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Hooniverse Asks: What have you done in the last ten years?

Jeff Glucker

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The very first post on this site happened ten years ago to the day. Tim (AKA Mad_Science) opened us up with a discussion about what this place is. It’s changed. It’s evolved. People have come and gone, so have the cars. But our core is still in place. We just love cars, plain and simple.

A lot has changed here, there’s no question. Our redesign caused some backend issues that resulted in some lost posts. That’s my biggest personal regret with the site management to this day. I do love the new look and feel of the site though, and I’m happy with the way the aesthetic of it all has turned out. And someday I’ll be sure to re add in a proper search bar, I swear.

But this post isn’t about what we’ve done in the last ten years (moved, had a kid, changed cars a few times, etc). What have you been up to for the last ten years? Let us know, below

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About

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff

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35 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: What have you done in the last ten years?”

  1. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    On an automotive level, I went from a ’97 Cavalier to an ’03 Accent to a ’10 Civic (won the use of it for 3 years, blew through the mileage in 2), to an ’04 Accent, to the first new car I actually bought, a ’14 Mazda2. I got my motorcycle license, and a motorcycle (a hand-me-down Honda Rebel). I got to try driving on a track, and I went autocrossing (I like it plenty, but might have to pace myself for the sake of tire budget). I even did a couple minor things to the Mazda, which is realistically the first time I modified anything I owned (new set of wheels and set of lowering springs).

    Personally, I got married (it’s been a decade and 6 weeks since I got engaged), bought a place, and had a child. I also graduated college, and after a while, finally found work I like (in the auto industry too).

    Separately, been here since the start, congrats on a decade!

    Reply
  2. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    I think the biggest thing is I realized I no longer like working on trucks anymore. Then I realized I don’t like working on motorcycles very much either. Even old & simple trucks & motorcycles. I decided I just liked driving and riding them, and my meager income was enough to pay some other fool to keep them up.
    Motorcycle-wise I got into and am now getting out of dirt biking. It was extremely valuable in adding to my completely self-taught, large streetbike based skillset; I’m a way better bike handler now. Living in the city it’s tough, even in Northern California, to get out to the trails. Also, at my age, bone & cartilage injuries are disastrous. So now I ride a giant brand new Honda and drive, when I have to, a dirty old Econoline.

    Also, I’ve had a shitload of fun being a mostly work truck owning motorcyclist on a so-called “car blog”. I haven’t owned a car since the early ’90s, when there was no internet. Without this place, I wouldn’t know shit about cars (except that they’re all out to kill me.)

    Reply
    1. neight428 Avatar
      neight428

      When you have to fight the world for the time to fight with machines, it’s fair to throw in the greasy red rag.

      Reply
  3. diddiyo Avatar
    diddiyo

    In 2009 I still lived in the US. It’s also when also bought my first new car (a Mazdaspeed 3) and joined an MS3 forum through which I met some of the greatest people that I still call friends today even though pretty much neither one of us still has an MS3 at this point. In 2011 I traded the MS3 in for a C5Z06 and in 2012 I moved back home to Germany. Things were going well for the first few years back home but have somewhat taken a turn for the worse lately. I still have the z06 though and take it for a spin on the Nordschleife from time to time.

    Reply
  4. GTXcellent Avatar
    GTXcellent

    Automotively – in 2009 the MiSSus and I (she couldn’t be the MiSSus back then) had a Dodge Ram Hemi quad-cab (and yep, then it was a DODGE) a Saab 9-3 Aero, a 1968 Plymouth GTX and a beat-to-hell, rusted out ’88 F150. Today, it’s the MiSSus’s Chev SS, JL Rubicon Unlimited, F150 SuperCrew, the same GTX and the same beat-to-hell, rusted out ’88 F150. We also added a Polaris Ranger to the fleet, and have another 2020 Ranger on the way.

    Personally, in 2009 our eldest child was 4 months old. Ten years later, his younger brother is now 6. We’ve both switched jobs, and have hopefully settled into a nice, little groove out in the boondocks.

    Congrats on the decade boys. Keep it up (although it wouldn’t hurt to bring back Cragslist Crapshoots, Mystery Car, and Caption-This)

    Reply
  5. nanoop Avatar
    nanoop

    I got myself a project car, and still have it. It is running fine.

    Meanwhile, I lost a Focus at the altar of chemistry, owned a rolling baseball cap called Roomster, and got a van.
    I also have a scooter basket case, didn’t even run when parked.

