Thom Taylor has been recognized as one of the top influences in the world of rod and custom design. His professional career has seen his design renderings published in nearly every automotive magazine, and in the Francis Ford Coppola film, Tucker. He is also the author of several books on car illustration, hot rods, and custom cars, including How to Draw Cars Like a Pro, 50 Years of Rod & Custom Magazine, Hot Rod and Custom Cars Chronicles, and the soon to be available Kustomland from Motorbooks, International. In addition to designing aftermarket products and wheels, he has created die-cast and model car lines for Racing Champions, Mattel, Revell, and Classic Metal Works. Thom is one of the youngest members of the Hot Rod Magazine Hall of Fame, credited with “distinctive designs that changed the face of hot rodding.”

Growing up in car-crazy Southern California, Thom was attracted to anything car-related, and started drawing cars while most kids were scribbling on sidewalks. Illustrations and cartoons in popular car magazines were an early influence. By his teens, Thom knew he wanted to study automotive design and started buying and customizing cars before he had his driver’s license. Among his teen wheels: a 1934 Ford sedan, a ’69 Porsche, and a severely lowered ’74 Chevy Pick Up.