Car Crazy
Car Crazy
The Social Networker
Andrew Ross
September 22nd, 2011
Andrew Ross is Mini guy. The first car he ever owned, while still living in his native Australia, was a Mini. He’s worn a necklace with a Mini charm on it since high school, collected some 300 toy Minis, and owns two life-size examples of the marque: a yellow and black 2003 Cooper S, and a “classic” 1978 version painted Ford orange. He sums up his fascination with the diminutive cars thusly: “It’s not a Camry. There’s nothing wrong with Camrys; they’re fine cars. But they’re boring. I want something that stands out.” Read more »
Car Crazy
The Showman
The Amazing Johnathan
September 22nd, 2011
A lot of people start collecting cars as a way to preserve happier times in their lives. But not John Edward Szeles, better known in these parts as comedian/magician The Amazing Johnathan. Even though he’s a Detroit native, Szeles didn’t get into cars until about 10 years ago when he surprised his wife with a 1957 Porsche. He had it all set up: The car was gift-wrapped, waiting for her in their driveway when they returned to Las Vegas from a trip to Los Angeles. “Unfortunately, that was the time she picked to tell me she wanted a divorce,” he says. Read more »
Car Crazy
The Builder
Gordon Tronson
September 22nd, 2011
If you have to ask why, you’ll never understand Gordon Tronson. There is absolutely no practical reason to build a twin-engine, 1,000-horsepower hot rod, by yourself, in your garage. If you can somehow make sense of that, try this: Unlike practically every other twin-engine car ever built—and there have been quite a few, from drag racers to street cars—the power plants in Tronson’s car are mounted side-by-side. It’s much easier to put them in-line, but Tronson doesn’t do easy. Read more »
Car Crazy
The Shade-Tree Mechanic
Jeffrey Deitch
September 22nd, 2011
A 1972 RS SS Camaro with a big-block engine isn’t the car of Jeffrey Deitch’s dreams. He speaks more glowingly of the German engineering that went into the BMW 2002tii he bought recently, a car that started right up after sitting for 22 years. Deitch, a 45-year-old computer programmer, estimates that he’s owned 90 cars. He buys them, fixes them, drives them, sells them and buys more. They come and go. But the Camaro has a backstory. Read more »
Car Crazy
The Collector
Brett Torino
September 22nd, 2011
There is a place where three Hemi ’Cuda convertibles are parked in a row, paint gleaming and their tops peeled back as if you’d just walked into a Plymouth dealership circa 1971 and discovered that somehow a tenth of all Hemi ’Cuda convertibles ever built had rolled into one showroom. This is Mopar Valhalla, a vast gathering hall of mighty Chrysler heroes long past. But it’s not mythical; it’s an actual warehouse on Sunset Road that houses the private collection of real estate developer and philanthropist Brett Torino. Read more »
