170. The Pile Up EP41: Root Beer Indignant
About this episode
The hosts trade shop stories and pop-culture tangents while circling back to their ongoing “pile up” project notes. They gush about knowledgeable local car parts people, swap memories of Simpsons references, and debate dream-band picks and van-life details. A mystery package, talk of wheel/tire testing photos, and plans for Van Nationals (with travel concerns) keep the vibe grounded. The conversation also detours into Ed Roth’s early video-making, rocket/military history, and even gendering car names—ending with a Lift Off event featuring Smoking the Bandit.
This week it's about car genders, FMK, write ins, & root beer.
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Lift Off bar insta. Come see Somokey and the Bandit with us! Sunday 4/26 @7pm
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!
hot Rods wheel tire combo
"Rose EP41: Uh, yeah, they do. Yeah, they do. And a wheel and tire testing facility. He sent me a really cool photo of that and was like, this is your hot Rods wheel tire combo. And it was like, they were, they had a motorcycle wheel it looked like, or a spoke wheel on the test..."
They’re talking about the exact wheels and tires on a car. That choice changes how the car grips the road and how it feels to drive.
A “wheel and tire combo” refers to the specific pairing of rims and tires, which strongly affects ride comfort, grip, steering feel, and even fitment. For hot rods, people often choose a combo that matches the intended look (stance) and how the car will be used (cruising vs. track).
wheel and tire testing facility
"Rose EP41: Uh, yeah, they do. Yeah, they do. And a wheel and tire testing facility. He sent me a really cool photo of that and was like, this is your hot Rods wheel tire combo."
They’re describing a place that tests tires and wheels. The goal is to see how well different setups perform before people commit to buying or building around them.
A wheel and tire testing facility is where tire compounds and wheel setups are evaluated under controlled conditions. These places often measure things like traction, rolling resistance, wear, and how the tire behaves across different surfaces and speeds.
Ford Mustang
"Okay. I'm, I'm trying to explain this from the executive's point of view. Okay. Like that's what they're like. Oh no. Excuse me, sir. Actually, what we were thinking was two of the people came here in a Mustang."
They’re mentioning a Ford Mustang. It’s a popular American sports car people often drive to car events.
A Ford Mustang is a classic American pony car, commonly used in car meets and road trips. In the context of the episode, it’s referenced as the vehicle some people arrived in, tying into the “car culture” vibe.
Van Nationals
"Emily EP41: no, there's absolutely no limit. Uh, also Ryan, this was really nice of him. He was asking if we were gonna be able to go to the Van Nationals this year, and, um, we don't believe, well actually it's not even, we don't believe it's just, it straight out. It is not safe for Rose to travel right now."
It’s a big event where people bring their vans to meet up and show them off. They’re saying it’s not safe for Rose to travel to it.
“Van Nationals” refers to a national meet/event focused on vans, where owners gather to show vehicles, swap info, and often compete in categories. The episode frames it as a trip that would be unsafe for one of the hosts right now.
Napa Spark Plug Socket
"Rose EP41: I mean, so stupid. There's millions of 'em like it. But I did go for the 13th, 16th Napa Spark Plug Socket. USA made well worn. So that was a good,"
A spark plug socket is the special tool that lets you take spark plugs out and put them back in. It’s shaped to fit down into the plug so you don’t mess anything up.
A spark plug socket is a specialized deep socket used to remove and install spark plugs without damaging the porcelain or electrode area. “Napa” here refers to the tool brand/retailer, and “USA made well worn” suggests it’s a durable, older tool that’s been used a lot.
VHS
"Rose EP41: And it's like, he really is like so ahead of his time because it is like, it's so like a YouTube video, you know, like the very beginning. I was think that's part of what I was thinking about was like how, how early Ed was in all of that, filming himself with the VHS and like, you know, talking about what he's doing."
VHS is an old-school way of recording video on tapes. The point is that he was making videos way before today’s online car culture.
VHS is an analog video format that was common before digital cameras and YouTube. Mentioning “filming himself with the VHS” highlights how early Ed Roth documented his builds long before modern social media.
Iacocca
"Rose EP41: yeah, Vanessa at Five Point Parts was the only person that I think vocalized, uh, any fanfare for Iacocca. But anyway, we thought DeLorean was cool. I like talking about Iaccoca, but then we also had to bring up Irv Raki who was like the pretty dry."
Iacocca was a famous car executive who helped shape big parts of the American auto industry. People bring him up when they’re talking about car history and leadership.
Lee Iacocca was a major automotive executive best known for turning around Chrysler and for his public-facing leadership style. In car-enthusiast discussions, his name often comes up when talking about American automotive history and marketing.
DeLorean
"Rose EP41: yeah, Vanessa at Five Point Parts was the only person that I think vocalized, uh, any fanfare for Iacocca. But anyway, we thought DeLorean was cool. I like talking about Iaccoca, but then we also had to bring up Irv Raki who was like the pretty dry."
DeLorean is the famous car with the stainless-steel body and the gull-wing doors. People often talk about it because it’s so recognizable.
