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163. Eurokraft, Zornig, and Rabbit Parts (Matt, Jim, and Danielle)

163. Eurokraft, Zornig, and Rabbit Parts (Matt, Jim, and Danielle)

The People's Car Feb 10, 2026 118 min
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About this episode

Ryan and Danny are joined by guests Matt from Eurocraft, Jim from Zorning Metalworks, and Danielle from Rabbit Parts for a lively discussion in Flemington, New Jersey. They share stories about winter driving challenges, including frozen vehicles and brake issues, while reminiscing about past inspection experiences. The conversation also delves into Matt's journey from working in motorcycle shops to starting his own automotive business, highlighting the ups and downs of running a shop from home. The camaraderie and shared experiences create an engaging atmosphere for listeners.

Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Toyota Tundra
IFCAR (Public domain)
Car

Toyota Tundra

"...for where we're at. Um, we drove from the frozen tundra to come to like the frozen tundra. Yeah. It's st..."

The Toyota Tundra is a big truck that can carry heavy loads and drive on rough roads. People like it because it's tough and can be used for work or fun.

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Term

beater

"...that's my beater out there, the Honda. And, um, we've had that for a long time. It's got almost 300,000 miles on it now."

A beater is a car that someone uses a lot, even if it's not in great shape. It's often older and has many miles on it.

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Volkswagen Touareg TDI
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Touareg TDI

"I mean, it's fucking cold. My Touareg, uh, it's a TDI Touareg. It is, it was currently gelled up and completely just frozen."

The Volkswagen Touareg TDI is a type of SUV that uses a diesel engine. Diesel engines can sometimes have problems in very cold weather, like the fuel turning into a gel, which makes it hard to start the car.

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Volkswagen Passat
Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Passat

"I haven't ran into that with my Passat yet. Yeah. Yeah. You got, you just got a Passat."

The Volkswagen Passat is a car that is good for families and people who drive a lot. It has a lot of space inside and is comfortable to drive.

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Term

TDI

"Yeah. I did a 14 TDI. Nice. What, what's the deal with that? Where'd you acquire that?"

TDI is a special kind of diesel engine from Volkswagen that helps the car use less fuel and go faster. It's known for being efficient.

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DPF

"...that had a DPF issues. Customer didn't want to spend any more money on it."

A DPF is a part of a diesel engine that helps clean the exhaust so that it doesn't pollute the air as much. If it has problems, the car can run poorly.

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Term

DSG

"Is that an automatic? It is DSG. Did they make B seven TDIs in manual? They did. Yeah. OK."

DSG is a special kind of automatic transmission that shifts gears very quickly, making the car feel more responsive. It's like having the best of both worlds between automatic and manual driving.

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front-wheel drive

"But only. Yeah. Yeah. So only front wheel drive, obviously. Right. Yeah. The B sevens were fucking weird, man."

Front-wheel drive means that the front wheels of the car are the ones that get power from the engine. This helps the car handle better in bad weather, like rain or snow.

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safety check

"Yes, that was a safety check. And he knows like I take care of cars and stuff."

A safety check is when a mechanic looks at your car to make sure it's safe to drive. They check important parts like brakes and lights to ensure everything is working well.

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state inspection

"Yes, right. State inspection. Yes. We're all forgot about."

A state inspection is a required check to make sure your car is safe to drive and meets environmental rules. It looks at things like brakes and lights to ensure everything works properly.

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Term

seat belts

"Right. He was at before seat belts. Did you like get the back of the front seat or actually that was before seat belts?"

Seat belts are straps in cars that keep you safe by holding you in your seat during an accident. They help prevent injuries by stopping you from being thrown around inside the car.

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Brand

Kawasaki

"So I started doing more and more of this side work with the cars. And then I got a job at a Kawasaki dealer. OK."

Kawasaki is a company that makes motorcycles and other vehicles. They are famous for creating fast and powerful bikes.

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Volkswagen Jetta
Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Jetta

"questionable. It was it might have been a Jetta TDI that was hitting the side. Yeah, used as a d..."

The Volkswagen Jetta is a small car with four doors that is easy to drive and has a lot of space inside. It's popular because it's reliable and good for everyday use.

