Praesel's Addiction

by Michael Satterfield - 08/24/2020

I have been accused of being addicted to cars, having owned over one hundred cars myself over the years, dragging home obscure classics, weird kit cars, and even building some cars for the SEMA show. But recently I met Justin Praesel, owner of Praesel's Addiction, a very different kind of Hot Rod Shop, and he takes the car addiction to another level. While like other shops he restores classics and builds custom cars, customers don't come to Justin with a vision for their car, they simply patiently wait until he determines he is done with a project and puts it up for sale. In his shop currently, he is restoring a 1966 Ford Bronco, which already has attracted several offers as it currently sits, but in his eyes, the Bronco isn't done yet, so the buyers will have to wait.

Classic Suzuki Motorcycle built into a table

His shop name reflects his passion for antiques and classic cars. It was coined by a friend who pointed out that Justin wasn't really in business, but was just feeding his own addition for all things old. A fact that he points out was highlighted by his choice to leave a secure job with a six-figure salary to focus on his business full time, a decision Justin's family and friends didn't fully support at the time.

While he might sell a few restored cars a year, Justin's main business is in creating unique installations for retailers, restaurants, bars, and his growing list of private clients. Crafted out of his personal junkyard of project cars, vintage motorcycles, and old gas pumps, Justin's work transforms these discarded objects and repurposes them in unique ways. From benches fashioned out of an old pickup tailgates, to fully customized mobile retail spaces built on classic trucks, Justin's unique eye for design and meticulous attention to detail has made him the go-to shop for major brands and celebrities who wanted something different for their space. Soon Praesel's Addiction was getting requests from the likes of Duck Dynasty's Jep and Jessica Robertson, Brain Deegan professional motocross rider, and regular customers Amie and Jolie Sikes owners of Junk Gypsy.

Justin Praesel of Praesel's Addiction

When he isn't out picking or at a show, you can find him in the shop, originally his grandfather's tractor repair barn, working on whatever his latest project is. His shop is an amazing place if you like old junk, everywhere you look there are vintage signs, old car parts, pedal cars, and gas pumps. As Justin walks me around the property pointing out some of his favorite project cars and recent acquisitions, he knows where everything is and the story behind it. From a little Toyota Camper converted into a Southwestern themed guest house, to a rare classic Caddillac far too precious to do anything but a full restoration on, to an Airstream trailer just waiting for the right client, there are endless possibilities at Praesel's.

Progress on a custom school bus conversion

Everything is for sale, for the most part, some parts and cars Justin has put on hold, as he already has a vision for what he will transform them into. He points to an old Chrysler Imperial too far gone for a restoration, but the front will become a bar with butcher block counters installed in the broad fenders. For the back half of the Imperial, he plans to incorporate the simulated spare tire in the trunk lid into a gaming table with a roulette wheel and use the back quarters and rear bumper to build a retro couch. Each project is one of a kind, while some may not like the idea of cutting up classic cars, those that can be saved are and those that are too far gone go on to be repurposed, either way, Justin is saving a little bit of history with every trailer load he pulls out of a barn or field.

Praesel's Addition doesn't have a website and doesn't really advertise, but you can find him at Round Top, at his shop in Rockdale, or on Instagram @praeselsaddiction.

Enjoy more photos below from my tour around the shop and junkyard.