    Came here like five years ago, and I wouldn’t have a place to go instead: my studies here have taught me so much and widened my horizon – a FB filter bubble couldn’t do that. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  6. Tamerlane's Thoughts Avatar
    Tamerlane’s Thoughts

    Lots!

    Bought a Phaeton.
    Met John “Longrooffan” Lee and he introduced me to Jeff.
    Started writing for Hooniverse.
    Opened up my own practice.
    Replaced Phaeton with Volvo V50 T5 6M.
    Started writing for The Truth About Cars.
    Volvo totaled. Replaced with Saab 9-3 SportCombi.
    Catastrophic failure with Saab, sold for scrap.
    Replaced with Acura TSX wagon and BMW i3 REx.
    Kid #1.
    Kid #2.
    Currently eyeing a new Pacifica/Odyssey and a Land Cruiser 100/200.

    Reply
  7. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    “Growing up”, sums it up – a bit? Those 10 years coincide with my wife and I, who I finally married this summer, living on our acreage in the countryside after moving out of the city. A 1971 Volvo 145 was replaced with a Citroën Xsara wagon, a supposedly smart choice to get out of an ancient but wonderful car. That Citroën though had some electronic eco-stuff going on that meant it couldn’t make it up our 35 degree driveway with a cold engine – it turned into my most profitable flip ever. A 1993 Volvo 245 (B230FX) followed as a spinal reflex purchase, then a 1996 Nissan Primera, and my glorious 2001 Honda Stream. Never had a car so long, and it enjoyed abuse almost as well as ancient Volvos, but was different in most every way: A sporty minivan, that required binary driving. A Corolla and a Camry in the wife’s hands, and now, finally our first EV. My “project car” spot was taken by a bike shed last year. That feels like giving up, but other hobbies take time and the Hooniverse is a great vent to fill my automotive needs, intellectually, until the kids are old enough for me to have more spare time for a fun car again.

    Reply
    1. nanoop Avatar
      nanoop

      As another friend once put it, there are three kinds of “can”:

      1. I can do it, knowledge-wise,

      2. I can do it, space-wise, and

      3. I can do it, time-wise.
      That’s the constellation one would need to pick up wrenching. 1. and 2. are rather easily acquired for you and me, in the worst case by using youtube and arm-wrestling your neighbor for a spot to park your DD. If you have kids and maybe a career to maintain, existing hobbies and relations suffer, and time is gone. That’s kind of normal, I guess.

      Picking up other hobbies, deviating energy and resources to other spots, things, and people is not giving up. Unless your hobby is Netflix, and the energy is deviated to chill too much beer. When I stared down that barrel I started with projects that would have a natural end and could tolerate breaks (i.e. no gardening). A terrace, a humble woodworking corner (band saw bunnies are popular), I picked up programming microcontrollers again (there are so many cool things readily available today, both in code and HW, no wonder I gave up 15y ago) – and a project car in good-enough condition, which can stay on jack stands for weeks because there is no rush, aside from the bi-annual tech inspection. But you’d need a shed for that indeed: rain, snow and growing plants are not good, and it really sucks to search for dropped bolts in two inch of snow…

      Reply
      1. Sjalabais Avatar
        Sjalabais

        Yeah, woodworking and, indeed, gardening/growing food and grooming forests take up most of my free time. We are to build a log cabin from scratch, so the next two years are full, too. Fixing cars has never really had that effect of mastery on me either; always so much that isn’t as expected, doesn’t go as planned, or just leads down a neverending rabbit hole of causal fixes.

        Reply
        1. nanoop Avatar
          nanoop

          I just recently watched those chaps from Finland building a log cabin in 25:09, so it can’t be that hard 😛

          Reply
          1. Sjalabais Avatar
            Sjalabais

            Ha, I really appreciate the handtool approach (big fan of Dick Proeneke), but due to a whole host of constraints, the chain saw is my preferred tool. This one will also be build with round logs, and have open windows – very simple.

    2. wunno sev Avatar
      wunno sev

      congrats on getting married!

      Reply
  8. Zentropy Avatar
    Zentropy

    The last ten years for me have been more about parenting than motoring. I said goodbye to my CJ-7, Mercury Monterey, and a few other cars, but kept others tucked away in storage for when my kids are grown and I have more time/money for automotive frivolity. A couple of years back, I pissed off my wife with an impulse-purchase E28 that desperately needed saving, and I’m sloooooowly bringing it back to good health. I’m still trying to talk her into letting me also rescue my grandfather’s ’91 F-150, but that one’s been a tough sell. There appears to be an inverse relationship between the state of my car hobby and that of my marriage.
    I don’t recall when I found Hooniverse (for a time I just lurked), but it has been a nice outlet for my near-dormant hobby. I enjoy the diversity of interests, the freedom of friendly argument, and the cultural exposure. Here’s to another 10 years!

