One Make, One Decade with Maurice Merrick of Horsepower Heritage
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Term
Power Glide
Power Glide is a type of automatic transmission made by Chevrolet. It helps cars shift gears smoothly without needing to change gears manually.
Car
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is a very fancy car that was made over a hundred years ago. It's known for being incredibly well-made and is a symbol of luxury.
Car
Chevrolet Bel Air
The Chevrolet Bel Air is a famous car from the 1950s known for its stylish design. The 1957 model is especially popular among collectors and car enthusiasts.
Car
Chevrolet Tri Five
The Tri Five Chevys are a group of classic cars made by Chevrolet in the mid-1950s. They are famous for their unique design and are sought after by collectors.
Car
Chevrolet 283
The Chevrolet 283 is a type of engine that was used in many Chevy cars in the 1950s. It's known for being powerful and dependable.
Car
BMW 2002
The BMW 2002 is a small, sporty car made by BMW in the late 1960s and 1970s. It's famous for being fun to drive and is considered a classic among car enthusiasts.
Car
Mazda 626
The Mazda 626 is a car made by Mazda that was popular in the 1980s. The 1982 version is known for being reliable and was available as a two-door coupe.
Term
carbureted
Carbureted means that the car uses a specific system to mix air and fuel for the engine. This was common in older cars before newer technology took over.
Car
Ford Mustang Gts
The Ford Mustang GT is a powerful version of the Mustang that many people love for its speed and sporty look. It's a classic American car that's been popular for decades.
Car
Mercedes-Benz SL
The Mercedes-Benz SL is a fancy convertible car that's known for being stylish and comfortable. It's a great choice for people who want a luxurious driving experience.
Car
Mercedes-Benz 350 SL
The Mercedes-Benz 350 SL is a stylish sports car that people often admire for its looks and performance. It was made in the 1970s and is considered a classic today.
Car
Volkswagen Super Beetle
The Volkswagen Super Beetle is a version of the classic Beetle car that has some upgrades, like a bigger trunk and better handling. It's a small, iconic car from the 1970s.
Term
Bondo
Bondo is a type of putty used to fix dents and scratches on cars. It's easy to use and helps make the surface of the car smooth again after repairs.
Car
Land Rover Series I
The Land Rover Series I is one of the first models made by Land Rover, designed for off-road driving. It's famous for being tough and reliable, often used in farms and by the military.
Car
BMW 1600
The BMW 1600 is an older model from BMW that was made before the 2002. It's known for being a good-performing small car.
Part
Solex carburetors
Solex carburetors are parts that help engines get the right mix of air and fuel to run well. They're often found in older cars and can help improve performance.
Car
Mercedes-Benz 190E
The Mercedes-Benz 190E is a small luxury car that was made in the 1980s and 90s. It's known for being well-built and comfortable to drive.
Term
head gasket
The head gasket is a part of the engine that keeps oil and coolant separate. If it breaks, it can cause serious problems for the engine.
Term
timing chain
The timing chain helps keep the engine parts moving in sync. If it slips or breaks, it can lead to big problems with how the engine runs.
Term
interference engine
An interference engine is one where parts can hit each other if something goes wrong, like the timing chain breaking. This can cause a lot of damage to the engine.
Term
bent valve
A bent valve happens when a part of the engine gets pushed out of shape, usually because of a timing issue. It can cause the engine to run badly and needs to be fixed.
Car
Land Rover Series II
The Land Rover Series II is a model that came after the Series I, known for being more comfortable and better for driving. It was popular for both regular use and in the military.
Car
Acura NSX
The Acura NSX is a high-performance sports car that many car enthusiasts admire. It's known for its speed and advanced technology, making it a favorite among drivers who enjoy a thrilling ride.
Car
No Reserve: 1991 Acura NSX
Featured on Bring a Trailer: No Reserve: 1991 Acura NSX 5-Speed
Car
Porsche 911R
The Porsche 911R is a special version of the Porsche 911 that is lighter and designed for better performance. It's made for people who love driving and want a more exciting experience behind the wheel.
Car
BMW 535I
The BMW 5 Series is a luxury car that many people enjoy for its smooth ride and high-tech features. It's a great choice for those who want a comfortable and stylish vehicle.
Car
Renault Talisman
The Renault Talisman is a comfortable car that looks nice and has a lot of modern features. It's designed for people who want a stylish and enjoyable ride.
Company
BBS
BBS is a brand that makes wheels for cars. They are well-known for making high-quality, lightweight wheels that many sports cars use.
