October 23, 2025 • 29 mins
A turquoise 1958 GMC Apache pulled us in with classic lines, then surprised us with a 2016 heartbeat: a 5.3 V8, 6L80, four-wheel discs, cold AC, and the kind of road manners that beg for long miles. With shop owner and builder Sonny Bennett at the mic, we dive into what it takes to craft a true driver from an old truck—why stock-style pulley systems matter, how water-based paint helps with real-world repairs, and why anyone claiming “no filler” is selling you a lumpy fantasy. Sonny’s ethos is simple and sharp: fix it right or don’t touch it, drive what you build, and let the miles be the proof.
We also explore the business side of bodywork: initial estimates versus supplements, the hidden damage no one sees until teardown, and the big reasons Sonny refuses direct repair programs that let insurers dictate methods and margins. His shop serves the car and the customer, not a spreadsheet. That same clarity fuels his personal fleet stories—matching a ’58 when a ’55 was elusive, rebuilding a wrecked cab the right way, and finishing the Apache during the early days of COVID when the shop was deemed essential. The result? A classic that gets 21 mpg and cruises to Gulfport without a hiccup.
The ride continues with a high-dollar Nova that took home top trophies before popping an engine on the return trip, proving that reliability is earned on the road, not on a stage. Then there’s the 1967 Camaro project, acquired with a trove of pro-touring parts and a decades-old backstory involving a hot tub trade. We round it out with our racing calendar—Talladega, F1 in Austin, NHRA dates—and a fast lap through auto history, from Packard’s twin six to the Hydramatic and the El Camino. We close on EV news and incentives fading, with automakers stepping in to keep prices competitive.
If you love honest shop wisdom, restomod ingenuity, and the thrill of cars built to be driven, you’ll feel right at home. Follow and subscribe for more episodes, share this one with a fellow car nut, and drop a review to tell us whether you’d modern-swap or keep it period-correct.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_04 (00:00):
Welcome to another In Wheel Time podcast.
Hey, this is your place for allthings automotive, the
award-winning In Wheel Time CarTalk Show.
Thank you very much.
Today, coming to you from theBack to the Past car show in
Houston's Spring Branchneighborhood, just ahead another
guest from today's big eventwith a 58 GMC Apache.
(00:22):
Mars has this week in autohistory.
Jeff has the racing calendar,and I'll get you caught up on
the stories making automotivenews headlines.
Howdy, along with Mike Out ofThis World Mars, we always need
more Jeff Zeke.
Chief Engineer David Ainsleyjoins us today.
I'm Don Armstrong.
Glad you could join us.
And thank you very much forjoining us today.
And for all of those here at theBack to the Past Car Show.
This is a judged car show.
(00:43):
It's filling up too.
Yep, and uh let's see,registration.
I I guess they're still uhregistering.
SPEAKER_02 (00:50):
Well, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (00:50):
Uh shows 10 to 2, judging 1130 to 1, awards at
130.
All types of years, welcome, top15 awarded, people's choice and
the SBSHS Spring Branch HighSchool Foundation Choice Award.
You bet.
SPEAKER_02 (01:07):
It's filling up and uh there's a lot of nice cars
here.
Very nice.
SPEAKER_04 (01:10):
Yes, very cool.
It's a very nice little show.
We invite you to join us.
Well, speaking of joining us,joining us right now is uh Sonny
Bennett uh owns the beautiful 58Apache Blue Um and what does it
say on the side of it?
Don't touch it.
Don't touch it.
And Ella Paint, is that what itis?
SPEAKER_03 (01:30):
Ella Ella Ella Paint Body Shop.
Is that is that one you own?
I own it.
I've been involved in it sinceFebruary of 73.
Wow.
73?
You're telling your age now.
Yeah.
Showing your age too.
I graduated here in 72 and I'vebeen in paint body business ever
since.
Wow.
Over on Ella Boulevard?
Uh Ella Boulevard from 67 to 72.
(01:51):
I went to work for him inFebruary of 73 and I own it now.
You bought it?
In 79.
SPEAKER_04 (01:57):
Very nice.
SPEAKER_03 (01:59):
And uh your specialty is customs and
classics and not anymore.
I built six cars for otherpeople.
Worst time of my life.
SPEAKER_04 (02:10):
Why does everybody say that?
Because it's somebody else's carand you you really I mean you're
in it, but you're not in it, youknow?
SPEAKER_03 (02:17):
It's not yours.
When you sign a contract tobuild a car, you're due X amount
of dollars at X amount of time.
Yes.
It's sixty thousand dollars,everybody run out of money, and
I'm supposed to renegotiate myend of the deal.
You either go find more money orcome get your stuff.
Yeah.
So what what uh are you justdoing general body work these
(02:37):
days, bait painting body?
I had a choice, build classiccars or fix collision.
And I have a five-star ratedshop that that I fix collision
repair.
SPEAKER_04 (02:47):
So in other words, you've lost your hair over your
body shop and business becausethat's enough to pull your hair
out.
I uh have very little experiencein that.
I did work for a Chevroletdealership many, many years ago.
And I'll tell you what, man,that that is that is something
that I still don't understand tothis day.
It it's it's intense and it'scrazy.
SPEAKER_03 (03:09):
Well, you have a choice to make.
If you are in the paint and bodybusiness, you can run the shop
or the shop can run you.
SPEAKER_04 (03:15):
Yeah, and you've decided to run the shop.
SPEAKER_03 (03:17):
I run the shop and the people won't tell me what to
do, I ask them to leave.
There you go.
SPEAKER_04 (03:22):
Um, I want to ask you a question that I uh never
actually asked a paint and bodyguy.
So when you give an estimate, adamage estimate uh for a repair,
how do you know that thatbracket that's back in the back
that you can't see?
You know that it's bent, but youcan't prove it, but you gotta
(03:42):
order it and you make theestimate off of that.
Because how are you competitivewith other body shops by not I
mean, obviously you've gotdecades of experience doing
this.
SPEAKER_03 (03:52):
But how do you know that?
Well, the first estimate is aninitial estimate.
Anything else above that is asupplement.
And as you tear a car apart,you're gonna find hidden damage.
And it's up to you.
I am not a member of aninsurance company's DRP program.
SPEAKER_04 (04:07):
Whatever that is.
SPEAKER_03 (04:08):
It's a insurance company started a direct repair
program in 1970 um 1983.
And to be a member of theirprogram you have to sell your
heart, soul, and dignity out tothe insurance companies.
Oh no.
And you lose the value and thequality of your shop.
Sure.
And then they want to tell youhow to run your business.
And yet you work for yourself.
(04:28):
And you choose then.
You work for you or you work forthe insurance companies.
I ask insurance companies toleave, just pay the bill.
But I'm not a member of theirprogram.
I repair cars the correct way,or I don't repair them at all.
Good for you.
SPEAKER_01 (04:41):
So obviously you're talking about later model cars,
but what if something like thatcame in, like a 58 Chevy Apache
came in with a deemed fenderthat needed some work?
SPEAKER_03 (04:50):
Well, there's two different deals.
You have a collision shop or youhave a restoration shop.
The problem with restorationshops are they're a dime a
dozen, they watch too much TV,they charge too much money,
they're probably not worth whatyour the product you're getting,
and you have to make a choice.
You want to build cars for aliving or you want to repair
cars for a living.
I don't consider myself a carbuilder.
(05:12):
I've redone 24 of these cars ofthis quality build.
And every one of them are stillaround to this day.
But I don't watch TV, I piddlewith cars.
I repair them Monday throughFriday, I build them on
Saturdays and Sundays if I don'tgo to car shows.
SPEAKER_04 (05:28):
Are you a married man?
SPEAKER_03 (05:29):
Yes, I've been married to my wife for 31 years.
We've been together 33.
And she's still putting up withyou.
