From the Houston Autorama with a 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 to Shade Tree Mechanics
In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show
From the Houston Autorama with a 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 to Shade Tree Mechanics
Annotations will appear as you listen
0:00
30:18
LIVE
Welcome to another In-Wheel Time podcast, a 30-minute mini version of the In-Wheel Time car show that airs live every Saturday morning 8 to 11 am Central From the 63rd annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Autorama at the George R Brown Convention Center in Houston, texas.
Welcome to the In-Wheel Time car talk show Coming up.
We're going to talk to some of the participants in today's show.
We're going to talk to Jim Tilley, right out of the box here with his 65-coronet Mr Norm car.
Later on we're going to have Jeff have a segment on the mysterious Shade Tree mechanic.
Yeah, conrad has this week's car clinic.
What's in the car clinic today?
Since we're celebrating Mr Norm and we were just talking about other dealers building supercars of the 60s and 70s, thought I'd talk a little bit about a few of the others as well.
Oh good, that's great, that's perfect.
Yeah, absolutely All right.
And then, well, we're going to have the usual bunch of boys here talking car stuff.
Bunch of boys Bunch of boys.
That's exactly right.
Howdy, along with Mike out of this World, mars King Conrad, along to my left today.
We need more Jeff Zeek and, over here, chief Engineer and bottle washer, david Ainsley.
I'm Don Armstrong, glad that you could join us on this Saturday.
There's not a soul here.
There are souls.
Well, there are souls.
Yes, Some of the cleanup people are here getting ready for today's show that opens in two hours.
By the way, we'll have Larry way on is going to talk about, you know, ticket prices and all the good stuff that he's got going on here at the show today.
Between airport runs.
It's a packed house as far as actual displays are concerned.
Matter of fact, we've got a motorcycle squeezed in over here to the right.
There's lots of stuff here to see and do this year's 63rd Auto Ram and we invite you to come on down.
If you can't, we're going to give you kind of a little mini tour of our own here around in the center of Georgia Brown Convention Center and, by the way, speaking of center, we really are kind of smack dab in the center of the Georgia Brown here, right in the middle of the Hall C, so it's literally in the middle.
Yeah, and Tremec transmissions is right there and they've got a sign that you can see wherever you are inside the Georgia Brown.
We're right here by it, as you can see right in the middle of the in wheel time car talk booth.
Speaking of that, in the booth with us this morning is Jim Tilley, 65 Coronet 500.
The Mr Norm Carr.
Jim, you're a Louisiana boy.
Yes, sir, how did you know, mike?
Mike Mars, how did you?
I'm sorry to.
I'm sorry for that, but how did you and?
Mike get together.
My son Matt lives in Nederland Really, so that's pretty close to my.
Oh my God, so he's got some stories about him.
You tell people this, you tell people this.
Keep it a secret.
So do we I think they met somewhere as a football game or something.
They were talking about cars and drinking a beer yeah.
Brown water, yeah.
So he showed a picture of the Coronet to Michael and you know he talked about I need to call up and do a podcast with you guys, which I bummed there.
So when they, Michael course he asked to be a host of his guests on your show here.
So yeah, well, there's that.
But I think more importantly, when Mars said we were looking for a car to bring in.
We always try to get a really cool car every year to bring here.
We've had some really nice cars, there's no doubt about it.
And when he told me about that, I said are you kidding me?
He can bring it over here.
Yeah, well, there's no question, let's have it.
Show the car to Houston?
Yeah, absolutely, because this car has never been shown here.
Have you ever brought it over here for anything?
No, never this first time Okay.
How Okay, let's start from the very beginning and let's tell people a little brief history of Mr Norm and who Mr Norm is.
Okay, Mr Norm, when he was a teenager, him, his brother, got into selling cars Used cars from their their own home.
So they saw where they'd made good sales, so, hey, let's go into the business.
So I think they rented a building and they started selling used cars and then from there they went into new car productions.
So it's grown quite a bit and of course during this time drag racing has gotten pretty popular.
Right In the mid 60s, yes, so a lot of the big three were pushing cars out there performance cars so they said let's get in on this one.
So I think they even had a shop car that they raced local drag strip.
I'm not real sure on that.
I've heard that they did do some drag, racing them Right.
It's a tax write off, yeah.
Yeah, advertisement at the track Was it say went on Sunday, sell on Monday, type deal.
But anyhow, they seen a good market there for that One of their things that they was known for they was one of the first dealerships with the dyno in house.
The dynamometer yes.
So, whatever the horsepower your car was rated for from Chrysler, they put it on the dyno and make sure it made that horsepower.
If not, well, you don't get the car till we fix it where it does make it and to you know, maybe a little bit more.
And especially back then, dealers typically did not have dynamometers.
No very few people did back then.
Yeah, yeah.
But yeah, and from there I mean they've got a lot of people.
So it's kind of like the Yenco Chevrolet Everybody want to go there.
Yeah, so Mr Norm is to dodge Chrysler what Yenco was to Chevrolet.
Yes, and she'll be to Ford, right, right.
And obviously he saw these cars that had horsepower, that may have made what the factory said it did, and then he went.
Hmm, let's see if we tweak it a little bit and I think in some instances a lot of the factory numbers might have been a little over ambitious and I guess, or in some cases, under ambitious, where the car was making you know 400 horsepower, but they said in the book that it was only rated at 290.
Yeah, yeah, and then, and then Norm Kraus and his team figured out hey, you know, with a little bit of finesse, a Little carb work, a little ignition work, we can.
We can create that kind of power on these cars and sell something different Than what you could buy at the Dodge dealer down the street.
Yeah, and of course there was a lot of street racers back then.
Oh yeah, a lot of these guys who bring in.
Exactly so were you one of them.
No, I wasn't around driving in 65.
No no especially down Chicago, but around the house.
Yes, yes, yeah, yeah, okay, but they were taking bring their car in there and, of course, a lot of high-performance stuff that you could get from Chrysler.
You know they would order it to their kind of like you, hot rod shop there.
Yeah, get performance parts there and both of them.
So they, they beefed up the factory cars.
Yes, so you will go and buy a, you know, coronet 500 at the dealership.
And it's got what kind of mode?
Were there several engines available?
for your car?
Definitely, definitely, yeah.
And what does this car have?
This has the 426 wedge Okay what, what?
said what defines the wedge.
The wedge is the way they designed the, the heads, and Evolve to the silver.
This is before the hemi or at the same time as that's probably around the hemi, because they started hemi productions back in.
I guess the second generation back in 62, 63 Got you because was it a hemi available in this car?
Not at the moment.
No yeah but what I understand, if you was a Good known racer or person that connected connected that's the word you can Go through the back door something and order something a little different from Chrysler.
It was common back then and mr Norm was also connected because, some of the cars he sold and I'm assuming this was one of them, because the 426 wedge probably wasn't a regular production option on this, that this was kind of a, I'll say it.
In the sherry world it would be a copo yeah central off Office production order.
But he had a little free form of ordering Powertrain packages through Chrysler that other people didn't because of his connections.
Yes, that's right.
And this would be one of those cars and it too.
Back then a lot of your drag racers went through the dealerships in Office, back office, whatever, and ordered these special cars.
You know like they had the max wedge, it came with a lot more compression, two fours and so forth and all a lot more horsepower.
Let's get down to this car.
Yeah, where did you see find this car?
Actually, there was a guy I worked with back home that bought this car from somebody in Illinois, so I can't remember the guy's name.
Anyhow, he had his body.
No, it was a mr Norm car.
Yes, yes he did.
Yes.
There's a story from the guy before my friend that he put with it, got it.
So it was.
It was this car running at the time that you bought it?
It was not it was just a roller a roller.
Yeah, so it had no motor, no motors and pieces on the floor motor transmission is out the transmission I rebuilt for him.
I guess now it's probably 10 years ago whenever he was Working with me, but it was the correct motor that was in pieces, in the correct transmission yes, correct actually came in the car.
And production, which is important, oh, yeah, yeah.
But you've completely redone the car since you bought the car.
Yes correct from the being all the way down to the frame.
