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#554 John Clay Wolfe Show 05.09.26

#554 John Clay Wolfe Show 05.09.26

The John Clay Wolfe Show May 09, 2026 144 min
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About this episode

A wide-ranging call-in episode mixes show logistics, business talk, and a lot of car-deal and build detail. The hosts discuss Mopars pulled from fields, auction/restoration workflows (including sandblasting on a rotisserie and an LT4 swap), and how much of an 80-car stash becomes full rebuilds. They also cover wholesale/consignment realities, negotiation and paperwork for sales, and troubleshooting used-car problems like fuel delivery and expensive transmission failures. Later, they pivot into filming plans for an “f6 ferrari” and other off-topic stories.

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Term

Mopar chargers

"Okay, so we're going to absolute sell those mopar chargers. Okay And it's june 6 i'm putting a plug in you guys go to uh, what is it gmtv auctions.com?"

“Mopar” is the parts/performance brand tied to Chrysler. “Chargers” means Dodge Charger cars—some will be sold as parts, and others will be rebuilt.

Term

sandblasting

"JCw show.com. Uh, you can watch the video stream. Look, that's when we're sandblasting it. It's on a rotisserie Yeah, and that was after the first paint job"

Sandblasting is blasting the car’s metal with abrasive material to remove old paint and rust. It helps prepare the surface for the next steps in the rebuild.

Concept

rotisserie

"JCw show.com. Uh, you can watch the video stream. Look, that's when we're sandblasting it. It's on a rotisserie Yeah, and that was after the first paint job"

A rotisserie is a restoration stand that lets the car rotate so workers can sandblast and paint all sides more easily.

Term

engine completely rebuilt

"I said you're right. That's the only thing you were ever right about is it wasn't gonna then that engine We had it completely rebuilt repainted"

“Completely rebuilt” means the engine was taken apart and rebuilt with worn parts fixed or replaced. It’s a big job meant to make the engine run correctly again.

Term

LT4

"There there's the new engine That's the lt4 that cost Really like after everything really 30,000"

LT4 is a specific GM engine model name. Saying “that’s the LT4” means it’s not just any replacement engine—it’s a known performance engine type.

Car

Dodge Super B

"...will get fully rebuilt the rt Ven numbers and the super b ven numbers the good ones that ven better Uh, any..."

The Dodge Super Bee is a muscle car, meaning it’s built for strong acceleration and a sporty feel. It’s known as a classic model that collectors look for. The podcast mentions it in the context of identifying the right version and details.

Car

Suzuki Samurai

"...ight Yeah, what other questions do you have young samurai? I just wondered what those because you"

The Suzuki Samurai is a small SUV that’s built to handle rough roads and trails. People like it because it’s tough and can be modified for off-road use. The podcast mentions it as a “Samurai,” likely in that context.

Car

Lincoln Town Car limo

"It's a what it's a lifted with 38 Big lift badass build Lincoln town car limo four-wheel drive that's sitting on 38s Off-road tires"

A Lincoln Town Car is a big luxury car. Here they’re talking about a limo-style, heavily modified version—lifted up and set up for rougher driving with big tires.

Term

lifted

"It's a what it's a lifted with 38 Big lift badass build Lincoln town car limo four-wheel drive that's"

“Lifted” means the car sits higher than it did from the factory. People do this so it can fit bigger tires and handle rougher roads better.

Term

four-wheel drive

"Big lift badass build Lincoln town car limo four-wheel drive that's sitting on 38s Off-road tires"

Four-wheel drive (4WD) sends power to both the front and rear axles, improving traction when roads are slippery or uneven. In modified builds, 4WD is often chosen to make the vehicle more capable with larger off-road tires.

Term

off-road tires

"sitting on 38s Off-road tires and underneath in the stereo in 10,000 for sure maybe maybe 15 in the the the running gear on it"

Off-road tires have tread made for dirt and rough surfaces. They usually grip better off pavement, but can be noisier on regular roads.

Term

running gear

"Off-road tires and underneath in the stereo in 10,000 for sure maybe maybe 15 in the the the running gear on it You know if we wanted to build a badass four-wheel drive"

“Running gear” is a catch-all for the parts underneath and connected to how the car moves. On a custom build, that’s often where a big chunk of the money goes.

Term

shocks

"It runs good rides good those shocks cost more than that car by a long shot It doesn't rattle your teeth out."

Shocks are what help control the car’s bouncing over bumps. Better shocks can make a lifted truck or limo ride smoother and feel more stable.

