The Round Six Podcast

THE GEARHEADS GO DEEP INSIDE OF SEMA SHOW 2018 AND SURFACE RELATIVELY UNSCATHED. WELL, MOSTLY. SEMA Show 2018 winds down, and the Gearheads were granted some pretty hefty access. We took some time to sit and discuss the show from the Magnaflow stage in Hot Rod Alley. We wanted to thank some old friends, recognize some new ones, and reflect on what was easily the most memorable show in any of our memories. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * The dreaded “SEMA legs” syndrome * Cue napkins and dirty words * Brad is really old * Our favorite vehicles of the show * Tim Strange is awesome at hosting vehicle debuts * The Squarebody Syndicate Indy Tribute truck * Tuesdays with Chip * The hot rod family * Set-up logistics – The weirdness of wandering the SEMA Show floor on Sunday – From typhoon to fully-carpeted halls * Carson makes it happen * The Syndicate Series t-shirt boxes * The Engle Brothers slip into yet another episode * SEMA Show Zamboni adds to the ambiance * Judging the BASF best paint award with Chip Foose – Getting a private tour of Impostor * Chip’s C/28 * Strope’s Olds * The Speedkore carbon fiber Charger * The art of walking ten miles per day * The thunder of flip-flops and nylon bags   DON’T LIKE LISTENING? WATCH THIS EPISODE Check it out, with expanded coverage right here:  

COOL CARS AND SOME VERY NORMAL PEOPLE FROM THE LAND OF ED GEIN AND JEFFREY DAHMER. The Gearheads grabbed a few valuable minutes of pre-SEMA Show thrash time to sit with David Salvaggio and Lyle Brummer of Speedkore. To say that we walked in as fans of their work would be understandable. Walking out of the studio as fans of their character and knowledge, well, that’s a no-brainer. Fantastically fun, intelligent and humble guys who are pushing the envelope with technology to build some of the coolest cars out there. We dig into the business, the tech, the cars, and the carbon fiber in this informative, exciting and laid-back episode. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * The week-before-SEMA-Show thrash * The logistics of bringing five vehicles to the show – Last minute details and avoiding mishaps – Working with carbon fiber and the supply chain demands thereof * Discussing the early automotive influences of Dave and Lyle – Wisconsin is proving to be a fertile land for breeding hot rodders – David’s Grandfather came from Sicily in the early4-1900’s and built and raced cars at Indy (1929) * Lyle’s start in cars came later in life – Began with engineering and technology – Speedkore’s commitment to bringing in the next generation * On driving in snow – A pitch for the Jamaican Rally Car Team * The start of Speedkore –On building a scalable business model – The problem of sourcing and retaining talent – The benefits and advantages of carbon fiber parts and manufacturing them * Forays into the motion picture world – Providing cars for The Fast and Furious franchise * The Chris Evans Camaro – The Robert Downey Jr. connection * Return of cars as the great equalizer and common language * The great things about carbon fiber * A degree in Marketing VS working with your hands * Digging into the manufacturing and design process * On the value of experience over formal classroom time – Induction to the Society of Automotive Engineers on a fourth-grade education * Talking about the Evolution Charger that will debut next week at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas * A discussion of design and the tactile experience * Advice for up-and-coming designers  

