Exploring the revival of older car culture, Matty J and the crew share personal car updates and humorous anecdotes about their automotive experiences. Scotty Doe Johnson recounts a frustrating saga involving a Honda's cruise control switch replacement that spiraled into a lengthy ordeal, highlighting the complexities of modern car engineering. The discussion also touches on the joys and challenges of maintaining classic vehicles, with insights on DIY repairs and the quirks of different car brands. Listeners will appreciate the camaraderie and relatable car troubles shared among the hosts.
On this episode of Car Torque, the boys discuss their latest updates, have a general catch up and discuss the resurgence of car scenes of old like 'Sex Spec', and why it is important/making a comeback. The boys then battle it out in the quiz at the end of the show!
Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review!
Please follow this show on Spotify. It really helps!
Support us and become a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/cartorquepodcast
Check out our merch here! https://cartorquepodcast.secure-decoration.com/
Check us out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCybzrcsj4nhADsyfYKtXPzwhttps://
"Brake pads have arrived, I've got those, so hopefully I'll do those in the coming weekend. Get those all done."
Brake pads are the parts in your car that help stop it when you press the brake pedal. They wear out and need to be changed regularly to keep your brakes working well.
Brake pads are a crucial component of a vehicle's braking system, responsible for creating friction against the brake rotors to slow down or stop the vehicle. They wear down over time and need to be replaced periodically to ensure safe braking performance.
"So it's back to where the cruise control button doesn't work? Oh, yeah, yep. On the steering wheel, and it's one of, and the reasons it doesn't work is it's one of those button switches where you click in and it's meant to stay clicked in."
The cruise control button helps you drive at a steady speed without having to keep your foot on the gas pedal. If it doesn't work, you can't use this feature.
The cruise control button is a component on the steering wheel that allows the driver to set and maintain a specific speed without using the accelerator pedal. If it malfunctions, it can affect the vehicle's ability to maintain speed automatically.
"So I bought a new whole module. It is, you've got the left side switches and the right side switches and everything."
A module is a part of the car's electrical system that helps control certain features. If something isn't working, sometimes you need to replace the whole module to fix it.
In automotive terms, a module refers to a self-contained unit that performs a specific function within the vehicle's electrical system. Replacing a module can resolve issues related to various controls, such as cruise control.
"...I saw, of course, it's not normal screws. It's those damn Torx ones. They were really, really stuck in there because they use Loctite on them."
Torx screws are special screws that have a star shape instead of a regular slot or Phillips head. This design helps tools grip them better, making it easier to tighten or loosen them without damaging the screw.
Torx screws are a type of fastener characterized by a star-shaped socket that allows for better grip and torque compared to traditional screws. They are commonly used in automotive applications to prevent stripping and provide a secure fit.
"...They were really, really stuck in there because they use Loctite on them."
Loctite is a type of glue that helps keep screws and bolts from coming loose, especially in cars where there is a lot of movement. It makes sure everything stays tight and secure.
Loctite is a brand of adhesives and sealants, commonly used in automotive and industrial applications to prevent screws and bolts from loosening due to vibration. It is often applied to threads to create a secure bond.
"...it's got these little flat pretend flappy paddle. It's got flappy paddles on it."
Flappy paddles are buttons or levers on the steering wheel that let you change gears in a car without using a clutch. They make driving feel more exciting and give you more control over the car's speed.
Flappy paddles are steering wheel-mounted controls that allow drivers to manually shift gears in vehicles with automatic transmissions. They provide a sportier driving experience by enabling quicker gear changes without needing to take hands off the wheel.
CVT means Continuously Variable Transmission. It's a special kind of automatic transmission that helps the car use fuel more efficiently by changing gears smoothly without any noticeable shifts.
CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission, a type of automatic transmission that can change seamlessly through a range of gear ratios. Unlike traditional automatic transmissions with fixed gears, CVTs provide smoother acceleration and improved fuel efficiency.
"Go to start the car and her entertainment unit in the middle needs a code. Was it in the book? No, no, there's none of that."
The entertainment unit is the part of the car that plays music and helps you navigate. Sometimes, if it's replaced, you need a special code to make it work again.
An entertainment unit in a car typically refers to the multimedia system that includes features like radio, navigation, and connectivity for smartphones. It often requires a code for security purposes, especially if it has been replaced or is second-hand.
"This is a second hand one because her original one died, so I got this one out of the same unit as in a Civic."
The Honda Civic is a small car that many people drive. It's known for being dependable and good on gas. Some parts from this car can be used in other cars, too.
The Honda Civic is a popular compact car known for its reliability and fuel efficiency. It's often used as a base for various aftermarket modifications and is available in multiple trims and generations.
"Get a 10 mil socket up there and undo that and then pop off the sides and then remove the unit so I can read the damn serial number."
A 10 mil socket is a tool that helps you unscrew or screw in bolts that are 10 millimeters wide. It's often used when fixing things in cars.
A 10 mil socket is a tool used in automotive repair to remove or tighten bolts that are 10 millimeters in diameter. Sockets are commonly used with ratchets to make the process easier and more efficient.
"Just to get this plastic fascia off on the outside like all these screws just to get to it. Curse you, Honda, curse you."
The plastic fascia is the outer part of a car that you can see. It's there to make the car look good and protect parts underneath it.
A plastic fascia is a decorative panel that covers the exterior of a vehicle, often used to enhance aesthetics or aerodynamics. It can also protect underlying components from damage.
"...Toyota is obviously a lot of Corolla wheels we do and everything clips on and off those."
The Toyota Corolla is a small car that's very popular because it's dependable and gets good gas mileage. Many people use it for daily driving because it's easy to handle and affordable.
The Toyota Corolla is a compact car known for its reliability, fuel efficiency, and practicality. It's one of the best-selling cars worldwide and has a reputation for being a solid choice for everyday driving.
"...and saw the LN that's had new ball joints and new tire ends fitted to it and a new rear muffler."
The rear muffler is a part of the exhaust system in a car that helps reduce noise from the engine. It also helps direct exhaust gases out of the car, making it quieter and cleaner.
The rear muffler is a component of a vehicle's exhaust system that reduces noise produced by the engine and helps direct exhaust gases away from the vehicle. It plays a crucial role in maintaining engine performance and compliance with noise regulations.
"...and saw the LN that's had new ball joints and new tire ends fitted to it and a new rear muffler."
Ball joints are parts of a car's suspension that help the wheels move up and down while still being connected to the rest of the car. They make steering easier and help keep the ride smooth.
Ball joints are crucial components of a vehicle's suspension system, allowing for smooth movement and articulation of the wheels while maintaining proper alignment. They connect the steering knuckle to the control arms, enabling the wheels to pivot when steering and absorbing road shocks.
"...and saw the LN that's had new ball joints and new tire ends fitted to it and a new rear muffler."
Tie rods are parts that connect the steering system to the wheels of a car. They help the wheels turn when you steer, making sure everything stays aligned and stable.
Tie rods are essential components of a vehicle's steering system, connecting the steering gear to the wheels. They help maintain proper alignment and ensure that the wheels move in sync with the steering input, contributing to the vehicle's handling and stability.
"...waiting on a test drive and a front end alignment to after all that front end work."
Front end alignment is when a mechanic adjusts the angles of the wheels so they are straight and even. This helps the car drive better and makes the tires last longer.
Front end alignment is a service performed on a vehicle to ensure that the wheels are set to the correct angle relative to each other and the road. Proper alignment improves handling, extends tire life, and enhances overall driving safety.
"...the Accord made it down from Seville to Dingley to the gearbox event on Saturday. So it's a little bit closer for me to get."
The Honda Accord is a well-known car that many people like because it's reliable and comfortable. It's been around for a long time and is popular among families and commuters.
The Honda Accord is a popular midsize sedan known for its reliability, comfort, and fuel efficiency. It has been a staple in the automotive market since its introduction in the 1970s, appealing to a wide range of drivers.
"I'm just going over the, or drive the Grand Prix again. The Grand Prix is running beautifully at the moment."
The Pontiac Grand Prix is a car model that was made by the Pontiac brand. It was popular for its sporty look and performance.
