WHEN THE READING LIGHT WENT ON

John Reeder, 54, Los Angeles regional director for the U.S. Census Bureau and a 30-year veteran of the agency:

I have to read so much at work. There are legal ramifications to the census, laws going before Congress, manuals on how we carry out our operations. Lots of mail coming in that I have to respond to.

So I like to do things with my hands at home. I’ve got a T-bucket hotrod I’m building, in my garage. An old Model T Ford--I guess they were built from 1915 to 1927 . . . I’ve always wanted to do that. It’s kind of a hobby.

I’ve been reading for the past year or two on how to rebuild a Ford engine. You can go to Barnes & Noble or anywhere, go to the automotive section and there are books and books and books on automobiles. Technical books. I don’t read serious stuff at home.

I’m sure auto mechanics never read at home what I’m reading. That’s what they do in their jobs.

But it’s a diversion. I’ve probably got a stack three feet high of technical books on how to build a chassis, brake systems, automatic transmissions.

I talked to one guy who said he built 13 cars. He would drive one a couple of months, sell it and go buy another kit. The fun is in the building, not the driving.

I’m going to finish this T-bucket, sell it, then I want to do a Shelby Cobra kit car--a mid-’60s race car was what it was, but built for the street too.