    Reply
  9. neight428 Avatar
    neight428

    10 years automotive for neight428

    Civic – daily 2007 – 2014
    Mustang – daily 2014 – 2016
    F150 – daily 2016 – 2019
    4Runner – daily 2019 – ???
    1981 Corvette -project ~2008-2012
    1979 Trans Am – project 2012 – ???

    That’s four dailies and two projects in 10 years, and Mrs. Neight seems to think that’s excessive!? By the Tashinomi Per Day Cost principle, that has to be cheaper than golf. Young kiddos and long hours at the coal mine put a heck of a dent in both my availability and willingness to swing wrenches anymore.

    The eldest offspring will theoretically be driving in about 5 years, whereupon space for the T/A will likely be gone, so it will be on the market between now and then. Anyone using the discount code #neightneedsathreemonthnap can acquire a front fascia for a 1981 Corvette FREE with the purchase of a 1979 Trans Am.

    Probably a spare quadrajet or two too.

    Reply
    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      “Young kiddos and long hours at the coal mine put a heck of a dent in
      both my availability and willingness to swing wrenches anymore.
      The eldest offspring will theoretically be driving in about 5 years, whereupon space for the T/A will likely be gone,”
      Any chance of turning lemons into lemonade by having the oldest put in some of the T/A labor,, and then having them drive it when done? 😉

      Reply
      1. neight428 Avatar
        neight428

        Very slim chance, alas. Neither of my kids care at all for cars (or machines of any kind for that matter). The car is essentially “done”, as much as any 40 year old car can be. I am loathe to tear into it at this point. Also, the 428 in my username here refers to the T/A’s displacement, it has more torque than I would want a young driver in charge of, especially with 70’s (or 60’s for that matter) era safety.

        Reply
  10. danleym Avatar
    danleym

    I didn’t realize I’d been around since so early- must have been 2010, maybe 2011 when I found this place. Since then, it’s been damn near daily reading for me (even if my comments have been less frequent).

    Let’s see, last 10 years- graduated college, got married, moved cross country, ditched the initial career path, moved cross country again, followed by a second massive career change (I had a lot of fun explaining to all the people in my lame but well paying office job why I was taking a huge paycut to be a firefighter), which included moving cross country again, kid #1, kid #2. Took a bit of trial and error in the job front, but I couldn’t be happier now.

    Cars- 10 years ago I had an 80 AMC Spirit and a 88 K5 Blazer, wife had a Beige 99 Malibu when we married, sold that and bought a 02 TJ, sold the Blazer, bought a 04 Disco, bought a 2000 Jetta TDI, sold the Disco bought a 15 Crosstrek, bought a 84 Moto Guzzi V65 SP, bought a 79 K10. Still have the Spirit I started the decade with.

    I also feel like I’ve hit the point of too many. 5 cars, a motorcycle, (5 of which are at least 17 years old, 3 of which are 35+ years old), and 2 kids is too much. I can’t keep up anymore…

    Reply
  11. Bryce Womeldurf Avatar
    Bryce Womeldurf

    Great to see Hooniverse hitting 10 years. Congratulations, guys!

    In the past ten years things have changed a lot for me. I’ve gotten married, went back to school and got my masters degree, travelled and wrote some articles for Hooniverse while I bought and fought to keep my little Miata alive. Recently we bought a third car, a 2019 Crosstrek, and oddly enough each of our three cars are 12 years apart from the preceding one. Haven’t gotten to do much writing lately because I’ve been kept busy with freelancing and photography, and getting in a better, more healthy mental state. But I hope to be back to contribute here again sooner than later.

    The Miata recently blew its head gasket again in the strangest way, from a clean 5 year old heater hose bursting one day when I wasn’t even pushing it. So, that will be fun and interesting to repair. I didn’t fix it myself last time, but this time I’ll be selecting the best parts for the repair, turning the wrench myself. I’ll probably be changing the water pump and thermostat again too, just in case. I’m not sure whether autocross is in the tables anymore with how finicky this particular NA has been, but we’ll see.

    Reply
    1. wunno sev Avatar
      wunno sev

      I remember your finicky NA! over here I’m a year or so into my second 1.8 NA and it’s been stupid reliable (several track days over maybe like 7,000 miles). super weird that you’ve had those issues – these cars have a reputation for being bulletproof.

