A Rare Italian Luxury Car Rolls In And Steals The Show
In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show
A Rare Italian Luxury Car Rolls In And Steals The Show
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Car
Buick Century
The Buick Century is a type of car that was made for many years and is known for being comfortable and roomy inside. It was a popular choice for families because it offered a smooth ride and lots of space.
Car
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is one of the first cars that many people could afford. It was made between 1908 and 1927 and is known for being very important in the history of cars.
Term
oil burner
An 'oil burner' is a type of engine that uses oil as fuel. This term is often used for older cars or specific engines that work this way.
Brand
Bianchi
Bianchi is a brand from Italy that makes bikes and used to make cars. They have been around for a long time, starting in 1885.
Concept
brass era
The brass era is a time in car history when cars were first being made, and they often had shiny brass parts. This was before cars became more modern and had different materials and designs.
Brand
Cadillac
Cadillac is a famous American car brand that makes luxury cars. They are known for their quality and style, often seen as a status symbol.
Brand
Rolls Royce
Rolls Royce is a British car brand that makes very expensive and luxurious cars. They are known for their craftsmanship and elegance.
Term
oil lamps
Oil lamps are old-fashioned lights that used oil to create a flame. They were used in early cars before electric lights were invented.
Term
acetylene generator
An acetylene generator makes a gas called acetylene, which can be used to light up headlights. This was a common way to power car lights before electric lights were invented.
Term
electric light
An electric light is a light that runs on electricity. In the past, having a light in your car was a sign of wealth because electricity was not widely available.
Part
glass jar battery
A glass jar battery is an old kind of battery that stores electricity in a glass container. It was used in early cars to power things like lights.
Car
Bianchi limousine
The Bianchi limousine is a very old car from 1910, made by a company called Bianchi. It's special because only a few were made, and it's one of the few left today.
Part
four-cylinder cast-in block
A four-cylinder cast-in block is a type of engine where all four parts that make the engine work are made together in one piece. This can make the engine stronger and easier to build.
Term
magneto
A magneto is a device that helps start an engine by creating electricity. It's often used in older vehicles instead of a battery.
Term
updraft carburetor
An updraft carburetor is a part that mixes air and fuel for the engine. It pulls air from above and sends it down into the engine to help it run.
Term
pressurize the gas tank
Pressurizing the gas tank means adding pressure to help push fuel into the engine. Some older cars need this to start properly.
Term
primer cups
Primer cups help get the engine started by putting fuel directly where it's needed. They are used in some older cars that don't have a choke, which helps with starting the engine.
Part
flywheel
A flywheel is a round metal piece that helps keep the engine running smoothly. Here, it's noted that the flywheel also has a fan built into it, which is not common in most cars.
Term
thermostat
A thermostat is like a temperature controller for the engine. It helps keep the engine from getting too hot by allowing coolant to flow when needed.
Term
fly ball speedometer
A fly ball speedometer is a type of speedometer that uses spinning weights to show how fast a vehicle is going. As the vehicle moves, these weights swing out and help move the needle on the speedometer.
Term
paint protection film
Paint protection film is a clear covering that you can put on your car's paint to help keep it safe from scratches and damage.
Company
Gulf Coast Auto Shield
Gulf Coast Auto Shield is a business in Houston that helps protect cars by installing special films and tints to keep them looking good.
Term
radar detector
A radar detector is a gadget that can tell you if police are using radar to check how fast you're going, helping you avoid speeding tickets.
LIVE
Welcome to another In-Wheel Time podcast.
Welcome everybody to the award-winning In-Wheel Time car talk show.
Today, coming to you from the back to the past car show in Houston's Spring Branch neighborhood
here at the Cornerstone Academy, 1916 Westview.
Just ahead, our story of the week.
Recalls, name the sold car price.
Plus Jeff will have the crews in and events calendars.
I'll bring you stories making automotive news headlines.
And Mr. Mars is going to start us off with driving destinations.
Howdy, along with Mike out of this world Mars.
Jeff Seekin is here with us. He's walking this away.
Chief Engineer David Ainslie is here.
And I'm Don Armstrong. Glad you could join us today.
And so we've kind of postponed the driving destinations today for a good reason
because it's the places to go for Renaissance festivals.
Are you into dressing up?
Well, you need to go see a psychiatrist, but it'll be fun.
You could go in anything that you want to Halloween's right around the corner.
