Recently I was perusing my favorite car blogs and said to myself “hey pal, reading these blogs is a real breath of garage-fresh air, maybe I should write a 1A Blog post about how awesome some of these other car blogs are! Yeeeaa buddy!” So today, that’s my game plan. After all, when somebody shows you a great automotive blog, it’s like getting a free subscription to a totally sweet magazine, and you can even talk to the people that write it (most of the time at least)! I guess the internet is not just for lolcats anymore! Now where was I? Ah yes! Gearhead blogs! Some of these auto-car-motorcycle-welding-racing-fabrication blogs are more “main stream” you might say, than the others. However! They all provide me with hours of pure, indulgent, gearhead entertainment in the form of knowledge and eye candy. So it’s only right that I share them. Are you ready? Are you all amp’ed up yet? I bet you are, you little rascal. Without further adieu, here are my personal Top 11 favorite and most frequented gearhead blogs, in no particular order…
There was once a time in my life when I believed that I knew a lot about cars. That was right before I began religiously reading the Just A Car Geek Blog. I quickly learned that there were a metric crap-ton of cars out there that I had never even heard of. Since I began reading JACG, my interest and knowledge of foreign cars has grown exponentially. More often than not these days, I find myself pondering if I really do need a 1960’s Simca or a Reliant Scimitar GTE in my life? Maybe I do, err…then again, maybe I better not. Dave, the guy that runs Just A Car Geek, is a fantastically smart and entertaining writer and you should most definitely sign up for his email feed. I guarantee that within a couple weeks, you too will be craving oddball foreign motahs (say it with a British accent) more than ever before! I pinky swear.
Although it is a similar name and acronym to the above auto blog, the Just A Car Guy blog is very different, yet equally awesome. This car blog is like a massive museum of fascinating mechanical greatness. I can’t even begin to imagine where Jesse finds the photography that he posts up, but it is an endless supply of everything that you have ever wanted to stare at (okay, almost everything). There are beautiful photos of classic motorcycles, hotrods, trains, planes and just plain everything with wheels. Jesse also often has fresh pictures from major gearhead events that you can only dream of attending. That means that like me, you can live vicariously through him and his photography. Does life get any better? Unlikely. Be sure to click through the different categories on the right side of the Just A Car Guy Blog page. Be careful though, I have been known to get sucked in deep and lose multiple hours at a time. It’s addictive! Go there now. Thank me later.
Silodrome is one of the cleanest blogs websites that I have ever witnessed, and I’m sure that you will wholeheartedly agree. It is filled with truly outstanding vehicle photography, amazingly thorough and interesting articles, and wildly talented writing. Vintage motorcycles are the primary subject, though there are plenty of cars, planes, boats and car enthusiast gear to go along with them. James, Luke, Benjamin(?) and their crew are great people, and deserve more internet traffic than I could ever provide them with. If you are a gearhead, you are already a fan of Silodrome. Trust me. Don’t even bother wiping the bugs from your goggles or the grease from your hands; just grab your leather jacket, and roll there now, do not walk. It’s better than human words can describe.
If you are a car-guy, you already know what Hemmings Motor News is. If you don’t, you need to hit a local book store or library immediately. Yes, I’m talking about the big brick building in the center of town, with the shelved rectangle things inside. Maybe you have seen them in your grandparents house? No? Anyways, not only does Hemmings publish outstanding books and an absolutely legendary monthly magazine, but they also have a classic car blog that will remind you of how much you love your project car. Their blog is always filled with educational history lessons, dreamy barn finds, and the rarest of rare collector cars. They have quite a few writers that passionately contribute to the automotive cause, and each one of them seems to have their own niche. This always makes for a fantastic automotive cornucopia to feast on. They also have a newsletter that you can sign up for so that you never miss out on the newest Hemmings Blog updates.
