Today we’d like to introduce you to Zahia Tawil.
Hi Zahia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
What began as a long-standing goal for Michael Casey and Zahia Tawil ultimately became their reality in the summer of 2025. The married couple had always dreamt of opening their own shop together that would focus on classic cars with a strong emphasis on quality and doing things the old school way.
While the pair share a deep-rooted love for cars and American automotive culture, their careers have looked quite different. For Michael the path was clear and began at an early age. Having built his first motor at 11 years old he grew up racing and building motorcycles. This soon translated to cars and by his teens he was fully immersed in the world of mechanics. As a young adult he joined a dealership working as a mainline technician where he excelled quickly. Through his time at the dealership, he fostered a strong skillset in engine rebuilding and electrical work. However, Michael had longed for an opportunity to work with classic cars and soon transitioned to working at a local shop focused solely on older vehicles and full-scale builds. With additional experience in LS performance work and other fabrication work, Michael became versed working on cars from the 1920s to the 2020s. Through passion and experience Michael can now tackle any challenge that comes his way and is always eager to learn more in order to better serve his community.
Zahia on the other hand took a different route. Having grown up close with an older brother and mother who also love cars, she spent a lot of time as a child exposed to a wide variety of styles and models. Not to mention the iconic custom car building television shows of the early 2000s that she often watched with her brother growing up. For Zahia, one thing was always clear to her. She not only loved cars but especially gravitated to the fully immersive experience that driving brings. After graduating with her bachelor’s and master’s in biomedical engineering from the University of Southern California she realized she wanted to pursue automotive in some fashion but didn’t quite know how to yet. Instead, she spent the next few years working in corporate America across a few different industries ranging from fire protection to medical devices and more. After having worked in a number of roles across various company sizes she gained invaluable business experience. Then, one Sunday morning in the spring of 2021 she realized that she no longer wanted to climb the corporate ladder and began to find a way to pursue some form of creatively based career in the automotive industry. She had learned machine sewing and garment construction a couple years early through a community college program and after some time contemplating where her skills and interests intersected, she landed on upholstery. This gave her the creative outlet she had been searching for while still being involved within the industry.
When the pair moved to Dripping Springs in the late spring of 2025, they realized that they had an opportunity to open their own shop. While the two appreciate many eras and styles of vehicles they chose to focus on classic cars and older vehicles from 1986 and prior. This gave them the opportunity to help maintain and restore pieces of history and art while still providing quality expertise and experience. Most importantly, they love to engage in the community and hear peoples’ stories. For so many, cars of this era (and many others) have become more than a vehicle but often an outlet for self-expression through styling, storytelling, and nostalgia.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As far as building a business together, there have been plenty of challenges as the couple started building from the ground up. Ultimately, they aim to treat each challenge as a learning experience and try to implement and improve the next opportunity they have. They believe that agility is incredibly important to their success by being willing to grow and improve. Being afraid of failure is only a detriment and recognizing that mistakes are opportunities for improvement is vital.
As for struggles related to the industry, choosing to work on old cars has its own challenges. Many of these cars not only have physical wear and tear from decades of existing in various conditions but have also often been worked on by a variety of different people. This brings in a whole new layer of complexity with each project. It doesn’t matter if you’ve worked on the same model before, there is always a new surprise waiting to be discovered.
However, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. When faced with challenges maintaining a positive perspective is pertinent to success. One saying the couple loves to remind one another of when they’ve come across a new challenge is “Welcome to Hot Rodding”. It always helps to keep some perspective and not let things weigh you down too much. Custom culture grew out of the places where people were making do with what they had around them. It’s important to not lose sight of that and remind oneself that challenges are simply new opportunities to grow.
We’ve been impressed with Kaspar’s Kustoms, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Kaspar’s Kustoms is an automotive shop that focuses on classic cars, kustoms, and hot rods run by husband and wife team Michael Casey and Zahia Tawil. Between the pair they do almost everything from bumper to bumper with the exception of body and paint. Michael focuses on mechanical, electrical, and fabrication while Zahia does interiors and upholstery. While they often prefer to keep things era appropriate they can also help with modern upgrades. In all things they do, they strive to provide the highest quality of service possible and revive an era of elegance while doing so. Many of the cars they work on have long histories and stories tied to them and they feel that it’s important to honor what has come before them while still contributing to the everlasting unfolding of American automotive and custom culture.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
There appears to be a revival in classic cars and maintaining older vehicles. Many of the cars from the 20th century showcase a forgotten way of doing things. These vehicles come from a time period where automotive manufacturers were collaborating and competing simultaneously to bring new styles and specifications to the market. Many of the manufacturing techniques of this era are no longer feasible in the modern age as companies now focus on shareholder value and increasing profit margins. There was a strong attention to detail not only with exterior and interior design but also with drivetrain and various factory options. It seems today that many people yearn for the nostalgia of the analog way of doing things. When options were often simple but still elegant. With this in mind, it seems that the classic car industry continues to grow both with commercial support and consumer support. As for trends, they cycle as always. Classic trucks have become very popular in recent years but there is also demand for classic coupes, sedans, and wagons. Only time will tell where this industry goes but one thing is for sure – classics aren’t dead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kasparskustoms.com
- Instagram: @kasparskustoms
Image Credits
Zahia Tawil