Car
Toyota Supra
The Toyota Supra is another popular sports car made by Toyota. It's loved for its speed and the ability to customize it for better performance.
Car
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a popular car that many people use for everyday driving. It's known for being reliable and good on gas, making it a great choice for families and anyone who needs a dependable vehicle.
Term
VTEC
VTEC is a technology used in Honda engines that helps the engine run better at different speeds. It makes the car more powerful when you need it.
Car
Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 is a small sports car that many people love because it's really fun to drive and has a powerful engine. It's a great choice for anyone who enjoys a thrilling driving experience.
Car
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is a small car that many people love because it's fun to drive and gets good gas mileage. It's a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable and affordable vehicle.
Term
turbocharged
Turbocharged means the engine has a special device that helps it produce more power. It makes the car faster without needing a bigger engine.
Term
normally aspirated
Normally aspirated means the engine gets air naturally from the environment without any extra help from devices like turbochargers. It usually provides smooth and steady power.
Term
high revving
High revving means that the engine can spin quickly, allowing it to produce more power. This is often exciting for drivers because it makes the car feel more responsive and powerful.
Term
loud exhaust
A loud exhaust makes the car sound stronger and sportier than usual. Some people like this sound because it feels more exciting, but it can be too loud for some places.
Part
aftermarket suspension
Aftermarket suspension means parts that improve how a car rides and handles, but they are made by different companies instead of the car's original maker. They can make the car feel better to drive.
Term
big wheels
Big wheels are larger tires that can make a car look cooler and help it handle better, but they might make the ride bumpier and use more gas.
Term
soft suspension
Soft suspension means the car is designed to ride comfortably over bumps, making it feel smoother. However, it might not handle as well when turning quickly.
Car
Shelby Cobra
The Shelby Cobra is a very fast sports car that was made in the 1960s. It's famous for being lightweight and powerful, making it a favorite among car lovers.
Concept
pre-war cars
Pre-war cars are cars made before World War II. They are often classic and have unique designs that many people love to collect.
Car
Buick GNX
The Buick GNX is a special version of a Buick car that was made to be really fast. It's rare and many car collectors want to own one because of its performance.
Car
Ford Model
The Ford Model T is one of the first cars that many people could actually afford. It changed how cars were made and helped more people get around in the early 1900s.
Car
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a fast sports car that many people admire for its cool looks and powerful engine. It's been around for a long time and is often seen as a symbol of American car culture.
Car
Chevrolet Corvair
The Chevrolet Corvair is a small car that was made in the 1960s and is known for having its engine in the back. It's a bit different from most cars and has some interesting history.
Car
Kia Stinger
The Kia Stinger is a sporty car that looks great and is fun to drive. It's a newer model that offers a good mix of performance and everyday usability.
Car
1962 Chevrolet Corvette 327/360 Fuelie
Featured on Bring a Trailer: 1962 Chevrolet Corvette 327/360 Fuelie 4-Speed
Car
Chevrolet El Camino
The Chevrolet El Camino is a car that also has a truck bed, making it useful for carrying things. It's a unique vehicle that many people find interesting.
Car
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is a sporty car that looks really cool and is known for being fast. It's a favorite among people who love muscle cars and enjoy driving.
Car
No Reserve: 1965 Chevrolet El Camino L79
Featured on Bring a Trailer: No Reserve: 1965 Chevrolet El Camino L79 4-Speed
Car
Chrysler 300G
The Chrysler 300 is a big, fancy car that looks really impressive. It's known for being comfortable and powerful, making it a popular choice for those who want a luxury vehicle.
Car
1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Wagon
Featured on Bring a Trailer: 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Wagon 4-Speed
Car
Chevrolet Novas
The Chevrolet Nova is a small car that many people liked because it was affordable and easy to drive. Some versions are also known for being pretty fast.
Car
No Reserve: 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS
Featured on Bring a Trailer: No Reserve: 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS 4-Speed
Car
Chevrolet Impala SS
The Chevrolet Impala SS is a sportier version of the regular Impala, known for being faster and having a cooler look. It's a classic car that many people love.
Car
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a big car that lots of families use because it's comfortable and has plenty of space. It's been around for many years and is known for being a reliable choice.
Car
Buick Grand Sport
The Buick Gran Sport is a sportier version of a Buick car that was made to be fast and fun to drive. It's popular among people who love muscle cars.
Car
1964 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe 327 Fuelie 4-Speed w/ Big Tank
Featured on Bring a Trailer: 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe 327 Fuelie 4-Speed w/ Big Tank
LIVE
[Music]
The Bring a Trailer
podcast. Hello everybody and welcome
back to the Bring a Trailer podcast.