Well, she does her thing and Ido mine.
We meet in the middle.
SPEAKER_04 (05:39):
That's it.
Well, uh, so let's talk aboutyour 58 Apache over here.
You know, you just don't seemany of those.
You see um, you see other othervehicles like it, kind of, but
58 is pretty rare.
Uh dual headlights, I think thatthat's uh one of them.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_03 (05:57):
Four years ago, you couldn't buy, you couldn't give
a four-headlight truck away.
The problem is they run out oftwo headlight trucks.
So I have a high-end build 55Chevrolet Bel Air, and I wanted
a matching 55.
I was gonna paint and have amatching pair.
I couldn't find a decent 55, butI found a decent 58, and I was
(06:17):
gonna leave it all original.
Well, you can only get flippedoff so many times for going 55
miles an hour.
And a friend of mine called meand said that I have a motor and
a transmission out of a 2016Sierra.
It's got 4,000 miles on it, andyou can buy it for$2,800.
I said, I'm on my way.
And I blew the truck all apart,and prior to COVID, the truck
(06:39):
was mocked up, the frame wasdone.
And my wife called me and said,They're gonna shut your business
down, you won't be able to work.
Well, then they ruled me in anessential business, and I built
that truck starting April 4thand finished October 2nd.
SPEAKER_01 (06:53):
Wow.
Had plenty of time.
I had plenty of time.
Yeah, nobody messing with you?
SPEAKER_03 (06:57):
On October 2nd, I left the city of Houston with 85
miles on it.
I go to cruising the coast everyyear.
And the next morning I woke upwith 485 miles on it, so it
tells me I'm 400 miles away fromGulfport, Mississippi.
SPEAKER_02 (07:09):
There you go.
There you go.
That's great.
Have you have you ever been onthe hot rod tour of Texas?
SPEAKER_03 (07:14):
I've been on the I did the hot rod tour one time.
I'm not very good at followingthe leader.
I'm not very good at being toldwhat to do.
Gotcha.
So I'll see you at thedestination.
SPEAKER_04 (07:25):
Now, um, what kind of transmission you got in that?
SPEAKER_03 (07:28):
It's got a 6L80.
That truck has a six-speedtransmission, four-wheel disc,
air conditioned, 21 miles to thegallon.
Two other drives.
SPEAKER_04 (07:36):
So in other words, 2024 model.
It's a band, it's a brand newtruck with an old body on it.
You got it.
Yeah, every nut.
SPEAKER_03 (07:42):
And that's the way it should be.
Every nutton bolts brand new.
Wonderful.
Uh where did you find the truck?
I bought the truck from adealership in uh outside of New
Orleans.
A rich guy bought the truck alloriginal, and they had the guy
that owned the dealership askedhim to bring the truck up there
for a car show.
He brought the car up for a carshow and left it there.
It sat there for about fouryears and finally they put it on
(08:05):
the showroom floor and says sellit.
I bought him.
SPEAKER_04 (08:08):
Yeah.
Sweet.
Well, obviously with fate playeda part in that because I mean
you just don't run across atruck like that.
And it sit around for all thoseyears and put it on the not
outside sitting around either.
SPEAKER_03 (08:22):
It sat on the showroom floor of a dealership
for four years.
Wow.
And uh the problem with youknow, a paint job covers a lot
of mistakes.
Yeah.
The truck was wrecked real badin the B pillar, and I had to
put a whole cab panel on thetruck.
It's um, I don't know.
That's what I do.
Well, you did an absolutelybeautiful job.
(08:42):
It is.
SPEAKER_04 (08:43):
Now the the uh the beige part there by the window,
was that the original, was itstyled that way?
SPEAKER_03 (08:50):
No, no, the truck was originally green with a
white top.
SPEAKER_04 (08:53):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (08:54):
I didn't want a white top, and I didn't want
white.
So when I painted the truck, andthey have a turquoise in that
air color, in that year cars,and I didn't want that color
turquoise, I wanted a differentone, so I have the water-based
paint system in my shop, and Iwanted a color that I could fix
if something happened to it.
So that's a PPG fleet line colorcalled Hot Licks Turquoise.
(09:17):
And I tried to go with Youbought it because of the name.
Right.
Well, the women love the color,and I wanted a I was going
white, but white was too bright,so I went with the beige.
And the beige and the logo isthe same on the back of the cab
and on the inside.
Good call.
SPEAKER_04 (09:34):
Well, that's one of the most beautiful trucks, a 58
truck I have ever seen.
I mean, look on even evenunderneath the hood.
SPEAKER_03 (09:40):
Thank you.
Yeah, you you done good, that'swhat I'm telling you.
Well, it just came back fromMississippi for the fifth time.
Yeah.
I mean, we drive them.
Um I tell people all the time ifyou have a classic car and you
don't drive it, you trailer,you're missing all the fun.
SPEAKER_04 (09:54):
Absolutely your money.
Yeah.
I built a Corvette one time.
Uh I bought it new, drove it for35,000 miles, and then I decided
I wanted to show it.
Well, custom paint job, youknow, did all the pinstriping
underneath the body, mirrors,all of that.
I did that.
Never again would I ever dothat.
(10:14):
No, I drive my cars.
SPEAKER_03 (10:15):
I built 24 cars.
The first 10 had chromeeverywhere, and I learned a long
time ago that you gotta cleanthat stuff.
Exactly.
And if you break down on theside of the road, nobody has the
parts for that pulley system.
And when you go to replace it,you gotta buy another whole
pulley system.
So the last 14 I've done all hadfactory pulley systems on them.
Because you can buy the partsanywhere, continental USA.
(10:38):
Right.
And if you drive them, you'regoing to break down.
Yeah, yeah.
And what what year engine is it?
It's a 2016 GMC Sierra 5-3.
SPEAKER_02 (10:46):
Nice.
Nice.
SPEAKER_03 (10:48):
It's it's the LT edition.
SPEAKER_04 (10:50):
So y I mean, again, you kind of fell into that the
whole thing.
SPEAKER_03 (10:57):
Hey man, you want to buy the motor?
Yeah.
Well, I learned a long time ago.
I went through a real nastydivorce and I was broke.
And the best time of my life waswhen I had$10,000 to afford
anything I wanted.
And if I couldn't afford it inthat ten thousand dollars, I
waited till I got more money.
And I didn't buy nothing elseuntil I replaced my ten thousand
(11:18):
dollars.
And that truck is I said I builttwenty-four cars and every one
of them are are as good as theyget.
SPEAKER_02 (11:26):
Nice.
SPEAKER_03 (11:26):
And I I have people want to buy them all the time.
So there's no filler on thatone.
There's plenty of filler on it.
Someone says, Oh, my car doesn'thave bondo, but they're lying to
you.
Well, yeah, but I mean that'sjust because even some of the
best car builders out there,they skim coat every car they
build.
Absolutely, yeah.
So that skim is a filler.
And if someone says, hey, Idon't use bondo, well, you're
(11:47):
gonna have a lumpy car.
So how many others do you havein your collection?
I have three others, right?
Two others right now.
I have a 55 Bel Air, and I justfinished a 66 Nova.
SPEAKER_04 (11:57):
Oh.
And they're yours.
SPEAKER_03 (11:58):
Mine.
SPEAKER_04 (12:00):
60.
This is a Nova man right here.
SPEAKER_01 (12:02):
My first car is a Nova.
SPEAKER_03 (12:05):
Well, I have awful expensive Nova.
Jack is here with his Nova.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
Herman Jack.
SPEAKER_03 (12:09):
Do you?
And why do you say that?
Well, I've got people interestedin it, and the price is over
135,000.
So that's a pretty expensivecar.
Yeah.
And you'll probably get it.
Good stuff in it.
It's sold.
You sold it.
All I gotta do is get rid of it.
