It’s not every day you meet an 88 year-old—especially one with a storied past, and who has more going on than most adults that are supposed to be at the height of their careers. How many people do you know who continue to pursue their dreams with reckless abandon well into their 80s? Well, to Gene “Windy” Winfield, age is just a number. He continues to do everything he loves with gusto, and fortunately for us car folks, his chosen profession is fast and custom cars. Through his right-hand man and personal manager, Johnny B. Good, who knows every detail of Gene’s ultra-busy life, (March had Gene home for only eight days!) from painting cars or teaching metal shaping classes worldwide, to shaking hands with folks like us, we were able to meet this car icon and tour his home.

I showed up at his dusty shop on a lonely stretch of Sierra Highway with two photographers at my side. Johnny gave us a warm hello, and within minutes, Gene came out from his workshop and welcomed us like we were old friends.

The first order of business was to tour Winfield’s Rod & Custom Shop, the place where some of the most beautiful cars in the galaxy are created. Every vehicle that passes through these portals exits as a one-of-a-kind rolling masterpiece and nothing leaves until it gets his nod of approval, and in some cases, his car stamp.

Gene walked us through the cars there and explained what was being done to make each one a Winfield Custom. It’s a bustling shop, with anywhere from four to a dozen craftsmen, all performing various tasks to custom cars using skills they learned from Gene, as well as utilizing handmade tools to do specific tasks, all developed by Gene and his brilliant crew. However, he himself takes pride in personally (and oh so perfectly) spraying every custom painted machine that leaves his shop.

From there, we moved into the back desert lot where we saw a few dusty vehicles that were purpose-built to fit specific film roles, such as the flying police car from Back to the Future Part II, and a “wind-up” life sized toy car, used in a motor oil commercial. Also, waiting to be restored was a “Mirage”, a Cadillac luxury pickup conversion. Gene explained that in the mid ‘70s, he ran a shop called Traditional Coach Works Ltd of Chatsworth, CA that built and sold 96 Cadillac station wagons and 120 pickups, all built to Cadillac’s high standards and sold through Cadillac dealerships. In fact, Evil Knievel owned two, and one shows up the movie Viva Knievel. Gene recently managed to round up one survivor, and soon plans to restore it to its former glory. Several other remnants of cars sunbathe in the Mojave desert sand as they await future customization.

Next, was a tour through Windy’s Museum. From the outside, it’s not much more than a little old roadside service station, but inside, it’s a trip down memory lane filled with photos, trophies, movie props, model cars, and stories galore. Stepping inside, Gene was simply gushing to show us antiques from his personal collection, as well as from his family life. There is even a tribute to his favorite soda shop from the 1950s.

Further in, we passed through a room dedicated to TV and movie vehicles, and even got to stand beside his futuristic 1966 creation “Reactor”, as Gene explained how it was built and where the car appeared on-screen in multiple shows. The walls are covered with photos of film cars that he personally had a hand in creating, from Bewitched to Blade Runner to Back to the Future. Also, we were sure not to miss the room filled with all of the scale model kits and Hot Wheels he helped create. Got Tail Dragger? (See the sidebar below.)

Not to give it all away, but upon learning of Mr. Winfield’s early affiliation with Star Trek’s design department, we were “beamed” into his Star Trek-themed room featuring props and other special surprises. The hot rodding and land speed room was filled with hi-octane racing history, and there is even an area that is dedicated to all of Gene’s personal friends and heroes, both past and present, who have made their mark in the custom car industry.

In a nut shell, Windy’s Museum is a journey though Gene’s life. If you find the time, we highly recommend stopping in for a tour. Calling ahead is suggested, but even if Gene himself is away from the shop, one of his knowledgeable and friendly staff members will happily give you the guided tour. Meeting Mr. Winfield was truly inspirational, exhilarating and educational, and as Gene often says, “Every day is a school day!” We at Drive! thank Mr. Winfield for his hospitality, kindness and generosity.

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Winfield’s Rod & Custom
8201 Sierra Hwy
Mojave, CA 93560
(661)824-4728
Museum entrance is FREE Donations are accepted

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