Editors Note: This weekend, Hooniverse will be running a series of posts introducing you to some of the new writers who are now in our part of the Hooniverse. Welcome Dan Lee who was one of the contributors at CarGuyDad, and should fit in quite nicely. So let’s welcome Dan, and wish him well as he settles in here at Hooniverse.
I do not know where my interest for all things automotive originated. My folks didn’t have any stories or unique cars during my childhood that would infect a young lad with the lust for things that go fast and look cool, it just sort of happened. Necessity to maintain my daily driver was most likely my largest influence.
Born and raised in NE Pennsylvania, at the age of 16 I was “given” my first car. It was a 1995 Saab 900 SE (V6 5speed) and what a (problematic) car it was. It had been sitting in a friend’s garage for over a year due to some “electrical problems”, among other things. I took what I could get at the time and since then I have been an enthusiast for all things automotive.
After finding part cars on craigslist and the local you-pull-it yard, as well as a few new parts I have managed to keep this 180,000 mile Saab on the road. I don’t like to think about the thousands of dollars that have been put into this car since I took ownership or the countless problems I’ve had but it is my car and I have learned to appreciate all its strange characteristics. I am now 21 years old, in college and interning at the AACA Automotive Museum in Hershey, PA. I still drive that Saab and I have no problem keeping this car long after I graduate.
I did buy an 88’ 900 SPG at one point but sold it soon after to fund my education. The car was a mess that didn’t run. Over a summer I got it running and put it back to stock as best as I could. I was able to sell it to a Saab enthusiast who had the time, space, and money to restore it and even made some money on the deal.
Another passion of mine is recycled art. Piston cigar ashtrays, camshaft lamps, and engine block tables are all things I have constructed out of salvaged car parts. It gives me an excuse to frequent the local you-pull-it yards even if I’m not searching for Saab parts.
My writing experience was nonexistent before I found Kamil’s CarGuyDad website, my first article happen to be that of a local 900 SPG and I have been writing occasionally ever since. My true passion is photography, writing was another creative outlet to incorporate photography and I am continuing to learn more about both mediums everyday. Some of my work can be seen at www.dleefoto.com
Although I don’t contribute or comment on a regular basis, I do read Hooniverse daily. I would like to thank the contributors to this site for all of the unique and interesting articles that are put together by such a diverse group of knowledgeable people.
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