The DeLorean DMC-12 is the iconic stainless-steel sports car most associated with pop culture and gull-wing doors. In the segment, it’s brought up as a cool topic alongside other automotive personalities, suggesting they’re discussing car history and builders.
Ford F150
"Emily EP41: Well, it's a huge engine. You know what the thing is? The thing about that is, is you could live in the engine bay with, you could nap in the engine bay with the 3 0 2. Rose EP41: What do you think? Like, uh, what F-150. Manly."
The Ford F-150 is a popular big pickup truck. They’re using it as a familiar example while talking about engine size and space.
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup truck and one of the most common “big engine” reference points in American car talk. In this segment, it’s used as a comparison for what a large engine feels like or how you’d live around it.
Jeep
"Rose EP41: But what if you had a Jeep? What if you had like a cj, the civilian Jeep? Like with the rag top, like the fold down top, uh,"
Jeep is a brand known for off-road vehicles. “CJ” is a classic Jeep model line, and they’re talking about a version with a removable/convertible top.
Jeep is the off-road-focused brand, and “CJ” refers to the classic Jeep Civilian models (the CJ series). The speaker is imagining a Jeep with a ragtop/convertible-style top, using it to compare what it would be like to have an engine bay you could live in.
Chevrolet Corvette
"I had, I was going to gender my other two cars. Uh, my company car, which is a Corvette, uh, they called the company car. That's a girl."
A Corvette is a Chevrolet sports car. It’s the kind of car people often associate with performance and style, and here they’re just using it as an example of a car they’ve “gendered.”
The Corvette is Chevrolet’s long-running American sports car line. In the episode, it’s mentioned as a “company car,” which is a common way people talk about what they drive for work.
TransAm
"And the TransAm is a girl too. And those just to me are, I don't know, that was very clear to me."
The Trans Am is a Pontiac muscle car. In this conversation it’s being used as a personality example—like whether a car “feels” like a boy or a girl.
“TransAm” refers to the Pontiac Trans Am, a classic American muscle/pony car known for its performance image. The hosts are discussing whether cars feel “masculine” or “feminine,” using the Trans Am as another example.
Edsel
"But what about an Edsel"
An Edsel is a Ford-era car brand that doesn’t exist anymore. The hosts are bringing it up as another example of a car people might describe as having a certain “vibe.”
Edsel was a short-lived American car brand created by Ford in the late 1950s. Mentioning “Edsel” here is likely about the brand’s distinct identity and how people perceive its personality.
naming their car
"I struggle to like, give it a personality. Other people love that. They love like naming their car and it has this whole thing"
Some people give their car a nickname or treat it like it’s a character. It’s a fun way to connect with the car beyond just driving it.
Car “naming” is a form of anthropomorphism—treating a vehicle like it has personality or identity. In car culture, this often shows up with recurring themes like gendering, nicknames, and storytelling.
wraparound backseat
"It's got a wraparound backseat and then it has a cooler back there and it's got a radio in the back and it's got radio in the front."
A wraparound backseat is a rear seat design that curves around the space. It can make the back feel more like a lounge than a flat bench.
A wraparound backseat describes rear seating that curves around the cabin, creating a more enclosed or lounge-like feel. It’s a design detail that can strongly affect how “cozy” or “unique” a vehicle feels.
wood interior
"but it did have some wood interior and they did refinish it. Um, but this guy, yeah, he was driving around with the guy and now I can't remember the YouTube channel name either."
A “wood interior” usually means trim panels made to look like wood or actual wood veneer, often associated with classic luxury or retro styling. The episode notes it was refinished, implying restoration work to bring the interior back to a nicer look.
radio in the back
"It's got a wraparound backseat and then it has a cooler back there and it's got a radio in the back and it's got radio in the front."
A radio in the back means passengers sitting behind can listen too. It’s a feature that makes long trips more fun for everyone.
A rear-seat radio/entertainment setup is an older-school feature that lets passengers in the back listen independently. In this segment, it’s used to highlight how the vehicle’s interior is designed for the whole family, not just the driver.
cooler back there
"It's got a wraparound backseat and then it has a cooler back there and it's got a radio in the back and it's got radio in the front."
A cooler back there means there’s a built-in place to keep drinks cold in the back seat area. It’s a fun feature that makes the car feel like a road-trip machine.
A built-in cooler in the rear is a convenience feature often found in certain retro-styled or custom vehicles. It’s mentioned as part of the interior’s “rad” design, emphasizing practicality plus nostalgia.
Smoking the Bandit
"Just go to lift off's. Instagram. I think it's, yeah, I think it might be the Liftoff or just Under Liftoff. Um, and then we'll also be doing some cross-promoting on our page, but on the, we know this one for sure on the 26th, they're gonna be playing Smoking The Bandit."
“Smokey and the Bandit” is a classic movie with a lot of car action. They’re recommending it to anyone who hasn’t seen it, as part of the episode’s car-themed vibe.
“Smokey and the Bandit” is a famous 1970s car-and-chase movie that heavily influenced American car pop culture. Mentioning it here ties the episode’s car talk to a broader media reference listeners may recognize.
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