Yes, yeah, it's completely.
Everything's off the frame, the unibody so far and everything's been completely gone through All the boats, everything fasteners, was documented.
Whenever he pulled the car parts, I got all these ziploc bags or different car parts, nuts boats.
Is this the first time you've ever done a restoration like that?
No, no, my first one was probably about 17 years ago.
I had a 67 Barracuda that I bought.
Yeah, I'm drove for two weeks and pulled it all apart and go through the whole thing complete.
So you're a Mopar guy.
Yes, yes.
Well, you know who he needs to meet John Hovis.
John Hovis, yeah, they hit me high down.
Oh, I've heard of the place.
We need to connect you.
I've heard the place.
Yes, because.
John would be in love with this car.
Yes, he would, and yeah, it's right up your alley.
What do you do for a living?
I'm retired now.
Well, okay, lucky you.
No, no Were you in the oil business?
No.
Well, I was in refinery making plastics.
I worked there in my last 26 years, yeah, and other things.
I started out pushing the broom in my uncle's mechanic shop, so that's where you got the bug.
That's where I got the bug.
He worked for the Dodge place and that's where you got the Mopar bug.
Yeah, so he wound up leaving and starting his own business and all of his customers come to him because they knew he was good.
Yeah, we worked on.
Probably 90% of our cars were Chrysler products.
How lucky are you?
Oh, yeah, definitely, definitely.
And you live in Sulphur Louisiana.
Sulphur Louisiana.
Correct and wife, kids, family, everybody's there, yes, basically.
Yeah, everybody there is within.
You know our drive.
Holler, in distance, as they say, so to speak.
Yeah, so how long now has the car been restored?
It's been close to three years now.
Yeah, and you've shown it at some cruise ends and you've shown it at some car shows, but not this big.
No, nothing big like this.
It's just been local stuff within an hour or two hours.
So to let everybody know that we kind of enticed Jim to come over because we wanted to pay for the entry fee for the car to be shown and to be in competition with others in its class.
We have not seen any others in this class and I asked somebody have you seen it?
No, I think as far as I know, it's the only one that's in the class.
That means that's a trophy, my friend.
So in real time, in real time, put you on the map.
Yeah, that's right.
That's right, but you know we're really proud of the car, through Mars and through you, that you know you come over here and shared all of this with us, because I've never seen anything like this.
It is beautiful and it's actually better looking than it came from the factory, because I have of that era and I can tell you that cars out of any manufacturer of the United States did not look like that the paint didn't look this good, no, and we had pictures of it, the last show we did, when you were getting on the air with the zoom.
It doesn't justify those pictures, don't justify this car.
This car is gorgeous.
They have to see it in person, and that interior is just, it's magnificent.
It has that 60s smell to it.
Yeah whatever that is.
Yeah, speaking on, and a chili dog.
Yeah, exactly the interior of the car, Obviously.
I mean there are ways to do interiors Aftermarket.
There's also some available that you can actually get that were kind of like the original interiors.
Is that what that is?
This is from legendary.
Who's legendary?
Legendary is one of the top reproductions of automotive interiors.
Got you and they do a fantastic job.
This is the that's where I've been getting mine from my vehicles and they do get you.
I mean it looks, I mean right out of the factory.
So, they took all of the color swatches and everything and matched it perfectly and all of the details like, for instance, on the door cards.
You know, back, back, they don't make them like that today.
But all of the intricate metal work that's on all and all of the folding all of that sort of stuff, and it made each interior unique to the car, whereas today might as well just take a, you know you just poured it in the glass.
So is this your only one, your only piece of collection or no?
no, I've got several other ones.
I've got the 67 Barracuda.
I still have that.
I still got that one.
Yeah, I can't get rid of it.
My family would disown me, right.
Yeah, I've got a 68.
GTS dart Okay.
Big block.
It used to be a drag car for years and then it was in sad shape when I got it, but I went completely through it.
I've got a 1960,.
Well, my wife has a 1960 Nash Metropolitan.
I just had to repaint it because some girl running to me at the earlier this year, but that's her car.
I see it's cute little car Interesting.