Much like Hemmings Motor News, the Eastwood company is a staple for every do-it-yourself’er that is knee deep in an auto restoration. Without them, you likely wouldn’t have half of the cool restoration tools and supplies in your shed, garage and basement. Their blog is unique in the fact that it is written by their employees, many of which have ongoing projects that you can follow along with. Not only that, but you also get to see how Eastwood products actually work in real life. For me, that’s a big deal because I don’t often read the directions on the can, but I do like to know how to use the products. Between ongoing Volkswagen and B-Series hotrod Dodge truck projects, it’s a place that you will want to frequent regularly.
Ah yes, Hooniverse. Something about the name of this automotive blog make me feel like I’m saying a swear, even though I know that I’m not. I like that. Go ahead, say it yourself out loud – Hooniverse, Hooniverse, Hooniverse. It sounds wrong, but oh-so-right. Am I right? Well, not only is the name of this car blog entertaining, but the content is too. See, Hooniverse is comprised of an enthusiastic bunch of real-deal car people that truly love writing about the strange and exciting automotive universe. You’ll find automotive news and reviews, plenty of 24 hour of lemons coverage, and then there are times when they post treasures found in the junkyard. No matter what it is though, it’s always a great read! Most of these blogs that I’m sharing with you today have RSS feeds that you should sign up for as well, Hooniverse is no exception.
Okay, Speedhunters is flat out hot stuff. You will likely not find more vibrant and exciting automotive photography anywhere on the internet (other than a couple of the other blogs mentioned here). Speedhunters has automotive photography totally locked down, double stamped, and Vise-Grip’ed in the winners circle my opinion. As you can logically gather from the name, it is primarily focused on cars that go fast, or at least look fast. I’d also say that it tends to lean heavier on the import vehicle scene, though you will occasionally find some sexy hot rods, lead sleds and customs peppered into the mix. The written content on Speedhunters is always highly professional, and highly detailed. You rarely, if ever, walk away with additional questions about the cars that they feature. In fact, if you are like me, you may end up reading the articles a few times to make sure that you took it all in. Needless to say, if you enjoy going fast or looking fast, Speedhunters is a great place to hang. Oh, and they also have free desktop wallpaper that will change your life. Go. Now.
The CarGurus Blog has the automotive news that you don’t see on every other automotive blog out there. I can always find a plethora of posts about interesting new automotive technology, and fancy new concepts that I haven’t seen elsewhere. Being a website primarily focused on buying and selling cars, there is also a ton of great information about doing exactly that. I’m not talking about sales pitches either, I’m talking about real clever sales ideas that an actual gearhead can put to use in their own driveway. You do like buying cars cheap and selling them for maximum cash right? Check. It. Out.
There isn’t a car enthusiast on earth that doesn’t love a great build thread. I mean, I literally join forums just to stalk other peoples build threads. Is that wrong? Maybe. The Build Thread blog is entirely … you guessed it! BUILD THREADS! Awesome automotive projects are submitted by people like you and I, and the best ones are featured on the site. It may be a build thread on a drift truck, a stanced Datsun, a supercharged hotrod, or a full out drag car, there is absolutely no limit. If it is an addictive or elaborate build thread, you’ll probably see it featured here. I cannot get enough of this place. Seriously.
Everybody has heard of Autoblog because it’s sort of the go-to for breaking automotive news. I personally like it because since they are an authority in the automotive world, so they often get to test new cars and give real world opinions on them. They also have crazy amounts of spy shots as well, which is something I will never have the sneakiness or photographic skills to do. As you can imagine, the writing is top notch in professionalism, and the photography is crisp magazine-quality. Reading AutoBlog makes me feel more adult and professional than I really am (shhh!), and real journalism makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Whenever I wrap up a good Autoblog article, I have learned a lot about cars, the people that drive them, and how to be a better writer.
