TMCP #641: Scott Bowers – Ron Francis Wiring – Wiring a Hot Rod the Right Way
Scott Bowers from Ron Francis Wiring returns to The MuscleCar Place to talk about the art—and reality—of wiring hot rods the right way. With decades of experience helping builders bring everything from garage projects to award-winning show cars to life, Scott shares why thoughtful wiring design makes all the difference. Instead of generic “universal” kits, Ron Francis Wiring focuses on engineered systems built around real-world setups, ensuring builders get harnesses that make sense and actually work the way they should.
Along the way, Scott shares behind-the-scenes stories from the SEMA Show, dives into the surprising rise of the Ford Crown Victoria as a hot-rodding platform, and busts one of the most common electrical myths in the hobby—why installing a high-amp alternator won’t “overcharge” your system. It’s a fun and practical conversation filled with real-world tech knowledge that every builder—from first-time project owners to seasoned fabricators—can appreciate.
K&F Show #359: Spring Break Confusion, “This Week vs Next Week” // Dukes VIDEO Review S1E7 “Luke’s Love Story”
In Episode 359 of The Kibbe & Friends Show, the guys head back to The Dukes of Hazzard Season 1 with a review of Episode 7, “Luke’s Love Story.” The story centers around the annual Hazard County Obstacle Derby, where Luke enters the General Lee against a new challenger — Amy Creevy and her black Mustang, “Lucifer.” The episode blends racing, romance, and sabotage as Amy’s jealous ex-boyfriend attempts to take her out of the race while Luke struggles with his own misguided ideas about relationships. The result is a strange mix of love story and demolition-style stock car racing that only early-season Dukes could deliver.
Despite the awkward romance storyline, the crew finds plenty to enjoy in the episode thanks to the racing action and early California production style. The Hazard Derby delivers some great car footage, including the General Lee battling through the obstacle course and plenty of raw stunt driving that helped define the show’s early seasons. Rob, Corndog, and Bernie also dig into behind-the-scenes details, including the surviving Georgia-built General Lees still being used during these early California episodes and the unique cars created for the race. In the end, the episode earns mixed reactions from the crew, but the racing and stunt work keep it memorable for Dukes fans.
K&F Show #358: Dallas Late Model Racing, and the 4AM Smoke Alarm Disaster // Dukes VIDEO Review S1E6 “Swamp Molly”
In typical K&F fashion, things quickly spiral into chaos. Rob gets woken up at 4 AM by a smoke alarm only to discover water pouring out of it thanks to an upstairs bathroom flood. Bernie delivers weather with the energy of a town historian reading a plaque, the guys run through another round of Celebrity Automotive Ancillary Birthday, and a brutally accurate job-interview PSA reminds everyone that some people really do belong in the HR complaint file. Rob also shares a proud dad update as Dallas gets seat time in a late model on slicks, learning one of racing’s biggest lessons: smooth inputs, tire management, and the reality that when the grip goes away… you just learn to work with it.
For the Dukes Review, the crew heads back to Season 1, Episode 6 — “Swamp Molly.” This episode marks the beginning of the crisp California look many fans associate with the show. When old family friend Swamp Molly calls in a favor from Uncle Jesse, the Dukes agree to help run what they believe is moonshine — only to discover the cargo is actually a truckload of illegal firearms. The episode delivers classic early-season action including an ice cream truck disguise, swamp landings, Rosco’s outrage at “un-American” crime, and plenty of General Lee driving. The guys also dive into production details like early General Lee quirks, background car spotting, and the raw stunt work that made the early seasons feel so authentic.
TMCP #639: Jason Noel – Fat Fender Garage, The 20-Year Overnight Success
Jason Noel, founder of Fat Fender Garage in Gilbert, Arizona, joins us this week with a story that’s less about horsepower at the beginning — and more about perseverance. Jason didn’t grow up chasing race cars. He was a finish carpenter by trade, building doors and crown molding before the 2008 housing collapse wiped out his business and forced a complete reset. What came next wasn’t a hobby gone wild — it was a deliberate rebuild. One old truck led to another, then to customer builds, then to something much bigger than he ever planned.
