Why CarGuyDad?
No real reason, it just sort of happened. Long before my daughter was born I have made a commitment to myself that I was going to be the best father I could, and so I took this dad stuff pretty seriously, yet not obsessively so. The whole time I was also a carguy, but between this parenting stuff, living and working in downtown Boston, the car part has sort of fizzled. I created CarGuyDad.com in order to have an outlet for my passion and have something car-related to do in-lieu of owning a proper house with a garage and three never-ending projects.
Who Am I?
Throughout my childhood and teenage years I was dreaming about being an automotive journalist; driving all kinds of cars to all kinds of places, photographing, writing about them. It didn’t happen, and at this point in my life I was not about to start sending out resumes and begging for entry-level positions at magazines. I needed to write and one day I have just started doing it. I had an idea of what I wanted to write but I did not know if anyone was going to read it or if anyone would care. The only thing I knew is that it would make me happy. So, this website was created an outlet for my automotive passion.
So, who am I really? I am over 30, married, with children, full-time job, a house, birthday parties, responsibilities and a budget. I am a husband. I am a father. I am an engineer. I am obsessed with cars. I have auto-crossed, drag-raced, did track events and driving schools, and drove long ways for no reason at all. I have loved my cars, I have cursed at my cars, I have over-discussed and over-analyzed my choices. I have worked as mechanic, corner worker, and a service manager, but my hardest job always seems to be that of convincing my wife to get what I really want.
Little More Background
Someone has recently asked me:
What exactly qualifies you to reviews cars? Are you some kind of engineer or do you build or race cars for a living? Why should I read your stuff?
Fair questions I thought. The answer to the first question is, you, the reader. Anyone can start a website and review anything they want, but it is up to the reader to decide if the said review is good or not. What qualifies Jeremy Clarkson to be who he is?
Yes, I do have an engineering degree; a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering. While in college I worked at a small 2-bay shop; one bay was for doing small body work or restoration work while the other bay was mechanical service. I was there for almost four years and learned a freakin’ ton. Also while in college, I had an internship with Ford, where I learned that I did NOT want to work as an automotive engineer.
My post-college career went into a much different area, but cars have always been my passion. At one time, an opportunity came up one time to work for a well know Tier-2 automotive supplier as an Automotive Test Engineer. I jumped on it, hoping that it would open a lot of doors and provide other opportunities for me. It’s didn’t. I spend two years there and it only reassured me to the stay the F away from the automotive industry.
Aside from that, I’ve owned more than a dozen cars which needed all kinds of stuff (only my ‘01 BMW 330i was bought brand new). I have helped rebuild and replace engines, I worked as a “pit crew” for my friend’s Honda Challenge race car, and was just always around cars. I’ve read a lot of books and have just about every issue of the three major car magazines dating back to 1991.
I hope that you enjoy this website.
Sincerely,
Kamil Kaluski
Related:
