Rutledge Wood

I know we've talked about him on here from time to time, but I follow him on Twitter and honestly, I think he's a cool guy.

He recently bought a '49 Chevy Aluminum Step Van and is having it restored. Considering his taste in cars, how isn't he on this board yet?

Anyways, check out the progress: http://www.americanrestomods.com/1949-chevrolet-step-van/

No kidding. Check out his garage:

http://www.therutledgewood.com/garage/

That is a nice little collection he's got going there.

I just saw his show where he bought the Merkur xr4ti for $600? I thought it was a good deal......

Datsun310Guy wrote: I just saw his show where he bought the Merkur xr4ti for $600? I thought it was a good deal......

You aren't the only one. That was a screaming deal.

He may have good taste in cars, but I can't stand watching him on TV. I know there are a lot of NASCAR haters on this board, but I'm a fan. Not long ago, Speed's coverage consisted of a lot of shows that actually talked about racing. Trackside, for example. Now it's degraded into a bunch of schtick and dribble. When I think about why that happened, he's the first thing that comes to mind. Ugh...

Huh - That shop is ~ 2 minutes from where I work.

Klayfish wrote: He may have good taste in cars, but I can't stand watching him on TV. I know there are a lot of NASCAR haters on this board, but I'm a fan. Not long ago, Speed's coverage consisted of a lot of shows that actually talked about racing. Trackside, for example. Now it's degraded into a bunch of schtick and dribble. When I think about why that happened, he's the first thing that comes to mind. Ugh...

that happened to NASCAR because they decided to stretch out the coverage of the 3 hour race on Sunday into 20 hours of programming on friday and saturday, with another 3 hours of pre-race stuff on Sunday... they've gotta fill the time with something, and most people aren't weirdos like me that would rather see a tight 2 hours max of interviews with drivers and team owners with some good grease-under-the-fingernails tech pieces interspersed in there instead of "goofy fat guy with beard does stupid but harmless and unoffensive stuff" bits..

My girlfriend says I am Rutledge. I guess there are worse people I could be...

Rut has a fantastic taste in cars, from the Civic wagon to the Super Duty.

DILYSI Dave wrote: Huh - That shop is ~ 2 minutes from where I work.

Yeah, I know where that shop is. I have driven by it in that industrial park area several times.

Rut is cool, no doubt. It doesn't surprise me one bit what cars he has in his garage.

He used to post on the wagon forums on impalassforum.com from time to time, before and continuing after the laungh of the US version of TG.

Seemed a solid car guy from interactions I had.

Regardless of whether you do or don't like him on TV, he's a legit gearhead who's inclinations for cars included old GRM flavored stuff that he played with well before any TV celebrity status kicked in (aircooleds, b-bodies, etc.).

As noted on the bio page... "Rutledge has owned over 55 cars and trucks ranging from a Volkswagen Rabbit pickup truck to Hondas, Chevys, a 1966 VW Double Cab, a 68 Dodge Charger that was Kyle Petty’s high school ride, a Buick Roadmaster Wagon, even an obscure 1975 Bricklin SV-1."

N Sperlo wrote: Rut has a fantastic taste in cars... Super Duty.

Wait, seriously?

xflowgolf wrote: He used to post on the wagon forums on impalassforum.com from time to time, before and continuing after the laungh of the US version of TG. Seemed a solid car guy from interactions I had. Regardless of whether you do or don't like him on TV, he's a legit gearhead who's inclinations for cars included old GRM flavored stuff that he played with well before any TV celebrity status kicked in (aircooleds, b-bodies, etc.). As noted on the bio page... "Rutledge has owned over 55 cars and trucks ranging from a Volkswagen Rabbit pickup truck to Hondas, Chevys, a 1966 VW Double Cab, a 68 Dodge Charger that was Kyle Petty’s high school ride, a Buick Roadmaster Wagon, even an obscure 1975 Bricklin SV-1."

he calls himself a car guy and he's only owned 55 cars? i had that beat by the time i was 21.. last time i attempted to write down a list of ever car i've owned, i got bored at around 200 and probably forgot at least 20.. but if you want to nail that down to cars that i had long enough to put in my name before trading it off for something else, then the list is probably closer to 100..

In reply to Javelin:

Eh... not my cup of tea anymore, but appears to be well done for what it is. I still have a soft spot for big, useless lifted trucks and I won't say I'll never own another one.

Javelin wrote:

N Sperlo wrote: Rut has a fantastic taste in cars... Super Duty.

Wait, seriously?

Read the description though. That reads like it's not even "his"...

"This beast was the brainchild of my good friend Jeff Kelderman."