Alex Porter here, director of operations
for the company. I am coming to you once
again from our headquarters in San
Francisco and joined in person this
week. What a treat. Maurice by Maurice
Merik of Horsepower Heritage. Thank you
so much for coming. Thanks for having
me, Alex. I'm really excited. I've been
looking forward to this. It's very rare
we get people in person and it's so much
freaking better, man. So, thanks for
making the trip. I'm telling you, I do
as many in-person interviews as I
possibly can. It completely changes the
dynamic. You're absolutely right. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Actually, I should do a full
intro before I I'm already like ready to
dive in and talk to you about
podcasting, but uh Horsepower Heritage
is your website and podcast, which
you're the creator and host of, and it
follows your love of cars and
motorcycles and the people and stories
behind those machines. Anything else you
want to let people know about Horsepower
Heritage before we dive in? I want to go
into the whole history of the company,
but anything else they should know up
top about you and the podcast? Well, you
know, I think anyone who enjoys Bring a
Trailer would enjoy my podcast because
my lens is really turned on the history,
right? That's why it's called Horsepower
Heritage, of course. And I'm fascinated
with cars, whether they are veteran cars
from 1900 all the way up to today. So,
I' I've had the privilege of having
guests and covering topics that run the
gamut. You know, I've had Kevin Zinger
and Lucas Zinger on the show who are
building this amazing hyper car down in
Torrance, California, but I've also had
a friend of mine who has been a
horseless carriage club membering since
1956 on the show to talk about his 14,
you know, Silver Ghost. Oh man, we need
to talk about all that. I want to get
into all of it and I want to talk about
all your favorite hosts or guests,
excuse me. But before we do, I thought
we'd talk about you a little bit, the
man behind the mic. Do you come from a
car family?
No, I don't. No kidding. I don't come
from a car family. But you know, the guy
who really got me interested in cars is
my uncle Dave. Behind you on the wall,
there's a poster from the Bring a
Trailer alumni gathering in 2023 at the
Iola car show. Yes. In Iola, Wisconsin.
Have you been there before? When I was
13, Uncle Dave took me to Iola. And that
was my first exposure to like antique
cars. And in high school, my dream car
was a 57 Chevy Belair, which at the time
they were kind of at the top of their
valuation, right? And uh companies like
Dan Chuck Manufacturing were reproducing
all those hard to find bits for those
cars. So the Tri Five Chevys were a big
deal. 57 specifically for you. 57 just
the fins and the sail panels. FY non
fuel. Did you not care about that?
Didn't matter. Didn't matter. As long as
it had a 283 Yeah. and a Power Glide,
right? That's what I wanted. Um, never
got that car, but my tastes kind of
evolved, of course. And then, you know,
a friend of mine introduced me to the
BMW 2002. Oh, we got that right up
there, too. That's right. And and the
poster for that alumni gathering with
the O2 on it. Randy and I did a live
podcast. I was going to ask you about
that one. That's right. I remember that.
That was at Motoring Club. Motoring Club
in LA. Yeah. But the 2002 was that
became my dream car. And I got a 76
square tail light 2002 I think when I
was a junior. Okay. What was the first
car? Was there a car before that or was
that your first car? You know, the first
car was a Mazda 626 coupe. Oh, that's an
interesting car. 82. I had it for like 6
months and it was a 5-speed. Yeah. Kind
of a metallic medium blue. They were
carbureted for a long time, weren't
they? They were. And I had a girlfriend
or a friend of a girlfriend, I can't
even remember, in high school who had
one of those a little bit later. And I
remember being shocked it was
carbureted. You know, the Mazda 626 was
kind of a dog, but it was in pretty good
shape. It would make an amazing Radwood
car today. Totally. Well, and when was
the last time you used I mean, never.
They're gone. They're gone. They're
totally gone. But I had it for about 6
months before I got this 2002. And you
know, we're talking about the late '8s.
Yeah. And it was basically a Mr. Magcoo
car to everyone else. Yeah. You know,
with that tall greenhouse. So good
looking. Everyone else in the parking
lot at high school had, you know, 5
liter Mustang GTs, Blazers. There was a
few Beatles here and there. There was a
guy with a 350 SL. No kidding. Yeah. I
used to sneak off campus in his trunk
cuz, you know, underassmen weren't
allowed off campus to launch. So, I
would jump in the trunk and motor away.
What was the um best car at high school?
