Most people can only dream about turning their obsession into a successful career, but Paul has done exactly that. Paul is the director and head mechanic of Code One Custom Auto, builders of some of the most outrageous and most memorable movie cars. Some of their most recent work has appeared in The Fast and the Furious, Men in Black, Charlie’s Angels, and The Grinch. Most of these projects require extensive use of fiberglass and other composite materials, much of which is supplied by Fibre Glast Developments.

Paul’s first exposure to fiberglass came during the 80’s while he was in Japan. The project was simple hood scoop, and he quickly realized the potential for fiberglass in much more elaborate builds. What followed was his first major project, the Knight 2000 from the Knight Rider series, which remains one of his favorite builds of all time. The entire project took about a year and a half to construct, but the result was an extremely realistic likeness of the series’ actual vehicle, complete with a fold-down license plate hiding a high-power spot light and message scroll. For fun, Paul drove the completed car to Universal Studios to see what kind of attention he could draw. Initially just hoping not to get sued, he instead landed a job constructing and reconditioning movie cars for the studio.

Since moving back to New York in 1997, Code One has certainly kept itself busy. Though many of their projects are for films, they are also constantly working on replicas of famous cars for well-to-do buyers with a little spare change dedicated toward owning their dream vehicle. One of the projects that will commence soon is the creation of 4 Batmobiles based on the orginal television series. While many projects like this are for auto shows, museums, or charitable causes, some are essentially elaborate toys for collectors and fans.

In the past year or so, custom cars and elaborate modifications have become increasingly popular due to shows like Monster Garage and American Chopper, and Paul is no stranger to the phenomenon. Occasionally, Monster Garage takes its show on the road to feature homemade builds. One of these shows due to air in February will feature Paul’s “Stealth Hovercraft,” complete with a custom fiberglass shell. Originally designed to imitate an alien spacecraft, last minute painting complications dictated a stealth appearance. The build was not without complications however, as construction time was shortened from 3 months to about a week. Cold temperatures on the east coast hindered performance further, as hovercrafts in general do not perform well in the cold. Even so, despite a small accident that took out all of the turbine blades and a few last minute shipments from Singapore, the build looks to be pulled off in the nick of time; truly Monster Garage style.

Aside from the actual construction, much of the fun involved with movie cars is taking them out and watching the reaction on people’s faces. When traveling, the cars are frequently transported on open trailers so unsuspecting travelers might catch a glimpse of something unusual passing by. Or if the weather is nice, sometimes they’re fun to just take out on the town. Unfortunately, certain electronics contained within some of the vehicles limit their actual road, and Paul can recall several times when sudden swerves were required to avoid puddles that might otherwise short his systems. And of course he won’t forget the time when he was caught in a snowstorm driving the turbo-charged Eclipse from The Fast and the Furious.

Since exposing himself to fiberglass in the 80s, composite fabrication has become a huge part of the business. The current shop has a staff of 6 and the facility is built around composite work, with specialized rooms for glassing, spraying, cutting, and more. Fibre Glast products are extensively used in his vehicles and the results can be seen by just turning on the TV. “We’ve enjoyed utilizing large quantities of Fibre Glast products in our work,” said Paul. “The quality is always consistent and we appreciate the fast turnaround times.”

To see more creations from Code One Custom Auto, visit them on the web at www.codeoneauto.com . Of particular interest in the “Progress” section, which features in depth walk-throughs of several projects.

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