Jerry Wayne Longmaren shares a candid and humorous reflection on life, loss, and the changing seasons, particularly during the cold months that remind him of personal losses. He discusses his recent experience selling his Mazda, highlighting the challenges and dynamics of negotiating with buyers who recognize him from social media. The episode delves into the value of car ownership beyond just financial metrics, emphasizing the joy and utility cars bring. Jerry also teases a deeper dive into the life of Hoyt Axton, an unsung hero in music, promising to explore his impact.
The Mazda has left the building while JW falls into a rabbit hole of Americana through the grace and talent of Hoyt Axton. In Duwali Bottoms episode five leans into atmosphere and character, living in the long pauses between decisions and the weight carried by men shaped by place, memory, and unfinished business. The story narrows, the silence grows louder, and Duwali Bottoms keeps moving forward.
"...kup and uh he was gonna need to he was using the avalanches as daily so yeah that's no problem uh I haven't r..."
The Chevrolet Avalanche is a special kind of vehicle that works like both a truck and an SUV. It has a big back area for carrying things, making it great for people who need to haul stuff around while still having room for passengers.
The Chevrolet Avalanche is a unique vehicle that combines the features of a pickup truck and an SUV, produced from 2001 to 2013. It is known for its versatile cargo space and ability to handle both passenger and cargo needs effectively. The podcast reference highlights its practicality for daily use and the lifestyle of its owners.
"...and it being a standard transmission so this is the craziest thing it..."
A standard transmission is a type of car gear system where the driver has to change gears by hand using a stick and a pedal. It gives the driver more control over how the car drives.
A standard transmission, also known as a manual transmission, requires the driver to manually shift gears using a clutch pedal and gear stick. This type of transmission offers more control over the vehicle's power and performance compared to automatic transmissions.
"about making a deal uh when somebody low balls you I immediately lose interest in selling anything"
When someone makes a very low offer on something for sale, it's called a 'low ball' offer. It usually makes the seller unhappy and can stop the conversation about selling.
A 'low ball' offer is a significantly lower price than what the seller expects or desires. This tactic can often frustrate sellers and lead to a breakdown in negotiations.
"I bought a car at a good price I drove it I utilized it for nearly two years to make me money driving the gigs and stuff so you have to count that into the value people"
When someone buys a car and hopes to make money from it later, either by selling it for more or using it to earn money, that's called buying a car as an investment.
Buying a car as an investment means purchasing a vehicle not just for personal use but with the expectation that it will increase in value or provide some financial return over time. This can include using the car for work or reselling it at a profit.
"...but they they don't account the value of the use of the car which is goes into the equation I use that car for two years but 27,000 miles on it that's a value that's a that's two years no car payment..."
Value of ownership is what you gain from having a car, like not having to pay for a new one or fix it for a while. It helps you understand if buying a car was worth it, even if you don't make money when you sell it.
The value of ownership refers to the benefits and savings gained from using a car over time, such as avoiding car payments and maintenance costs. This concept is important when evaluating the overall cost-effectiveness of a vehicle purchase.
"...that all goes into the valuation so if you take a car you buy a car do that and sell it and still walk away from it feeling like you made money on it..."
Valuation is figuring out how much a car is worth based on things like how it looks, how many miles it has, and what people are willing to pay for it. It helps when buying or selling a car.
Valuation is the process of determining the worth or value of a vehicle, taking into account various factors such as condition, mileage, and market demand. It helps buyers and sellers understand how much a car is worth at a given time.
"...David builds transmissions for a bunch of shops he's a builder and he has all his own little business ventures but one of the main shops is one of the shops that he kind of started..."
A transmission is a part of the car that helps it move by transferring power from the engine to the wheels. It can be automatic or manual, affecting how the car drives.
A transmission is a crucial component in vehicles that transmits power from the engine to the wheels, allowing the car to move. There are different types of transmissions, including automatic and manual, each with its own characteristics and performance.
"it's a GMT 800 it's pre AFM pre DOD bullshit it's 2006"
AFM is a technology that helps save fuel by turning off some of the engine's cylinders when they're not needed, like when you're driving at a steady speed.
AFM stands for Active Fuel Management, a system used by General Motors to improve fuel efficiency by deactivating some of the engine's cylinders under light load conditions.
"it's a GMT 800 it's pre AFM pre DOD bullshit it's 2006"
The GMT 800 refers to a series of trucks and SUVs made by GM, like the Chevrolet Silverado, that were built around the early 2000s.
The GMT 800 is a platform used by General Motors for full-size trucks and SUVs, including the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, produced from 1999 to 2007.
"it's a GMT 800 it's pre AFM pre DOD bullshit it's 2006"
DOD is a feature that helps improve fuel efficiency by shutting off some of the engine's cylinders when they're not needed, similar to AFM.
DOD stands for Displacement on Demand, a system similar to AFM that allows an engine to deactivate cylinders to save fuel during light load conditions.
The 4L65E is a type of automatic transmission used in many GM trucks and SUVs, known for being reliable and able to handle decent power.
The 4L65E is a four-speed automatic transmission used in various General Motors vehicles, known for its durability and ability to handle moderate power levels.
"...think like Ford Model T energy transportation reliability repairability utility that's what car that's what vehicles were..."
The Ford Model T is a famous car from the early 1900s that was made by Ford. It was important because it was cheap and helped many people own cars for the first time.
The Ford Model T was the first mass-produced automobile, revolutionizing transportation in the early 20th century. It was known for its affordability and reliability, making car ownership accessible to the general public.
"...this is the era of tail fins and muscle personal luxury cars..."
Muscle cars are fast, powerful cars that were popular in the 60s and 70s. They are often seen as symbols of freedom and excitement.
Muscle cars are high-performance vehicles, typically American, known for their powerful engines and aggressive styling. They became popular in the 1960s and 1970s, symbolizing freedom and youthful rebellion.
"...this is the era of tail fins and muscle personal luxury cars..."
Tail fins are the pointed extensions at the back of some cars that were trendy in the 50s and 60s. They made cars look more stylish and modern.
Tail fins are protruding structures on the rear of a car, popularized in the late 1940s to the early 1960s. They were often used for styling and to enhance the car's aerodynamic profile.
"...sports cars are a promise that you are this cool you are this guy that deserves his fast moving machine hugs the road..."
Sports cars are fast cars made for driving quickly and handling well. They are popular among people who love to drive.
Sports cars are designed for high-speed performance and agile handling. They often feature powerful engines and lightweight construction, appealing to driving enthusiasts.
"...Chevrolet didn't sell horsepower they sold who you were on a friday night..."
Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. More horsepower usually means a car can go faster.
Horsepower is a unit of measurement for power, commonly used to describe the power output of engines. It indicates how much work an engine can perform over time, influencing a vehicle's speed and acceleration.
"...this is your car said what you couldn't yet this is this is cars as personality as identity..."
Cars can show a lot about who a person is. The type of car someone drives can reflect their personality and lifestyle.
The concept of cars as personality refers to the idea that the type of car someone drives can reflect their identity, values, and lifestyle. This notion suggests that vehicles are more than just transportation—they symbolize who we are.
The Dodge Sweptside is a vintage pickup truck made in 1957. It has a distinctive look that makes it stand out from other trucks of its time.
The Dodge Sweptside is a classic pickup truck produced by Dodge in 1957. It is known for its unique styling and was part of the brand's effort to attract buyers with a more stylish alternative to traditional trucks.
"...two-tone paint schemes great many other interesting things..."
A two-tone paint scheme is when a car is painted in two different colors. This makes the car look more unique and stylish, and it was a popular trend in the past.
Two-tone paint schemes refer to vehicles that feature two distinct colors on their exterior, often separated by a line or design element. This style was particularly popular in certain eras, adding visual interest and personalization to cars.
"...was a teenager to drive around all the cops drove caprices and crown vicks buddy I could tell a pair of cap..."
The Holden Caprice is a large, comfortable car that was made in Australia. It's often used by police because it's reliable and has a lot of space inside, making it a good choice for long drives.
The Holden Caprice is a full-size luxury sedan produced by the Australian automaker Holden. Known for its spacious interior and powerful performance, it has been a popular choice among law enforcement and government agencies in Australia. Its significance in the podcast context highlights its association with authority and reliability.
"...all the cops drove caprices and crown vicks buddy I could tell a pair of caprice headlights..."
The Chevrolet Caprice is a big car that was often used by police in the past. Many people could easily recognize it because it was common on the streets.
The Chevrolet Caprice is a full-size car that was popular in the United States, especially during the 1970s and 1980s. It was often used as a police vehicle due to its size and performance, making it recognizable on the roads.
"...all the cops drove caprices and crown vicks buddy I could tell a pair of caprice headlights..."
The Ford Crown Victoria is a large car that many police departments used for patrols. It was known for being strong and roomy, making it a popular choice for officers.
The Ford Crown Victoria is a full-size sedan that was widely used by law enforcement and taxi services in the United States. Known for its durability and spacious interior, it became an iconic vehicle in the police fleet.
