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Launch Episode! The Ballast Boys Reunited: Ron Zaras, Vin Anatra

Launch Episode! The Ballast Boys Reunited: Ron Zaras, Vin Anatra

Very Vehicular Dec 10, 2025 152 min
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About this episode

The inaugural episode of Very Vehicular brings together Ron Zaras and Vin Anatra, known as the Ballast Boys, for a lively discussion about their automotive adventures and experiences at Hoonigan. The trio dives into their favorite builds, including the iconic Donk, the Rolls Royce drift car, and the unique Shark Cart. They reflect on the camaraderie and creativity that defined their time at Hoonigan, while also exploring the evolution of automotive culture and the challenges of building cars in a corporate environment. With humor and nostalgia, this episode sets the stage for future discussions on cars, builds, and the automotive community.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Company

Hoonigan

"...we did these videos. You might have seen him. And then we started this small little company called Hoonigan."

Hoonigan is a company that creates fun videos about cars and car culture. They focus on things like racing and drifting, which is when cars slide around corners.

Car

Dodge Viper

"...hicular is brought to you by our good friends at Viper Industrial. I met them a couple of years ago"
Company

Toyo Tires

"But that has nothing to do with the tires that are on it. You see, Toyo Tires was the first sponsor I ever had in anything I did all the way back to zero to 60."

Toyo Tires makes tires for cars, trucks, and SUVs. Many people like them because they perform well and last a long time.

Term

tow hook

"...they don't have tow hook. Cause it like tow hooks aren't cool to folks."

A tow hook is a part of a car that helps pull it if it gets stuck or needs to be towed. It's important for safety and recovery.

Term

blower surge

"...fired up that big block and just like the, the blower surge that that thing would have. John Chase hand painted things on the blower belt..."

Blower surge happens when the supercharger, which helps the engine get more air, suddenly can't get enough air. This can cause the engine to lose power for a moment, and it's usually due to problems with how everything is set up.

Part

blower belt

"...John Chase hand painted things on the blower belt. Every time we drove that thing, people would just lose their mind..."

The blower belt is a special belt that helps the supercharger work by connecting it to the engine. When the engine runs, this belt turns the supercharger, which helps the engine get more power.

Term

BBS wheels

"...we did a 26 inch BBS ret."

BBS wheels are special wheels made by a famous company that makes high-quality wheels for cars. They are lighter and help cars handle better, which is why many car lovers choose them.

Part

alternator

"...the alternator went on the Mexican B150."

An alternator is a part in a car that makes electricity. It helps keep the battery charged and powers things like the lights and radio when the engine is on.

Car

Dodge B150

"...d working. So the alternator went on the Mexican B150. I think the coil pack or the coil went on the r..."
Part

coil pack

"...I think the coil pack or the coil went on the rabbit."

A coil pack is a part that helps start the engine by sending electricity to the spark plugs. If it fails, the car may not run properly.

Car

Volkswagen Rabbit

"...the coil pack or the coil went on the rabbit."

The Volkswagen Rabbit is a small car made by Volkswagen. It’s popular for being easy to drive and good for everyday use.

Car

Econoline

"...you built a racing Econoline. Big shout out to JNK Engines for giving me..."

The Ford Econoline is a big van that people use for work or transporting lots of passengers. It's known for being tough and can be used for many different jobs.

Company

JNK Engines

"...Big shout out to JNK Engines for giving me a ridiculous, ridiculous engine for a VW turbo."

JNK Engines is a company that builds special engines for cars and vans. They help people make their vehicles faster and more powerful.

Term

VW turbo

"...for giving me a ridiculous, ridiculous engine for a VW turbo. Now, I want to know if you've solved the other simplest..."

A VW turbo is a special part in some Volkswagen cars that makes the engine more powerful by pushing in extra air. This helps the car go faster and use fuel better.

Concept

SRO

"Vinny and I competed in SRO, a professional racing series is the most unprofessional dudes humanly possible."

