TMCP #503: Ask Rick – All Electric C8 Corvette’s vs Investing In Blue Chip Classic Muscle Cars!
Happy May! Rick Schmidt is back again for an all new Ask Rick segment, this time devoted to the future of new American performance cars …. specifically the Corvette and the Mustang. Both of those iconic cars have a new “electric” version available along with an amazing gasoline variant….at least for now. American buying habits started changing long before the high gas prices and inflation surges we are experiencing now. As Rick pointed out, in the case of the Mustang (the “Mach-E” SUV, specifically) it’s only crime is bringing many new first-time customers to Ford! At the same time, it would appear that the gasoline powered Camaro’s, Challengers, and Chargers are all on borrowed time. What does the future hold?
TMCP #494: Ask Rick – Valentine’s Day, Next Gen Mustang, Let’s Make a Deal on a Classic Car
Love is in the air and Valentines day is upon us. This time on Ask Rick, we dive into a subject we love …. and that is (potentially) buying more old gasoline powered classic cars. Rick recently attended the Kissimmee Mecum auction with good intentions of bidding on a few examples. He remarked that the prices were huge and the numbers blew right past what he planned on and kept skyrocketing. In previous episodes Rick said he believes that gas powered collectible cars will go up in value as new options start to dwindle being replaced by silent electric offerings.
TMCP #491: Setting Big Achievable Goals for 2022; Ask Rick – His Approach for Restoring (or Buying) Cars in the 2020’s!
Happy New Year! It’s time to start of the year with some new goals for yourself, and to start the year with another great Ask Rick with another thought provoking question, “Would you do a complete restoration on a car you really want or wait until you find a great survivor?”
TMCP #488: Ask Rick, Unrestored Originals vs Full Boat Restorations; SEMA Special #4 -Paul Lee, McLeod Buys SilverSport -Joe Rock, Retro Manufacturing, New Tech Radios in Old Classic Styling
It is the first week of December and the Holiday Season is HERE! It is also time for another great Ask Rick segment! This time he answers the question of which to pursue as a purchase, a great restoration or a well preserved survivor car.
SEMA Bonus: McLeod Clutches acquires Silversport Transmissions, Retro Radios put the vintage back into to modern digital radios (and even the boxes)!
TMCP #480: Ask Rick – To SEMA or NOT To SEMA? That is the Question!
It is October and time for the spooky boys and girls to get their costumes ready for some trick or treating fun! It is also time for another impactful and insightful Ask Rick segment with our friend Rick Schmidt. In this episode we broach the exciting topic of what exactly is Rick’s favorite candy bar? Other topics include the upcoming SEMA show attendance and why the 1993 Ford Mustang Cobra R model is so sought after.
TMCP #474: Ask Rick – The True Price of FREE Shipping of Restoration Parts!
It is August, time for football to resume, and time for another no holds barred Ask Rick interview with Rick Schmidt! This time (in addition to another fun nitpick through eBay car listings) we delved into the topic of “free shipping.” Even further, the actual costs of shipping and receiving of large orders, small orders, freight orders, damage returns, and the like. You may be shocked to hear it….but the “free shipping” on those parts you bought online didn’t actually have a free ANYTHING!
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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 #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 # 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 #462: Ask Rick – 60’s and 70’s Personal Luxury Cars, eBay Values, and the Rise and Fall of ASC – American Sunroof Corp
It’s the first show of April, and once again time for our monthly Ask Rick segment with Rick Schmidt! This time I wanted to know more about the unusual and rare vehicles in his collection. On our family trip to Florida we had a chance to stop in at NPD and were shown around the incredible collection that Rick and his father have amassed over the years. The “personal luxury car” segment of giant Buicks, Olds, Lincolns, and Fords is second to none….but the 1987 Firebird that really caught my eye was produced by a huge company in the 1980’s that is nothing but a memory today!