Oh.
All I have to do is turn itover.
I have five people want to buythe car.
(12:31):
If one backs out, I have onebacks out, I got four right
behind me.
SPEAKER_04 (12:34):
So what what's going to be the day that you sell it?
I mean, what's going to be thedeciding factor on who you sell
it to?
SPEAKER_03 (12:41):
My friend has the first dibs and he's not backing
out.
And I get to enjoy the carbecause that car is going to go
everywhere that truck in myBelair goes.
SPEAKER_02 (12:49):
Nice.
There you go.
Nice.
SPEAKER_03 (12:51):
So, as I said, the only reason why my friend's
getting it is because he hewanted it first.
SPEAKER_02 (12:56):
And he's got the money.
SPEAKER_03 (12:57):
He's got the money.
And money talks.
Sometimes.
I had a guy offer me almost$400,000 for all three of them,
and I turned him down.
SPEAKER_04 (13:07):
There you go.
You need to send that.
Very nice.
Yeah, you need to send that toMr.
Morris.
SPEAKER_02 (13:11):
And we put that up on our screens.
Yeah, absolutely.
Very nice.
Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (13:16):
It was a hand-me-down for my mom.
Nice setup.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Well, uh, so what are the whatare the plans now?
Uh have you got all the carsfinished that you want to finish
at the moment?
SPEAKER_03 (13:28):
When uh well, the guy that bought the Nova told me
to get all the bugs out of it.
So I went to the Fairfield CarShow, the only car show that
they they've had it that's beengoing on for 28 years, and the
judges came up and said I woneverything, and they wouldn't
would I mind if they passed thetrophies around?
I said, I just appreciate therecognition.
I don't really need a trophy.
(13:50):
And uh I won best muscle car inthe 60s, I won the best of show,
and a 10-year-old gave me$500first place tries.
Well, coming back, I blew themotor up in the NOVA.
So I got got a new motor as ofThursday and it's going in
tomorrow.
Nice.
Then I'm gonna let get rid ofthe car.
But you have fun doing all that.
(14:12):
I don't watch TV.
When I built my 55, I told mywife I was gonna build a car
that got 21 miles a gallon,comfortable, and had AC.
And she named the car TV timebecause that's what you get when
you don't watch TV.
That's very nice.
I got an awfully expensive toyfor not watching TV.
There you go.
Sweet.
It's it it is not for sale.
(14:32):
That truck is not for sale.
When I retire, I'm gonna ridearound town in that truck.
Nice.
And uh I'm getting ready tostart a 67 Camaro.
SPEAKER_02 (14:43):
Wow.
Now you're the Camaro guy.
SPEAKER_03 (14:46):
I'm the Camaro guy.
Well, the Camaro's next.
Do you do you have the Camaro?
I already have it.
You have it.
What what's the story behind it?
A friend of mine, he's the chiefin the Houston Fire Department,
and he traded a hot tub for it32 years ago.
A hot tub.
Bought twenty-three thousanddollars worth of pro touring
chassis, interior, every optionthat they put on the sixty-eight
(15:07):
and sixty-nines and he lostinterest.
And I wouldn't build it forfree.
So three years ago, before Ibought the Nova, he said, Why
don't you buy my car?
I said, What car?
He told me about the Camaro.
Well, I got everything forfifteen thousand dollars.
So I've got a whole lot of partsin a car that I have to build.
I can sell it for twenty fivethousand or I can sell it for
(15:29):
$125,000.
Easy decision.
SPEAKER_01 (15:31):
Sounds like you like doing the build.
SPEAKER_03 (15:33):
I don't watch TV.
There's nothing good on TV.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
Well, when you do finish it, put Don as number one
on your list before he's thenumber one.
Yeah, well put him on it.
Yeah, Don just bought a hat.
He likes a 69, though.
Yeah, 67's close.
SPEAKER_04 (15:45):
It's a couple years' difference.
Yeah, yeah, the same body style.
I I got it.
I'm good.
I'll take a 67.
SPEAKER_03 (15:51):
Cars are my passion, and I love what I do, and you
know, uh you can see that it'sawesome.
I got a pack with a good Lordabove that'll help people as
long as they give me a will toget up every day.
SPEAKER_04 (16:01):
There you go.
SPEAKER_03 (16:02):
So that's my life story.
SPEAKER_04 (16:04):
Well, Sonny, it's a pleasure to talk to you.
Beautiful truck.
It's a pleasure to meet you,talk to you.
And uh it's Ella Paint and BodyShop.
Magnolia, Texas.
Perfect.
Right up there by uh by theRenaissance festival.
SPEAKER_03 (16:18):
Now I'm on the back side of the woodlands.
Okay.
Well, you're in the area.
SPEAKER_04 (16:22):
I'm in the area.
Yeah, that's that's it.
We we just did a segment onRenaissance Festivals for fall
road trips.
Mr.
Mars is gonna dress up in chainmail.
Yeah.
Anyway.
Sonny, thanks so much again.
We appreciate you.
Just ahead.
Jim has the racing calendar.
Mars has this week in autohistory.
And uh uh we're gonna we'rewe're gonna we're gonna make it
all happen.
(16:43):
So stay with us here on the InWheel Time Car Talk Show.
You've waited all summer andit's finally here.
The Tail Pipes and Tacos Fall 25Cruise In Car Show.
It's been a while, but thepopular Teal Pipes and Tacos
Cruise In returns to the LoopyTortilla Tex Max and Katie,
Saturday, October 18th.
Make any donation to Shirley'skids and get a free breakfast
taco.
There'll be mimosas and bloodymerry's too.
(17:03):
Get to the best cruise in of theyear.
Teal Pipes and Tacos Car Show,Saturday, October 18th, 8 to 11
a.m.
Cruise in, make a donation ofany amount, and grab a free
Loopy Tortilla Breakfast Taco.
Tail Pipes and Tacos onlyhappens at the Loopy Tortilla
Tex Mex in Katy, 703 West GrandParkway at Kingston Boulevard,
just south of the Katy Freeway.
Join the car camaraderie, andyour car will automatically
(17:25):
compete for one of three chilipepper trophies at no charge.
Paul is here, and what betterway to celebrate than with a
free taco at Tailpipes and TacosCruise In Car Show.
Saturday, October 18th, 8 to 11a.m.
It's the cruised in you won'twant to miss Luffy Tortillas,
Tail Pipes and Tacos in Katy.
SPEAKER_00 (17:44):
The father of those entities and pay tribute to the
folks who make freedom possible.
Friday night.
(18:05):
Sponsored by Freddy Jewelry.
November Summer Mystery.
SPEAKER_04 (18:12):
We invite you to join our live broadcast every
Saturday, 10 a.m.
to noon Central Time onInWheeltime.com, Facebook, and
YouTube, and we hope you checkus out.
If you miss us, you'll be ableto connect with us through our
podcast from your favoritepodcast channel.
So, time now on the In WheelTime Car Talk Show for the
Racing Calendar, sponsored byTexas Muscle Car Club Challenge.
(18:35):
Jeffrey has that.
SPEAKER_02 (18:36):
Thank you for that.
We got NASCAR.
The Craftsman Trucks ranyesterday.
They ran at Talladega.
I watched a little bit of thequalifying.
I don't know who won, so I don'twant to spoil it for you.
But they're running ityesterday.
You got Xfinity, they're runningtoday.
They're going to be inTalladega.
Everybody's at Dega.
So that's going to be at 3 p.m.
on the CW Network.
And then we got the NASCAR, thebig boys.
(18:57):
Well, some of them are.
NASCAR is at Talladega.
That's a 2 p.m.
uh Sunday tomorrow on NBC.
SPEAKER_04 (19:04):
The Nobody Cares Television.
SPEAKER_02 (19:06):
There you go.
