Category
Transportation
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03.21.10Defender 90: An old fashioned road trip, proves the validity of “un-boring” ridesSometimes the soul just calls for a good old-fashioned road trip. Having just picked up two Steve McQueen photo/bios (McQueen, and McQueen's Machines), I was inspired, not just by the details of the amazing cars of the consummate cool cat, but the stories of his impromptu dashes across California in some of Italy and Germany’s finest. While not as exotic, I channeled my inner-McQueen and felt that the often tweaked 1997 Land Rover Defender 90 that I have owned since new, was now worthy of a trek of it’s own. Having only driven as far as LA-SF-LA in the Defender, what ...
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02.21.10International Harvester Scouts…A Cub Scout’s DreamAs you can probably tell, it’s the introduction to the things that I love that are as important as the things themselves. I love the surf mats, because of the memories that the smell brings, or the feel of my father’s shell cordovan wallet. Continue Reading...
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12.06.09“Grail” Things…1970 Mercedes Benz 280se ConvertibleAs you can probably tell, it’s the things from my youth that had the greatest impact on me. From sartorial inspiration, my father was a Brooks Brothers Preppy, to 70’s surf style—David Nuuhiwa at Huntington, to the cars that the local heroes drove—why I have a soft spot for 70’s VW square backs—Aviation High School’s board transporter of choice. It's what the crazed watch collectors call "grail" things. Those Holy Grail items that haunt them; the must haves, the quest. I have a theory that passion for collecting moves in 25-45 year cycles, we love the things that inspired us, but ...
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11.18.09Defender 90 Redux “No Boring Cars”As a kid, we had a “no boring cars” rule in the house. My first car was a 1938 Dodge sedan, light yellow, Earl Scheib 29.95, paint job—no kidding. It was from there to ‘65-’67 Mustangs, lots of Long Beach Junkyard time, and then on to various other projects, and the occasional beauties. Highlights from the long sold, departed, traded repertoire include a 1956 Thunderbird, 1995 Chevrolet Impala SS—weird, but I loved it, a grey market Mercedes G-Wagen—before they were the ride of choice for hipster soccer moms, and current rides; a 1997 Defender 90, 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and ...
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08.05.09Custom Exhausts…Sound MattersMagnaflow Tech Center I know I’ve been a little car crazed lately, and I haven’t even gotten around to detailing the entire stable here. But as nutty as I am for cars/trucks/bikes, it’s really the customizing thing that has me. I’ve been through the typical phases, dating back to high school, and starting with car stereo—I even had a vintage under-dash record player at one point—and through wheels, including all of the flavors of powder coating. (I was doing black wheels way before it was fashionable.) But my taste for customizing cars isn’t strictly cosmetic. I’ve been through all of the ...
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07.10.09The Quiver, Right-SizedGrowing up in a beach town, surfing started in grade school. First boards included cut down longboards—this was the short board transition era, that featured hand fashioned bungee cord leashes, before the real thing was productized. It was then that we all moved to second hand longboards and transition shapes. The most coveted had been ridden by local heroes and pros. While more pleasure than transport, surfboard shapes, colors, shapers, and fin choice, do as much to establish your rank in the line up as that first takeoff at a spot that isn’t your home break. ...
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07.08.09Kronan 3-Speed BicyclesAt a time where recycled ultra-light Japanese velodrome cast-offs have become Fixed Gear badges of honor for indie kids form Silverlake to Brooklyn, I have chosen the path of Dutch and Swedish bike commuters, and made the Kronan Steel 3-Speed my daily rider. I was introduced to Kronans by my friend and tastemaker Natas Kaupas. Natas was at the cutting edge of the urban fixed gear phase, and in making an esoteric trade that included first-edition architecture and furniture books as well as an '80s vintage surfboard, his old Kronan became mine. That '70s era black beauty ...
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07.06.091989 Jeep Grand WagoneerMy transportation choices are contrarian at best, and sometimes ridiculous. I often fall in love with a concept, notion, romantic vision or even a passionate expert who is as crazy about the “thing” as I am. This is how I found the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Norbert of grandwagoneers.com was the catalyst that pushed me over the edge on my 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, that had just gone through a complete body off restoration by Norbert of Grand Wagoneer.com. I’ve always been smitten by the late model, end of the era Grand Wagoneers. These were the first SUV’s and at ...
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07.06.091997 Defender 90 NAS Station WagonMy daily driver is in many ways impractical, kinda noisy, not super comfortable, with the aerodynamics of a cardboard box. But, I love the Defender 90. The 1997’s are unique in that they were the only Defender 90’s imported into the US for 3 years between 1994 and 1997 that had factory hardtops, full carpeting, automatic transmission and air conditioning. A lack of air bags other quite worthy safety features ended the Defenders life in North America, and the NAS designation, is what’s given to these mid-90’s models that have factory roll cages as a safety accommodation. ...