Five years ago American Machinist gained access to one of the most widely recognized private auto collections — and the machine shop that supports it. As Jay Leno departs The Tonight Show (again), it's worth another trip through that impressive operation - the cars, the equipment, and especially the technology that supports it.

CAM Makes Parts in Famous Garage

In a private garage in Burbank, Calif., three people repair, restore and maintain a fleet of vehicles for a well-known motoring enthusiast.

The 77,000-sq-ft. facility houses 200 machines, including vintage and modern cars and motorcycles, two stationary steam engines, and a 17,000-sq-ft shop that includes a full kitchen where the owner occasionally cooks for the staff.

The garage also serves as an experimental proving ground for environmentally friendly products and practices, testing biodiesel, generating electricity from solar cells and wind turbines, and selling excess power to the grid.

This is Big Dog Garage, The Tonight Show host Jay Leno’s passion and playground, where his crew keeps vehicles roadworthy.

As general manager Bernard Juchli explains: “This is not a museum, but a parking garage. Jay swaps vehicles every evening.

Read the original report from the American Machinist archive