Now I have one more fastback Barracuda that I'm going to do for my daughter.
How was your daughter?
My daughter is 40, around 40.
Yeah, okay, so each kid's going to get a car.
So what motors in your fastback Barracuda?
360.
It had the 273 and I just upgrade with the transmission, rear end and motor.
So it's a good traveling car.
We've made several trips in that thing Route 66 with grandkids and all that, oh wow.
That is a blast of a car.
It sounds like a Hot Rod Tour of Texas kind of car.
I just thought I had that thought myself.
Are you familiar with Hot Rod Tour of Texas?
No.
Well, that happens at the last weekend in April, and I think that that would be something that you would really enjoy.
Yes, yes.
We'll get together, I'll give you all the information Sounds great.
It's not too far away.
So usually starts in Victoria and then heads north up to Fort Worth, somewhere like that, and through the kill country and a couple of hundred cars, oh, that sounds neat, yeah, sure does.
Yeah, it's a lot of good fun.
You know I don't want to, kind of you know, put a squash on this conversation, but there's a fellow that's walking over to your left right now.
His name is Larry Way and he is with Autorama and he got up early just for us, combed his hair and came over here and Mr Autorama, mr.
Autorama.
Mr Heavy and Mr.
Auto, so we're going to have you on whenever we get done and ready for you, but at any rate, yeah.
I wanted to let everybody know that Larry Way is in the house.
Great so, but back to the car.
You trailer the car over here, and I'm glad that you did, because the road between Suffolk, louisiana, and Houston, texas Terrible.
It's absolutely horrible.
Yeah, but you do drive this on the street.
Oh yeah, definitely.
No, it's definitely.
He drove it in here, but it isn't a trailer queen, it's a car that you'll take.
No, like you're saying some of the roads you go down interstate, it's so terrible, you know, and a lot of people get distracted and so you know, yeah, well, it's a little bit of protection yeah.
So you know what I'm going to do here.
And is the trailer, trailer by a Ram pickup truck.
Is it a three quarter ton?
No, half ton, half ton.
And it did just fine.
It's not that Got a hemmy in it.
The blue single cab out here, no, no, it's a the crew cab there, yeah.
Very good.
So how long did the restoration take?
Well, this went pretty good because a friend of mine had a lot of the items restored, collected, like the grill had already be done, a lot of the trim, and so probably about a year Really To do it.
Of course I was able to dedicate a lot of time because I was working Right.
So you know, yeah, my first restoration that was like three years, the Barracuda, you know, because I was working a job and you know, stuff like that we know how that is.
Yeah, most definitely Spare, time.
Yeah, spare time, that's correct.
Well, we sure appreciate the car and we appreciate you and telling us the story and getting up to come over here and talk to us two hours before the show opens.
No, problem no problem, you got in, yeah.
You weaseled your way in.
I did.
I had to tell him a story I could only imagine I had to do a little name dropping, did you?
Oh yeah, oh yeah, okay.
I know Don.
Armstrong.
No, david Ainslie.
No, I think it would be Mike Mars.
He pulls all of the pulls, all the switches here, not he plugs them all in.
He plugs them all in, but I need a new wire yeah.
Yeah, I need another connector.
I need something.
Well, your car is breathtaking.
Like it Very much.
I mean, that is such a cool looking car, and what's the color?
What's the name of the color?
Medium turquoise, medium turquoise Medium turquoise.
They went to all of this work for a beautiful car like that, and they named it medium turquoise.
But that's back in the 60s that shade was relatively common across many manufacturers.
That's correct.
Now the swatch is in the trunk.
Man, there's a stack of colors that you could get for this year.
It's unbelievable, really.
Oh yeah, there's like three turquoise, there's three blues, three reds, and yeah, it's a stack of colors.
That is so Same to the interior.
You know all the nice detail interior stuff.
Imagine being a dealer.
Well, let's see which one am I going to order from the factory today to put on the lot.
Yeah, but you know that colors they are.
A certain area of town may sell a lot more blue ones than they do red.
Oh yeah, so that's what you order.
Yeah, and the dealers know that.
So oh, yeah, yeah.
