I created this site as an easy way for friends and family to follow my latest projects. Some of you are personal friends while others know me only from my participation in various Internet forums. Consequently some of you will already know some of what I will post here. But as others will arrive with little prior knowledge, I'll start with a brief description of who I am and what I am documenting.
Most people know me as Tom or Tommy and I'm a car guy in a family of car guys. I'm a retired Baby Boomer with an interest in rebuilding old things. Note that I didn't say I like restoring old things. I'm not into making things like the originals. I like remaking old things in ways that reflect my tastes and needs.
I was educated as an Aerospace Engineer at Auburn University, but discovered early on that flying airplanes was more fun than designing them. I served 20 years in the US Air Force flying T-38, T-37, T-39 and OV-10 aircraft. I spent most of my career teaching other people how to fly and be flight instructors. Along the way I picked up a Master's Degree in Management which has served me well in planning out big rebuilding projects.
I got my first memorable car, a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air two door hardtop when I was 16. Over the years I've owned a 1969 Old 442, a 1972 Corvette T-top with LT-1 engine, and a 1963 Corvette coupe I've owned since 1978. In 2002 I bought a replica of a 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 SC that was originally built in the mid 1990s as a dedicated SCCA race car. I rebuilt it as a street legal weekend track car.
I've also owned three motorhomes, several boats, several motorcycles, a tractor and numerous trailers. Like I said before, I'm a car guy. If it moves and has an engine in it, I'd probably like to own it or at least drive it.
I retired from my daily job a little earlier than most in part because I discovered I was having more fun in my garage than at work.. I really enjoy having a project to work on and I usually have several in various stages of progress. For example, on the day I am writing this I am building a custom trailer to haul my latest project, I am working on a repair to the Cobra engine, I am modifying the Corvette's interior, and I am finishing up a new hard top on my pontoon boat. From my perspective, any day the weather is good enough to go out and work on a project is a good day.
Most people know me as Tom or Tommy and I'm a car guy in a family of car guys. I'm a retired Baby Boomer with an interest in rebuilding old things. Note that I didn't say I like restoring old things. I'm not into making things like the originals. I like remaking old things in ways that reflect my tastes and needs.
I was educated as an Aerospace Engineer at Auburn University, but discovered early on that flying airplanes was more fun than designing them. I served 20 years in the US Air Force flying T-38, T-37, T-39 and OV-10 aircraft. I spent most of my career teaching other people how to fly and be flight instructors. Along the way I picked up a Master's Degree in Management which has served me well in planning out big rebuilding projects.
I got my first memorable car, a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air two door hardtop when I was 16. Over the years I've owned a 1969 Old 442, a 1972 Corvette T-top with LT-1 engine, and a 1963 Corvette coupe I've owned since 1978. In 2002 I bought a replica of a 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 SC that was originally built in the mid 1990s as a dedicated SCCA race car. I rebuilt it as a street legal weekend track car.
I've also owned three motorhomes, several boats, several motorcycles, a tractor and numerous trailers. Like I said before, I'm a car guy. If it moves and has an engine in it, I'd probably like to own it or at least drive it.
I retired from my daily job a little earlier than most in part because I discovered I was having more fun in my garage than at work.. I really enjoy having a project to work on and I usually have several in various stages of progress. For example, on the day I am writing this I am building a custom trailer to haul my latest project, I am working on a repair to the Cobra engine, I am modifying the Corvette's interior, and I am finishing up a new hard top on my pontoon boat. From my perspective, any day the weather is good enough to go out and work on a project is a good day.