Rock West Composites has purchased some of the assets of Custom Coachwerks, formally Thunder Ranch, and has formed a new subsidiary, Rock West Racing. The new Racing division will produce replicas of ‘50s- and ‘60s-era Spyders and Speedsters. Rock West Racing is headquartered in San Diego with manufacturing facilities in both El Cajon, California and West Jordan, Utah.

The Rock West Composites and Rock West Racing personnel have extensive experience in advanced composites for the aerospace, industrial, and sporting goods markets. They currently produce racing products such as the Hans safety device, carbon-fiber drive shafts, and structural composites for racing vehicles, wheelie bars, and suspension components. Rock West Racing is a natural extension of their current product offering according to CEO, Jim Gormican.

“I was a customer of Thunder Ranch and have really enjoyed my Spyder,” notes Gormican. “I have admired this era of cars and enjoyed them as both accurate/classical reproductions and as resto rods. Our strategy will focus on producing kits with both options."

While acknowledging the heritage and contributions of cars formally produced by Thunder Ranch, this new team brings engineering, manufacturing, and business expertise to the kit car market. Rock West Racing is currently upgrading and retooling the existing facility, and Rock West Composites plans to leverage this business into additional composite racing products. Rock West has over 80,000 sq. ft. of facilities in San Diego, CA and West Jordan, UT.