A restomod is an older car that’s been fixed up, but also upgraded with newer technology. It tries to look classic while driving and feeling more modern.
Carbon fiber is a strong but lightweight material. Builders use it to make parts lighter and sometimes to give the car a more high-end, modern appearance.
Route 66 is a well-known historic highway in the U.S. It’s also famous for classic cars and road-trip culture, so it fits naturally into a conversation about car scenes.
“Muscle car era” is the time when American cars were made to be fast in a straight line, usually with big V8 engines. People still talk about that era because it created a huge collector and enthusiast culture.
“Muscle cars” are classic American performance cars known for being fast in a straight line. The guest is saying those were the cars that caught their attention while growing up.
Low riders are cars that are customized to look and ride very low to the ground. The guest is describing how they got into that scene after moving to Las Vegas.
Term
ampies
“Ampies” sounds like slang for the wheels or wheel-related setup on those customized cars. The exact meaning isn’t 100% clear from the snippet, but it’s tied to the car’s style.
The Volkswagen Beetle is a small classic car with a very recognizable rounded shape. The podcast mentions Beetles that are lowered to sit very close to the ground. People do this mainly for styling and show purposes.
SEMA is a big car show in Las Vegas focused on aftermarket parts and custom builds. People go there to see new accessories and performance upgrades for cars and trucks.
A six-axis machine is a high-precision computer-controlled machine that can cut parts in very complex shapes. It’s used here to make a master/tool so the final parts can be produced accurately.
Term
asymmetrical
Asymmetrical just means the design isn’t the same on both sides of the car. It usually takes more work to build because each side may need different shapes.
Term
composite material
A composite material is made by combining different materials together. For cars, composites like fiberglass or carbon fiber can be made strong and light for parts like body panels.
Fiberglass is a common composite material for car parts. It’s made from glass fibers plus resin, and it was popular for custom work before carbon fiber became more widespread.
To make composite parts, builders often create special forms. A plug is like the master shape, and a mold is the form that the part is made in—both require expensive, careful work.
Votech is vocational training—school programs focused on practical, hands-on skills. The speaker is saying that kind of training helped them learn the trade.
Custom paint is personalized exterior paintwork—often including graphics like flames—applied using masking and layering techniques. In the segment, the host describes taping off areas and creating a fade, which are key steps for clean, professional-looking flame effects.
A matte finish is paint that looks more flat and non-shiny than normal paint. It can be harder to photograph well because cameras usually like the way glossy paint reflects light.
A wrap is a vinyl sheet put on top of a car’s paint to change how it looks. In this conversation, they’re saying people thought the matte look was a wrap, but it wasn’t.
Mopar is a car-enthusiast nickname tied to Chrysler’s muscle-car brands like Dodge and Plymouth. Here, they’re asking whether the person is into that kind of car.
The Plymouth Cuda is a muscle car from the early 1970s. The podcast is describing a 1970 Cuda that was heavily modified, including cutting the roof and changing the body. People do this to create a one-of-a-kind custom car based on a classic model.
A commission build means the car is custom-made for a specific customer. Instead of building one and hoping someone buys it, they build it because someone ordered it.
“Coyote” is Ford’s name for a specific V8 engine used in performance Mustangs. Here they’re saying this Mustang uses that engine, and it’s been tuned for more power.
A hemispherical head is an engine design where the inside of the cylinder head is shaped like a half-sphere. That shape helps the engine move air and fuel more efficiently. Better airflow usually means stronger performance, especially at higher RPM.
A spoiler is a wing-like piece on the back of the car. Its main job is to change airflow so the car can stick better to the road. It also makes the car look more performance-oriented.
A front splitter is a low, flat piece at the front of the car. It’s mainly there to improve airflow and help the car feel more planted at speed. It also changes the look of the front end in a performance way.
A rear diffuser is an aerodynamic piece under the back of the car. It helps the air leaving underneath the car behave more efficiently, which can improve grip. It’s one of the parts you often see on track-oriented builds.
CAD is computer software that lets designers draw and test a car part digitally. Instead of guessing shapes by hand, you can model the part, adjust it, and make sure it fits. Here, it’s part of the process of designing the car’s aero pieces.
A rear scoop is a cutout/opening on the back part of the car. They’re asking whether it actually does something (like moving air) or if it’s just for looks.
Brake cooling means adding airflow to keep the brakes from getting too hot. Hot brakes fade and wear faster, so the car is set up to push air toward the brake area while you drive.
A cam tail is a specific way the back of the car is shaped—like the deck lid or rear profile has a noticeable “step” or angle change. It helps the car’s rear look more distinctive.
Thrust angle is a way engineers describe how straight the car wants to go versus where the wheels are aimed. It helps predict how the car will track and feel when you’re driving.
An iteration is just a round of “try a design, check it, and revise.” They’re saying they went through a lot of versions before settling on the final styling.
AutoMeter makes aftermarket car gauges. The host says they partnered with AutoMeter to use one of their carbon-style gauges and even print their logo on it.
TMI makes aftermarket seats for cars and off-road vehicles. The host used a TMI seat that was designed for a side-by-side and made it work in a Mustang.
Independent front suspension lets each front wheel react to the road separately, which helps traction. Rack-and-pinion steering is a common steering system that turns the wheels in a direct, responsive way.
A solid rear axle connects both rear wheels together. If one wheel hits a bump, the other side is affected too, which can change how the car rides and grips.
Coilovers are upgraded suspension parts that control how the car rides and handles. Fox is a well-known brand, and their coilovers let builders adjust things like ride height and how firm the shocks feel.
Part
six piston bear brakes
“Six piston” means the brake caliper has multiple pistons pushing the brake pads against the rotor. More pistons can help the brakes bite harder and feel more consistent, especially on a modified car.
Drip rails are the small roof trim pieces that help keep rainwater from running down the windows. Removing or “shaving” them is a way to make the outside look smoother and more custom.
Suspension is what connects the wheels to the car and helps control how the car rides and handles. They’re saying the suspension setup is the important part that makes the build work.
Rally stripes are the decorative stripes you often see on cars that look like they came from racing. Here, they mention the stripes as part of the car’s special look.
Candy paint is a special paint job made in layers. A see-through colored layer goes over a shiny metal base, so the color can look different depending on the light.
A gradient means the color changes gradually across the car instead of being the same everywhere. It’s used to highlight the car’s curves when you look at it in different lighting.
Iridescent means the color seems to change or shimmer when you move or when the light hits it. It can make the paint look like it’s glowing or shifting tones.
