SEMA Builder, Neil Tjin of Tjin Designs on the Hemmings Hot Rod BBQ Podcast

Hemmings Hot Rod BBQ Podcast

Back in the late 1990s, the import scene here in the United States was just kicking off. Many traditional hot-rodder’s laughed at the thought of a small displacement Honda or Toyota lining up against their big-block muscle car at the strip, but in no time, those traditionalists were getting beat and going home with their tail between their legs. Then, in 2001, The Fast and the Furious came out and further cemented performance-based imports as a mainstay in American car culture.

This was also the time when a high school student named Neil Tjin from Florida, began playing with, and designing some of the coolest imports around. Fast forward almost 25-years later, and Neil is still going strong, but now, as they owner of Tjin Design, instead of designing for himself as a hobby, he’s one of the most well-known builders of SEMA vehicles for the aftermarket and OEMs. There is however, one main difference in what Neil builds, compared to many of the vehicles that show up at SEMA. Simply put, his cars work. Thus, please welcome Mr. Tjin on a new episode of the Hemmings Hot Rod BBQ podcast as we talk about the genesis of the import car seen, and what it takes to build a functional vehicle for the biggest automotive trade show on earth.