So I can only imagine there'll be some dresses worn by men.
Yeah. When we get back to the studio, we'll have a little Halloween show of our own.
Not on the air.
All right. Well, let's see if we can't get driving destinations.
Five fall road trips to Renaissance festivals.
Mr. Mars.
Okay. All righty.
Did I catch you at a bad time?
Yes, you did.
Is it this one?
Right there.
So let me explain to everybody that the problem is that we are doing the same thing
that we did a little over a month ago with all brand new equipment and a new setup.
So this is all a big experiment.
And we'll just have to see how it goes.
Apparently it's going. Yeah, it's going.
Yeah, we need to do something about being able to see what's going on over here
because it's hard to see on this laptop out here in this.
I can see that. I got you covered over here.
All right. So a driving destinations, five Renaissance festivals.
All right. So we're going to go with...
Let's go over to three, Jeff. I'm going to cut the first two.
Go to the next one.
That's three. There you go. Don, I picked this one specifically for you.
The Renaissance Pleasure Fair.
That's me, baby.
California. Average is 250,000 people per season.
It's one of the oldest modern Renaissance fairs in the United States.
Generally takes place in April, May.
So it's already done. You need to look at it for next year.
Happens in the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area.
This is supposed to be fall destinations.
This is supposed to be fall destinations.
But that's okay. We'll include it. It's California.
I wanted this one for you. It was special for you.
It's California. So it works. It's just the opposite of everybody else.
A lot of pleasure out there.
So the next one is going to be the Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair
in Mannheim, Pennsylvania, 250,000 annually.
It's on 35 acres.
Includes part of an estate and winery where they set it up.
12 to 13 weekends that they run starting August all the way to the end of October.
Got a nice shire built out there.
Dozens of stay shows, kitchens, lots of fair, food fair.
Very immersive opportunity if you'd like to get into that stuff.
The next one would be the Maryland Renaissance Festival.
Let me ask you something.
Let me ask you something. Let me interrupt and ask you something.
Would you get dressed up for a Renaissance Festival?
Because if you did, I would go there. I'd pay good money to see that.
And who would you be? Would you be the court jester?
Or would you be the queen or the king?
In my younger day, when I first started going to these things in the 70s,
I always wanted to wear a chain mail suit.
I never had enough guts.
You know that you can rip those.
I know, but I just didn't have enough guts to wear one.
But then I found out later on that you wear a bodysuit underneath it.
That made it, I might have done it then.
To protect you from the lance on the horse.
They're not assless chain mail.
Assless chain mail.
Sorry, do we have children here?
Right, Maryland, not anymore.
They have 300,000 people over its nine-week run.
Again, 16th century English village environment across 25 acres.
Where is this?
And this is in Maryland, Crownsville, Maryland.
Kind of up in the northeast, you might say.
The next one would be the Minnesota Renaissance Festival.
Now this is 300 to 320,000 average in recent years.
It's near the Minnesota River.
It runs several weekends, late summer into fall.
16th century European village recreation.
And they've got, of course, multiple states, artisans,
roaming characters, foods, and things like that.
Large grounds, got plenty of room for everybody.
And then, the one I really wanted to get to,
consider the biggest in the country,
the Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission, Texas.
530 plus thousand people in 2024.
This is the biggest rim fair in the U.S.,
runs over eight weekends from October to late November.
55 acres started in 1974.
We were going in the late 70s.
Where's Todd Mission?
It is nothing like it is now.
Back then, women were women,
and you could tear your beer cooler in,
and all that good stuff, and it was a different world.
Let's hope they were.
They have 400 shops.
They've got 21 stages.
They've got a 200 acre camping facility
that people can go and stay at.
My brother's daughter got married there.
We went to the wedding.
Him and the entire wedding party camped in the grounds.
He said it was well worth the price of admission
just to see what happens in the campgrounds at night.
Oh, my God.
My wife and I did not stay there,
but I would like to see it this year.
Well, wait a minute.
Todd Mission, that's Plannersville.
That's our...
Todd Mission.
He said largest in Texas.
Magnolia.
Todd Mission.
All that up there.
It's all pretty good.
I normally don't hear about Todd Mission.
David?
That's the original.
That's our guest there.
If he could get by that white line
and between the white line and the cone.
Does it go in reverse?
You're going to love this.
Apparently.
Yeah.
So anyway, there's lots of Renaissance festivals
around the country.