The Pontiac Grand Prix is a mid-size car that was produced by Pontiac from 1962 until 2008. It is known for its sporty design and performance-oriented variants.
"new Tesla model Y with the white interior. And they decided that the white interior is a bit bright."
The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV from Tesla. It has a lot of space inside and comes with high-tech features, making it a favorite for people looking for electric cars.
The Tesla Model Y is a compact electric SUV that offers a spacious interior and advanced technology features. It's known for its performance, range, and safety ratings, making it a popular choice among electric vehicle buyers.
"It's not painted with a water-based finish. I can't paint it with a solvent-based finish."
A water-based finish is a type of paint or coating that uses water instead of chemicals to help it stick. It's better for the environment and easier to clean up than other types of finishes.
A water-based finish is a type of coating that uses water as a solvent. It is often preferred for its lower environmental impact and easier cleanup compared to solvent-based finishes. In automotive applications, it can be used for painting or finishing materials.
"And I was like, what is that? Is it an exhaust heat shield or a, you know, a pulley on the alternator, a bearing, you know, that's something."
An exhaust heat shield is a part that keeps the heat from the exhaust system from damaging other parts of the car. It helps keep everything safe and cool.
An exhaust heat shield is a component that protects other parts of the vehicle from the high temperatures generated by the exhaust system. It helps prevent heat damage to nearby components and improves overall safety.
"But when I took off the oil filler cap, it was a lot louder. And I'm like, I think that's a timing chain tensioner because they are a chain that motor, which is good."
A timing chain tensioner is a part that keeps the timing chain tight in an engine. It helps the engine run smoothly and prevents problems that could cause damage.
A timing chain tensioner is a component that maintains the proper tension on the timing chain in an engine. It ensures that the timing chain operates smoothly and effectively, preventing issues that could lead to engine damage.
"...David today's. Got to have a look at David Day's S600 a bit closer, which was wonderful."
The Honda S600 is a small sports car from the 1960s that people love for its speed and light weight. It's considered a classic and is sought after by collectors.
The Honda S600 is a classic sports car produced in the 1960s, known for its lightweight construction and high-revving engine. It is significant in automotive history as one of Honda's early ventures into performance vehicles, and it has a dedicated collector's market.
"...like a valve cover gasket or something like that. So best thing to do is try to clean it off and, and run it..."
The valve cover gasket is a rubber or cork seal that keeps oil from leaking out of the engine. If it wears out, oil can leak, which can cause engine problems.
A valve cover gasket is a seal that sits between the valve cover and the engine block. It prevents oil leaks from the engine and ensures that oil stays contained within the engine components.
"... kind of stuff everywhere. I mean, obviously the Toyota car club had their, their little stand section there...."
The Toyota Camry is a popular family car that many people trust because it lasts a long time and is easy to drive. It's known for being comfortable and saving on gas.
The Toyota Camry is a midsize sedan that has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States for decades, known for its reliability, comfort, and fuel efficiency. It is often discussed for its practicality as a family car and its strong resale value.
"...there and he's, his friends obviously took their mustangs and stuff. So, but yeah, it was, it was a good, ..."
The Ford Mustang is a famous sports car from America that people love for its speed and cool design. It has been around for a long time and is often seen as a symbol of fun driving.
The Ford Mustang is an iconic American muscle car that has been in production since 1964. Known for its powerful performance and distinctive styling, it represents freedom and the open road, making it a popular choice among car enthusiasts and collectors.
"...od areas, like my neighbor had, he had a sex spec Lancer. Two door."
The Mitsubishi Lancer is a small car that was made for many years and is known for being fun to drive. Some versions are even designed for racing.
The Mitsubishi Lancer is a compact car that was produced from 1973 until 2017, known for its sporty variants like the Lancer Evolution. It has been popular among car enthusiasts for its performance and tuning potential.
"There were plenty of crimes, crimes against civics. I think more, more civics than CRX's were, were, were sex backed up. But these."
The Honda CRX is a small, sporty car that was made a long time ago. People liked it because it was fun to drive and saved on gas.
The Honda CRX is a compact sports car that was produced from 1983 to 1991, known for its lightweight design and sporty handling. It has gained a cult following due to its performance and efficiency, often celebrated in car enthusiast circles.
"...was his era. He bought a, he bought a Mitsubishi Mirage brand new, like one of the, you know, like those..."
The Mitsubishi Mirage is a small, affordable car that people like because it saves money on gas. It's a good choice for driving in the city.
The Mitsubishi Mirage is a subcompact car that has been produced in various forms since 1978, known for its affordability and fuel efficiency. It is often discussed for its practicality as a budget-friendly option for city driving.
"If you're getting into that little bit of a sporty esk, let's just say like a I 30 N or something like that, you know, it has some level of a body kit to, to look that sort of part, but I mean, it's not as unique as you would expect"
The Hyundai i30 is a compact car that people like because it's comfortable and affordable. There are sportier versions too, which are more fun to drive.
The Hyundai i30 is a compact car that has been in production since 2007, known for its practicality, comfort, and value for money. It is available in various trims, including sporty versions like the i30 N, appealing to a wide range of drivers.
"... like it used to be. You look at things like new Jimny, they're not often modding the, the look of it s..."
The Suzuki Jimny is a tiny SUV that is really good at driving off-road. People love it because it's tough and has a cool, classic look.
The Suzuki Jimny is a small, rugged SUV known for its off-road capabilities and boxy design. It has a dedicated fan base due to its unique character and ability to tackle tough terrains, making it a favorite among adventure seekers.
"There was actually fun enough before I ended up jumping on. There was a clip of a guy out in Camperfield and they'd done a G-Wagon front end on a Jimny."
The G-Class, or G-Wagon, is a fancy SUV that is very good at driving off-road. It's known for its strong look and is popular among people who want a luxury vehicle.
The G-Class, also known as the G-Wagon, is a luxury SUV produced by Mercedes-Benz since 1979, renowned for its off-road capabilities and boxy design. It has become a status symbol and is often discussed for its blend of luxury and ruggedness.
"kind of mentality. Like no one's taking a Kia Picanto base model and tweaking it. But see, people used..."
The Kia Picanto is a tiny car that's great for driving around the city. It's cheap to buy and saves a lot of gas, making it a good choice for new drivers.
The Kia Picanto is a city car that has gained popularity for its compact size, affordability, and efficient fuel consumption. It is often discussed for its practicality in urban environments and as a great option for first-time car buyers.
"They don't even call them rest or mods. They call them re-engineering basically and they take G body Porsches..."
Restomod means taking an old car and fixing it up with new parts to make it better. It's like giving a classic car a modern upgrade while keeping its original look.
Restomod is a term used to describe classic cars that have been restored and modified with modern components and technology. This allows for improved performance, safety, and comfort while retaining the classic aesthetic.
Jaguar is a car brand from the UK that makes luxury cars. They are now moving away from making petrol cars to focus on electric ones.
Jaguar is a British luxury vehicle manufacturer known for its performance cars and elegant designs. Recently, they have shifted focus towards electric vehicles, marking a significant change in their production strategy.
"...n Australia, to free a production in, for the XF Falcon in Broad Meadows, what model that they were buil..."
The Ford Falcon is a car that was made in Australia for many years. It was popular for being strong and reliable, and many people liked to drive it.
The Ford Falcon was a mid-size car produced by Ford Australia from 1960 to 2016. It holds historical significance in the Australian automotive market, known for its durability and performance, and has a loyal following among car enthusiasts.
"...umber seven. How many generations of the Hyundai Kona have been released? David."
The Hyundai Kona is a small SUV that started being sold in 2017. It's popular because it looks good and is great for driving around the city or going on trips.
The Hyundai Kona is a subcompact SUV introduced in 2017, known for its stylish design, advanced safety features, and a range of efficient engines. It has quickly become popular for those seeking a versatile vehicle for urban and outdoor adventures.
"I would say it's a Mazda RX seven. You are absolutely correct. Edward Bunting Mazda RX seven was a very good Bathurst Bathurst race car"
The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car famous for its unique rotary engine, which is different from traditional engines. It's known for being light and fun to drive, especially in races.
The Mazda RX-7 is a lightweight sports car known for its rotary engine and agile handling. It gained popularity in motorsports, particularly in endurance racing.
