David Tracy @davidntracy Twitter profile

Last Seen Profiles

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

I spent my Black Friday at a "60 for 60" junkyard promotion: As much as you can carry 60 yards for just $60. People carries some absurrrrrdly heavy car parts. It was nuts.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

The FC lives!

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

After 2.5 years of sitting, the Golden Eagle is back on the road. It is a truly stunning machine.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Never thought I'd say this, but I'm probably gonna buy a shirt from Abercrombie & Fitch.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I now own four manual transmission Jeep Grand Cherokees. And yeah, I realize this ain't normal.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

1 year

That's all she wrote. The House of Misfit Jeeps is no more.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Everything is UNDER CONTROL.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Me to normal car owner: "Hey, is your [insert brand] stock?" Normal car owner: "[yes/no – mentions modifications]." Me to Tesla owner: "Hey, is your Tesla stock?" Tesla owner: "Why did you stop mid-sentence?"

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

9 months

The fact that you can get a Jeep Wrangler this good for $6000 is incredible to me given where the vintage Jeep market has gone. 4.0, 5spd, beautiful paint, zero rust: The YJ remains the ultimate Jeep deal despite the wacky car market.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

My 100-Series Land Cruiser just broke down. JK of course it didn't. I bought it sight unseen and then drove 2,500 miles with literally zero issues.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Installing the eagle's heart.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I'm the first google result that pops up when I type in "all my cars are broken," and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Ran over a gallon of ATF and now my driveway looks like a crime scene.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Two weeks ago, this Jeep seemed hopeless. It hadn't run in probably decades, and the engine had major rust problems. Today #ProjectRustE hit the off-road trails of Montana for seven hours straight. The happiest Jeep in the world enjoyed every minute.

David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

The FC lives!

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 months

Ever tow 5000 pounds with 112 horsepower, 2.73 gears, and a four-speed stick? It’s not great.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

A former fastener engineer just called not only to tell me how to extract my Jeep XJ's rear shock bolts, but also to explain the technical reasons why those bolts tend to break. He delved into bolt thread type, bolt grade, and corrosion implications. Gotta love enginerds.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 months

What have I done?!

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

1 year

I'm bringing an engine, 10 tires, an entire replacement suspension and interior for a Jeep Grand Cherokee, the rear section of a Jeep J10 cab, an engine crane, a bunch of smaller tools, and so much more. I'm not leaving wrenchtopia, I am bringing it with me!

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

1 year

What have I done

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

@rmc031 Same thing when I got to UVa from Leavenworth High School in Kansas. I had no clue what their prep schools were just as they had no idea what "financial aid" was.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Police called me. Told me they'd be impounding my blown-up XJ if I don't get it out of the gas station parking lot soon. In the last two days, AAA hasn't been able to find a single tow company to tow it. So maybe an in-situ engine swap IS the move.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I needed to get back to Michigan from upstate New York, so I did what any normal person would: I dropped two grand on a rusty Plymouth.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

My next project sits over 2,500 miles away, having recently grown a rather distinguished (if I do say so myself) mustache. "Excuse me, good sir," the cute old machine mutters. "I'm rather cold and would love if you'd collect me soon." No worries, old pal. I'm coming.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Car ain't gonna drive itself to Pebble.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Flew from Detroit to rural Australia to fix one of these 1969 Chrysler utes in preparation for a huge car show in 4 weeks. Four weeks.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Spotted yet again.

Adam J. Tonge

@ajtonge40

3 years

This person likes Jeeps more than I like anything.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Guess it has to loosen a nut.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I own 10 cars, and the quickest one is somehow a base-model Nissan Versa. The cheapest new car of 2009. 107 horsepower. 0-60 in 9.1. I'm not used to this speed.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

During my very first week as a car journalist I attended a Hyundai Tucson press drive and met @DougDeMuro . "Would you rather drive a Kia Borrego for life or eat a credit card?" he asked EVERYONE. Not sure how that's relevant to anything, but thanks for the kind words, Doug.

