Dad Mods has undergone some changes over the years but it remains a media project aimed at producing quality content and awesome builds!
Where to begin?
I've always loved filming. So much so that back in my awkward childhood years I would set up a very old VHS camcorder and film myself playing basketball or goofing off. Years (2004ish) later I picked up a mini-dv camcorder and filmed car shenanigans with a group of close friends in Virginia, MN. Some day I may decide to upload that video. It's pretty cringy because of the modifications we did to our cars but we had a blast. We filmed the cars, goofing off and I even produced DVDs to share with the guys, this was all done using Pinnacle 5. It was rad!
When does YouTube come in?
I've always wanted to produce and share videos to a larger audience but never got around the getting started until 2018. My buddy Chris actually inspired me to finally jump and get back into video production/editing. He has an excellent YouTube channel called Flink Films. He has even moved into the professional world of video and photography with weddings and events.
Chris's advice to simply jump in and not worry about having the highest production value (that will come later) was the catalyst to finally get moving and I can't thank him enough.
Enter MiShift Garage. The earliest video version of MiShift started with my decision to start uploading videos of my current project list; The Drift Cooler and a BMW E21 that I was about to start on. At lunch I told Donnie my plan and we actually decided to tag-team some projects and upload videos of each on the MiShift channel.
This collaboration started with pitcruisers, then led to a surprise Subaru build that was a result of my daily driver blowing up 500 miles after buying it. #subaruthings
I took this as a sign to develop some real useful information for the Subie community and upgrade the car as much as I could afford, so it got a TypeRA EJ257 block, bigger turbo and a bunch of supporting mods.
We filmed the entire build and it really got the channel moving. The pitcruisers were cool but didn't create much of a draw, however, they continue to be some of the funnest projects that were built and filmed though.
I was bit... by the classic car bug!
In 2019 I decided it was time to offload some projects, spend some money and get a really good platform to build something from the 50s. My wife and I have always loved these Fords so it was a logical decision. This entire build has been life changing, taking my skills to new levels and with that, better filming techniques and even better quality videos.
To date, the Shoebox Ford community is my biggest supporter!
A PANDEMIC... WTF!
The ol' pandy sure screwed up a lot up, especially the ability to work together on projects but throughout this time we continued to try and work together with some long stretches where we had to isolate due to exposures.
One of the upsides to this was our podcast was born out of a will to connect with others through live podcasts. We had a blast and kept this going for a while until 2022 which we will cover a little later.
What about Donnie's projects?
Donnie has owned his BMW E30 325E for many years but has been largely unsure which direction he wanted to take the car. It had simple mods for years such as drop springs and wheels. The M20B27 engine is pretty underpowered and after a trip to Topeka to race in an SCCA event, he decided he wanted more power.
SR20DET was the engine chosen for a drivetrain swap. This entire build is uploaded to the Dad Mods channel, so check it out! We also did a very detailed wiring guide on this website!
When life gives you lemons... ya gotta make lemonaid, and more importantly changes!
In 2022 Donnie had to step away from Dad Mods. Life had gotten too hectic and for the sake of his sanity he needed to refocus.
Donnie and I continue to be very close friends and hang out regularly but Dad Mods shifted [back] to being a solo endeavor. Since early 2022 I have been filming on my own and continuing on my goals of growing the channel!
Later in 2022 I reached the 1000 subscriber mark and was able to monetize Dad Mods!
So where are we now?
2023 starts a new year with a fresh project and continued aspirations to grow the channel and continue having a blast doing so!
The Fbody Camaro is the latest addition to the stable and proves to be the funnest car I've owned in a long time. The combination of a T56 and LS1 in a decent chassis offers a ton of potential for track time and maybe some road trips!
I have high hopes for this new year and if the stats are telling me anything, it is that people are really responding to what Dad Mods is offering so stay tuned!