Today, Fat Fender Garage is a full-scale restoration shop specializing in classic Ford and Chevy trucks, known especially for early Ford F-100s and modern Coyote swaps. Along the way, Jason learned that if he wanted the quality and timelines his customers expected, he’d have to take control of the process. That meant bringing paint, upholstery, parts manufacturing, and now even chassis production in-house. What started as flipping a few trucks for fun has grown into a 75-person operation building high-end custom vehicles and engineered components designed to compete at the top of the industry.
In this episode, Jason shares the hard lessons from early customer builds, the philosophy behind vertical integration, why he chose to compete directly with established chassis manufacturers, and how telling the real story — wins and failures alike — became the backbone of Fat Fender’s marketing success. If you’re into classic trucks, modern restomods, or the realities of scaling a business in the automotive aftermarket, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
K&F Show #357: Duvall Tribute, Dallas Takes 3rd in Nationals, and Daytona Drama! // Dukes VIDEO Review S1E5 “High Octane”
This episode of The Kibbe & Friends Show delivers a full Phase 4 blend of heart, horsepower, and Hazzard County as we celebrate the life of Robert Duvall, recap Dallas Kibbe Racing’s latest national event run, and dive headfirst into one of the strongest early Georgia-era Dukes episodes ever made — Season 1, Episode 5: “High Octane.”
Before we get to Hazzard, the guys reflect on the passing of Robert Duvall and his unforgettable presence in automotive cinema — especially Days of Thunder. From Daytona 500 reactions to racing rule debates and short track chaos, Rob brings a full Dallas Kibbe Racing update, including brake failures, podium finishes, and real-world racing lessons from a five-day national event. It’s real racing talk mixed with the usual KF nonsense.
Then it’s time for the Dukes Review — and “High Octane” might just be the Georgia-era sleeper hit. Uncle Jesse breaks probation for patriotic reasons (moonshine-as-fuel, naturally), Boss Hogg plots to steal the credit, and we get introduced to Sweet Tilly — Jesse’s legendary moonshine-running Ford LTD. Add in one of the hardest early-season General Lee jumps ever filmed (over a semi on Georgia Highway 20), a one-episode revenue agent, and some serious Charger nerd deep-dives from Corndog, and you’ve got an episode that reminds everyone why the Georgia-filmed shows just hit differently.
The guys break down:
• The semi-truck jump and which General Lee likely paid the price
• Georgia filming locations and production details
• The debut of Sweet Tilly
• Early Boss & Rosco Laurel-and-Hardy chemistry
• Why this episode feels like the true send-off to the Georgia era
It’s vintage Dukes storytelling with modern car-guy commentary —
exactly what Phase 4 was built for.
Kibbe & Friends Show #350: 2025 Christmas Spectacular with the Griswolds // Car Movie Review: Christmas Vacation – The Gift that Keeps on Giving the Whole Year!
Episode 350 is a Christmas-season milestone for The Kibbe & Friends Show, and the guys deliver exactly what the week before Christmas calls for: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation with all the extra flavor only K&F can add. Rob, Corndog, and Bernie celebrate the “small block Chevy” episode number, clink moose mugs, share the good news that Holley is back for 2026, and recap a successful Toys for Tots push—setting the table for a holiday episode that feels equal parts tradition, gratitude, and pure fun.
From there, the crew dives into why Christmas Vacation still works no matter how many times you’ve seen it. They talk about aging from Rusty into Clark Griswold, revisit the scenes that still make them laugh every single time, and swap favorite moments that prove it’s not about the plot—it’s about delivery, timing, and how real the chaos feels. Along the way, they sprinkle in car-guy details, Vacation lore, and a killer behind-the-scenes nugget about a scripted ending that never made the final cut. If this movie is part of your yearly ritual, this episode will make you want to queue it up again as soon as the show ends.
K&F Show #345: SEMA 2025, Road Coarse Racing, and Matthew McConaughey // Car Movie Review – 40th Anniversary of Back to the Future!