TRENDSETTER, HALL OF FAME MEMBER AND ALL-AROUND NICE GUY ZANE CULLEN JOINS THE GEARHEADS. THEN WE CORRUPT HIM. The Gearheads spent the evening with our good friend Zane Cullen of Cotati Speed Shop. He’s a Goodguys Trendsetter, a Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame member, a father and husband. Zane is also a new product judge at the SEMA Show. And one of the three behind the Triple Gun of Excellence Award at GNRS alongside Darryl Hollenbeck and Charley Hutton. We dig deep into the science of running a successful hot rod shop, personnel management and horribly inappropriate jokes. And probably some other things we should have edited. Our lack of detail is your gain. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Conversation immediately goes all SEMA * Talking radical 1968 Camaros * Getting outside of the box of “expected” build styles * Getting deep into the HR aspect of running a shop – Finding the right personnel – The importance of communication – Balancing the talking with listening * Effective communication between shop and client * Evolution of a brand and a business plan * The genesis of the shop * The evolutionary process and continual improvement – Competing against yourself to raise the bar internally * Growing from two to sixteen team member – Thinning the herd to keep things manageable – Finding the “magic number” in the shop to keep things moving in the right direction – Maintaining a good staff – The importance of getting along – Keeping a focus on the work VS making things personal * On retaining a client base during the busy times * Finding a balance between directing and welcoming creative input – Building a complementary team of creative visionaries and detail-minded craftsmen * Working to manage egos and behaviors as well as work output * The importance of not forgetting the people involved on a project – Taking the good with the bad * Things go decidedly sexy * Brian tales his share of abuse this time * “You can’t spell TEAM without T-E-A…” * Appreciating your team and employees ONWARD TOWARD THE SEMA SHOW * Behind the scenes at SEMA, judging new products with Dave Tucci and Tim Strange – Having the opportunity to actually see the new products at a show dedicated to new products – Finding the worst of the rest – Brian develops the “Tick-Lock-Tach” – Alex investigates the market potential of a build sheet removal tool/kit – There may or may not have been discussion of a plot for an automotive-based heist film * It all goes terrifyingly sideways – The return of the “prison wallet” * Rounding up new clients for a shop * Remembering a client who recently passed * Round Six’s fresh spin on SEMA Show debuts – Trusting Brian’s creative vision  

TALKING MAGAZINES AND MORE WITH PHOTOGRAPHER ROBERT MCGAFFIN. The Gearheads spend an evening with Robert McGaffin. He’s an Automotive Photographer, industry good guy, friend and the Creative Director and co-Founder of Wheel Hub Magazine. From early days building and shooting model cars to school and a carer in Commercial Photography, Robert has some varied experience. Yet it all comes back to cars. The guys over at Robert’s latest venture, Wheel Hub Magazine have been gracious in extending an offer to listeners of the Round Six Podcast. Head on over to their website at www.wheelhubmag.com/roundsix and you’ll receive a two-for-one special. Huge thanks to them, and to you, our listeners for your support. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Growing up in Wisconsin – From puddle of goo to model glue * An early start shooting model cars with an Instamatic * From College to Commercial Photography * Burning dust with studio lighting * Astrophotography * Early influences * First trip to the SEMA Show * Favorite cars of all-time – Rad Rides’ Chicayne * Riffing on motorsports photography – Rally driving – Isle of Man TT * Really niche photography * Brian’s strange surgical history * Rob’s Steve Strope story * Brad takes a few more lumps * Robert’s ’65 Olds project * On the dynamics of print VS digital coverage * Launching Wheel Hub Magazine – Assembling the team – Creating the Beta – Developing the look – Selling ad space – The launch at GNRS * On keeping it fresh when shooting the same car multiple times for multiple publications * When a car owner wants nothing to do with a magazine * Making do and improvising on a shoot * On cameras and equipment * Teaching four-week photography programs * The importance of quality lenses over the latest and greatest camera body * Suggestions for beginning photographers – Happy accidents and learning on the fly * The forthcoming Round Six Massage Parlor editorial – Alex gets a new job description – A “full release” of pure disappointment * Things to look forward to at the SEMA Show

