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September 2004


April 2005

I love cars. Not just like them a lot, but really love 'em. I still love to play with them just like I did when I was a kid playing with toys and models.

And I'm a very lucky guy to have collected a few nice ones. They're not exotics, or true "classics." But they represent a cross-section of the cars I love to drive.

When I was a teenager in the mid-sixties I really wanted a "muscle" car (they were very popular at the time - this was their heyday). I never got a chance to own one back then, but bought a nice Mustang 5.0 in 1989 (and moderately modified it in 2001). I owned it for 18 years, finally selling it when I got a new 2007 Mustang GT (see below).

The MR2, purchased in 1996, is about close to an exotic as I will probably ever get. I've kept it stock - and very clean. It's even appeared in a magazine!

And the Miata (got it in January, 2004) is sort of like the British roadsters I loved when I discovered sports cars back in the mid-sixties.

You know, I'm living my teenage car fantasy!

 


April 2007


November 2007



Keep scrolling down for photos...

Here's the current fleet. Click on any picture below to see it full size.
Yes, most have names (indicated in the parenthesis).


2007 Mustang GT
(as yet unnamed)


2003 Miata Shinsen
("BB Zoomer")


1993 Toyota MR2
("Mr. Red")  


2002 Toyota Highlander
("Conner")


2000 Acura TL
("Fern")

I waited a long time to order a new muscle car. Here's my 2007 Mustang!

Got the Miata in January 2004. What a fun car! More info here.

I purchased the MR2 back in 1996. Here's some more Info.

I love going to as many car meets as I can...


Here are pictures from some of the car events I've attended.

In September, 2011, I started using Flickr to host my car meet pictures and will no longer be updating these pages.
Please click the link below and visit me there:

Paul's Flickr page

 

My past and present license plates.


On the MR2


Was on my Nissan


On the Highlander


California Job Case


Baby Zoomer

 

Sold my '87 Mustang in January 2007 after 18 years!
(Click the pic for more info.)
I don't know why you'd be interested, but
here's a scrapbook I put together detailing my life of cars.
(You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader.)


The Pix...
 
 

I met George Barris again
in July 2009 at a book signing.
(More info here.)
-
I stopped in nearby Montrose early one Sunday morning
to find the main street (Honolulu Ave.) closed.
They were filming a Buick commercial. (3/09)

May 2010 - my brother gets
a Corvette.

 
Jay Leno's Garage

The "Holy Grail" for many car enthusiasts is Jay Leno's garage. And in February, 2009, I was fortunate enough to take a tour.

Randy Chase, a real nice guy I met on-line (and owner of ChaseCam.com) invited me to join a tour that he had arranged.

Unfortunately Jay wasn't there at the time. More unfortunate is that photos were not allowed. (The photos above are from Jay's web site, JayLenosGarage.com.) If you watch some of the videos on his site, you'll get an idea of the scope and layout of his garage. (There are actually six buildings including an incredible workshop - with a full kitchen.)

 The tour was fantastic, and Jay's collection, not only of cars and motorcycles, but of artwork and other paraphernalia, is impressive beyond description.

Jay and I are pretty close in age, and in our taste for many types of vehicles as well. So essentially, he is living my car fantasy!


 

George Barris, king of car customizers:
http://www.barris.com
(6/08)

Another famous customizer,
Gene Winfield (6/08)
Read more...

Yet another car customizing legend, known for many movie cars, Dean Jefferies (3/09)
More...

 
  -
Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend, signing his new book on Steve McQueen's cars. Dave Kunz, reporter for channel 7 here in Los Angeles, showed up in his beautiful Bullitt Mustang clone. (11/07)

 


Art Fitzpatrick (automotive artist) and Jim Wangers
(a very well-known automotive marketing guy) at
a book signing.
 
I met Barry Meguiar in October 2007
at the Japanese Classic Car Show.
He's a very nice guy.

Legendary race car driver Dan Gurney.


Ed Iskenderian (right), a hot rod legend known mainly for his racing camshafts
(www.iskycams.com) and Glenn Necessary, who owns that old race car).

I ran into Jay again at another book signing. That's Wallace Wyss
on the right, one of the authors of a new book on the
Ford GT and GT40.


In January 2007, pictures of my MR2 appeared
in Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car magazine.
(Click the picture for details.)

I've had a number of letters printed in magazine sover the years,
but in January 2007, MazdaSport magazine
published my picture too! (Click the pic.)


November 2006
Another "Leno Sighting"
at Autobooks
in Burbank.
 
While buying a copy of Motor Trend Classics at Autobooks, Doug,
one of the guys who runs the place, told me to look out the front window.
There was the car that was on the cover! Then he said, "Now look behind you."
It was Dave Kunz, a reporter for ABC in LA. Turns out it's his car. And he drove it in the article!


October 2006 - I rented
a Shelby Mustang on a visit
to Boston...Yum!

 
Here's Chris Economaki, legendary sports
broadcaster, at a book signing at Autobooks
in Burbank (July 2006).

At the same book signing, I met
Jeff Baugh, traffic reporter for
KFWB radio.


I met race driver Alain de Cadenet (right)
at Autobooks in Burbank, 3/06
(click the picture for more info)

 
In June, at a weekly car meet in La Caņada,
I met Matt Stone, Editor of Motor Trend
(That's his Porsche behind him)

 
Also in June, I met
Dave McClelland,
long-time race announcer
and host of Hot Rod TV


My close call - 1/06
(click the pic for more info)


Mustang show (9-04) at the
Petersen Automotive Museum.

Another car enthusiast
and me (Autobooks, 11/04).

My garage makes a great bar.
And I can smoke cigars here!

I used a picture of my MR2 (as well as my
Miata) on a sign at the Auto Trader office
in Van Nuys (4/05)


The Los Angeles debut of the
3rd generation Miata (5/1/05)


A couple of neat toys.


Mussy at a show (4-04).


Getting my new plates (April 04).


Dennis Gage in Reno
at Hot August Nights

 
The Miata Club goes to Meguiar's, 8-21-04.
What a great day!

 
The Miata Club at
Mazda R&D


These are not mine...unfortunately! (I sure wish I had a bigger garage.)


A real Cobra
(My dentist's!)

Caterham
(Lotus 7 Replica)

Dave's
Porsche Boxster

Rented Vette
5/19/01

Steve's Mach 1
Nice!


Ancient History

Our vehicles from the 1980s and 1990s.


1980 Honda Civic
("Sylvia")


1981 Mazda GLC
("Leo")
More info


1985 4-Runner
("Thor")


1992 Honda
("Clark")


1988 Nissan Pathfinder
("Sandy")


Some out of the 1970s...

1957 Pontiac
("Ashley")

1970 Plymouth Duster
("Donald")

Rhonda's 1970 Capri
("Bonnie")

1976 Dodge Van
("Raoul")

Motorcycles from the 1970s...


197? Honda 350


1974 Honda 350-Four


1975 Honda 750F

Going even further back in time... back in Boston (late 60s, early 70s).


Mom's first car
1966 Tempest


Mom's 1971(?) Toyota
Corona Mark II


My friend Ed
and my 64 VW


Karmann Ghia
(I should have called it "Rusty")


Austin Healey Sprite

My first new car.
1970 Beetle

1967 Triumph TR4A
-

Oops
-

Mid 60s


1959 Ford


1962 Fiat
(Click for the story)

 
Lancia Flaminia (and Pat)