"you had Ford which is every man that's the everyman brand then mercury was a..."
Mercury was a car brand that used to be part of Ford. It made cars that were a bit fancier than regular Ford cars, but it stopped making cars in 2010.
Mercury was a brand of automobiles that was part of Ford Motor Company, aimed at providing a more upscale alternative to Ford vehicles. It was discontinued in 2010.
"...that's Jerry Lee Lewis tooling around 1961 Lincoln Continental running around Memphis raising hell..."
The Lincoln Continental is a large, luxurious car that was popular in the 1960s. The 1961 version is known for its stylish look and was often driven by wealthy people.
The Lincoln Continental is a full-size luxury car that has been produced by Lincoln since 1939. The 1961 model is particularly noted for its distinctive design and was popular among celebrities and affluent individuals.
"...the most overlooked in the hot rod and scene is the Buick the Buick Skylark was a beautiful car throughout its evolution just just gorgeous machine..."
The Buick Skylark is a well-known car from Buick that has been made in different styles over the years. It's appreciated for its good looks and performance, making it a favorite among collectors.
The Buick Skylark is a classic American car that was produced in various generations from the early 1960s until the early 1990s. Known for its stylish design and performance, it has become a popular choice among classic car enthusiasts.
"...you re-ring it at least twice it's easier to do that now fuel injection modern fuels modern lubricants..."
Fuel injection is a way to get fuel into a car's engine more efficiently. It helps the engine run better and use less fuel than older systems that used carburetors.
Fuel injection is a system that delivers fuel to the engine in a precise manner, improving efficiency and performance compared to older carburetor systems. It allows for better fuel atomization and more accurate control of the air-fuel mixture.
"...leasing started replacing ownership finance and replaced saving up for a car..."
Leasing is like renting a car for a few years instead of buying it. You make monthly payments to use the car, and then you give it back when the lease is over.
Leasing is a method of obtaining a vehicle where you pay to use it for a set period, typically 2-3 years, without owning it outright. At the end of the lease, you return the vehicle or have the option to buy it. This has become popular as it often requires lower upfront costs and monthly payments compared to buying a car.
"...this is also where automotive manufacturers start practicing scarcity instead of abundance you know used to be they made up team models of a car and they sold it out to the dealerships..."
Scarcity in car manufacturing means making fewer cars on purpose to make them more desirable. Instead of making a lot and lowering prices if they don't sell, companies now limit how many they produce to keep demand high.
Scarcity in automotive manufacturing refers to the strategy where manufacturers produce limited quantities of a car model to create demand and maintain higher prices. This contrasts with the traditional approach of producing larger quantities and discounting unsold inventory.
"...they started talking about the vehicles as resale value market value collector grade low miles..."
Resale value is how much money you can get if you sell your car later. Some cars keep their value better than others, depending on how well they are taken care of.
Resale value is the amount of money a vehicle can be sold for after it has been purchased. It is influenced by factors such as condition, mileage, and market demand.
"...go out by a 10 year old car now you're getting a Cadillac SRX who the hell wants that you know I mean I did whe..."
The Cadillac SRX is a fancy SUV that offers a lot of comfort and space for passengers. It's designed to feel luxurious and is often seen as a status symbol, even when it's a bit older.
The Cadillac SRX is a luxury crossover SUV that was produced by General Motors from 2004 to 2016. It is known for its upscale features, smooth ride, and spacious interior, making it a popular choice among families and luxury car enthusiasts. The podcast's mention of it as a 10-year-old car reflects on the perception of aging luxury vehicles and their value.
"...the Ford F3 looms silent in the dark next to a makeshift carport fashioned from leftover drill pipe and corrugated steel they hadn't moved in many years it's on deteriorating"
The Ford F3 is a type of pickup truck made by Ford. It's known for being tough and useful for carrying heavy loads or doing work.
The Ford F3 is a model from Ford's F-series of trucks, known for their durability and utility. The F-series has been a popular choice for both work and personal use since its introduction.
"... the bed staring up into the branches of the old century his face haloed in the smoke of a slow exhale th..."
The Buick Century is a car that was made for many years and is known for being very comfortable to drive. It's often seen as a good choice for families because it has a lot of space and is easy to handle.
The Buick Century is a mid-size car that was produced by General Motors from 1936 to 2005, known for its smooth ride and comfortable interior. It has often been associated with reliability and practicality, making it a popular choice for families and older drivers. The mention in the podcast evokes nostalgia and the simplicity of earlier automotive designs.
"...he glared at timmy over the roof of his battered baby blue el camino i ain't let nobody do shit i ain't done with him..."
The Chevrolet El Camino is a vehicle that looks like a car in the front but has a truck bed in the back. It was made by Chevrolet and is popular for its unique design and usefulness.
The Chevrolet El Camino is a unique vehicle that combines the features of a car and a pickup truck, often referred to as a 'car-truck'. It was produced by Chevrolet from the late 1950s through the 1980s and is known for its distinctive styling and versatility.
Term
305
"...the 305 beneath the hood sounding like it was having an asthma attack under its own inefficient labor..."
The '305' is a type of engine made by Chevrolet that has a size of 5.0 liters. It's not the most powerful engine, but it was used in many cars and trucks during the 1980s and 1990s.
The '305' refers to a 5.0-liter V8 engine produced by General Motors, commonly found in various Chevrolet models during the 1980s and early 1990s. It is known for being a small-block engine that offers moderate performance and fuel efficiency.
"...the car his brother grabbing the remaining gun a Taurus revolver they'd stolen from a junk shop owner the..."
The Ford Taurus is a family car that was very popular in the past. It's known for being roomy and comfortable, making it a good choice for people who need to drive their families around.
The Ford Taurus is a mid-size car that gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s for its innovative design and practicality. It has been a staple in the Ford lineup, known for its spacious interior and family-friendly features. The mention of a Taurus revolver in the podcast context adds a layer of cultural reference, linking the car to everyday life and crime dramas.
"...doesn't have a timing chain well everybody showed up to tell me that y'all are 100 right..."
A timing chain is a part of an engine that helps keep everything moving in sync. It makes sure that the engine's parts work together correctly.
A timing chain is a critical component in an engine that synchronizes the rotation of the crankshaft and camshaft, ensuring that the engine's valves open and close at the proper times.
"...i decided i wanted carl jr driving a dodge diplomat as his police car because there used to be a lot of those when i was young uh they were a good cheap police car..."
The Dodge Diplomat is a car that was made by Dodge and was popular for being a good choice for police cars because it was cheap and dependable.
The Dodge Diplomat was a mid-size car produced by Dodge from 1977 to 1989, often used as a police car due to its affordability and reliability.
Select text to request an explanation
Kaila don't lie, they scream but they know us
Don't forget, the bones don't let go
Chattel stretch long, the secrets get long
And the creek keeps the whispers you thought were your wrong
Are you really digging for peace, or is that just a lie?
Tell to help us sleep
Welcome to the Wrecking Yard, I'm Jerry Wayne Longmaren
Y'all, presumably still y'all. All are welcome here in the Church of
Internal Combustion. We just ask that you show up with an open
heart.
