Automobiles
Honcho 2
I own a classic Jeep J-10 pickup, which was restored and rebuilt by Hardcore Hot Rods in Sterling, Virginia. It was built to be be a reliable workhorse, not a show-car. After it finishes its shakedown period and has some minor items repaired, it’ll be cruising the highways, back-roads, and trails around Virginia.
- Model: 1977 Jeep J-10 Pickup
- Trim: Model 25 401-4V, ‘Honcho’
- Color: Classic black
- Purchased: Used in 2016; restoration completed in 2018
- Mechanical:
- AMC Tall-Deck 401 (6.6L V8)
- GM Turbo-Hydramatic THM400 3-speed automatic
- Borg-Warner Quadra-Trac BW1339 with low-range
- Manufacture:
- Manufactured by American Motors Corporation
- Assembled by Jeep Corporation in Toledo, Ohio, USA
- Restored by Hardcore Hot Rods in Sterling, Virginia, USA
- Ratings:
- Estimated at 390 hp, 420 lb-ft torque
- 10 MPG city, 12 MPG highway (EPA estimates for 1984 model)
- Curb weight: 3,800 lbs (9.7 lbs/hp)
- Customization:
- General
- Dakota Digital VHX Instruments for Jeep J Trucks
- Auxiliary fuel tank with AutoMeter Z-Series gauge
- Hella Twin Supertone horns
- Smittybilt Standard Bucket Seats, black vinyl
- Tuffy Series II Security Console 8″, black
- Vintage Air Builder Series Gen IV air conditioning system
- Utility
- Class 3 trailer hitch
- Jeep OEM roll bar
- Jeep OEM brush guard
- Rhino Lining spray-on bedliner
- WeatherTech AVM heavy duty floor mats
- Lighting
- Ecco 5800 Series amber rotating beacon
- Hella Vision Plus sealed beam conversion kit
- KC HiLiTES Apollo Pro 6″ driving lights
- KC HiLiTES Apollo Pro 5″ fog lights
- MicTuning switches and panel
- Performance
- Doug Nash Equipment & Engineering part-time 4×4 conversion with 16% overdrive
- Tune for premium fuel and E10 compatibility
- Modernized four-wheel disc brakes
- Modernized emissions equipment
- Audio
- Kenwood KMM-BT522HD digital receiver head unit
- Kenwood KFC-1395PS 5.25″ 3-way front speakers (door mount)
- Kenwood KFC-6985PS 6×9″ 4-way rear speakers (behind-seat box mount)
- Electronic and radio equipment
- Garmin Nuvi 57LM GPS navigator
- (Scanner and amateur radio equipment coming soon)
- General
The Big Mini
We retired the Honda Civic, the first car we ever bought new, and replaced it with the moderately versatile (and fun to drive) Mini Countryman. It’s a nice little car and, unlike most of the rest of the Mini product line, it has all-wheel drive and enough space for four human beings.
- Model: 2012 Mini Countryman (R60)
- Trim: Cooper S All4
- Color: Cosmic blue metallic
- Purchased: New in 2012
- Mechanical:
- PSA Powertrain Prince N18 (1.6L I4 turbo)
- Aisin TF-60SN 6-speed automatic
- GKN Driveline All4 all-wheel drive
- Manufacture:
- Manufactured by Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW)
- Assembled by Magna Steyr in Graz, Styria, Austria
- Ratings:
- Rated at 181 hp, 192 lb-ft torque
- 23 MPG city, 30 MPG highway (EPA estimates)
- Curb weight: 3,208 lbs (17.7 lbs/hp)
- Customization:
- Utility
- Draw-Tite Sportframe 24934 class 1 trailer hitch
- Mini OEM roof rack base support system
- Performance
- Burger Motorsports JB+ piggyback tuning device
- M7 Speed MAXX-G 19mm rear sway bar and adjustable end links
- M7 Speed Monster front strut tower brace
- Electronic and radio equipment
- Garmin Nuvi 57LM GPS navigator
- Linear Logic ScanGauge II vehicle monitor
- Uniden BCD436HP scanner with Uniden BC23A speaker and Austin Spectra antenna
- Yaesu FT-7900R dual-band mobile transceiver with Uniden BC20 speaker and Browning BR-180 antenna
- Software tweaks
- Improved daytime running lights
- Improved automatic moonroof and window functions
- Double-flash hazard lights
- Improved speedometer accuracy
- Utility
Bicycles
2008 Trek 7100
This ‘hybrid’ is designed for road and paved trail but is more upright and comfortable than a traditional road bike. At a glance it looks basically like a mountain bike, but it has narrower/smoother road-style 700c tires and a more road-oriented geometry.
- Model: 2008 Trek 7100 Hybrid
- Frame: Alpha White Aluminum, 17.5″
- Color: Blue and Silver
- Tires: Bontrager Select Invert 700x35c
- Drivetrain:
- SRAM 3.0 Comp 7 speed Shifters
- Shimano C102 front dérailleur
- SRAM ESP 3.0 rear dérailleur
- SR Suntour NEX-208 48/38/28 crank
- Sun Race 13-34 cassette
- Assembly: Spokes, Etc. in Ashburn, Virginia
2007 Schwinn Mesa
My Trek hybrid has served me very, very well, but it’s not designed for unpaved trails like the C&O Canal trail, Cross County Trail, or other unpaved paths in the D.C. metropolitan area. I decided, so I would have access to those trails, to pick up a decent, inexpensive mountain bike as a secondary bike for rougher riding.
- Model: 2007 Schwinn Mesa
- Frame: Schwinn Aluminum, Medium
- Color: Navy Blue
- Tires: Kenda Klaw XT, 26″ x 2.1″
- Drivetrain:
- SRAM SX-4 Dual Trigger control shifters
- SRAM 3.0 front dérailleur
- SRAM SX-4 rear dérailleur
- TruVativ X-Flow 42/32/22T crank
- Shimano CS-HG30, 11/32T, 8-speed cassette
- Assembly: Performance Bicycle in Fairfax, Virginia
Vehicle History
Automobiles
- Daily Drivers
- The Runabout
- 2008 Subaru Outback 2.5i in white (photo)
- Purchased new in 2008; donated in 2017
- The Civic
- 2006 Honda Civic EX in white (photo)
- Purchased new in 2006; sold in 2012
- Daily driver: 2006-2008; family/secondary: 2008-2012
- The Cirrus
- 1998 Chrysler Cirrus LXi in red (photo)
- Purchased used in 2003; sold in 2007
- Daily driver: 2003-2006; family/secondary: 2006-2007
- The Black Sable
- 1994 Mercury Sable GS in black (photo)
- Parents purchased used in 2001; totaled in 2003
- The Sable
- 1988 Mercury Sable LS in blue
- Parents purchased used in 1999; totaled in 2001
- The Honcho
- 1978 Jeep Pickup J-10 ‘Honcho’ in black & gold (photo)
- Gift from uncle in 1998; transferred to parents in 1999
- The Runabout
- Family/Secondary
- The Flyer
- 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX in silver (photo)
- Purchased used in 2013; sold in 2017
- The Tribute
- 2002 Mazda Tribute ES in silver (photo)
- Purchased used in 2007; sold in 2008
- The Oldsmobile
- 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera S Sedan in white
- Inherited by marriage in 2005; sold in 2006
- The Flyer
Bicycles
- Cheap big-box store bicycles.