Jalopnik is another that you probably already read because it’s chock full of great stuff. It is sort of like Autoblog (Gasp!), but more relaxed, with slicked back hair, and a package of cigs rolled up in its tight sleeve. While it is always filled with terrific automotive news coverage, ridiculous for sale ads, videos, car racing, and everything in between, Jalopnik has been known to ruffle some feathers with their stories from time to time. One of the best parts about Jalopnik is its fan base. It’s comprised of enthusiasts like us, who comment on the articles, and take it all to the next level of knowledge and sarcasm, both of which I appreciate thoroughly. For several years now, it has been one of my go-to automotive blogs to give me my mechanical fix on a wintery day. If you aren’t already reading it, check it out, and I recommend “blog view” at the top of the page. It is a spectacular car blog as long as you can take a joke, and if you like the 1A Blog, you will probably enjoy Jalopnik as well!
So there it is, my official top 11 list of car blogs worth reading, other than the 1A Blog of course. You don’t have to check them out now, but I recommend that you do visit them at some point in the near future. I grab inspiration regularly from each and every one of them. Hopefully some of the extraordinary talent that the writers of these car blogs have will rub off on me some day. If you know of any other great blogs for gearheads, leave a comment and tell us why it’s so great.
Until next time…
Dang you Jeremy! I knew about Just A Car Geek, Hemmings and Jalop, but now, because of you, I will have to spend more time on the internets, looking at these awesome blogs! I could spend all day just on Just A Car Guy!
LOL. Just wait until you get through to the rest of them. They will devour every waking moment from your life! Luckily, reading is a good addiction to have. 😉
Jeremy, I just saw this and wanted to say thanks for the kind words. We featured this story on our Facebook and Twitter feeds just now. All the best and keep up the great work! James
Hi James! Thanks for swinging by, and keep up the great work!
thanks for the shout-out! 🙂
Hi Anth! No problem. Build-threads rocks! Keep it up!
Aww shucks. Thanks for the praise! I am glad you enjoy my contribution to auto enthusiasts who can’t get to Southern Californias car events. Most of the photography is mine, the rest is credited to the source with a link in the post so you know who to see for more.
Great list, and I am proud and happy to be regarded among these terrific websites.
Jesse
Justacarguy.blogspot.com
Justacarguy.tumblr.com
Isonlyskindeep.tumblr.com
I love that first photo. It would make a great oil painting by one of the artists that have appeared in Hemmings over the years.
Great list. Between this list and the one’s associated with them, I may just have to quit work.
This is a great past time.
My site is more a personal one, my view of the car obsession.
I’d love to know what you think.
I’ll be back, time after time, after time…..
Gotta go.
Rusty
I missed the car event in Southern California by one day. I was so mad. They do have some car shows here in Arizona though I’ve checked out a few of them. thanks for sharing all this. We just bought an old 1967 corvette convertible. I love reading up on all the classic models.
Great list! Thank you for sharing! I’ll follow them!!!
Jeremy,
Great list! I’m familiar with all of the other than Silodrome (which I will now start checking out).
One other site you might consider. It’s one marque focused, but interesting if you’re into Porsche. Of course, I’m biased as I publish it. 🙂
http://PorschePurist.com
Paula (aka “Pepper Girl”)
GOOD LIST as we have just started our marketing efforts for our new startup company http://www.PartingOut.com your own online salvage yard. I was not aware of some on this list so thanks for showcasing them.
Great list, and great comments too!
I`m searching for the best car blogs, your list has one or two that I’ve not spotted elsewhere!
Thanks.
Nice list! The blogs are really high quality..
Thanks for sharing !
I know this list is a little old but http://randomautoblog.com should really be added to this list.
Great list, thoroughly enjoyed spending a good hour or so going through these blogs. Thanks for introducing me to them
Awesome list, and your writing style is on point! I think https://petrolicious.com/ should be on a good list like this. They create strong original content. Would love to see another article like this one with an update for 2018.
Matty – I love Petrolicious! Their YouTube channel is one of the best things to ever exist on the internet. I think you make a solid point that this blog list needs a 6-year refresh. We’ll see what we can do 😉 Also – thanks for the kind words on my writing style! I haven’t written here in a bit, but I’m still here behind the scenes! Maybe I will write a lil’ something soon.
-Jeremy
great post!