Who has good coffee? How are we doing folks? It is Sunday morning
Sunday morning I say it's like 10 o'clock
That's kind of like on the back end of the morning Sunday morning
That thermometer says it is nearly 50 degrees in here
That thermometer is a notorious lie because it feels like 30 in here
I'm freezing my balls off, excuse me for that
I do got my little, got my little heater here
Oh that feels good
That's the stuff. All right blow that hot air, hot air right up my chest
Feels good. I am in just a glorious mood I don't have
a reason for that other than I'm just kind of feeling good
Kind of, I told y'all I get a little
I get a little twisted up that period of time
between when my mom died and when we buried her seems like every year at
Jacksonville a little bit and coming out of it like a butterfly
of a cocoon, a big-ass damn butterfly, but a butterfly of a cocoon
Nonetheless my chrysalis is complete
I'm ready to fly
It's a lot of sad shit this time of year I don't like cold time of year
I lose, I lost a lot of people a lot of a lot of my people have died between
January and February
Both my maternal and my paternal grandfather
Papa Clark and Papa Lomar both died
I'm probably gonna get this wrong but I think it's
I think it's January 19th or January 18th they both died on January 18th
about five six years apart
It's a lot a lot of people a lot of people lost a lot of
friends around this time of year
We lost my wife's father on February 2nd I believe
and then his brother uncle Jerry great Jerry
lost him I think the exact same date a year later
pretty close to it it's just a rough time of year
I hope that if I pass before Rachel that it happens
at another time of year one I want to die when it's cold I hate being cold
and I already think you're probably gonna be cold when you die because of the
blood and physiology and whatnot
it seems like a cold thing to do is dying so
I always sort of hope that when time comes to me the sun is on my face
and I'm warm I think that'll make it a less scary
but also if it's another time of year that would be great too
because my wife's already got a lot of bullshit this time of year
piling on her so if I could not pile on that would be cool
not anytime soon boy not anytime soon I'm just saying when the time comes
many many many many years from now
I don't know if I'm still in Texas let's shoot for June so
let's shoot for July I get the last birthday in
and then uh I get to skip August that'd be pretty cool
oh heavens the Betsy's I'm in a mood
I can't possibly begin to explain it I am
um
excited about the wallet bombs day got a humdinger of episode we got a humdinger
of a wrecking yard episode uh going to I kind of broke it up in two things
because I got I got two kind of things I want to talk to you about today
and what I'm going to talk about a little later home
is uh I was a little late to the party on discovering Hoyt Axton
and I've been down a rabbit hole this week learning about Hoyt Axton
if you're not a fan yet you're gonna be a fan by the time I get done talking
about this cat because he is something else
was something and uh I like the unsung heroes you know I like an unsung hero
and uh
I
not got back in the gym yet that was supposed to happen this past week I didn't
do it I didn't do it and and I got I'm promising myself I'm going tomorrow
I'll be honest if it's cold tomorrow I ain't going but we got some warm weather
coming back I'm sure that'll kick me in the gear like it always does
there's a little bit of the cold part of the year I just I don't want to do
nothing you know what I want to do I want to wrap up my electric blanket play
red dead redemption that's what I want to do I won't go outside I want to do
things I want to hell I can't go nowhere I sold my car
I did I sold I sold the Maserati
which is a little curious to me so a lot of you know I've talked about it uh
so I was just sell the car because I was buying this pick up from my buddy David
but David had this avalanche he was gonna sell me and I was hyped about that
it's gonna buy that sell my car didn't need to do it all at one time
try and make decision whether uh I wanted to keep it little miles or not but I
really don't I don't I don't need the extra insurance I don't need the extra
nothing I don't need the extra shit in my driveway be honest with you I got enough
things going on around here I don't need anything taking up extra space so
but David uh David has a lot of cars and trucks so he was swapping some titles around
moving some shit around trying to decide what he's gonna drive next and he told me he needed
about a month because he was thinking about buying a new pickup and uh he was gonna need to he was
using the avalanches as daily so yeah that's no problem uh I haven't really done a lot I listed
the Mazda back in December but I haven't really done much to sell it I just kind of listed it
I bought some parts for it and stuff and I was going to do a bunch of work on it
and try to get top dollar for it that kind of thing but then I just decided is all that extra work
worth you know extra eight seven eight hundred dollars and still having to argue or somebody
about it to sell it and it being a standard transmission so this is the craziest thing it
being a six speed is why I bought it but I've realized that I am in the minority
because it being a six speed I have had more people hit me up and get excited about buying
that car and by realizing it's a standard and back out I was gonna buy it for my kid I don't
want to try to teach him how to drive a stand I was gonna buy it for this it was so much of that
so I decided not to do all that extra work and then a guy hit me up I had it listed at a price
that I felt pretty good about and Kai hit me up a gentleman first of all on Facebook Marketplace
that's hard to find so many trolls on there I like selling cars on there because you can usually
sell them quick but a lot of trolls a lot of you're gonna deal with a lot of people jacking with you
and not get anywhere and you got to pay attention every one of them if they seem half ass serious
just in case that's gonna be yourself you know it's the nature of sales it's a lot of engagement
for very little return feels like being a stand-up comment
so this is a car for sale didn't think much about the guy hits me up we go back and forth about it
for a few days talking but he's asked me some questions I take him some extra photos things
like that and he sounds actually serious says man I won't come look at Friday I said cool he said
I'm coming about an hour and a half away so I told my wife I was like man he's coming an hour and a
halfway there's pretty good possibility he's he's coming with the intent to buy that car like he's
already decided it's something he wanted that kind of thing it's different now
and this is gonna sound braggadocious and I don't mean it to be at all I'm just trying to really
discuss the way things have changed for me for y'all I used to sell cars buy and sell vehicles
all the time I did a lot even when in the early days of my content creation that's kind of how I
was making a buck okay when I stopped doing some of the contracting but I still need to make some
money every once while I go buy a little shipbox car all Facebook marketplace do a little bit of
work on it turn around sell it make a little bit of money on it and that was kind of my thing but
now the last two or three times I've gone to sell something off Facebook mark because I still sell
stuff on there you know I got some old kilons and old equipment I got a drywall lift over there I'm
trying to sell all kind of stuff you know I'm always it's in my blood it's that pop-off car it's that
wrecking yard in me it's that dog in me I still like to sell them this would jump you know so
last two or three times I've gone to sell something people I go to meet know who I am
they watch the podcast or they follow me on Facebook or they follow me on TikTok and
uh so that's a little weird that throws it out it throws the dynamic of it throws everything off
you know and uh this guy and his father were no exception really nice people uh but knew me
from social media which kind of threw me off them came a little bit because I like I like
things pretty decent negotiated you know but when somebody has extra info about you that kind of
negotiates so that's kind of been a weird it's been a weird addition to the process
but they were really lovely people uh
went and test drove Mazda guy was happy with it and he was like you know what I liked
it was a young dude but he's a young man that was a good negotiator
he was an honest open negotiator I like I like an honest open negotiation I like you make me a good
fair offer I'll make you a return fair offer and we'll meet somewhere in the middle you know
we'll start in places that aren't miles apart and get somewhere close that shows me a man serious
about making a deal uh when somebody low balls you I immediately lose interest in selling anything
it almost sets out the exact like I go into anti-you mode I don't want to say nothing now
it closes off my body language it closes off my mind
guy made me a fair offer right off the bat so you know I'd feel better about this
and then we got somewhere in the middle of that and I felt pretty good about it and I sold that
Mazda and not only did I sell it but I didn't I made money on the deal you know fair money made
fair money on the deal I bought a car at a good price I drove it I utilized it for nearly two
years to make me money driving the gigs and stuff so you have to count that into the value people
do that a lot of times they'll buy a car and then
you'll hear this like somebody buy a car they'll hold on this car for a year or two drive it do
whatever you know sell it they're like oh I didn't make no money on it you know that's basically what
I paid for it or I sold it for a little less than what I paid for it but they they don't
account the value of the use of the car which is goes into the equation I use that car for two
years but 27,000 miles on it that's a value that's a that's two years no car payment two years not
having to work on a car because that little car was pretty gangbusters you know what I mean that all
goes into the valuation so if you take a car you buy a car do that and sell it and still
walk away from it feeling like you made money on it and the numbers lining up with that then it
makes you feel pretty good that's the way it should go even if you don't make money on it
numbers wise if the value of ownership equates and makes up for that that uh deficit then you
still made money on the car here my buddy David we're talking about this other day
but it's good man we we had an honest conversation I presented the known issues with the car
and I had done pretty good and I had talking about them uh so I feel like he walked away
feeling like he got a fair deal I walked away feeling like I got a fair deal he can give me a
ride back to my house which is nice I don't usually meet people here at the house this is kind of my
private sanctuary you know I'm a hermit when I'm home I don't meet I don't meet people here uh so we
went to the big burger across the freeway I met over there and let him drive and he was funny we
got in the car and he says he was going to test drive it he says now good time to tell you I've
learned today let's go remember I did have a berry laminac and then got treated like a milkshake
from Lubbock to Colorado so I should probably watch telling people shit like that
guardless another chapter in wrecking yard history is going on to its next owner
Mazda right he's gone and the new chapter begins this week because David is finally ready to relinquish
the avalanche I talked to him he was that was actually what put me in gear to actually sell it
was about a week ago me and Dave went and had lunch told y'all about that and he's like you know
