Since I was 13, I was a converted car guy. This means a lot of cars went through my hands. Some were projects, some were held for a couple of weeks and sold untouched.

1999 Jaguar XJR

When I purchased the Jaguar in September 2023, it had only 47,000 miles. While the low mileage ensures a low-wear drivetrain, I didn’t realize how rubber and electronics age regardless of mileage. I had to update the suspension and rebuild several electronic modules.

Performance: It is a 4-liter supercharged Lincoln-designed V8 that produces 370 horsepower at the rear wheels. It has a governor-limited top speed of 155 mph.

The Jaguar is a great driver’s car but a terrible owner’s car. On the open road it responds instantly to your right foot. The windy roads are handled precisely. Someone described it as being like a 4-door Corvette. But Jaguar didn’t release their part designs to the aftermarket manufacturers, so when Jaguar decided to not support an old car anymore, there were no new parts available. There are only two mechanic shops in Fresno who have the specialized tools to work on it. When I parked it at their shop next to the McLaren’s and Ferrari’s I knew I was in trouble. I only owned it for an expensive year. I sold it on Bring-a-Trailer for about what I paid for it.

2010 Tacoma “BLNTACO”

In 2021, I decided to build something fun using the 2010 Tacoma I already owned. I wanted something fast and engineered to perfection. I wanted to push my mechanical skills to my limit.

The Build List:

3″ stainless steel exhaust system
Front suspension replaced with coil-overs, tubular A-arms & remote reservoirs.
14″ cross-drilled rotors with 6-piston caliper brakes up front.
In the back, I replaced the leaf springs with variable-rate springs and remote reservoirs
Rear drum brakes upgraded to disc brakes with cross-drilled rotors.
Interior lined with Dynamat; Mini Cooper seats added.
The audio receiver was a JVC unit. I installed four JBL speakers and an amplified JBL subwoofer under the driver’s seat
Engine Bay: Smog-legal Magnuson supercharger, intercooler, cold air intake, aluminum 3-row radiator, and electric fan.

**Coil overs, remote reservoirs, and tubular A-arms in front**

**And that great-sounding JVC head unit, with JBL speakers and subwoofer**

**14″ rotors, 6 pistons up front, cross-drilled disc brakes out back**

**On top is the factory orange lighting, on the bottom is the “cool white” lighting I installed**

The Tacoma was my chance to see what my accumulated skills could do. I went for the best of everything. When done, it handled like a sports car. When you pushed it the whine of the supercharger and rumble of the exhaust was exhilarating. I hated to let it go, but my disabilities didn’t allow me to climb in anymore. I still miss this one.

2016 Mini Cooper Park Lane

Kathy loved her old Mini but had to give it up due to reliability issues. After a few years with a Honda Accord, I found this rare Park Lane model in Arizona with only 7,000 miles. It combines a turbo engine with a luxury interior.

The Audio Build: Audio Innovations in Fresno installed a custom 10″ monitor with wireless CarPlay and a 10″ subwoofer. It’s likely the only Mini Cooper in the world with this kind of system

**Thi is the dash all Minis come with. It got moved to the glove compartment so it could still be used to adjust car settings**

**And now we have a 10″ Stinger billboard in the dash. Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto and great sound.**

**A 10″ subwoofer out back that is half the weight of the car**

Kathy loves her Mini. And it’s a Park Lane, which is rare enough that she has only seen one like it. It doesn’t disappear in the parking lot. She tells everyone she got it for gas mileage. But we all see her speeding down the road. It is a great combination of comfort, economy, handling, and speed. She loves it. I’m considering getting my own Mini.

And a few other cars I’ve owned along the way…

Like I said. Car guy. When I look across a field and see an old rusting car, Kathy has her phrase, “No more puppies.” She really means there is no space for another “puppy”. But then the fun of the build is gone since I can’t work on them anymore. And the labor cost of someone doing it for you counts that out. But it was fun while it lasted.