"...it's an insight. It is the Honda Insight. Well done."
The Honda Insight is a type of car that uses both a traditional engine and an electric motor to save fuel and reduce emissions. It's designed to be more environmentally friendly than regular cars.
The Honda Insight is a hybrid vehicle known for its fuel efficiency and eco-friendly design. It was one of the first hybrid cars introduced to the market, aiming to provide a practical solution for environmentally conscious drivers.
"... thing from now on. It's not unreasonable when I got Ford and I got Falcon. It's 0.75."
The Ford GT is a super-fast sports car that looks really cool and is built for racing. It's special because it has a lot of power and is designed to be very exciting to drive.
The Ford GT is a high-performance supercar that pays homage to the original GT40, famous for its racing success in the 1960s. Known for its sleek design and powerful engine, it represents Ford's engineering prowess and commitment to performance.
"... a V6 or you can get a four wheel drive turbo. A Subaru SVX, you know, there's a bit of a pigeon pair. Mmm."
The Subaru SVX is a sporty car that was made in the 90s and has a very unusual look. It was special because it had a powerful engine and could drive well in all kinds of weather.
The Subaru SVX is a unique sports coupe produced from 1991 to 1997, known for its distinctive design and advanced technology for its time, including a flat-six engine and all-wheel drive. It is often discussed for its rarity and the innovative features that set it apart from other cars of its era.
"...Lexus. IS 250. Lowest car in the country. 19,000 K and it is silver with the sunroof and it's a very nice car to drive."
The Lexus IS 250 is a luxury car that offers a comfortable ride and nice features. It's designed to be stylish and enjoyable to drive.
The Lexus IS 250 is a compact executive car known for its luxury features and smooth driving experience. It is part of the IS series, which is designed to compete with other luxury sedans in its class.
Select text to request an explanation
This is a professional radio, gentlemen.
And it's front wheel drive.
Sorry, have you got anyone you want to thank?
Just myself.
And now we do the after hours.
General, what would you go for?
They see us in there.
Because it's not a super car.
It is.
It's not.
Ordinary perfection comes in the form of two letters, A and U.
Long live my LTD!
Welcome to Car Talk, it's Tuesday night here on 98.9 Northwest FM.
It's me, Manny J, online with Mr David Prince and Mr Scotty Doe Johnson.
How are you gentlemen?
Really good, thanks.
Doing well, thank you very much.
Good to see you guys.
How was your week, guys?
I'm trying to remember what's happened.
It's been a busy, busy week, it seems.
It's been a busy week?
Oh yeah, good weekend.
No, good weekend.
Yep, yep.
A few bits and pieces.
We'll report on that shortly.
Scotty Doe, how was your week been?
Yeah, not too bad so far.
Still, you know, kids have been great, so can't complain there.
Got a bone to pick with Honda, so we'll talk about that.
Okay, alright, so we'll watch the space, we'll hear that once we get a little bit further down the track.
But let's start with some car updates.
Scotty Doe Johnson, updates with your vehicles this week?
Let's get it out of the way, come on.
Let's smash it out.
We'll start with my cars first.
Okay.
Haven't washed the blades, so just so you know.
There you go, Jim.
There you go, Jim Bellow.
There's your update.
It's very filthy.
Brake pads have arrived, I've got those, so hopefully I'll do those in the coming weekend.
Get those all done.
Nothing else on that.
I spent my Sunday, pretty much the whole day working on a Honda.
Okay.
It should have been, well, I'd assume it'd be something fairly simple, but it turned out to be a debacle.
It was one of those, this is a 20-minute job, took 20 hours, or was it like that escalated really quickly?
It was one of those kind of jobs?
Yeah.
What happens, Scotty?
It was programmed maintenance or unexpected?
So it's back to where the cruise control button doesn't work?
Oh, yeah, yep.
On the steering wheel, and it's one of, and the reasons it doesn't work is it's one of those button switches where you click in and it's meant to stay clicked in.
Yep.
But you press it and it just keeps popping straight back out.
It doesn't have that click in anymore.
So I bought a new whole module.
It is, you've got the left side switches and the right side switches and everything.
So I was like, okay, that's pretty much all that came as like that.
Yep.
Okay, no problem.
Have a look at the steering wheel.
I go, all right, so I want the silver, the silver decorating piece that goes around the steering wheel.
So it looks like I need that to come off.
And then I have a look and I go, okay, I need the middle airbag piece to come off.
And I thought, oh, if that needs to come off, I'll do it, I'll do it properly and disconnect the battery.
Usually I don't because I don't care.
Let's just live in the moment.
If it goes off, it goes off.
So you like to live dangerously?
You like to live dangerously?
Pretty much, pretty much.
I've pretty much every car I've ever had, I've never disconnected it when I've had to.
I just grab hold of it, hold it in my hand and keep working on anything else that's in there.
Or I sit it on my lap.
It's like a heart surgeon holding someone's heart in their hand.
Quite literally.
But except instead of a heart, it's like explosives, genuinely explosives.
And it's sitting in my lap, sitting in my lap aiming downward.
Scotty, let's be honest here.
I've seen a problem already.
That region as a male would not be ideal for the airbag to go off to.
It'd be goodbye Father's Day.
It'd be a whole bunch of issues.
But carry on Scotty, carry on.
I did that.
So, well, I guess before I even got to take the airbag bit off, I had a look on the sides and I saw, of course, it's not normal screws.
It's those damn Torx ones.
They were really, really stuck in there because they use Loctite on them.
Yeah.
That was a pain in the butt.
Finally got those off.
So I'm like, you know, that's fine.
All good.
Have a look.
Take it off.
And then I noticed a couple of screws up there holding the silver fascia in.
And then I have another and I take those off.
But then I noticed that behind I can see two more screws that are facing the opposite direction.
I'm like, oh, all right.
Take the wheel off.
Steering wheel off.
Steering wheel's got to come off.
So that means disconnect the battery.
Disconnect that.
Then I can take the airbag off, sit that aside.
Not on your lap.
No.
I thought it's fine now.
It's disconnected, whatever.
So I'm like, okay, that's fine.
Got everything undid.
Steering will come off easy.
There's no dramas.
Just a couple of taps on the sides.
Boom.
Off that comes.
Take off the behind.
There's another plastic shroud bit on the steering wheel.
Take that off.
And then I see the two screws out there.
I take those off.
Still doesn't come off.
There's another two tiny screws down the bottom.
Take those off.
Still not coming off.
There's another two more little screws that are kind of like hidden up near because it's
got these little flat pretend flappy paddle.
It's got flappy paddles on it.
Even with CVT, but it's got flappy paddles.
And up around there is another two screws.
Take those off.
And then there's another two screws.
I finally get all that off.
Everything finally comes off.
I can see it all there in its glory.
I go to put on the new one.
Nah, wrong one.
Yeah.
The one I got is the one that doesn't have the flappy paddles and stuff.
So I can't wire that in.
Even the plug on the bottom that goes into the main thing just doesn't have enough wires.
Can't you swap the switch over?
You can't swap the switch over?
Not that I could tell.
It's pretty much the whole, so it comes in a series of, but they're not individual switches.
That's all.
You got three there, but they're all kind of just joined together.
So I thought I kind of just pop open and have a look inside it, but there's just circuit boards in there.
Like I'm not digging through that.
I'm making it worse.
What were you saying, Scotty?
What were you saying?
No, I actually don't tell us that.
One would be good for community radio.
I just went, oh no.
Just so no.
So I'm putting it back together and then I realized I still had two screws left over.
I knew exactly where they were.
They were up near the switches, so I had to take it off again, fix that, put it back on.
Get the steering wheel back on, but then I noticed the plug wiring that I had was meant to feed through and it was hitting, I guess, outside of it and getting squished.
So I had to take the steering wheel off again to do that and finally fix it, got it on perfect.
Go to start the car and her entertainment unit in the middle needs a code.
Was it in the book?
No, no, there's none of that.
This is a second hand one because her original one died, so I got this one out of the same unit as in a Civic.
All right, okay.
Where the cigarette lighter is.
Get a 10 mil socket up there and undo that and then pop off the sides and then remove the unit so I can read the damn serial number.