Ring Brothers makes aftermarket car hardware. Here they’re being credited for supplying parts like hinges and door handles for the custom cars being discussed.
Forge Line is a company that makes aftermarket wheels. The speaker says they’ve worked with them for a long time and that the wheels are very high quality.
Wheel offset is basically how “in” or “out” the wheel sits on the car. Custom offsets are when you pick a specific fitment so the wheel clears everything and looks right.
A wheel-and-tire combo is the exact wheel size plus the exact tire size you run together. Swapping them can change how the car drives and how it looks.
Term
digitally
They’re talking about using computer tools to preview wheel options before you commit. It helps you see what will look right and clear properly.
“Flush glass” means the glass sits smooth and even with the body, instead of looking like it’s set back. It takes extra planning so the cutout and fitment match the car’s shape.
A “scan of the factory glass” refers to digitally measuring the original OEM glass shape to create accurate molds and cutouts for custom fitment. This is how builders can maintain a flush appearance while still using factory glass dimensions as the baseline.
Term
3M product
The “3M product” here is a branded film/tape used to change the appearance of the glass area—described as making it look like a black band. It’s a common approach for achieving a specific visual effect without replacing the underlying glass.
Term
UV
UV is the sun’s ultraviolet light. Good windshield glass can block UV so the car’s interior doesn’t fade as fast and is more comfortable.
Brand
Wilkington glass
They mention “Wilkington glass” as the brand of windshield/vehicle glass they use. They’re saying it’s a premium, modern replacement rather than old-style glass.
Alpine is a company that makes car audio equipment. If they’re using Alpine technology, it usually means the car has an Alpine stereo and related sound gear installed.
Holley Sniper 2 is an aftermarket fuel-injection kit. Instead of a carburetor, it uses sensors and a computer to deliver fuel more precisely for easier starting and smoother running.
Term
engine closeouts
“Engine closeouts” are custom covers/panels that make the area around the engine look finished. They’re often used in show cars so the engine bay looks tidy and intentional.
Headers are special exhaust parts that collect exhaust from the engine cylinders. “Stainless” means they’re made from rust-resistant metal, so they usually look better for longer.
A hood scoop is a cutout on the hood that helps move air into the engine area. It’s often used to cool things down or improve airflow where the engine sits.
Engine-compartment ventilation means getting air to circulate around the engine area. The goal is usually to pull heat out so the engine bay runs cooler.
Term
CS8
CS8 is a label Shelby used for a particular version of a car. In this discussion, it’s mentioned to connect the hood design idea to that specific Shelby lineup.
The Shelby GT350 is a famous, track-style version of the Ford Mustang by Shelby. Here, they’re talking about the special hood design—how it changes shape and includes a vent.
A hood vent is a designed opening in the hood. It helps move air around the engine area, and in this case it’s described as being shaped and integrated neatly into the hood.
The Dodge Viper is a loud, aggressive sports car. They’re using it as a visual reference for the side pipes/exhaust look—how it comes in near the front and then spreads out.
The Ford Mustang is the classic car platform these builds are based on. They’re saying their licensed Shelby-style car starts with an original Mustang as the starting point.
The Dodge Charger is a well-known muscle car. They’re saying it’s tough to find good, rust-free ones, so they end up buying a rough “donor” car to build from.
A donor car is a used car you buy to provide parts or a base for a new build. In this case, they’re paying for one because the clean originals are getting scarce.
The Ford F-100 is a classic pickup truck platform known for being a popular base for custom builds. The hosts say they’re working on an upcoming build on an F-100, implying a project that will likely involve significant customization.
Air ducts are passages that guide air where it’s needed. On cars, they’re commonly used to cool important parts.
Term
flushed bumper
A flushed bumper refers to a bumper design that’s smoothed and integrated so it sits more flush with the body lines, rather than standing out. This is usually done for aerodynamics and styling, reducing drag and improving visual flow.
A “slam” version means the truck is lowered a lot. It looks aggressive, but it can make bumps and rough roads harder to handle.
Term
load space
Load space is how much room you have to haul things in the truck bed. Lowering the truck can sometimes reduce how deep the bed is, so you can carry less.
Weight savings is just how much lighter the car is than a heavier stock/all-steel version. Less weight usually makes the car accelerate and respond better.
Power-to-weight means how much “pull” the engine has compared to how heavy the car is. A lighter car with strong power tends to feel faster right away.
A supercharger forces extra air into the engine so it can make more power. “Spooling up” just means it’s ramping to the speed where it starts pushing boost.
The Mustang is a Ford sports car. The podcast is talking about doing a Fox-body Mustang and using carbon-fiber parts to change its look. People choose Mustangs for custom builds because there are lots of parts and support for them.
Emission controls are the parts on a car that help it burn fuel cleaner and reduce exhaust pollution. Back then, they sometimes made engines produce less power than older muscle cars.
The wheel well is the curved opening in the car body where the tire sits. It also limits how big the tire can be without hitting the body.
Term
IROC wheel
“IROC” is a reference to a classic racing/TV-era style. When someone says “IROC wheel,” they usually mean a wheel design that matches that look.
LIVE
This is Horsepower Heritage.
I'm Maurice Merrick.
Well, I'm sure you know that I've got a soft spot for resto mods and there are a ton of
builders and options out there these days, which means one of the biggest challenges
is how to stand out from the crowd.
But I think my guest today has done a great job of that with a car he calls Scorched,
a 1969 Ford Mustang Widebody in carbon fiber, and it has a great fresh look and all the
mechanicals to back that up.
Jason Engel is the man behind Trick Rides, a custom shop in Oklahoma that's focused
on classic muscle cars like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, and you can check out
their work at trickrides.com.
By the way, Jason says there's all sorts of other stuff he'd like to build, but I mean
customers want Mustangs and Camaros and who can blame them?
I mean, they are classic.
You know, I love talking to builders because you can learn a lot from them and they're
always looking at the newest technologies and techniques in the marketplace, which is great
because if you've got a project car of your own in the garage, all that stuff trickles
down to guys like you and me and that's one thing that keeps the car hobby healthy.
So without further ado, here's my conversation with Jason Engel of Trick Rides.
Enjoy.
Jason, thanks for coming on the show.
I've been looking forward to this.
Thank you.
Yeah, this is going to be fun.
So you're down in the Oklahoma City area, right?
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
We're actually in a small town called Yukon, Oklahoma, it's a suburb of Oklahoma City.
And it seems to me like you guys have a great car culture in Oklahoma.
Yeah, you know, we're located on Route 66, which is obviously very popular for muscle
cars and collector cars.
Oklahoma is pretty known for the muscle car era.