If you like to do that kind of stuff,
I even found out there are people that make a living.
They go from fair to fair to fair around the country
with their designs and their performances.
And it's pretty interesting.
I will tell you that.
Not as interesting as it was back in the 70s,
but it's very interesting.
I went there once and it rained.
I could take my kids now.
And it rained.
My grandkids.
I went there once and it rained.
And did you leave or did you stay?
Oh, we stayed as long as we could.
Years ago, the kids were really little.
We're okay.
How do you get off the screen there?
All right.
Well, I think that our next guest has just shown up.
There he is.
Yeah.
Is that a Model T?
Perfect.
What is that?
It's an oil burner.
I can tell you that.
I wouldn't try to be funny.
It's just that it is.
And I'm sure that he'll confirm that.
And sold all the dead mosquitoes.
Why?
He said it's got no bubbles.
It doesn't actually.
It doesn't have bumpers, David said.
No, it doesn't.
I lost my connection, Jeff.
I wonder how long it takes to go down the road.
Like, you know, 10 miles or something.
Come on over here, boys.
One of y'all.
Who's our spokesperson?
Don't hurt yourself now.
There goes the camera.
All right.
Chief engineer is going to fix that.
I'm going to give my hand.
Yeah.
So come on over here down there at that end.
I can only have one of you on.
So y'all have to.
Yeah.
Oh, let me dry that off.
Wait.
So while we get reset here, we've got an umbrella on the camera
to shade it from the sun and the wind took the umbrella
and took the camera down.
So we'll get it all fixed up and we will continue on.
Again, today we're coming to you from the fabulous
back to the past car show at the Cornerstone Academy,
the site of the original Spring Branch High School
that was torn down years ago.
And this Cornerstone Academy is a very nice place.
But inside there is the museum.
And they have lots of high school stuff from the 50s
and 60s and that sort of stuff.
So if you come to visit, be sure and go to the museum,
which is open and free to get in.
And there's also food here.
I understand barbecue is available down the way.
So as soon as David gets back back here
and turns on your microphone, we will be more than happy
to interview.
I'm sorry.
I didn't get your name.
Is this on?
Yes, sir.
Lee Brown.
Lee Brown.
All right.
Not Lee P. Brown.
Just Lee Brown.
No.
Did you get confused about the former mayor
and police chief and all that?
Well, we're acquainted.
Oh, yeah.
That's good.
Well, Lee, that's an interesting car.
I have no clue what even to begin.
Is this a 20s car?
It's a 1910.
Wow.
A 1910.
Wow.
Okay.
And what is it?
It's a Bianchi.
It was made in Milan, Italy.
Bianchi.
B-A-N-C.
No.
B-I-A-N-C-H-I.
It's Italian for white.
Bianchi.
It's Italian for white.
Yeah.
And so.
That's right.
They make bicycles?
Well, they did initially and then they got into cars
and then they inadvertently made war material
for the Italian army during the Second World War
and the U.S. Air Force destroyed their factory.
So now they just build bicycles again.
Well, that's an interesting story.
How in the world did you come across this car?
How did you get associated with the Bianchi?
Well, I have a real interest in brass era cars
and I was at an event.
Would this be considered a brass era car?
Oh, very much so.
Okay.
I was at an event and there was a fellow there who had a brass car
who was interested in not so much selling it
but looking for a new caretaker put it that way.
Gotcha.
And he and I got talking and he offered to sell it to me.
He was well into his 80s.
He owned it since he was 21.
Oh, my God.
And he was looking for someone to take care of it.
And so after an extensive interview,
he realized that I was to be someone who would also preserve it
in the manner that he did.
And so he offered to sell it to me.
Very nice.
And that's how I got it.
Well, congratulations.
Do you know how it wound up in the United States from Italy?
It was originally sold to an ex-patriot in Lugano, Switzerland.
He owned it from 1910 to 1930.
We believe he lost his fortune in the crash of 29.
So he returned to the states but left the limousine behind.
He was taken over by his landlord who was equally as wealthy as he was.
He kept it until 1950 when he passed away.
And his wife wanted to get rid of the car to her with just an old junk car.
So she literally threw that thing away, gave it to a junk dealer.
Really?
Wow.
And a junk dealer realized that it had value.
So he put it in a barn and waited for a buyer to come by.
So you indicated it's the brass era.
What years or what constitutes a brass era?
Well, they have a predominance of brass in these appointments.