Well, Jim, thank you so much.
We appreciate it.
Thanks for sharing the car with us.
Yes, anybody that's out there listening, you need to come look at this car.
We may have you back in the 11 o'clock hour because we have it wide open.
So here all day yeah.
You're going to be hovering today.
Yes, like a mother, okay, okay, maybe, maybe not a mother, maybe a dad or something.
Yeah, yeah, an aunt.
Yeah, okay, it's the In Wheel Time car talk show.
Thank you for joining us today.
If you'd like to get in touch with us, we have an email address.
It's called info at inwheeltimecom.
Jeffrey has a feature this morning.
Oh, it is on being a shade tree mechanic.
That's right Now.
We all kind of got our own idea of what that means, but Jeff is going to explain it to us.
Okay, we're going to get that started here right now, and what it is is what it is.
What it is is what it is.
What is the shade tree?
mechanic Growing up around garages, cars, car people.
The term shade tree mechanic got thrown around quite a bit.
I'm going to go back to this shot here, guys, because my camera's all messed up Time out.
Your camera is messed up.
Yeah, well, don't worry about the camera, let's just hear about the story.
Okay, A shade tree mechanic is someone who works on vehicles in a driveway home garage.
Hold on, don my computer's messed up Time out.
Well here, but remember this is an audio show, so I know but I'm in a commercial right now, so it's messed up my bed Time out, talk amongst yourselves.
Well, we're just waiting for you, okay, because you know, we're working with that kind of show.
But we have an extra hour today, so take your time.
Yeah, okay, we can move you back to the fourth hour if you'd like the fifth hour.
How did the phrase shade tree mechanic migrate in its origination?
Well, the term became popular in the 60s and 70s and quite literally referred to the mechanic working on cars in the driveway underneath the shade of a tree.
This was a time when mechanics could fit almost anything on a car with basic tools in the toolbox.
It seems that people are always looking for a local Shade Tree mechanic to work on because of their cars and the high prices at the dealerships and all the other garages that are around you.
The fact is, a Shade Tree mechanic is a very skilled person and they have a lot of knowledge about cars.
Some Shade Tree mechanics just work on their own vehicles or maybe do work for friends.
Many, however, are skilled mechanics doing work part time from the home for extra money On the side sure, on the side.
Yeah, the only way to find out if your local Shade Tree mechanic is any good get some personal references.
Talk to them about what they do to the car.
You might be disappointed and regret it, but do your research.
There's things you can do and find out.
Is a Shade Tree mechanic trustworthy?
No doubt there are some crooks in the world and Robby Blind, but most people come in contact.
They're car people, they're hardworking, they're honest folks.
Just try to do things right.
How much does a Shade Tree mechanic charge?
Well, hourly rates for a mechanic vary depending on the location as a shop or an independent.
But there's no way to determine what a Shade Tree mechanic charges, so it should be less than a local repair shop.
Anyways, you can certainly make a good income being a Shade Tree mechanic if you're good at what you do.
If you're going to do it as a business, there's additional business expenses.
You got to get licenses.
You got to make sure.
If you're doing it in the neighborhood, your carer and association, you know whether they're allowed to do it Carer and association properly disposing of all the waste fluids.
No, yeah, right down the drain.
If you're a hobby Shade Tree mechanic working on your own vehicle or those of your friends, you probably don't need to be insured.
But you take a chance.
You got to risk that.
Running an auto repair shop involves other things as well.
I mean, you got to pay for insurance and all that good stuff.
How do you become a Shade Tree mechanic?
Well, just start working on cars.
Find a tree, find a tree, and if you're good at what you do and you charge a fair price, the people will come to you.
No, I've got a Shade Tree mechanic guy down the end of my street.
Doesn't matter what it is, he could be tubbing it out and putting an LS in it.
It is a bottle of rum and 40 bucks.
That's all he charged me.
So it's good, really, yeah.
A Shade Tree mechanic had something to do with a tree that had a strong enough branch that you could hang a, come along on it and lift the engine out of it.
I would tell you, one time we heard a story.