We actually now are even seeing more exotics here.
Yeah, you know, I have a friend who did his army service at Fort Sill and he was telling
me that historically Tulsa and Oklahoma City have always had kind of a good car scene because
of the oil industry.
There was always money there.
So there were guys that were interested in cool cars even back in the 20s and 30s.
And I guess that's still true today.
Yes it is.
Yeah, you have the oil business is big here and then ranching is big here.
You get a lot of farmers that have done very well.
And of course they want those vintage trucks and cars.
I gotta believe that muscle cars are popular for one reason because Oklahoma is not exactly
known for its twisty roads, right?
So you guys got a lot of open straight blacktop where you can open these things up.
It's flat.
Yeah.
There are no hills here.
Yeah, so lots of burnouts, right?
That's correct.
And I'm sure your cars do some very good burnouts.
We're going to talk about all of your builds at Trick Rides.
But before we get into Trick Rides as a business and talk about what you're producing, what
got you interested in cars in the first place?
My father was in the car business growing up and I saw a lot of muscle cars on the front
line for sale that always interested me.
Then when I got a little bit older, you know, 11, 12 years old, I was able to go start them
up and move them around and I got really involved in getting them ready to sell.
So you know, paint work and this and that and I could start evaluating and this was
as a young man before I was even 16, you know, knowing what's repaired to get them front
line ready.
And then moving on and as my teenage years, I was 16 years old, moved to Las Vegas and
at that point was introduced to low riders, you know, from gosh, man, mini trucks to cars
to Volkswagen Beetles that were slammed down on ampies, you know, it was so cool.
I really got into it there.
I learned a lot at that point and the rest is history.
Dude, that mini truck scene in the 80s and 90s was huge and where are they all now?
I mean, it's pretty crazy, you know, there was there were there were cheap to build as
a teenager.
There were a lot of fun.
You could personalize your own vehicle for a couple grand.
I did see a few at SEMA this year, which was really interesting.
And I do believe that that it's coming back around, but a lot of those customization of,
you know, those low riders back then is fed into today's industry.
Yeah, I was going to say that because the mini truck scene, those guys were figuring some things
out.
I mean, they had to fabricate and invent and, you know, mini trucks are a small package.
So fitting it all together.
All those Nissan hardbody pickups, that's that's what I remember those with the all
kinds of crazy paint schemes, same with low riders, you know, it's like in a way that's
a culture within a culture, you know, with with with all the paint jobs and and the art
and everything.
So pretty interesting stuff.
But yeah, I got to believe there's there's many trucks just kind of sitting in dusty corners
in garages all over.
I would agree with you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that scene hopefully is going to have a resurgence because I think it's it's kind
of nostalgic for me too.
I remember a lot of that.
Yeah, it's pretty darn cool, man.
Hey, guys, I want to take a quick break to say if you enjoy horsepower heritage, there
are a few ways you can support the show.
Go to buymeacoffee.com forward slash HP heritage and become a patron.
There's a link in the show notes.
You can make a one time donation or you can support the show monthly.
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And for the price of a latte, you can help me continue to bring you more of the people
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Thanks for your support.
And now back to the show.
Vegas had to be a culture shock coming from Oklahoma.
Oh, my heavens.
Yeah, getting there.
That was definitely a culture shock.
You know, I went to Valley High there in Henderson area and in the parking lot when you would
pull up, there would be, you know, Nissan hardbite, extended cab, slam the ground on
Dayton wires, you know, and I didn't see that here.
But it interested me because again, I've always liked, you know, something personalized
in a vehicle.
But what a lot of fun.
You know, I really enjoy going back.
My wife and I visit many times a year.
I enjoy it there.
It's a beautiful area.
Plus SEMA, right?
I mean, you've been going to SEMA for many years.
Over 20 years.
Yeah.
And I, you know, I was at the SEMA garage not that long ago and I was so impressed by
what they do there.
Cool.
Yeah.
And the industry benefits so much.
By the way, it is a tight-knit industry, especially what you're doing with RestoMods and, you
know, really personal builds.
Yeah.
You know, it is a small industry.
I'm a firm believer in working together with other builders.
We, I work directly with some of the biggest RestoMod builders in the industry and share
ideas, even share, you know, customer stuff, whatever.
It's always nice to do that.
And I think users, regular, you know, people that aren't in on my world wouldn't realize
that that happens every day.
We all sit down and hang out and talk.
It's pretty cool.
Compare notes.
Yep.
How hard is it to differentiate yourself, though, because it is a tight community.
Everybody's, everybody sees what everyone else is doing.
I mean, obviously you don't want to, you want to be individual, right?
But you don't want to even subconsciously take something from another builder, necessarily.
Correct.
Yeah.
Well, you know, again, I don't want to throw shade at any builders, but I do see a lot of
copycat builds and what I mean by that is, is the same guy that built a 69 Camaro with
this color, you know, with these wheels and people like it.
So they, you know, replicate that build, which is cool.
But I'm a firm believer in differentiating ourselves by developing something bold.
Our designs in every vehicle we've released so far, we believe are very bold.
You know, some users may not like them.
Some people love them.
But our idea and our motto here is to develop bold designs.
And that's how we want to set ourselves apart.
And by the way, the scorched Mustang that you're doing is wild.
It's totally, that's exactly the car as far as individuality and setting yourself apart.
I can't wait to talk to you about that one.
That's going to be fun.
But I mean, it seems like there's more choices out there than ever in terms of resto mods
or custom builds.
There is.
And so that's why it's important to, you know, be individual and set yourself apart.
What are some of the biggest industry changes you've seen over your, what, 28 years in this?
You know, the ability to build something digitally.
And when I say that, you know, that wasn't at my fingertips 15 years ago, and I couldn't,
you know, jump on solid works and develop a fender, a spoiler and then send it off to,
you know, have it milled on a six-axis machine for a plug.
If someone told me that 15 years ago, my eyes would have been crossed, you know,
but you're able to do that now.
And the ability to build a car in carbon fiber, it's a game changer, man.
And that's what's really I see.
And you see a lot of it at SEMA now.
You're able to do some really crazy designs that really by hand would have been almost
impossible to be able to do asymmetrical.
Does that make sense?
Absolutely.
And, you know, also carbon is so different than fiberglass, which was really the composite
material of choice for so many years.
Yes, it was.
And also the cost of all of this development has come down, right?
I mean, there was a time when this was kind of exclusive to an industry like aerospace,
for example, but now all of those costs have come down.
Yeah, you know, and I'm willing to talk about that.
I don't mind.