ALEX AND BRIAN JAM WITH JIMI. Brad was off on a top-secret mission at Steve Strope‘s place, and that left Alex and Brian to do their thing. It was the perfect time to grab a guest we’ve wanted to have on for some time, Jimi Day of FM3 Marketing. We’re just weeks out from the SEMA Show, and it was a nice, relaxing evening talking to one of the amazing people behind may of the absolutely mind-blowing automotive events which his company produces and promotes. If there’s any truth to the old adage of a podcast hitting its peak in their thirties, well, they’re starting off with a bang around here. Welcome to the big three-oh, kids. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Jimi on planning an event – The planning process for an event – The “event plan” – Moving from the event plan to the playbook * Jimi’s headband * The planning timeline * Search for the Ultimate Street Car * On building an NHRA-quality track on Woodward Avenue for a one-day event * Brian plots the Altamont of car events * On eliminating surprises and executing in the moment as necessary * On the old days of car shows VS the modern * From Imagine Motorsports and investment-grade restorations to driving cars – Preservation vs enjoyment * FM3 Road Trip Cars and Cones – The incredible concept behind the event – Sign up for 2019 at fm3roadtrip.com * How investment banking bred confidence * The gut/brain connection and how to utilize it * Getting outside of your comfort zone to create something new * Drive Auto X – Getting  people involved – All about seat time (12-14 runs per day!) – No more shagging cones * On exit strategies and economic indicators – Planning on the fly * The Pony Car Steeplechase Challenge is pitched For more information, or if you;re looking to create your own signature event, please reach out to Jimi and his amazing team at FM3marketing.com, or hit Jimi direct on email at jimi@fm3marketing.com. For information on the Drive Auto X program, please hit www.driveautox.com.

THE GEARHEADS GET INSPIRED BY STEVE STROPE. The Gearheads spend the evening talking with the always opinionated, always fascinating and extremely insightful Steve Strope of Pure Vision Design. We talked cars, bass guitar, Millennials and even splitting wood… And it all came back to a central point: Just get out there and do something. Steve isn’t one to mince words, and his motivational style is representative of his East Coast upbringing, which he and show host Brian share. From Summers mowing lawns to Winters spent shoveling, a kid learns to hustle. Steve has made that into an art form, applying that work ethic to the humblest of beginnings with his own shop. It’s not all fun and laughs, as the conversation gets a bit deep into family matters, adoption, health issues and more, but Steve’s impressive and contagiously positive attitude make for one heck of a learning experience. An incredible episode with a dynamic guest. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Steve on reality TV – His new show “Hand Built Hot Rods” – Joe Rogan’s Nova – “The fall of Camelot” * Talking projects in the shop * Where Millennials can send their job applications * Making the move to the West Coast from New York * The black Camaro that got Steve into cars * Growing up in a small town – A grammar school Road Runner art project – “This is my drug” * Cars are not a “phase” – Retaining the excitement * It all starts with BMX bikes – Steve’s vintage BMX bike collection * The power of great inspiration * Doing what you have to do – Building a car in a parking garage – “I wanted to bad enough” * Heading on power tour with a Kinko’s-made promo pack * Family life – On finding out he was adopted * Character-building stuff – Yard work and responsibility – Mowing the lawn as therapy – Porno crop circles * On music – Playing bass guitar – Starting with a short bass purchased by his Mom at a garage sale * Commuting from – Living next door to the beach house from Top Gun * A day in the life of Steve * Starting out – The struggles of sleeping where you build * On riding the “trend pony” – Personal pride in a build * Hot Rodding in Bill’s Eye in Street Rodder – Hot rods as the great social equalizer * Brad’s Grindr profile  

