“Way up north in the Pacific Northwest, there was a kid who loved cars.

Before the dawn of the internet, a mighty cartel of print publishers ruled the nation’s magazine racks with an iron fist. Motor Trend, Road and Track, and Hot Rod were towering automotive authorities, and via their ink-soaked pages, one could view the vast, twinkling automotive landscape from a newsstand in Anywhere in the USA.

At the end of every month, when the latest issues of the glossy car mags hit the racks, the kid mentioned above would be sitting on the floor at the drugstore on a Saturday morning reading about a ‘Secret Mid-Engined Corvette,’ the latest ‘Pony Car Shoot-Out,’ or a ‘Kustom Kar Show,’ somewhere off in a sunny, mythical Los Angeles or dirty, gritty Detroit…The trajectory to an automotive journalist, unbeknownst to him, was just beginning.”

I wrote that two years ago when I left my soggy hometown hamlet of Seattle, Washington to take over the webzine Corvette Online in Murrieta, Califonia. Just as I started to get comfortable, I was appointed editor of Rod Authority, a sister publication here at Power Automedia dedicated to hot rods and kustoms.

I brought years of car enthusiasm and a severe case of fiberglass “fever” to the party at Corvette Online. I took the mag to new heights in traffic and interest during my tenure. I met—and reported—on almost everyone involved with the Corvette, from shade tree mechanics and parts emporium impresarios, all the way up to Corvette Chief Engineers.

Meeting many of the movers and the shakers in the Corvette world was a thrill. Chatting with Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter in LA at the 2019 ZR1 reveal, was a thrill.

My only reservation about being the Corvette guy was that I wasn’t “allowed” to like other cars. Kind of like being the editor for a Jazz magazine, but secretly rolling a playlist with Metallica and Motorhead.

I wish I had a picture of my office mate’s faces when I brought my Jade Green 1976 Thunderbird down from a relative’s in Sacramento. I bought the car for $2500 and had a lot of fun with it. They were horrified.

I’ve owned over 35 cars in my life running the gamut from Fords, Cadillacs, Corvettes, and even a funky old Saab. Mostly though, I dig all kinds of cars with a special affinity towards American iron (and fiberglass.)

Ship of fools, car of idiots. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…Cruising my 1979 Firebird Formula on the strip at Birch Bay, in northern Washington by the Canadian border.

When veteran automotive journalist Bobby Kimbrough – and former Editor of Rod Authority – offered me the position, I was extremely flattered. While I now had a chance to cover all segments of the car hobby, I also had some incredibly big shoes to fill.

Little did I know, all the fun bullpen banter we have around the office regarding–but not limited to–hot rod Babylon, Gene Winfield, Linda Vaughan, Larry Watson, Eddie Cochran, et al., probably contributed to my candidacy for the new Rod Authority big cheese.

I am very passionate about the culture surrounding hot rods, customs, and muscle cars. It might be the most important aspect of the gig and I bring forward my perspective from the rearview mirror to today’s current trends.

I dig late-model GM muscle. My bone stock, ’99 Trans Am is ripe for some mods.

My current stable of cars includes a C4 Corvette–natch—a 1999 LS1-powered Trans Am, a 1976 Cadillac Seville, and a big ‘ol 2002 Ford Van.

My last project was modding my 1995 Corvette. We lowered the car, re-upholstered the interior, added CCW 18′ wheels, Bilstein shocks, Nitto Tires, and Baer brakes. I entered it in one of the heaviest-hitter Corvette shows in the Southwest–the 2018 Plastic Fantastic in San Diego–and placed third in my class. Not bad considering there were only 21 awards and 400 cars. A fitting end to my time at the helm of Corvette Online.

I have a soft spot for Cadillacs, I’ve owned seven. A ’58, ’60, ’67, ‘two ’76’s, ’92 and an ’06. My latest is the aforementioned Seville that I bought from a couple up in Beverly Hills last year. A two-owner car with 79k original miles, it was in “as delivered” condition, way back when Gerald Ford was in the Oval Office.

Inside, along with the musty scent of 42 years, it smelled remarkably like Mom’s purse, with a carefully curated bouquet of Certs breath mints, Oil of Olay, and aged leather.

At the mothership, Power Automedia in Murrieta, CA

It was also one of the last GM cars touched by the gifted hand of design guru Bill Mitchell. I’ve always wanted one. I paid $5000.00 and drove off into the sunset.

Running a Olds 350V8 with an ancient Bendix fuel injection system, it came F.O.B from Detroit, Michigan in “Innsbruck Blue,” (the Winter Olympics were in Innsbruck, Germany that year ) and a white vinyl top.

I am especially interested in the “zone” between low-riders and “California Customs,” so the first thing I did was kit out the old Caddy in Supremes and whitewalls. The guys at Truespoke Wheels helped me get the right size, offset, and whitewall width and I think we hit the bullseye.

Top – Run what you brung, as the old saying goes. While certainly not the first time Supremes have upped the game for an old cruiser, I’m hoping my Seville can show that Seventies cars can be part of the hobby.

The car is tight, and steers and drives well. An E-Rod LS3 V8 would be right at home in the car. Internally, the car’s heavily based on F-Body/Nova architecture so there’s plenty of parts interchangeability there.

Sadly, although GM made almost 200k Sevilles from 1976-1979, most have gone to the crusher. Soft trim, sheet metal, body hardware, and badging are darn near nonexistent.

I love Mopars. This was shot at daybreak in my hometown of Seattle just after I took delivery of a brand new Challenger SRT8. Photography: Brad Johnsen Photography

The State of California and the fresh air zealots at CARB be damned, I think certain Seventies cars will be the next era of Detroit iron that will be granted a new life from the custom car movement. Camaros, Firebirds, Cadillacs, Lincolns, G-Bodies, and even old AMCs are cheap, ready, and willing.

NSRA and Goodguys have raised the ceiling of participation from the early ’70s to 1987. So whether or not you like this era of cars, they are now technically “antique” and are ready to attract a new segment to the hobby.

Having said all that, I’ve always had an ever-evolving roster of cars and with my new title, maybe it’s time to build an early Ford or scour the web for a two-door, Exner-designed Mopar wagon…

Top – Now rare as hen’s teeth, I’m especially fond of late fifties/early sixties Mopar wagons. Bottom – I dig bling and this full-fendered roadster turns me on.

I have a tricky task ahead of me straddling all facets and strains of custom car culture. My goal is to create a hot rod goulash of old-school cool, white-collar and blue-collar builds, how-to-tech, music, and culture.

Most importantly, I want Rod Authority to be the “tip-of-the-spear,”  educating newbies and young folks as they will sustain the continued existence of our beloved hobby.

I’d like to hear from you, our readers, as well. Let me know via Rod Authority contact page and Rod Authority Facebook what’s most important to you.