And guess where Formula One isat this weekend?
Well, they're in Austin atCircuit of the Americas.
It is a 59 Lapper.
They're going to be uh October19th, which is tomorrow.
So get on out there, getyourself some tickets and and
have fun out there with thosefolks.
We should have given away sometickets.
We should have.
I've got uh World Series ticketsfor the Astros if anybody needs
them.
Uh NHRA showcase of speed.
(19:27):
That's gonna be October 24th.
It's gonna be in South GeorgiaMotors Motorsports Park.
And then I got a couple ofwrite-ins.
We got sled dog racing, theIditarods coming up in March.
Uh registration, David, is uhNovember 28th.
That's when registration opens.
And this is for you, Michael.
Did you know there are 17sanctioned dash hound races in
the United States?
(19:48):
Yes.
October, November is in Texas.
We got we got uh it'sD-A-S-C-H-O-U-N-D racing.
Uh October, November here inTexas, and they're they're all
around the the countryside, alot of them in Florida.
Then David, you got PigeonRacing Federations coming up.
Uh that's gonna be probably inthe spring.
You remember that from all thatin your hair.
(20:10):
Yeah, yeah.
And then pigeon poop.
Ice racing, you got cars, bikes,and wind racing coming up for
those northern states and thenon the pond where David grew up
up in uh up in the UP.
The UP of mission.
So there you go.
You got all that going on.
So enjoy your racing.
SPEAKER_04 (20:26):
Well, thank you for that, Jeffrey.
Well, it's time now on the InWheel Time Car Talk Show for
this week in auto history.
And uh we actually had a bit ofhistory live in a living color
here about 20 minutes ago.
So uh if you missed it, you'llhave to check it out on a
podcast.
Very nice.
Very nice.
All right, time now for autohistory, Mr.
(20:47):
Morris.
SPEAKER_01 (20:48):
All right, starting in uh 1915, Packard introduces
the twin six, and um it wasreally two sixes put together,
so they created their V-12, iswhat it amounted to.
And what they were doing thisfor was to take competitive with
the really luxury cars of thetime, the Paris Arrow and the
Rolls-Royce.
Now, this particular one theystarted out initially with 421
(21:10):
point 424.1 cubic inch with8,800 horsepower, 88 horsepower
at 2600 RPM.
And uh it became a symbol of theprestige, and it's really what
put Packard up there as apremier automaker.
Then going up to 1933, the firstAmerican drive-in theater opens.
(21:30):
Now, this is cars that becomepart of American people moving
around and getting around, so itbecame part of the intimate
entertainment culture.
Now, the first test the guy didin his driveway, he took and
nailed some screens up to sometrees, invited some people to
come over and watch it on asmall projector he had just to
see how they felt about watchingmovies in their cars.
(21:51):
So the first one he actuallybuilt was in New Jersey, had
room for 400 cars, the screenwas a 40 by 50 foot screen, and
the speakers were on a big towerby the screen, blasting out, and
so the people in the back had alittle trouble hearing.
But one thing also I wanted toadd in here was there was a
movie that came out, realpopular at the drive-ins in
(22:12):
1957.
It was I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
And I'm sure you, John, Don, youremember that one.
Michael Landon was the guy thatstarred as the werewolf.
And um one of the little notesthere on the screen, it says
special note, well calculated tofrighten all blondes, brunettes,
(22:33):
and redheads into the nearestmales protecting arms.
Don Steele uses that on hisbusiness card, a personal
business card.
Moving on to 1940.
GM introduces the hydromatictransmission.
Now, this is the firstmass-produced fully automatic
transmission, the hydromatic.
Came out first in the Oldsmobilemodels to eliminate the manual
(22:53):
gear shifting and so kind ofmove that Oldsmobile more up
into the luxury market and itinfluenced almost everybody
started going to this, and theyused the basic design to build
their own.
Now, one thing that was uh thathelped to promote it, 1948 Ford
Deluxe convertible.
It's automatic, it's systematic,it's high dramatic, it's grease
(23:16):
lightning.
SPEAKER_04 (23:17):
Grease lightning.
SPEAKER_01 (23:19):
1958, Chevrolet introduces the El Camino.
Now, this was a hybrid vehicle,kind of with a car styling with
a truck utility.
They marketed it as a pickupwith a passenger car grace, and
uh it got really uh originallyback in the then when 1958-59
(23:41):
models were kind of modest,they're very expensive nowadays,
but uh they became one of themain features of the Chevrolet
line as they went on through theyears.
Um very popular vehicle.
Then finally in 1972, the HondaCivic debuts in America.
Now, this is the Honda Civic 10.
It'll almost fit in the trunk ofthe current model Honda Civic
(24:04):
based on the size.
It was built because of the uhearly 70s fuel crisis.
A lot of people bought them, itwas well built, reshaped
America's perception of Japanesecars, and it really became part
of Honda's global success andtheir long automotive uh staple
that they've used around theworld.
And that is this week inautomotive history.
SPEAKER_04 (24:26):
Interesting, as I remember when the Honda came and
everybody went, Honda, they theybuild motorcycles, they're gonna
build cars.
A friend of mine uh in middleschool had a Honda 50.
And I thought that thing was thebomb.
SPEAKER_02 (24:43):
Yeah, they were they were fast little bikes.
SPEAKER_04 (24:45):
Well, I mean, it was better than my homemade homemade
uh motorbike that I built on a20-inch frame.
SPEAKER_02 (24:51):
You're a little kid and you got that all that, you
know, horsepower andtestosterone gone, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (24:57):
Uh with the federal government's$7,500 tax credit
for electric vehicle buyers nowdead, many automakers are
digging into their own coffersfor big discounts to keep EV
inventory moving.
Hyundai Motors, for instance,has kicked in$7,500 cash
incentive on the 2025 Ionic 5this month and cut small
(25:18):
crossover sticker price by up to$9,800 for 2026.
GM and Ford thought they'd founda way to help customers benefit
from the tax credit for severalmore months, but they abruptly
backtracked amid politicalpressure from two Republican
senators who condemned theworkarounds as nefarious schemes
to continue bilking the U.S.
(25:40):
taxpayer.
Both companies said they willoffer comparable lease deals on
their own dime instead.
Cross-town rival Stellantisalready had been replicating the
value of the tax credit, whichexpired September 30th, with
similarly generous incentives.
Automaker's decision on how toprice and market EVs now that
(26:01):
federal subsidies havedisappeared will vary,
reflecting differing views ofthe segment and their share of
it.
Several brands, including Tesla,Chevy, and Nissan, have
introduced lower priced EVs toget court buyers seeking options
nearly as affordable asgasoline-powered vehicles, which
(26:22):
it should have been all along.
Why do I have to pay for yourEV?
No, I'm not gonna pay for yourEV or your EV or anybody's EV.
Well, where do you think the$7,500 came from?
SPEAKER_01 (26:34):
Oh, absolutely.
SPEAKER_04 (26:36):
Thank you.
Second generation Chevy Bolt,which returns for 2027, starts
at less than$30,000 withshipping.
Tesla, meanwhile, debuted newversions of its Model Y
crossover and Model 3 sedan,priced near$40,000.
Just wait long enough.
Telling everybody.
(26:56):
All right.
Hey, we'd love to hear from you.
Shoot us an email.
The address is info atinwheeltime.com.
We are back after this.
You own a car you love.
Well, why not let Gulf CoastAuto Shield protect it?
Houstonian John Gray invites youto his state-of-the-art facility
to introduce you to hisspecialist team of auto
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(28:02):
Wrap up your engines.
It's time to roll back in styleat the Back to the Past Car
Show.
Join the Spring Branch SeniorHigh School Foundation Saturday,
October 18th at CornerstoneAcademy, 916 Westview Drive in
Houston.