So I can put that in there and then get the code and then put it all back together and I'm back to where I started.
Five hours later.
Five hours.
That's two, I reckon.
Probably like four.
Was Ash like, sorry, your car's all fixed and you just like don't ever talk to me again.
What an absolute nightmare.
Just to get this plastic fascia off on the outside like all these screws just to get to it.
Curse you, Honda, curse you.
See, someone say that's a curse and someone say that's a well engineered vehicle.
It does not need that many screws to hold a piece of plastic at all.
Yeah, those things come off.
I learned very early on once it started becoming a thing we had to repair steering wheels and I dropped them off to get them re-tuned and recovered and stuff.
I don't do anything.
I don't take the wheels off because they're all different and because we work on every sort of car.
I just made the rule very early on that they can get them off.
They can take them to their mechanic or if it's the workshop, the workshop can do it.
Then it's their trouble.
But all those different bits and pieces that fit on some cars have got a stork for the cruise control that the other models in the range don't have and all that sort of stuff that clips on and off and stuff.
Toyota is obviously a lot of Corolla wheels we do and everything clips on and off those.
I think there's two screws holding something on and that's it.
But no, that's particularly well engineered, Scotty, by the sound of it.
Well engineered, okay.
If that's what you call it, it's thought it just a massive headache.
Well, okay.
Well, that's a shame.
I don't know why that.
Like did you try some compressed air or something behind the switch to see if there was just something stopping it?
Yeah, I've tried all that.
I've searched up online and even in America that's got the similar ones they all have had the issue where that switch just ends up dying.
Okay, interesting.
Is that unique to the inside or is that all like those with that specific steering wheel?
No, it wasn't just for the inside.
So there was some civics around that time that was very similar.
Yeah, I think the wheels would be the same wheel.
They just didn't have the flappy pedal attachments.
All the steering wheel looked maybe a tiny bit different, but the buttons and stuff was all the same.
Either they had buttons on the right hand side, but none on the left.
Yeah, all the other way around.
Yeah, but ashes has got on both sides.
So there's buttons on the left and buttons on the right.
Okay.
It's premium.
It's a vehicle.
Yeah, yeah.
And then some of them didn't come with the GPS in the middle.
So yeah, but hers has got that system.
But I will say removing the stereo piece of cake.
You just remove that middle, the where the 12 volt socket bit is that just actually pulls and pops out.
And then up underneath is just a 10 mil or you can use a screwdriver.
You can, but they'll probably be more awkward.
But just 10 mil socket and undo that.
And then the fascia around the outside just pops off, pops open and it just slides straight out.
Yeah, that's easy.
So, so in other words, your update was not really an update.
It was more of a frustrate.
Yeah, because the end result is back to the way it was.
Nothing has changed.
And we're also back with a few extra people.
Alan Deep Singh has joined us.
Edward Bunting has joined us and Jim Barlow has joined us.
How are you gentlemen?
Good evening.
I got to ask you this question.
Ed, how are you?
Yeah, good.
Yeah, good.
Oh, no, no, no, it's like hi, Effie.
You just say hello.
Yeah, good.
Thanks.
Yeah.
So you could say hi.
Good.
Thanks.
Yeah.
Because how are you?
Good.
Thanks.
Makes sense.
They just say hello.
They'll say welcome to the show.
Good.
Thanks.
Yeah.
She's a cracker.
Good to see you guys.
We were just in the middle of car updates.
David Prince is next.
Oh, I got a name at car frustrates.
It's perfect.
Yeah.
Car frustrates.
David.
No frustrates, thankfully.
The I called in today and saw the LN that's had new ball joints
and new tire ends fitted to it and a new rear muffler.
Lovely.
So it's just waiting on a test drive and a front end alignment
to after all that front end work.
Oh, my goodness.
We'll have to.
It won't know itself.
So I'm looking forward to driving that again because I think
that'll make a big, big difference.
It was always a bit woolly in the steering, but since I've had
it.
So hopefully that solved that.
What else?
I, or the Accord made it down from Seville to Dingley to the
gearbox event on Saturday.
So it's a little bit closer for me to get.
I haven't managed to actually get to pick it up, but I know
it's there.
So that's exciting.
I've been enjoying the type R, not nearly as much as I probably
would have liked to.
Have you still got it or?
I still have for, wow.
It's a time now, 724.
So, you know, about half a day left.
But yeah, it's done nothing to dull my enthusiasm for it,
my lack of use.
I mean, that car, it's as comfortable doing a, you know,
a run to pick up takeaway as it is, you know, overgrowing.
It's just, it's a nuts thing.
I'll set it to a few people.
It's probably the best car I've driven, like in terms of like,
like as a whole package.
It's, it's, it's fantastic.
But I can.
So, you know, that's, that's about it.
I'm just going over the, or drive the Grand Prix again.
The Grand Prix is running beautifully at the moment.
That's ready.
I think Ed was going to borrow that and have it give it a little.
Is that ready for my shakedown yet, David?
Your Italian tune up.
I think it needs your Italian tune.
Beautifully.
Well, then no need for me to touch it.
No, no, you can, you can have a go and you can cycle through.
It's probably a nice adjunct to service month, actually,
giving, giving you a car to drive each month, one in one out
and then see how they come back.
I'll just think about which one of mine needs a vinyl slash leather
repair and there we go.
There we go.
I think that's a great idea.
It's, it's, it's funny.
You mentioned Italian tune ups because a good friend who's been
on the show, Alex from legit street cars, he's, he's Italian
himself and, and he, he, he's like, everyone keeps saying Italian
tune up, but like, I don't know if it's a real thing.
So I want to ask real Italian.
So he calls his, he calls his cousin that lives in Italy and was
like, was like, have you heard of the term Italian tune up?
They're like, what is that?
They're like, when you guys beat, you know, like get up it and,
you know, clean it out.
And he's like, he's like, no, we don't do that.
He would have said, we just call it a tune up.
Tune off.
Yeah.
So yeah.
So there you go.
It'll, it'll be the Edward Italian tune up.
That is our sound.
Yep.
The only other update is actually be work related.
I had, I had an inquiry the other day from a gentleman who had a
new Tesla model Y with the white interior.
And they decided that the white interior is a bit bright.
And they were wondering if I could recolor the interior.
What?
Why?
Yes, I can for a good amount of money.
And I said, no, I can't because I said, unfortunately, the
materials used in your, the vegan leather, used in your Tesla
has a coating on it, which resists anything I've tried to put on it.
It's not painted with a water-based finish.
I can't paint it with a solvent-based finish.
Whatever you try and put on it, it's like trying to paint, I don't
know, butterfly wings or something.
It's just not, nothing sticks to it.
And I had to know.
Good to know.
Yes.
Oh, and they wear it absolutely appallingly quickly, but they,
and obviously if you stain them, well, you know, you just early on
when I was trying to repair them, I would actually just use white,
just pure pigment.
There was no color whatsoever.
It's the only repair I've ever done where I've used white and
haven't had to put anything else with it, you know, to tint it.
Anyway, this was pure out of the bottle.
So I thought, oh, great color matching.
You know, that's easy.
But, but, you know, they've decided it's a bit bright now.
So, yeah, I said, well, you could have the car re-trimmed.
Oh, that would cost a lot of money.
I said, yes, it would.
Did you tell them, did you tell them go speak to a guy at Super
Chief and get some seat, get some seat covers?
That'd be nice, wouldn't it?
Some, some Barbie seat covers or something.
That would be funny.
Little mermaid seat covers or something on it.
Absolutely.
Imagine going through that whole process of buying the car and deciding
that the white interior was a bit bright.
I thought, wow, okay, there's a whole website dedicated to a whole
Facebook page dedicated to those sorts of inquiries.
Yeah.
Interesting times.
But no, it was very, very, very glad when I returned the call that I,
as I was talking to him, I realized, okay, well, this is a job I don't
have to factor in.
He didn't know it at that stage, of course, but I knew well before he did
that it was not a job I was going to be doing.
Absolutely.
So there you go.
I think that's me.
That's you.
Let's go with Alan Deep.
How are you, my friend?
I'm good.
Thank you.
No real car updates for me.
Everything's still going as it should.
