Mecum Auctions and West Coast Customs team up to raise money for custom automotive training and education
Mecum Auctions and West Coast Customs are teaming up to give back to the community. Select cars from the custom shop’s founder Ryan Friedlinghaus’s personal collection will cross the block at Dana Mecum’s 38th Original Spring Classic in May at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. All proceeds from the sales will be donated to provide education for students at the West Coast Customs Academy’s state-of-the-art facility in Los Angeles.
West Coast Customs Academy is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering and teaching individuals the skills they need to succeed in the custom automotive industry. To support that mission, Ryan Friedlinghaus, the founder and CEO of West Coast Customs, is bringing five customized cars from his personal collection to auction. Since its founding in 1988, Mecum Auctions has taken great pride in giving back to the community and looks forward to adding West Coast Customs Academy to the list of meaningful charities it has teamed up with.
West Coast Customs Founder and CEO Ryan Friedlinghaus had this to say about the upcoming project: “I am honored to be collaborating with the amazing team at Mecum Auctions. This partnership will provide valuable funding that will make a difference in the lives of many students looking to learn the trade of custom auto work who would otherwise not have the opportunity to do so. I am grateful and look forward to a long-term collaborative effort that will positively impact West Coast Customs Academy students for years to come.”
The collection starts with the West Coast Customs Academy’s 1997 Toyota 4Runner, which was built by the West Coast Customs Academy’s class of 2024. This 4Runner has custom air suspension and 18-inch billet custom wheels all wrapped in a unique flame and pin-striped paint job. Following the 4Runner is a West Coast Customs 23XI 2022 Toyota Camry Street Legal Race Car equipped with a one-of-one aero package. Bringing the muscle to the collection is a General Lee-inspired 2006 Dodge Charger with a custom chassis, which is finished in the iconic “Dukes of Hazard” livery. A showstopping 2012 Volkswagen Passat will light up the auction block with its custom red lighting in the headlights, grille and with an under-glow effect. Rounding out the collection is a spectacular Star Trek-inspired 2018 Slingshot transformed into the U.S.S. Discovery featuring a 3D hood with side wings and 20-inch Lexani air-brushed wheels.
For more information on Dana Mecum’s 38th Original Spring Classic and all other scheduled Mecum events, visit Mecum.com or call (262) 275-5050. Mecum’s website is updated daily with the latest consignments and includes detailed descriptions and photographs of the vehicles offered, as well as a detailed auction and event schedule.
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