What’s happening?
Veteran Rockhampton builder Warren Burggraaff says several cars linked to his workshop are set to appear at this year’s RockyNats.
When he was jokingly introduced as the godfather of creative custom cars in Rockhampton, Burggraaff quickly set the record straight. He said, “No, the godfather of hot rods in Rocky.”
Asked how many cars he has modified or built, his answer was simple, “Several hundred.”
Burggraaff also reflected on his recent success at the event. He said, “It was the year before, I had quite a number in top ten. Wife’s car was in the top ten last year. My truck was in top ten the year before.”
He added, “I can’t remember these days, I’ve took that many trophies over the years.”
Looking ahead to this year’s event, he reeled off a list of cars with links to his shop.
He said, “34 Pontiac, my 34 truck, a 74 mock-up SLR Torana, one of the guys is putting a 34 Chevy sedan delivery in, which sort of came through the shop here, that 40 Ford Coupe over there, this 29 Ford, that Chappie’s Model A, Davo’s FJ. It just, the list goes on.”
He also said more could still emerge before the event. “That’s just off the top of my head. That’s with cars that I know that I’ve entered, but I think there’s quite a few other ones that I’ve done that are entering but haven’t told me they are.”
Why it matters?
Burggraaff said RockyNats gives local car lovers a major event in their own city, instead of needing to head interstate.
He said Summernats in Canberra was never an easy regular trip. “Summernats was only something we went to every 10 years. It’s a long way, and you’ve always still got things to do at home.”
That is why he sees the local event as such a strong asset for the region.
He said, “To have it in our own backyard is fabulous, and for people not to support it in Rocky while it’s here, they’re absolutely crazy if they don’t.”
Burggraaff said the appeal goes beyond dedicated car fans. “Even if you’re not a car enthusiast, the amount of money and the interest that it brings to Rocky is just second to none, so people have got to do it, really.”
Local Impact
Burggraaff’s work has drawn customers from across the country, but Rockhampton remains his base.
He said he specialises in Chevrolets, while many others focus on Fords. “I do specialise in Chevs, where everyone else specialises in Fords.”
That niche has brought customers from well beyond Central Queensland.
He said, “I have customers that come from Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and done cars for people all over Australia.”
His view is clear. A local event like Rocky Nats gives Rockhampton a strong chance to show what its custom car scene can do.
By the numbers
- Burggraaff says he has modified or built several hundred cars across his career, a tally that underlines his long reach in the trade.
- He says he has worked full time in the industry for 35 years, including 32 years at his current workshop.
- He said the Canberra trip for Summernats was usually only a once every 10 years event, which shows why having Rocky Nats locally matters so much.
Zoom In
Burggraaff said he is self-taught, having learned in a very different era of fabrication.
Asked if he learned the craft on his own, he said, “Yes, absolutely.”
He also pointed to how different the tools were when he started. “Oxi-welded. Exactly, yeah. Yeah, it was oxi-welded back then.”
Even with the recognition, Burggraaff said the work itself still matters most.
Asked about the praise he gets from around Australia, he said, “Order of a duck’s back, really. It’s really good, but it doesn’t phase me. I like to build cars full stop.”
He also made clear where his interest ends. “Modern stuff. I’m not interested in repairing that thing there. Or that thing there. If it’s not old, I’m not interested.”
He said people are often surprised by that standard. “People turn up here and they’ve got a HQ Holden and I’m going, oh mate, it’s not old enough. That rattles them a bit.”
Zoom Out
Burggraaff says his career has been built over decades, not trends.
He said he has been doing the work full time for 35 years. He added, “I’ve been here for 32 years.”
Even then, he still jokes that he is only just getting started. “Yeah, absolutely, just getting a handle on it now.”
The routine also has not changed much.
He said he still enjoys the work. “I still love coming to work and building toys. That’s the best part about it.”
Asked how many days he works, his answer was blunt. “Seven days.”
Still, he said the hours are manageable. “We’re always knocked off by sort of two, three o’clock in the afternoon and go home. So I certainly don’t kill myself in that aspect.”
What To Look For Next?
Burggraaff says most of his Rocky Nats workload is already under control.
He said, “No. It’s done. I’ve just got to finish that black car there, finished repairing this one for this guy, and that’s pretty much it for Rocky Nats so far.”
Even so, he expects the list could still grow. “But that’ll change.”
