The next time you see a guy working on his Jeep in a Walmart parking lot, you may want to do a double-take. It could be David Tracy.

David is a Senior Technical Editor for Jalopnik, but that title barely scratches the surface of his job. For the last five years, this former automotive engineer-turned-journalist has made a career out of buying used cars (especially his cherished Jeeps) that no sane person would touch, including a rusted out $500 USPS mail Jeep and a mouse-infested $1500 1958 FC170. He writes about the ownership experience and documents how - using ingenuity, skill and junkyard visits - he makes them road-worthy again. His hilarious writing has made him one of the site's most popular writers and a folk hero to shadetree mechanics around the world. At the time of this podcast, he has 12 cars in his stable... all in various states of repair.

But David's story goes way beyond wrenching rusty bolts. Here's someone who was obsessed about cars as a kid and earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Virginia with a singular goal: A job at Chrysler. Thanks to hard work and hustle, he achieved that only to discover that the reality didn't match the dream. He then discovered his true calling, honestly writing about and demystifying the intimidating world of cars.

David is one of my favorite people in the car world and getting to talk to him for this interview didn't disappoint. His passion for cars is infectious and we even talked about my vehicle of choice (Toyota Land Cruisers) for a minute. He's insightful, hilarious and more than a little MacGyver. I think you'll love him.

https://jalopnik.com/author/David_Tracy

 

This episode is sponsored by MyPerfectColor.  

Sweep the Floor is a new podcast where we celebrate the stories behind the best makers in the world, including woodworkers, brewers, bootmakers, mechanics, designers and all points in-between.

Listener suggestions or sponsorship inquiries welcomed at [email protected]. Host: Jason Verlinde Music: Paul Rigby A Fretboard Journal Podcast production.