The MuscleCar Place

TMCP #570: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback - The Time I Met Mike Finnegan and Launched a Show about the Dukes of Hazzard!

Rick's Take on the Presidential Election 2024: Every four years we experience a Leap year and another round of picking a new president. With this event comes another round of presidential ads, throwing of mud, and an substantial amount of finger pointing. I have heard many times in the past from suppliers regarding their outlook on the future around an election cycle and many will stop any unnecessary spending based on the uncertainly of the outcome of an election. Some will even cut out expensive trade shows (SEMA included) that they would normally attend in an attempt to save up for the rainy day they believe is headed their way. I decided to ask Rick what his experiences were regarding this phenomenon. NPD is run very conservatively and keeps higher than normal reserves for low times and fluctuations in the market so Ricks response was very interesting. He said that he does indeed notice a flattening in sales in relation to a Presidential election. That said, it's not just at election time, but over the whole election year. It seems like everyone gets nervous and holds back on spending. Once the whole thing is over and the parties have been decided, Rick says that people generally go back to buying for their hobbies and it is back to business as usual.

TMCP #568: Jason Forgey, the NC944er - Everything You'll Ever Need to Know to Own, Restore, and Upgrade the Porsche 944!

TMCP #567: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback - The Time Jeff Allison Built My Chevelle For Free!

ASK RICK - Muscle Cars At Mecum Bringing Big Money, The Best ROI is on "Junk", and we own a Porsche 944!

This week I have the pleasure to talk to long time friend of the show, Jason Engel. At SEMA 2023 I learned that Jason had entered the consulting business and was also he representative to vet licensure requirements for Shelby! What was he consulting in, specifically? Well....consulting in the entire process of owning, operating, producing, marketing, and leading a production car business where the production car is unique to the business itself. In addition, it might be a car that needs to be licensed by an OEM or other "Hollywood" style entities. Examples include companies like Classic Recreations (which he founded), Revology, Velocity Restorations, Anything Scout, etc. In a nutshell, Jason was taking on clients to teaching them the business of PROFITABLY running such a venture. For this, I needed a full length interview...and this is out! 

It is hard to believe that in May of 2024 it will have been fifteen years since I carved out a hole in my basement and started recording this podcast! Many listeners have tuned in and followed along as I met people from all across the automotive world and simply asked the questions we all wanted to know about business and cars. I had no idea that 15 years later I'd still be in the business, nor did I have a clue what a life defining thing this would become. In a nutshell, this podcast (and you) have changed my life. I am blessed to have started the show during the pre-podcast boom and have been able to use it to go places and see things that were far above my punching weight. I've had backstage passes, met stars, and attended events with all of you listeners along for the ride. I've raised a family along with way too, lost a parent, and had the chance to build and drive cars with my best friends. You have given back to me with friendship and support for chasing my dreams while creating a place we all can enjoy, The Muscle Car Place. Many great and exciting things have happened since that start but one of my most memorable was getting to talk to the King himself, Richard Petty. At the time the "new" Challenger was still fairly new,  and who knew it would go on for another twelve years and the most amazing cars that were not even imagined yet. It was pretty exciting to see Daytonas once again on the streets, even if in limited numbers, as Petty Garage made special editions of the Challenger with the iconic nose and wing of the NASCAR heydays. I did get to ask him about his racing career and recorded every glorious second of the conversation in Episode #76 way back in 2011. In every great sitcom there is the throwback episode where they queue the wobbly lines and memories from previous episodes come back based on a vague story line. This week the throwback episode, is my interview with Richard Petty. Enjoy!

ASK RICK - 2024 New Years Business Goals; How to Get the Best ROI for Buying and Selling at the BIG January Auctions!

TMCP #562: The 2023 Christmas Show: Feature Interview with Santa Claus - Alternative Fuels, Electric Sleighs, and How to Get on the Nice List!

Welcome to the first ever show from the streets of Chicago at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals show (MCACN). Ryan Brutt, the Auto Archeologist himself, brought out man Scotty Stap into the event to get a deeper look at what has become the premier annual muscle car event in the country! MCACN is a unique show in that both original, unrestored, barn find, and rare/oddball unique muscle cars are curated along with barn finds, specialty restoration parts suppliers, and everything in between! Thanks to Ryan we also secured a significant interview with Bob Ashton, the Managing Member of the show. We last had Bob on in the show in 2015 (Episode 265), so we were definitely overdue for a catchup! 

TMCP #560: Ask Rick - Long Term Employee Retention - Niche Restoration Parts Being Discontinued - Classic Car Investment VS The Stock Market

This week on The Muscle Car Place is with a great industry insider Mike Good, the CEO of Dynamat! I enjoy learning about the science and history of brands that I have used before, an Dynamat is one I've used numerous times for numerous reasons. I always new it to be in the sound deadening space because all of the guys in my high school used it in their "thumper" cars with the huge stereos. I've used it for different reasons on my cars; specifically heat abatement (headers are hot). This was my chance to learn the brand and the tech in one shot! Mike has a long history of business leadership at the executive level across a number of different genres, even academia. He was previously the CMO of FinishMaster (automotive paints) and started a communications company that was really good at tracking things through software and GPS. He has been interested in cars his whole life and has been in the industry for decades. Today he's proud to be the leader of Dynamat, a place that can tinker with car products (and other things) day in and day out.

It is July and and time for all of the great summertime activities like fireworks, trips to the beach, and summer car shows! This month the show went completely off the rails from what was planned but that is a great thing for YOU! We covers many great topics from best car detailing practices, to when is a great to to delegate work, and even touching on why the 1984 Toyota Celica GT is such a great car. Stay tuned and listen in as Rick speaks the truth in no uncertain terms about the topics you love to ask to hear.

This week on The Muscle Car Place is an extra "4th-of-the-month" bonus episode that I simply could not wait until next month to share! I spoke with Todd Liebelt who not only races autocross (as I like to do) but has built an almost identical in appearance Chevelle to mine. I say almost because Todd was able to make the changes in his car, that after years of ownership I now wish I had made to mine. Our paths have never crossed before, but somehow we have generated two cars that are certainly really close siblings! Ten years ago I made some decisions on how to build my Chevelle. Since the car has been built I have had some great driving opportunities but I have wondered how it would have been if I had built it just a little differently. Specifically, I've always been curious about the chassis and if it would have been better to go with a full replacement instead of (as we did) modifying the factory GM frame and then adding great bolt-on suspension options on. I also wonder how would it have handled on the track if I had bigger tires, especially up front where I've run out of grip time and time again? Well, luckily for me I have been presented with the unique opportunity to talk to Todd who has an almost identical car ....except that he made the choices I did not and has the inside scoop on if it was worth it. Basically, by speaking with Tood I have the chance to go back in time and learn what the "other path not taken" would have been like (and if I should take it now).

It is time once again for the quarterly Pro-Touring Update, Presented by Ron Francis Wiring, and starring Mr. Larry Callahan! The focus of this update is to get updates of what is going on with Larry and The Pro-Touring community as well as getting the inside scoop on upcoming Pro-Touring (autocross) events in the June to August time frame.