Copart recently announced the winners of its second annual Copart Rebuild Challenge, whose participants were tasked with showing how they restored, customized or rebuilt a vehicle.

Automotive enthusiasts and rebuilders from across the country submitted their rebuild projects, aiming for the $2,000 grand prize. After narrowing down the submissions to the top 10, thousands of votes were cast by the public to determine the top-three finalists.

The winner of the contest was Thomas Lea-Anderson, of Michigan, who won the $2,000 prize for depicting his project for the rebuilding of a wrecked 2003 Volkswagen GTI. According to Copart, Lea-Anderson has been rebuilding cars since the age of 16 and currently works at Lea’s Auto Body, his family’s business.

“I’ve worked at my uncle’s body shop for 10 years, and I rebuild vehicles on the side,” Lea-Anderson said. “It’s a hobby and a habit for now, but I hope to start my own business soon.”

Lea-Anderson upgrade the GTI with several modifications, including a new turbocharger and racing coilover suspension. The project took him six weeks and he has kept the vehicle for personal use.

“Thomas Lea-Anderson’s entry in the Copart Rebuild Challenge was a great example of what can be done with a vehicle purchased from our auctions,” said Michelle Hoffman, Copart’s senior director of marketing. “The work he did to turn the damaged Volkswagen into a beautiful, finished vehicle with racecar-like features was really impressive.”

Lea-Anderson has purchased and rebuilt three vehicles from Copart in the last two months, aiming to start his own business out of it.

The second place winner was Daniel Basco, of Florida, who rebuilt a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. Third place went to Jack Parker, of California, who rebuilt a 2007 Chevrolet Corvette.

To view the winning projects, click here.