THE GEARHEADS TALK EVERYTHING HOT RODDING WITH BRIAN BRENNAN. The Gearheads sit down and talk all things street and hot rodding with Brian Brennan. As the man with fifty years at the helm of some of the leading magazines in the industry, he has a few tales to tell. Suffice to say, this one is loaded with incredible stories. We go deep into his experiences with legends like Pete Chapouris, Little John Buttera and more, and even get into the life lessons of hot rodding. Looking toward he future, we come to realize that the industry is doing just fine, and that the hobby is on the path it needs to be to keep kids involved… Even if they’re not into the same cars their parents may have been. Learning just what a positive and adaptable attitude Brian has, it’s easy to see why he has had such a successful career: His finger is squarely on the pulse. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * The four steps of the magazine business – Inform – Educate – Participate – Report * We talk about podcasting and what it means to the hot rod industry * Brian Brennan launches his podcast “Barn Finds with Brian Brennan” * Tales of Little John on the tenth anniversary of his passing – Road trippin’ with Buttera – Sleep all day, drive all night – On being self-taught – Starting the billet movement – The on-again/off-again Boyd/Brizio relationships – On the whole thing being about the people, not the cars * The hot rod thing and mortality – Brian shares some very personal insight * Tales of the Colorado State Trooper * Thirteen treks across the county in a roadster – People just want to talk cars * Brought into the business by Tex Smith * Naked street rodders (and drive-by moonings!) * Current and coming trends – On the popularity of classic trucks – Squarebody Chevy trucks – The resurgence of the pre-’49 cars * On shooting features – How social media has altered things – On shooting a feature at a show vs on-site * Choosing a favorite event * The Triple Crown of Rodding * Judging for national awards – Building the judging team – Moving from traditional “show cars” to hot rods in AMBR – On the return of chrome brake rotors * Opening the model year cut-off in Street Rodder Magazine * On a 300+ page issue of Street Rodder * On what the new trends may be * Why Brian’s screwdrivers are dipped in rubber * On the importance of paying dues as a car guy prior to writing about cars * On starting out as a muscle car/drag racing guy * Fodder for stories * Hot Rods as life skills – The fine art of bartering * The $1/gallon orange paint * Return of the return of the junk yard trawl * On retaining/inspiring youth involvement in the hobby and industry * The pennies-on-the-dollar hot rod resale market and how it’s actually bolstering the hobby * Brad’s Semaphore skills  

THE GEARHEADS TALK ENGINES WITH MIKE LEFEVERS. The Gearheads sit down and talk engines, Bonneville records and more with famed racing engine builder and machinist Mike Lefevers of Mitech Racing Engines. He’s  soft-spoken guy with some serious history. LeFevers was the Engine Development Director at Carroll Shelby Enterprises, spent five years in Gale Banks Engineering engine department, and was involved in the Buick Indianapolis program. He’s not only the Treasurer of Save the Salt and Secretary of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club, he’s also a life member of the latter. He is the LeFevers part of the Kugel/LeFevers 1992 Firebird, which was the first production-bodied automobile to exceed and set a record over 300 mph in 1999. And it has power windows. Just like Mike, it’s full of surprises.   THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Recreating the ’79 Kugel engine to reset the record * Mechanical injection and twin turbos on alcohol * Early beginnings with a ’56 Crown Vic… and no brakes * Losing eyebrows while tuning cars * On learning in the driveway * The value of reading what is pertinent to your interests * A foot in the door at Gale Banks Engineering * Being mentored by Wally Cartwright * Heading to Bonneville with Geisler * A very special Hanky-Panky * First runnings at Bonneville with Bruce Geisler * The Sundowner Corvette – 255 MPH in a stock-bodied ’68! * The first stock-bodied car to go 300MPH – The Kugel/LeFevers Firebird * Getting family involved – Working to get his sons into the 200 MPH Club * A record-breaking year at Bonneville Speed Week * SCCA and Trans Am involvement * Putting his own shop on hold * The Shelby years – Investigating the Chrysler V6 engine failures in the Shelby Can Am racing program – Started as an engine builder on the Cobra Continuation Series – Development of new heads (the aluminum VS iron head argument) – Developing, casting and building new 427’s – Working with Carroll Shelby – Shelby was more of a businessman than a tech guy – Lee Iacocca killed the Shelby DOHC 4V 427 Ford cylinder head program * Mike’s thoughts on the great engineering of the Ford 427 SOHC * On building small and big-block Chevy engines * The “idiot-proof” nature of the LS engine * Vipers and the recession – Development of dry-sump systems and intake manifolds – What is it with this guy and snakes?! * On gauging the health of the industry via your customer base * Modern tech VS old-school know-how * The importance of knowing the source of your research materials * Building the engine to the car