For months we went up to Kirbyville out in the middle of nowhere, because we heard that there was a car out there, a Hemi car out there that the guy was selling the engine out of.
We got there, this Hemi a 426 Hemi was literally hanging in the tree Joshua Tree.
That's what they used for an A-frame to pull the motor out.
Yeah, and it was still hanging there.
It was still hanging there.
It was great.
We just lowered it back down into the bed of my truck and we took it home, the story kind of remains the same.
I've been to.
Kirbyville.
You have to plan to get there.
Oh yeah, it's not a place you're accidentally going to go.
No, no, no, it was down dirt roads.
The story remains the same for a Shade Tree, no matter what it is, but the pictures are different.
I mean, you could?
There's guys full of grease hanging from trees and all, like you said, engines coming from different parts.
Cool yeah.
Thank you, Jeffrey.
It was a little technical difficulty, but it is technical.
Did you get it all fixed?
No, but we're good.
Okay Well, are we going to be ready for the next time?
Yes, or is this going to be an ongoing theme?
throughout the morning.
Well, we don't know yet.
Okay, well, would you like to preview?
something for us Give it time, we're good.
Give it time.
Yeah, mars, we're out of time.
We got one minute to go before we're on the air.
I know, I know, I'm coming, I'm coming, I'm making it what Don't ask?
I don't want to know.
There's a dyslexic thing going on here, obviously.
All right, larry Way is walking around and we're going to bring him over here at the bottom of the hour here in just a couple of minutes and we're going to have him sit in the hot seat and he's going to talk about auto-rama.
Hey, the Inwheel Time Car Talk show is available 24 seven through the iHeart radio app.
Just look for Inwheel Time Car Talk.
We also have a video stream on Facebook, youtube and InwheelTimecom, and podcasts are now available on YouTube.
I checked that out earlier today.
That's kind of cool.
So they're also available on over a dozen of the most popular podcast outlets out there.
Pick one, you can find us there.
The Inwheel Time Car Talk show continues right after this quick break.
Houston's finest cars are invited to another Gulf Coast Auto Shield Car Social Saturday, december 2nd, and you're invited too.
Show off your personal pride and joy, or just stop in to see the likes of Lucid Lamborghini, porsche, ferrari and more.
Gulf Coast Auto Shield is your one-stop shop for paint, detailing, coatings, window tint, clear bras and wheel repair.
The Car Social is your opportunity to get a tour of this state-of-the-art facility, located at 11275 South Sam Houston Parkway, just south of the Southwest Freeway.
It all takes place Saturday, december 2nd, 9 to noon.
This is the perfect opportunity to connect with other car enthusiasts, from BMWs to mentally's, corvettes to McLarens.
The Car Social is a different kind of show Talk to the owners.
See Gulf Coast Auto Shield's facility.
You'll be amazed.
Put it on your calendar now the Gulf Coast Auto Shield Car Social.
Saturday, december 2nd, 9 to noon at 11275 South Sam Houston Parkway, just south of the Southwest Freeway.
The Inwheel Time Car Talk Show will be there too.
We'll see you then.
Hey Houston, america's greatest hot rod tradition is back Thanksgiving weekend the O'Reilly Auto Parts Auto Rama At the George R Brown Convention Center.
Four action packed days of hot rods, customs classics trucks and performance cars.
The Ultimate Low Rider Showcase, sponsored by Shorties Hydraulics, see Lone Star Throwdowns, texas-sized truck spread.
And don't miss the traditional rod and custom section Friday, saturday and Sunday see wild, high-flying freestyle motocross stunt shows.
Shop the Swat Meat and Women's World all weekend On the celebrity stage Presented by Nick's Auto Repair and Classic Car Restoration.
Friday meet AEW Tag Team Superstars to Looja Bros.
Saturday it's Noel G Hector from the Fast and Furious.
Sunday it's Lou Ferrigno, the original, incredible Hulk.
The O'Reilly Auto Parts Auto Rama this weekend at the George R Brown Convention Center.
Discount tickets at O'Reilly Auto Parts, part of the Summer Racing Equipment Show Car Series.
See AutoRamacom for more info.