SRO is a racing organization that runs different racing series where drivers compete in fast sports cars. It's known for having both professional and less experienced drivers racing together.

Concept

Pike's Peak

"You said you set an EV record at Pike's Peak. I did. Yeah, I did. I did Pike's Peak."

Pike's Peak is a mountain in Colorado where a special race happens every year. Drivers try to reach the top as fast as they can, facing tough roads and weather changes along the way.

Concept

American Rally Association

"Like following Ken around WRC, American Rally Association."

The American Rally Association is the group that organizes rally races in the U.S. They help manage the events and support drivers who compete in these races.

Concept

WRC

"Like following Ken around WRC, American Rally Association."

WRC stands for World Rally Championship, which is a major racing series where cars compete on different types of roads, like dirt and gravel. It's known for its exciting and challenging races.

Concept

zero to 60

"I did stuff at zero to 60, you know, so I really missed that."

'Zero to 60' is a way to measure how fast a car can go from a complete stop to 60 miles per hour. It's often used to show how powerful a car is.

Concept

rally cars

"And I just genuinely love rally cars."

Rally cars are special types of cars made for racing on different surfaces like dirt and snow. They are built to be tough and handle rough roads.

Term

Anti-Lag

"So, yeah, the working name for the company is Anti-Lag, because that's easily the coolest thing about rally cars. And for sure, I just feel like name to thank you. Thank you. It's kind of amazing that it isn't already a name. There's a forum in Australia, but yeah, as a company name, like the fact that I was able to get a URL and all that, like crazy. And like, I think Anti-Lag recently has become more commonplace for people because with modern ECUs, you have like."

Anti-lag helps turbo engines respond faster by keeping the turbo spinning even when the driver isn't pressing the gas pedal. This makes the car quicker off the line and helps it perform better in races.

Term

exhaust manifold

"You have little ducts welded into your exhaust manifold that then fuel goes past the cylinder. It explodes in your manifold, spins the turbo up."

The exhaust manifold is a part of the engine that collects the gases that come out after fuel is burned. It helps move those gases away from the engine.

Car

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII

"But anyway, although I do remember when the Evo eight came out and it had factory two step was like the coolest thing in the world."

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII is a sporty car known for its speed and handling. It has special features that help drivers launch the car quickly from a stop.

Concept

Formula 1

"...everybody like the most regular people I talked to are into F1 and they know the drivers and they know the cars and the teams. I'm like, man, this is sick."

Formula 1 is a type of car racing that features very fast cars and famous drivers. It's known for its exciting races held in different countries, where teams compete to win championships.

Term

NOS bottle

"But it's the original NOS bottle fire bottle that they used to do..."

A NOS bottle is a tank that holds nitrous oxide, a gas that can make a car's engine more powerful when injected. It's often used in racing to give cars an extra boost.

Term

nitrous

"they would replace the fire bottle with nitrous so they get a little extra boost."

Nitrous is a gas that can help a car's engine produce more power. When added to the fuel, it helps the engine burn more fuel, making the car go faster.

Term

drifting

"Drifting is like tires, brakes, like a bumper here to clarify. He meant on the content side, like from a brand side."

Drifting is when a driver makes their car slide sideways while turning. It's a skill that looks cool and is often seen in racing or car shows.

Car

Toyota JZX 90

"I got the JZX 90. Like I went to Apple Valley. I did all these things."

The Toyota JZX 90 is a car that many people love for drifting and racing. It's known for being powerful and fun to drive, especially in the rear-wheel drive configuration.

Concept

F1

"So first off, I'll say my absolutely lukewarm take on this is that F1 fans are not car people, F1 fans are sports."

F1 stands for Formula 1, which is a type of car racing that features very fast cars and is popular all over the world. It's known for exciting races and high-tech vehicles.

Concept

drift car

"...I should have a drift car, a grip car, a street car, a drag car..."

A drift car is a type of car that is set up to slide sideways around corners. They are built to make it easier to control the car while drifting, which is a popular motorsport style.