Hopefully I keep neglecting to get the Honda interest.
Because it just doesn't really go anywhere apart from the groceries,
which is I think two kilometers down the road.
So hopefully I was hoping that my parents would visit the old country
and I could have the Honda out on the work run constantly to do my
fuel economy shenanigans again.
But that probably won't take place till towards the end of the year.
So in the meantime, I think I'll just might just do the oils myself
and kind of get it a better service towards the end of the year.
Sounds good.
Edward Bunting.
Hello.
Greetings.
Car frustrates.
I don't think I have too many.
The laser got some more cosmetic detailing last week on the interior.
So, you know, the seats have been bristled and I don't know.
What had Nick done?
Plumped up the fibers on the door trims and...
You did say it had...
Oh, we talked about it.
He gave it a haircut.
Haircut.
That's right.
The filler machines, yeah.
So he did some bristling last week and, yeah, some other bits and bobs.
That, oh, we, you know, I said to him,
well, you can just do the things it needs for roadworthy.
And he went, what do you mean?
So we replaced the front wiper blades easy.
Then we, that needed rear shock bump stops.
So I said to Nick, right, while I'm working,
you can pull out the rear bump stops, you know, rear pull out the shocks.
You know, I've never pulled out a shock.
And I was like, well, it's those bolts that take off that cover.
So that was great.
I got, I got a couple of texts from when I was,
I was upstairs doing my normal work and I got a couple of texts.
Help, please.
Help.
So I was a summons to the garage,
not that I'm any expert pulling out shocks,
but you know, you figure it out.
Yeah, you done magnets.
You can do anything.
That's the matter.
That's the matter.
So we did those, put the bump stops in and yeah, that was,
it's pretty much all the things are done for roadworthy now.
So, but it is a bit rattly from at idle.
You know, there's a bit of a vibration from the motor, you know,
like a, but when you put in neutral and give it a rev,
or when you're accelerating it, that goes away.
And I was like, what is that?
Is it an exhaust heat shield or a, you know,
a pulley on the alternator, a bearing, you know, that's something.
So I put my screwdriver up to a few bits around the motor
and I couldn't really pinpoint any of the accessories.
But when I took off the oil filler cap, it was a lot louder.
And I'm like, I think that's a timing chain tensioner
because they are a chain that motor, which is good.
And it hasn't done squiddings of case, but it's so rattly.
I'm like, I reckon that's a tensioner that's let go.
And, you know, of course, when you put some pressure on it,
it takes up the slack and it's a bit, a bit happier
and doesn't make that noise.
So I'm hoping that that tensioner is, is sort of,
you can take off the side of the timing cover and replace it
and sort of put the cover back on, you know,
you don't have to pull off the whole timing case cover and things.
Anyway, I'm getting a garage to do that next week.
And then I'll put it in for its roadie photos and everything.
And then we'll maximize the length of time we have on the roadie.
Because of course they only last 30 days.
So that's the laser.
What else? What else? What else?
Nothing.
Don't they go board anything?
Don't they go solve anything?
Oh.
How dull.
Lovely, Edward.
Lovely.
2026 has started off real dull.
Oh, Edward.
Booby.
Sorry.
Um, Jim, fresh cuts.
Yes, thank you.
You won't say the next part of that.
I won't say the next part of that line normally.
It is a family show.
It is a family show.
It's one of one of my usual northern terms that I think Edward is
Edward and I think also Thomas is like, geez,
you guys like in the north have all the sayings for everything.
So we do, we do, but Jim updates with you.
So on Saturday I went to Dingley for the Honda Car Club
gearbox, which was good to catch up with people.
Got to ogle over David today's.
Got to have a look at David Day's S600 a bit closer,
which was wonderful.
And then I drove out and caught up with Paul Gutt,
who is going to look underneath my magma.
He actually ended up giving it a decent service too.
So I had a new air filter, oil filter, oil,
new fuel filter as well.
That's driving a lot better.
So it's really good.
I think that tank high average, like eight and a half liters per
hundred K's, which was a mix of highway and then also quite a
bit of bumper to bumper driving actually.
So that was alright.
And then a, um, I remember the conversation I had with my,
now no longer mechanically the other day when I had that
transmission fluid incorrect thing, which I had forgotten,
which was that they had said to me, oh, um, you know,
as the car gets older, you know, it might sort of use oil.
You'll have to check the oil level a lot more frequently.
And, um, I said, okay, but do I have to do that now?
And they said, no, no, no, now's fine.
But just down the track, you might have to.
Is this for the Civic or is this for the Civic?
And then this afternoon, I remember, oh,
maybe I should check that.
Top of the engine is covered in oil and it was a millimeter
underneath the low mark, which has never happened in that
Civic before.
So I'm feeling a little bit angry.
Um, Jim, don't be angry.
So, um, yeah, I had intended to wait until pay week next week
to get the Civic service anyway, a bit ahead of time,
but I think I will have to hurry that up now.
Did you put the oil in?
Oh yeah, I did.
I did.
I already had some in the car, but like I never have to use it
because there's no need.
So, yeah.
So when you say the top of the engine was covered with oil,
um, was, do you think the, the, the cap wasn't on tightly?
No, it was untitled.
It was untitled.
It's just, obviously it's leaking from, I think,
various locations.
It's just spring over top of the engine.
So, yeah.
It sounds more like a leak than it's used.
Yeah.
It sounds like it's probably like a, like a valve cover gasket
or something like that.
So best thing to do is try to clean it off and, and run it
and see if you can see it coming from anywhere.
That, that, that will be what I would recommend just to try.
That way you can get to the bottom of it and say, oh yeah,
it needs, it needs valve cover gasket or it needs, you know,
timing, timing case, whatever.
So, or it could even be from the, from the filler cap.
Like that.
They do like the seals do go.
So worth having a, having a sus.
Okay.
And then at some stage, I'll book the magnet in to have a
wheel alignment done.
I think there's a couple of bushes that need doing cause it's,
as I've said a few times in other bumps, it's just a bit unsettled,
but yeah.
So that's all of my car updates.
Lovely.
Okay.
Well, we'll get to hopefully getting that stuff sorted ASAP updates
with me.
What have I done?
I only do much on cars.
I haven't done much on cars these last few weeks, actually,
to be fair.
But I went on a Saturday to, sorry, Sunday to the,
what's it called?
You do know where I went cause it was, cause I was,
it was about to laugh with them about to tell him.
I went to picnic at hanging rock.
So yeah.
First of all, I've never been a friend of mine said to me on
Saturday evening, what are you doing tomorrow?
I said, I said, sleeping in.
He's like, no, you're not, you're coming to, to, to, you know,
picnic at hanging rock, which is a, which is a big car show.
My God.
It was a big car show.
It was, it was huge.
So we, we, we went up there and well, I, I got there first and
then funny story.
I had no reception when I, when I got there.
So I was like, well, I don't know where he, where he is.
So I, I went in and then I was walking around like an idiot,
holding my phone up in the air, trying to get reception and got
reception messages and said, I'll meet you at this, this point.
As I did that, I'm walking back to the place where I said,
and I just hear, hi, Matty.
And I turn around, guess who it is?
David Day.
Of course it is.
Of course it is.
So he is the man, the myth, the legend.
This man just like quite literally pops up everywhere.
He popped up everywhere in Japan twice.
Like your spirit guide, isn't he?
He is.
He's, he's actually like, I mean, for those of you who haven't
played Zelda, he feels like Navi, the little, the little thing
that helps you, the, the fairy that helps you.
Oh, he's there.
Okay.
So this is the way you got to go.
Do you know the way to go to here?
Oh, well I do now.
So, you know, I told, I told Steph this because, you know,
we, we, we saw him on, as we coming back to, as we landed
in Japan and we'd already had a horrible flight because of
delays and then a person on the flight was, let's just say,
not exactly the nicest of passengers.
And so we missed the train and we're like angry and Steph and
I are about to like kind of murder each other because like,
let's get our bags, let's get a train.
We couldn't get one.
And we just hear as soon as we get off.
Hi Matty.
Hi Steph.
We turn it out.
David Day.
There he is.
So, you know, he is quite literally, he's actually, he's an
absolutely lovely man.
