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Jim Hull, 57, is a mechanic and motorsport driver, while his mate, Adam Morris, 47, is a professional drummer, DJ and motoring enthusiast. They host a popular YouTube channel that reviews second-hand cars.
Adam: I met Jim about 20 years ago at a drum shop in Newcastle, NSW, where I worked. A mutual friend brought him in and we got talking about cars. I don’t want to say it was love at first sight, but definitely mates at first sight.
We’d see each other around. I was the drummer in dozens of bands; Jim came along to a lot of the shows and, sometimes, I’d see him afterwards at a kebab shop at 2am. One night, I was following him and he was driving a two-wheel-drive HiLux ute when he did this “Scandinavian rally-flick” and drifted through a roundabout with such style. I remember thinking, “This is my kind of guy.”
One afternoon in 2019, I caught up with Jim and he was feeling flat. He told me about a young apprentice builder who’d come into his workshop at Quantum Mechanics [in Hamilton, near Newcastle] after he’d bought what he thought was his dream ute. Then the engine failed and he was facing a repair bill of $25,000. Jim said, “The frustrating thing is, this is the fourth one of those we’ve had in here with the same problem in the last couple of weeks.”
He couldn’t understand why nobody was warning people about cars like that. That’s how our YouTube channel, ReDriven, was born. Jim brings 30-plus years of workshop experience, but he’s also naturally engaging: people trust him. I, on the other hand, have this deep affection for hopeless cars: I fall in love with things that make absolutely no financial sense.
Jim looks at everything through the eyes of a mechanic: his job is to destroy my dreams.
In YouTube-land, we cop a lot of abuse and it impacts him. If someone questions his ability or knowledge, it hurts, especially when he’s one of the country’s most knowledgeable mechanics. He has a little bit of imposter syndrome. Sometimes it frustrates me that he doesn’t get how talented he is, not only as a mechanic, but also as a presenter. He’s bloody good.
We’ve supported each other through difficult times. A few years ago, I went through a significant personal struggle; Jim was an enormous part of helping me get through that. On camera, I had to be upbeat and energetic while, privately, everything was falling apart. Jim was a rock for me. There was a complete absence of judgment, just unconditional friendship. Now he’s going through something and I just hope I can be there for him in the same way.
When I met Jim, my first thought was, “How old is this guy?” I couldn’t tell whether he was 20 or 50; he’s just one of those people. Even when I’m lighting him for filming, I barely have to do anything. Maybe it’s because he’s a mechanic and indoors all day – a vampire, basically. He’s no idea how popular he is with the ladies – and he is.
The happiest I’ve ever seen him was earlier this year when we went in the Targa Classica [a classic-car rally in Victoria]. We spent four days with each other in an incredibly small car. We’d wondered, beforehand, whether we’d get sick of each other but, at the end, when he got into an Uber to go to the airport, I just really missed him.
There’d been a moment I’ll never forget. We’d just finished an incredible section of road and I suddenly found myself crying. Jim looked across and asked, “Mate … are you OK?” I said, “I’m just unbelievably happy.” Everything was suddenly clear. Here I was, driving one of my dream cars on one of the greatest roads I’d ever experienced with my best mate sitting beside me. I realised, “This is it.”
Jim: My first impression of Adam was that he had good hair: considered and styled. After we met, I went along to a few of his gigs, but the real turning point for us was in 2012, when I started Quantum Mechanics and Adam started coming to the workshop socially and as a customer.
Adam has a problem with cars and commitment. I remember there was a succession of French cars – Renaults and Peugeots – for a while there. I said, “Mate, get some help.” He’s a tortured soul, and the grass always looks greener from his driver’s seat.
He’s a lot better since we started ReDriven. He used to be a huge fan of a certain high-end German marque, too, but doing the show and hearing all the horror stories, he understands now that generally its cars are absolute shit. He’s basically a recovering Europhile. We do like to gang up on some cars. We bond over our hatred of the Holden “Craptiva”, but doesn’t everybody? The hate keeps us together.
I get feedback on my mechanical opinions, while Adam gets feedback on his clothes. There’s been plenty of online comments about his choice of pants – either too tight or too loose – and shorts aren’t popular, either: “Why is a fully grown man wearing shorts?”
The wallpaper on his phone is a rainbow motif and he likes to make sure it’s included in every video. It’s copped a ton of criticism: dumb-arse comments like, “What the f— are you advertising the gays for?” Adam likes to poke a stick at people who think like that.
He once had a superfan, this American guy. This guy’s girlfriend organised for us to FaceTime him as a birthday surprise. So we did, and the guy turns his head slightly and says, “Look, I got a tattoo.” There, on his neck, was Adam’s signature. Adam was flattered at the time, but later we reflected that it was a pretty unusual thing to do.
We recently spent time together in a very small car at the Targa rally. I get goosebumps just thinking about it, actually. It was a very special automotive moment. Incredible car, incredible roads: it was a pinch-me experience. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather do that type of motorsport event with. I missed the camaraderie when it was all over.
We talk about cars mostly, but he’s also a good ear as I’ve started dabbling in online dating. I like sharing some of my experiences with him: honestly, some of the women I meet are batshit crazy. Adam has a laugh and tells me I should follow in his footsteps and move to Sydney where the pool’s not so shallow.
I’ve stayed at his place in Artarmon [in northern Sydney]. He’s a good host and he and his partner, Morgan, have a very good sense of design. They’re such a lovely couple it’s sickening. They make me feel very welcome. He’s a great mate; I love him.
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