TMCP #642: Mike Finnegan Returns – Life After Roadkill & the YouTube Era
Mike Finnegan returns to The MuscleCar Place for a special edition episode, and as always, he brings the stories, honesty, and perspective that only he can deliver. From his early days on Roadkill to becoming a full-time YouTube creator with Finnegan’s Garage, Mike shares what life looks like after the 2024 shutdown of Motor Trend productions. What once felt uncertain turned into the perfect transition—giving him more time with family while opening the door to collaborate freely with friends and fellow creators in what he calls the “Wild Wild West” of YouTube.
We also dig into the fate of fan-favorite Roadkill cars, the reality behind automotive media today, and what’s next in Mike’s world—from wild shop builds to recovering from a recent dirt bike injury. Along the way, Mike shares his thoughts on Cletus McFarland’s impact on NASCAR, the future of shows like The Grand Tour, and why real chemistry—not scripted production—is what truly makes automotive content work.
K&F Show #360: Spring Break Banter & Future Car Rumors // Movie Review, “The Other Guys”
This week on the Kibbe & Friends Show, Rob Kibbe, Justin “CornDog” Cornette, and Bernie “Broke Wing” McPartland revisit one of their favorite comedy movie reviews — The Other Guys starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. Originally featured back in Episode 290, the film remains a perfect blend of absurd comedy and automotive moments, highlighted by the unforgettable red Prius police car and the completely dysfunctional detective duo trying to live up to the legend of the “real” hero cops. The crew revisits the movie’s most memorable scenes, quotes, and ridiculous moments while breaking down why it still holds up as one of the funniest buddy-cop comedies ever made.
Before diving into the movie rewind, the guys warm things up with their usual off-the-rails banter — covering everything from St. Patrick’s Day trivia and spring break plans to a few eyebrow-raising future car rumors spotted in a recent Car and Driver article. That includes reactions to a possible Corvette SUV, a Mustang Raptor, and the rumored return of the Hemi V8 in the Dodge Charger. As always, the conversation drifts through car culture, pop culture, and plenty of laughs before rolling into the movie review that anchors this week’s episode.
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 #640: Ask Rick — Green Cars, Tariffs on Taiwan, Chinese EV Rumors, and the Best Trucks to Buy Now
This month on Ask Rick, Rick Schmidt from National Parts Depot joins us for a St. Patrick’s Day edition covering everything from green cars and Guinness to real-world business questions. We discuss whether presidential addresses truly move the needle for business decisions, what the current tariff situation looks like on Taiwanese restoration sheetmetal, and how NPD is handling pricing in real time. We also dive into the growing conversation around Chinese electric vehicles entering the U.S. market — and whether joint ventures with American automakers make that inevitable.
Plus, Rick tackles a thoughtful listener question about selling a company to employees with no family successor, and we close with a truck-heavy investment showdown: custom builds under $75K and which ones make the smartest five-year bet. Insightful, practical, and always honest — it’s classic Ask Rick from start to finish.
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.
K&F Show #356: Dallas Race Week, Florida Speed, and Daytona Fever // NASCAR Movie Review + Days of Thunder
Rob is in Florida this week with Dallas kicking off his 2026 racing season at Auburndale Speedway in Winter Haven. It’s a five-day national Legends tournament — practice, qualifying, and racing every single day — with Dallas running the Semi-Pro class in the white #13. The goal this season is simple: run the biggest Legends events possible, graduate up and out of the class, and take the next step forward in his racing career. While that action unfolds in real time, we’re setting the stage for Daytona week the best way we know how.
To celebrate the Daytona 500, we’re revisiting our full review of Days of Thunder — still the greatest racing movie ever made. Yes, it’s “Top Gun in a stock car,” and that’s exactly why it works. We break down the racing roots of Cole Trickle, the Harry Hogge mentorship arc, the real NASCAR influences behind the film, and why quotes like “Rubbin’, son, is racin’” still live rent-free in every race fan’s brain. Released in 1990, directed by Tony Scott, and starring Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, and Michael Rooker, the film earned nearly $158 million worldwide and remains a cornerstone of modern racing pop culture. If it’s Daytona week, it’s time for Days of Thunder.
TMCP #638: Ask Rick! Mecum Kissimmee Shockers — Is the Muscle Car Market Hot or Cooling?
It’s the month of love and football, and Rick Schmidt is back with another edition of Ask Rick to break down what’s happening right now in the automotive world. Rick weighs in on recent comments from Ford CEO Jim Farley about the future of sedans, noting that American automakers have largely abandoned the affordable sedan market—leaving foreign manufacturers, especially Korean brands, to quietly dominate the segment. With early signs pointing toward low-cost electric sedans on the horizon, Rick believes Detroit may yet have an opportunity to re-enter a market it once owned.
Rick also reviews the eye-opening results from January’s major car auctions, calling it a market that “blew the doors off.” Unexpected vehicles crossed the $100K mark, classic ’50s cars held strong, and certain sporty models like the Thunderbird remain undervalued despite high-dollar restorations. The episode wraps with a real-world Mecum challenge: three cars bought under $60K—can one be enjoyed for a year, untouched, and sold at Mecum January 2027 for a win? Rick breaks down the strategy and the risks behind the picks.