And usually it's between about 1908 or 1909 up to 1916.
That's when the brass era kind of ended.
And it was favored for nickel plating and even painting
because of the maintenance involved with keeping brass shiny.
So as technology evolved, it got out of the brass side.
Right.
Interesting.
But that's what to me gives a character.
Absolutely.
And you say it's a limousine.
And there is a glass between the passenger compartment and the driver.
Right.
And that's what makes it a limousine.
As opposed to a sedan.
Correct.
And in the back quarter of it folds down like a convertible.
So it's not only a limousine, it's a land-to-let limousine.
I'll say that again.
A land-to-let.
A land-to-let limousine.
And that means...
And that means...
That means the back of it folds down so the people in the back.
And if you look at that car, it's very indicative of the character of the world in 1910.
This is the Edwardian era when the world was still run by kings.
So people were quite conscious, socially conscious of their surroundings.
And so see the back half of that car is intended for the aristocracy.
Oh.
And the front half is for the servant class.
That's why the back half is fully enclosed.
The windows in the back are all bevel glass.
The interior is finished.
It is carpeted as flower vases as a heater.
I see that.
Whereas the front half all they get is a seat to sit on.
Well, I'll tell you what.
I have never been a fan of that era.
But that car...
That was cool, yeah.
That one attracts me.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, it's very different.
First of all, it seems to be lower.
The whole body of the car seems lower than most of the cars that I'm familiar with and have seen in the past.
I don't know whether they're from that era or not, but it seems as though like the Model T was higher.
Actually, they weren't.
In fact, that thing is seven feet tall.
Oh, yeah.
And I had to reconfigure my garage just to get it in.
Well, just don't hit.
Just please don't hit the Houston Avenue bridge down there.
Yeah.
Yeah, don't do that.
It's like the first SUV.
Well, kind of.
Yeah.
Well, I would say more along than one.
So was that...
Did they make buses in that era?
No.
So this would have been kind of the forerunner to a bus in a way.
Not really.
It was the high-end car you could have bought in 1910.
Okay.
So this would have been like the Cadillac or the Rolls Royce of the era.
In fact, that was one time considered the Rolls Royce of Italy.
There you go.
Well, I got something right.
Yeah.
So now, how are the lights lit?
Now, that's interesting right there.
It has five oil lamps, two on the cowl, two on the carriage, and one in the back.
And the front two are powered by acetylene.
Wow.
And you actually make your own acetylene on this thing.
It has a settling generator inside.
You put calcium carbide crystals in there and then water drip on it.
Have you done that?
No.
It makes...
I don't drive it anymore.
I was going to say you make a big mess, I think.
And so when the water drips on the calcium carbide, it makes acetylene and then you go out front
and you light it with a match.
Yeah.
And stand back.
Yeah.
Martha?
You don't have to light my headlights.
And because this is a luxury car, it actually has two acetylene generators.
One for each hand lamp.
It's an option that year.
Wow.
And then there's another really unique feature on that car.
In 1910, having electricity anywhere in your presence was a real luxury.
Right.
Even in your house.
Yes.
So having a car with an electric light on it was really high class.
And so that one has one electric light and that's the dome light.
And that's...the electricity is created by a glass jar battery which is under the front seat.
Generates 8.2 volts and lights.
Nothing but the dome light.
I'll be darned.
Does the dome light come on when you open the doors?
No.
No.
And no through the light?
There's a switch up there by the light?
No, it's on the side, but it's operated by the servants, not the class in the back.
So...
Ah, the servants.
My mistake.
You obviously live in the area to drive it here.
Yeah.
That's the only reason it's here.
I live a block away.
Okay.
And a car...the top speed?
Who knows.
Okay.
And what were...
We're not going to press the accelerator that hard.
Yeah.
I just wanted to sign the driveway when he left.
What was the price of these?
$8,500.
Holy cow.
In 1910?
Yeah.
That's when you buy a Model T for 600 bucks.
Well, they've been recalling those forever.
Yeah.
That's right.
But they only made 450 cars in 1910, which only maybe 10% of them were limousines.
Wow.
And far as we know, that's the only 1910 Bianchi limousine in existence.
It's truly an amazing car.
And what kind of motor does it have in it?
It's a four-cylinder cast-in block, which means all four cylinders are cast together.
So they're not sleeved, it's cast.
Yeah.
It's one big casting with four holes in it for cylinders.
