Sean Smith Interview

Interview by Nathanael Napolitano
Photos/Art by Sean Smith
Additional photos by John Jackson, Eric Johnson, and Paul Sun

(Plus Kevin Hart's ‘69 Plymouth Roadrunner by Dave Salvaggio and Sean Smith)

Born in the late '70s into a lineage steeped in Southern California car culture, Sean has earned his place among the current generation of auto design heroes. 

Sean’s father was an auto mechanic who specialized in building motors and tearing up the tarmac around town while street racing and cruising E Street in the I-E. Likewise, his mother’s side of the family had a connection to automobiles, as Sean’s maternal grandfather owned a shop he established in 1948. A literal product of his environment, hot rods, petrol, and speed wrapped their teeth around Sean’s neck. And. Sunk. Them. In. He was bitten by the car bug and got SICK!

Sean was kind enough to spend some time with us sharing his storied past, how he ended up working with some legendary car builders, building cars for some A-list celebs including Kevin Hart’s ’69 Michael Myers Road Runner, and what Sean has planned for the future.