Classic cars, trucks, andmotorcycles, family fun, food,
music, and memories.
There's something for everyone.
Proceeds benefit local studentsand programs.
Don't miss the shine, thechrome, and the nostalgia.
(28:24):
10-2, Saturday, October 18th.
Back to the Past Car Show.
Springbranch Bears.com slash carshow for more information.
In Wheel Time will be there too.
That's it for this podcastepisode of the In Wheel Time Car
Show.
I'm Dot Armstrong, inviting youto join us for our live show
every Saturday morning onFacebook, YouTube, Twitch, and
(28:48):
our InWheeltime.com website.
Podcasts are available on ApplePodcasts, Spotify, Stitcher,
iHeartPodcast, Podcast Addict,TuneIn, Pandora, and Amazon
Music.
Keep listening, and we'll seeyou soon.
Welcome to another In Wheel Time podcast.
Hey, this is your place for allthings automotive, the
award-winning In Wheel Time CarTalk Show.
Thank you very much.
Today, coming to you from theBack to the Past car show in
Houston's Spring Branchneighborhood, just ahead another
guest from today's big eventwith a 58 GMC Apache.
(00:22):
Mars has this week in autohistory.
Jeff has the racing calendar,and I'll get you caught up on
the stories making automotivenews headlines.
Howdy, along with Mike Out ofThis World Mars, we always need
more Jeff Zeke.
Chief Engineer David Ainsleyjoins us today.
I'm Don Armstrong.
Glad you could join us.
And thank you very much forjoining us today.
And for all of those here at theBack to the Past Car Show.
This is a judged car show.
(00:43):
It's filling up too.
Yep, and uh let's see,registration.
I I guess they're still uhregistering.
SPEAKER_02 (00:50):
Well, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (00:50):
Uh shows 10 to 2, judging 1130 to 1, awards at
130.
All types of years, welcome, top15 awarded, people's choice and
the SBSHS Spring Branch HighSchool Foundation Choice Award.
You bet.
SPEAKER_02 (01:07):
It's filling up and uh there's a lot of nice cars
here.
Very nice.
SPEAKER_04 (01:10):
Yes, very cool.
It's a very nice little show.
We invite you to join us.
Well, speaking of joining us,joining us right now is uh Sonny
Bennett uh owns the beautiful 58Apache Blue Um and what does it
say on the side of it?
Don't touch it.
Don't touch it.
And Ella Paint, is that what itis?
SPEAKER_03 (01:30):
Ella Ella Ella Paint Body Shop.
Is that is that one you own?
I own it.
I've been involved in it sinceFebruary of 73.
Wow.
73?
You're telling your age now.
Yeah.
Showing your age too.
I graduated here in 72 and I'vebeen in paint body business ever
since.
Wow.
Over on Ella Boulevard?
Uh Ella Boulevard from 67 to 72.
(01:51):
I went to work for him inFebruary of 73 and I own it now.
You bought it?
In 79.
SPEAKER_04 (01:57):
Very nice.
SPEAKER_03 (01:59):
And uh your specialty is customs and
classics and not anymore.
I built six cars for otherpeople.
Worst time of my life.
SPEAKER_04 (02:10):
Why does everybody say that?
Because it's somebody else's carand you you really I mean you're
in it, but you're not in it, youknow?
SPEAKER_03 (02:17):
It's not yours.
When you sign a contract tobuild a car, you're due X amount
of dollars at X amount of time.
Yes.
It's sixty thousand dollars,everybody run out of money, and
I'm supposed to renegotiate myend of the deal.
You either go find more money orcome get your stuff.
Yeah.
So what what uh are you justdoing general body work these
(02:37):
days, bait painting body?
I had a choice, build classiccars or fix collision.
And I have a five-star ratedshop that that I fix collision
repair.
SPEAKER_04 (02:47):
So in other words, you've lost your hair over your
body shop and business becausethat's enough to pull your hair
out.
I uh have very little experiencein that.
I did work for a Chevroletdealership many, many years ago.
And I'll tell you what, man,that that is that is something
that I still don't understand tothis day.
It it's it's intense and it'scrazy.
SPEAKER_03 (03:09):
Well, you have a choice to make.
If you are in the paint and bodybusiness, you can run the shop
or the shop can run you.
SPEAKER_04 (03:15):
Yeah, and you've decided to run the shop.
SPEAKER_03 (03:17):
I run the shop and the people won't tell me what to
do, I ask them to leave.
There you go.
SPEAKER_04 (03:22):
Um, I want to ask you a question that I uh never
actually asked a paint and bodyguy.
So when you give an estimate, adamage estimate uh for a repair,
how do you know that thatbracket that's back in the back
that you can't see?
You know that it's bent, but youcan't prove it, but you gotta
(03:42):
order it and you make theestimate off of that.
Because how are you competitivewith other body shops by not I
mean, obviously you've gotdecades of experience doing
this.
SPEAKER_03 (03:52):
But how do you know that?
Well, the first estimate is aninitial estimate.
Anything else above that is asupplement.
And as you tear a car apart,you're gonna find hidden damage.
And it's up to you.
I am not a member of aninsurance company's DRP program.
SPEAKER_04 (04:07):
Whatever that is.
SPEAKER_03 (04:08):
It's a insurance company started a direct repair
program in 1970 um 1983.
And to be a member of theirprogram you have to sell your
heart, soul, and dignity out tothe insurance companies.
Oh no.
And you lose the value and thequality of your shop.
Sure.
And then they want to tell youhow to run your business.
And yet you work for yourself.
(04:28):
And you choose then.
You work for you or you work forthe insurance companies.
I ask insurance companies toleave, just pay the bill.
But I'm not a member of theirprogram.
I repair cars the correct way,or I don't repair them at all.
Good for you.
SPEAKER_01 (04:41):
So obviously you're talking about later model cars,
but what if something like thatcame in, like a 58 Chevy Apache
came in with a deemed fenderthat needed some work?
SPEAKER_03 (04:50):
Well, there's two different deals.
You have a collision shop or youhave a restoration shop.
The problem with restorationshops are they're a dime a
dozen, they watch too much TV,they charge too much money,
they're probably not worth whatyour the product you're getting,
and you have to make a choice.
You want to build cars for aliving or you want to repair
cars for a living.
I don't consider myself a carbuilder.
(05:12):
I've redone 24 of these cars ofthis quality build.
And every one of them are stillaround to this day.
But I don't watch TV, I piddlewith cars.
I repair them Monday throughFriday, I build them on
Saturdays and Sundays if I don'tgo to car shows.
SPEAKER_04 (05:28):
Are you a married man?
SPEAKER_03 (05:29):
Yes, I've been married to my wife for 31 years.
We've been together 33.
And she's still putting up withyou.
Well, she does her thing and Ido mine.
We meet in the middle.
SPEAKER_04 (05:39):
That's it.
Well, uh, so let's talk aboutyour 58 Apache over here.
You know, you just don't seemany of those.
You see um, you see other othervehicles like it, kind of, but
58 is pretty rare.
Uh dual headlights, I think thatthat's uh one of them.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_03 (05:57):
Four years ago, you couldn't buy, you couldn't give
a four-headlight truck away.
The problem is they run out oftwo headlight trucks.
So I have a high-end build 55Chevrolet Bel Air, and I wanted
a matching 55.
I was gonna paint and have amatching pair.
I couldn't find a decent 55, butI found a decent 58, and I was
(06:17):
gonna leave it all original.
Well, you can only get flippedoff so many times for going 55
miles an hour.
And a friend of mine called meand said that I have a motor and
a transmission out of a 2016Sierra.
It's got 4,000 miles on it, andyou can buy it for$2,800.
I said, I'm on my way.
And I blew the truck all apart,and prior to COVID, the truck
(06:39):
was mocked up, the frame wasdone.
