Text and photo: Erol Orhun

For much of his life, Dennis lived with his foot a bit too heavily on the gas pedal. Everything needed to be fast, and he aimed to live life to the fullest every minute, all while engaging in a groping, fumbling search for his own identity.

My mom was driving my sister and me to the store for the weekly grocery run, using our roommate’s truck. At the halfway point, a police car going the opposite way flipped on the lights and turned around. [Mom] pulled over.

After selling my 1955 Bird in 1978 due to insurmountable rust issues I got the Bird bug again and purchased “Gunny.” in 1993. When purchased, I was told he had a three-year-old frame off restoration that cost $50,000.

The first time I saw a Toyota Hilux (pronounced “high lux”) double cab was in 1987 when I was in elementary school visiting my cousins in Japan. A 4×4 truck w/ 4 doors and a short bed is still one of the greatest ideas I’ve seen. Every trip abroad I would see the evolution of the Hilux which would never make it to the US.

The outside world is disappearing at a fast pace. Tree after tree, fields, gate poles, gravel roads, postboxes and cow fences swoosh by.

“I’ll never agree to bargain – this is my hobby and I put my fervour, passion and my energy into every model that I build. That is why there is no room for bargaining”- Magnus Sandlund says firmly over the phone.

In the heart of Miami’s culture quarter lies a magically dreamy shop for car and music enthusiasts.