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Part

ABA engine

"...the first swap I ever did was an ABA into a four to rabbit. OK. A car I bought from a friend of mine."

The ABA engine is a type of engine made by Volkswagen that is known for being strong and reliable. It's often used by people who want to replace the engine in their cars.

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Term

engine swap

"...the first swap I ever did was an ABA into a four to rabbit. OK. A car I bought from a friend of mine."

An engine swap means taking out the engine that came with a car and putting in a different one. People do this to make their cars faster or more reliable.

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fuel injection

"And he didn't know how to do any of the fuel injection wiring or anything."

Fuel injection is a way to get fuel into the engine so it can run. It's usually better than older methods because it helps the engine work more efficiently.

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Concept

welding

"We knew how to weld. OK."

Welding is a way to put metal pieces together by melting them and then letting them cool to form a strong connection. It's often used in building and repairing things.

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Part

Holly two barrel

"So he built an intake manifold for it and put like it had like a holly two barrel from a bread truck and it had that."

A Holley two-barrel is a type of device that helps mix air and fuel for the engine. It has two openings to allow more air in, which can help the engine perform better.

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Part

intake manifold

"So he built an intake manifold for it and put like it had like a holly two barrel from a bread truck and it had that."

The intake manifold is a part of the engine that helps get air and fuel into the engine's cylinders. It's important for how well the engine runs.

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Term

vacuum advance distributor

"So he had adapted to hold the original vacuum advanced distributor and all that stuff and it ran."

A vacuum advance distributor helps the engine's spark timing by using the vacuum created in the engine. This can make the engine run better and save fuel.

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Term

OBD I

"...still when you could still get OBD one stuff in the junkyard. Got all that, I think, at the time, it cost me like $80 for all of it."

OBD I is an older system in cars that helps check how well the engine is working. It's not as detailed as the newer OBD II system.

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Term

VR

"...we did a couple like Mark two VR Jettas for friends and stuff like that. And I don't know what the first real..."

VR is a type of engine made by Volkswagen that is known for being powerful and smooth. It's a special design that helps save space in the car.

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Term

Mk2

"...we did a couple like Mark two VR Jettas for friends and stuff like that. And I don't know what the first real..."

Mk2 means the second version of a car model. It's used to show that this version is different from the first one, often with improvements.

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Volkswagen Beetle
Palauenc05 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Beetle

"...out to him and I reached out to him and he had a beetle box in his shed that I bought off him. And I was..."

The Volkswagen Beetle is a small, round car that many people recognize. It's famous for its unique look and has been around for a long time, making it a beloved classic.

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Volkswagen Golf GTI
Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Golf GTI

"OK, we'll take my, you know, Mark one golf GTI. Right. And I was in the backseat."

The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a fun and sporty car that many people love. The Mark One is the first version of this car, known for being light and easy to drive.

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Toyota A90
Dietmar Rabich (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Toyota A90

"But what year was that? Oh, it was a 90, 1990. OK. And you were basically primarily just like American stuff"

The Toyota Supra is a fast sports car that many people love for its speed and style. It's popular among car fans because it can be modified to go even faster.

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Audi RS3
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Audi RS3

"...Like an 800 ish horsepower. Oh, wow. An RS3 and a few other things."

The Audi RS3 is a fast and powerful car that's part of the Audi A3 family. It's designed for performance and has a strong engine that makes it exciting to drive.

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Volkswagen Rabbit
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Rabbit

"Do you remember? I was originally switching the rabbit pickup from the G60 to a 16 valve turbo. And I h..."

The Volkswagen Rabbit is a small car that is easy to drive and has a lot of character. It's remembered fondly by many people for its fun design and good performance.

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Jaguar Mark I
Matti Blume (CC BY-SA)
Car

Jaguar Mark I

"...this past year. I wanted to be, I wanted to do a Mark I as well just to like get the intricacies worked o..."

The Jaguar Mark I is an old luxury car that looks really classy and was made a long time ago. It's special because it helped make Jaguar a famous car brand.

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Nissan R32
TTTNIS (CC0)
Car

Nissan R32

"like I was saying when we were driving it, like, you know, when like my green car, you know, there's an R 32 in the front of that and an R engine in the front of that. Right."