He is one of the, one of the all time greats.
So he was there in his S 600, which is a gorgeous little car.
It is, it is, it is lovely.
It's, it's a very, very nice car.
And like, I know we've talked about his cars a little bit,
but he's a really interesting man, isn't he?
Like he's got really ratty cars, but then he's also got like
lovely cars like that.
And it's, and I love how he's got a bit of everything and
nothing's all, you know, but he uses them, which is,
which is really, really cool to see as, as Edward bumped into
him on the, on the, on the freeway in the middle of nowhere
and he's building a box on a 45 degree day.
So, you know, it's, he's, he's, he's a very interesting man.
But, but that was good to see him.
It was cool to see cars.
I've never actually been to this event before.
Rob was there with, with his car as well.
So, so that was called, to call to see.
So he's, he's showing a picture of, there he is.
That's when I was read.
That's 40 years ago, that photo was taken.
Wow.
When he first bought it.
And that's it in there.
Wow.
Was that a legit delivered car?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
So, so yeah, that's, um, yeah.
So, so look, the event was great.
Plenty of cars, something there for everybody.
There was, there was Trebanse.
There was P76's.
There you go, Rob.
I'll speak to that guy for about 15 minutes.
Um, uh, there was,
and it was mentioned 44 gallon drum.
Oh, mate.
He was, he was all about the 44 gallon drum.
Don't get, don't, don't worry about that.
He was, you know,
I've never seen one that had the drum in the boot though.
No.
No, I have.
They do fit.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've never seen one.
You have at a show, you'd, you'd have the boot open with the drum in it.
That would be the, you know.
Well, this one was a lovely blue tiger floreo and, you know,
they were a really nice thing.
Like, you know, by the, you know, we got talking and it was like, yeah,
the early cars, they, they rush them to market and then, you know,
the, the country, you know, shit can them and, um, cause I wanted to say
Ford and Holden and a few other, you know, issues.
But by the end of their run, once they got them right,
they were a relatively really good car.
Like, and, and a lot of people that,
that only piece of this is IE Rob swears by them.
So, but then he showed me,
he proceeded to show me the boot and it's quite literally,
it's kind of bowed in to fit that, that, that drum.
Yeah.
So it's, it's, it's, it's pretty, pretty, pretty amazing.
I'm like, I don't know who's carrying 44 gallon drums, just, just because, but.
That guy from snow town,
whose surname was Bunting who murdered the barrels.
Okay.
That's, that's what he should have been driving.
A P76.
Maybe he was.
I don't know.
I don't know if he's ever around.
No relation, by the way.
No relation.
I appreciate the fact that you mentioned that.
I was very concerned for a moment.
Oh, Uncle John.
Great guy.
He was just misunderstood.
That's all.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You've ever seen the prototype of the wagon?
There are a couple of wagons getting around.
Okay.
If you Google P76 wagon, it, it absolutely works.
It's one of those cars.
It looks better in a wagon.
Better in a wagon.
Sorry.
That's just my, my personal and the, and of course there were four seven Vs,
which were the hatchback version.
Doodle coupe.
Doodle coupe, but they were an ungainly looking thing.
I always thought, and partly I think, and Rob, I'm sure Rob would correct me
and, and, and please do if, if I'm wrong, but I think they used the sedan doors
rather than engineer it to have a longer door.
That wouldn't surprise me.
They didn't have a lot of money.
And so at the door, you know, it, that contributed to the sort of ungainliness of them.
But, but the wagon actually really worked.
The wagon was quite a good looking car.
But everyone into production, sadly.
Yeah.
It was, it's, it's a car of many.
Yeah.
It's one of those cars of many, many hits, but many misses and many missed opportunities
I think, but you know, holds a special place in, in, in Australian history.
So, you know, gotta, gotta give it that.
Rob, was there any segregation of different brands or makes or anything or stuff?
Not really.
There was just kind of stuff everywhere.
I mean, obviously the Toyota car club had their, their little stand section there.
And, but, but there was, there was, you know, big girl with W126 is next to, next to LTDs
and stuff like it was, it was a whole, it was just, it was all everywhere.
There was, there was a Renault 10, which was really cool.
I figured how small they are.
They're really tiny little things.
It was one of those.
There was in that really cool blue too, like that Alpine blue.
It looked great.
And there was some, there was some, you know, awesome, awesome cars.
They're like really cool stuff.
So, yeah, they had something for everybody.
So would, would recommend going to, going to that event if you haven't been,
I'm probably going to get next year because I think it was, it was quite good.
So, so yeah, I did that.
So Rob, Rob's, well, I didn't see him, but I, but I did see his car there.
And I was like, I think that's Rob's car.
Turns out, turns out I was his car.
He's lovely old Mercedes.
The coupe.
Yeah, the coupe.
That is a very nice car.
I, you know, it's, yeah, I was, I was, I'm a fan of that thing.
So, so he took that down there and he's, his friends obviously took their
mustangs and stuff.
So, but yeah, it was, it was a good, it was, it was a really nice event.
Plenty of, plenty of cars.
As I said, something for everybody that had all different things.
So that was, it was good to see.
So that was, I think that's pretty much it on my car.
So we're also joined by Mr. Turbot Terry himself.
Anthony Falk.
How are you my friend?
Yeah, not too bad guys, but I'll try him in and say hi in a second.
Cause I got to go and run and get Lucy cause she's just working up from a very
small 15 minute nap.
So I will come back around and let you know when I'm back.
Sounds good, mate.
Sounds good.
You do that, buddy.
You do that.
Alright, I'll be back.
Cool.
Moving on tonight to tonight's topic, gentlemen.
So the car scene.
This is a interesting, interesting thing, interesting point of discussion.
I wanted to talk about the car scene because for some of our more esteemed
members of this, of this podcast and show, you would have seen, you know,
I mean, we all have seen, you know, trends come and go.
But what's interesting to know is that a lot of trends are coming back and things
like Sydney sex back and, and, you know, big, big systems are starting to,
starting to make a, make a, make a resurgence, but also, you know, acceptance of,
of the ricer scene, which was kind of canned quite extensively, especially here
in Australia and in America, really getting the people back, you know,
falling in love with the scene again.
It got me questioning and I want to put this to you guys.
Cars are like fashion.
Obviously, you know, they get cool and uncool, but the car scene cannot always has
like the one, you know, I guess you could say, except the thing.
These other subcultures of the car scene have started to make a resurgence again.
That have kind of been, been away.
Why do you think that is?
And do you think it's a good thing?
Because I think it's a great thing.
I think, you know, people that, you know, really did the, the whole sex back, you know,
big Chrome is big, big car, you know, car interior, big, you know, big speaker system,
you know, no performance, which is, which is fine.
It was just to look cool and cruise.
You know, I mean, I mean, look at Mighty Car Mods, they're really getting into it again.
Do you think that this is because we've all just welcoming it in the face of like a kind
of a big screw you movement to the EVs and stuff that are out?
Because that's what I think it's from.
But, you know, because there is no individuality with any of those cars.
So, you know, it was a cool time and I look back on it fondly.
But what do you guys reckon?
I think it's a also a new generation that's been able to see it.
Okay.
What are they seeing, Scott?
Some sex back cars.
So they're not cars.
Is that a thing?
It is.
It was a massive thing.
Wouldn't I want to have a picture better?
Would you mind that for me, please?
I just did.
It was it was big, chromey wheels, big sound systems, full like interior.
Like they kind of look like show cars.
Oh, like real modern cars.
And usually airbrushed out the front with some kind of image.
You know, usually had a theme.
There was some kind of theme.
Yeah.
They'd had to go with it.
Don't you body kits frequently that weird mesh?
That looks like somebody stole it from somebody's fence.
Yeah.
Yeah.
In the in the pod areas, like my neighbor had, he had a sex spec Lancer.
Two door.
Yeah.
Of course.
He's very proud of it.
He's like, yeah, it's a cool car, isn't it?
It's like your Subaru.
I'm like, there's nothing like my Subaru.
You take that back.
You bring up a good point.
It's, you know, the new young people are like, you know, they're kind of getting into it.
And I think that's, I think that's a good thing.
You know, I think, I think that era of, of, of modification was.
