About this episode
The hosts dig into a “brain buster” debate about who built the earliest angle-chop vans, circling around Yosemite Sam’s Dodge (circa 1976) versus the Nautilus (1977). They compare magazine timelines like Van Slam and Nationals at Bowling Green, plus anecdotes about multiple early angle-chop vans and whether the “first” claim holds up. The conversation also veers into burnout science (line lock, front brake lock for donuts), contest culture, and a trivia question about the Mother Road’s decommissioning.
Rose explores the first chopped van, Emily talks about the purpose of burnouts.
Recorded @iapdx
Recorded & mixed by Emdognightmare & Queen of the Vans
Editor: Emdognightmare
Production & research Queen of the Vans & Emdognightmare
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Hugs, thank you & high fives to Greg Meleney for the killer tunez!
Lincoln Nautilus
"...ere's just a little discrepancy, whether it's the Nautilus or it's Yosemite, Sam's van. Now I wanna read yo..."
The Lincoln Nautilus is a mid-size SUV from the luxury brand Lincoln. It’s designed for comfortable everyday driving and family use, with more upscale features than a typical non-luxury SUV. If it’s mentioned in a podcast, it’s usually to identify the exact SUV being talked about.
The Lincoln Nautilus is a midsize luxury SUV built by Lincoln. It’s the kind of vehicle that often comes up in conversations about family-friendly comfort, modern tech features, and how luxury brands package everyday practicality. In a podcast, it may be mentioned when discussing specific vehicles in a lineup or clarifying which SUV someone is referring to.
angle chop van
"Rose BB18: know, makes a lot of noise. I get, I get the long crank. ... Rose BB18: what do you think the first angle Chopped fan is?"
An angle chop van is a van that’s been cut and reshaped so the roofline is lowered in a slanted way. It’s a custom style meant to look more aggressive, but it has to be done carefully so the van still looks balanced.
An “angle chop” is a style of customizing a van by cutting and reconfiguring the roofline and body so the top section is removed at an angle, not straight across. The goal is a lower, more aggressive stance and a distinctive silhouette, but it’s also easy to get proportions wrong if the dimensions aren’t adjusted thoughtfully.
Van Slam
"he said, no, van Slam was in August. ... Van Slam was two weeks after the Nationals."
Van Slam is a van show/event they’re using like a calendar clue. If you know when the show happened, you can better guess when a particular custom van was built or debuted.
Van Slam is referenced as an event date marker used to place when these chopped vans were shown. In custom-van culture, show timing matters because it helps establish which build appeared first publicly.
Vans and Trucks magazine
"he said I'd have to do a little digging 'cause I noticed Yosemite Sam's van was in Vans and Trucks magazine..."
They’re talking about a magazine that covered vans and trucks, and they’re using it to help figure out when these custom vans existed. Magazine articles can act like proof for dates.
The speakers use Vans and Trucks magazine as a historical source for when a particular van appeared in print. For enthusiasts, magazine features can be used to corroborate build dates and “firsts,” especially when the builder’s own timeline is unclear.
COBOL Hall show
"I think you premiered that van at COBOL Hall, uh, show. And that could have been as early as March."
They’re referencing a specific show where the van was first shown. It helps them figure out how early the build happened.
The speaker mentions “COBOL Hall” as a show where a van was “premiered,” used to estimate how early the build could have been. This functions as another historical timeline anchor for when the chopped van debuted publicly.
Nats
"Jess sent in a picture of, uh, Woody's Smoke and Chop. ... photo I took at Nats of a chopped Dodge."
“Nats” is the name they’re using for a big national car show/event. They’re saying the photo came from that event, which helps confirm what it is.
“Nats” is used as shorthand for a national event where custom vans were shown, and the speaker says a photo was taken at Nats. In this context, it functions as a provenance clue for the “Woody’s Smoke and Chop” image.
wheelbase proportions
"Vans do not lend themselves to chopping. ... A little like chopping a short wheel base van makes it look like a long wheel base,"
They’re saying vans are tricky to chop because the shape can look weird if you only cut the roof. Changing the wheelbase/proportions (or how it looks) is what keeps the van from looking “wrong.”
The speaker argues that vans don’t lend themselves to chopping because the proportions can look “off” unless you also change other dimensions. They specifically mention how chopping a short wheelbase van can make it visually resemble a long wheelbase, which affects how the body lines read.
metallic paint job
"I had a couple people bring up the, uh, metallic paint job. Oh, uh, scuttlebutt."