Doug DeMuro

@DougDeMuro

2 years

My friends at @the_autopian have created a new membership program, and I sincerely believe in it, and in the kind of great automotive stories they're writing. Go support them here:

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

If you're ever thinking about buying a rusty parts car to do a drivetrain swap on your vehicle (perhaps your car is an auto and you want a stick), take a bit of time to think – maybe drink some bubble tea, maybe call your mother, maybe read a book – and then just don't do it.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Two of my brothers are on the hunt for new cars. One (age 31) is considering a Buick Envision, and the other (age 26) wants a Mazda CX-5. I'm not saying these are bad cars, but I am saying: I have failed.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

This is it: My Magnum Opus. Possibly the longest article in Jalopnik history. An epic tale of human stubbornness and mechanical toughness. Close your tabs and extra windows, click this link, and get ready for a wrenching battle of the ages:

I Bought The World's Most Hopeless Jeep. Bringing It Back To Life Was A Miracle That Nearly Broke Me

Ten days in, I panicked. I was living in an SUV & running out of money and time. I had a choice to make: Do I give up and explore Washington or do I go all-in?

jalopnik.com

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I'm about to buy my first non-Chrysler in five years. Should I expect the quality of my life to immediately and drastically improve ?

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

1 year

A Troy policeman came to my house just now as I'm moving out of Casa del Jeep. He gave me a Jeep J20 oil pan and vent window!

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I'm at a rest stop in Serbia marveling at how this seven passenger 27 year-old minivan scored 33 MPG.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Most people use Venmo to pay people back for brunch. I just used it to buy a car sight unseen.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

What have I become...

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

One thing I like about MPG is that it accounts for Vehicle Demand Energy–the energy needed to propel a car down the road. High MPG means you're using less energy to travel a given distance. High EV range doesn't mean less energy use. And while MPGe is a thing, I wish...

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Today, someone took a look at the Jeep I'm selling. "Wow, this is much rustier than I was expecting," he said, lying on his back under the XJ. Me: ["This guy clearly doesn't read Jalopnik."] The man was so disappointed, he actually offered to sell ME a new hood. Then he left.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

1 year

I got a little bit of a late start because I dropped my house key off at my landlords' place, and they invited me in for dinner. They are the greatest landlords in history and just two wonderful human beings. I will miss Fazilatun and Syed.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I'm not kidding when I say that my brother is shopping for a Dodge Caliber. This is the same brother who's also shopping for a Buick Envision. Surely, he's messing with me, right?

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

I bought my dream van, and I'm going to road-trip it through Europe. Assuming I can fix it. The trip starts today.

Jalopnik

@Jalopnik

4 years

I just bought a $600 diesel manual Chrysler minivan but it has 250,000 miles and is broken in Germany

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Walking through a drive-thru because COVID got all the fast food joints closing early and all my cars are broken.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

It broke down 5.16*10^9 times, but #ProjectRustE made it to Michigan's fabled Woodward Avenue this weekend. And that alone is a miracle.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

My god have I built a weird reputation in this industry.

The Autopian

@the_autopian

2 years

We just want everyone to know that when Koenigsegg's PR representative corresponds with @davidntracy , here's how she addresses him:

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

6 years

My #jeep #cherokee #goldeneagle after I removed most of the grime that had built up over the past eight years.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Jeep Comanche: Sold.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I respectfully disagree, and think the industry should lean even HARDER into PHEVs. Sizing a battery for a typical daily commute is just smart (you don't have to carry around 1,000lbs of precious metals that you don't use). Also, they're more palatable to the masses – that's key.

