Kevin Bradley’s Sweet Ride
Kevin Bradley with a beloved truck. Photos by Melissa Sanderson
Like many motorheads, Fortuna native Kevin Bradley had engine grease under his fingernails from the start. His interest in autos hit the gas at age 15, while helping friends with family projects. He was soon happily tinkering away, wrench in hand. His first love was a sweet magenta and ultraviolet 1955 Ford pickup he rebuilt while a junior at Fortuna Union High School. Bradley washed stacks of dishes at the old Sunset Grill to earn $12,000 to buy and restore the truck. After the grill closed at 10 p.m., he would head next door to Safeway, hitting the magazine aisle to learn all he could from the glossy pages of Hot Rod, Popular Hotrodding, Street Rodder and Super Chevy.
The road out of town is followed by many a young person with big-block dreams. Bradley made his own path by reversing that route, building his Humboldt auto body empire from the frame up. He started small and humble, opening the Rio Dell shop doors in 1999. By 2004, Bradley was named Drive Magazine’s Builder of the Year. The teen who once painted Detroit chariots in his dreams was now an award-winning artist creating finely tuned super beasts for well-heeled clients. When Canadian entrepreneur Ted Hellard wanted a useable street demon, not a pampered pet that would sit garaged under a protective silk sheet, Bradley and Kreations Auto Body delivered. Bradley’s stellar work on Hellard’s $390,000 1970 Hemi Barracuda graced the cover of Hot Rod Magazine in April of 2006. Awards and recognition followed in hot pursuit.
Bradley cites the 1970 ’Cuda as his favorite build and not just because it realized his Hot Rod cover dreams. “The extent of the restoration, the timeline, and the budget were the best learning experiences. It gave me exposure to the car world and the best classic car builds.”
Bradley’s love of his work is obvious. This is more than a business. He enjoys painting his projects, choosing stunner color combos like glossy burnt tangerine and black. “I like the creative design aspect, too. Trying to customize or modify, restore but still pay homage to the classic look of the car. Some take away too much from the original design and it muddies it.”
Sometimes your whip needs more than just boosted drip. Adding collision repair to Bradley’s custom build business was not only a natural move, but a shrewd one. Even the most careful Humboldtian may bump into deer and elk playing high stakes chicken on U.S. Highway 101 (keep those eyes peeled between Orick and Stone Lagoon!), so the top-notch body rebuild skills of his loyal staff can come in handy. In 2010, Bradley opened his second Kreations Auto Body in McKinleyville. He was soon eyeing the old Fortuna Motors site, making it Kreations’ flagship location in 2022. Still rolling, he opened his Eureka shop the same year. Bradley does not let grass grow under his wheels. Rubber hit the road again this year with a new Kreations opening in Willits, paving his way into Mendocino County. Wave if you see him driving between locations with his dog Kaos by his side (Kruiser and Kona prefer to wait patiently at home). His staff grows with each location, anchored by his very first employee, still with him after 25 years.
Kreations Auto Body’s Facebook page tempts you with tantalizing pictures of vintage torque and fabulous food. Bradley hosts food trucks at the Fortuna Kreations, so check their social media to see what’s cooking. Yes, that’s right. You can visit an auto body shop and find Big Island Kine and its delicious poké. Partnering with local food vendors provides the community with delicious options while supporting each other’s businesses.
“My Humboldt Life is enjoying the serene beauty of the Lost Coast, balancing my busy work life with the quality of our community.”
Bradley keeps his community connections running smoothly even at the Fortuna Rodeo. Everyone knows he is more into horsepower than horseflesh, so it was his 1956 Chevrolet (with that killer burnt tangerine and black paint) that carried him to victory in the 2024 Fortuna Rodeo Parade’s 1950-and-Up category. He let loose the Kreations crew to build Krash the Cardboard Bull to show their creativity and talent. Krash was manifested out of cardboard and creativity, to be displayed bashing his thick head into an already smashed Alfa Romeo, tongue firmly in big beefy cheek. Bradley’s support of Rio Dell Wildwood Days and Fortuna Redwood AutoXpo (where a classic car restorer shop is the place to be) keep his community calendar full of events that cater to Kreations’ love of what they do best.
What better place to Trunk or Treat than a classic auto restorer that filled the ample bed of a farm-themed gold and white 1970 Chevy C10 pickup with scarecrows? Bradley and his team decorate a different spooky vehicle every year. Even if you don’t know your Hemis from your Mopars (hint: All Hemis are Mopars but not all Mopars are Hemis), you will want to see which classic he will resuscitate for Halloween 2025. Santa holds Christmas court at the Fortuna Kreations, too, giving parents a local way for their family to visit the big man in the red suit without having to book seats on the Polar Express.
Bradley has been able to ride his high-octane work around the world. It is not surprising that a man who says he is not one to “park themselves in a resort” would endeavor to visit six volcanoes (to date). “I love traveling and seeing different cultures. Riding a tuk tuk, or train, or horse in the desert are all great experiences. I then take that driving force and use it to help run the business.”
Bradley uses Humboldt’s remote location to his advantage, making his dreams real. “My Humboldt life is enjoying the serene beauty of the Lost Coast, balancing my busy work life with the quality of our community.” Whether it is finding the perfect metallic teal of your own dreams, a repair to that crumpled trunk, or a wave from a tricked-out parade car, Bradley shows up for his community tools at the ready. Humboldt’s deer notwithstanding.
Kreations Auto Body
2500 Broadway, Eureka
(707) 798-1981
1560 Bates Rd., McKinleyville
(707) 839-4000
280 12th St., Fortuna
(707) 717-9234