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#WhyWeWeld: Cooper Salvoni
Cooper Salvoni, also known as Safari Builds, is a fabricator, Instagram creator, and YouTuber from Boise, Idaho. On his YouTube channel, you can see his off-roading adventures and his fabrication work with his two working builds: his 2000 Volvo V70R build, and his 400cc Dirt Bike Golf Cart swap. Today, Cooper shared his love for welding, how he got into it, and his future goals with us.
“I like to apply it to anything I can, I really like to do it."
Cooper got into fabricating after being introduced to welding by his friend, who was welding one of his own builds. His friend asked if he wanted to give it a try, and he did. He was immediately captivated by the ability to mix and match engines and vehicle bodies to create something new. Soon after, he purchased his own welding machine, the YesWelder MP200 5-in-1.
Since then, Cooper has been applying his welding whenever and wherever possible. He combined his interests in welding and cars by creating metal cars from old bolts and washers for a school art project.
Despite just graduating from high school, he was able to find work using his newfound welding skills. He was commissioned to perform a job for a local hockey rink and completed it with his YesWelder FluxCore welder. He quickly found that welding was his new passion, as he stated that he really loves to do it and finds it fun to do.
Safari Builds’ Projects
What drives Cooper forward is his love for off-roading. He created his YouTube channel with this as the central focus. His first two builds were a Golf Cart powered by a 400cc dirt bike engine and an off-road 2000 Volvo V70R.
For his 400cc Dirt Bike Golf Cart swap, Cooper used TIG welding to weld the entire engine back together and parts of the rear axle after cutting and modifications. He plans to place a roll-cage in it so that he can race the Golf Cart and use it for off-roading. He also plans to add a 5-point harness, so that it can really be pushed to its limit. The swap was intended to be a fun build that doesn’t require too much risk.
For the 2000 Volvo V70R build, he had to fabricate and weld the roll cages to the interior. He also worked on both the front and rear bumpers, as well as other off-roading features that required welding.
Future Plans and Challenges
Cooper wants to get his builds ready for the next Safari Party Rally, the largest gathering of Safari off-road vehicles. At the last event, he got so caught up in the wild ride that he forgot to record video for his YouTube and Instagram content. He stated, “Sometimes you just have to be in the moment and go along for the ride.”
Although it wasn’t a direct Safari Builds project, Cooper also worked on his brother’s 2001 Audi Quattro. The job required a full redesign of the exhaust system. This has been Cooper’s biggest project to date, as figuring out where to cut and weld the exhaust to make it sit flush within the vehicle demanded more precision than initially expected.
Looking to the future, he plans to acquire an early '90s Porsche 944 and modify it for off-road rally racing. This will include adding a roll-cage, a 5-point harness, and possibly paddle shifters to give it a true rally racecar feel. He also plans to get a 2025 Porsche Cayenne, which will be modified for the Safari Party Rally as well.
A Growing Community
Cooper plans to grow his brand as a YouTuber. He will create more off-roading content while showcasing the fabrication work he is doing on his builds. He hopes that he can reach a wider audience, and try to get a new generation interested and involved in fabrication and off-roading. He has been slowly growing his community on YouTube and Instagram. To expand his network and grow his brand’s following, he also plans to attend more events like SEMA.
He noted the potential of YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, which led him to start creating more long-form content. He believes that this long-form content has been key to growing his community even more.
Educational content and tutorials from YouTube have helped him learn how to use welding machines, how to cut, weld, and modify whatever he needs to fabricate. Just like those who helped him before, Cooper is taking on the torch by showing new welders how to weld and fabricate their own builds on his YouTube channel. He demonstrates his techniques and shares how he modifies and swaps parts on his projects. He says, “Everyone should just get into it, try it, and have fun with it.”
A Positive Future
Cooper is confident that fabrication, welding, and other skilled trades will continue to grow in interest. He believes these fields are largely unaffected by AI and the shift toward a digital-first world, which is causing many careers to disappear. Because trade jobs like welding and fabrication are physical, hands-on work, people will always need something repaired, modified, or custom-built.
It’s a career path he hopes to inspire more people to explore. Cooper encourages others to look into the trades and see whether welding or fabrication could be a viable and rewarding path for their future.
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