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Tag: NPD

TMCP #512: Ask Rick – New Horsepower Muscle and the Future of the Internal Combustion Engine!

Ask Rick: As the electric offerings from car makers increase, we couldn’t help but discuss the fact that Ford, GM, and Chrysler all have unbelievably higher performing new”real engine” offerings. Ford brought the V8 back to the 2023 Raptor, Chevy just released their first flat-crank engine ever in the new Corvette Z06, and Dodge is continuing to rank #1 in customer satisfaction for their HEMI vehicles. And with all of that said….Ford and GM as well (as other manufacturers) are talking about letting employees go to afford to develop electric cars in a long term bid to get fully into the non gasoline market. What gives?

TMCP #509: Ask Rick on the Economy – Gas Prices are Bad, Electric Car Rebates are For the Rich, and Muscle Cars are Fantastic!

Happy July and Happy Independence day! It is finally time to spend lots of money and blow up stuff in celebration of this country’s birth! Rick Schmidt is back again for an all new Ask Rick segment and this time we dive deep into Rick’s thoughts on the economy, inflation, and government rebates to the upper class on electric cars. This is one of those episodes were Rick unloaded both barrels, reloaded, and did it again. And then again!

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 Milestone #500 Celebration: Ask Rick – All About the Low Volume Vehicle Manufacturers Act!

Happy April Fools Day! Believe it or not, but we don’t have any fun pranks to pull for you this year….but it absolutely IS time for another insightful, thoughtful, and surprising edition of Ask Rick! This time took a deep dive on the topic a LOT of you want to know more about: the SEMA Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act. The law itself was passed in 2015, but it took over six years (and a second SEMA lawsuit) to get the NHTSA to finally give the ruling needed to make it a reality. It now us, and manufacturers can begin the process of producing up to 325 cars per year…..legally, at least.

TMCP #497: Ask Rick – Which Modern EV Company will Stand the Test of Time? Plus, a History of the Batmobile!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! With the launch of a new month it’s time to bring Rick Schmidt back on for another session of Ask Rick. As you may have noticed, in the premier marketing event of the year (i.e. the Super Bowl) all of the car companies focused solely on advertising their new electric offerings. Chevy went quite far on their new EV Silverado with some – admittedly – really engaging advertisements (we are suckers for Austin Powers).

As this trend seems inevitable, and with the proliferation of new electric car brands popping up all over, and I wanted to get Rick’s opinion on whether we were about to see a new round of automobile manufacturers join the market as they did when electric cars existed with various companies in the early 20th Century. History does tend to repeat itself, right? Should we make a speculative bet on buying and holding any of these new cars for future collector value?

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 #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 #484: Ask Rick – Collecting; Should You Search For a Specific Car or a GREAT Car?

It is the first week of November, Thanksgiving is upon us, and it’s time for another great Ask Rick segment! Rick and his father Jim curated an impressive car collection by purchasing what they liked more than what was “in demand,” but in this discussion we’ll learn that their first desire was to buy the best car possible, not the best one available. There’s a difference!

We also have one last interview to present from the Holley MOPARTY event a few weeks ago. Garrett Daniels at RND Fab Works came on to discuss how he created the totally functional; “General Lee Hoop” roll bar. How does one make a functional 2 point roll bar suitable for race belts? Easy….make it a 4-point bar with a removable cross bar as well!