Video: Handmade Craftsmen — Ricky Neal of Possum Killer Garage

In today’s episode of “Handmade Craftsmen,” Auto Enthusiast Network visits Possum Killer Garage in Walls, Mississippi, to speak with painter/hot rodder Ricky Neal.

Possum Killer Garage is Ricky Neal’s private home shop. Though known mostly for his painting prowess, Ricky is one of those multi-faceted, all-around hot rodders who can do just about anything. When we visited, he was busy painting some vintage-looking signs for a customer who wanted some decor for his home garage. The signs Ricky paints are less expensive options to buying an actual authentic sign, which can run in the thousands of dollars. Ricky shows us his process of making a sign look worn with age, as though someone just pulled it out of a field. Each sign is unique, complete with patina, weathering, and rust spots.

As a special treat, we get a tour of Ricky’s shop and “hot rod hangout” where we learn a little bit about the man himself — how he got started, what gets his motor running, and the memorabilia he’s picked up along the way. Influenced by his heroes, Ricky is a passionate car enthusiast and local hot rod historian. He and his son, Michael, both race Nostalgia drag cars with the Southern Outlaw Gassers and the Dirty South Gassers. We take a look at his Bantam-bodied, six-cylinder, D/Gas Altered front-engine rail dragster, “Asphalt Cowboy.” He even fires up “Dixie Fever” for us, Michael’s blown ’48 Anglia gasser. Inside the hangout, we get to see two of his prized hot rods — a ’35 Ford Gasser and “Surfer Girl,” his Kustom Model A.

We really hope you enjoy this foray into the mind of a true hot rod legend from the Memphis/Mid-South area. His passion for the history of the hobby shows through the authenticity of the items he collects and the enthusiasm with which he speaks about them. If it has a memory attached to it, Ricky Neal likes to preserve it for others to enjoy. He’s a true master of the hot rod hobby.