And, and this is why I'm not, I'm not bagging Hondas, but I'm talking,
I'm, I'm praising them because I'm Hondas.
No, I'm saying because the Honda scene back in the late nineties, early 2000s,
really pioneered this.
Like it was, you know, everyone was doing up a Honda.
Yeah.
And it was because one, that was the RX.
That's for sure.
So what was that, David?
There were some crimes against CRX.
It was civics too.
Yes.
There were plenty of crimes, crimes against civics.
I think more, more civics than CRX's were, were, were sex backed up.
But these.
The only reason I go to CRX, because I always think of one parked in North
Richmond, still there.
The number plates, bad CRX and my appropriate number plate.
This thing is like a, like a chameleon sort of pinky purple color has a long,
long time flat tires, you know, but it's still currently,
well, last time I checked it was currently registered.
Does this, does this still have the, I think it's a calm thing.
You know, it's got like the Altezza rear tail light.
Yeah.
I know this car.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, yeah, I understand where you're coming from, David, because I, because I,
I know this is a, it would break your heart to see an original CRX like that.
But, but again, the Honda scene, I think, especially in America, you know,
everyone, we're doing turbo D series and, and, you know, putting B series swaps
and, and, and what have you, like they were, they were doing crazy body kits.
And, you know, cause they were so accessible and they were easy to modify
and there was a bazillion of them made.
So, you know, oh, I'll ruin one.
I'll go get another one for another $2,000.
You know, it was, it was a scene where it was, you know, it was accepted for,
and it gave people the opportunity to modify their cars and to,
and to do that sort of stuff.
Now they're considered all, you know, rises and stuff.
But, you know, in terms of, in terms of what it did and what it allowed for,
for young, young people, especially, you know, the Honda scene really kind of,
kind of, you know, pioneered it, I think, pioneered the, the modification scene
for, for the 21st century anyway.
And because like, you know, especially back then, well, even in Australia,
like, like, you know, the hot force scene wasn't really big.
You know, it wasn't really a thing.
It was always our Aussie muscle or a V8 or XYZ.
But like, you know, the hot force scene really came strong, came on strong
in late 90s, early 2000s.
It was a magazine, Fast Fours and Rotaries.
Fast Fours and Rotaries, absolutely.
You know, this is, this is, this is the era, this is the era I'm talking about.
So that was the two, two magazines.
You had the, the Fast Fours and the Hot Fours.
Yeah.
And then there was another one, which was.
Oh, Hot Fast Fours.
No, no, no, no.
There was two.
There was another one that didn't have sex spec stuff.
And it was the one that I kind of bought more copies of.
It was more about, it was more performance tuning ones and cars from Japan and stuff.
Was that, was that the magazine Zoom?
No, it wasn't Zoom.
I do remember Zoom.
Yeah, Zoom.
Zoom was big.
I remember Zoom.
I think the Zoom magazine, but I don't think that's relevant.
Of course you do, Alan.
What would a magazine be called about our cars?
Slow Fours?
It would be called Eclectic.
Because we were just, we're just.
Slow Fours and too many doors.
Yeah.
Slow Fours with classics.
And then there'd be like a spread in the middle of the magazine called The Potential.
It was called High Performance Imports.
That's right.
Do you remember that?
Yes.
Yes.
That was the one I always went to because it was cars done up for like racing and everything.
It was awesome magazine.
Is that the one or an Aussie one?
Aussie one.
Aussie, but they, I remember they used to do like a lot of like, you know, screenshots essentially of like, you know, hot, hot, um, hot version and, and, and stuff from, from Japan.
We're like, you know, Keiichi and stuff would be sideways in, in whatever car.
Um, they had a lot of spoon, you know, and Mugen, you know, in influences in there.
And I guess the real tune, like Invertecom's real tuners, the tuners, I like to, you know, to play with the cars.
I think like in performance wise, they were really got into, into, into that magazine, Scotty.
Yeah.
So that had all of that.
So if you're into that side of things when it comes to tuning and stuff like that, you'd get that magazine.
Hot fours and fast fours on the cover was always sexback car and then a model.
And then you flick through the pages and then there'll be a write up on her.
Yeah.
She wouldn't be an actress.
Yeah.
It was quite literally, it was quite literally, that was the common answer.
You're going to move to Hollywood.
Yeah.
It was, it was a different time, Edward.
It was a different time.
Was it?
Scott, I would, I would buy the.
I have Instagram.
Exactly.
I would buy the opposite to that magazine.
Like rather than high performance imports.
I'm not interested in either of those things.
I would go low performance Australian delivered.
Delivered.
Yeah.
Is a magazine I would buy.
I can't find that one anywhere.
And it's got a nice lumberjack, you know, with the next as well.
My kind of magazine on deep.
Middle aged man standing on the front.
And he's like, I got the base model.
I'm all about, I want to hear about that guy.
The photo is like right from like under his chin, like the, you know,
the boomer Facebook photo.
It's like, this is, this is Bruce, you know, hear about him.
It's like, yeah, I like to go to the pub.
Why did you choose this?
Why'd you choose this base model?
Oh, I didn't need a CD player.
And then when we lost leaves me, she's got less to take.
Control.
I don't cruise and I'm out of control.
These are, these are the questions of the air.
That should be another topic.
What would your car magazine be called?
You know, the articles in it.
We should do that and save that for next week.
Yeah.
100%.
What do you do for fun?
Like what's crazy at night?
Oh, mind sweep on expert mode.
Sometimes I clock back 10 minutes to confuse my wife.
That's fun.
All right, you got some homework for next week, gentlemen.
You've got to come up with a magazine and I'll tell you what,
I'll use my design skills to design a cover, like a cover page for it.
And I'll, and I'll, and I'll put, I'll give them all to you.
How does that sound?
Meet you in my car on one of my cars on the cover.
And we need a picture of your face too, Edward.
You just like, you just take a screenshot right now.
It's going to be, yeah, good.
Yeah, good.
Good. Thanks.
Yeah, good.
The adventures of your base model.
Back on, back on topic, gentlemen.
So sorry, David.
No, no, I just had a thought.
I just had a thought.
One of the, one of the things that's driving this, that resurgence that
we're talking about is nostalgia and quarter of a century.
So we're 2025, a lot of those 99, 2001 Lancers and all that sort of thing.
So the, the, the people who have had them in their early 20s are now in
their mid 40s.
You know, they probably got the cash to actually, oh, I remember that.
I remember.
Oh, I'm going to do it again.
You know, like that pick up the Lancer for nothing.
You know, all the, well, the AK civics are going up all the time.
But yeah, I mean, it's like, you know, the people who wanted GT Falcons,
you know, but could never afford them.
And that drove the price up of those.
So, top tip by your sex spec Lancer now while you, while they're still affordable.
Absolutely.
Why is it called sex spec?
Oh, it's a really.
It's a great question.
Yeah.
I've got no answer.
We're meant to look sexy, I suppose.
And as you quite rightly pointed out, there was usually an aspiring
actress photograph next to them.
Yeah, this is, this is true.
This is true.
So, so, okay, I've just Googled it.
The term sex spec refers to late 1990s to early 2000s car modification
style characterized by the flamboyant aesthetics rather than performance
designed specifically to turn heads, look sexy and attract attention.
The term combined sex as in hot and sexy looking with spec modification
describing cars with bright paint, huge chrome wheels and custom
interiors.
There you go.
There you go.
So that, that Lancer, that laser that you like, Maddie, one of the four
explored ones, you know, that's a bit of bling and that that would be a
sex spec laser.
It was kind of like.
The definition of.
Yeah.
Pretty much.
Yeah.
That was, you know, that was, that was the, I was the time that was the
modification style.
That was, that was what you did.
So if I wanted to sex spec the big girl, for example, so that doesn't sound
good, does it?
For those listeners that.
The big girl is a long wheel based Mercedes.
And.
If I wanted to do that, I would lower it.
I would put bling, big, chromey 20 inch on it.
The window is black and may put in some kind of stereo and fluffy
lambswool stuff.
Over the top, Lauren's a car.
Oh yeah.
It's interesting you're saying those people are double David, you mentioned
those people are talking about, you know, the nostalgia factor.