Joel Feder

@joelfeder

3 years

This is 100% spot-on correct. Been saying for a while that we're going to look back and laugh about PHEVs. We'll call them ridiculous.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

I'm not proud of it, but in the wintertime (half the year here in MI), I don't bring groceries inside. If I need food, I just walk out to my Jeep. It's pure laziness, and it backfires every morning when I have to walk through the arctic just to get yogurt.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Buying three cars this weekend. Probably shouldn't be.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

The @JasonTorchinsky story I'm editing right now is the most unhinged bit of writing I've ever read on the car-internet. I don't think the world can handle this.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

I posted these around the Chrysler Tech Center back in 2014.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Why am I so excited about this?

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Little kid alights from his dad's car, looks at my J10. "I like this guy's car!" he yells to dad. "Thanks," I reply from inside the cab. He turns: "You heard me?!" "Yeah... It's old," I say. "That's what makes it look so good!" [Runs off] Kid cheered me up as I await AAA.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

My house is now a used car lot for off-road enthusiasts. If you want a manual XJ or ZJ, or an LX-470, hit me in the DMs!

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

USA Today published this survey by "" a few years ago, and I for one have STRONG DOUBTS about the methodology.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Life hack: if it's raining and you need a covered place to wrench, don't block space in a gas station: the bank is the answer. It closes early, and nobody will bother you other than an occasional ATM user.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

1 year

The more I look at the ZJ, the more I love it. Good size, reasonable weight, solid axles are flexy and durable, nice comfortable interior, decent ride, reliable, good visibility, and more handsome each day. (Also the fully loaded U-Haul is somehow doing 11 MPG @ 65mph!)

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

A reader in Washington emailed me asking when I'm gonna pick up the car that I completely forgot about.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Valiant's clutch went out tonight on Woodward Ave. Had to ditch it and get a ride home. I'll be dropping a transmission in 30-degree weather. It will be horrible. And yet weirdly... I'm kinda pumped for it? I should get that checked out someday.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

1 year

At $10,500, this is one of the cheapest BMW i3s I could find from a reputable dealer. It has 135,000mi. Should I?

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

At this point, I own two cars that I haven't told readers about yet, and I feel a bit guilty. I am not the reformed man I claimed to be.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

It ain't cheap, but I have been offered another Holy Grail Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd. This ZJ is a super-rare base model with manual windows! And it only has 120k on the clock! Oh boy.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Given all the wacky car stuff that I've done over the past five years, the fact that my landlord cooked me dinner to welcome me back to the U.S. is proof that she's a saint.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

What you read is true. @JasonTorchinsky and I are partnering with @BeauBoeckmann to start a new car website called @the_autopian . (Learn more here: ).

David Tracy and Jason Torchinsky Are Leaving Jalopnik: It's Time To Say Goodbye

Hi, it's David Tracy and Jason Torchinsky; we need to have a talk.

jalopnik.com

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

A border guard in Bulgaria stopped me because my entry pass (vignette) had expired. I had no cash and my debit card was gone (lost in Turkey). Credit card didn't work either. In the end, it was my knowledge of the 2008 Boston Celtics team that got me out of the pickle. No joke.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 months

What’s a car you’ve done a total 180 on? The i3 was an ugly little pug car in my eyes when it debuted, but now I think it’s beautiful.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Wrenched on the $600 diesel, manual Chrysler minivan today. Planned to just replace the outer CV, but now I'm realizing that maybe I'll have to fix...everything.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Just bought parts for my LEXUS at the Toyota dealer. So this is how the other half lives, eh? Clean showrooms, OEM parts, free coffee. A big departure from my junkyard-diving usual. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with it...

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Sinclair is the best gas station in all of the land, and that's solely because of the cute green dinosaur.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 months

Cut myself on the Tesla Cybertruck loading a fig tree. This edge on the bedside, which you reach over to grab things, is really suboptimal.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

1 year

TFW you remove your Jeep's transfer case drain plug and not a single drop comes out.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

As I work from home, my daily "miles traveled" figure is low, so I still drive my 12 MPG Jeep J10 on the regular. It's a lovely machine even if it may still send me into bankruptcy.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Trying to turn two parts Jeeps into one functional one in February in Michigan has been some of the toughest wrenching I've ever experienced.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

8 months

VW built a no-holds-barred moonshot, not to make money, but to show the art of the possible. It is one of the greatest automotive engineering marvels in history, especially if you compare it to its contemporaries. We should applaud it, not denounce it. JT is outside of his mind.

