An Introduction from RealSource’s Lead Author

A Bit About Me

For starters, I’m a twenty-eight-year-old enthusiast with a passion for anything on four wheels. My background in writing stems from my degree in English Literature from the University of California, Davis, which is the state where I was born and continue to reside. 

I spent my youth and young adulthood in Napa California, although I later moved North-East to the Sacramento area to pursue a degree in English Literature. When I’m not busy reading or sketching, you’ll find me in the garage tidying up wiring, paint-correcting body panels, and installing parts.

A Deep-Rooted Passion

Since I was a boy, I’ve always been infatuated by anything mechanical. Rather than play with my toys, I’d spend my time tearing them apart, learning how they functioned, and reassembling them—likely with a part or two missing, much to the dismay of my parents. 

It’s this mechanical fascination, paired with my family of gearheads, that formed my passions and hobbies. My father, grandfather, and uncles always had something nice parked in the driveway, and it was rarely stock. Even now, my 60-year-old dad drives a leveled RAM 1500 on 35s throughout the week and a lowered 2015 Mustang EcoBoost on the weekends. 

I have to credit my father for helping channel my curious mind into something creative, as he did when he invited me into the garage to help fetch sockets and wrenches from his toolbox.

After elementary school, I’d rush through my homework to play gopher for my Dad. Most of the time, I’d carefully study his movements, intently watching as he tuned the carb on his midnight blue ‘68 Mustang or bolted a chrome bull bar to his Cabernet Red ‘88 Bronco.

My grandfather owned a long list of pristine cars and trucks, and my great-grandfather owned a Ford dealership in the South, so there was never a question about what my father’s hobbies would be, nor mine.

The Art of the Automobile

While I’ll always cite cars and trucks as my primary obsession, it shares space in my brain with a couple of others, namely art. Before I could count numbers on sockets or develop an affinity for the smell of gasoline, I’d spend my childhood sketching with a 24-pack of crayons. 

Eventually, those crayons turned into Ticonderoga #2 pencils, which later progressed to studio art gear and blending sticks. Though I don’t draw as often as I used to and I’ve never been classically trained (aside from a brief stint in junior college), art helped to hone several qualities I attribute to working on cars, like attention to detail, fine motor skills, patience, and most importantly, an artistic vision. 

Any build I’ve ever taken part in begins with a vision that, eventually, makes its way into reality. They say art evokes emotion—that it’s an expression of human creativity and imagination. Honestly, I’ve never felt more creative than deep in the planning stage of a build, nor have I ever smiled as widely as taking the first cruise after a week-long project. 

Also, I’ve never seen a painting glimmer as brightly in the sunset as a freshly-detailed paint job.

My First Truck: 1995 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4

When I was twelve or thirteen, my Dad brought home a 90s F-150 he’d scored from a used car lot for $3,000. For the next couple of years, he’d use the pickup as a mobile workspace for handyman side jobs and property maintenance, making repairs and installing mild modifications, like a leveling kit and Flowmaster muffler, along the way. 

Around my fifteenth birthday, he’d floated the idea of purchasing the pickup from him as my first car. To no surprise, I jumped on the deal before he even finished the pitch. This transaction led to me acquiring my first truck: a clean 1995 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 powered by a roller-rocker 351 Windsor V8 backed by an E4OD 4-speed automatic transmission. 

I held onto that truck through college, dropping every penny I’d earn from side detailing gigs and restaurant jobs into it. In the eight years I owned the truck, it never saw a mechanic’s bay. Every bit of work it received was through my hands, including installing a 4-in. suspension lift with extended radius arms and Bilstein 5100 dampers, rebuilding the top-end of the motor, installing a custom-tuned valve body in the transmission, building custom projector headlights, and much, much more. 

By the time I sold the truck, it sat on 15-in. Method Double-Standard wheels wrapped in 35-in. BF-Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO tires, sported custom lighting, had a color-matched Leer shell on the bed, and was the pure embodiment of me. Everyone references the one that got away—I miss that truck daily.

My Current Rides

Now, why would I sell a truck I loved? One that taught me everything I knew about cars? To fund the next project, of course. Immediately after selling the F-150, I picked up a clean, 2008 Dodge RAM 2500 SLT 4WD, packing the legendary 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel mated to a 68rfe 6-speed transmission. 

Since acquiring the truck, I've installed a 3-in. Thuren leveling kit, 35-in. Nitto Ridge Grapplers, a complete sport conversion with color-matched grille and bumpers, Baja Designs lighting, custom tail lights, an Edge CTS3 monitor, and countless other modifications.

To keep miles off the truck, I picked up a low-mile, early 2000s Nissan Maxima, which I swore I wouldn’t touch aside from maintenance. 

Coilovers, wheels (which I refinished in Ford L6 Kona Blue), a lip kit, and a complete audio system later, and the 20-year-old Maxima is the perfect daily driver, though it's almost too nice to keep subjecting to rock chips on California highways.

Put It on Paper: Acquiring My B.A.

Soon after acquiring the Dodge, I started my senior year at UC Davis, where I'd been pursuing a Baccalaureate in English Literature. After years of absorbing everything from medieval fiction to Irish modernism, I had a degree. However, graduating posed a whole new challenge of finding a career. 

Throughout my collegiate years, I’d always decompress with a trip to the garage. From building custom headlights and tail lights to installing rock lights and other gadgets, I could always find something to keep me occupied. Eventually, I got to thinking—why not try to find a career that blends my degree with my passion for everything automotive?

RealTruck and RealSource

I began my post-graduate career as a content writer, which I still am. My time was originally spent remedially honing my copywriting skills. I’d written loads of unrelated copy before landing a gig producing product descriptions for auto retailers and eventually fell into the good hands at RealTruck. 

I’ve channeled my passion and automotive knowledge into RealSource’s product comparisons, research pieces, how-tos, and more. This position has been overwhelmingly rewarding, and I can’t help but be thankful for the opportunity to share my crafts with all of our loyal customers.

Now You Know

So, the next time you read through a RealSource article, you’ll have a better understanding of the gearhead behind the copy. Above being a writer or a professional, I’m an enthusiast, just like most of you. Even as I finalize this piece, I’m gearing up to head into the garage to wrench on some projects. 

Before you go, check out some of my favorite pieces on the blog. 

• Remembering Steve McQueen

• Famous Trucks: Marty McFly’s 1985 Toyota SR5 Xtra Cab

• From ‘Jeep’ to Jeep: The Origins and Acquisition of the Trademark Name

Stay tuned for more updates from the RealSource team and me. We upload 10+ articles monthly, so there’s always something new to sink your teeth into. If you like these types of posts, check out our lead editor, Frank Bisciotti’s introduction.