Where It All Started
I’ve been around cars and trucks my whole life. If my dad was out in the garage turning wrenches, chances are I was right there too — usually holding the light... and often being told, “Hold it where I can see, not where you can!”
Whether it was an oil change, rotating tires, or just handing over tools, I was part of it. And that didn’t stop with family cars — I also spent time around big rigs, since my grandpa drove trucks for a living. My dad would often help him with things like swapping alternators or installing CB radios. I was the kid polishing wheels and fuel tanks before I really knew what I was doing.
So it’s no surprise that the car hobby isn’t just something I enjoy — it’s a part of who I am.
From First Project to Passion – The Five Builds
It didn’t start with the intention of building five vehicles. In fact, it started with a spark — a curiosity for what’s under the hood and a love for cars that turn heads at stoplights.”
1. 1973 AMC Javelin
An AMC Javelin might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I saw this one for sale in Bellevue, OH one day as I was passing through there. I lived in Marion, OH at the time. It caught my eye and I was looking for my first restoration project.
The Javelin may not be everyone’s first pick, but it grabbed my attention the moment I saw it for sale in Bellevue, OH. I was living in Marion at the time and looking for my first real restoration project.
It started out all yellow — not factory yellow — and missing the iconic “Javelin” stripe. The interior was rough, and the engine bay needed love.
The first thing I tackled was the interior. We restored it using original-style materials and patterns. Plastic trim was cleaned and re-dyed with paint made to stick. Later, we pulled the engine to fix a busted oil pan (someone had welded a washer over the hole!) and gave everything a fresh coat of AMC Green/Blue. The engine bay was cleaned up, too.
Then it was off for paint — original AMC Daisy Yellow, with the black Javelin stripe painted on and buried under clear coat. The contrast made it pop.
It wasn’t the fastest car I’ve owned, but man was it fun to cruise.
2. 1966 Ford Mustang
After the Javelin, I knew I wanted a Mustang — specifically a ’65. My parents had one when Dad was in the Air Force, and I’d always planned to buy one for our 5th wedding anniversary. I missed that deadline by a couple of years... and ended up with a ’66. Close enough!
This was another "drive-while-you-work" project. The interior was all original except the headliner, which had already been replaced. It had a vinyl top when I bought it, but I removed that when we repainted it in the original Silver Blue Poly.
The rally wheels stayed, but I added redline tires from Coker. I also pulled the 302 and C4 transmission for rebuilds — both kept mostly stock.
By now, I had the itch for something different. Something older... and louder.
3. 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Hot Rod
Back when I was working on the Javelin, a friend gave me a ride in his 1930 Model A Sport Coupe. That ride stuck with me, and I knew someday I wanted to build one myself. I figured I’d go with a coupe — until I realized I probably wouldn’t fit too well. Even the Tudor ended up being a tight squeeze.
I found the body on eBay and drove all the way to just west of Minneapolis to pick it up. It was basically just a shell — original body, frame, radiator, and grille shell. We strapped it to the trailer and headed home.
This was a six-month build, start to finish. We built the frame from scratch, dropped in the drivetrain from a Lincoln Mark VII (5.0 HO, AOD trans, Ford 8.8" rear), and hit the road. I ran it in patina with open headers for the first couple of years.
Eventually, the AOD needed a rebuild, and later we stroked the engine to 331ci. After someone clipped the right rear coming home from a Springfield, MO show, I rebuilt and repainted it in a color close to the original 1931 Maroon — topped off with pinstriping in bright green and cream.
I drove this car for nearly a decade, including on longer road trips. But eventually, I started thinking about something a little more roomy...
4. 1936 Chevy 2-Door Sedan
I found this one on Craigslist. At first, I wasn’t sure — but I kept going back to the pictures. Something about it just felt right.
It was an older build with a few issues, but no rust and solid, original fenders. It had good bones. Just needed some TLC, and that’s what my shop is for.
The starter wasn’t shimmed correctly — easy fix. But the engine setup wasn’t ideal for the kind of road trips I was doing. The original 283 block with high-dome pistons and old double-hump heads had way too much compression. I blew a head gasket on the first trip.
Back home, I swapped in a new 350 SBC, followed by a GM 200-4R transmission with overdrive. We also redid the rear end with 3.42 gears — much better for cruising.
I drove that car for six years before deciding it was time for something even more comfortable and modern.
5. 1985 Chevy C10
Time to go newer.
I looked at early Novas, Falcons, and a few other ideas. Then I sat in a friend’s ’56 Chevy truck and realized a truck might be the right call. I wanted something modern enough to be comfortable but still old school.
That’s when I landed on a Squarebody — 1973–1987 Chevy C10s. I found one online that was more than I planned to spend... but I kept going back to it. It had every single thing on my checklist.
LS-powered? ✔️
A/C? ✔️
Even the cruise control and windshield washer pump worked!
I made the deal, and it turned out to be only six miles from my house. Since then, I’ve added wheels and tires, a bed cover, and swapped the bench seat for low-back buckets and a console from an '88–'94 truck.
I’ve already put nearly 3,500 miles on it — 1,500 of those just in April and May.
What’s next? Honestly, I’m not even thinking about the next one… at least not yet.
What Ties It All Together
One word: Patience.
If you’re gonna build, fix, or restore an old car — you’re gonna need plenty of it. But if you love the process, it’s worth every late night, every busted knuckle, and every drive around the block just to “test something.”
I can’t imagine not having an old ride in my shop. It’s in my blood. But the cars are only part of it.
The people I’ve met over the years — at shows, on the road, in shops and parking lots — are what really make this hobby special. Some of them have become my best friends. And I wouldn’t trade those relationships for anything.
“Each one of these cars taught me something — patience, humility, confidence. But more than that, they gave me stories, friendships, and a reason to keep turning wrenches.”