Among the many things I am; I am a lover of vehicles! I mean, I really, really like cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, boats and tractors! I buy them, fix them up and play with them. My skills in working with them include: welding and fabrication, sewing upholstery, auto body and painting, rebuilding and retrofitting!
What the heck do I do with them? Well, some I fix up and sell, some I drive and enjoy; until I sell them, some I show (and place well)… You get the idea. So it is not too scary, I have not owned them all at once – and nearly every one has been an interesting story. I sold only two of these cars for less than I paid to buy them!
Vehicles I have owned
Cars/Trucks/Buses;
1976 AMC Gremlin X
1988 BMW 325is
1978 BMW 530i
1972 Chevrolet Suburban
1963 Citroen 2CV
1971 Citroen Mahari
1964 Dodge D300 – one ton truck that I owned for 22 years and was the first vehicle I ever bought.
1972 Dodge Dart, 318
1979 Fiat Spyder
1978 Fiat Brava
1972 Ford Pinto
1978 Gillig School Bus 72 pass., Cat 3208, MT643
1974 Gillig Bus
1974 Gillig School Bus 73 pass., Cat 3208, MT643
1956 GMC bus – Carpenter, 42 Passenger – “Blue Moose”
The buses – I owned the Blue Moose from 1989 to 2008. The Blue Moose was my home on two occasions; for a year and a half when running a kayak tour company, and the last trimester and first a year and a half of my sons life. The 1974 Gillig was to be the replacement for the Blue Moose, alas, life changed – again.
1978 Honda Civic
1973 Jeep DJ5 – when I first moved to San Francisco, I needed a car to run around with…
1962 Land Rover 88″ SIIA
1967 Land Rover 109″ SIIA- currently in the stable, since 1998. This one is being fitted as an RHD Australian truck with a 292.
1970 88
1970 Land Rover 88″ SIIA “BEAN TOAD” – currently in the stable, since 1989. Pictures with a hand built SI style pickup top.
1970 Land Rover 88″ SIIA pickup/wrecker/recovery RHD
1972 Land Rover 88 SIII – the original Bean Toad
My infatuation with Series Land Rovers continues to this day. Bean Toad is the steady in my stable, having found her after being left in a farm field for 14 years, abandoned. I bought her in 1989, then I went off sailing and left her in storage. I fixed up my 1970 Land Rover after returning home from cruising (sailing) and she has been on the road since a month before my son was born – November 1992. She still sees use and has been a show winner and off-road competition winner. I will rebuild her once more, restoring the paint and body work and allow her to run out her days (until my son can drive her in a couple years) as a Sunday driver.
1967 Mercedes 250S
1971 Mercedes 404 Unimog
1971 Mercedes Unimog 404 – Swiss Troop Carrier
1972 Mercedes 250C
1959 Nash Metropolitan – I bought one to play with it because my mother owned one as her first car.
1967 Plymouth Valiant, slant 6
1966 Pontiac Beaumont w/283-8 – this one was actually my mothers 2nd car. I drove it to hell and back (while going through University).
1966 Pontiac Beaumont w/230-6
1984 Range Rover (white)
1988 Range Rover (silver) – currently in stable since 2004. Sitting, waiting for the 3.9 to be fitted into Blue Bomber.
1988 Range Rover (blue) – currently in stable, since 2006 – “Blue Bomber”
1990 Range Rover (red)
1968 Renault 8
1969 Renault 8
1970 Renault 8
1976 Renault 17 Gordini – I rebuilt this one from a front end wreck.
1977 Renault 17
2006 Scion Xb - currently in stable, since 2008 – “Blue Box”
The 2006 Scion Xb is the newest car I have ever owned – by nearly 2 decades. I thought that I deserved a break from old cars and wanted something I did not have to build up; for once. I chose this one, because in a sea of cars, minivans and little SUV’s – this one alone stands out. And damn, I love a flatter windscreen, upright seating, rear windows that roll all the way to the bottom and a tall, open roof inside. One of only 2 Japanese cars I have ever owned.
1978 Subaru wagon – cool beater with a high low transfer case. My first real 4 wheel drive!
1979 Subaru GL wagon
1965 Volkswagen Type 2
1971 Volkswagen Type 3
1973 Volkswagen Type 2 Westphalia, with 2L 100hp Porsche
1978 Volkswagen Rabbit diesel
1986 Volkswagen Type 2 Camperized
Motorcycles;
1973 Bultaco Pursang 250 – with vintage flat track and motocross setup parts.
1971 Honda CL360
1973 Honda Trail 90
1976 Honda TS200
1986 Honda 200S – Trike
1972 Hodaka Combat Wombat – #3 serial number!
1976 Kawasaki KT125
1997 KZ1000P as
1997 Kawasaki KZ1000P – Ex Las Vegas Police bike
2001 Kawasaki KLR650 – currently in the stable, since 2005
1972 Suzuki TS125
1973 Suzuki TS 185
1981 Suzuki GS400T
1996 Ural with sidecar
1973 Yamaha 75
1972 Yamaha YS200
1971 yamaha YS 125
1971 Moped
Boats;
Freedom 21 Sailboat - my current sailboat!
1985 Freedom 21’
1976 Kestral 16’
1976 Piver Nimble 30’
Kalakala - Ingrid 38 under full sail
1978 Ingrid 38’
Walker Bay sailing dingy
Gig Harbor Dingy
Zodiak Futura
2 Kahuna surf Kayaks
2 Pungo Kayaks
Inflatable Kayak – in stable
2 Current Designs Kayaks – in stable
Custom touring kayak – in stable; my original British Kayak from 1985
Others;
292 GM engine to be fitted to 1967 109 Land Rover
1951 International WD9
1983 Custom 12’ box utility trailer
1967 13’ travel trailer
1999 Car Caddy tow dolly – currently in the stable, since 2002.
Tent trailer
Chev truck box trailer
1973 VW bug trailer (matching my 1973 VW Bus)
1968 Chrysler Sailboat Trailer
So – are you crazy about vehicles too? My vehicle tastes for cars and trucks run towards European, Buses are American and Motorcycles are Japanese… mostly. Vehicles from Russia, Canada, USA, Japan, England, France, Italy and more!