I'm ready to do something with this avalanche well let me get that damn Mazda sold
Mazda sold moving forward on the avalanche so I'm going over to David's shop well not David's shop so
David does David builds transmissions for a bunch of shops he's a builder and he has all his own
little business ventures but one of the main shops is one of the shops that he kind of started
that I worked for him at was on Shepherd at Washington Houston and it's moved a little bit
it's on the other side of Washington now but it's a good little shop the manager there's a
dude named Robert he's a really good dude he's a he's a fan of what we do here and
Robert gave me a good deal in the R&R they're going to take the unit out for me the transmission
out for me and see here's the thing it's a GMT 800 it's pre AFM pre DOD bullshit it's 2006
5.3 liter it's exactly what I was wanting got the 4L65e it's got 185,000 miles on it
never had any transmission what she means we're getting in that period we're getting in that age
where that 4L65e is going to go and we're going to need to rebuild it
David was like well you know if we rebuild it before it burns up
they always last a little longer you do that if you take care of them before they burn something
before they flip out they last a little longer and he's like if you want I'll teach you how to
rebuild it with my tools and stuff and you can film it for content and we both agreed that that's
going to be funny so that's what we're going to do this week we're going to go there we're going to
take transmission out we're going to rebuild the 4L65e in it before I start touring and driving
this thing all over the place and get it going it's got other little bullshit I told y'all brake
booster and shit like that needs to be fixed but I'm excited to have a pickup again I thought I was
done with pickups I thought I was gonna be a car guy thought I was gonna be car people from here on
out didn't think I was gonna mess I had this big thing about you I don't need to pick up I don't
drive a pickup I was real self-righteous about it till I went without a pickup for a couple years
and now I'm like ah man need to pick up and and my buddy Sladehand put it to me I was like well
I'm just worried about these gigs and the fuel mileage and he goes he goes you know all that
fuel mileage really adds up to selling about three extra tickets and that's pretty easy when you only
sell 18 tickets but he was right he had a point like that's that's really all the difference in
that fuel mileage makes even on a long trip it's not gonna be that crazy so I'm excited I'll get
some pictures next week we'll talk all about it
it's always weird selling a car for me I don't get I've been thinking about the evolution
of vehicles I've been working on this thing that's like the evolution of man
evolution of masculinity versus the evolution of pickup trucks in the United States I've been
working on this op-ed piece I'm trying to write
selling a car very often is not just selling a car it's very often really about selling a
version of yourself that you don't need to carry anymore and the version of myself that needed that
little monster for the way I needed it we're moving past that now we're moving past that
chapter so I'm having to sell that little piece of myself it feels good when you when you look
at that way when you go okay this is just a chapter I don't need at this point but
in my mind there's three ages three big ages of the evolution of the American vehicle
and I think the the first the first stage in that is vehicles as tools
vehicles as useful tools and that's the that's like the 1900s to to kind of the late 1940s I mean
you do start getting into identity and art in the 40s for sure but primarily in that age cars are
like plows tractors or hammers you know think like Ford Model T energy transportation reliability
repairability utility that's what car that's what vehicles were car was an extension of your
personality it was an extension of your work radius early cars weren't about who you were
they were about where you could now get to freedom wasn't uh it wasn't emotional yet
it was practical you know back that time uh your ancestors your great grandpa whoever it was it was
buying cars at that time they didn't buy a car they didn't go out and buy a 1935 pickup because
it was a pretty pickup they went out and bought it because they needed a pickup for the farm
they needed a way to get to church and holahog you know what I mean they had a need in this thing
somebody made this thing that fit this need and that's the way that's the way that all sort of
flowed and worked it wasn't oh look at you know back then even the cars didn't come in that many
colors and we're going back to that now which is kind of depressing but that's the truth of the
matter I always hear my buddy Adam that's been helping me edit the book and stuff and
really good friend of mine very intelligent person I love having conversations with him
we're discussed there's a line Papal Clark said to me one time we're standing up in the
transcode tower and we're looking down west timer and he's like boy they're coming so many colors
now he's like you know when I was a kid you just get them in black and it was he's like look at that
one looks like great polypop yeah he was so excited seeing all the colorful cars going up
down west timer of course that was the 90s cars were still colorful bit
but that's the very first stage of automobile evolution is the vehicle as a tool it says a
useful implement that you purchase to help you achieve tasks that's that's what vehicles did
then and really it's the late 40s I would say to the late 1990s
and this enters a new stage this is cars as personality cars as an identity freedom and
personality this is to me this is the golden era late 40s you start getting some beautiful art
pieces put on four wheels this is uh this is the time period where Detroit figures something out
people don't just want to go places they want to feel like someone why they're doing it
you know late 40s 50s 60s this is the era of tail fins and muscle personal luxury cars
pick up trucks become masculinity statements towards the end of the 80s
vans become symbol of rebellion long before kidnappery stuff sports cars are a promise
that you are this cool you are this guy that deserves his fast moving machine hugs the road
Chevrolet didn't sell horsepower they sold who you were on a friday night
you remember that that you remember when cars were like that when that was a dodge truck didn't
sell payload it sold competence I mean it's good as dodge could this this is the wrecking yard era
this is uh your car said what you couldn't yet this is this is cars as personality as identity
and it there's important nuance to this because most of us couldn't afford the dream outright
so we bought used versions of it and they still work because the cars in that time period were
overbuilt so we could buy that used car and we'd spend a little time and a little effort making it us
making it suit your identity making it suit your needs
I think in my mind it is the golden age it's it's the it's I think probably
I mean for me uh peak automobile design as far as art is the mid 60s that's that's the end of it
after that things start going downhill in my mind that's just my opinion uh the telfins or straight
lines that to me is where it's peak I have different little periods though you know like the 1957
1957 1957 dodge swept side that is peak
that's the epitome of pickup truck design to me single cab that beautiful swept side bed
gave a little style of panache good looking front end that was a was a pickup truck
that you go pick up a load of materials in but you still felt pretty good by getting your old lady
in it driving up church house on sunday afternoon to me that was peak
it's when the cars got very colorful
two-tone paint schemes
great many other interesting things
that's the era of cars I the ones I love the ones I miss
and they were all so different you know it was a period of time where I know I've said this before
but you know nothing even well up into the 90s the early 90s you could see a car a mile away
and know what kind of car it was you know if there's a forward Chevrolet Toyota you get you could tell
you know when I was a teenager to drive around all the cops drove caprices and crown vicks
buddy I could tell a pair of caprice headlights from two miles away in the dark I knew if that was
a caprice coming down the highway I'd gotten so good at scanning for them police and the same way
with them crown vicks well up in the 90s you can tell when there was a crown vic running up on your six
there you there was a period of time where they started selling off all those crown vicks
and uh my buddy Nick used to have a joke
instead of he said he's sort of tired of uh
man I can't remember how the bit went it don't matter I'll just tell you I threw a lot of joints
out because somebody driving a used crown vic that I thought was a cop car
but you could tell things apart back then all the automotive manufacturers had their own style
they had their own designers they had their own style they had their own look
they had their own identity they all had a spot anywhere they were we've talked about that
mercury right you had Ford which is every man that's the everyman brand then mercury was a
little bit of personal luxury but not completely still a performance little step up it's for a man
that made his bones want something just a little nicer
then you had Lincoln Lincoln was your diamond gym right Lincoln was your diamond gym model that's
when that's when you had a few bucks in your pocket you needed to let everybody know you know what I
mean you don't necessarily need to know everything about you but you need them know you got more
money than they did that's Jerry Lee Lewis tooling around 1961 Lincoln continental running around
Memphis raising hell possibly killing a wife or two whatever Cadillac same way
GM had a lot of little intermediate brands right GM has Buick was a little bit Buick was some
luxury shit wasn't quite Cadillac but it was some luxury shit but all the Buick's had their own
style and stuff I've often thought that the most overlooked era of hot rods or the Buick's not
era but brand of hot rod the most overlooked in the hot rod and scene is the Buick the Buick
Skylark was a beautiful car throughout its evolution just just gorgeous machine
they've been another car 1960 I can't remember what it is but has the has one of the coolest looking
canopy designs I've ever seen on a car almost looks like a glass bubble driving around really
interesting Buick had some of the most interesting designs out there that's the that's the stuff I
love and cars had you can just tell I know what that is that's this that's this not just oh what's
this egg shape thing what brand is stamped on it somewhere I don't think 20 years from now some
kids gonna restore his mom's 2012 Lexus egg SUV I just don't think it's gonna happen they might do
some engine swaps on them and stuff and run them but I don't think anybody's gonna be building those
cars to make them look beautiful again but it was throughout that time period of identity and
freedom the cars represented is where I think most of us fell in love with automobiles because
like I said you might not be able to afford the new one but you go get you one that's about five
ten years old put a little money in you had a little something same thing I'm doing that
avalanche that avalanche is older I wanted something a little older I wanted the specific
platform that I was happy with this platform I like and I put a little money in it I had myself
good run a little picket that was the that was the model that's what we did throughout that entire
time period that's what your dad did that's what your uncles did that's what you did that's what
hopefully your kid got a chance to do my kids didn't because they're they're young my kid don't
