Wilhite Performance - (316) 788-0514 HOURS Wilhite Performance - (316) 788-0514 MAP Wilhite Performance - (316) 788-0514
Call Today! (316) 788-0514

Classic Car, Hot Rod & Drag Racing Performance in Derby, KS

Owner Operated, 56 Years In Business

Classic Cars Hot Rods Muscle Cars Drag Cars Performance Vehicles

More Than an Auto Repair Shop

A Performance Shop Built Around a Lifelong Passion for Cars

At Wilhite Performance, we specialize in the vehicles that require more than ordinary automotive repair. From classic American muscle and traditional hot rods to street performance vehicles and purpose-built drag racing cars, our shop provides the experience, knowledge, and attention to detail these vehicles deserve.

Owner Tom Wilhite has spent a lifetime working on automobiles and decades building, repairing, maintaining, and racing performance cars. That experience makes a difference when you're working on a vehicle that doesn't fit neatly into a modern service manual.

Classic and performance vehicles often combine original components, restored systems, aftermarket parts, performance modifications, and decades of previous work. Diagnosing and repairing them properly requires experience and an understanding of how the entire vehicle works together. That's exactly the kind of work we enjoy.

Experience You Can Trust

Wilhite Performance - ASE Certified Master Technician Wilhite Performance - BBB Accredited Business Wilhite Performance - Derby Chamber of Commerce
  • ASE Master Technician
  • Decades of drag racing experience
  • Classic and vintage vehicle expertise
  • Specialized Pontiac performance knowledge
  • Owner-operated performance shop

Specialized Service for Cars Built to Be Different

Whether your goal is dependable cruising, preserving a classic, solving a difficult mechanical problem, or improving performance, we approach the vehicle as a complete system.

Classic Car Repair & Maintenance

Owning a classic should mean spending more time driving it and less time wondering what is going to fail next. We provide mechanical repair, troubleshooting, maintenance, and restoration-related service for classic and vintage vehicles.

  • Engine and drivetrain repairs
  • Carburetion, fuel and ignition systems
  • Cooling system problems
  • Steering, suspension and brakes
  • Electrical troubleshooting
  • Drivability and reliability issues

Hot Rod & Muscle Car Service

Hot rods and muscle cars are rarely stock—and that's the point. Modified engines, aftermarket ignition, upgraded drivetrains, custom cooling systems, and performance suspension components require a different diagnostic approach than a factory-original daily driver.

We work with enthusiasts to repair, maintain, troubleshoot, and improve hot rods and muscle cars for dependable street use and improved performance.

Performance Upgrades

Performance isn't about installing the biggest parts available. The best-performing cars are built with components that work together. We can help evaluate and plan upgrades for classic cars, hot rods, muscle cars, and street/strip vehicles.

Depending on your goals, that may involve the engine, fuel and ignition systems, cooling, drivetrain, gearing, exhaust, suspension, or other supporting systems.

Racing Experience

Drag Racing Experience You Can't Learn From a Manual

Built by Racers for Racers

Tom began drag racing a 1958 Pontiac in 1971, beginning a racing history that has continued alongside his professional automotive career. That firsthand experience matters when performance components are put to work in the real world.

A drag car has to do more than make horsepower. The engine, cooling system, fuel delivery, ignition, drivetrain, differential, gearing, suspension, and supporting components all have to work together. When you're working with a performance or racing vehicle, experience matters.

Pontiac Expertise

Pontiac Performance Specialists

Decades of Pontiac Engine & Racing Knowledge

Pontiac performance has a special place at Wilhite Performance. Tom's interest in Pontiac engines began early in his career and grew into decades of building and racing Pontiacs.

From classic Pontiac street cars to serious performance combinations, we understand these engines in a way that only comes from years of building, repairing, experimenting, driving, and racing them. If you're looking for someone who genuinely understands Pontiac engines and Pontiac performance, you've come to the right place.

Your Car Isn't Ordinary. Your Shop Shouldn't Be Either.

Classic cars, hot rods, and race cars deserve more than a one-size-fits-all approach. We take the time to understand the vehicle, its history, its current configuration, and what you ultimately want the car to do.

Sometimes that means bringing a long-stored car back to dependable running condition. Sometimes it means preserving an original vehicle, improving street reliability, correcting someone else's previous work, or finding more performance.

Whatever the goal, our focus is on quality workmanship, knowledgeable diagnosis, practical recommendations, and doing the job correctly.

Why Enthusiasts Choose Wilhite Performance

  • Serving Derby, KS and the Wichita area for 56 years
  • Owner-operated specialty performance shop
  • ASE Master Technician
  • Decades of hands-on drag racing experience
  • Classic and vintage automobile expertise
  • Specialized Pontiac performance knowledge
  • Street, hot rod and drag racing applications
  • BBB Accredited and Derby Chamber member

Classic Car, Hot Rod & Performance Services

    • Classic Car Repair & Maintenance
    • Hot Rod & Muscle Car Service
    • Performance Engine Tuning
    • Pontiac Performance Engines
    • Carburetor Service & Tuning
    • Ignition System Service & Upgrades
    • Engine & Drivetrain Repair
    • Clutch & Manual Transmission Service
    • Rear Differential & Driveline Service
    • Brake Repair & Upgrades
    • Steering & Suspension Service
    • Exhaust System & Performance Exhaust
    • Fuel System Service
    • Cooling System & Radiator Service
    • Electrical Diagnostics & Repair
    • Air Conditioning Service & Repair
    • Oil Changes & Preventive Maintenance
    • Street & Strip Performance Upgrades

Have a Classic, Hot Rod or Race Car That Needs Attention?

Whether you've got a classic that needs to be brought back to life, a hot rod with a problem no one else seems able to solve, or a performance car you're ready to take to the next level, talk with Wilhite Performance.

Tell us about your car, what it's doing now, and where you want to take it.

Reviews

MORE REVIEWS