TMCP #429: The Real Scoop with NPD’s Rick Schmidt: How Will The Covid-19 Shutdown Affect The Automotive Restoration Business Economy?
Happy May 2020! With some of the country starting to re-open I thought that this episode would be appropriate for a special edition all “Ask Rick” show with Rick Schmidt from NPD. Rick’s monthly segment has been highly popular with so many of you due to his straightforward approach to all questions asked, and I specifically wanted to hear how COVID-19 is affecting the automotive aftermarket and restoration economy. The short answer is…things aren’t exactly as you think they might be!
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TMCP #419: Ryan Brutt, The Auto Archaeologist, A Deep Dive Into Finding Forgotten Cars – Pro-Touring Update, Big Red Camaro and RJ Gottlieb special interview
This week is a returning fan favorite friend of the show, Ryan Brutt. It is always great talking to Ryan and in this interview he does an even deeper dive into how he finds cars and yet still protect the owners from the endless calls that his pictures would definitely generate.
Ryan has long had a love of cars and a great joy in the hunt of hidden automotive treasures. His quest has led to meeting many people and helping a great majority of them to either start the restoration they have put off for year, or sell it to a worthy buyer who will treat it with respect and love.
This episode of the Pro-Touring update is a great interview with RJ Gottlieb discussing everything Big Red Camaro related. I previously interviewed RJ five years ago in Episode 253 and I knew we had to do it again. RJ covers rebuilding the car and even previous to that, the evolution from stock vehicle to full tube frame chassis and Nascar parts.
TMCP #410: Tim Kollasch from Aluma – Perfecting Car Hauling with Iowa Made Aluminum Lightweight Trailers – Ask Rick, Debunking the “Impending Demise” of Hot Rods and Classic Muscle Cars
This weeks show is with Tim Kollasch from Alumna Trailers, an Iowa company that makes arguably the best aluminum car trailers on the market for collectors, enthusiasts, and gearheads likes us! They pioneered many of the designs that are now common place, have quality open, tilt, and enclosed trailers, and do so with all aluminum designs that stand the test of time without rusting out in the first 5 years!
TMCP #409: Go Big or Go Home: Fast Freddies Hellcat Powered ’69 Road Runner Pro-Touring Beast; Larry Callahan with the SEMA Pro-Touring Update
This episode presented by Title Sponsor National Parts Depot! https://www.npdlink.com
This weeks show is with Fred Kappus, owner of Fast Freddies Rod Shop in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Fred’s shop is campaigning a stellar ’69 Road Runner called “Hellrunner” in the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Cars series, with it competing really well against the smaller (and more prevalent) Camaros and Mustangs. This is akin to an aircraft carrier competing against fighter jets…. but they’re doing it and doing it well and I wanted to learn exactly HOW!
This episode also supported by associate sponsors Wyotech https://www.wyotech.edu, Holley https://www.holley.com, and Aluma Trailers https://www.alumaklm.com
TMCP #405: How to Pursue an Automotive Education with Wyotech; Guests: Jim Mathis and Troy Chaney
This weeks show is with WyoTech President and CEO Jim Mathis along with the VP of Admissions Troy Chaney. Founded in Laramie in 1966, WyoTech provides concentrated training programs such as Automotive Technology, Collision Refinishing Technology, Diesel Technology, Interior, Restoration and performance, and other areas as well. Jim is a graduate of WyoTech and previously held the office of President up until 2002. Wyotech has changed ownership over the years, but Jim was able to purchase the school just a few years ago and returned back into family owned hands. He intends to keep it that way. For those that have ever considered attending an automotive trade program this will be a MUST LISTEN TO interview.
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.