But I mean, to develop a car, you know, to where you have the molds and plugs,
man, you're going to stuff out about a half a million.
That's what you're going to have, you know, out of pocket.
Then you have the molds and plugs and those things to be able to make the carbon to produce the cars.
You were talking about working in your dad's business, but did you have any formal training?
I mean, because this is a huge learning curve.
Sure.
Votech, I mean, I contribute a lot of my success to Votech.
We have a really beautiful Votech here in Oklahoma, the Canadian Valley.
They've put a lot of money into it.
A lot of really, really cool tools, man.
Six-axis machines to you name it, water jets, yada, yada.
But anyways, from my freshman year moving forward all the way to my senior year,
I mean, I was in Votech and had wonderful instructors and wonderful people.
And it was something that I loved too, right?
So once you enjoy it, you really soak it in.
That's a lot of the training.
And then on top of that, I tell builders all the time, man, you learn with your checkbook.
You know, I've made mistakes.
Yeah.
Well, you can't learn without making mistakes, right?
I mean, it's part of the game.
Yes.
What was your favorite, you think, growing up and going through the Votech programs?
What was your sweet spot?
I'd probably say, you know, custom paint.
We did a fiero for our teacher and we put flames on it.
And to be able to tape all that off and show us the steps and fade them.
And, you know, it was pretty cool, man.
I mean, it was so cool that you could do that at school, you know, as a teenager.
Fiero.
Generation one or two, or do you remember?
Gen one.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's another car like they were everywhere.
Man, in those cars, and I don't care anybody says, man, the six cylinder version of those,
those cars got get down, dude.
I mean, that was a scary car.
It's funny.
I know.
It's, it takes me back, man.
I think my high school parking lot had six or eight Fieros in it.
It was just Fieros.
A whole giant can of 180 horsepower.
Yeah, right.
Fieros and Mustang GTs, those were like, those were the cars.
Looking back, what frustrated you early on?
Like, because, you know, we all are growing and changing and whatever we choose to do.
And, you know, you kind of see things along the way and think, I wouldn't do it this way.
Yeah.
If I would have changed anything at all, which we now have implemented is not sticking with one car.
We do scorched, you know, which you wanted to talk about later, but we do that.
But then we also do a Dodge Charger all carbon.
We do a 69 Camaro and all carbon.
We're doing a truck now and all carbon.
You know, I wish I would have done that many years ago.
Well, but also, you know, certain cars kind of hit, right?
Like, people want certain cars.
They're just popular.
And it's also risky to maybe, I don't know, pick a certain car that isn't necessarily that popular
and, you know, sink investment into it and try to-
I've done it, man.
Give me an example.
I did a 69 Camaro when I owned my previous company, Classical Creations, and prior to selling it,
I developed a 69 Camaro called the CR1, put a lot of marketing into it.
The car was just like everyone else's.
Right, yeah.
And I didn't sell.
I was so let down with it.
It was a beautiful car, but I chose to do it in a matte finish.
Biggest mistake I ever made.
It's such a niche color.
I mean, mats are cool.
Don't get me wrong, but they photograph terribly.
It just didn't take off.
That's a learning lesson of mine, for sure.
Was this before the days of wraps?
It would have been right around the same time.
And in your ride, everybody asked if it was a wrap and it wasn't.
And the car itself just, I don't know how to explain it.
It just really didn't turn anybody on.
Well, sometimes you kind of fall in love with your own project, right?
And yeah, it's a pitfall.
Have you ever been a Mopar guy at all?
I mean, you said the charger, but like...
Oh, yeah.
So yeah, years ago, I bought a 70 CUDA, chopped the top on it,
flushed in some Dijon door handles and built it.
And I like them.
I've always liked the Mopars, man.
I mean, they're sexy.
We're doing a 70 charger carbon car
and we're doing a 68 charger carbon car right now.
Nice.
On roaster shops as these...
Nice.
By the way, are these builds, commission builds?
Yes, sir.
Yeah, everything, I shouldn't say everything.
95% of the cars we build are commissioned.
Yes, sir.
Yeah.
How do you get the word out there?
Shoot, I bet half the customers that are here are just word of mouth, man.
Plus, I'm sure that clients find you...
They see your car somewhere and they search you out.
And you ever had somebody come up to you at a show or whatever and say,
hey, I want to order one right now?
Yes, yes, sir.
That's got to be exciting.
It is exciting.
It's either that or, hey, man, will you do this?
We'll do anything.
I don't care what it is.
I'll restore a fiat.
No, I don't really care.
We want to do work, high quality work for the customer
and give them what they want.
How much involvement does a client have in the build?
I suppose...
That's a good question.
I'm guessing some get way more involved than others.
Some probably just want to write a check and they want to see it when it's done, right?
Yeah, that's very far in between, believe it or not.
Most of them are pretty involved.
I would say that the large portion are really looking for direction
and that's seen to work for me.
I'll be able to guide them in the right direction.
Jason, are there things you won't do like, I don't know, certain paint, certain...
Jaguars.
I'm not building Jaguars.
Why?
What's wrong with Jags?
Man, I have had hell with those cars.
I've restored a few of them and I just am not interested in Jaguars.
Everything else I'm good with.
Fair enough.
Well, let's talk about some of these cars.
We got to start with the scorched Mustang because this thing is just off the chain as they say.
Thank you.
I'm going to give people a few specs.
First of all, it's on a Roadster shop chassis.
In fact, I think all your cars are built on a Roadster shop chassis, right?
That's correct.
Every vehicle.
They're the industry standard.
I mean, can't get any better.
Great people.
Yeah. So the scorched has a 32-valve Coyote, supercharged, of course.
I love that.
Tremac T56, six-speed manual transmission.
And then I see that a Boss 429 is optional too.
That's correct.
And how many of the scorched Mustangs have you built so far?
Four total.
Has anyone ordered the 429 option?
Yes, three of them.
Wow, I'm surprised.
I would have expected most of them to be Coyotes.
Yeah, it's kind of surprising.
But it really is cool, man.
Pop the hood and see a hemispherical head Boss 429 by John Cosy.
It's pretty damn cool.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, there's no getting around that.
And I want people to go to your website, which is trickrides.com,
or they can go to my Instagram and they can see photos.
But the scorched Mustang has the most awesome fender flares and just body lines.
It is extremely difficult to make a distinctive custom Mustang.
I think it's because everyone has the Mustang seared in their brain.
We know that shape.
It doesn't matter what year it is.
All those classic Mustangs, you see it in your head,
and yet you have come up with something new.
It is amazing.
Thanks, man.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Tell me about shaping this car.
Like, what was the process there?
