About this episode
A lively catch-up blends garage talk with road-trip history. Emily and Rose swap stories about ongoing van/engine work—freeze plugs, oil pan/engine reinstallation, and fitting an Astro front clip while dealing with rusty areas and scraping speed bumps. The conversation then pivots to Route 66: its 1926 highway designation, rapid paving by 1938, promotional efforts, and the vibe of rough one-lane stretches and open landscapes. They also mention school memories, convoy plans, and upcoming events like “The Bandit.”
Rose talks about Route 66, Emily learns what 'channeling' is.
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!
fleet
"That was cut in 1985 after his passing. It was in my fleet for a bit. It has since been handed off to members of Riffraff Vanners that viewed him like family as well."
A “fleet” just means a bunch of vehicles that belong to the same group. Here, it sounds like they shared or kept the vehicle with their group for a while.
A “fleet” is a group of vehicles used together for a purpose, often by an organization or club. In this context, the speaker is saying the car/vehicle was part of their group’s vehicles for a period.
Astro engine
"...we could have just like in and out of the astro engine. Emily BB19: they get here on Saturday. They definitely weren't like the other astro engine was like, you go try to knock 'em out and just pokes through 'em."
They’re talking about the engine setup in their van. It sounds like they’re working on an engine that’s been swapped in or modified, and they’re trying to fix issues before reinstalling it.
“Astro engine” here likely refers to an engine swap or a specific engine setup used in their project van. The discussion about being rusty and doing work “fresh” suggests they’re addressing known corrosion/fitment issues during the swap.
rusty on the backside
"They definitely weren't like the other astro engine was like, you go try to knock 'em out and just pokes through 'em. Yeah. 'cause they were so rusty on the backside."
They’re saying the parts were corroded in a spot you can’t easily see. Rust there can make parts harder to remove and can cause leaks later.
“Rusty on the backside” points to corrosion in a hard-to-see area, which often makes removal and repair more difficult. In engine/exhaust work, backside corrosion can mean parts are thin, weakened, or prone to leaks.
freeze plugs
"Yeah. 'cause they were so rusty on the backside. These were getting there. So it's good to do 'em fresh freeze plugs, that's always nice."
Freeze plugs are small plugs in the engine that help seal passages. If they rust or leak, you replace them to stop coolant/oil issues.
Freeze plugs (also called core plugs) are small metal plugs pressed into engine block/cylinder passages. They can fail with age or corrosion, and replacing them is a common engine service item during repairs.
oil pan
"And then, um. Freeze plugs, oil pan engine goes back in and we're gonna try to cut the bolts off the old manifolds and just keep using the old y pipe."
The oil pan is the part at the bottom of the engine that holds the oil. It’s part of the system that keeps the engine lubricated.
The oil pan is the lower housing that holds engine oil and provides a mounting surface for the oil pickup. When the speaker says “oil pan engine goes back in,” they’re describing the reassembly order after engine work.
manifolds
"Freeze plugs, oil pan engine goes back in and we're gonna try to cut the bolts off the old manifolds and just keep using the old y pipe."
Manifolds are engine parts that gather gases and send them down the exhaust system. If bolts are stuck, you may have to cut them to get the parts off.
Exhaust manifolds are engine-mounted components that collect exhaust gases from cylinders and route them toward the rest of the exhaust system. Cutting bolts off old manifolds suggests a repair/replacement job where the old parts are being removed or reused.
y pipe
"...cut the bolts off the old manifolds and just keep using the old y pipe. van. It is gonna be nice."
A Y pipe is an exhaust piece that combines two exhaust streams into one. Reusing it means they think it’s still good and will fit with the new/updated parts.
A “Y pipe” is an exhaust section where two exhaust paths merge into one. Reusing the old Y pipe implies it’s still in good enough condition to keep the exhaust layout while other parts are serviced.
channeled the frame through the body
"...you've then channeled the frame through the body, and so you've made some kind of channeled section mm-hmm."
Channelling is a custom-body modification where the frame is moved upward through the body to lower the car’s stance without cutting the body as much. It changes how the body sits relative to the chassis and can affect interior clearance.
frame rail
"That allows whatever the shape of the frame rail is to pass through the body, which is an obstruction into the pa, the passenger compartment."
Frame rails are the main longitudinal structural members of a body-on-frame vehicle. When the speaker describes the frame rail passing through a cut/section in the body, they’re talking about how the chassis structure interacts with the interior space.
front fenders
"...He did that on the front fenders. They, they were a full radius. He lopped him off and made it flat across the top."
Front fenders are the panels over the front wheels, and in custom builds they’re often reshaped to change tire clearance and the vehicle’s visual stance. The speaker mentions modifying fender shape to achieve a lower look.
