My Gearhead Resume

I want to share a little about my gearhead resume. My normal criteria for a vehicle purchase was first it was a manual transmission, and second that it was interesting. Anything else helped me decide between vehicles that met priorities one and two. I bought my first vehicle a little before I turned 16. It was a 125cc Yamaha enduro. Since then I have had 25 street cars(trucks), 4 motorcycles, 3 race cars, 2 cars to fix and sell, 2 to part out, and 8 race karts. Of the 25 street cars and trucks 20 were manual transmissions. Of the 5 automatics, 2 were trucks which I really just consider tools. The selection is has been varied including 2 classic Mustangs, 2 German sport sedans, 2 Jeeps, 4 hot hatches, and more.

Starting out car work was mostly basic maintenance. All cars in the 80s regularly needed a tune up. Cars with 100k miles like I bought also needed rings. Mods and upgrades were pretty much limited to swapping radio for something a little nicer. I think at about 19 I did my first real mod. I took a car without power windows and designed power windows for it. I searched junkyards for something I thought would work. I cut out part of door and made cardboard template to mount power regulator. I had a local machine shop fabricate the metal pieces. Then I installed and wired everything. Over the years I have worked on a lot of cars. The range has been wide; Rebuilding a motor in a CJ-7, welding in new suspension towers on a Pantera, creating a simple suspension lift for a Geo Tracker, Making transmission mounts and modifying suspension parts for 65 Mustang, extensively modifying fram on Formula Vee race car.

I am starting my most extensive project. I will track it on this site. It is putting a Miata drivetrain in an 77 MGB. While doing that I am modifying front frame to improve suspension geometry. I am replacing wiring with something better than old Lucas. This will include replacing gauges that will tie into aftermarket megasquirt fuel injection system. Finally the car will be converted to independent throttle bodies and body will be changed either be chrome bumper styled or sebring racing styled.