That was a year of hell.
I mean, making it all work, like you said in design,
like coming up with the front splitter, the rear diffuser, the spoiler,
and then making it all flow in CAD was insane.
I mean, it really is.
Because really, and like you said, keeping some of the Mustang lines.
That's...
Oh, definitely.
I mean, and it is a wide body.
We're talking about front and rear fenders,
but also it seems like you've done some tricks to the very front of the car.
I mean, like you said, the splitter and everything,
but I don't know, it flows really well.
I love how the front air dam and splitter,
they kind of flow back into, it tucks under at the front.
Yes, sir.
It looks so good.
Was that, that was all done in CAD?
Yeah, everything.
That entire car was done in CAD.
To the point, I mean, even the mounting fixtures were done in CAD.
And the hood scoop, awesome.
And we integrate that scoop on a lot of our cars too, which is funny.
How much is steel versus carbon on this car?
That's a good question.
So basically, the whole inner structure is the factory inner structure of the Mustang.
And then if you're looking at a human skeleton versus a human with skin,
that's what we did with, is what we do with all of our cars that are carbon.
I love that rear scoop.
That, it's right behind the door, it's right behind the door cut.
And is that functional?
Yes, sir.
So that's just, is that brake cooling?
Yes, it is.
If you look at it, it's actually angled down to ram air into the brake area.
Yes.
Yeah, I can see that.
And the other thing that's cool is, you know, some vehicles like this,
when they're like deep custom jobs or rest of my jobs,
they look cool from some angles, but other angles don't really hit right.
And you guys, I mean, you did a really good job of just integrating it from any angle.
Thank you.
It's a lot of hours.
So like I said, no kidding, it was around a year and just digital development.
It's crazy.
Also, so for, if people need to picture a 69 Mustang, but you know,
it's basically a cam tail.
It's flat in the back, but the scorched kind of, it's at a, it's at a different angle.
It kind of kicks up a little bit.
You know what I'm talking about?
Yes.
Yeah.
That looks incredible.
That's another like, again, it's like, it's familiar, but it's different enough where.
Yeah.
When we first saw the rear, like when we got the deck lid here, we were like, what?
You know, cause in CAD it looks differently, but you know, the 69's got kind of that flat
across the back section of the car.
And I wanted to keep that because it, you know, it resembles a 69.
And the other cool thing is, I mean, everyone knows how traditionally cars were done in clay
and they tried all sorts of different stuff and that's very expensive.
But the CAD allows you to try before you really commit those resources.
Yeah.
I mean, we set the Roadster Shop chassis on the body.
We determined at that point, you know, thrust angle and where the wheels going to land,
how big we're going to be able to run them.
It's crazy, man.
Technology has really changed the game.
How many iterations or maybe styling studies did you go through on the scorched?
You said it took like a year and a half.
Yeah, like, I mean, at least 20.
The biggest thing for me was that's not big enough.
And everybody said, well, somebody's not going to like it.
I don't really care.
I mean, we want to do it bold, you know, and bigger.
More muscles.
Hey, that's, it's tough, man.
It's tough to make all that work.
And the interior, again, we're talking about familiar but different enough.
Like the dashboard is largely that familiar 69 Mustang shape,
but you have a really nicely integrated console and the instrumentation.
Yeah, we, you know, we really wanted to be a little different.
We partner with AutoMeter on our gauges and use their carbon gauge.
And they were kind enough to print our logo on their gauge, which was really cool.
Then we used TMI's new seat.
That seat was intended to be used on a side by side.
And I know it's crazy, but I was able to look through all these seats.
And I was like, that one, he goes, well, that goes on a side by side.
It's going in a Mustang now.
So it turned out really well and it worked.
You still get that real racy feel, but yet you can get in and out of the car.
Yeah.
And it's got plenty of bolster, but it doesn't look like, you know, racing seats
can be uncomfortable over time.
And you want to be able to, on your cars, you want the client to be able to comfortably,
you know, do a road trip or whatever and not, not get stiff.
So I agree.
And they're very comfy.
By the way, I love the shifter.
It is old school.
Thank you.
Yeah.
And that white shift knob.
Yeah, that was our choice.
I had to do that, man.
I thought I threw back some nineties in there.
Yeah, it's perfect.
I think it's really nicely integrated.
Is that steering wheel carbon also?
Yes.
So that's a billet specialty steering wheel with a carbon wrap.
Okay.
People have got to go, like I said, the website is trickrides.com.
You got to go and scroll through some of these photos to, while you're listening,
to see what we're talking about.
Very impressive.
What's your favorite part of the scorched Mustang?
Probably the rear diffuser.
That, the carbon brothers who manufacture our carbon, which did an incredible job, by the way.
I think there was some expletives when they were laying that carbon up.
That's an intricate piece right there.
Also, integrating the exhausts with splitters and arrow like this is no easy feat.
It was not.
Cars lowered, right?
Yes, sir.
Yeah.
So a Roadster Shop chassis that we used easily drops them about three and a half inches from star.
Let's talk about the suspension, Jason, because you want this thing to handle like a modern car too.
Yeah, so we chose Roadster Shop because they've already done the work.
They set them up correctly.
It's an independent front with rack and pinion steering, solid axle rear.
They have built using Fox Coilovers.
These things drive, they drive and run.
I can't explain it to you.
I mean, it just drives like a new car.
Well, and that's the thing about I think most RestoMod customers want that.
They want that classic look.
They want that nostalgia, but they want a car that they don't have to worry about maintenance or
all the little things that happen with old cars.
Yes.
It's all about just having that modern reliability.
Yes, it is.
And being able to implement that modern technology into that car,
the chassis is the most important part, right?
I mean, that's the bones.
And a Mustang never had a chassis.
It's a unibody.
So you're throwing a chassis underneath a unibody car.
It's unbelievable.
I'm telling you, they drive phenomenal.
It's done.
I mean, I literally call Phil, hey man, I need four 69 Mustang chassis with six piston
bear brakes because we use bear and they'll show up here in about, I mean,
normal time for those are probably five months and they show up.
They're already powder coated.
You literally, I mean, it's assembled.
He's bolted on the car.
It's crazy.
And another cool thing about your builds, Jason, is people can order whatever color,
but they can also order the bear carbon, which I know is it's not easy because you got to line
up the weave.
That's correct.
All the weave pattern matches on all of our cars, all the way around.
Of the four scorched Mustangs you've built, has anybody ordered bear carbon?
No, they've done candies, which you can see through.
Right.
But no, not a full expose would be insane.
It would be.
That car would be, wow.
Yeah.
