featured in. )
Darryl Starbird & Steve Frisbie BOTH worked for Boeing Aircraft in their early careers. AND, both left Boeing to do what they REALLY wanted to do: Build Rods & Customs ! I think we're all glad that they did !!
For a look at some of the coolest Rods & Customs you'll ever see, and available merchandise, check-out Steve's WebSite: http://www.stevesautorestorations.com/