have no interest in cars driving any of that mess right I wish I'd been that way when I was that
age would save me a lot of heartache I think that kid just don't care about that don't don't want
to when I was 15 years old I was chomping at the bit to get behind the wheel a bit
okay don't want nothing to do with it oh I wish I'd been that way
then we move in
to what I think is the third stage of automobile evolution which is one we're in now and I feel
like it kind of started in the early 2000s this is uh
it's vehicles as assets investment abstraction this is the
the quiet heartbreak of the evolution of the automobile
they didn't stop being good regardless what people have to say about that
if you look at the numbers and you look at the value and you look at
there's still a lot of good cars being made Toyota still makes a lot of fine vehicles there's
still a lot of fine vehicles being made that are good that are last that last it's much easier to
get two or three hundred thousand miles have a car now than it was in the 80s 300,000 miles on a car
in the 80s meant you re-ring it at least twice it's easier to do that now fuel injection
modern fuels modern lubricants
more efficient engines
but it's it's still the quiet heartbreak cars didn't stop being good but they stopped being
personal the sense of identity that came with vehicles is starting to be needed
leasing started replacing ownership finance and replaced saving up for a car
software started replacing mechanics I mean to be a good tech now you have to have a
intricate knowledge of how the software in these vehicles works you have to I'm not saying
you had to be a computer programmer but you have to understand how the software works how
how to test the software how to diagnose the software how to figure out if it's a software
issue or an electrical issue is much more important now than it was in 1985
cars of course you know this is where the screens start coming into play
and this is also where automotive manufacturers start practicing scarcity
instead of abundance you know used to be they made up team models of a car and they sold it
out to the dealerships and then if those cars didn't get sold well they sold next year cheaper
but now they'll put a new car out and they'll only make so many of them
and they'll see how they sell and then they'll determine if they're going to manufacture any
more of that or if they're going to keep that line and we talk about cars differently now
nobody talks about oh I just buying this car because I just want this car that's
it's so rare that you hear that anymore mostly the young people still but what you
which like a lot of the boomer age people bought all these badass cars in the 70s and 80s and they
fixed them up and they held on to them and somewhere along the line and stopped being a car
and started being this thing in a garage that was an investment they started talking about
the vehicles as resale value market value collector grade low miles these all became
more important than the car itself as a result what you're now seeing is because those cars
have dropped in valuation they're not sought after is that mean they're sought after but not like
they were there was a period of time where if you had a 1949 Ford coupe with a decent restoration
on it you had money in the bank that's a $20,000 car now there are thousands of those cars across
the United States with 60 to 80 grand spent on restoration that are not pulling that money
they're not getting that money back out of them because those cars have passed the mark of their
peak valuation and all these guys that held on to them or sell and watch John Clay Wolf band
he goes out there and I'll buy a lot of these cars from these guys that have collected these
cars all their life and they're in their late 60s and the mid 70s now and they know they're never
going to drive all them cars they know they don't even drive them now they hoarded and collected them
and now they're getting a third of their value on resell
that's to me is perhaps the most disappointing one of the most disappointing factors
that you know when I was telling y'all last week about that buddy of mine selling that pickup
truck so cheap that kid it does tickle me tickles me that kid got that truck that cheap because a
kid ought to be able to get a truck that cheap now the kid ought to be able to buy a truck for
something they can afford to spend on and put a little effort and blood sweating tears into
and have something they like when they're done they ought to be able to but it's damned hard for
him to do it now
these kids what you know you go out by a 10 year old car now you're getting
a Cadillac SRX who the hell wants that you know I mean I did when I bought it but
you know what I'm saying like that's not the same thing it's not like the options that we had
I feel for I feel for the younger generation when it comes to that they're missing a chunk of that
the romance in the early 2000s the romance between the American people and automobiles
changed it died a little bit cars became investments cars became assets they were no
longer symbols of identity
at some point
cars stopped being a tool that you used up and started being a thing you protected because
you thought you were going to get something out of it later on when you got ready to replace it
it's a huge shift and that's when the colors disappeared
and the reason for that is resell that's the biggest reason
there are far less colors available than there used to be it's because of resell people mostly
buy black white and gray cars because black white and gray cars sell black white and gray cars
resell plum cars sometimes a little harder to move
black white and gray resells it's why everybody's house is nine shades of gray now on the inside
it becomes that well I need to paint my house good good houses have done the same homes have
done the same thing remember in the 70s and 80s and the 90s growing up all our parents their homes
were decorated with photos and things from their childhood and things that mattered to them and you
know that dear dad got back in 1984 was up on the wall and that that fish he caught out at Lake
Travis that time that was up on the wall you know people's homes were in extension themselves
extension their identity and their personality now homes have lost that on the large I know
there's still exceptions to the rule but it's the same way people go in they they buy a house
and they're going to remodel it and the first thing they do is they painted eight
shades of gray or eight shades of beige cowardice and hopes that when they get ready to move or
whatever they're doing they can resell it make a little money on it
you know back when I was younger selling a car used to mean you were done like I said
you were done with a chapter and it still does to me but now it feels more like you're stepping
out of the market and that feels gross to me you're not sad about the metal you're sad about the
version of yourself that needed the car the promise it represented the idea that cars once met us halfway
but now you're just selling an investment the thing that you tied this much money in and let's
hope it pays out to this
I'm not I'm not being anti-car I'm just and I'm not trying to be a Luddite I'm just saying
there was a period and we passed that period and the period we're in now is it's not as warm a
period for automobile I don't I don't necessarily miss all those cars from that era but I missed
the era where owning one still felt like you were becoming something
anyways whenever I get my iPad since right now let you guys ring it see what y'all think
it's more about pickup trucks and how they evolved alongside masculine like I said but
let's talk a little bit about Hoyt Axton man holy shit
I get so excited when I discover something new that I didn't know or I didn't remember
and a lot of times a lot of that these days is from TikTok because my TikTok algorithm I
manufactured it very carefully it's a lot of old music old movies science stuff that interests me
very little car stuff very little car stuff from my TikTok I don't I don't particularly like the
automotive lane of TikTok because it seems to be mostly bullshit and people flexing money
but what I kind of go to I lean towards YouTube for my car stuff I like guys like
Biscuits garage and uh pole barn garage stuff guys doing real shit like that I like Clay's
from far and that's a lot of money but I like what he does those those guys I lean more towards
so most of my most of my car needs and stuff like that and video game stuff that I'm into
and I'm researching that's all YouTube for me TikToks old music old movies stuff I didn't
know and I see this clip I'm scrolling through TikTok I think it's Tuesday night and I
I stumble across this clip it's a song I love it's called Never Been to Spain it's a big three dog
night hit but it ain't three dog night playing the song it's this kind of husky fella and he looks
familiar to me and he's singing this shit out of Never Been to Spain I mean honestly it's a little
better than three dog night which just feels like sacrilegiously in the reggae yard but it's gonna be
straight with you the old boy's killing it I'm like who's this guy and I'm looking at him look at
him like man where where I know this dude from I know this guy from somewhere so I look down I
read his name Hoyt Axton and I meet him off the google let's go who in the hell is Hoyt Axton
pops up all his he's done a lot of acting and a lot of songwriting a lot of music
who's this guy huh I've never heard of him and then boom right there Gremlins 1984 I think
he's the dad and Gremlins Gremlins is one of my favorite movies from when I was a kid I watched
Gremlins over and over and over again love that movie he's the dad and Gremlins the the amateur
inventor the guy tried to sell his little smokeless ashtrays and bullshit and it and he was lovable
and warm and then I used to watch a lot of bonanza with my pep on and and sure enough boom bonanza
he's singing on banana like I know this guy oh my god I know this guy it's like when you realize
shell silverstein was um uh I mean not shell silverstein uh Ben Colder
what's his name one out one one blind purple people either he wrote under a little pen name
something shall be something like that there he is on bonanza Hoyt Axton on bonanza I go off
out he's everywhere songs you've heard your whole life a voice you recognize immediately
lyrics that sound older than the recording uh you know like some people aren't big stars
they're threads they're threads in the tapestry that creates uh popular culture in our country
and this dude is one of these threads right he's not the whole picture he's not the fabric
but he's one of these threads
his his mother co-wrote heartbreak hotel may actually co-wrote heartbreak hotel for the king
God she thoughts on Elvis he's a king all right put that out there he's king wasn't a great song
writer great song buyer he's a king heartbreak hotel Hoyt Axton's mother
it's not that's not random trivia that's destiny paperwork this guy was destined
to become a part of americana you can't come from that kind of lineage and not have a little
talent a little something that's that's not coincidence that's a family being assigned a
job in the country he didn't stumble into americana he reported for duty
he's an amazing character actor he's in wkrp Cincinnati he he pops up in all these little
places just enough that your whole life you've seen him somewhere not big main character energy
not leading man just this
fingerprint here and a fingerprint there a fingerprint there
he's never the loudest he's always believable warm human little warm he feels like a man who's seen
some things every time you see him on screen he's the uh i tell you the other one i remember
big time before i didn't realize until i started looking him up he's mr jen he's the the trainer