Car

BMW E36

"... to do like, you know, a water pump change on an E36 or something. So go check them out."
Car

Chevrolet Chevelle

"...So I just realized this because we're making a series of my dad's Chevelle, which is his dream car and growing up,..."

The Chevrolet Chevelle is a classic car that was made by Chevrolet. It's known for being powerful and is often considered a muscle car, which many people love to collect and restore.

Car

Chevrolet Beretta

"...some of them are sick. He had like Lumina Z 34s, Beretta GTZs. Yo, Beretta GTZ to teal with teal wheels."
Car

Toyota Supra

"...example, I idolized my entire childhood, Mark for Supra, watching Streetfire.net videos of those things ..."
Car

Porsche Carrera GT

"...ke some incredible cars. Yeah, I mean, I drove a Carrera GT, the Gunther Works Turbo, like tons of crazy shit..."
Car

Porsche 911

"...like maybe 2008, like that was a lot of power in 911. Like now you can get that fact they're still fa..."
Car

Audi RS2

"...hat from my life, I was like, OK, now I drive my RS2 or my rabbit everywhere, sometimes the van. But ..."
Car

Mazda Rx8

"...out. And it's like he either has his FDR7 or his RX8. It's the only two cars he owns and both of thos..."
Car

Ferrari 360

"Yeah, it's fire. You're like 9, 9, 11 RWB, Ferrari 360, NGT kitted, RS2. We would always we would alway..."
Car

Chevrolet Nova

"...e would always be like scottos. Forget about the Nova. Scotto is so annoying because he has cool cars,..."
Car

Chevrolet Corvette

"... Zach for the 20th time has the heads off of his Corvette and hurt is cold revving the Torx stallion. Righ..."
Car

Tesla Model 3S

"Is Ken here? And there's just like seven Model 3s in the parking lot. Yeah. Like smart cars."
Car

Hyundai Elantra

"...i, Brian had a non-compete. And why we had these Elantra ends is we came up with a big campaign and we we..."
Car

Toyota Ae86

"...ne once asked me like if someone came out with an AE86 VR 6 ITB five speed, whatever swap kit, you'd no..."
Car

Honda Ridgeline

"...elp us like wire this thing in and we put it in a ridgeline, which was so cool, man."
Car

Ford Flex

"...e the Indy truck was sick. Like it was an insane flex of us being able to make something like that. An..."
Car

Honda That Honda

"...rimm and the boys like they did an amazing job on that Honda. And like, what was the dude from Honda who help..."
Car

Chevrolet Camaro

"... of what I just said about the donk, but the 632 Camaro. I love that car."
Car

Mazda Miata

"All right. No he's talking about the Miata. And so the Miata."
Car

Ferrari F50

"... bizarre reason. I don't know why a 1986 Pontiac F50. It's an F50 kitted Fiero."
Car

Pontiac Fiero

"... know why a 1986 Pontiac F50. It's an F50 kitted Fiero. Not anything I've ever looked for."
Car

BMW E92M3

"Not anything I've ever looked for. E92M3 because I really, really missed mine. Me and Ron..."
Car

Porsche 944

"Next up. 1990 Porsche 944. It's a manual non-turbo backup, but it's a conv..."
Car

Mitsubishi Lancer

"...remember saving this, but it's a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo MR. It's $4,500."
Car

Ford F450

"...h Travis and then track. For me, it was the Ford F450. I drove the shit out of that thing because I wa..."
Car

Subaru BRZ

"The other one was the was the BRZ. The BRZ was the BRZ was a good driver. I think..."
Car

Audi 200

"...n the, the whatever teal Simpsons. Simpsons Audi Audi 200. Oh God."
Car

Lancia Delta

"...hat'd you drive? I drove my daily driver, Lancia Delta Integralli. Is it really your daily?"
Car

Nissan Altima

"It was sick. I mean that one Altima passed us, but like, yeah. And then the cop pass..."
Car

Chevrolet C10

"No, it was like going to get tacos. C10 vs. Nova, pre. Pre, every big motor in the Nova."
33 cars featured

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