Friends, this is a blog post that has been a long time coming. It’s time to tell you what I was really after when I decided to start The MuscleCar Place!

My real reason to succeed. These are 2 of my 3 kids, Dallas (left) and Emily (right). We were on our way to the first Good Guys show I would race the autocross in.

I have been a complete car nut since birth. From the days I met my mom and dad’s rusted out ’64 Chevelle I knew that I would forever find more to cars than just a pile of steel, plastic, and glass. To me cars have a personality and maybe even a soul. They have feelings. They, in my opinion, are a lot lot dogs in that if you show them a little love in return they’ll go to the grave to protect you. When I started watching The Dukes of Hazzard as a kid it only inflamed my passion for cars. I loved that the General Lee was not just a fast car, but the Duke Boys best pal and most trusted adversary. As a side note, thanks to the Dukes I have climbed through the window of every vehicle I’ve ever owned, including my wife’s Toyota Sienna minivan, which was a horribly painful experience.

By the time I left college I had a degree in Mechanical Engineering…..and no desire to be a Mechanical Engineer. I wanted something hands on. I wanted to do something that required risk, speed, and talent. After a brief stint at looking for a career in the Air Force I realized that I needed to be “realistic”, pay off my debts, and put the passions on hold. It hurt more than I can ever describe. I then worked in industry for 10 years in the software arena, and while I made a very good living at it it simply wasn’t what I was looking for long term. I wanted business ownership. I wanted to do something I was passionate about. I wanted to excel in something that I thought God had built me to do. Unfortunately, after more soul searching sessions than I can remember (and driving my wife crazy) I could really only come up with two areas of my life that I was so passionate about, that were fun, and that I would work for free doing: driving and drumming. I loved to drive and was good at it, and I loved to play drums, specifically marching snare drums. Perfect. I was only good at two things that most people pay $8/hr for someone to do, if that.

Long story short, I was getting nowhere on my own so I hired the renowned Business Coach Dan Miller to help me put my passions into a business. What you see today as The MuscleCar Place is what we came up with. After 2 years of hard work, faith, toil, glee, and (at times) head-banging frustration I was able to leave my desk job in the “real world” and go out and play with cars for a living. The podcast show that I host was initially not part of the business at all, and I merely started it as a means to promote the business because I really enjoy podcasts. Now 70+ episodes in, it has taken on a life of it’s own and is sponsored by National Parts Depot and the COMP Performance Group (think COMP Cams)! I owe both of those companies a great deal, because quite simply, without sponsorship I was ready to shut the podcast down. It was taking an incredible amount of work to produce a podcast show at a high level, and I’ll just admit that I was tired of doing it without some kind of bigger incentive.  The podcast show also opened others doors for me, and I’m now a freelance contributor for PowerTV Media writing for their array of online muscle car magazines. Who’d a thunk? I actually get to write for a real car magazine!

Originally TMCP started out as a classifieds listings site and we developed what is, in my opinion, the best classifieds listing system available. We do still sell classifieds listings, but in all honesty I wouldn’t consider The MuscleCar Place a Classifieds listing site anymore. It’s now a place for people that go absolutely ga-ga over muscle cars because they’re pals. Because they’re cool. Because they’re what they always wanted to drive, but never had the chance, and now can do something about it. It’s also a place for people looking to chase dreams, race some cars, and connect with others at the same time. We may not be as “big” as the other classifieds guys, but I guarantee they don’t get the loyal following that we do.

It’s hard to believe this was the first car I would love. She looks better now and is a whole lot less terrifying to drive fast.

So, in the end, you’re going to see some changes here at The MuscleCar Place. You’ve contacted me via the podcast show repeatedly and told me that in no uncertain terms what you like best about TMCP is that it’s really the adventures of me, my family, and one little old ’64 Chevelle, so from here on out that’s what you’re going to get. You’re going to see my successes, and you’re going to see my failures. I’ll share my family with you, my hopes, my dreams, and everything in between. I hope to show my kids that it’s OK to chase dreams, and that while it takes more faith than they could have ever imagined they’d need, God will provide. I’ll still do my best to get you the best classifieds muscle cars I possibly can as well, despite the fact that I will no longer try to encourage a “corporate” picture of my business. Potential clients, if you’re reading this, please know that we’re a small business with just a few people doing a truckload of work. We love muscle cars though, and the people that will see your cars and ads listed here do as well.

I think that we can knock this thing out of the park, and if we don’t there will be no regrets. Stay tuned for more, and thanks for the kick in the pants to do it.

-Rob K

3 Responses

  1. Wow! You are amazing to take such a risk. And an ispiration! I am not a car guy myself, but I did enjoy one of you blogs about the workings of a power tran (?), uh positve traction, that thing that lets the outside wheels spin faster than the inside wheels when turning. Really, I’m not a car guy, but I do like to learn.

    Thanks Muscle Car Place!

    Tim

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