There was a, the other day, a Mitsubishi Lancer that was done in
sex back pink with chromies of that era.
And it was just, it was put into pick apart in, I think it was
Campbellfield.
And the comments on this car were, is the car still available?
Is it still fully completed?
Like it was, I haven't seen a car like it on their page in a long
time.
And this was a sex-backed era like beaten to whole, you know, pink
painted Lancer from the early 2000s.
But, you know, it was obviously all picked apart.
I had genuine like Evo spoiler, Evo bumpers and stuff.
So, so yeah, it would have, it would have been, it would have
been stripped really quick.
But yeah, like people are still, you know, still love that scene.
And, you know, for a while it was really, really hated and their
cars were worth nothing and stuff.
But I think it's, it's making, making a bit of resurgence.
A resurgence though, but with the cars that it was done to
originally.
Yes.
Like nobody's on a modern car.
Yeah.
I don't think anyone's doing sex-backed to any modern, any
modern things.
Unless you guys have seen anything modern that's been.
You know, a current Serato or something and doing a sex-backed
Serato, you're not doing that.
These days I feel it's more, yeah, like you'll put a couple of
stickers on it and kind of call it there, lower it a bit and,
and kind of go on from there.
That's, that's the closest I've really seen.
Nobody's attempting, yeah, getting some weird panels and
going at it and, you know, like I said, bringing, bringing the
big dish chromies up.
Maybe it's just partly it's a cost thing and partly it's also
an availability of, because in the era, I think a lot more
manufacturers were making a better aftermarket kit for the
car.
You say, Hey, I've got a Serato.
Can I sex it up?
And no one looks at you like no one's got any parts to kind of
really get it to that same position.
You'd have to be making everything custom.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's, that's a fair point.
That is a total fair point.
Like, like now a lot of the car modification, especially like
your civics and your, and your stuff like that, like the parts
are genuinely expensive because they're all done by, all done
by reputable tuning houses and, you know, and Tom's and
for Toyota and all these like, you know, they're, they're
genuine kits and they cost a fortune and they're not, you know,
they're not easy to replicate because obviously, you know, the
demand to modify like that's not nowhere near as big as it used
to be.
You know, used to buy like a knockoff, you know, you know,
gritty parts and all this sort of stuff.
But now it's like, no, you want it?
That's, you got to pay the big bucks.
And it's, it's a shame because, you know, that, that era, you
know, really got, well, I think what helped to is because a lot
of the cars that were getting modified were cheap.
Like, like, like they weren't, they weren't your high end.
I mean, I mean, somewhere like for your big show cars, but, but
they weren't your, you know, your, your really expensive, you
know, Lexus and stuff like that.
They were your cheap civics, your charades.
Remember how many charades were modified with body kits?
And they were, they were your, you know, your.
Those, those Lancer Coops, the good looking ones.
The great looking car.
Well, they're all quite good looking Lancer Coops.
Shout out to Laura.
Those Lancer Coops were cheap and they were quite a nice shape
that really lended itself to mods.
So they were what 13, 14 grand.
You could get into a brand spanking, plain Jane Lancer
Coop, I think.
And then of course, wheels and windows and seat covers, grills
and, you know, it was easy to tweak them.
A friend of mine, I used to know quite well.
He was, he was big into the sexback era.
Like, like, like that was his era.
He bought a, he bought a Mitsubishi Mirage brand new,
like one of the, you know, like those.
Yeah.
And so he said expect that big cromies lowered the most
ridiculous sounds that you'd ever see.
He even had a sub coming out of the bonnet of the car.
So yeah, like in, in, in show, in show form,
like obviously he didn't drive with it on,
but basically what he did was he bought a spare.
Yeah, I know, right?
So I mean, I mean, people did it with blowers and stuff.
Yeah.
So, so, but like he actually looked, it looked like it was,
he ripped up this bonnet in the middle.
It looked like it was torn apart and that the sub was coming
out of the body.
It looked, it looked killer.
It actually looked really cool.
And he, you know, and that was, that was a show car.
And, you know, and he was really into this.
Like he, he's, he's my youth and, you know,
big shout out to you, my friend.
But, you know, he was big in that era,
like really cool in that era.
You know, did some cool cars.
And, you know, whenever people talk about that,
they look at it, they look upon it fondly because it was like,
oh, you know, good times, good people.
It was fun.
But, but, you know, it was, and it was fun because I guess
people were modifying it and they didn't really care.
Whereas now it's like, oh, if you're not modifying with a,
you know, with a, oh, you're not using a, a moogan, a moogan kit.
Oh, that's, you know, what are you doing?
Yeah.
And whereas back then it was like, I don't care.
Like I want to put a sub coming out of my, out of my body
bonnet, which does absolutely nothing.
But, but sure, why the hell not?
You know, and it was cool.
People were pushing the envelope.
You know, it was, it was a cool, cool era.
So yeah.
And the culture as well, like a need for speed underground too.
Oh, yes.
You literally had to rice your car out to progress in the game.
If you didn't have 10 stars by the end of it,
you would be finishing the last few missions.
And unfortunately the way to get the stars was rice out the car.
Like you had a whole sound system and screens and nitrous,
little canisters in your boot.
Scissors.
Hydraulics.
Like the culture was all about it.
And, you know, I think that really did,
because everyone leaned into it as much as there was hate and there
will be hate now.
Like I reserve my right to cringe at some of the things I see.
You know, that's fair.
Just as like everyone doing it reserves their right to actually
kind of be an individual with their own car and kind of explore
these things, you know, make the car how they want to like
resell value be damned.
Like you said, these were cheap cars, at least in that era.
You're not, you know, apart from the money that you're putting
into it, modifying it to please yourself, you're not really
losing that much.
It's not like your car goes from 80 grand to 10 grand because
you've done these modifications.
Well, I want to ask you, because like, because Anthony and I,
do you remember the original Need for Speed Underground came
out, Anthony, and you came over to my place when we were playing
it?
Many, many, many times.
Many times.
Many years ago.
Do you know where Need for Speed was released?
Well, it was originally released in the UK, wasn't it?
No, when?
Oh, when?
Oh, yeah, 90s.
It was 90.
I reckon it was early 90s, like 91.
No, I think that's a bit too, it might have been too early.
I want to say 90.
I want to say the second 1994.
Four.
Okay.
There you go.
There you go.
So, geez, that's it.
These are okay.
Well, I mean, it's funny though.
Like I was originally, I mentioned you Anthony's because people
remember Underground 1, Underground 2 Most Wanted as some of the
best, you know, car games from that era because they were so
iconic for the modifications for how it was, it was of the time,
you know, and they're still very playable today.
You know, I've played them recently.
I can't remember whether it was one or two that you had the
option of starting with the cry of the neon.
Yeah, number one.
Yeah, that's right.
Number one.
Yeah.
It was, you know, and we, you know, it's, you know,
I look back and I think, and I smile, you know, of that time, Anthony,
like, I don't know about you, but we, we built some looking back now,
horrifically bad looking cars, but terrible.
But it was just, it was like, you know, no need for speed games since
have had that, have had that impact, you know, have had that, you know,
that sense of this was a great game.
You know, this was, this was, I mean, look, they did a few other
ones, pro street and stuff was all right, but like that era,
those three games in particular were just like peak.
It was peak modification, peak sexback, peak, peak, everything about
that era was that early 2000s, I think, and, and that's why those
games are still today looked on, looked upon fondly.
Who is that?
So we've established that nostalgia plays a big part.
What are some other parts that, that have really, you know,
embraced this to come back?
We think.
I think it's,
Would you say affordability in the way of nostalgia?
For now, yes.
Yeah.
For now, we're still coming into that, that kind of moment.
Yeah.
I think it'd be like all things.
Once it becomes more popular, the prices of all those things are
going to go up and up.
Yeah.
Of course.
Well, look, you know, it's funny.
I mean, you got to, you got to go.
I know, but we'll, we'll talk to you later, mate.
Okay.
But, you know, again, clean like lenses and stuff.
Like, I mean, Jim and I have been, you know, sent some cars from
that era to each other, you know, over recent times, clean cars
from that era are just like, they're getting expensive.
You know, they're not, they're not as cheap as they used to be.
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark.
Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.