That'd be a cool SEMA build, honestly.
I agree.
Yeah, maybe you could give me five years.
There you go.
All right.
So four of the scorched Mustangs have been built.
And I mean, people are going to win on the price, right?
Yeah.
I mean, you know, we're, we come in, well, how do I verbiage this?
We come in under most fully carbon built, you know, badass muscle car builders,
where we're going to come in a little lower because we've taken something,
we've learned how to replicate it.
It's not a one time thing.
So they start at 429.
No pun intended.
I was going to say, I know why you picked that.
I know, man.
We did it because we offer the Kazi 429.
But, you know, that's where they're going to start.
And, you know, with options, the average is going to be in that four and a half range.
Sure.
Sure.
Well, I mean, it is what it is, right?
Yeah.
I mean, it's less than 800,000, which you're going to get another carbon car from another
builder.
So, I mean, we feel like we're fair in the marketplace.
We know what it costs to build them.
And we're giving our customers a really high quality product.
I mean, let's be honest.
In the car world, nothing is really that rational price wise.
It's what you love and what you want.
Correct.
And there's an ask for every seat.
There is an, that's my father talking about every seat.
That's awesome.
I love it.
All right.
So, other builds you've got.
You're still doing Camaros.
The 69 is your sweet spot.
And it's a long way from that Camaro build that you...
Oh, my God.
Yeah.
...talked about earlier.
Yeah.
Different world.
And you call your trick rides Camaro the rogue.
That's correct.
So, let's talk about that car.
So, it's all carbon fiber as well.
And the exterior, just like we do, is scorched.
There's some really neat small details done to that.
Like we shaved the drip rails on it, filled in the cowl, smoothed the hood up, you know,
little things like that.
They're on a roaster shop chassis.
Surprisingly, if you saw a Mustang roaster shop chassis in a Camaro, they are so slim.
It's the same suspension.
That's what's so great.
Yeah.
Anyways, we do that and we offered the blueprint crate engines in those now.
The LT4s have just been so hard to get.
So, we just removed it from the menu.
I would say the rogue Camaro is way more traditional.
I mean...
It's safe.
It's safe.
And like if one passed you going the other way on the highway or whatever,
you might not realize what it really is.
You might just think that is a...
That's just...
A cool Camaro.
Yeah, it's just a cool Camaro.
But you get close, man.
I mean, the one on your website, I love the fact that it's got rally stripes, but it's a clear,
right?
Yes.
Yes.
So, you see the carbon through the entire bodywork and through the rally stripes.
That's a really nice touch.
Thank you.
Yeah, they're a fun car to build.
We called it rogue because I hate to say it, but a lot of purists just puke at the fact that
we're taking a 69 Camaro making a carbon fiber.
So, it's going rogue.
Yeah, no.
It's appropriate.
And there is a really trick thing you're doing with the paint on this car, which is...
I don't even...
Should we even call it paint?
It is paint, right?
Correct.
Yeah.
So, we're using candies.
We take and mix our own candies here and we use a midcoat and we find out how dark we want it.
And we're spraying that candy over so you're able to see the carbon through it.
So, it actually looks like red carbon, but it's really not.
Yeah.
And the distinctive thing about this particular paint job is it's like shaded.
There's a gradient in a way and it flows across the body lines.
It's dark here.
It's lighter there and it kind of accentuates things.
Thank you.
Yeah, it's in the sun.
A candy reacts with silvers below it.
Well, obviously, we can't do that.
Well, the carbon has that silver element in the sun and it makes it just...
Like, you'll see that car looks really dark red.
And then when the sun gets it, it's like, oh my gosh, it just lights up.
It's pretty cool.
Yeah, it almost looks iridescent, which is a neat touch.
It is.
It looks cool, man.
I mean, in person, it's just breathtaking.
And I noticed you got some cool Ring Brothers parts on these cars too.
Yeah, we work with...
Every car we build, truck, everything uses all the Ring Brother hinges, door handles.
They have a wonderful product and they're just really good people.
They're great people.
Yeah, love Mike and Jim.
How do you do?
And Ryan, by the way, shout out to Ryan.
And Hunter, you can't forget Hunter.
And Hunter, that's all the parts.
Yeah, absolutely.
Forge Line is your wheel of choice.
Absolutely.
What do you like about Forge Line?
Well, I'm a big believer in relationships in this industry.
And they have stepped up for me for 20 years, man.
And they'll do anything for me.
I tell them I need a wheel for SEMA.
I need it done in this time.
It's here.
They build an extremely high quality product.
It's three-piece, which is really cool.
You can pick any color you want for the centers.
They work with you on any kind of custom offsets you're looking for.
I mean, what else do you want?
I think wheels are really overlooked part of any build.
And the wrong wheel can just kill the vibe entirely.
I agree.
It's tough.
How many wheel and tire combos do you think you go through
before you settle on the right one?
Well, again, you're able to do that digitally now.
So that changed that game, right?
So I'm able to sit here and throw different wheels on it.
On the Scorch car, I just want to, I told everybody,
I don't want the wheels to distract from the car.
I don't want to, so we just want the five spoke.
Simple.
No, they look really good.
They also have, in a way, they kind of have a vintage feel.
They're sort of, they don't look too modern on the car,
is what I'm saying.
Yes, sir.
Forge line.
I mean, they deliver, man.
I don't know how to put it.
I hear it from builders all the time about wheels and the fight they have.
They're always going to take 12 weeks and this and that, man.
And forge line will work with you.
It's not like they're going to get them done faster than everybody else.
But if you have a deadline, they're going to take care of you.
They've been really good to me.
Not to jump around, Jason, but I,
there was something else that I thought was really cool about your builds,
which is that you're doing flush front and rear glass.
Yes, everything we build is flush, my glass.
And such a good touch.
How difficult is that to engineer?
Well, once you have a scan of the factory glass
and you're making the mold, we're just making the hole smaller.
Yeah.
I mean, it's really not, it's not as hard as you think.
And it's such a nice touch.
You're not having a hammer on that, that chrome and, you know,
and stainless and having to worry about all that you're using.
We use a 3M product on the back.
So it makes it look like a black band.
And we're just, you're saying that I'm in like you would a new car.
But easy.
This also means the glass is custom to your builds, right?
I mean, no, we use factory glass, man.
Oh, okay.
Wait, so like on the Scorched car, let's take that as an example.
That is, that would fit any 69 Mustang?
Yeah.
Wow, amazing.
Yes, that's a factory 69 windshield, factory 69 bag glass.
Okay, I just wouldn't have guessed that.
I would think that, you know, the edges might be different or something like that.