THE GEARHEADS UNWIND AND TALK SEMA, SPONSORSHIPS AND PROJECTS. AND BROWN DIAMONDS. Episode twenty-six goes all sorts of places as Brian, Brad and Alex discuss projects of the artistic and four-wheeled sort. They preview the SEMA Show, talk churros and racecar sponsorships, and then it all goes weird with kit car talk and celebrity tribute parts. It’s been a while since we just sat and talked, and thought it was a good time to lay back a bit prior to the buildup to SEMA madness.   THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Brian goes all “Show Host” * Brad talks streamliner sponsorships – The Salt-O-Masochist * PR disasters * A blurry blue lightning bolt – Terrible racecar sponsor team-ups – …and some memorable ones * Things that rhyme with “six piston” * “Don’t worry; it’s not you.” * Brian runs out of side effects * The SEMA preview, well, preview * Bacon-wrap and pumpkin spice all of the things. Except for the churros. * Alex’s ’64 Chevy project – Finding the truck – Then come the bees and spiders * Alex talks plumbing and wiring * Brad steals the truck and lowers it * How patina won on this truck * Checklists on a project – Brad calls back to his Dad’s el Camino * Customizing a car is a slippery slope * Restoration meets hot rodding * The joy of wiring and plumbing * Alex’s first project * The infamous 1969 Camaro * The lowest production number ’71 Camaro RS * The guys go all kit car * “The Lisper”

CATCHING UP WITH CHRIS JACOBS Episode twenty-five is a reunion of sorts on a few levels, as the Gearheads take a few minutes to catch up with a friend of the podcast, Chris Jacobs. An actor-turned television host, he’s most well-known in our industry and hobby from his work on Overhaulin’ with another good friend of the show, Chip Foose, as well as one of the roaming personalities at the Barrett-Jackson auctions. Boasting a variety of roles on TV shows like The X-Files, Two and a Half Men, and even V.I.P. with Pamela Anderson, where he played a surfing Doctor. Yeah the guy has done a lot of really cool stuff. He’s  blast to hang out with, and is just a genuine, good human and a true credit to the hobby. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Brian sings the praises of the TSP-7411XR Mk V FriendMaker telescope for “keeping in touch” * Things get litigious early in this episode * Whoring a podcast intro for all its worth * Long Lost Family enters its fourth season – The parallels between Long Lost Family and Overhaulin’ – Chris’ personal connection to the show – “It’s me without a hat” – How timing plays an important role in the show and in life * Inspired to enjoy cars via his brothers’ cars * Auditioning for the role of host on Overhaulin’ – Avoiding the drama – The freeing aspect of zero drama – From seven to twenty-nine episodes – On establishing a genre – The impact the show had on building a career * Hosting the on-site vehicle coverage at Barrett-Jackson – Another A-team entirely * The unforeseen dangers of a stolen car prank – A gun is pulled – “This is really real now” – Zero poop – The unflappable Chip – Loco Chip (“The Evil Gang of Solvang”) – A shout-out to Scott for not altering hot rod history * The 1987 Grand National – The magic radio * Chris’ GTX – 392 swap by Mark Worman and the crew at Graveyard Carz – To be auctioned at Brrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2020, with proceeds to benefit Special Operations Warrior Foundation – Chris’ sincere value of service personnel * The salad days of Chris’ acting career – Dr. “Banzai” Kovacs. IMDB it. – The joys of residual checks – On acting as a career with a fallback career in place * SEMA Show 2018  