from black stallion that was a movie i watched with my mom a lot my mom loved black stallion
and i liked horse movies and i was kid that's because i didn't know anything about horses yet
there were other horses were complete other assholes and hate us but i used to watch a lot
of horse movies and there was the black stallion uh mom also loved the eight seconds movie with
lanefrost we used to watch that one a lot which not really a horse movie it's more of a bull rider
movie but it's rodeo shit it's adjacent and there was a set of movies that i loved when i was young
that me and my papa kark used to watch and they were called the man from snowy river and they were
about australian cowboys and by god they were some cool there's still some the man from snowy river
i would put up against most cowboy movies and say let's watch this you tell me this
ain't a great cowboy movie man from snowy rivers fantastic you got uh
is it jack lemon now i can't remember who plays the uncle
kirk douglas kirk douglas you got kirk douglas playing twins two brothers uh brian denny he gets
i love brian denny he gets involved brian denny he makes a good all right i don't remember the
boy's name that plays uh the man from snowy river but he's fantastic too go if you had if you hadn't
watched a good old cowboy movie in a while good and you want to see some australian cowboys go
watch the man from snowy river it's got some of the best horse scenes uh i put it right up there
with um as far as horse scenes and the horse riding scenes i'll put it up next to um
young guns put it up next to young gun series i'm excited y'all know they're making a third one
i'm psyched about that me you know estravez directing it i'm really looking forward to how that turns out
but hoidakston's there he's he's he's not in those movies but you know what i mean he's just one
of these guys that pops up he's around he's in black stallion he's in grimans he's in wkrp
Cincinnati he's on bonanza he he's just popping around american culture let you know i'm here
and it's not just about liking him you trusted him he felt like uh a man that you could sit next to
in a bus station and not be impressed and that's why he mattered americana isn't a genre it's the
background radiation of growing up in the united states and hoidakston shows up in that as music
movie songwriting voice spirit he's he wasn't trying to be iconic he just was trying to be useful
and i i i think that's the key
and in some of the threads and tapestry that he added that are songbook
he wrote joy to the world he named his record label jeremy after jeremy was a bullfrog he wrote
joy to the world can i tell you i mean that was a mass culture sing along joy to the world is me
in the garage with my dad always three dog night is me in the garage with my dad
i used to when i first started stand up i had like three or four jokes about three dog night
they didn't play because nobody remembered who they were but i thought they were funny
never been to spain never been to spain is one of my one of my favorite songs lifelong that's one
of those songs that well i've never been to anyone but i read he made elves sing that he made
made elvis sing i really like the Beatles which elvis did not
he uh elvis recorded that song three dog night the course of three dog night to me is probably
you know the main one but all his songs are kind of written as a out outsider perspective
disguised as fun about displacement uh he wrote the no-no song you know it's it's funny
deceptively autobi biograph biographical so i can't say that word
no no song's funny because it's a song about refusal by a man who struggled to refuse things
you know hoit had some problems with some cocaine right he struggled a little bit with addiction
and sobriety greenback dollar it's pure folk dna right poverty dignity humor all in one song
the pusher crucial for the addiction conversation separates the dealer from the drug blame versus
weakness big themes in that song it's ripped by somebody who understand both where his recordings
feel earthy worn friendly a little tired in an honest way
i'm just amazed at the amount of music this man wrote while also doing this acting and popping
up i had no idea that the dad from gremlins was responsible for all this magic that is a part
of the very fabric of the world i grew up in what a wonderful way to have an entertainment career
and hoit struggled like i said with cocaine alcohol to wear a tear of being everywhere
nowhere it wants right he had demons
but he didn't hide from his addiction he was standing in it trying to stay useful and he
bought it at first he didn't disappear he didn't stop working he didn't burn the whole house down
publicly he kept showing up as a functional human even when it was hard and then later on he gets
sober and he talks about that openly he helps others but my favorite thing about him is when
you look at the things he had later to say about that he didn't come off as preachy
he didn't act like his sobriety made him holy i
look let me tell you there is a i often joke that one of the hardest people to be friends with is
alcoholic and the second hardest to be is a person who used to be an alcoholic or recovered
because some of the people they just decide whatever their problem is is everybody else's
problem they start projecting that and it gets to be a lot but this dude didn't hoit didn't wear
recovery like a medal he wore it like a like work boots like it was just something he had to do
that's kind of the way my buddy sam miller is about sam miller really funny comic and i appreciate
his very distinct this is the life i live this is what i did and this is what i do now
sam miller has a great recovery outlook sam miller is a guy i suspect will be recovered for the rest
of his life because he's very honest about it uh him and hoit there's a kind of men that uh
they survive addiction not because they're special but because they believe they're still needed
and that's something that speaks to us as men as men we want to be needed
and when you come through something like that you fight a battle like that and then you can wear
that like armor to say no i'm not it's not because i think i'm so important but it's because i think
i'm still needed hoit felt needed by music by people by the work it's the same thing i
say about the cars while the cars were necessary because there were tools and cars were part of
identity it's it's that same need cars tools meaning markets hoit talent usefulness survival
these things all these themes keep showing up
some people don't exist to be celebrated they exist to hold things together
while the rest of us try to figure it out that's hoit accident so if you're not familiar mr hoit
do yourself a favor this evening you get done watching the podcast
if you're a drinking man pour yourself a little drink if you're not a drinking man pour yourself
a little water coffee whatever you do some tea find yourself a little quiet spot somewhere
put your headphones in go to whatever your music app is put in hoit accident
and get you give yourself a trip a little escape learn a little something about a man that just sat
here and helped shape the music of americana it's amazing to me some some folks in entertainment
are not meant to be you have your flashes in the pans you have your people who are big stars
right off the bat but some folks aren't meant to be discovered early they're meant to be there
when you finally have the ears for them and I think at 48 years old all of a sudden I had the
ears for a hoit accident I didn't find him late I found him right on time for me but I hope some of
you will go and check out a little hoit accident just look at me do a little reading on the guy
wildly interesting you know he's passed on now but he wasn't optional he was always part of the
tapestry and what more could you hope for I mean I guess I kind of looked at it like
this is the career I want I don't need to be the big star I'm not trying to be a leading man
right but I would like to do some character acting I would like to I'd like to play some dads
I'd like to play a couple of different versions of dad hopefully some pathos like play some pathos
these are the characters I want to play I want to play them honestly and openly as I know them to be
that's that's good work right there that's a good hoit accident left this world with a great legacy
I wrote this these he created these songs that created mostly other people made them famous
you know Kingston trio Greenback Dollars big hit for them three dog night joy to the world
never been spain Elvis had a pretty big hit but never been spain Elvis had a couple songs that
hoit wrote that were big hits bro that's kind of legacy like as far as entertainment goes
that would feel meaningful to me it's like you know one day after I'm gone and some young people
watch the wrecking yard still clean something from it something helpful or at least learn about
age they missed out on
maybe by the time we're on flying cars they'll watch Truck of Straws and
try to imagine which one of those characters I'm talking about was their papaw or whatever
it's kind of shit I'd like that's that's hoit accidents legacy is a legacy worth wanting
it's a tremendous human being
all right let's wrap that up for now
you know what time is
it is time for us to return to the Wally Bottoms Texas we got a humdinger of an episode today
the Ford F3 looms silent in the dark next to a makeshift carport fashioned from leftover
drill pipe and corrugated steel they hadn't moved in many years it's on deteriorating
shell and frame slowly mirroring its owner's passage through time oxidation and mice had
found a permanent home within the bones and interior of the retired workhorse weary from an
calculable number of trips hauling men and their cutting tools in and out of the pine bottoms
that spread lush and damp throughout east texas in those days the home was modest it had been
ordered as a kit from sears in the early fifties and built on site by the mill workers for the
foreman to live in Danny had made a deal of mr. Simmons for the house and land a few years before
he passed and the Simmons kids had sold off every asset the old man had worked his whole life for
such as the nature of these things children who do not sweat and bleed to build empires
often only see the value in the printing of numbers on checks
a sycamore as ancient and gnarled as it was hauled did little to block the moonlight
its leaves scattered across the property as if given notice of the impending winter
the gravel crunched and popped beneath the tires of Danny's Ford as he pulled past the tree slowly
coming to a stop in front of the carport one final hiss from the engine as he turned the key
off and stepped out of the pickup he took a drag from his cigarette and leaned against the bed
staring up into the branches of the old century his face haloed in the smoke of a slow exhale
the embers of his cigarette scattered and bounced when he flicked it carelessly across
the carport before stepping up the concrete stairs into the narrow kitchen he filled his
coffee pot before setting it on the steady blue flame from the burner there was a feeling that
the night would be long and he'd need the caffeine to stay sharp he pulled a bottle of old forester
from the cabinet above he'd need the whiskey to keep the anger boiling inside at bay for the work ahead
no one had ever accused Johnny black of being too intelligent or clever
him and his ilk come from laird hill a small community a few miles outside of kill ball
his father was a well-liked man of god from a long line of pentecostals and shout methodously
together with his wife they stewarded a small country church and though the couple had guided
many of their congregation through difficult times their own two sons had been nothing short