But the glass technology, obviously, it's the same part,
but it's modern glass technology.
Yeah, it's brand new.
Yeah, it's not what you would have gotten back in the day.
So you got the UV and all of that stuff in the glass.
Yeah, we use Wilkington glass on all of our cars.
It's really high-end stuff, it's good stuff.
Do they, are there any electronics built into the glass,
like a defrost or anything like that?
No, I mean, I can if I wanted to, but no, we went simple.
I'm not firm, but I'm kind of weird with stuff like that.
As a builder, I always advise my clients to stay simple.
You know, as to above the kiss theory, you know, keep it stupid simple, right?
Roll up windows, you know, put some bitch in ring brother,
you know, billet rollups on them and stuff and call it a day.
It makes life a lot easier for later down the road.
And I like electronics, don't get me wrong.
I mean, these all have great sound systems.
We use Alpine technology in our cars.
With those, they sound great.
With MP, you know, you're plugging USB stuff and Bluetooth and all that.
But as far as all the other electronics, I keep it kind of simple, man.
By the way, your under hood, I know I'm jumping around here, Jason,
but I guess I'm just kind of excited about these cars.
Your under hood is super clean.
Everything's routed really nicely, you know, that takes hours and hours to get that right.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Hiding things and keeping it clean in there is, it's a ton of hours.
You're right.
We hide everything underneath the fenders.
We try to at least.
Yeah.
And on this particular car looks like on the website, that's the Boss 429 under the hood there.
Yes, sir.
And you've got an old school air cleaner, but it's custom to you.
Yes.
Yeah.
I wanted it to look old school, man.
So underneath that's a Holley Sniper 2 injection.
Yeah.
It's super clean under the hood.
And I don't know, that's one of the things I look at that separates some builds from others.
Yeah.
Yeah, it is.
And I'm kind of a big believer.
I see a lot of, you know, show cars where they build what I call engine closeouts,
which are bitching.
We can do that too.
But that, you're able to hide everything that way, right?
Yeah.
You know, we put a clothes cut around it, but we didn't do that.
We wanted to hide it anyways and not have any closeouts.
So you can see that the headers on our cars alone, the stainless headers on those cars
on the Boss 429 is a piece of art.
I mean, you look in there and you're like, wow.
So I want everybody to see all that.
Well, yeah.
I mean, car guys like that mechanical aspect.
We don't, one of the most frustrating things about modern cars is everything is hidden under
plastic panels under the hood.
I agree.
You know?
And I guess part of it is maybe not that interesting to look at versus an older car.
You also have a build you call the Shelby GT350TR for trick rides.
And again, almost an impossible task to differentiate this shape in the marketplace.
Yeah.
So we worked directly with Shelby, right?
And I love that car.
I always have.
We wanted our own iteration of it.
I will say this openly now.
We do those in steel, but we are currently building that car in carbon.
We're developing it right now as we speak.
Should have that done.
I hope.
I hope Carver's listening in about 60 days.
Okay.
We should see.
Nice.
All right.
So again, go to the website, look at the photos or my Instagram.
But I want to talk about a couple of details in this car.
The first thing that stands out to me is the reverse hood scoop.
I don't even know if that's what we should call it.
But it's engine compartment ventilation, right?
Correct.
So wind comes off the windshield and then jams into the inverted scoop that you see.
That's how it works.
Oh, interesting.
That came from, so if you look at the, like a 2011 Shelby, they called them a CS8.
They built a CS6 and a CS8.
That is the hood.
So Shelby was kind enough to send me just a skin that we grafted onto a 66 and then made a mold from.
So that's where that came from.
Okay.
I just got to describe this a little bit for people who can't see it right now.
But if you think of a Shelby GT350 and you envision the hood from the leading edge of the hood,
the panel kind of kicks up just a little bit and then a foot and a half into that panel,
like as you go along the hood, there's a vent.
But that is all nicely fared and integrated so that you got a cut line around the perimeter
of the hood.
And then it all flows nicely outward.
Fantastic shape.
Thanks, man.
Thank you.
Yeah, that was a cool design.
Really like it.
The other thing I like is those side pipes.
Pretty cool, huh?
Yeah, really, where I kind of got that vibe from was the Dodge Viper.
If you remember how they kind of floated in in the front and then came out.
That and then, I don't know if you ever follow or look at any of the Shinoda Mustangs.
Oh, yeah.
Those are so cool.
So he did something like that too.
So I kind of pulled up the vibes from that.
I can see it.
And you've got kind of subtle fender flares on the GT350.
Yeah, just say it allows for a bigger wheel and tire.
And it's nothing too radical.
It's still kind of a traditional look.
Yep.
Yeah.
And the front air dam.
Yeah, so you want to splitter, you know?
Right.
And that's, I tell people all the time, you know, that straight at the bottom of that
350 TR Rams air and in the front of the car.
I mean, that's what it does.
That's its job.
And if you look above that, that is a GT350.
That's what they are.
Yeah.
And I just took the bottom and just basically molded a splitter onto the bottom of it.
Yeah, I see it.
And the other cool thing is, you know, this car isn't too pretty.
I don't think any Shelby should be too pretty because, I mean, after all, they were like,
they were race cars.
Yes, they built production cars, but a lot of them got raced and they were race spec.
And they need to look to business.
And I think this one does.
Not that you would race it, but I just like that look.
Yeah, I appreciate that very much.
You know, as a designer, it means a lot for somebody to appreciate it because it's so many
hours, man.
We should say that these aren't obviously built on, you're not taking a original GT350
and making a rest stone.
I mean, like, come on.
Now, we are licensed by Shelby to do that vehicle.
It's a licensed Shelby when it's completed, but it starts life with an original Mustang.
Is it getting hard to find original, dry cars as your basis?
Yes, it is.
It's the hardest ones right now are the Mopars.
Really?
I mean, man, oh, Chargers, I give 25 grand for a donor.
Wow.
For a donor.
And this is a total rust bucket.
Wow.
Well, crazy.
I guess we can thank the Duke boys for wrecking so many.
Yeah, thanks, man.
Yeah.
Hey, Jason, you've got an upcoming build.
Like, this is your latest and greatest that we have to talk about, which is,
well, why don't you tell us about it?
For about a year and a half, carbon brothers have been poking at me on an F100.
And I finally gave in.
I'm a big truck guy anyway.
And we're in Oklahoma, right?
There's trucks everywhere.
And so we're building two of them right now.
They are carbon fiber in their own design.
So we kind of integrated that scorched hood scoop a little bit,
did a flushed bumper with some, you know, with some venture air ducts in them.