      Reply
      1. Bryce Womeldurf Avatar
        Bryce Womeldurf

        Yeah, we’ll get there eventually. I had a shop do the work the first time and although I think they did a great job, I’ve learned a little more about what brands to use for longevity since then and I feel much more confident diving into it myself.

        Reply
        1. wunno sev Avatar
          wunno sev

          yeah, the “this might die at any moment anyway” $20 specials all the way to the dealer-label genuine parts. OE parts are cheap enough for most cars that I use em anywhere critical. Miata parts aren’t bad at all – for all the work you’re doing, might as well shell out for them.

          Reply
  12. ptschett Avatar
    ptschett

    Gosh, it doesn’t feel like 10 years.
    Back then I was coming to the end of my 1st of two 10,000-mile years on my KLR650 motorcycle, having just moved to Fargo and newly having access to forest roads in Minnesota. I was thinking about replacing my ’96 Thunderbird with a used late-model (S197) 4.6L Mustang GT or some such, and my ’05 Dakota felt pretty fresh yet.
    About then, the 2011 Mustang was announced with the 5.0L V8 and 3.7L V6 with availability mid-2010. I was disgruntled with automatics after the Thunderbird’s two transmission rebuilds, and thought I wanted that V6 with a manual in a Mustang. I also test-drove a Challenger R/T 6-speed (seeking the lowest-level trim where I could get a manual), ended up liking the Challenger better as a more-direct replacement for the Thunderbird, and the local dealer had a Challenger on the lot that was close enough to my specs that I bought it.
    Having the Challenger, my interest in the motorcycle waned a bit. It didn’t help that the bike succumbed in 2011 to one of the infamous “doohickey” failure modes. (And it had one of the aftermarket kits!) I started tearing the bike down for repair and lost interest when I got to the steps that needed special tools.
    Meanwhile I kept that first Challenger almost 5 years, got disgruntled with its manual, and decided I wanted a 2015 with the ZF 8-speed. Still have the 2nd Challenger.
    The Dakota lasted till an unfortunate spin off an urban freeway in 2017, which would have been fine if it had happened a car-length earlier or later to allow missing the unforgiving 4′-wide hexagonal concrete base of a road-side light tower. I replaced it with a 2017 Ram 1500, which was the vehicle that finally hauled the KLR off in pieces to be scrapped.
    I still have the Thunderbird, though the last time I drove it was just before I got the Ram. It was in need of a battery & battery cables, if the chassis isn’t too rusty by now to make it unsafe to drive.

    Reply
  13. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
    SlowJoeCrow

    It’s been an eventful few years, especially the last 5 years. I’ve sold the house I lived in for 19 years, left the job I’ve had for almost 11 years and moved 200 miles into a different state within a state. On the automotive side I’ve introduced my son to wrenching and helped him with major work on his 2003 Buick LeSabre. At the same time I’ve junked a car in 2012, bought our first new us car since 2002 in 2016 when we bought our much loved and sorely missed 2014 Mazda5, ad after it was totaled in 2017 got our first new car since our 1993 Ford Ranger. I’ve also kept my old BMW motorcycle on the road despite a two year hiatus while moving and have plans in the works to resurrect my wife’s 1983 Honda CM250C from two decades of slumber. Unfortunately my garage remains crammed with stuff since we replaced the sold off bicycles with a pair of kayaks. I’m also trying to save up enough to buy another pickup next spring.

    Reply
  14. theskitter Avatar
    theskitter

    Triggered the spam filters.
    Surprised it took this long.

    Reply
  15. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
    SlowJoeCrow

    It’s been an eventful few years, especially the last 5 years. I’ve sold the house I lived in for 19 years, left the job I’ve had for almost 11 years and moved 200 miles into a different state within a state. On the automotive side I’ve introduced my son to wrenching and helped him with major work on his 2003 Buick LeSabre. At the same time I’ve junked a car in 2012, bought our first new us car since 2002 in 2016 when we bought our much loved and sorely missed 2014 Mazda5, ad after it was totaled in 2017 got our first new car since our 1993 Ford Ranger. I’ve also kept my old BMW motorcycle on the road despite a two year hiatus while moving and have plans in the works to resurrect my wife’s 1983 Honda CM250C from two decades of slumber. Unfortunately my garage remains crammed with stuff since we replaced the sold off bicycles with a pair of kayaks. I’m also trying to save up enough to buy another pickup next spring.

