About Flat Broke Speed

Growing Up Around Hot Rods

Cars have always been part of the story.

Long before Flat Broke Speed existed, garages, car shows, swap meets, and project vehicles were simply part of everyday life. Some of my earliest memories are from the garage — handing my dad tools, holding the flashlight, and learning that building something was just as important as owning it.

One project that always stood out was my dad's 1936 Ford Pickup, built with a Pontiac V8. It wasn't about following a rulebook. It was about creativity, craftsmanship, and making an old car something unique.

That mindset has stayed with me ever since.

Learning in the Family Garage

The garage was where I learned that old cars are more than machines.

They are history, workmanship, and the stories connected to the people who built and owned them before.

Working on vehicles with my family shaped the way I look at old parts today. A piece that someone else overlooks might be exactly what another builder has been searching for.

First Cars and Early Projects

My first vehicle came around age fourteen — a 1968 Ford XL GT Fastback with a 428 V8.

After getting my license, swap meets, automotive recyclers, classified ads, and private sellers became regular stops. Finding parts, learning what things were worth, and figuring out how to bring projects back to life became part of the hobby.

Over the years, those experiences led to more projects, including a 1971 Chevelle project and helping my father build a Flathead-powered 1947 Ford Business Coupe for my mother.

Buying, Selling, and Trading Within the Hobby

Long before Flat Broke Speed became a business, I was already buying, selling, trading, and helping people find automotive parts and vehicles.

This was never a formal business. It was simply part of being involved in the hobby.

Sometimes that meant finding a part for a project. Sometimes it meant helping someone sell a collection they no longer had room for. Sometimes it meant making sure good automotive pieces did not get discarded.

The goal was always the same: keep good parts, good cars, and good stories in the hobby.

Automotive Parts Experience

My professional career has also centered around automotive parts.

Starting in 1992, I worked in automotive retail, moving through management roles and eventually managing operations that included wholesale delivery and repair facilities.

Later, my work moved into ecommerce — including automotive dropship, replacement parts, B2B, and B2C operations.

That combination of hands-on hobby experience and professional parts knowledge shaped how Flat Broke Speed operates today: research the part, describe it accurately, help the right buyer find it.

The 1939 Ford That Helped Shape the Vision

In February 2005, I purchased a 1939 Ford Standard Sedan.

That purchase was an important milestone. It helped crystallize the idea of building something around the parts, vehicles, and history that had always been part of my life.

It wasn't the beginning of Flat Broke Speed, but it was an important step toward the direction the idea would eventually take.

Building Flat Broke Speed

Flat Broke Speed began appearing regularly at swap meets in 2016.

In 2018, the business expanded online, allowing these one-off finds to reach builders and collectors beyond local events.

Flat Broke Industries LLC was established in 2022, creating the formal business behind Flat Broke Speed.

The foundation remained the same: find overlooked parts, document them accurately, connect them with people who will use and appreciate them.

What We Do Today

Flat Broke Speed is not a traditional catalog parts store.

Most of what we offer comes from real garages, estates, swap meets, collections, and project liquidations. Many items are one-of-a-kind finds that may never appear again.

We specialize in early Ford and Flathead V8 parts, traditional hot rod components, automotive collectibles, and classic vehicles.

Every item gets the same approach: find it right, describe it honestly, ship it carefully.

The Meaning Behind the Name

Flat — a tribute to Flathead engines, one of the foundations of traditional American hot rodding.

Broke — a reality every enthusiast understands. There is always another project, another part, and another upgrade.

Speed — a nod to the independent speed shops that shaped American performance culture.

Flat Broke Speed represents the same spirit those shops carried forward: enthusiasm, creativity, and keeping old automotive history alive.