TMCP #473: Steve Rupp – The Life and Ever-changing Times of a Magazine Writing Superstar
This week, marks the return of Steven Rupp! You may not remember hearing Steve on this show unless you go way back to one of our very first interviews in episode 37. Back then he was working for Camaro Performer magazine and loving it! He started at Motor Trend as the Technical Editor for Popular Hot Rodding before moving to the Camaro only publication where he wrote tech articles as he built fast cars. He went on to helm Super Chevy Magazine as well as other publications and is today one of the most highly read authors on the MotorTrend family of website magazine publications. I ran into Steven again and thought it would be great to get an update on what he has been up to, and most specifically to understand how magazine for him has changed since 2010. To put it short…..nearly everything has changed except the love for cars!
TMCP #472: Rick Love on Keeping Hot Rods and Muscle Cars Cool with Vintage Air; Craig Morrison Tribute
This week, marks the official return of summer and the one interview you can count on, Rick Love of Vintage Air! Rick has been on the show going back to episode 144 and Vintage Air was key in providing the Chevelle with its crisp cool breeze. I look forward to seeing Rick at SEMA every year. 2020 was a full year for us all, but especially Rick. He is now the President of Vintage Air and will soon be inducted into the SEMA Hall of fame!
I also asked Rick to speak on the state of the aftermarket as a whole in light of 2020’s effects on everything (supply chain, material costs, shipping, etc.) and discuss the rise in quality we’ve seen the past 10 years for parts in general. In addition I had hoped he could speak to the impact and legacy of the late Craig Morrison…..which he did gracefully. Craig and his father Art worked hand in hand in growing Art Morrison Enterprises of course, but Craig was a friend to all. He’ll be deeply missed and our sympathies go out to his wife, son, parents, and all extended family and friends.
TMCP #471: ASK RICK – Are All Restoration Parts REALLY Made in Three Factories in Taiwan?
Happy 4th of July and welcome to another great edition of “Ask Rick”. Rick Schmidt is never one to shy away from the hard hitting questions and this month was no exception. After last months bombshell about pricing and how COVID-19 is affecting the costs of everything, there were a lot of listener questions about the parts themselves……and where they really come from. He may need to have all listeners sign a non disclosure agreement after this interview, but he definitely let the cards fall where they may.
Here was the big discussion (and myth debunk): Aren’t all aftermarket parts made in just three plants in Taiwan, and they’re really all the same no matter the brand? Rick laid out the reality of this eight ways from Sunday. The answer is complicated to say least. Are there really 3 factories in Taiwan stamping out all of our favorite parts? No, of course not. The amount of tooling required to do all of that would take up the state of Rhode Island. Do the many multiple factories – who are competing with each other – actually have to competitively work together? Actually, they do. Shipping of parts is a key reason however.
TMCP #470: Pro-touring update with Larry Callahan – THE BIG EVENTS ARE ALL BACK!
Larry Callahan is back for the second quarterly Pro-Touring Update for 2021! He has the latest information directly from the pages of Pro-Touring.com and he gave me an update on his tech laden, power stuffed, cutting edge, classic muscle, home projects! The big news is that the event list for 2022 is at full force; more events are back than ever!
TMCP #469: Mike Finnegan Returns! Giant Passenger Flipping Tow Pigs, “Ludicrous Speed” Boats, and the Fun of Failing Uphill
This week, marks the return yet again of Mike Finnegan to give us an update on what has been happening around Finnegan’s Garage, on Roadkill, and on his recently renewed show Faster with Finnegan. Of course his most famous work was on the Kibbe and Finnegan Podcast. Seriously though, Mike has been a good friend over the years and it’s always a fun (and usually happily dumb) catchup.
TMCP #468: Ask Rick – Amelia Island Winners, eBay Picks, and the Price Impact of COVID on EVERYTHING!
Rick Schmidt is back for our ever-popular “Ask Rick” segment and this weeks listener question is straight from the news headlines: the increase of prices on EVERYTHING. From global pandemics sequestering workers at home, to 2020’s increased consumer buying, to stimulus packages, and then a final blow of a stuck ship in the middle of a canal blocking the worlds free trade, the global market has taken a huge hit. All of these forces and more have combined to impact the availability of goods and raise prices across the board.
TMCP #467 – Lyle Brummer – SpeedKore, Making Amazing Hot Rods and Carbon Fiber Creations For Famous Customers
This week, I spoke to Lyle Brummer of Speedkore Performance Group. Speedkore specializes in one-off high performance car builds that meld craftsmanship and high end technology to produce stunning works of art. They are known for their stunning carbon fiber bodywork that resembles the original but at a much higher refinement than ever used in a production build.
TMCP #466: Scott Lambert on the 2021 Twin Cities Auto Show, New Cars and Future Classics Up Close and Personal!
This week, I spoke to Scott Lambert, President of Minnesota Auto Dealer’s Association, and wanted to find out more about the 2021 Twin Cites Auto Show. Scott’s history is quite different than most of our guests but he is still a car guy at heart. His background is in politics and was actually an automobile industry lobbyist talking about new cars and dealerships at the highest levels of government. It makes sense that he now uses his power of influence to fill this huge automotive event with all kinds of new car excitement.
TMCP # 465 – Ask Rick; The Real Story of Herb Adams 1970’s Cheverra and Fire AM’s – The First Pro-Touring Muscle Cars!
Rick Schmidt is back for our ever-popular “Ask Rick” segment this week and we discussed two different “Pro-Touring” cars in the NPD warehouse that were developed and created by Pontiac engineer Herb Adams. Specifically, the “Fire Am” Firebird and the “Cheverra” Camaro. Interestingly enough though, when these cars were created….there was no such thing as the phrase “Pro-Touring” at all. That phase would not enter the lexicon for at least another 20 years or more. These cars are rare, fast, and fun….and were developed in the late 1970’s! Here’s the fully story.
TMCP #464: Warren Customs – The Full Build Recipe to Create an Accurate Replica of Colt Seavers “The Fall Guy” Truck!
If you’ve been following this show for a while you know that 1970’s and 80’s TV cars (and trucks) have had a huge influence on the cars we all love today. From the General Lee, to KITT, to the A-Team, all of those shows featured a hero vehicle that was just as much a character as any one of the individual actors. Today’s episode is a full take on yet another beloved classic…and features a full rundown of everything you’ll need to know to build your very own “Fall Guy” Square-Body GMC truck! Even better, our guest Nathan Warren has more passion for this topic than anyone I know. Buckle up for takeoff!
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