Car

Ford GT40

"If you like if you would legitimately take the offer, but I could tell you um, the best story that Uh, for how much time have I got I got a minute real quick four years ago four gt 40 right a red one Um 30 miles on it delivery miles wrapped in plastic. It's coming down the lane"

The Ford GT40 is a classic high-performance sports car made for racing. It’s famous because it was built to win endurance races. People bring it up because it’s rare and has a strong racing history.

Term

delivery miles

"four gt 40 right a red one 30 miles on it delivery miles wrapped in plastic. It's coming down the lane"

“Delivery miles” are the small number of miles accumulated while a new car is transported from the factory to a dealer or buyer. They’re often treated differently from normal driving because the car may have been mostly unused aside from transit.

Concept

wrapped in plastic

"30 miles on it delivery miles wrapped in plastic. It's coming down the lane Cunningham calls me and he's like, hey man, I got 40 grand made on this car"

“Wrapped in plastic” means the car was protected with plastic coverings. That usually suggests it was kept in very good condition, which can matter a lot for collectors and auctions.

Concept

wholesale world

"Which is absolutely abnormal for a car in the wholesale world. This doesn't happen as you know We make a thousand bucks a car 500 lose a thousand bucks"

“Wholesale world” means the car-buying and selling market where dealers and auction sellers trade cars among themselves. It usually involves smaller, more predictable profits than selling to regular buyers.

Concept

auction block

"But we got to pull it before it runs across the block and it's about 10 cars out The week before there was a comp on bring a trailer that was tall money"

The “auction block” is where the car goes up for bidding. “Pull it before it runs across the block” means taking it out of the auction before people start bidding.

Company

Bring a Trailer

"The week before there was a comp on bring a trailer that was tall money Right, so the market had just moved on this car after we bought it"

Bring a Trailer is a popular website where car enthusiasts bid on cars. The host is using a past sale from that site to explain how the car market changed.

Concept

hail

"You never know that son of a bitch went a 100000 more dollars than That number And that's why you got to run it and that's why I'm because you need that extra hundred grand offset the 200 grand you lost in hail"

Hail is a type of storm damage where ice can hit the car and leave dents. It can hurt the car’s value, especially for expensive collector cars.

Term

fuel pump

"Um, I was just wondering if they got it running. They were screwing with it and uh, it might need a fuel pump"

The fuel pump is what sends gas from the tank to the engine. If the engine won’t start, it can be because the pump isn’t delivering fuel.

Car

Dodge Charger

"We were could it be a 1970 charger rt? [2352.4s] I believe that is what it is."

A 1970 Charger RT is a classic Dodge muscle car. Here, the hosts are trying to figure out what model the car is while diagnosing why it won’t start.

Term

starting fluid

"I sprayed some starting fluid in it and it didn't really it kind of popped [2371.6s] But then we realized that there wasn't any fuel in the filter"

Starting fluid is a spray used to help an engine catch when it’s having trouble starting. If it only pops and still won’t run, it often means the engine still isn’t getting the right fuel.

Term

intake

"I pulled the intake off of it while they were cranking on it. Yeah in anywhere"

The intake is the path/assembly that brings air into the engine for combustion. Removing or accessing the intake during diagnosis can help the mechanic observe airflow and/or apply starting fluid directly to test whether the engine can fire.

Term

fuel in the filter

"But then we realized that there wasn't any fuel in the filter [2374.7s] Okay, I don't know you know a lot more about it than I I I bought it a while back and I don't"

The fuel filter is where the fuel gets cleaned before it reaches the engine. If there’s no fuel in the filter, it usually means fuel isn’t getting delivered to the engine.

Topic

Walnut Springs

"And then we're bringing it to walnuts springs. This is all like... after the track that we're going to bring it into walnut"

They’re talking about a place called Walnut Springs where they’ll bring the car after the track. It’s part of their filming plan.

Term

driving shots

"Gear ready and we're going to go shoot driving shots through the hilt country [2553.9s] Um, tuesday morning at sunup awesome"

“Driving shots” are video clips filmed while the car is actually driving. The goal is to capture how the car looks and moves on the road.

Car

53 Cadillac

"Okay. I'll think about it because you would look good in that 53 Cadillac this drop in slam"

They’re talking about a 1953 Cadillac. It’s a classic American car, and in this context it sounds like they’re using it as a cool-looking camera car for filming.

Term

slam

"Okay. I'll think about it because you would look good in that 53 Cadillac this drop in slam"

In car culture, "slam" usually means lowering a car’s ride height so it sits very close to the ground. That look is often achieved with suspension changes like lowering springs or coilovers, and it also affects ride comfort and tire clearance.

Car

Volkswagen Caddy

"... Yeah, you like how I did that. I know where's my caddy. Yeah It's quite alluring, man. That's my favorit..."