of a menace to rust county johnny was the muscle but his younger brother timmy made up for a slight
build with a sense of cruelty that gave even his older sibling pause i can't believe you let that
old prick rub his gun on your face the sharp words distracted johnny from the cigarette he was trying
to light he glared at timmy over the roof of his battered baby blue el camino i ain't let nobody do
shit i ain't done with him timmy grinned with all the malice his father had spent his life trying
to quell he opened the passenger door there's enough money in that envelope set us up new
Orleans make some real cash and teaching that old fool a lesson is just a bonus
johnny sat down in the driver's seat we ought to wait till tomorrow night so he ain't expecting
this timmy cut him off mid-sense boy he really scared your ass didn't he who gives a shit if he
expects us won't do him no good anyways i ain't scared of shit timmy you keep talking that mess
it's going to be me and you go at it give me a bump timmy visibly shrink back from his older
brother's retching hand knowing he'd pushed a little too far he produced the twisted cellophane
package he'd got from the bikers earlier its contents resembled chunks of dirty sugar mixed
with drywall dust johnny snatched the bag and pummeled its contents against the steering wheel
with his lighter before dipping his key in he brought it up quick head snapping back from the
familiar burn timmy was down in his own line off his hand when johnny fired up the el Camino
and whipped it down the rough shot road he hollered an obscenity out of the window as johnny floored
it turning on the highway the 305 beneath the hood sounding like it was having an asthma attack
under its own inefficient labor
Danny laid a 20 gauge double barrel shotgun across his lap breaking open the action
and shoving a pair of buckshot rounds in before snapping it closed
the barrel was pitted with surface rust the savage arms logo barely visible
he wasn't much of a sporting man aside from fishing but the gun had belonged to his own
grandfather who taught him how to shoot with it he legged it carefully across the kitchen table
and stared out the window at the old sycamore down the road his eyes searching for any glimmer of
light he poured a couple fingers of the bourbon into his coffee before taking a sip of the hot
liquid the heat reddened in his face the bourbon loosening his hands the revolver heavy still in
his left pocket pressed against his midsection as he leaned back in the chair his mind returned
into a happier memory of teaching Tony how to shoot the old shotgun down in the creek bottoms
the boy couldn't have been more than 13 bird chested and light as a feather it was just a 20
gauge but knocked the kid to the ground damn near every time he fired it little booger would just
hop up dust himself off and reload for another round every time the kid had heart not a lick of
brains but all the heart and grit in the world the nostalgic moment was interrupted when he saw
the El Camino headlights turn on to the old mill road they were moving slow the noise of the engine
barely audible yet when the car pulled off behind a stand a box elder and the lights cut he was
certain they were coming to see him if they were coming to sell information they'd have just parked
in the driveway though the two brothers sat in the dark watching the old man drink coffee in the
kitchen window Tommy opened the glove compartment and handed one of the pistols to Johnny the two
inch barrel of the Rossi kitchen the sliver of light shining through the clouds for just a second
Johnny wrapped his hand around the checkered grip and slowly stepped out of the car his brother grabbing
the remaining gun a Taurus revolver they'd stolen from a junk shop owner they'd robbed in
Dangerfield before getting out creeping to the tree line you go in the front door stay the
tree line till you get past that sycamore in the driveway I ease out around that old farm truck
come in the kitchen door if he runs for the living room you'll be right there on him
Timmy whispered
how am I gonna know if I can't see you how am I gonna know when to go
Johnny wasn't good with conceptual planning just wait till you hear me go in I'll holler something
at him to catch his old ass off guard Timmy's impatient evident Johnny just silently nodded
still unsure of the plan but not wanting to irritate his sibling any further
Danny watched the bigger one creeping along the tree line on the other side of the road he
recognized him as the big lug he had stood down at the beer joint earlier his peripheral had caught
the smaller one moving towards his old pulpwood truck surmising correctly he was planning on coming
through the kitchen door he continued to sip his coffee knowing the bigger one could see him
he waited patiently for him to cross behind the sycamore towards the front door out of sight
the second the shadow crossed Danny grabbed the shotgun and stepped into the hallway of the kitchen
to the bedrooms and stood ready against the wall breathing slowly the remaining fingers of his
mangled right hand curled around the forend his left around the stock finger across both triggers
seconds felt like minutes before he heard the kitchen door knobs slowly turn before the door
flew open with a war cry from the intruder followed immediately by the sound of Johnny's size 13
butt keeking the front door nearly off its hinges door casing splintering in the shards
a few fit steps into the kitchen and I saw what the was all the smaller man got out before Danny
fired both barrels from the dark hallway a few feet away Johnny watched in confusion as his kid
brother was lifted off his feet and slammed into the kitchen cabinets from the force of the blast
he ran forward ears ringing a scream he wasn't even sure was his blasting through the kitchen
Danny had immediately dropped the shotgun and pulled the ruger from his pocket as the bigger
man ran towards the carnage he stepped out with the revolver pointed at Johnny who was having a
hard time processing what had happened you killed my brother you killed my brother you killed him
you raised that pistol and you'll be next Danny I had the pistol down at Johnny's side now
Johnny's attention turned to Danny the adrenaline and crank still running his decision process
you're dead he went to lift his gun right as the ruger bucked and around tore into his pelvis
bam the ruger bucked again this round ripping through his lower abdomen dropping him to his
knees the pistol in his hand clattering to the linoleum Danny stepped forward and kicked him
backwards before kicking his discarded gun towards the other wall Johnny's breath was short his
stomach on fire like Satan himself had pissed in his wounds Danny pointed the ruger at his face
tell me who killed Tony I don't know man I don't know Johnny gargled out I don't know I don't know
I don't know you killed my brother he was openly bawling at this point bloody spittle forming
at the corners of his mouth stop your sniveling y'all didn't kick in my door to say hello
Danny's rage was palpable fill in the room even though his tone was calm you ain't got long boy
do something right before you meet your maker tell me who the hell killed my nephew
Johnny's eyes were unfocused the life was leaving him red and gold man everybody
everybody knows it's red and gold he coughed up some of the blood choking him before going
still his last few rattling breaths echoing in the quiet kitchen
Danny sat down in the chair laid the revolver on the table the acrid bite of the powder stinging
his nose he wiped some of the younger brother's blood from his cheek with his hand and began to
weep not for his actions not for the two brothers laying motionless on his kitchen floor but for
a blind bird chested 13-year-old with a dirty face that he couldn't save
tune in next week for more from the dollybottoms text
episode five we're in the camp
told you the good one
got things happening now
all right let's do some testimonials
there we go our buddy uh
at bench press ben what a name hey jw i really love the new format your stories are awesome
and it's something different to look forward to with each new episode and a way it reminds
me of paul harvey and the rest of the story episodes from my childhood i think it's the
level of engagement that your stories demand that reminds me of that oh and one last thing a 4300
doesn't have a timing chain well everybody showed up to tell me that y'all are 100 right
that was a screw up on my part so when i originally started writing the story
i was going to have danie driving a like a 1987 dodge with a 318 in it
was originally how the story is going to go but then i decided uh last week when i was working
on stuff i decided i wanted carl jr driving a dodge diplomat as his police car because there
used to be a lot of those when i was young uh they were a good cheap police car and i was like
us to be dodges and danie danie feels more like a forward man right because he's got that old
forward f3 so you know them guys kind of they stuck with one brand for a while you know that was
that generation that did that and so danie felt more like a forward man to me so i started rewriting
begin of that and that was just my screw up that was just my screw up y'all are absolutely right
4300 does not have a timing chain 4302 does not have a tension or else timing chain but a 318
does and that's what i was thinking about and i screwed up
good catch try not to make mistakes like that but when you're writing something every week for
people it's it's easy to get mired up in the story and forget about some of the details so
that's my bad i will try to do better in the future thank you for the call out but
that our old buddy chuck packwood what you said really hit home i remember when we were struggling
and i would get jealous of someone driving a newer truck than me later when our business
took off and i was driving a new truck i found out i had cancer suddenly the material stuff
didn't hold any meaning to me now that i'm better i still drive an older truck it really taught me
what matters in life but it took me a while to learn that i'll tell you there was a specific night
i had my old 2000 gmc z71 rachel had a 2007 uh ucon at the time they're both in need of repairs
both high miles at the time and we were struggling i was doing everything i was doing foundation
repair and of course paying off paul russian and we were killing ourselves to get by you know
every dime we had extra was going back into the business tools equipment we weren't making money
on every job there's one night we ordered a pizza and the pizza delivery guy showed up
in a uh 2012
maybe it's 2014 chevrolet 2500 hd duramax which was kind of truck i was dreaming about at that time
but i couldn't afford i wanted to have one of those for pulling trailer stuff my old z71 was
struggling and i was doing concrete jobs i need to pull heavier turns and here my pizza guy shows
up drop off my pizza and he's driving the truck that i need to do my job and it's nicer in mind
it's newer in mind and it got under my skin every day i went outside that night and i was
leaning over better my truck smoking cigarette and i just kept thinking where'd you go wrong
why is the pizza man got a nicer vehicle than you you know and that's the wrong way to look at it
and i know that now but at the time i'm telling you i was mired up in it i could not look at it any
other way it made me feel like a failure it made me feel like i let my wife down because she wasn't
driving the newer vehicle it made me feel a lot of things i look at it all differently now but
i'm just telling you i was at that time i get what you're saying chup i'm also really glad to hear
you beat the shit out of cancer and i hope that uh hope that old truck you're driving gives you
thousands and thousands of more miles of smiles
at david becker her old buddy david jw you need to know in this world you have to have an opinion
