Tomorrow I have the pleasure of interviewing America’s Car-Dad, Jay Leno, and I’d love for you, dear Autopian readers, to provide some input on the questions you’d like to hear him answer.
The prompt for this interview came from a TV production company spokesperson, who emailed me this:
We’ve been able to carve some time with Jay Leno himself … to chat about “Jay Leno’s Garage” coming to RIG TV and I wanted to explore the idea with you, about doing a retrospective piece on cars and guests he’s had these past years of filming.
I’ve come up with some questions, but while on the phone with Jason Torchinsky just now, I had a thought: What if we asked readers for their thoughts on what I should ask?
Just try to tie in your question with Jay Leno’s Garage somehow; otherwise, let’s hear ’em! Here are some examples:
- Using past Jay Leno’s Garage episodes as examples, what is it in your eyes that gives a car soul?
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Again, referencing a car you drove on your show, what’s a car that you think is criminally underrated?
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You’ve driven the Hoffman with Autopian resident-dipshit Jason Torchinsky: Where does that car rank on your “most dangerous cars I’ve driven in this show” list?
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What’s a car you’ve driven that has been the most universally loved?
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You’ve driven plenty of vintage cars that have been converted to EV; in your eyes, when does it make sense to electrify a car? Obviously, it’s a huge undertaking and a huge compromise that fundamentally changes the car; what are some examples of vehicles that could be ruined by such a move and what are some examples of cars that would be improved?
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???? No new episode of #JayLenosGarage tonight
???? We’re back next week with @hardwick and the GROAT (Greatest Ride Of All Time) pic.twitter.com/IpBELjmVNV— Jay Leno’s Garage (@LenosGarage) June 1, 2018
Also wonder what his favorite “cheap” car is – like under $30k cheap.
This is kind of a morbid question, but I do wonder what happens to Jay’s collection when he passes. He doesn’t have children. I’ve heard he’s never sold any of his cars (maybe that’s an overstatement) and that he doesn’t invest in the stock market either. I just wonder how many cars he has and what happens to them in 20-30 years.
And by extension… does he want to get buried in one of his cars? And if so, which one?
I thought it was pretty obvious that his garage would turn into one of the best public car museums in the world once he passes. Little QR codes of the relevant (online version only!) JLG episode about that car.
I think I recall he recently added that it would become a museum in his will.
He was on Modern Marvels 20 some years ago when he had a wind turbine and solar panels installed on his warehouse. Did he achieve net zero? He also mentioned bio-fuels maybe keeping ICE going in the EV age. Any new perspectives?
There’s still a bunch of solar panels on one of the buildings, but I don’t see any turbines. Probably got rid of it as it was probably not contributing much compared to the solar.
Probably also replaced/upgraded the solar panels at some point.
3160 N Damon Way, Burbank, CA 91505
There’s a place next door that apparently provides vehicles for film and TV shoots. Their lot is jam-packed with cars and trucks. Might be interesting to see what they have.
How often does he drive the Roadmaster asks a fan of old Buicks?
Why does he not have any AMC Levi’s Edition cars in his collection? Seems like a perfect fit!
https://www.heddels.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/denimgremlin_feat.jpg
Yeah! This is the best question
Please ask Jay what kind of car was he driving when he was working at the Teddy Bare Lounge and the Two O’Clock Club in Boston’s Combat Zone.
Quiz him on state capitols! Let’s see how smart this guy really is!
Whatever you ask him, try to have the interview with him driving his McLaren F1. Maybe the P1, too, so you can talk about Hybrids and how you also own a carbon-fiber bodied European hybrid.
Maybe ask him for tips on managing a small fleet of vehicles (*cough*) but on a much smaller budget.
If cars were your job, how many hours per week do you work?
Please ask him if he appreciates the engineering masterpiece that is the Jatco Xtronic CVT!
Seriously. I’m very curious what he would even respond with
If young people are interested in becoming mechanics, would you recommend they learn to work on ICE and electric vehicles (and/or steam) or go straight to EVs?
