Images: Jim Bowling/Herald & Review

Hot rodders come from all walks of life, whether they find both their business and pleasure in the same industry or turn to the hot rod life strictly in their downtime. For some rodders, it’s not that simple, especially not for Decatur, Illinois business-owner Clyde Lambdin, according to the local Herald & Review. After all, Mr. Lambdin builds hot rods for business and pleasure, but only during the downtime of his primary business–running a mower repair shop.

Lambdin stands in the doorway of the ’69 Ford pickup he’s currently working on for Mike Walker with this ’63 T-bird in the background.

Lambdin has always been a tinkerer, a mechanic, and a MacGyver of sorts. Early on in life, he enjoyed working on cars in mechanics class and later went on to be a mechanic for his first stab at a career. After hitting burnout, Lambdin went to work for the former A.E. Staley Mfg. Co. in Decatur, Illinois for 20 years. Noticing a demand for lawn mower mechanics, Lambdin then quite his job and opened Lambdin Mower Repair with his wife Shirley. The two have run the business now for 10 years.

Just because Lambdin burnt out on being a car mechanic and switched over to mowers for his career doesn’t mean that he’s given up that ingrained gearhead mentality. That’s why when the winter months prove slow for the mower repair business, he builds cool cars.

In Lambdin’s collection, you’ll find all sorts of things, from a ’61 Nash with a 2003 Chevy Tracker drivetrain in it, to a ’63 Thunderbird, which features a potent V8 transplant, and even a ’61 Morris Minor, Lambdin’s current project. That’s not the only project Lambdin is working on currently. He’s also building a ’69 Ford F-100 for Mike Walker of Street Rods Only.

Walker, a well known Illinois car builder who’s gotten upwards of $250,000 for some of his custom creations, sought Lambdin out at a car show after seeing his Thunderbird with a V8 transplant. After a little bit of convincing, Lambdin took on the project of Walker’s next ride while Walker works on his own customers’ cars.

For 18 months, Lambdin has been working on the truck, swapping in a V8 engine and a transmission from a Lincoln, as well as equipping the truck with the more modern electric seats and dash from the same loaner car. Now close to the finish, the truck will be soon be returned to Walker for his own finishing touches.

With spring just around the corner, Lambdin is sure to be back to mower repairs in full force, but for the moment, he can enjoy the relaxed life of the hot rod industry–something we can’t talk up enough!