Do you remember? Or the one that all the
car guys were envious of? You know,
there weren't any standouts. I mean, I
think those cars that I just mentioned
Yeah. There was a guy who chopped the
top off of his Super Beetle. Whoa. And
just rolled around like that with a
sharp edge along the windshield. It's
kind of dangerous, but they would put
like 15 people in that car on Friday
nights for football games and just tool
around the parking lot. Were you an
autoshop guy? No, we didn't have
autoshop. Oh, what a bummer. But I do
remember taking a bodyworking class at
the community college later on doing
like bondo and stuff like that kind of
thing. Yeah. Beating panels and doing
bondo. Yeah. Wow. So that was fun. Do
you ever do that more later in life or
was that your only experience with it?
I'm doing it now. I have a 51 series 1
Land Rover that's got a few dents here
and there. So, you know, working
aluminum is a lot easier. Totally. And
I'm kind of cleaning that up. That's
going to be a mechanical restoration,
but I'm going to leave the body pretty
much as is. It's kind of a patina built.
Painted or unpainted? It's got faded
bronze green paintwork. I may touch it
up here and there just cuz I don't like
the bare aluminum. Yes. Although you see
it a fair amount that people do that.
It's probably because people spend so
much time aluminum body work. They want
to show it off, right? Yeah. You know,
there was a trend for a while with
series Land Rover guys. Some would I
don't know if it's could be a trend
because it was pretty small niche of
people that would polish the bodywork
out. Yes. Right. Um doesn't look great
on a Land Rover in my opinion. They also
have such great colors in that era like
Yes. And the original paint wears so
nicely. Agreed. You know, it it usually
doesn't crack or craze. It just kind of
wears through and it almost changes
tone. You asked about the cars I had
early on. Yeah. That 2002 begat a
691600.
Oh, interesting. Which begat a 67 back?
That's interesting. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm
all about the round tail lights. Sorry.
Yeah. You want roundies? Yeah. Okay. So,
after the
69600, I found in Hemings Motors a
67600 Ti. Oh. Euro model dual side draft
Solex carburetors. I think we've only
listed like two or three Ti ever. They
don't come across very there's just not
that many in North America. And I bought
that car, flew out to Kentucky with the
friend who turned me on to 2002s and we
drove it back to the West Co. No
kidding. It was a fantastic road trip.
Blew two tires on the way. Amazing.
Because the car was running the later
steel wheels wider. Little bit wider.
The guy had put bigger meats on it and
the sidewall cut. Everybody did that in
the 80s and 90s and now everyone wants
to go back to the, you know, to the
stock setup, right? Yeah. But if you
don't fold in that fender lip, you're
going to cut your sidewalk. Yeah.
Rubbing. Uh, that was a fantastic road
trip. What route did you take? You go
the southern route? Straight across the
10. Oh, interesting. Okay. From
Lexington, Kentucky all the way out.
Amazing. Encountered massive torrential
thunderstorms outside Oklahoma City. The
big rigs were throwing 40 foot rooster
tails of water at us. The wipers
couldn't keep up. That's a real test of
a car. And we were running on fumes
mentally at that point, you know, cuz we
were trying to following it. Yeah,
totally. But what a fantastic trip. How
long did you keep that car? I kept that
car for easily 10 years, maybe longer.
Yeah. And it finally kind of was worn
out. The engine was worn out. It was
burning a whole lot of oil. I got a
letter in the mail from the California
Air Resources Board. Somebody had
reported me as a gross poll. I know. So,
um, traded that for my Did you ever have
the story of how it got here? That's a a
serviceman brought. Yeah, of course.
Bought it in Germany. Some guy that was
in the army brought it over. So, that
thing was just It was worth nothing at
the time. This was
1999, 2000. And my mechanic, great
mechanic, had a baby Benz, a 190E that
was he wanted to get rid of it. I traded
him straight across for the 190E. And
that was my daily for like 2 or 3 years.
Okay. And then I had to do a head gasket
on that car, I think, on the 190. Was it
a four or a six? It was a four. The 2.3.