And my wife called me and said,They're gonna shut your business
down, you won't be able to work.
Well, then they ruled me in anessential business, and I built
that truck starting April 4thand finished October 2nd.
SPEAKER_01 (06:53):
Wow.
Had plenty of time.
I had plenty of time.
Yeah, nobody messing with you?
SPEAKER_03 (06:57):
On October 2nd, I left the city of Houston with 85
miles on it.
I go to cruising the coast everyyear.
And the next morning I woke upwith 485 miles on it, so it
tells me I'm 400 miles away fromGulfport, Mississippi.
SPEAKER_02 (07:09):
There you go.
There you go.
That's great.
Have you have you ever been onthe hot rod tour of Texas?
SPEAKER_03 (07:14):
I've been on the I did the hot rod tour one time.
I'm not very good at followingthe leader.
I'm not very good at being toldwhat to do.
Gotcha.
So I'll see you at thedestination.
SPEAKER_04 (07:25):
Now, um, what kind of transmission you got in that?
SPEAKER_03 (07:28):
It's got a 6L80.
That truck has a six-speedtransmission, four-wheel disc,
air conditioned, 21 miles to thegallon.
Two other drives.
SPEAKER_04 (07:36):
So in other words, 2024 model.
It's a band, it's a brand newtruck with an old body on it.
You got it.
Yeah, every nut.
SPEAKER_03 (07:42):
And that's the way it should be.
Every nutton bolts brand new.
Wonderful.
Uh where did you find the truck?
I bought the truck from adealership in uh outside of New
Orleans.
A rich guy bought the truck alloriginal, and they had the guy
that owned the dealership askedhim to bring the truck up there
for a car show.
He brought the car up for a carshow and left it there.
It sat there for about fouryears and finally they put it on
(08:05):
the showroom floor and says sellit.
I bought him.
SPEAKER_04 (08:08):
Yeah.
Sweet.
Well, obviously with fate playeda part in that because I mean
you just don't run across atruck like that.
And it sit around for all thoseyears and put it on the not
outside sitting around either.
SPEAKER_03 (08:22):
It sat on the showroom floor of a dealership
for four years.
Wow.
And uh the problem with youknow, a paint job covers a lot
of mistakes.
Yeah.
The truck was wrecked real badin the B pillar, and I had to
put a whole cab panel on thetruck.
It's um, I don't know.
That's what I do.
Well, you did an absolutelybeautiful job.
(08:42):
It is.
SPEAKER_04 (08:43):
Now the the uh the beige part there by the window,
was that the original, was itstyled that way?
SPEAKER_03 (08:50):
No, no, the truck was originally green with a
white top.
SPEAKER_04 (08:53):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (08:54):
I didn't want a white top, and I didn't want
white.
So when I painted the truck, andthey have a turquoise in that
air color, in that year cars,and I didn't want that color
turquoise, I wanted a differentone, so I have the water-based
paint system in my shop, and Iwanted a color that I could fix
if something happened to it.
So that's a PPG fleet line colorcalled Hot Licks Turquoise.
(09:17):
And I tried to go with Youbought it because of the name.
Right.
Well, the women love the color,and I wanted a I was going
white, but white was too bright,so I went with the beige.
And the beige and the logo isthe same on the back of the cab
and on the inside.
Good call.
SPEAKER_04 (09:34):
Well, that's one of the most beautiful trucks, a 58
truck I have ever seen.
I mean, look on even evenunderneath the hood.
SPEAKER_03 (09:40):
Thank you.
Yeah, you you done good, that'swhat I'm telling you.
Well, it just came back fromMississippi for the fifth time.
Yeah.
I mean, we drive them.
Um I tell people all the time ifyou have a classic car and you
don't drive it, you trailer,you're missing all the fun.
SPEAKER_04 (09:54):
Absolutely your money.
Yeah.
I built a Corvette one time.
Uh I bought it new, drove it for35,000 miles, and then I decided
I wanted to show it.
Well, custom paint job, youknow, did all the pinstriping
underneath the body, mirrors,all of that.
I did that.
Never again would I ever dothat.
(10:14):
No, I drive my cars.
SPEAKER_03 (10:15):
I built 24 cars.
The first 10 had chromeeverywhere, and I learned a long
time ago that you gotta cleanthat stuff.
Exactly.
And if you break down on theside of the road, nobody has the
parts for that pulley system.
And when you go to replace it,you gotta buy another whole
pulley system.
So the last 14 I've done all hadfactory pulley systems on them.
Because you can buy the partsanywhere, continental USA.
(10:38):
Right.
And if you drive them, you'regoing to break down.
Yeah, yeah.
And what what year engine is it?
It's a 2016 GMC Sierra 5-3.
SPEAKER_02 (10:46):
Nice.
Nice.
SPEAKER_03 (10:48):
It's it's the LT edition.
SPEAKER_04 (10:50):
So y I mean, again, you kind of fell into that the
whole thing.
SPEAKER_03 (10:57):
Hey man, you want to buy the motor?
Yeah.
Well, I learned a long time ago.
I went through a real nastydivorce and I was broke.
And the best time of my life waswhen I had$10,000 to afford
anything I wanted.
And if I couldn't afford it inthat ten thousand dollars, I
waited till I got more money.
And I didn't buy nothing elseuntil I replaced my ten thousand
(11:18):
dollars.
And that truck is I said I builttwenty-four cars and every one
of them are are as good as theyget.
SPEAKER_02 (11:26):
Nice.
SPEAKER_03 (11:26):
And I I have people want to buy them all the time.
So there's no filler on thatone.
There's plenty of filler on it.
Someone says, Oh, my car doesn'thave bondo, but they're lying to
you.
Well, yeah, but I mean that'sjust because even some of the
best car builders out there,they skim coat every car they
build.
Absolutely, yeah.
So that skim is a filler.
And if someone says, hey, Idon't use bondo, well, you're
(11:47):
gonna have a lumpy car.
So how many others do you havein your collection?
I have three others, right?
Two others right now.
I have a 55 Bel Air, and I justfinished a 66 Nova.
SPEAKER_04 (11:57):
Oh.
And they're yours.
SPEAKER_03 (11:58):
Mine.
SPEAKER_04 (12:00):
60.
This is a Nova man right here.
SPEAKER_01 (12:02):
My first car is a Nova.
SPEAKER_03 (12:05):
Well, I have awful expensive Nova.
Jack is here with his Nova.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
Herman Jack.
SPEAKER_03 (12:09):
Do you?
And why do you say that?
Well, I've got people interestedin it, and the price is over
135,000.
So that's a pretty expensivecar.
Yeah.
And you'll probably get it.
Good stuff in it.
It's sold.
You sold it.
All I gotta do is get rid of it.
Oh.
All I have to do is turn itover.
I have five people want to buythe car.
(12:31):
If one backs out, I have onebacks out, I got four right
behind me.
SPEAKER_04 (12:34):
So what what's going to be the day that you sell it?
I mean, what's going to be thedeciding factor on who you sell
it to?
SPEAKER_03 (12:41):
My friend has the first dibs and he's not backing
out.
And I get to enjoy the carbecause that car is going to go
everywhere that truck in myBelair goes.
SPEAKER_02 (12:49):
Nice.
There you go.
Nice.
SPEAKER_03 (12:51):
So, as I said, the only reason why my friend's
getting it is because he hewanted it first.
SPEAKER_02 (12:56):
And he's got the money.
SPEAKER_03 (12:57):
He's got the money.
And money talks.
Sometimes.
I had a guy offer me almost$400,000 for all three of them,
and I turned him down.
SPEAKER_04 (13:07):
There you go.
You need to send that.
Very nice.
Yeah, you need to send that toMr.
Morris.
SPEAKER_02 (13:11):
And we put that up on our screens.
Yeah, absolutely.
Very nice.
Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (13:16):
It was a hand-me-down for my mom.
Nice setup.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Well, uh, so what are the whatare the plans now?
Uh have you got all the carsfinished that you want to finish
at the moment?
SPEAKER_03 (13:28):
When uh well, the guy that bought the Nova told me
to get all the bugs out of it.
So I went to the Fairfield CarShow, the only car show that
they they've had it that's beengoing on for 28 years, and the
judges came up and said I woneverything, and they wouldn't
would I mind if they passed thetrophies around?
I said, I just appreciate therecognition.
I don't really need a trophy.
(13:50):
And uh I won best muscle car inthe 60s, I won the best of show,
and a 10-year-old gave me$500first place tries.
Well, coming back, I blew themotor up in the NOVA.
So I got got a new motor as ofThursday and it's going in
tomorrow.
Nice.
Then I'm gonna let get rid ofthe car.
But you have fun doing all that.
(14:12):
I don't watch TV.
When I built my 55, I told mywife I was gonna build a car
that got 21 miles a gallon,comfortable, and had AC.
And she named the car TV timebecause that's what you get when
you don't watch TV.
That's very nice.
I got an awfully expensive toyfor not watching TV.
There you go.
Sweet.
It's it it is not for sale.
(14:32):
That truck is not for sale.
When I retire, I'm gonna ridearound town in that truck.
Nice.
And uh I'm getting ready tostart a 67 Camaro.
SPEAKER_02 (14:43):
Wow.
Now you're the Camaro guy.
SPEAKER_03 (14:46):
I'm the Camaro guy.
Well, the Camaro's next.
Do you do you have the Camaro?
I already have it.
You have it.
What what's the story behind it?
A friend of mine, he's the chiefin the Houston Fire Department,
and he traded a hot tub for it32 years ago.
A hot tub.
Bought twenty-three thousanddollars worth of pro touring
chassis, interior, every optionthat they put on the sixty-eight
(15:07):
and sixty-nines and he lostinterest.
And I wouldn't build it forfree.
So three years ago, before Ibought the Nova, he said, Why
don't you buy my car?
I said, What car?
He told me about the Camaro.
Well, I got everything forfifteen thousand dollars.
So I've got a whole lot of partsin a car that I have to build.
I can sell it for twenty fivethousand or I can sell it for
(15:29):
$125,000.
Easy decision.
SPEAKER_01 (15:31):
Sounds like you like doing the build.
SPEAKER_03 (15:33):
I don't watch TV.
There's nothing good on TV.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
Well, when you do finish it, put Don as number one
on your list before he's thenumber one.
Yeah, well put him on it.
Yeah, Don just bought a hat.
He likes a 69, though.
Yeah, 67's close.
SPEAKER_04 (15:45):
It's a couple years' difference.
Yeah, yeah, the same body style.
I I got it.
I'm good.
I'll take a 67.
SPEAKER_03 (15:51):
Cars are my passion, and I love what I do, and you
know, uh you can see that it'sawesome.
I got a pack with a good Lordabove that'll help people as
long as they give me a will toget up every day.
SPEAKER_04 (16:01):
There you go.
SPEAKER_03 (16:02):
So that's my life story.
SPEAKER_04 (16:04):
Well, Sonny, it's a pleasure to talk to you.
Beautiful truck.
It's a pleasure to meet you,talk to you.
And uh it's Ella Paint and BodyShop.
Magnolia, Texas.
Perfect.
Right up there by uh by theRenaissance festival.
SPEAKER_03 (16:18):
Now I'm on the back side of the woodlands.
Okay.
Well, you're in the area.
SPEAKER_04 (16:22):
I'm in the area.
Yeah, that's that's it.
We we just did a segment onRenaissance Festivals for fall
road trips.
Mr.
Mars is gonna dress up in chainmail.
Yeah.
Anyway.
Sonny, thanks so much again.
We appreciate you.
Just ahead.
Jim has the racing calendar.
Mars has this week in autohistory.
And uh uh we're gonna we'rewe're gonna we're gonna make it
all happen.
(16:43):
So stay with us here on the InWheel Time Car Talk Show.
You've waited all summer andit's finally here.
The Tail Pipes and Tacos Fall 25Cruise In Car Show.
It's been a while, but thepopular Teal Pipes and Tacos
Cruise In returns to the LoopyTortilla Tex Max and Katie,
Saturday, October 18th.
Make any donation to Shirley'skids and get a free breakfast
taco.
There'll be mimosas and bloodymerry's too.
(17:03):
Get to the best cruise in of theyear.
Teal Pipes and Tacos Car Show,Saturday, October 18th, 8 to 11
a.m.
Cruise in, make a donation ofany amount, and grab a free
Loopy Tortilla Breakfast Taco.
Tail Pipes and Tacos onlyhappens at the Loopy Tortilla
Tex Mex in Katy, 703 West GrandParkway at Kingston Boulevard,
just south of the Katy Freeway.
Join the car camaraderie, andyour car will automatically
(17:25):
compete for one of three chilipepper trophies at no charge.
Paul is here, and what betterway to celebrate than with a
free taco at Tailpipes and TacosCruise In Car Show.
Saturday, October 18th, 8 to 11a.m.
It's the cruised in you won'twant to miss Luffy Tortillas,
Tail Pipes and Tacos in Katy.
SPEAKER_00 (17:44):
The father of those entities and pay tribute to the
folks who make freedom possible.
Friday night.
(18:05):
Sponsored by Freddy Jewelry.
November Summer Mystery.
SPEAKER_04 (18:12):
We invite you to join our live broadcast every
Saturday, 10 a.m.
to noon Central Time onInWheeltime.com, Facebook, and
YouTube, and we hope you checkus out.
If you miss us, you'll be ableto connect with us through our
podcast from your favoritepodcast channel.
So, time now on the In WheelTime Car Talk Show for the
Racing Calendar, sponsored byTexas Muscle Car Club Challenge.
(18:35):
Jeffrey has that.
SPEAKER_02 (18:36):
Thank you for that.
We got NASCAR.
The Craftsman Trucks ranyesterday.
They ran at Talladega.
I watched a little bit of thequalifying.
I don't know who won, so I don'twant to spoil it for you.
But they're running ityesterday.
You got Xfinity, they're runningtoday.
They're going to be inTalladega.
Everybody's at Dega.
So that's going to be at 3 p.m.
on the CW Network.
And then we got the NASCAR, thebig boys.
(18:57):
Well, some of them are.
NASCAR is at Talladega.
That's a 2 p.m.
uh Sunday tomorrow on NBC.
SPEAKER_04 (19:04):
The Nobody Cares Television.
SPEAKER_02 (19:06):
There you go.
And guess where Formula One isat this weekend?
Well, they're in Austin atCircuit of the Americas.
It is a 59 Lapper.
They're going to be uh October19th, which is tomorrow.
So get on out there, getyourself some tickets and and
have fun out there with thosefolks.
We should have given away sometickets.
We should have.
I've got uh World Series ticketsfor the Astros if anybody needs
them.
Uh NHRA showcase of speed.
(19:27):
That's gonna be October 24th.
It's gonna be in South GeorgiaMotors Motorsports Park.
And then I got a couple ofwrite-ins.
We got sled dog racing, theIditarods coming up in March.
Uh registration, David, is uhNovember 28th.
That's when registration opens.
And this is for you, Michael.
Did you know there are 17sanctioned dash hound races in
the United States?
(19:48):
Yes.
October, November is in Texas.
We got we got uh it'sD-A-S-C-H-O-U-N-D racing.
Uh October, November here inTexas, and they're they're all
around the the countryside, alot of them in Florida.
Then David, you got PigeonRacing Federations coming up.
Uh that's gonna be probably inthe spring.
You remember that from all thatin your hair.
(20:10):
Yeah, yeah.