Wow.
Magneto driven.
Yep.
With an updraft carburetor.
Updraft, yep.
And you have to pressurize the gas tank to get it to start.
That's why it took so long to get here.
There's a whole procedure on starting this thing.
But is there like a backup crank to it?
No.
There's a crank in the front you start it.
But you have the pressure of the gas tank with the air pump.
Because you got to get the gas up there to it.
Yeah.
That's why it takes so long to start.
And then you got to put primer cups, gasoline and primer cups into each cylinder because
the choke had yet to be invented.
So you do all that business.
It takes a good five minutes to start it.
That is truly amazing.
And the story that goes with it is amazing as well.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You should, you should do, you should do television.
Me?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Are you, are you still working?
You retired or?
All retired.
Are you?
What did you do in a professional life?
I was a, I owned an engineering construction company.
That doesn't surprise me as an engineer.
And you said he's a pilot too.
Are you?
Oh yeah.
Very nice.
Yeah.
Do you have a plane?
No, but I have friends that do.
That's just as good.
Yeah.
It's better actually because you don't have to put your money.
It's like going in a boat.
Now, have you lived in the spring branch area long?
About 50 years.
50 years.
So you remember when the school was here?
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
Oh yeah.
Did you have kids that go here?
No, I did not.
They did.
Okay.
I do appreciate the school having that path around the school for people to pick up their
children.
Yeah.
Come down here on weekends.
It's great for driving around that.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Now I noticed that it burns a little oil.
That's because there's zero paperwork on that car.
We have no owners manual, no sales brochures, no technical information whatsoever.
And that's because, again, they were building war material during the war.
Right.
And the Army Air Corps bombed their factory till it was only about that tall when they
got down.
Yeah.
So there's zero paperwork on that car.
So we have to take everything apart just to figure out what it does.
And one thing I haven't really ciphered is the oil system yet.
So I over lubricate it.
Well, there's nothing wrong.
Hey, it's running.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It doesn't see it up or anything.
Freezing up that block.
Yeah.
Now it does have a radiator, at least it looks like it does.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
And it's water cooled.
Water cooled with a water pump.
Yeah.
And it's got a fan.
No, it does not have a fan.
It doesn't have.
The fan is built into the flywheel, which is on the backside of the engine and has a belly
pan.
So the engine compartment is a wind tunnel.
So it really, it's, it behooves you to keep the car moving.
I've never had an overheat.
No.
No.
Does it have a thermostat or a temperature gauge on it?
No thermostat.
Oh, no.
But it must have some sort of a gauge to tell you whether or not it's overheating.
Yeah.
It's called steam coming out of the radiator.
Visual indicator.
Yeah.
I love it.
Well, it has one instrument and that's a speedometer.
Okay.
It does have a speedometer.
All right.
Wow.
How is this speedometer driven?
It's off a drive off the drive shaft and it's a really unique speedometer and it's called
a fly ball speedometer.
It's got two pendulums and hang down and as it spins, they rotate out and mechanically
pushes up.
Oh, it's like a, like a barbershop.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Now it was 8,000 new back in 10.
Yeah.
What's, can you just put a value on it now?
Well, it's the only one in existence.
So it's priceless.
Yeah.
It's priceless.
And we bought it with a suitcase full of money.
So that's about what's in it.
Oh, yeah.
And the suitcase is in the back.
Empty.
Empty.
Yeah.
Is it green or brown?
Is green and brown?
No, that's, that's, that's mahogany.
It's natural finished mahogany.
The whole body is custom made and hand-covered.
So let me ask you this.
Is it an everyday project for the rest of your eternal life?
I mean, congratulations.
Oh, thank you.
And man, patience of Job.
I would not be able to do that.
It would drive me insane.
Yeah.
Because once you start, for me, once I start on something, it better be finished within
a certain time period in my mind.
Yeah.
30 minutes.
That is never finished.
Oh, yeah.
That's the joy of it.
And David was asked, David was asking me earlier, is that like a chick magnet?
Pick up.
Let's, let's hope.
There's still time, huh?
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Well, it's truly amazing, the car, but it's more amazing to talk to you for you to explain
all these things.
History of it.
We need to have you back on.
And I know we don't have to have the car.
I'm not going to pressure you to bring the car, but we'd like to.
And I know you've got plenty of pictures of it.
So Mars will be in touch with you in the next few months.
