Team Prototype is a custom auto shop that designs and builds show vehicles. They customize for the top tuners in the industry, including Neil Tjin (editor of HCi magazine), Craig Lieberman (coordinator for the Fast and the Furious), Brian Havins (CEO Nitrous Express), Samir Rai (CEO Bodykits Etc. & Vertical Doors Inc.), Dan White (Deputy editor of Redline Magazine UK), and many more. Team Prototype’s project vehicles have appeared in over 100 international magazines, videos, and news broadcasts in the last two years.
The Chula Vista, California custom chop shop specializes in carbon fiber wrapping, carbon fiber manufacturing, fiberglass fabricating and manufacturing, fiberglass stereo system installs, extreme door conversions, gullwing and automatic custom interior wrap, custom sheet metal work, custom bracket fabrications for seats, amp-racks, and monitors, paint, powder-coat, chrome, extreme bodywork, air-bushing, linear actuator configurations for automatic doors, secret compartments, amp racks, hidden TV monitors, hidden NOS bottle mounts, and more. But they'll only see you by appointment, so call ahead or you ain’t getting served!
Team Prototype is featured in this week’s episode of Street Fury, and we had a chance to chat with owner and founder Mike Madriaga for the web about cars, mods, and hotrod bods. Madriaga has been building import cars since 1986, when he started at age 12. “Way before I could even drive,” he notes. “When we modified our Japanese car back in 1986, we were the laughingstock of the cruising strip.” Well, he's no laughingstock now. In fact, as the man behind one of the west coast’s most popular custom shops, Madriaga is laughing his way straight to the bank.
“Our company can literally turn your stock vehicle into a front-page shocker within two months,” he says proudly. “If you are someone that wants to win at your local car show or break necks on your cruise strip or even pull magazine features, come on down to our shop or give us a call and see for yourself what we can do for you.”
Hey Mike. Thanks for chatting with us. So, besides you, who are the main people behind the company?
The principals are me, Paulo Sierra the carbon fiber master, Tony Munoz the fiberglass and bondo magician, Bowie the salesman, Chi-z the webmaster, and Juan Mendoza the master fabricator and painter.
What is the goal of Team Prototype in this competitive business?
To make an impact so that 50 years down the line, people will remember me and my creations. Money comes second to that notion.
Yet it seems like things are really taking off for you guys.
Our garage is now attracting clients from as far south as Ensenada, Mexico all the way to Queens, New York.
What type of clients do you tend to get?
On the tuning spectrum, there are hardcore racers on one side, who are all about form and function. Then there's the opposite side, which are all about the bling and eye candy. Our clients are predominantly on the bling side, but recently we have been appealing to the function crowd by manufacturing ultra-lightweight carbon fiber replacement parts. I guess we have both sides of the spectrum, with a core following from the show side.
Why has modification and design work gotten so popular in the last few years?
The media has a lot to do with the popularity of our tuning scene. It started with the Fast and the Furious movies, which depicted the once underground scene. Then all the reality and tech TV shows starting with Pimp My Ride on MTV and Jessie James’ Monster Garage. Now even rappers and singers are sporting our vehicle styles on their videos.
Let's just say you're a dorky amateur like me, what type of shows do “show” vehicles get shown in?
Car shows. Our show vehicles debut in import car shows such as Hot Import Nights and Autofest, some even in Lowrider shows because of they accommodate our genre of vehicles by giving us out own "import" class. These days we are also featured in many TV shows, such as Pimp My Ride, and a whole slew of shows on G4, Spike TV, Discovery and Speed Channel.
How did you guys get hooked up with all the top tuners you work with?
Simple, we offer what no other company can, and that's 100 percent ingenuity. We move forward everyday by pushing the boundaries set by our own team, and when we see another company or individual step up, we then watch, learn and try to out do. Usually this kind of vision attracts other go-getters and vice versa.
What are the most common requests you get these days?
Carbon fiber. Lamborghinis and Ferraris all sport this new-age material stock OEM, so everyone else is trying to emulate that. Our sister company www.CFtype.com invented a fabricating technique called carbon fiber wrapping where we use the carbon fiber material, wrap an existing original part (like a dash board) and laminate it with resin and clear. Once the part is done, it is a hard solid piece of carbon that emits a 3-D holographic design though the clear coat. As far as I know, we are the only shop to do this to the degree that we have done it.
Another famous modification that we do to vehicles is messing with the door. We flip them forwards, backwards, upside down, and make them removable so you can actually strap it on your back like a turtle! We can make any vehicle door resemble that of a Lamborghini Diablo. We can also do suicides to make your car look like a '65 Lincoln Continental or flip your doors forward to make it look like an Enzo Ferrari. We are exclusive distributors of VDC, Vertical Door Company.
Is there any car that is beyond help, that is too junked or lame to be modified?
In my eyes, even a burned car can be used as an art piece depending on how you display it. If you are displaying a messed up car in a wreck with black and white pictures and a red blood stain literally dripping off the poster board, this vehicle could touch millions, depending on the text depicted underneath.
www.teamprototype.com
www.cftype.com
2474 Main St., Suite C
Chula Vista, CA 91911
619.429.8973 San Diego
702.400.7864 Las Vegas
866.867.0109 24 hour fax
mortal@teamprototype.com