    Reply
  16. HycoSpeed Avatar
    HycoSpeed

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fa60313a3fe673586a5f3367cdbd73838eddbed6bd4ac199f99160e4bc9cc0eb.gif

    Reply
  17. HycoSpeed Avatar
    HycoSpeed

    Discovered this place thanks to some comments on [redacted], right at the beginning. I was in the early part of Navy flight school at the time, now I am fixing to head back to real fleet carrier flying as the old guy. Still living my automotive dreams mostly vicariously through you my online friends, although as part of some zero debt living my wife agree to driving a 15 year old vehicle, so I get to keep my hand in with the occasional small repairs.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/01acab39e30deb3986a97dd2f97326493e959d314a1cc46ceeaa5402502b90ed.jpg

    Reply
  18. mdharrell Avatar
    mdharrell

    So much has changed in the last decade! Ten years ago I trailered a belt-driven European car home to Seattle from a LeMons event in California

    https://live.staticflickr.com/4103/5072064860_40c4820cda.jpg

    whereas just this last weekend I, ah… Well, anyway, the “m” in Lemons is no longer capitalized. Time marches on.

    https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48830457201_847ae98004.jpg

    Reply
  19. wunno sev Avatar
    wunno sev

    ten years ago I was a few months past the death of my dad’s 380SL, which jumped timing on one of the last days of my summer job, and a few months from buying my own first car, a 97 Maxima. great car to have started wrenching on, and a great car generally. beautiful VQ30 engine, slick 5-speed gearbox, good tight handling, and a low curb weight despite being a big car. shoulda kept it until today, but it was beige.

    the 91 MR2 was fun, but not what I needed. I did learn to weld fixing the rust. the project took me two years, working on and off, after which I sold it; it would take me three weeks now.

    the 99 Volvo I bought in ’13, with 230,000 miles, has been my favorite car ever. still have it, love it, currently performing massive upgrades.

    the cars since have been a blur. 97 Miata, 16 FiST (only new car on the list), 83 240D (more tractor than car), 95 E320 coupe (best car I’ve owned), 94 Miata (still have, great car), 87 300D Turbo (worst car I’ve owned, still love it).

    I started reading the J in 2009 or so, read Hooniverse in parallel from 2010 or so, and quit reading J in 2011 or so when Wert did some dumb shit that pissed me off. glad they’re back in the game with a great mix of new car stuff and weird old Torchinsky shit, but Hooniverse is closer to my heart. (the only other car site I read on the regs is Speedhunters, but I skip most of the content. the writing is fluff and half the cars look identical.)

    luh you Hooniverse, let’s have another ten.

    Reply
  20. salguod Avatar
    salguod

    An RX7 or RX8 is on my list of cars to own someday, but the oil and gas consumption stories are concerning.

    Reply
    1. Number_Six Avatar
      Number_Six

      It’s definitely worth considering. In this day and age it’s hard to make oneself drive around with a case of oil in the trunk; it just seems so anachronistic. The fuel mileage really is that bad; plus my Mk VI GTI feels like a 427 V8 by comparison just because it has some torques.

      Reply
    2. Number_Six Avatar
      Number_Six

      It’s definitely worth considering. In this day and age it’s hard to make oneself drive around with a case of oil in the trunk; it just seems so anachronistic. The fuel mileage really is that bad; plus my Mk VI GTI feels like a 427 V8 by comparison just because it has some torques.

      Reply
  21. salguod Avatar
    salguod

    Been meaning to comment on this all week. I think I’ve been here since close to the beginning, but I’m not sure.

    Ten years ago my daily was a 2005 Mazda3, my wife’s daily was a 1999 Honda Odyssey and I had the 1960 Thunderbird convertible in the garage for sunny days. My oldest daughter was just entering high school and I was working at a design firm.

    My wife’s cars went from the Odyssey to a 2010 Saturn Outlook, a 2007 Prius Touring and now a 2015 Accord Hybrid.

    My girls started driving and I bought all 3 various cars: 1998 Escort, 2003 Protege, another 2003 Protege and a 2002 Protege (stick with what you know, I guess).

    I passed the Mazda3 on to my oldest daughter a few years ago and bought a $500 1996 318ti with 239K miles. Drove it for 2 years and 24K and moved on to a 2002 RSX Type S with 241K miles. Drove that for 18 months before black ice claimed it in January. Now driving a 2002 BMW 325Ci.