And we can send him some pictures because I'd love to interview you further because
I find it absolutely fascinating.
Welcome to anytime.
If where you keep it, you've got a good enough internet signal.
We could just do a live video from where you are.
And you get point to things as you tell us about it.
Yeah.
On your cell phone, whatever the case may be.
Well, Lee Brown.
Yeah, exactly.
Just come on over.
Yeah.
Lee Brown, it's a real pressure.
I got more cars over there, too.
I was going to ask you, what else is in your stable?
What else you got over there?
Oh, I have a 13 Buick and 29 Dodge.
All right.
37 Mercedes.
See, we don't get to talk to people like you.
Because they don't get out and about where we go.
And most of them that I knew that had cars like that, they're dead.
Or the previous three owners are among them.
There you go.
So, well, thank God for you because you carry on the legacy.
I love it.
Lee Brown, thank you again.
You're welcome.
Appreciate it, sir.
Thank you.
And you can't have the headset.
You got to leave that here.
Yeah, I got to leave that here.
All right.
Looking far.
Coming up, cruise in and events calendars.
And I'll have stories making automotive news headlines.
Stay with us here on the In-Wheel Time.
You've waited all summer and it's finally here.
The Tailpipes and Tacos fall 25 cruise in car show.
It's been a while, but the popular Tailpipes and Tacos cruise in returns to the loopy
tortilla Tex-Mex in Katie, Saturday, October 18th.
Make any donation to Shirley's Kids and get a free breakfast taco.
There'll be mimosas and Bloody Mary's too.
Get to the best cruise in of the year.
Tailpipes and Tacos car show Saturday, October 18th, 8 to 11 a.m.
Cruise in, make a donation of any amount and grab a free loopy tortilla breakfast taco.
Tailpipes and Tacos only happens at the loopy tortilla Tex-Mex in Katie, 703 West Grand Parkway
at Kingsland Boulevard just south of the Katie Freeway.
Join the car camaraderie and your car will automatically compete for one of three
chili pepper trophies at no charge.
Fall is here and what better way to celebrate than with a free taco at Tailpipes and Tacos
cruise in car show Saturday, October 18th, 8 to 11 a.m.
It's the cruise in you won't want to miss.
Loopy tortillas, Tailpipes and Tacos in Katie.
Time to fire up those engines and pay tribute to the folks who make freedom possible.
Bastrop's own heroes and hot rides is rolling in for Veterans Day weekend.
Friday night, downtown cruise Saturday, 400 of the coolest rides in Texas.
Proceeds help veterans, shelters, food pantries and scholarships sponsored by Craig's Jewelry.
November 7th and 8th, Main Street, Bastrop.
Don't miss it.
Thank you everybody for joining us today here at the back to the past car show.
This is the annual classic car truck and motorcycle show.
Cornerstone Academy is where we are.
This is a judge show here at 9016 West of you.
If you get a chance to stop by, you'll get to see things like the Bianchi.
Yeah, cool.
Yeah, 1910 car.
That truly is amazing.
I was going to ask him what size those tires are because they're quite unique.
Yeah, well, we'll find out.
Yeah, much like a motorcycle tire.
Yeah, you know they're right.
All right, let's get the cruise in an events calendar.
Got it right here.
Thanks for joining us here on the In-Wheel Time Car Talk Show.
Well, we've got the Texas Mile.
It's coming up.
It's going to be October 26th, 3 p.m. at 1399 Offsite is what the road is.
That's what the name of the road is.
Offsite.
Offsite.
It's in Beeville, Texas.
The Texas Mile returns to you the Chase Field in Beeville on October 24th through the 26th,
the biannual motorsports event attracts participants from around the world.
So it's a $25 per person for the weekend free admission children under 12.
So if you've got 13 children, you've got to get rid of one and make it down to 12 to get in free.
The next one we've got is Cole's Crossing Cars and Coffee Cars at the Park October 25th,
which is next weekend, 1305 Barker Cypress Road.
Cole's Crossing.
It's an event scheduled at 7.30 a.m. to 9.30.
Get out there, organizers, participants.
They don't want you to be crazy.
So just get out there and enjoy the show.
Third annual Hazelwood Hot Rod Car Show family fun fest benefiting dudes for boobs.
This one is October 25th at 83.74 Paluxy Drive.
It's in Tyler, Texas.
So get on out there.
It's a good charity event.
And of course, where are we at?