And then pigeon poop.
Ice racing, you got cars, bikes,and wind racing coming up for
those northern states and thenon the pond where David grew up
up in uh up in the UP.
The UP of mission.
So there you go.
You got all that going on.
So enjoy your racing.
SPEAKER_04 (20:26):
Well, thank you for that, Jeffrey.
Well, it's time now on the InWheel Time Car Talk Show for
this week in auto history.
And uh we actually had a bit ofhistory live in a living color
here about 20 minutes ago.
So uh if you missed it, you'llhave to check it out on a
podcast.
Very nice.
Very nice.
All right, time now for autohistory, Mr.
(20:47):
Morris.
SPEAKER_01 (20:48):
All right, starting in uh 1915, Packard introduces
the twin six, and um it wasreally two sixes put together,
so they created their V-12, iswhat it amounted to.
And what they were doing thisfor was to take competitive with
the really luxury cars of thetime, the Paris Arrow and the
Rolls-Royce.
Now, this particular one theystarted out initially with 421
(21:10):
point 424.1 cubic inch with8,800 horsepower, 88 horsepower
at 2600 RPM.
And uh it became a symbol of theprestige, and it's really what
put Packard up there as apremier automaker.
Then going up to 1933, the firstAmerican drive-in theater opens.
(21:30):
Now, this is cars that becomepart of American people moving
around and getting around, so itbecame part of the intimate
entertainment culture.
Now, the first test the guy didin his driveway, he took and
nailed some screens up to sometrees, invited some people to
come over and watch it on asmall projector he had just to
see how they felt about watchingmovies in their cars.
(21:51):
So the first one he actuallybuilt was in New Jersey, had
room for 400 cars, the screenwas a 40 by 50 foot screen, and
the speakers were on a big towerby the screen, blasting out, and
so the people in the back had alittle trouble hearing.
But one thing also I wanted toadd in here was there was a
movie that came out, realpopular at the drive-ins in
(22:12):
1957.
It was I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
And I'm sure you, John, Don, youremember that one.
Michael Landon was the guy thatstarred as the werewolf.
And um one of the little notesthere on the screen, it says
special note, well calculated tofrighten all blondes, brunettes,
(22:33):
and redheads into the nearestmales protecting arms.
Don Steele uses that on hisbusiness card, a personal
business card.
Moving on to 1940.
GM introduces the hydromatictransmission.
Now, this is the firstmass-produced fully automatic
transmission, the hydromatic.
Came out first in the Oldsmobilemodels to eliminate the manual
(22:53):
gear shifting and so kind ofmove that Oldsmobile more up
into the luxury market and itinfluenced almost everybody
started going to this, and theyused the basic design to build
their own.
Now, one thing that was uh thathelped to promote it, 1948 Ford
Deluxe convertible.
It's automatic, it's systematic,it's high dramatic, it's grease
(23:16):
lightning.
SPEAKER_04 (23:17):
Grease lightning.
SPEAKER_01 (23:19):
1958, Chevrolet introduces the El Camino.
Now, this was a hybrid vehicle,kind of with a car styling with
a truck utility.
They marketed it as a pickupwith a passenger car grace, and
uh it got really uh originallyback in the then when 1958-59
(23:41):
models were kind of modest,they're very expensive nowadays,
but uh they became one of themain features of the Chevrolet
line as they went on through theyears.
Um very popular vehicle.
Then finally in 1972, the HondaCivic debuts in America.
Now, this is the Honda Civic 10.
It'll almost fit in the trunk ofthe current model Honda Civic
(24:04):
based on the size.
It was built because of the uhearly 70s fuel crisis.
A lot of people bought them, itwas well built, reshaped
America's perception of Japanesecars, and it really became part
of Honda's global success andtheir long automotive uh staple
that they've used around theworld.
And that is this week inautomotive history.
SPEAKER_04 (24:26):
Interesting, as I remember when the Honda came and
everybody went, Honda, they theybuild motorcycles, they're gonna
build cars.
A friend of mine uh in middleschool had a Honda 50.
And I thought that thing was thebomb.
SPEAKER_02 (24:43):
Yeah, they were they were fast little bikes.
SPEAKER_04 (24:45):
Well, I mean, it was better than my homemade homemade
uh motorbike that I built on a20-inch frame.
SPEAKER_02 (24:51):
You're a little kid and you got that all that, you
know, horsepower andtestosterone gone, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (24:57):
Uh with the federal government's$7,500 tax credit
for electric vehicle buyers nowdead, many automakers are
digging into their own coffersfor big discounts to keep EV
inventory moving.
Hyundai Motors, for instance,has kicked in$7,500 cash
incentive on the 2025 Ionic 5this month and cut small
(25:18):
crossover sticker price by up to$9,800 for 2026.
GM and Ford thought they'd founda way to help customers benefit
from the tax credit for severalmore months, but they abruptly
backtracked amid politicalpressure from two Republican
senators who condemned theworkarounds as nefarious schemes
to continue bilking the U.S.
(25:40):
taxpayer.
Both companies said they willoffer comparable lease deals on
their own dime instead.
Cross-town rival Stellantisalready had been replicating the
value of the tax credit, whichexpired September 30th, with
similarly generous incentives.
Automaker's decision on how toprice and market EVs now that
(26:01):
federal subsidies havedisappeared will vary,
reflecting differing views ofthe segment and their share of
it.
Several brands, including Tesla,Chevy, and Nissan, have
introduced lower priced EVs toget court buyers seeking options
nearly as affordable asgasoline-powered vehicles, which
(26:22):
it should have been all along.
Why do I have to pay for yourEV?
No, I'm not gonna pay for yourEV or your EV or anybody's EV.
Well, where do you think the$7,500 came from?
SPEAKER_01 (26:34):
Oh, absolutely.
SPEAKER_04 (26:36):
Thank you.
Second generation Chevy Bolt,which returns for 2027, starts
at less than$30,000 withshipping.
Tesla, meanwhile, debuted newversions of its Model Y
crossover and Model 3 sedan,priced near$40,000.
Just wait long enough.
Telling everybody.
(26:56):
All right.
Hey, we'd love to hear from you.
Shoot us an email.
The address is info atinwheeltime.com.
We are back after this.
You own a car you love.
Well, why not let Gulf CoastAuto Shield protect it?
Houstonian John Gray invites youto his state-of-the-art facility
to introduce you to hisspecialist team of auto
enthusiasts.
We promise you'll be impressed.
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Whether you're looking tomassage your original paint to a
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Get a peek inside the shop andlook at the services offered by
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Better yet, stop by theirfacility at 11275 South Sam
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Gulf Coast Auto Shield is yourplace to go for all things
exterior.
Call them today, 832-930-5655 orGCAutoShield.com.
(28:02):
Wrap up your engines.
It's time to roll back in styleat the Back to the Past Car
Show.
Join the Spring Branch SeniorHigh School Foundation Saturday,
October 18th at CornerstoneAcademy, 916 Westview Drive in
Houston.
Classic cars, trucks, andmotorcycles, family fun, food,
music, and memories.
There's something for everyone.
Proceeds benefit local studentsand programs.
Don't miss the shine, thechrome, and the nostalgia.
(28:24):
10-2, Saturday, October 18th.
Back to the Past Car Show.
Springbranch Bears.com slash carshow for more information.
In Wheel Time will be there too.
That's it for this podcastepisode of the In Wheel Time Car
Show.
I'm Dot Armstrong, inviting youto join us for our live show
every Saturday morning onFacebook, YouTube, Twitch, and
(28:48):
our InWheeltime.com website.
Podcasts are available on ApplePodcasts, Spotify, Stitcher,
iHeartPodcast, Podcast Addict,TuneIn, Pandora, and Amazon
Music.
Keep listening, and we'll seeyou soon.
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