The Volkswagen Caddy is a small van designed to carry people or cargo. It’s practical and commonly used for everyday needs or work. The podcast mentions it like a personal favorite or a vehicle someone is looking for.

Term

sidecar cameras

"A lot to set up the sidecar cameras [2641.8s] The"

“Sidecar cameras” are cameras mounted next to the car to film the action. It helps the video look more exciting than a normal dashboard or handheld shot.

Car

Honda A Cord

"...e? Yes, i'm here. How you doing? Good. Good uh 17 honda a cord v6 or v our four cylinder Uh, it's a six cylinder..."

The Honda Accord is a regular, everyday car (a midsize sedan) that many people use for commuting and errands. The podcast mentions a 2017 model and that it can come with different engine choices. That’s important because engine choice affects how it drives and how it feels day to day.

Car

Jeep Wrangler

"That's it And and then the stoners with the tight Wranglers in the In the brush in back pocket at the roller ..."

The Jeep Wrangler is an SUV made for off-road driving. People like it because it can handle rough paths, and it’s also common to customize. The podcast mentions it in a way that matches that off-road, outdoorsy use.

Car

Buick Century

"...right, yeah, I've been hanging around in the 15th century for a while That's the 1400s to you and me. I got..."

The Buick Century is a family-style sedan meant for comfortable everyday driving. People talk about it because older ones can still be around and used. The podcast is referencing it in a joking way about “century” and time periods.

Car

Honda Fit Sport

"You got an 11 Honda fit sport with 75,000 miles on it [3885.8s] Average rougher clean average rougher clean [3889.6s] Oh, it's clean uh automatic transmission. It was uh driven by my eight-year-old mother for the last"

The Honda Fit Sport is a small hatchback that’s popular because it’s practical and efficient. Here, they’re talking about it as a used car with an automatic and about 75,000 miles, which affects what it’s worth.

Car

Honda Fit

"... the ven dot com chris in tennessee You got an 11 Honda fit sport with 75,000 miles on it Average rougher cle..."

The Honda Fit EV is a small car that runs on electricity instead of gasoline. It’s designed to be practical for daily driving while using an electric powertrain. The podcast mentions one with a specific mileage, likely as part of a used-car question.

Term

automatic transmission

"Oh, it's clean uh automatic transmission. It was uh driven by my eight-year-old mother for the last [3896.4s] Well, I think she bought it new six grand"

An automatic transmission is the type of gearbox that changes gears by itself. It matters for used cars because transmission problems can be costly to fix.

Car

Ford Maverick

"Go to give me the ven dot com load it up. I'll give you six grand john in florida. You got a 24 maverick with 150,000 miles on it [3908.6s] Yes, sir, man. You and I drive you win the award [3912.3s] Jesus do you have back problems? ... [3926.2s] I love that truck until it ate a transmission about a thousand miles ago [3933.2s] And that transmission is it cost me $10,000."

The Ford Maverick is a small pickup truck. Here it’s important because the speaker says it had a major transmission failure, which cost a lot of money and changes what the truck is worth.

Term

rental fees

"Technically a transmission is 7500 but i'm into 1500 right now for rental fees [3971.4s] And and there's still like a week and a half out on the truck your truck is worth what you just paid for the transmission"

Rental fees are the cost of getting a substitute vehicle while the car is being repaired. In the segment, they’re used to quantify the total out-of-pocket impact of a transmission replacement, which influences what the seller/buyer is willing to pay.

Term

paperwork

"But i need the paperwork that's got a new transmission because that's the only way i'm going to get any more barely anymore [3986.6s] Because the next thing to crater is the motor, but i mean it's cool"

Paperwork here means the documents that prove a big repair really happened. They want proof the transmission was replaced so they can feel confident about the car’s value.

Term

motor

"Because the next thing to crater is the motor, but i mean it's cool [3989.6s] You know, but yeah the learning moment is don't take a mild out [3993.4s] Anything to the dealership the brand name dealership to do the big stuff transmission motor."

“Motor” usually means the engine. They’re saying they’re worried that if the transmission already failed, the engine could be the next expensive problem.

Car

Ford F150

"Anyhow. I've ordered the f-150. I've ordered a 26 f-150 v8 because I know they're dependable for 400,000 miles Here here's what i'd do"

The Ford F-150 is a popular full-size truck. The point here is that the speaker thinks it’s a dependable choice, especially compared with what they just ran into with a costly transmission repair.

Car

Plymouth GTX

"...k. Justin's got a 67 actually His friend has a 67 gtx all original Says it's driver quality. I told him..."

The Plymouth GTX is a classic muscle car from the 1960s. Collectors pay attention to how original and well-preserved the car is. The podcast mentions a 1967 GTX that’s “all original,” meaning it’s kept in its original condition as much as possible.