you have to be on one side or the other we cannot wait for all the facts that is not the world now
love you man i think david's joking i hope david's joking we talk about this stuff all the time uh
i think david screwed with me i hope he is
don't get it twisted i got plenty of opinions i have opinions about everything i have all
manner of opinions about politics and politicking i do a lot of reading about it i used to tell you
i used to be really wrapped up in that stuff i still keep an ear to the ground i got opinions
but i just don't believe that i need to be another voice another part of the noise
about those things there are plenty of people making noise about those things
that i don't think should be i don't think everybody needs to voice their opinion about
that stuff i missed the days when i was growing up and old men didn't really argue about politics
too much they might have something to say about this guy's a deadbeat or whatever but that was the
end of it they moved on they talked about things that matter life family cars hunting fishing whatever
i missed that i miss i miss when our politicians had class intact i mean they were still screwing
us but at least they sounded better doing it yeah i got plenty of opinions but i share those
opinions with my my close trusted confidants my wife my closest friends we talk about those things
and and we don't agree sometimes we bicker a little bit about those things and what we believe
i'm probably more of a centrist than any of my friends i like i always want to call us i think
if you had to like like tie me to something right
like a political party
it's libertarian but i hate to call myself a libertarian because i don't believe we're real
i don't believe we actually exist i think every libertarian is uh
either a dope smoking republican or a gun totan democrat and i'll i'll let y'all decide what the
hell you think i am but that's what i really think all right let's get out of here oh no no
no i got one more thing oh i got some mail yeah yeah yeah g brunner in nevada let's see what mr
brunner sent us this is a interesting envelope here thick kind of old school looking ready post
is what it says on it kind of brown i don't know i like getting things in brown cardboard
it's kind of a nostalgia thing oh it's a handwritten letter
jw a wall backed algorithm may have chosen humanity over profit when your videos began
popping up my feed i enjoyed them and when i learned that you had a podcast i
filed it in my mind is something to get to earlier this year i popped on a random episode
and listened between service calls sorry it's not this handwriting bad my eyes just suck
then i went back to the beginning and listened to the series in order i caught up last week
i caught you at a good time about four months ago about four months into recovery from a
nasty alcohol addiction one that left me with withdrawal symptoms that led to a seizure in
a hospital stay things could have been worse but the wreckage from a four-year cheap vodka fuel
bender were far from insignificant damage relationships broken trust and lots of questions
of both the immediate and existential type well you're preaching my language there
my soul currently resembles a house after a storm a bare exposed frame on an overgrown lot
whose rebuild plans are uncertain but it is slowly being rebuilt the form it will take is
yet unknown at the moment you're sharing of your tales with a perfect mix of seriousness and
irreverence warts and all make you in the podcast very relatable and you spend a heck of a yarn
thank you for what you have taken the time to create glenbrunner on a lighter note i'd be lying
if i said i wasn't at least a little mad at that knucklehead that ruined that cougar that you had
designs on but that payback or that wormy little bastard i still get mad i think about that cougar
this episode the episode remind me of a picture i took on a patio on a on a photo walk
i'm a photography geek enjoy it use it for dark practice give it to the cat whatever
just know that is a tiny token of my appreciation that you're encouraging words help more than you
ever know thank you for that glen oh there's just something about a handwritten note that's
really wonderful gotten a few from you guys over the years and i don't know why i just
triggered something in me somebody sat down and wrote something out people don't often do that
anymore oh this is beautiful look at this where'd you even see this what a magical spot what a
magical capture i'm gonna take it out of the plastic so y'all can see it a little better on
camera and i'll put it back in the plastic till it's side i think i may frame this have this frame
put in my office and then sort of figuring out what my office looks like this year this is fantastic
uh you listeners that can't see it it's a beautiful photograph of a uh late 60s era cougar uh
in a wooded area but the trees are kind of growing over it like a canopy and it's front
end is concealed by uh underbrush it looks like there might be a tarp or old floor mat laying on
the top of it maybe a tarp that's pulled back i don't think the tarp was over it because the leaves
on the windshield is no longer uh clear it's fogged by time and age it's on black and white
it's very stark and contrasting it's a gorgeous photo i'll hold it up there in the camera so you
guys can get a good look at it isn't that cool thank you very much for that blend thank you i'm
gonna find something interesting to do that it will not be dart practice and i will not give it to
the cat because she will just eat it instead of gonna put it back in the plastic but i'm screwing
that all over i gotta find out what kind of tape you used on that because this is the best tape
anybody's ever used for anything all right well it's at least covered in plastic now we'll figure
that out later thank you so much for the note blend for the words on this paper these are the kind
of words that keep me going i have struggled with how this thing is taking shape and what it's
become but the the the the overrunning theme i keep hearing from people is that it's helping
and that if i can do something with my creativity and my stories to help others then what better
purpose could you possibly have it's that hoid accident ship right it's that it's that kind of
legacy that's what i'm trying to build thank you i wish you all the success in the world in the
rebuilding of your soul somebody who's had to do it a few times i know how it a difficult process
that can be
i sometimes get accused of it because of my videos but i'm no luddite
i ain't one of these old dudes that just think the world has gone to hell and there's no fixing
that there's there's one singularity or event that ruined everything i love being alive right
now it's difficult as things can be to get by a rigger folks bear and witness to great strides
and technology and innovation ain't a prison it's a gift i'm not against a computer or a screen in
my vehicle i just don't want the whole vehicle to become a touchscreen with a set of 20s and run
flats the news is scary as hell i get it it keeps me worried more than i'd like to admit myself
news has always been scary though i guarantee some dude sat in his outhouse in 1893 trying to
read the new york times between smash and spiders and thought well hell between the bank failure
the riots and starvation the whole thing is going into crapper the same way my my grandad
read the paper at the table in the 80s reading about nuclear annihilation and crack infesting
neighborhoods and he was just sure we was all done for the exact same way a lot of us sitting
scroll news and political videos and stay up half the night worrying about our kids futures
and sometimes decide someone ruined everything and it's all over
it ain't
we just got to keep working on it not everything's disposable despite how it feels we can fix this
it's going to take some love some understanding
we're going to have to stop wearing our ideals like armor and attacking anyone who sees the
world differently than us but i tell you what ain't going to fix it division and posturing
that ain't ever fixed a damn thing you can't you can't build nothing worth keeping when
everybody's trying to tear it apart at the same time a house divided don't fall from the outside
it caves in
hell i'm pretty sure that's biblical
i'm rooting for you i tell you that every week because i really believe it can be fixed
and there's room at the table for all of us i really believe that that's why i tell you that
just if you can if you can look for a way in your world to spend more time listening
and a little less time defending if you can this week just try it i wouldn't stare you wrong
i'm rooting for you i'm jw i'm not love you
buddy
i'm about ready to get all this cold y'all
oh i left my light on well i never met new england but i kind of like the beat
i'm about to go jam some hoitaxi that's what i'm gonna do while i'm editing
i'm gonna go this is my dance you know you never seen my dance this is my dance i do
that's about the only dance i got that's what i'm gonna do i'm gonna go listen to some hoitaxi
edit this episode get it up you guys love y'all really do thank you for sharing your sunday with
me thank you for sharing whatever time you share with me thank you those of you in the chat thank
you for being here every week love seeing the familiar names pop up in the chat i like the
sense of camaraderie we've built there i like the sense of family we've built here in the wrecking
yard i got some new merchandise i'm working on i think you guys are gonna like uh and it's gonna
there's gonna be a test if you want to buy it
because i made some merchandise i'm really proud of but it's wrecking crew we're the wrecking crew
right oh that's how it goes and it ain't about that movie about teester and uh uh uh uh uh uh
big hawaiian guy whatever the name is jason momo momo momo momo jason momo it's not about them
that movie it is a hilarious but i was just thinking about i was thinking about i wanted some
merch you know we made me maybe that beautiful day-wander shirt that i like that but i want
something that really like for those of you guys that have been through maybe not necessarily a
day-wander but you've listened to the whole series you've been here for the ride you've done the ride
you know what the ride's about this is gonna be when you go to purchase it you'll have to answer
some trivia questions make sure you're ready to own your wrecking crew merchandise
and i might just change up the questions every week you never can't tell
if i sell more than one shirt but they're pretty cool we're working Rachel is working
furiously on the design we're trying to cook something up really cool for you guys but
i just look wrecking crew wrecking crew is cool anyways uh if you guys are out and about
be a nackadoches february 28 at the lamp light theater i'm gonna be headlining the bulking gas
company in austin texas march 6 love to see some of the wrecking yarders there some of the wrecking
crew there uh if you're in houston this week bounce around houston texas i'm doing a little
pop-up show friday night i forgot what i think it's february 6 february 6 and uh i cannot remember
the name of that venue it's like william price distillery or some shit like that it's over on
wakefield kind of so actually me and rachel's old neighborhood but it's all getting gentrified
and they're building bars and crap all up and down there anyways my good buddy david's coming
out and i have a good time and i will be rebuilding a four l 65e transmission for the first time this
week i need he never attempted that david's gonna attempt to talk me through it and i'm gonna attempt
not to ruin my transmission i think it's gonna go find david this is a healthy builder all right
you guys be safe i'll catch you next week
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