Had to do a head gasket on it. did not
have the proper tools to keep the timing
chain from slipping and it slipped a
couple of teeth and I didn't really know
and that's an interference. I was going
to ask interference. I bent the valve
now. Yeah. Yeah. So, that was the end of
that car. I'm usually not all thumbs
under the hood. I'm I'm pretty good with
a tough lesson. Yeah. So, that's part of
my old car history, but I also have been
a series Land Rover guy for about 30
years. I had a 64 109 pickup. I have a
109 station wagon right now, 1960. A 68
88 in short wheelbase series 2 and then
the 51 series 1, which is my current
project. I mean, that's closer to an
addiction, buddy. I guess so. You know,
they have a way of multiplying that. I
think I think probably other Rover guys
would say the same thing. Do you miss
any of those old cars, the TI or I think
about the TI all the time. I just told
my wife like two days ago, you know, I
wish I still had that car. I kind of
know where it is. I was going to ask cuz
sometimes people do that, right? Try to
find Yeah, I kind of know where it is,
but I also feel like you sort of can't
go back. No. And it might disappoint you
if you you know what I mean? Uh, I've
tried to chase nostalgia before and then
sometimes it ends up almost working
against you and you sound like more of a
project guy than me, but I keep telling
myself I'm not going to do another
project, you know, and then end up doing
one and then I'm like, "Oh yeah, this is
why I didn't want to take on another
project." Right? So, I've really tried
to refocus myself on chasing the cars
I've always wanted and finding this is
advice I give to colleagues and other
people all the time and I don't always
follow myself, but find the best one you
can and you know do everything you can
to not Bruce Meer said something about
that. I wish I could remember the exact
phrase pay once and what is it? What is
the I can't really buy the best and cry
only once. That's correct. Right. Yeah.
which is such good advice and so hard to
follow. Well, it is when that desire
outpaces your means, right? Totally. Or
you fall in love with something that you
know you shouldn't, which happens to me
a lot. I don't know how you are with
that. All the time. All the time. Yeah.
You know, I'm wondering if you're
already missing your NSX. You just sold
it. Oh, yeah. I did. You noticed that,
huh? Uh, yes. I was thinking about it
this morning as I was driving to work. I
was like, I wish I was in the NSX. Yeah,
I do. I do miss it. But that's a car I
figured I can probably buy another one.
And a couple of my other cars, the one I
have parked downstairs, I'm probably
never going to be able to buy another
one, so got to hold on to those. But I
do miss it. Have you ever sold a car and
stipulated first right of refusal if the
guy wants to get rid of it? Don't sell
much, Maurice. Yeah, I'm a buyer and not
a seller. It's very hard for me. In
fact, that NSX, I had one of our power
sellers sell it for me because part of
it was I knew he would do a great
presentation. He did better than I ever
could. And he's a buddy. Matt Crannle
911R, but also it was a way to commit.
You know what I mean? Like you go and
hand the guy the keys and I did that
around Christmas time. And so even
though it took a month or two to get it
live on BAT, I knew it was, you know
what I mean? Like the mental break had
already happened and I may never have
done it. I'll show you later. I had a
draft written for that car in the back
end of our system to sell it like six
years ago. So I've been agonizing for,
you know, most of my ownership over
whether to sell it or not. So, for me,
it was almost kind of getting over that
hurdle and handing off the key. What
about you? Do you have that same
problem? Are you more of an acquirer
than a seller? I'm definitely a buyer.
Yeah. Yeah. I'm a serial car monogamist.
Is that even a thing? No, I think it is.
I think it is. I mean, even my dailies,
like my daily is a
535i. It's a 2015. It's got 168,000
miles on it. My daily prior to that was
a 2009 Mini Cooper S Clubman. Still have
that car. It's got 158,000 on it. Do you
drive it or is it sitting like a
talisman? I drive it. I drive it. Yeah,
I rotate. So, yes, I'm definitely a
buyer, not a seller. It's a real problem
for me cuz I get nostalgic about
everything before I've even let it go.
You know what I mean? I know exactly
what you mean. Yeah. the NSX. Would you
say you broke even on the whole thing?
Did you make money? Did it end up
costing you? No, I made a lot of money
on it. Okay. I figured because I owned
it for a long time. Actually, it's
interesting when I bought it. So, I fell
in love with those cars as a young
mechanic in my 20s. I kind of grew up
around European sports cars and liked a
lot of the same stuff as you. My dad
never owned Japanese cars. And so, I
worked at a shop that service Mercedes
and BMW's German cars. But this one
wealthy doctor, Dr. Anderson, rest in
peace, had all of his Ferraris and
Porsches worked on at our shop, but he
just liked us, so he would have
everything worked on. He had bought a 91
NSX new, and he didn't drive it very
much. It was black, black, and it had
BBS two-piece wheels, which I looked for
forever. They must have been custom
fitment, and never could find a set,
never saw another NSX with them. And at
our LA event this last weekend, there
was a red NSX with those same wheels.