They’re talking about a metallic paint finish on one of the custom vans, and there’s some chatter about the details. Paint can be a big part of how these builds are remembered.
The segment mentions a “metallic paint job” and “scuttlebutt” about it, implying there’s debate or rumor about the paint’s origin or specifics. In custom builds, paint choice and finish details are often part of what makes a car historically notable.
burnout
"that a burnout is made from making power. The gas and stopping power the brakes at the same time equally creates a scientific equation of centrifugal, force, the burnout."
A burnout is when you spin the tires while the car is still under control, usually to heat them up. In this conversation, it’s described as a way to get the tires hot and sticky.
A burnout is discussed as a technique where the driver applies power while braking to overheat the tires. The speaker frames it as creating “centrifugal force” and a “scientific equation,” but the key idea is the tire is heated and made to grip more.
tire hot and sticky
"Dan Lonnie wrote in ... Yeah. You want to get that tire hot and sticky? Yeah. Get those compounds going."
“Getting the tire hot and sticky” refers to increasing tire temperature to improve grip. Many performance tires reach better traction within an operating temperature range, so heating them via a burnout can temporarily enhance acceleration and control.
compounds
"Yeah. Get those compounds going."
“Compounds” here refers to the rubber compound in the tire tread. Tire compounds are engineered to change behavior with temperature—warmer compounds can provide more friction/grip, which is why heating tires is a common track and drag-racing tactic.
line lock
"There's a different part here. It's called the line lock. And what it does is it, um, frees up your back brakes and it locks up your front brakes."
A line lock is a device that can “hold” the brakes for you. People use it so they can rev the engine and do burnouts without the car rolling.
A line lock is an aftermarket (or sometimes factory) brake control that holds the front brakes at a chosen point. It lets the driver rev the engine while the car stays stationary, which is commonly used for burnout setups.
donuts
"it's in a big pit and people are doing donuts all crazy and burning out their tires"
Donuts are when you spin the car in a circle, usually by sliding the tires. It’s a common “show off” maneuver but it can be very hard on tires and drivetrain.
Donuts are tight, circular slides where the car’s rear wheels spin while the driver keeps steering to maintain the circle. They’re typically done in low-traction conditions or with enough power to break traction.
burning out their tires
"people are doing donuts all crazy and burning out their tires, and they usually burn 'em down to the wheels"
When people “burn out” tires, they’re basically cooking the rubber by spinning it hard. It can ruin the tires quickly and can also stress other parts of the car.
“Burning out” tires means intentionally overheating and destroying tire tread by spinning them under load. It’s hard on tires and can also stress components like wheel bearings, brakes, and drivetrain mounts.
rear end
"they had to go to a junkyard, get a rear end and Rose can take the whole third member out the front of the rear end"
“Rear end” usually means the parts at the back of the car that help deliver power to the wheels. If something breaks there, you may need a replacement assembly.
“Rear end” is a common slang term for the rear axle assembly, including the differential and related gearing. In many cars, replacing or swapping the rear end is a major repair because it affects drivetrain strength and drivability.
third member
"Rose can take the whole third member out the front of the rear end instead of it having a rear cover."
The “third member” is basically the differential guts inside the rear axle. Some cars let you remove that section without replacing the whole rear axle housing.
The “third member” is the removable differential carrier assembly found in many rear-axle designs. It typically contains the ring and pinion and the differential, and can often be swapped without replacing the entire axle housing.
junkyard
"so they had to go to a junkyard, get a rear end and Rose can take the whole third member out"
A junkyard is a place where old cars are taken apart and parts are sold. People use it to find replacement parts for cheaper than new.
A junkyard is where used vehicles and parts are dismantled and sold, often including complete assemblies like axles or differentials. It’s commonly used for cost-effective repairs or for sourcing hard-to-find components.
vehicle is gets channeled
"Yeah, maybe I will too. We'll see. Um, yeah. What does it mean when a vehicle is gets channeled?"
“Channeled” means the car body is modified to sit lower over the frame. People do it to change the look and make the car look more aggressive.
“Channeled” refers to a custom-car body modification where the body is lowered over the frame (or the firewall is moved) to create a lower stance and improved proportions. It’s often done to fit bigger wheels/tires or to achieve a specific hot-rod look.
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