The original group of Loopy Tortilla Restaurants will have you telling your family and friends just what the original recipes mean when it comes to the best fajitas in Southeast Texas.
Founder Stan Holt invites you to visit the original Loopy Tortilla near I-10 and Highway 6.
Here's the original house that inspired the design of all the rest and the original charm that helped make Loopy Tortilla the go-to destination for Houston Tex-Mex.
Speaking of original, nothing can compete with the original lime pepper marinade.
That everyone will agree makes Loopy Tortilla award-winning beef fajitas the best anywhere.
Loopy Tortilla Katie is another location that gives you the same quality and service historians have come to expect at Loopy's.
It's located just off I-10 in the Grand Parkway.
At Kingsland Boulevard in Katie, find yourself an Aggie Land.
Head to the Loopy Tortilla College Station, located just around the corner from Kyle Field.
It's a great place to enjoy those famous frozen margaritas before or after the game.
Head to East, to Louisiana.
Stop in at the Loopy Tortilla in Beaumont Toos on I-10, you can't miss it.
The original group of Loopy Tortilla restaurants invites you in for the best Tex-Mex anywhere.
About this episode
Live from the Houston Autorama, the In Wheel Time Podcast features a deep dive into the history and restoration of a stunning 1965 Dodge Coronet 500, owned by Jim Tilley. The discussion highlights the legacy of Mr. Norm, a notable figure in performance car history, and the unique features of the Coronet. Additionally, the episode touches on the concept of 'shade tree mechanics,' exploring their significance in the automotive community and the skills they bring to the table. Listeners can expect engaging stories and insights from passionate car enthusiasts.
Original notes
Get ready to rev up your engines as we take you on a car journey like no other. We're going all in at the 63rd annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Autorama in Houston, Texas, where we chat with Jim Tilley, owner of the classic 1965 Coronet 500, better known as the Mr. Norm car. He gives us a guided tour of Mr. Norm's high-performance history, and how used car sales escalated into a dynamic dealership experience. It is a 'don't miss' story of past automotive glory.
It is an engaging dialogue with a passionate retired car enthusiast hailing from Sulphur, Louisiana. Ever heard of a 1966 Dodge Coronet 500, a 1967 Barracuda or a 1968 GTS Dart? Our guest certainly has and he's got a collection to prove it. He shares his love for Mopar cars, his automotive journey, and the intricate details that make these vintage cars so special. Plus, we drop a hint about the anticipated appearance of Larry Way, the host of Autorama, in our next episode.
Lastly, we shift gears to explore the colorful world of shade tree mechanics. Join us as we get under the hood with Jim, owner of a spectacular turquoise car, as he divulges about the variety of car colors and options available in the 60s. It's not all about the aesthetics though, we also get into the business side of things, discussing trust, pricing, and even proper waste disposal. So, buckle up, because this episode is an exhilarating ride through car history, industry insights, and the world of shade tree mechanics.
Be sure to subscribe for more In Wheel Time Car Talk!
The Lupe' Tortilla RestaurantsLupe Tortilla in Katy, Texas
Gulf Coast Auto Shield
Paint protection, tint, and more!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
---- -----
Want more In Wheel Time car talk any time?
In Wheel Time is now available on Audacy!
Just go to Audacy.com/InWheelTime where ever you are.
----- -----
Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast provider for the next episode of In Wheel Time Podcast and check out our live multiplatform broadcast every Saturday, 10a - 12nCT simulcasting on Audacy, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and InWheelTime.com.
In Wheel Time Podcast can be heard on you mobile device from providers such as:
Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music Podcast, Spotify, SiriusXM Podcast, iHeartRadio podcast, TuneIn + Alexa, Podcast Addict, Castro, Castbox, YouTube Podcast and more on your mobile device.
Follow InWheelTime.com for the latest updates!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InWheelTime
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inwheeltime/
https://www.youtube.com/inwheeltime
https://www.Facebook.com/InWheelTime
For more information about In Wheel Time Podcast, email us at
[email protected]
In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show
In Wheel Time Podcast | Automotive talk with Don Armstrong, Michael Marrs, and Jeff Dziekan
0:00
30:18