It all started at a car show at the Toronto International Centre called Motion '76. It was my first experience with the street rod fraternity.

I was just sixteen and didn’t have my license yet but we took my ‘54 Dodge pickup to the show. I made many friends that weekend that I still keep in touch with. Later that year (and finally with a valid driver’s license), I attended rod runs every weekend until the snow flew.

I actually had a series of Dodge pickups: a ‘54, ‘55 and then, a ‘56. All were blue in one shade or another. Paul Horton did a bunch of chassis work on the ’56 the first month he was in business in 1978.

My next project was a ‘37 Dodge sedan delivery that sported a Lebaron clip and a 360 Mopar. I showed it at “Motion” and many other shows after that. My daughter made many runs in a baby seat built into the back.

During my early street rodding days, I worked with my Dad at Preston Auto Supply in Cambridge.
I think I would probably be considered a bit of a car guy right from the start. I was an active member of the Waterloo County Street Rods and a Life Member of CSRA.

Like many of us, I couldn’t be without a car in the works so I started a ‘33 Plymouth 4-Door which didn’t get completed before being sold to Nate Salter (I purchased my first Dodge pick up from Nate). After that, the delivery was sold and a NAPA Auto Parts store was purchased in Milton in 1995 in partnership with Duncan Ackerman. We built a ‘32 3-Window Ford in the showroom of that store around 1998.

Next for us would be the ‘31 Plymouth Coupe that Raquel and I still own. We pried it from friends Brian & Ina Eby in 2003. We updated it with a Chrysler crate motor and a bunch of stuff that we purchased from Horton Street Rod Products. Little did we know that shortly thereafter we would sell the NAPA store and buy the company that Dorothy and Paul Horton established in '78. Things have gone full circle from being one of their first customers to owning the company in 2005.

Thanks for visiting our site. We urge all of our new, old and soon to be friends to call and visit us in our new Milton location. We believe in quality products, excellent technical advice and friendly service. And, some things never change. That is, "we’re street rodders and want to help you enjoy your project".

Paul Barber