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FEATURE INTERVIEW
This week’s podcast show guest is Eric Saltrick, VP of Marketing from Steele Rubber Products. I met Eric at the Hot Rod and Restoration Trade Show in Indianapolis in March while he was giving a talk on how hot rod shops can use new media (blogs, YouTube videos, podcasts, etc.) to grow their brand. Obviously, we got along immediately.
Eric has a true passion for the aftermarket industry, and while he didn’t grow up a “gearhead” he specifically chose to work in the aftermarket just because he thought the industry itself had such great people in it. In addition to his duties at Steele he also serves on SEMA’s Hot Rod Industry Alliance Council, which is group that specifically exists to advance awareness of our hobby and industry (if you’re curious what that entails, just know that two weeks ago he was in Washington D.C. lobbying Congress on our behalf).
Like a lot of the success stories in the aftermarket, Steele Rubber got it’s start because the founder, Lynn Steele, made some cool parts for his own car, people noticed, and a business was born. Specifically, in the late 1950’s Lynn was restoring his 1931 Cadillac and had a desire to replace the weatherstripping components. A tool-and-dye maker by trade, Lynne used an original set of weatherstripping to create a pattern and then produced new items for his own car. Once word got out about how he had worked his magic others asked him to do it for their cars as well!
Today Steele Rubber is a much larger company than it was originally, and their parts catalog is as thick as the New York City phone book. They make all of the common rubber parts for muscle cars of course, but they also cater to Packard’s, Caddy’s, and even Nash’s. In addition, while they certainly do still create the soft weatherstripping items that you’d expect them to, they also create everything else in the car that’s rubber as well (think grommets, bump stops, and the like). They even make NASCAR spring rubbers!
BIG NEWS!
STEELE RUBBER IS NOW A TMCP SPONSOR!
At the end of our interview I had the opportunity to speak to some special news. I am now thrilled to announce that Steele Rubber had chosen to become a SPONSOR of The MuscleCar Place Podcast show, and Eric was the guy that made it happen! It still floors me that the little show that started out in my basement has now become what it has, and I have my loyal family-like audience and forward thinking companies like Steele to thank for it. Here’s to a bright future together!
-Robert Kibbe
The MuscleCar Place Network of Awesome Automotive Podcasts
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CARROLL SHELBY TRIBUTE
Since Carroll Shelby passed away recently I thought it might be fitting to discuss his legacy a bit in the show. The last half of the show is a review of his life and career.
R.I.P, Carroll.
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PRIZE SEGMENT
The Prize Segment sponsored by the COMP Performance Group is back, and it’s back BIG! Entrants can enter to win a HUGE $750 gift certificate that will be awarded quarterly, and there are two ways to enter:
- Go to www.themusclecarplace.com/contest and fill out the details there to enter the contest. Be sure to use the links in the contest to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and your own websites. For everyone that joins the contest because of your referral, YOU GET MORE ENTRIES!
- Answer the bonus question given out every other podcast show. E-mail your answer tobonus@themusclecarplace.com for an additional 20 points!