2 inch drop spindles
"is on two inch drop spindles, so my cross member's two inches closer to the ground. And I scrape speed bumps."
Drop spindles lower the front suspension by relocating the wheel hub/steering geometry relative to the suspension. A “2 inch” drop means the front end sits lower, which can improve stance but may increase scraping and alignment sensitivity.
cross member
"...so my cross member's two inches closer to the ground. And I scrape speed bumps."
A cross member is a structural bar that connects frame/suspension components on opposite sides of the vehicle. Lowering the car with drop spindles brings the cross member closer to the ground, increasing the chance of contact with speed bumps.
speed bumps
"And I scrape speed bumps. But the A 67 has a Astro Front clip, and although it's slammed down"
Speed bumps are raised road obstacles that test ground clearance. The speaker’s scraping comment ties directly to suspension lowering and how low the chassis sits.
front clip
"But the A 67 has a Astro Front clip, and although it's slammed down"
A “front clip” is a swapped-in front-end section (often including sheet metal, mounting points, and sometimes suspension components) from another vehicle. The speaker implies their build uses an Astro front clip, which affects fitment, stance, and how the front end is assembled.
Route 66
"But in a sense it has a very big, anniversary coming up of, its really, its very first thing which means that it was assigned in the numerical designation for the highway system, April 30th, 1926. So we're coming up on a really big anniversary for Route 66."
Route 66 is a legendary road in the U.S. People associate it with classic road trips and American history.
Route 66 is the famous U.S. highway that became a cultural symbol of road trips and Americana. The episode ties it to a specific anniversary and discusses how it was promoted and developed over time.
assigned in the numerical designation for the highway system
"...it was assigned in the numerical designation for the highway system, April 30th, 1926."
They’re talking about when the highway got its official number in the government road system. It’s part of why the anniversary is meaningful.
This refers to how highways were officially numbered/organized within the U.S. highway system. The speaker uses it to anchor Route 66’s historical timeline and anniversary.
commission to promote 66
"There was, you know, there's the thing I read about like some early, um, they created a commission in I think Arizona and Springfield, Missouri, uh, to like, promote 66 and get people traveling it."
They’re saying people created a group to help promote Route 66 so more travelers would use it. That helped build the road-trip culture.
The episode mentions a commission created to promote Route 66 travel, illustrating how infrastructure and tourism marketing reinforced each other. For enthusiasts, it’s a reminder that road-trip culture wasn’t accidental—it was actively encouraged.
fully paved
"And the thing is, that by 38 it was fully paved. They did a lot."
“Fully paved” means the whole road got a proper surface instead of dirt or gravel. That usually makes driving smoother and easier.
When a highway is “fully paved,” it means the entire route has been surfaced with pavement rather than gravel or dirt. That matters for driving comfort, safety, and how easily cars can travel long distances.
one lane wide with gravel shoulders
"But this is another section of it where it's like one lane wide and there's gravel shoulders. But anyway, yeah, the parkway section in Missouri before the S Fudge Factory, it's rides rough, like railroad tracks."
They’re describing a rougher, narrower road section—basically one lane with gravel on the sides. That makes driving more careful than on a modern wide highway.
Describing a “one lane wide” section with gravel shoulders highlights how some Route 66 segments were narrow and less forgiving than modern highways. That kind of road layout affects driving workload, passing opportunities, and safety margins.
liftoff Instagram
"But anyway, it'll be on the, uh, liftoff Instagram. We'll have it on our Instagram and we're going for smoke. And the bandit is on the 26th."
They’re saying they’ll post the pictures and updates on their Instagram page. It’s basically where the group shares what they’re doing.
This refers to a social-media account/page used to post updates and photos from the group’s car-related events. In car communities, these pages often document meetups, convoys, and build or restoration progress.
convoy
"The first, uh, three. We missed convoy. That was, uh, this week, but there's two more, which I can't remember the names and I forgot to get the pictures."
A convoy is when a bunch of cars drive together as a group. It’s usually for a planned event or meet-up.
A convoy is a group of vehicles traveling together, usually for an event or meet. In car culture, convoys are common for cruises, charity runs, or coordinated drives where participants want to roll in together.
bandit
"But anyway, it'll be on the, uh, liftoff Instagram... and we're going for smoke. And the bandit is on the 26th."
“Bandit” sounds like the name of an event they’re going to. They’re saying it happens on the 26th.
“Bandit” here appears to be the name of a specific event or meetup date (“on the 26th”). Without more context, it’s not possible to tie it to a particular car model or series, but it likely refers to a themed gathering.
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