I'm like, they did make them. I didn't
imagine that. But driving that car for
the first time, I was like, "Oh, this is
what people are talking about when they
talk about Honda quality, the way it's
built." And I think he offered that car
to my dad for like 20 grand, had like
20,000 miles on it. So, I always thought
of them as, you know, relatively
affordable. People weren't that
interested in it, kind of weird. And
then when I bought mine in 2017, the
prices were going up and my wife thought
I paid too much. And then, of course,
they're one of the cars that have really
suffered none of the downturn that some
other cars have. They've just shot right
up. Have you ever driven one? No, I
haven't. Oh man, I wish I had mine here
so that you could drive it. They're
incredible. There's nothing else quite
like it. They're really really great.
Yeah. And they've really kind of been
the standard bearer for the Japanese car
scene. That that and the Supra, although
not to run down the Supra, but the NSX,
there's nothing else like it. All
aluminum. What makes it different behind
the wheel? It's like driving a mid
engine. If you like that era of Honda,
which I do, it's, you know, very simple,
very well built, really low dash.
There's really good vision out. It has
an amazing view forward, which is a
problem in most sports cars. Totally. I
think it's become a problem in almost
all. It must be crash standards, right?
But like sills and hoods and everything
have gotten so high, right? You
mentioned the greenhouse in the O2. Like
that's one of my favorite things, right?
You miss that old Porsche, the same
thing. There's such good vision all
around you. And surprisingly, the NSX
has that. Plus, it has the two fenders
slope inward when you're looking out,
which there's nothing quite like a good
fender view when you're looking out the
front of a car. You know what I mean?
I'm sure you've experienced that many
times. And I imagine that the NSX when
you just need to tood around town, it's
like driving an Accord. 100%. But then
when you really want to get into it,
it's not lightning quick by modern
standards, but it's plenty. I mean, it's
plenty fast. I had it at 140 a couple
times and fine. very predictable. Very
predictable. Super linear. It was a I
don't think it's the first VTEC car, but
it was the first VTEC I think sold in
the US, but I owned an S2000 and I have
a Civic SI now, although a turbocharged
one. I had a normally aspirated Civic SI
earlier. And if you've ever driven one
of those four-cylinder VTECs, it doesn't
have that on cam surge like a lot of
them. It's linear. It's very linear. It
pulls really linear. And I love high
revving cars, so 8,000 RPM is wonderful.
The shifter is wonderful. I bought it
from the founder of Radwood actually had
a loud exhaust and big wheels and
aftermarket suspension and everything I
did to soften it and put the little
wheels back on and put the soft
suspension quiet exhaust just made me
love it all the more cuz what it is is
it's a grand tourer. Yeah, it's a super
comfortable highway car. Well, I'll take
the opportunity if it ever comes up to
drive one. Yeah. I'll let you know what
my thoughts are. Fantastic. What are
some of the cars that are either on your
list or that you've driven that really
impressed you that come to mind? Well,
my list is totally unrealistic. Okay, I
want to hear like a 289 Cobra, right?
Fantastic. Narrow body, not flares for
you, right? Narrow body. Yeah, that's
the one. 289 Cobra, you know, early 30s
Packards.
Early 30s Packard. I love pre-war cars.
Yeah, there was a uh there was kind of a
torpedo body 27 Packard touring that
sold a few years ago on the uh live
auction scene and uh saw it at Pebble
Beach last year. It was great to see it
because it had been in long-term
storage. It was a coachu built car. It
must have been if it was a it was a
coach built car if I'm not mistaken. I
think that car was built by Brun, which
was a uh rail car builder. Mhm. I think
it was a Brun. It might have been. It
was like a big like seven passenger
touring. Yeah. Okay. What was the other
uh dual cal? It might have been a Bud.
Anyway, Bud was a steel company. Yeah.
Yeah. But they also built rail cars.
Yeah. They built an airplane, too. Yeah.
That's interesting. Yeah. The Bud
Kosoga. It's a weird look it up if you
want to. It's steel airplane. I had
forgotten about that. So, like I run the
gamut. other cars on my list that are
more realistic probably like an E9
coupe. Oh, I've always admired them. You
know, I've had 2002s which are very
similar, but love the E9 coupe. Would
you want stock or would you want 5-speed
and all the mods that people do to them?
No, I think I would prefer a stock
configuration. If I was going to mod a
BMW of that era, I would find a Bavaria
or a 2800 CS and drop a modern BMW
engine and transmission in it and do all
the suspension tuning. The Bavaria was a
very comfortable car, but just kind of
heavy and underpowered. Um, what else?