And I think the coolest part of this truck was this rear spoiler.
So what we did, our designer with Ben Hermans, we worked together and basically built a flat
panel if you can imagine on top of the tailgate.
And then the spoiler deploys up off of that.
So it comes back down, but it deploys up off.
You have to do it manually, but it's super cool looking.
I'm really excited.
We're doing a four-wheel drive version and a slam down version.
Yeah, it does look cool.
And the slammed version is going to obviously, the bed's going to be kind of shallow
because you got to tuck everything up.
The body drops.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
But really nicely integrated and still functional.
There's plenty of load space if you want to haul cargo at a very high rate of speed.
Be cool, man.
Yeah, nice, dude.
So you're calling it the tricky F-100?
Yes.
And when do you think that's going to be available or when are you going to finish the first one?
We will have one at SEMA this year.
Sweet.
Right now on the website, you've basically got concept renderings.
So I imagine certain things might change, but it's probably fairly locked, right?
Yeah, it's going to be close.
It won't be that color at SEMA, but you talk about lessons learned.
I will never debut a carbon car and paint it ever again.
I never caught so much flak in my entire life.
So from moving forward, they will be candy when I unveil a carbon car.
Yeah, I mean, I can understand that because part of the fun is seeing that carbon.
That and then a lot of people didn't believe it was carbon.
Yeah, some people was locking up, tapping it.
What is that?
By the way, how much weight savings are we talking about?
Let's take the scorched 69 Mustang, for example.
I mean, what kind of weight savings versus all steel?
About 750 pounds somewhere around there, lighter than stock.
It's substantial.
That's a lot of weight, man.
I mean, that's power to weight.
You can definitely feel it.
Yeah, and with the Coyote, you're talking 780 horsepower?
Yeah, 780, 790.
You push it further, obviously, but that's a safe tune and that's plenty of power.
I would love to hear that thing with the supercharger spooled up.
Me too.
The first one out, it will be a Gen 5 Coyote supercharged.
We use the VMP superchargers.
Is what the first one will be?
Yes.
We also offer the Boss 429 on that truck, believe it or not.
Cool.
And the SEMA build, is it going to be slammed or is it going to be the 4x4?
That's going to be a secret.
Oh, man.
All right.
Okay, you can keep a secret.
Well, I'm sure the color is going to be wild too.
I can't wait to see that.
Yeah, we're really excited.
Jason, what is your favorite part of what you do?
Because you're obviously a very enthusiastic guy and you got a lot of irons in the fire,
a lot of things to manage, but what do you like most?
My crew.
Man, I come to work every day.
I've been doing this this long and I have seriously, it's almost emotional for me.
I've got the coolest crew of human beings.
I come in, they do what needs to be done.
They don't complain to us.
They bust their ass.
And to be able to come in here and sit down and talk with you for an hour and not even
be remotely concerned of what's going on out there, that's my favorite part of my day.
Yeah, you're obviously doing something right.
There's a lot of little shops, and I'm not saying your shop is little, but
there's a lot of independents out there who, the boss is trying to do it all and...
Can't micromanage it, man.
Can't do it.
Can't do it.
No.
No.
How many guys on your team?
12th.
By the way, how do you break down the process?
Well, that's a good question too.
I can answer this shortly, but our facility here is a little different than most.
So we have five separate buildings in one big compound, right?
And so we differentiate each stage in different parts and different buildings.
So they're not all together in one giant building.
I believe that helps.
It also keeps the dirty part of the build over here, the clean part over here,
you know, and separates it out.
That's where we, I think, are a little bit different than most shops as well.
It's kind of a pain in the butt sometimes because I know it could be a tiny bit more efficient
being together, and I get that.
But having them all separated is really great for the end product.
Well, I'm sure you've, with all your experience over the years, you've fine-tuned things,
you've figured out what works for you.
Jason, what's something that you haven't built yet that you would love to build someday?
I mean, something wild, maybe a car that...
Okay, there's two I want to do so bad, and I'm going to do them, okay?
I want to do 82 to 90 Camaro, carbon, white body, and I want to do Fox body.
I'm going to do them in carbon and I'm going to put the trick rides touch on them.
It's going to happen.
It's just a matter of when we're going to do it.
So I'm like, both those cars are just so damn cool.
Now, again, RosterShop makes a chassis for both those cars, and all this technology is available,
and I've seen iterations of them.
Don't get me wrong, but I want to do ours.
I think it would be great.
And by the way, the Camaro, I really like that idea, and I'll tell you why.
A couple reasons.
Number one, in those years, they were kind of gutless if you think about what came...
Yeah, right.
And all the emission controls and all that stuff, and those were kind of lean years for muscle.
I agree.
The other thing is, I kind of feel like they look a little dated now.
I agree.
At the time, they were pretty sweet.
That was crazy.
But I think it is totally ripe for you to reshape and refine everything.
We're on the br...
We're so close on both of those.
Yeah.
Especially the relationship of the wheel and tire to the wheel well and the body.
I think those bodies looked a little bit bloated.
The overhangs, things like that.
Man, I bet you could really refine that.
You could.
You know, in the Forge line now, it's crazy.
We were at SEMA.
They built an IROC wheel, man.
Three-piece.
It was like, okay, it's an omen.
We have to build the car.
But yeah, there's some design you could do on those.
We already have sketches we've been working on that make them really aggressive.
Looking forward to seeing that.
All right, Jason.
Well, listen, thank you so much.
I got to get down there and check out your operation sometime.
I'd love that.
Absolutely.
Jason Engel from Trick Rides.
You can see more at trickrides.com.
And man, this has been really fun.
Thank you, sir.
Thanks for your time today.
That's all for this episode of Horsepower Heritage.
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About this episode
Jason Engel traces Trick Rides from early muscle-car exposure in Oklahoma and Las Vegas to a shop built around bold restomod design, CAD-driven development, and carbon fiber. He talks through the Scorched Mustang, Rogue Camaro, and a new carbon F100 project, while explaining how Roadster Shop chassis, flush glass, and careful styling choices shape the builds. Along the way, he reflects on costly lessons, vo-tech training, and the backlash that came with debuting a painted carbon car.
In the Restomod world, American Muscle is King- but it's not easy to stand out from the crowd. Jason Engel of Trick Rides has done just that with cars like their "Scorched" 1969 Ford Mustang Widebody in carbon fiber, as well as other cars like the "Rogue" '69 Chevrolet Camaro and '66 Mustang Shelby GT350TR.
In this episode Jason takes you inside the Trick Rides build process from digital design to performance specs and more.