    Current fleet includes that Mazda3, still in daily use at 215K. The rate of oil consumption and oxidation means its days are numbered. My other 2 daughters are driving the Proteges, my wife her Accord Hybrid and the T’bird is still around. And I added a 1995 Ranger for a spare vehicle and hauling duties.

    Personally, I went from the design firm to a stint at a kit car builder to now engineering manager at a furniture manufacturer. We moved to the country where I hope to put up a pole barn soon-ish. All my girls escaped high school relatively unscathed and are working their way through college and my wife and I celebrated 25 years with a trip to Isreal (our first overseas). Generally a good decade.

    Here’s to 10 more here at the Hooniverse.

    Reply
  22. Bryce Womeldurf Avatar
    Bryce Womeldurf

    Great to see Hooniverse hitting 10 years. Congratulations, guys!

    Ten years ago I was just getting into reading car blogs. Until then I was more of a magazine reader. Sport Compact Car, MotorTrend, HotRod, things like that. I got married in 2010 and the same year started my own little car blog, HoonArt. Through that I was trying to bring more east coast events and influence to automotive journalism. I don’t think I entirely knew what automotive journalism was at the time, I just knew that I loved commenting on cars online, making sarcastic comments and jokes on Jalopnik articles. Trying to make it a comment of the day. I had only just started teaching myself to use a camera. I wanted to show what I was seeing locally to the world. I didn’t know of Hooniverse yet back then and was just really into driving. I combined the love of hooning aspect I had with cars with my past art training for my blog name and covered mostly the local import car scene, while showing off the photos I took as a volunteer photographer for the local IndyCar races (Honda Grand Prix, now known as Firestone Grand Prix).

    I think it was around 2012 I first heard about Hooniverse and not long after was put into contact with Kamil through our friend Wayne. I was honored to contribute photography to Hooniverse for an article that same year, about a Countach. Kept writing articles here and there, learning how things worked along the way. 2013 was a big year because I bought my project Miata (and immediately blew the head gasket) and attended my first press trip for Hooniverse, to drive the new Cherokee and new Rams for reviews. Loved the driving and met some great people, including Blake Z. Rong, out there. The trip was a great experience for me.

    In 2014 I was accepted to a masters program in digital journalism (thank you again for the reference, Jeff). After 2 years of heavy studying, little sleep, and a final exciting/exhausting year where I attended and photographed the Rolex 24, Sebring 12, Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, and Daytona 500, I graduated with my MS. I made a return trip to California to celebrate, where I got to meet Jeff and R.J. de Vera and had tacos with Tim. My wife and I even drove down the beautiful Pacific coast highway from SF to LA.

    Shortly after I graduated, I couldn’t get much out work-wise and I realized I was experiencing a pretty serious bout of depression and anxiety. But I sought help and I’ve been working my way out of it since then, getting to know myself better, getting in a healthier mental state. I’ve covered some racing events since then at Sebring and returned to the concours. These days, as much as I want to write, most of my time is taken up with documentary and promotional photography, home ownership, and freelancing. I’d really like to work with Hooniverse again, just haven’t had time to attend a race or a show lately. I’m sure we’ll find something though.

    As luck would have it, the Miata broke again back in June in a curious way. It overheated 15 minutes into a steady low-stress 55mph drive only a week after getting the AC fixed. It involved a really strange failure of a clean 5 year old heater hose. I think for the first month or so I was just so disappointed that I just left it sitting. But on the plus side, I finally have some cash to start collecting the various gaskets and parts to change the gasket. This time I’ll be doing the work myself, so that should be interesting. In the past, I’ve gone into the engine as far as changing things like spark plugs, valve cover gasket, CAS o-ring, all the hoses, cam seals, removing and reinstalling the much-feared crank bolt, the timing belt, and re-timing the engine, but I’ve never opened up the cylinder head, so this will be something new for me. I’ve been slowly working through checking the compression numbers and I’ll soon be conducting a block test to see where the compression is actually going. No oil and coolant mixing so far this time. Hopefully the bottom end is okay, but it’s cast iron, so I think we’re pretty safe there.

    Shortly after the overheat happened, our ’07 Volkswagen had a very expensive ignition failure, so we needed another reliable car for my wife to commute with while I keep the VW going and fix the Miata. So, we bought a third car, a new 2019 Crosstrek and I’m really liking it. It’s basically the polar opposite of my Miata in that it’s really spacious and doesn’t beat me up. I should probably do a review of it either here or on HoonArt soon.

    Mostly the past 10 years have been a lot of learning, driving, personal growth, and Miata misadventures.

    Reply