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Jeff Koch has been the West Coast Editor for Hemmings Motor News for over ten years. He has been a professional automotive writer and photographer for more than 20 years and has written and taken photographs for magazines as divers as Hot Rod and Super Street. Jeff worked for the Johnny Lightning die cast car company, and he’s an avid collector of die cast cars himself and has collected for over 20 years. Which ties in with today because it happens to be Christmas 2014! So pour yourself some eggnog, sit down next to the fireplace and we’ll have some fun talking and playing with cars.
SHOW SPONSOR
NOCO Genius Boost Jump Start – Here.
Jeff almost didn’t get in to the magazine industry but he learned a very valuable lesson in business and careers. Listen and find out what this powerful lesson was that still holds true today.
AH-HA MOMENT
Jeff’s ah-ha moment came when he was a fact checker at a magazine that wanted an interview with John DeLorean. Yes, that John DeLorean. After most of his colleagues told him it would be impossible to get an interview from a then retired Mr.DeLorean, Jeff simply picked up the phone book, found DeLorean’s number in the book, and called him. John answered and Jeff got the story.
FIRST SPECIAL CAR
A 1970 Mercury Cyclone GT
BEST AUTOMOTIVE ADVICE
Buy something that runs.
AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES
Tales of Toy Cars – www.facebook.com/pages/Tales-of-Toy-Cars
Planet Die Cast – www.planetdiecast.com
FAVORITE BOOK
The World of Automobiles encyclopedia- You’ll have to find them used.
PARTING ADVICE
If there is something you love and it makes you happy and it doesn’t hurt anybody else, stick with it.
HOW TO FIND JEFF
Hemmings Motor News – www.magazines.com/hemmings-motor-news
HELPING CARS YEAH GROW
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Jeff I see you are an expert on Johnny lightning cars to me. I am looking for some info I have a white lightning Surf Rods Hunginton Honey”s VW Bus. White tires and white base i am posative i have one. I have passively looked around over the past few months and found a picture of one with the matching wheels and base that mine has but no info on value. Any idea what this one might be worth? Had it in a protecto pack since 2000 when I pulled it myself off the pegs at my local Target. Had to get that protecto special just for it, it is in mint condition. I could send you some pics if u want some of mine. Appreciate any info u can give me on this like how many of these white lightnings VW Buses from the surf rods were made?. Tks……..David
Jeff , I am looking for the 68 Camaro you did a shoot on back about 2002 built by Chris Kerr, Chris sold the car several years ago, Him and I were just talking and wondering where it is and what its up to.
Jeff,
February 10 2010 issue of muscle machines you wrote an article Goodguys/HMM Muscle Car of the year regional winner, in the article Jerry Dennis (N.C.)won the award for Numbers matching 1962 Biscayne with a 409 and 4 spd. Do you have any additional info or pics in you file from that day? I have recently acquired the vehicle and want to document as much as I can on the car put sadly I don’t have any documentation of the vehicle being a COPO etc etc. any help is appreciated.
Read your recent work in the 84-85 Ford ltd. Sorry novice but a car with 165 hp is not a mustang or a muscle car but good joke.