BRAD FANSHAW SPENDS AN EVENING TALKING BRANDING, MARKETING AND ADVENTURE Episode twenty-four gets right into it with the man behind more cool stuff than you can shake a billet guitar at. Brad Fanshaw has launched action sports brands, managed the most well-known hot rod shop in the universe, and was the first to take an automotive aftermarket company public. He hosts a couple of well-known podcasts: Man Seeks Adventure (with Dave Marek and Heather Storm) and Shift and Steer (with co-hosts Aaron Hagar & Matt D’Andria; and formerly with the late Pete Chapouris), along with producing television shows like Car Warriors and The Car Chasers. The guys sit and talk marketing, branding, and the value of an experience and not simply having a product, as well as gleaning valuable tips and tricks for making the most of your SEMA Show experience. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Entomology, Shrek 4D and a Dorian Gray reference * Early VW influence once again surfaces on an episode * Brad’s first car – Having the fastest car in High School – Making twenty bucks street racing before homeroom – The vintage Pro Street parts stockpile * A sidetrack leads to gold Moroso valve covers * Memories of header installs – Accessory bracket spacers – The joys of constant re-torquing * Brad’s orange thing * It all starts with BMX in our industry – The freedom of transport and self-expression * Running ABA and organizing Nationals – The joys of running a front loader – The Orange Fairgrounds incident – Blame it on the monster truck guys * Being “productively destructive” * Taking Vision Street Wear from $10M to $125M in five years – Genesis of The X Games – Running the largest television production company in Orange County – From action sports to a Boyds clothing line * Cadzilla leaves the shop, Brad comes in * Building the Hot Rods by Boyd empire – The value of first-class marketing in a new frontier – Laying the groundwork to bring in investment capital – Reaching outside of the automotive world to retain the hot rod spirit * Brian proposes a Virtual Reality Venture Capital pitch * Starting a watch company SUPER-BONUS TIPS FOR MARKETING YOURSELF/YOUR SHOP AT THE SEMA SHOW: * The value of technology/technique sharing * Building the Starbucks of the hot rod world – The experience of being a part of something absolutely huge – Recalling when Brian bought his first Hot Rods by Boyd t-shirt – Adapting the action sports approach to the “Boyd look” – The Boyd Zone Tour – Creating an atmosphere versus buying a product – The creative atmosphere at Boyd’s during the Chip era * From Vaynerchuk to Spicoli in one deft swoop * Building a hot rod-themed billet guitar for Michael Anthony of Van Halen – Presenting the guitar at the Hard Rock – Grabbing press via Tim Allen on Leno * Tips for marketing and branding aimed at the small shop – How to gain maximum exposure at SEMA – Influence potential sponsor companies

JF LAUNIER BREAKS THE RULES… AND HAS SOME PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE OF HIM Episode twenty-three heads to The Great White North and drags JF Launier back like a felled case of Labbatt Blue. JF is a long-time friend of Brian’s, and brings his outstanding, catchy spirit of what hot rodding really is to the podcast. Who else can say that they’ve built a Ridler Award winner and then done donuts in Cobo Hall with it? Or driven it at the Optima Ultimate Street Car Challenge? No one that we know outside of this JF guy. Aside from a veritable metric ton of Canadian references to get the show rolling, it all goes onto mind-blowingly cool territory with a guy who just gets it. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * An almost uncomfortable trip North of the border * Brian and JF hint at current projects * Talking Detroit debuts – The new rules regarding any pre-show coverage of debut cars – The risks involved with social media involvement vs keeping a new car “secret” until the show opens – JF’s personal experience with leaked images and the Ridler judging rules – Having a rule put in place to ban tire-smoking donuts on the show floor because, well… JF * Where passion rules the project * Not building cars but being the steward to someone’s dream * The Kaiser build – Learning along the way – Innovating and persevering – Showing up at GNRS with a Kaiser – Spitting the pinion out of the car – Jeep Liberty headlamps, and where to use them * French-Canadians and the art of cursing * Beating the heck out of a Ridler-winning car * The ’55 Chrysler Phantom Wagon – Installing the wood headliner and clocking screws – Being an Jack-of-all-trades on a project out of necessity * “Car Club Night” – Offering a chance to “lease the shoes of an Olympic athlete” – A group effort – Learning by doing * “Rivision” – A team effort that bred priceless friendships and memories – When group participation trumps magazine coverage – The only Ridler winner to not be featured in Hot Rod Magazine or Street Rodder Magazine – The helping hand at Rad Rides – Being an ambassador to hot rodding – Pushing 150MPH in a Ridler-winning car  – Post Barrett-Jackson Cup Hijinks – The Symphony of boost – The sound effect stylings of JF * Doing donuts in Cobo Hall with Chip Foose in the passenger seat * Scaring Jacques Villeneuve with a Buick * Nature time with Alex: The Plecostomus * Acadian VS Nova * Drifting in the snow * Re-return of the Aquarius wheel * A well-endowed giraffe * Eric’s bad taste in wheels * Canadian Tire gets an open invite to sponsor this mess * “The Canadian Ballet”  