Sounds more like a promotional build. Look at all the stickers and Kelderman branding all over it. It's like a friend/aquaintenance sponsored ride who's gaining advertising attention for his air suspension products by being on a truck "owned" by Rutledge.

There's some perks to gaining some celebrity status.

Javelin wrote:

N Sperlo wrote: Rut has a fantastic taste in cars... Super Duty.

Wait, seriously?

We have stuff like that come to our shop often. We also do lift kits and all that jazz. Not my style at all but it's better than some forms of "car enthusiast" out there. Stance-tards, I'm looking at you.

The black wheels thing on these mall crawlers is getting as played out as Altezza tail lights though.

Anti-stance wrote:

Javelin wrote:

N Sperlo wrote: Rut has a fantastic taste in cars... Super Duty.

Wait, seriously?

We have stuff like that come to our shop often. We also do lift kits and all that jazz. Not my style at all but it's better than some forms of "car enthusiast" out there. Stance-tards, I'm looking at you. The black wheels thing on these mall crawlers is getting as played out as Altezza tail lights though.

that is just the other end of the "stance-tard" spectrum.

novaderrik wrote:

xflowgolf wrote: He used to post on the wagon forums on impalassforum.com from time to time, before and continuing after the laungh of the US version of TG. Seemed a solid car guy from interactions I had. Regardless of whether you do or don't like him on TV, he's a legit gearhead who's inclinations for cars included old GRM flavored stuff that he played with well before any TV celebrity status kicked in (aircooleds, b-bodies, etc.). As noted on the bio page... "Rutledge has owned over 55 cars and trucks ranging from a Volkswagen Rabbit pickup truck to Hondas, Chevys, a 1966 VW Double Cab, a 68 Dodge Charger that was Kyle Petty’s high school ride, a Buick Roadmaster Wagon, even an obscure 1975 Bricklin SV-1."

he calls himself a car guy and he's only owned 55 cars? i had that beat by the time i was 21.. last time i attempted to write down a list of ever car i've owned, i got bored at around 200 and probably forgot at least 20.. but if you want to nail that down to cars that i had long enough to put in my name before trading it off for something else, then the list is probably closer to 100..

You win the Internet! Congrats!

speedblind wrote:

novaderrik wrote:

xflowgolf wrote: He used to post on the wagon forums on impalassforum.com from time to time, before and continuing after the laungh of the US version of TG. Seemed a solid car guy from interactions I had. Regardless of whether you do or don't like him on TV, he's a legit gearhead who's inclinations for cars included old GRM flavored stuff that he played with well before any TV celebrity status kicked in (aircooleds, b-bodies, etc.). As noted on the bio page... "Rutledge has owned over 55 cars and trucks ranging from a Volkswagen Rabbit pickup truck to Hondas, Chevys, a 1966 VW Double Cab, a 68 Dodge Charger that was Kyle Petty’s high school ride, a Buick Roadmaster Wagon, even an obscure 1975 Bricklin SV-1."

he calls himself a car guy and he's only owned 55 cars? i had that beat by the time i was 21.. last time i attempted to write down a list of ever car i've owned, i got bored at around 200 and probably forgot at least 20.. but if you want to nail that down to cars that i had long enough to put in my name before trading it off for something else, then the list is probably closer to 100..

You win the Internet! Congrats!

cool.. how do i go about collecting my winnings? but to be perfectly honest, i have friends and relatives that have me beat, but they either aren't on teh internets or don't talk about those wild and crazy car tradin' days.

Javelin wrote:

N Sperlo wrote: Rut has a fantastic taste in cars... Super Duty.

Wait, seriously?

Absolutely. I know you wouldn't mind a day of mudding in that thing. It may not be grassroots, or something thats completely my style, but I'm from the land of Bob Chandler.

In reply to N Sperlo:

I guar-an-berkeleying-tee you that my Mazda5 has done more off-roading than that poser, mall-crawling, polished up, gentleman's sausage maker-upper-for thing.

I have nothing against real trucks, and that son, ain't one.

(His other cars are all cool though, so I don't know what happened with this branding exercise)

Javelin wrote: In reply to N Sperlo: I guar-an-berkeleying-tee you that my Mazda5 has done more off-roading than that poser, mall-crawling, polished up, gentleman's sausage maker-upper-for thing. I have nothing against *real* trucks, and that son, ain't one. (His other cars are all cool though, so I don't know what happened with this branding exercise)

Yeah, but I'll give Rut a pass seeing as he's done off roading in a Miata.

In reply to Javelin:

LOL OK.

Here, mister expert. Is mine real enough for ya?