We are at the back to the past car show today.
We can smell that car leaving.
You don't hear it or see it.
You can smell it.
So we're here today.
And then you got Heroes and Hot Rods coming up Friday, November 7th.
So guys, this plate is two.
That is so cool.
It's amazing.
Yeah.
Think about this.
Hey, good to see you.
Yes.
Is that yours?
No.
Okay.
It's great to see you.
Do we have the events?
Did we do the events?
Yeah.
Okay.
So we did everything we needed to do.
Got you.
All right.
I did have one story that I wanted to get in before we go too far off the track.
A former employee of a New Jersey dealership was sentenced October 3rd to 7 years in the
state prison in order to pay over $1.3 million in restitution for theft.
Martin DiMotto, 40, from Beachwood, New Jersey, was employed in a digital advertising role
at Pine Belt Nissan of Tom's River.
According to an October 3rd statement from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, the
theft was discovered October 2021 when the dealership discovered its credit card costs
exceeded its budget.
DiMotto was arrested by detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Economic
Crime Squad September 22 on charges of money laundering and theft and was released eight
days later due to state bail reform.
He pleaded guilty to one count of theft in April.
DiMotto will serve seven years in New Jersey state prison and his $1,329,677 and 15 cents
restitution will be paid back to the dealership and an insurance company.
Well, good luck on collecting that while you're in the penitentiaries.
Yeah, something like that.
Hey, we'd love to hear from you.
Just shoot us an email.
He addresses info at inwheeltime.com.
We'll be back right after this quick break.
Stay with us.
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Wrap up your engines.
It's time to roll back in style at the Back to the Past car show.
Join the Spring Branch Senior High School Foundation Saturday, October 18th at Cornerstone
Academy, 1916 Westview Drive in Houston.
Classic cars, trucks and motorcycles, family fun, food, music and memories.
There's something for everyone.
Proceeds benefit local students and programs.
Don't miss the shine, the chrome and the nostalgia.
10 to 2, Saturday, October 18th, Back to the Past car show.
Spring Branch Bears dot com slash car show for more information.
In Wheel Time will be there too.
That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time car show.
I'm Don Armstrong.
Inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning on Facebook, YouTube,
Twitch and our InWheelTime.com website.
Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Podcast, Podcast
Addict, Tune In, Pandora and Amazon Music.
Keep listening and we'll see you soon.
About this episode
A rare 1910 Bianchi limousine steals the spotlight at the Back to the Past car show, as the hosts engage with owner Lee Brown about its fascinating history and unique features. The discussion covers the car's brass era significance, its luxurious design, and the challenges of maintaining such a vintage vehicle. Alongside this captivating story, the episode features a rundown of upcoming Renaissance festivals and automotive events, making it a blend of car culture and community happenings.
Original notes
The morning started as a casual remote at Houston’s Back to the Past car show and turned into a deep dive into 1910 luxury on wheels. We met Lee Brown and his extraordinary Bianchi limousine, a Milan-built brass-era time capsule that still runs, still turns heads, and still asks you to earn every mile. From bevel glass and flower vases to a chauffeur’s exposed perch, the car lays out a social map of the Edwardian world where aristocrats rode in comfort and drivers braved the elements.
We walk through the car’s astonishing details and the rituals that bring it to life: five oil lamps, dual acetylene generators for the headlamps, a single electric dome light powered by a glass jar battery, and a hand-crank start that includes pressurizing the fuel tank and priming each cylinder. Under the bonnet, a magneto-fired, single casting four-cylinder shows the state of early engine design, while a flyball speedometer driven off the driveshaft measures speed without a single chip or wire. With the factory archives lost to WWII bombings, restoration means detective work—disassembling, learning, and erring on the safe side with lubrication and setup. It’s preservation as practice, not a checkbox.
We also map out five standout Renaissance festivals worth a fall road trip, from Maryland and Minnesota to the massive Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission, plus a quick-hit events calendar and a notable industry fraud case. The thread tying it all together is culture on wheels: how cars store memory, how communities gather around craft, and how old machines still teach us patience, precision, and joy.
If stories like this move you, hit follow, share with a friend, and leave a review telling us your favorite pre-war car detail or myth—we might feature it next week.
Be sure to subscribe for more In Wheel Time Car Talk!
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In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show
In Wheel Time Podcast | Automotive talk with Don Armstrong, Michael Marrs, and Jeff Dziekan
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