Jason Torchinsky

@JasonTorchinsky

8 months

When @davidntracy and I argue, it's usually about one of three things: the "less or fewer" bullshit, this other bullshit I don't want to get into, or the Bugatti Veyron.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

I'm off to Australia tomorrow. I have to fix one of these and get it through strict New South Wales inspection in 4 weeks. Then I have to road trip the ute to the Deni Ute Muster car show 400 mi away. Not sure why I think this is possible, but here goes nothing. #projectcactus

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

A Budget EV build is coming to Jalopnik. It may be the death of me, but at least I'm going for it.

Jalopnik

@Jalopnik

3 years

I'm Converting This 1958 Jeep FC-170 Into An Electric Off-Roader But It's Going To Be Brutal

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

A reader stopped at my house while I wasn't home and beat the crap out of my car with a hammer. The fact that I fully support this proves that my car-life has gotten weird.

kirby griese jr

@keebie81

4 years

I improved part of the trunk on @davidntracy ’s kia. Maybe the neighbor ratted him out. Probably jealous that Davids jeeps are more reliable than his vw collection.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Yanked the motor.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Is my ZJ Grand Cherokee small?

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

9 months

My cat-daughter sitting next to a shirt depicting a Jeep exactly like the one she was born in

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

If your coworker who is road-tripping your car across the country texts "Hey David, call when you get a chance," then you can safely assume things are going poorly. @BCBrownell

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Oh crap.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

What do we think about the Jeep Wrangler JL with a tan top and half doors (which sadly only come with black uppers)?

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

In preparation for my drive to Los Angeles, I'm having the Mustang undercoated. This thing may see salt on the drive, and I have to make sure it's protected!

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I have sold my winter beater to this nice college kid.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

11 months

Two kittens born in a rare manual Jeep ZJ.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Here I am at age 23 at the Chrysler Tech Center, ready to head to a golf outing with fellow enginerds in my department. (One of those enginerds just sent me this pic).

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

New best friends.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Fun fact: Saturn Ions used brightly-colored aluminum wheel cylinders for the rear drum brakes. Quite beautiful.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Jeep Man Buys Toyota Land Cruiser. Will his quality-of-life improve exponentially?

Jalopnik

@Jalopnik

3 years

I Bought This 275,000-Mile Fancy Toyota Land Cruiser (Lexus LX470) Sight Unseen For A 5,000-Mile Road Trip

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Matt hired me into the automotive journalism field in 2015, ruining my life (per him); now I'm repaying the favor. Super pumped to leverage his editorial and business skills as we continue building @the_autopian into the ultimate car enthusiast website.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

1 year

This couple flew from Germany to the U.S. for the first time. Now they're driving my Jeep J10 across the country. In Chicago, they got locked out of third gear, and 4th gear started grinding (4spd T177 manual). I'm assuming a shift tower issue? Advice would be appreciated!

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

4 years

Oh no.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

Should I bring a spare AMC 4.0 inline-6 to California?

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

Update: My manual XJ and manual ZJ are basically sold, bringing my fleet to 10. Somehow the Land Cruiser remains on my lawn hanging out with its travel buddy, the mighty FC.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

"Abandoned vehicle" my arse! The only place I abandon Jeeps is in my backyard!

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

That's right. That's an entire Willys Jeep frame in the bed of my J10.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

2 years

My dad in ~1988, staring at a beautiful "Jeep." It's all genetics, folks.

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David Tracy

@davidntracy

3 years

I now own four cars that are nowhere near where I live. One's on a different continent, one is in Chicago, one is in Nevada, and one is in Washington state. What am I supposed to do if an awesome car isn't in Michigan? Just NOT buy it? That'd be silly.

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