KEVIN OESTE HOPS ABOARD THE MIGHTY ROUND SIX FREIGHT TRAIN Episode twenty-two of the podcast that shouldn’t have brings it all next-level with the always awesome, always friendly and super-prolific Kevin Oeste of V8 Speed & Resto Shop, V8TV, and Muscle Car of the Week. And his team just broke 50,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel. If that doesn’t make you feel lazy by comparison, he’s also the face on many promo videos for aftermarket companies and the host of SEMA Central at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. …and he likes Buicks. And knows his kuchen. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * A regrettable but damned funny innuendo-loaded intro * Kevin’s awesome media presence * A terribly naughty pee joke * Kevin and Brian film at SEMA – Round Six’s Brian was the first guest on the V8 Radio podcast! * Kevin’s background in radio – How he and Mike Clark teamed-up on their podcast * Superfans gone wild * Early automotive influences * Riding along with Dad in the Police cruiser * The importance of engaging the youth in our hobby and industry – Moving beyond the car show to the movement; getting kids INTO cars literally * The difference between ours and the next generation – The aspect of personal safety is pushing kids away from hot rodding * Today’s technology is magical * Flat Earth theory… It’ll make sense * Engineering in the face of legislation * Oeste’s involvement in SEMA * Working with Hot Rod Magazine * The different missions of people at the SEMA Show – The recurring theme of the importance of interpersonal relationships * Recognizing the value of your own business or production * C0-hosting the SEMA Hall of Fame banquet with Jessi Combs – On inducting his hero Ed Pink * “Don’t screw this up, stupid” * Giving thanks for being a friend * “Old cars make new friends” * Return of the Vantheon! – The $300 Dodge van * Celebrating the success of your colleagues * Brian plots his tattoo – Two sleeves and a back battle – The Star Wars front gets weird * The Buick thing * “The Sewer Sniffer” Skylark * Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals * All the latest goings-on in the V8 Speed and Resto Shop