The Nissan Skyline is a sporty car that is known for being fast and powerful. It's popular among car fans because of its racing history and cool design.

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Volkswagen Golf
Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Golf

"Exactly. They got them in Jedis, Golfs, Characos, everywhere at Tiguan, everywhere else ..."

The Volkswagen Golf is a small car with a hatchback design, which means it has a rear door that opens upwards. It's popular because it's easy to drive and has a lot of space for passengers and cargo.

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Volkswagen Tiguan
Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Tiguan

"...got them in Jedis, Golfs, Characos, everywhere at Tiguan, everywhere else on the restaurant."

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a medium-sized SUV that has plenty of room for people and their stuff. It's a good choice for families because it's comfortable and easy to drive.

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Term

timing belt

"So Matt, tell them about the timing belt."

The timing belt is a rubber belt in the engine that helps keep everything moving in sync. If it breaks, the engine can stop working properly, which can lead to serious damage.

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Volkswagen Scirocco
Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Scirocco

"I've got a 76 Scirocco I picked up. I'm putting one in."

The Volkswagen Scirocco is a small, sporty car that was popular in the 1970s. The 1976 version is one of the early models, known for being fun to drive.

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Concept

parts car

"And I'm like, no, that's going to be the parts car. You don't want that one."

A parts car is a car that you buy mainly to take its parts and use them for another car. It's not usually meant to be driven as is.

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Dacia Duster
Matti Blume (CC BY-SA)
Car

Dacia Duster

"... OK. When we got together, yeah, he was driving a duster. The six front wheel drive duster."

The Dacia Duster is a budget-friendly SUV that can handle rough roads and has plenty of space inside. It's a good option for people who want a tough car without spending too much.

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Honda Civic Type R
MercurySable99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Honda Civic Type R

"...the Pacific Type R's came out. The newest one with the turbo motor. As soon as somebody crashed one of those, it was in something else..."

The Honda Civic Type R is a fast version of the regular Honda Civic. It's designed for performance and has a powerful engine that makes it fun to drive.

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BMW E30 M3
Matti Blume (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

BMW E30 M3

"...because he just got, uh, an E 30 M three, right?"

The BMW E30 M3 is a special version of the BMW 3 Series car that was made for racing. It is popular among car fans because of its great performance and unique look.

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BMW E30
Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

BMW E30

"Um, I was talking to Scott Norton, not too long ago, because he just got, uh, an E 30 M three, right? And he's talking about, you can go online."

The BMW 3 Series is a stylish car that feels fun to drive and has a lot of nice features inside. Many people like it because it combines luxury with a sporty feel.

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Mazda Miatas
MercurySable99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Mazda Miatas

"makes. He started that with Miata's. Um, and then because I was selling the, um, Volkswagen stuff, he makes them, you"

The Mazda MX-5, or Miata, is a small, fun sports car that you can drive with the top down. It's loved by many because it's light and easy to handle, making it great for enjoying the road.

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Cadillac Ctsv
HJUdall (CC0)
Car

Cadillac Ctsv

"Yeah. Cadillac CTSV wagon. Oh yeah."

The Cadillac CTS-V is a fancy car that goes really fast and has a lot of luxury features. It's known for being powerful and stylish, making it a great choice for those who want a sporty ride.

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Audi Tt
Sarah Larson from Ann Arbor, MI, USA (CC BY 2.0)
Car

Audi Tt

"Here we go. Uh, 18 Audi TT and EOS or a Porsche nine, four, four. Can I jun..."

The Audi TT RS is a fast and stylish sports car that looks great and drives even better. It's known for being powerful and fun to drive.

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Volkswagen Eos
Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Volkswagen Eos

"Here we go. Uh, 18 Audi TT and EOS or a Porsche nine, four, four. Can I junk them a..."

The Volkswagen Eos is a small car that can be driven with the top down, making it fun for sunny days. It's stylish and has a comfortable interior.

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Acura CL
IFCAR (Public domain)
Car

Acura CL

"...are Macs and everything, yeah, basically. Humble CL or SLC says, what better sort, what, what's bette..."

The Acura CL is a fancy two-door car that is comfortable and has nice features inside. It's a good choice for people who want a stylish car that feels luxurious.

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