How 3D printing helped Blazin Rodz create the custom Doughboy
Blazin Rodz, a California-based maker of custom cars, has made several headlines in the automotive world over the past months and even taken home trophies for its one-of-a-kind 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle. Dubbed Doughboy, the vehicle is something to marvel at, as the vintage car integrates cutting-edge technologies and a twin-turbo big block with over 2,800 hp. Among these cutting edge technologies is, of course, additive manufacturing.
According to Blazin Rodz, which took home the SEMA award for Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year in late 2024, the Chevelle features a large number of custom CNC and 3D printed parts, including over 75 3D printed components made using HP’s Multi Jet Fusion platform—and one component designed using HP’s AI-powered Text to 3D Solution. AM technology, along with digital design tools, 3D scanning and CNC machining, enabled the team at Blazin Rodz to finalize the custom car within just a year.
“There’s no way we could ever design and engineer vehicles as extreme, precise and drivable as we do at Blazin Rodz—in under a year—without CAD design and 3D printing,” said Waylon Jeffrey, 3D Design & Engineering Lead at Blazin Rodz. “HP’s Multi-Jet Fusion (MJF) printing is a game-changer for the entire industry, and we are committed to finding smart and innovative applications of it with every signature part we develop and every custom car we build moving forward.”
The design and production process for the 1970 Chevelle involved first 3D scanning the car. The Blazin Rodz team was then able to reverse engineer parts based on the scan model and use rapid prototyping technologies like 3D printing to iterate the CAD models and test them for fit. Once verified, the final parts were manufactured in partnership with specialist fabrication shops, including HP Additive Manufacturing Solutions.
Among the 3D printed components integrated in the Doughboy Chevelle are radiator ducts, heat exchanger outlets, inner fenders, tail light housings, the trunk lid and a front bumper with integrated air ducts. Interior parts were also 3D printed, including the dash, door panels, center console—this was done in partnership with Avant-Garde Design, an automotive interior design and fabrication shop in Palm City, Florida. It’s not clear which of the aforementioned components was ultimately made using MJF or another AM production process. We do know that the car’s unique exhaust system, positioned along the side of the car, was 3D printed from stainless steel.
“It’s absolutely exhilarating that just a couple of guys from a brand-new shop could build a car in such a short time that goes above and beyond, and get noticed,” commented Spencer Tanner, Blazin Rodz Lead Fabricator. “Utilizing all of the technology, between printing, machining and CAD modeling, really allowed us to go insane. A lot of the stuff on the car, if it was to be done by hand, would be so time-consuming, and cost-wise, wouldn’t make sense. That really allowed us [make] some really unique parts.”
If you attended RAPID + TCT 2025, you might have been lucky enough to see the souped-up Chevy Chevelle at HP’s booth, along with its new AI-powered Text to 3D Solution and new materials like HP 3D HR PA 12 FR , a halogen-free, flame-retardant material enabled by Evonik.