MAX FISH DROPS IN ON THE PODCAST Episode twenty-one swims far into the mind of Max Fish, renaissance man. Known far and wide for his engineering and design prowess in the world of air suspension design (heck, he’s writing THE book on the subject), he’s also an accomplished builder, painter and artist in his own right. Hosting one of the most entertaining feeds on social media, he’s the kind of guy who can tickle your brain in the most fascinating of ways, and we spent an evening talking all manner of things. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Neil DeGrasse Tyson and the 2-link * Working as a “boutique-style” shop * The genesis of The Air Suspension Design book – Humble beginnings with a Street Source and “Ask Max” – His column in MiniTruckin’ (ties to former guest Mike Alexander) – From notebook to complete book * Inspiration from a tattoo sketch book * Going from stock to “more stock” – A non-racing suspension book – Notes on where the book is at, completion-wise * Teaching the engineering of suspension design * Growing up as a “yard sale” of a kid – Dad had a long list of hobbies – Groomed to figure things out * Escape From Anza… to Hemet * On wanting to be a mechanic * The difference between “stocker” and “stalker” explained * Turning down a job on a race team to work at Target, and the reasons why * Owning a shop – Partnerships, going it alone * The joys of driving a slammed VW and living on a dirt road – The recurring theme of BMX to VW’s and minis * Timeless design – Working to honor history, yet redefine it * Cadzilla as inspiration * Design by the eye * The importance of the eye over the tape measure * Growing up next to Dick Dean’s shop * Friendship with Larry Watson * Baffling the paint experts * Getting into the arts – Painting as an escape from car overload – The Brewery in LA – Fine Art and Lowbrow – The joy of juxtaposing elements – Letting go and just creating for the sake of pushing the envelope * Drop spindle talk * The proliferation of the Pinto/Mustang II suspension * Grade-8 nails (left-hand thread, naturally) * The Dunning-Kruger effect and cognitive bias in 2-link people

CHIP FOOSE HANGS OUT AND TALKS STORY WITH THE GEARHEADS Episode twenty goes all-out like a lacquer thinner-soaked rag on a fresh candy-painted Lamborghini Miura hood. The gearheads found a couple of hours to sit with the busiest man on Earth, Chip Foose, and talk everything from cars to cuisine, bikes to Brian’s fan fiction and everything in-between. Please excuse the slight technical glitches in this episode. We were plagued by sun spot, aliens or perhaps an alternate-dimensional rift. Chip Foose is the kind of a guy that defines what a hot rodder or car nut should be. He’s experienced not only a rich family history in the industry, but having made his mark in virtually every aspect of it; a true renaissance man of the car world if there ever was one. We dig a bit deep, and find Chip to be not only the fascinating guest we had expected, but an unexpectedly open, passionate about his craft, and downright fun. THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: * Humble beginnings – Working in his Dad’s shop – Customizing bikes * The AMT days – The Ala Kart * Alex Tremulis inspiration * Chip’s bicycle fixation – The hunt for original, pre-teen Foose-built Huffy customs * The bike caught in the midst of a legal battle Chip’s design ends up in bike lore limbo * Chip finds design at seven years of age – Chip’s Dad Sam inspires him via his art – Expressing the Foose look at eleven years of age – “If you can’t make it good, make it gaudy” * Chip Foose quote memes gone wild * Flush glass in a first-gen F-body – The first Pro-Touring car * The Engle Brothers find a way into the episode * Chip’s new ’67 C-10 project – Throwing ideas * The Imposter Impala – The sheer number of hours invested will floor you – Chip and Brian compare Ridler Great-8 notes – Chip’s keys to figuring proportion – Cutting up a brand-new Corvette – Airbag recall on a ’65 Impala? – Making a hot rod from a brand-new car – From driver to Ridler winner – The best/worst two-inch square determines the winner * On going 180-degrees from trendy * Pillows in the backseat – It sounds like a Tim McGraw song for a reason * Chip’s involvement with the Progeria Research Foundation – Chip’s sister Amy continues to inspire – The annual poker tournament/car show – John Stamos finds legend status among the Gearheads – Clinical trial progression * Life lessons at ten years old – Learning to respect * Chip’s first car – Inadvertently bought his sister’s car * The GTi and San Marcos Pass * The art of flipping cars * Overhaulin’ and over-workin’ – Chip ruins the rendering game * On having zero time to build a SEMA car – Six weeks of work forty hours, sleep eight, repeat – The joys of sleeping on your feet * Swapping stories * Chip’s first day at Kindergarten * Disney and Cars Land * Chip’s favorite food at Art Center * Worst. Outro. Ever. More information on the Progeria Research Foundation: The Progeria Research Foundation website: www.progeriaresearch.org