How can we keep the vast repository of historical ICE knowledge intact and available as more experienced specialists transition out of the workforce?
Good for Jason for making it into the promotional reel. It’s like, he’s a lifelong friend or something.
Oh I guess I have to suggest a question…
What’s a car that’s so bad that he won’t get it and what’s a car that’s so bad that he has to get it?
Will he buy my Rambler so I don’t have to fix it?
Favorite terrible car?
What makes a car great?
Favorite car event?
Dream roadtrip and what would you drive?
Yes, this question !
What is his favorite, least reliable car. A car that really makes no sense to own, but he loves.
Which of my (David) fleet would you put back to full restored order.
If you could somehow cut down to 10 cars, what would they be.
How important is the first car to a person?
Should you learn the basics or just let the mechanic handle it.
What are your views on RVs and if you were to get one, what would it be.
Of the Autopian Fleet, which one(s) get your attention?
Are you drawn to people’s vehicles or the passion behind them.
I came to post the same thing about DT’s projects.
I like “How important is the first car to a person?” It’s a little like a baby animal imprinting with its mama.
“What is with the denim shirts?”
Denim EVERYTHING.
I would ask, Who was your favorite guest on JLG and what guests can you tell us about in up coming episodes? That gives him a chance to plug his show, which is the whole thing for the interview
We certainly don’t wish any ill fortune on Jay Leno, but what happens to the collection when Jay Leno sets out on that eternal road trip we all face?
Well, i imagine they go to his wife.
His wife has dementia, so she might go before him, and he has no kids. My guess is it ends up being a trust and becomes a museum.
My hope for a long time has been that it becomes a public museum.
I am seriously interested in this. Jay is for sure ‘getting up there,’ I’d love to know what the plan is for his unparalleled collection after he passes. There are so many unique cars, combined with his steadfast policy of keeping them maintained, operational, and most of all *driven*, while he shares them with the world… to lose it would be a tragedy for the automotive world.
Hopefully Jay has set up an endowment for JLG.
Paul Allen hadn’t set up endowments for his various museums, so his sister liquidated the Living Computer Museum and parts of the Flying Heritage Collection. Thankfully, most of the FHC was able to be purchased as one package and kept intact.
The Mullin Automotive Museum cars were sold off at auction, with the best examples going to the Petersen. Sad to see the collection split up.
Maybe he could gift it to the Barber Museum in Alabama! That is such a neat museum!
Been there many times myself. George Barber is a real visionary and has the resources to make good things happen.
What is your favorite AMC car?
Which „lost“, destroyed or „drawing-only“ car would you like to (re-)create (think „1934 Porsche-Auto Union Typ 52“ or „1922 Rumpler Tropfenwagen“)?
“What is the ‘Tonight Show’?”
Of all the cars you’ve driven, which do tend to grab the keys for most often? Guessing a daily driver isn’t really a thing when the selection is so vast, but you get the idea.
“I have a bunch of Holy Grails that need new homes. Are you interested?”
When was “peak car” to you; the point where cars were fast enough, safe enough, capable enough – but weren’t burdened with excessive nannies, bullshit sensors and high-beam subscription fees?
(I say somewhere 2006-2012ish but that’s just me)
I remember him at one point saying something about cars being hobby things, at least ICE cars being hobby items, just like horses were work things and now are hobby things. With the changes in EVs and other recent developments I wonder if he has any new insights into that idea.
Good one. I also remember him saying that. Now that EVs are far more ubiquitous than they were then, it’s a great time to revisit that comment.
He actually touched on that in his very recent interview with James May.
Pretty good watch, though you can tell that Jay wasn’t prepped on the fact that he was talking with “Captain Slow”.
Yeah, I saw that video and was thinking the same thing. The discussion came at the end and was to the effect of (May said it) that electrification will save the ICE engine because it will become a hobby engine for weekends- boats, snowmobiles, etc. Although ironically those are some of the most polluting ICE engines.