SEMA 2025 delivered one of the most electric weeks the KF crew has had in years—and Rob, Corndog, and Bernie break it all down in Episode 345 of The Kibbe & Friends Show. From jaw-dropping builds like the Ringbrothers’ futuristic Aston Martin to the return of real-deal ’60s–’90s muscle across Central Hall, the guys dive into everything that made this year’s show unforgettable. Rob also shares his wild post-SEMA detour to Atlanta, where Dallas tackled his first-ever road course race in the Moonshine Series—with delays, crashes, segmented cautions, and a hard-earned breakthrough behind the wheel.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future, the episode finishes with a full replay of the very first BTTF review the guys ever recorded—an episode their team says “made the ensemble click.” It’s the perfect mix of SEMA chaos, racing stories, and time-travel nostalgia… plus the kickoff of their annual Toys for Tots fundraiser with the U.S. Marine Corps. Dive in and enjoy the ride!
K&F Show #344: Dallas Races and the KF Show Hits Vegas for SEMA 2025! Dukes of Hazzard Review: S1E12 “Route 7-11”
The crew heads to Las Vegas for SEMA 2025, bringing with them plenty of laughs, chaos, and one classic Dukes of Hazzard re-review: Season 1, Episode 12, “Route 711.” With Rob and Bernie on the ground (and Corndog holding down the home front), the team dives into the gambling-themed episode that mirrors their Vegas backdrop—complete with Bo and Luke unknowingly hauling a rolling casino, Uncle Jesse turning card-shark, and Cooter pulling strings behind the scenes. The guys also reveal some big updates for Kibbe and Friends: live Patreon broadcasts moving to a new platform, new YouTube plans for 2026, and the behind-the-scenes grind of capturing interviews across SEMA’s sprawling show floor.
From there, it’s full-throttle storytelling—Dallas Kibbe’s run at the Legends Asphalt Nationals, a turbocharged Holley feature, and a round of movie-car trivia that somehow loops Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Cars’ Lightning McQueen into the mix. Add in Bernie’s trademark “news you didn’t ask for” (rogue monkeys and all), and you’ve got another classic K&F blend of cars, culture, and comedy. It’s Vegas lights, Georgia dirt, and General Lee nostalgia rolled into one big laugh-filled episode.
K&F Show #343: Bernie’s Birthday and a General Lee Giveaway (Maybe)? // Car Movie Review: “Speed Zone” – the Lost John Candy Flick!
The Kibbe and Friends Show returns with Episode 343 — and this one’s full of laughs, nostalgia, and big ideas. Rob, Corndog, and birthday boy Bernie celebrate his 65th with a mix of humor and heartfelt chaos while rediscovering Speed Zone — the almost-forgotten “Cannonball Run III” starring John Candy. Between movie trivia and behind-the-scenes banter, the crew keeps the laughs rolling as only they can.
Meanwhile, Rob gears up for Dallas Kibbe’s first Las Vegas race weekend, with the No. 13 car back on track at The Bullring before heading into the Asphalt Nationals. It’s a huge test for the season, and listeners get an inside look at prep, pressure, and the thrill of competition. And then comes a bold idea — could Kibbe and Friends actually host a General Lee giveaway? Not confirmed, but the possibility is on the table. Would you want in? Tune in to find out — available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube!
K&F Show #342: Rise of AI Corndog! Surviving General Lees, Lost VINs, and a Vintage Chat with Bo Duke Himself, John Schneider!
What happens when Corndog takes a week off and his digital twin takes over? You get AI Corndog — a surprisingly sarcastic, eerily accurate clone that somehow knows every surviving General Lee by VIN number and still manages to roast Bernie mid-sentence. In this week’s episode, Rob and Bernie navigate a wild mix of technology, nostalgia, and good ol’ car talk as they lock in SEMA 2025 plans, revisit a few listener voicemails that should’ve stayed buried, and share behind-the-scenes updates on Dallas’s race prep for Las Vegas.
But the real horsepower hits in the back half of the show with a Patreon-exclusive deep dive into the surviving screen-used General Lees, guided by the encyclopedic mind of Corndog himself. Then, for dessert, the guys crack open a vintage interview with John Schneider — a fan-favorite throwback where Bo Duke talks about filming the final jumps, correcting paint mistakes on the reunion cars, and the hidden realities of life on set. It’s equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and totally “Hazzard.”