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Tag: national parts depot

TMCP #401: The Best Car Buying Trips Ever with NPD’s Rick Schmidt

This weeks episode features a full show dedicated to a catch up on e-mails as well as our popular “Ask Rick” segment to discuss the two best things in car life: road trips, and buying cars on road trips!

That led to the discussion of purchasing two of his dream cars as well; his ’67 GTO and his 1969 Boss 429 Mustang. In the case of the Boss, it was his lifelong dream car. He had a feeling that prices were only going up so he borrowed some cash from his sister and put the deal together. Listen in to find out how prophetic that decision was….for both the GTO and the Boss!

TMCP #389: AMC Expert Wayne Davis on Rare AMX’s and his Mark Donahue Trans Am Javelin Replica; NPD’s Ask Rick, The Ebb and Flow of The Restoration Market and Cool Mid 60’s Thunderbirds

Feature Interview: In this episode I spoke AMC muscle car expert, friend, and former article writer, Wayne Davis. It has been many years since Wayne was on the show so I wanted to catch up on life, cars, and fun! Wayne was attracted to AMC muscle cars at a young age through a relative and has developed a reputation for performing highly detailed restorations on them over the years. His portfolio of previous projects include some of the most rare optioned vehicles of the line. His current project though is his favorite so far: a highly accurate AMC Javelin Mark Donohue Trans Am tribute car, complete with period AMC race engine. Unlike his other restorations, this is a car he has no problem driving and taking to the track! The car is loud, fast, obnoxious, and gets attention wherever it goes.

On this edition of Ask Rick: I asked the long wondered listener question of “Is your hold music from the Dudley Moore movie, Arthur?” He did not immediately know, but we will find out in the next episode!

On a more serious note, one listener did want to know whether the aftermarket industry has experienced a downturn this year, and whether NPD has seen that as well. He hasn’t seen that for NPD and we discussed the attributing factors.

TMCP #386: Mike Fadel of Streetside Classics; Consigning Cars and Beating the Auctions – Ask Rick; Is There Value of Having Your Car Judged?

In this episode I spoke once again to friend of the show Mike Fadel, Director of Sales and Consignments at Streetside Classics. Streetside has made a major impact for both buyers and sellers of collector cars, muscle cars and otherwise by going strictly consignment and by utilizing massive amounts of data to fine tune where cars cab be bought and sold. And….it’s working! In just the last few years they’ve been growing at a rapid rate and I wanted to see if he could give me the hottest look at what 2019 holds.

Ask Rick: On this edition of Ask Rick Rick shared the final results from the recent AACA show in Ocala and regarding the judging of his 1955 Pontiac Star Chief  specifically. He told me it passed with no issues! He went on to say that prior to AACA judging he did correct quite a few things with the car and he would be proud to enter it even into a Pontiac specific show. The vehicle specific shows are a bit different than AACA since the people that judge are specialists in those cars specifically where an AACA judge has a breadth of knowledge regarding all makes and models. The AACA shows do a great job of judging overall quality of a vehicle as a collector car and is something to look for when purchasing a car.

TMCP #385: Gray Fredrick of Advanced Fuel Dynamics, A Simple Way To Get Affordable E85 Power with an E85 Engine Tune! – 2019 Pro-Touring Kickoff with Larry Callahan

In this episode I spoke to Gray Fredrick, the sales director for Advanced Fuel Dynamics. AFD’s entire goal is to maximize the affordable power-adder benefit available in E85 fuel…but without the need for an E85 specific engine tune. Why? Because E85 fuel is an inconsistent blend pump-to-pump and state to state. With that said however, they have found a way to let the ECM do the job needed to gain that happy wonderful octane supplement  and this discussion is all about that very process. The OEM’s have found a way to utilize E85 well enough with fuel economy in mind….but performance is the objective of AFD.

TMCP #383: Auction Insights! Bret Voelkel from Ride Tech at Barrett Jackson, and NPD’s Ask Rick Segment on the Growth of Mecum

This episode marks a fun trip to the January auctions! Our intrepid show producer Bernie McPartland was our man on the scene at Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale Arizona and while there caught up with Bret Voelkel of RideTech. To follow up with that, we had Rick Schmidt on to get his opinion on the auction world as a whole, both from a marketing perspective for NPD and as a buyer and seller of cars. I also really wanted his opinion on the higher-than-normal sales prices of “Resto-mod” Corvettes at the Barrett Jackson auction (which he does watch annually) vs their fully restored counterparts. 

TMCP #380: Mike Gehri, Racing Cars as a Hobby To Develop Racing Games As a Profession, NPD’s Ask Rick: His Approach to Marketing, Goals, and Restoration Projects

Happy 2019! This episode marks the very first of another new year, so this month we’ll talk about goals for the year as well as to take an inspiring look at people enjoying the hobby or business of the world of muscle cars in new and unique ways. This particular installment featured Mike Gehri who is enjoying both the business and hobby side of our world, but not in a way we’ve seen before. Mike is the graphic artist and game developer behind the software company Beer Money Games, the business behind the wildly successful game Demolition Derby 2.!

TMCP #374: The Green Hornet Turns 100 (MPH)-Jacob Davis Does the Cannonball Run; Ask Rick – Trends in Unrestored Driver Cars

This weeks interview is with friend of the show Jacob Davis. You should remember him from previous episodes #311 and #334 where he detailed his journey to obtaining his dream job at Hot Rod Magazine! Since that time Jacob has quickly made a name for himself and is enjoying the rewards of his efforts. As a result of this he now runs into many people in his travels, some of whom offer him interesting and unique propositions. The story that follows is the result of one of these conversations. Please note the word “allegedly” is used (a lot) in this show.

TMCP #372: Feature with Colin Date, National Parts Depot’s all new Director of Marketing!

n this episode of the show our guest is Mr. Colin Date, the all new Director of Marketing for National Parts Depot! Colin has been around restoration parts industry and automotive media business for 20 years and is no stranger to the ups, downs, people, and passions that make it all go round. He and NPD’s Rick Schmidt new each other, had interacted quite a bit, and had a mutual respect for years. He is an all around car guy, not tied to any one specific brand (i.e. all muscle cars are good muscle cars, and loves the whole classic car culture!

TMCP #371: Rob Dumovic, Chasing Upside Down Speed Dreams – Ask Rick, The Inside Scoop on AACA Judging

Today’s show is with Rob Dumovic, instructor from Executive Flyers Aviation. He is also the host of a podcast about aviation Plane Talk Podcast. I wanted him on the show to discuss his big goals in life and how he is chasing them.

Rob told me his big goals are to be a world class aerobatic pilot, a top level air show performer, and to the join Red Bull Air race. These goals in aviation are saying you are going to drive at top level Nascar or be a famous movie star. He is aiming for the very top levels of the sport.