There was just something else on my
mind. An E9 on Alpino wheels does look
awfully good, I will say. With some dish
on them, definitely. What else? You got
me on the spot now. Well, I I can pivot
cuz I wanted to ask you about motos,
too, because you specifically mentioned
motorcycles as one of your interests.
Were you ever a rider or do you just
like to talk to people who are
motorcycle people? No, I ride I've got a
73 BMW
R75. Great. One of the classes.
Fantastic bike. It's Avis Black toaster
tank. It's been hot rodded a little bit.
It's actually a 900 now. And it's got a
fantastic exhaust note. It's a little
bit roy but not obnoxious. But, you
know, those bikes are really quiet. The
stock silencers on them are very quiet.
I love the sewing machine tick tick of
the BMW flat twin. And, you know,
vintage bikes are my comfort zone. I
would get in way too much trouble with a
modern bike. Totally. Have you mainly
focused on BMWs or are there other types
of bikes you like? Part of the reason
I'm asking is I'm very curious to hear.
I don't think I've ever asked this on
the podcast before, the difference
between drive shaft driven motorcycles
and chain driven motorcycles. And if you
have experience with both, I'd love to
hear your thoughts. No, you know, I've
only ridden BMWs. I've had a couple of
them. I would love an older British
bike. Lately, I've been thinking about
like a mid50s Harley bobber. Oh,
interesting. Something custom. Are those
knuckleheads still if they're in the
50s? Knucklehead or pan head? I can't.
Flathead. Regardless, not overhead
valve. Yeah. Anyway, that that would be
a different flavor, you know. Totally.
And they're really good looking. I like
I like the Indians a lot, too. But, you
know, making it a bobber sort of pairs
it down to the bare essentials. Hardtail
motorcycles are a different breed,
right? Uhhuh. You got to be a hearty
soul for those. But, but, you know,
actually, I've had Paul Dory on on the I
was going to ask on the podcast. Who are
some of the moto people you've talked
to? So, you know, Paul is the creator of
the
Vintagent, which is basically the whole
world of vintage motorcycleycling. It's
at vintagent.com if people want to look
him up. But fantastic character. He's
actually a San Francisco resident. So,
he's one of your neighbors. We actually
have a motorcycle shop right here.
Sometimes it's a guest on the podcast. I
noticed that. Yeah. Right next door.
Yeah. They've got amazing stuff in
there. So, Paul's fascinating. Learned a
lot from him. But he's ridden anything
and everything pre-war. Yeah, but for
him, whatever it is, if it's on two
wheels, he'll ride it and he's
interested in it. So, learned a lot from
Paul. Other notable motorcycle guests
that you've had, one of the most
interesting
guys that I've spoken to about
motorcycles is a guy called David
Lancaster, who his background is in film
and television production, but he's a
Vincent enthusiast. Oh, we love Vincent.
So he made a documentary about Vincent
motorcycles called Speed is Expensive,
which it was and still is. Yeah. And so
we talked all about Vincent. That's a
terrific episode. That's episode 64 of
the podcast. It's been a while now. I
try to keep the shows evergreen. So that
does he go deep on Vincent? I need to
listen to that one. My dad owned a
couple Vincent so I love him too. Goes
deep on Vincent. Goes deep on Philip
Vincent. Who this guy was? What made him
tick? Fascinating. Yeah. See, I don't
even I don't even quite have the It's
HRD and then it becomes Vincent. It's a
little complicated. Vincent was the
engineer, right, for HRD because HRDs
are kind of Vincent's and sometimes the
tanks say HRD and Vincent on them. Yeah.
He basically acquired HRD and then there
was a period where they were labeled
both HRD and Vincent and then finally
just the Vincent. Yeah. Right. Right.
Right. Oh god, I got to listen to that.
That's a fantastic episode. And then
another guy I've had on the show who
loves vintage but also wants reliable
and usable is a guy called Richard
Worsham and he's the founder of Janice
Motorcycles. Have you familiar? Yes. So
Richard is like just a very interesting
Midwestern guy who decided I'm going to
start a motorcycle company. We talked
about what he does and the bikes and
he's got a very interesting clientele.
Are they essentially made per order? How
does that work? We've had a few on the
site. So, basically, they have a given
number of models, but there's a lot of
customization that you can do if you're
a buyer. You're shephering your build
through kind of. Yep. That's it. And so,
all of the bikes are basically
handbuilt. And his philosophy on
motorcycleycling is what he calls
rambling. Yeah. you know, just no
particular place to go, but I'm going to
hop on the bike and wherever I find
myself is where I need to go, which I
love, man. You know, they call that in
aviation the $100 hamburger. It's
probably a lot more now, but you know,
you got to find a place to fly your
plane. So, you fly it somewhere and
have, you know, a hamburger at one of
the airport restaurants. Yeah. It's kind
of the same zen
of, you know, well, zen in the art of
motorcycle maintenance or blue highways.