Car

Ferrari F430

"... a dope deal Okay, I'm gonna load that plus an o5 f430 on there also F430 for our"

The Ferrari F430 is a fast, high-end sports car made by Ferrari. It’s known for strong performance and being a special, collectible model. The podcast mentions it as part of a conversation about a deal involving expensive cars.

Car

Subaru Brat

"...ert and austin you got your dad's old Subaru Baja brat. It's got 170 on it. Yes, sir Yes, sir, general t..."

The Subaru Brat is a small truck-like vehicle made by Subaru. It’s known for being unusual and for having a simple, practical layout. The podcast mentions one with high mileage that belongs to someone’s dad, which is why it came up.

Concept

fender bender

"He got a little fender bender on it and he's getting he's like 85 to older drive and uh, he gave it up [6304.0s] Okay, kyle. Do you have the pictures to put up?"

A “fender bender” is a small crash, usually just damaging the outer body parts. It can still cost money to fix and can change how people value the car.

Term

body shop

"I guess 30. I mean like what's it gonna cost to the body shop to fix the little fender bender? [6317.4s] Oh, i'm not a body man, but I do know metal"

A body shop is where they repair car damage from accidents. They’re the ones who would fix the dents and repaint the affected parts.

Car

Nissan Rogue

"And we get a Nissan rogue that needs a transmission those transmissions are CVT transmissions and they cost us about 4,500 wholesale to repair to rebuild"

The Nissan Rogue is a common Nissan crossover. In this story, the big problem is the transmission, and they mention it uses a CVT, which can be expensive to fix.

Term

CVT transmissions

"those transmissions are CVT transmissions and they cost us about 4,500 wholesale to repair to rebuild"

A CVT is a type of automatic transmission that changes smoothly rather than shifting through set gears. If a CVT needs major work, repairs can get expensive.

Topic

Frontier Airlines runway incident

"It's almost midnight a frontier airlines plane aboard a takeoff because they struck a person a pedestrian On the runway"

They talk about a Frontier Airlines plane incident on a runway. The plane was getting ready to take off when it hit a person who ran onto the runway.

Term

engine fire

"Uh there we just hit somebody we have an engine fire ... That's expensive. That's why the engine had an engine fire as they just said"

An engine fire is when the engine starts burning. That’s extremely dangerous because it can stop the engine from working and can spread damage fast.

Concept

ingested into the engine

"It pretty much yeah, but I can imagine the body was ingested into the engine. That's about the engine"

“Ingested into the engine” means something got sucked into the engine intake. That can break the engine and even cause a fire.

Term

v1

"So the plane was about to take off just about to take on takeoff roll just about what we call v1 ... And that's the point where you're gonna take off the metal what happens. They were right at that point"

v1 is a key speed during takeoff. Before v1 you can usually stop safely if something goes wrong; after v1 you generally have to keep going because stopping would be too risky or not possible in time.

Term

v speeds

"That's the point it'll return what we call v their v speeds and v1's velocity one"

“V speeds” are set speed numbers pilots use during takeoff and landing. They help pilots know when it’s safe to do certain actions or when they must keep going.

Car

Ford Mustang GTD

"...Ray in pamona california 2015 sort of 11 year old mustang gt 5o manual 24 000 miles Is it a premium or is it r..."

The Ford Mustang is a performance car, and the “GTD” label refers to a specific version/trim. The podcast mentions a manual Mustang with low mileage and asks whether it’s a premium version. That matters because different trims can have different features and value.

Car

Chevrolet Suburban

"Three quarters of a tank on that red suburban yesterday regular unleaded"

The Chevrolet Suburban is a big family SUV. The host is talking about how much gas it had, which matters because big SUVs use more fuel.

Term

regular unleaded

"Three quarters of a tank on that red suburban yesterday regular unleaded"

Regular unleaded is the common, cheaper type of gas at the pump. Some cars need premium, but many are fine with regular.

Car

Ford Mustang GT

"Okay, I offered ray 25 in the conversation for this 2015 GT like how old was he when he passed? ... Okay, I offered ray 25 in the conversation for this 2015 Mustang GT that's He thought was a premium, but it's not and um ... will you do 26,000 and I said if I do 26,000 do I buy it?"

The Ford Mustang GT is a sportier version of the Mustang. In this segment they’re discussing a 2015 one and whether the price is fair.

Term

premium

"Okay, I offered ray 25 in the conversation for this 2015 Mustang GT that's He thought was a premium, but it's not and um"

“Premium” here means “more expensive” or “higher value.” The host is saying the car isn’t really worth that higher price.

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