Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Tommy Kentner - TK Autoworks - EP.195
Description
What starts with blowing up your own Subaru can apparently turn into building some of the cleanest Skylines in the country.
In this episode of the Right Hand Drive Guys Podcast, Bobby and Aaron sit down with Tommy Kentner of TK AutoWorks in Clarksville, Tennessee to talk about how he went from fixing his own blown-up 2005 STI to running a performance and restoration shop specializing in Subarus, Evos, Nissan GT-Rs, Skyline GT-Rs and Toyota Supras.
Tommy breaks down the progression from backyard Subaru builds to R35 GT-Rs, Skylines and full-scale restorations, including what it takes to build reliable 500–600 horsepower street cars versus the maintenance and headaches that come with chasing four-digit horsepower.
The guys also get into Skyline restoration, hidden rust, what buyers need to watch for when importing cars from Japan, TK AutoWorks’ approach to building cars around a customer’s long-term goals, and why Tommy and technician Adrian prefer keeping the operation small rather than sacrificing quality just to increase volume.
Tommy also shares the story behind his own Midnight Purple R33 GT-R, why Skylines are still the cars that excite him most when they come through the shop, and some of the wild builds TK AutoWorks has put together—including 900-horsepower R32s, TH400 conversions, full engine-bay restorations, titanium fabrication and high-end street builds.
The conversation eventually turns to GTR Festival, old-school car culture, modern takeovers, and why so many enthusiasts want to get back to the days when people could simply meet in a parking lot, admire each other's cars and enjoy the scene without everything turning into a spectacle.
From thirteen Subarus sitting in the backyard to a shop full of Skyline GT-Rs, Tommy's story is a great example of what happens when obsession, experience and attention to detail turn into a legitimate business.
If you’re into Skyline GT-Rs, high-end JDM builds, restoration work or just want to hear how a real performance shop gets built from the ground up, this is one you’ll want to hear.