If people remember William Lee Heat Moon
and his travels, it's that same ethos. I
love it. My dad is friends with a kind
of well-known old motorcycle journalist,
Clement Salvadori, who used to ride for
rider and bike. He's ridden for
everything. And he's, you know, ridden
all around the world on various bikes.
And he's got kind of that similar
philosophy. It's about the people you
meet. Similar to the philosophy of
horsepower Heritage, right? like it's
the vehicle, be it a motorcycle or a car
or truck or whatever, the romance of it
is the people you meet and the journeys
you take and the stories that you pick
up by getting in one of these, you know,
modes of transportation and getting out
on the road, right? And that's a kind of
a guiding philosophy for us at BAT, too.
I mean, it's fine if people want to look
at their zero mile GNX or whatever, but
for the most part, we love to encourage
people to get out and drive their cars,
ride their bikes. That's why we have
events, right, and alumni gather. Come
on out, use the thing. I always have
high regard for especially when I speak
to big collectors and I've been
fortunate enough to see some of the
world's greatest collections, but they
use their cars. Yeah. They do you no
good sitting around. Leno, he rides
everything. He drives everything. It's
amazing. Uh I'd love to hear a little
bit more about some other notable guests
and episodes, but before we do, I should
have started by tell us about the
origins of Horsepower Heritage. Were you
always interested in either interviewing
or writing or how did it all come about,
Maurice? Well, I have a background in
television production, but as far as the
podcast is concerned, it started like
all good ideas start over cocktails.
Sure. A group of car guys, we were
sitting around having drinks and one of
them said, "How far back is this?" This
is a little over 5 years ago. One of my
friends said, "You know, we have all
these great car chats. We should be
recording this. We should be making a
podcast because we're not the only ones
who are interested in this stuff." And
it wasn't on my radar at all, Alex, but
something clicked in my brain. So, that
friend and I kind of got serious about
it, started doing
research, started buying equipment. Mhm.
We got as far as doing some test
recording sessions and that's where we
panicked our first time. I don't know if
that happened to you. Well, it was going
fine except that my friend's business
kind of took off. Okay. And he had to
bow out. He said, "Man, I'm so sorry. I
got you going in this direction." And I
said, "Hey, it's okay. I was ready to do
it." So, I did it. I just jumped in with
both feet. It's been fantastic, Alex. I
mean, I'm coming up on the fifth
anniversary this summer of this show.
Over 140 episodes. I don't know how many
hours. Many, many hours. It ends up
being a you and I can commiserate on
this. It ends up being a real commitment
to do this stuff. It is. I release
bi-weekly. Initially, it was a weekly
show and it was kind of a treadmill.
Yes. You know, I had to pair it back.
There's other You go long, too, on
yours. I go long. The average length at
one point was 47 minutes. I don't know
where it is right now, but I've gone as
long as two hours. Yeah. It's hard to
stop, you know. Yeah. And oftentimes,
even the guest isn't ready to call it
quits 100%. But you asked about notable.
Yeah. Who are some of the early ones?
What happened early on? You know,
actually early on the show was mostly
what I call storytelling episodes. I
would pick a topic and just do the
research and run with it. So, episode
one was called the birth of the
automobile
and I talked about I talked about Benz
and all that. I talked about the wagon
the patent motor car, right? I talked
about that. I I went even farther back
than that. I went to Kuno's tractor.
Yeah. Okay. So, that's fascinating.
People have told me and I've seen some
pictures there. There were like steam
powered almost like tractor things that
you know we always think of the patent
wagon being the first car, but that's
actually not exactly true, right? Well,
there was a guy in France named Nicholas
Kuno, and he saw the potential of steam
power for road vehicles, and essentially
he built an artillery tractor. Okay. For
Napoleon's army. It's fascinating to me
that it goes that far back. I mean,
there were steam engines in the, you
know, late 1700s, mid 1700s. Yeah. So,
Nicholas Kuno developed this steam
tractor for the French army. It was an
artillery tractor. 1769.
Amazing. And it is the most ungainainely
thing. The steering is through chains
just like almost like horses reins. And
the front wheel is the only wheel that's
propelled. And it uses like a dog and
paw ratchet system. Sure. The original
is in a museum in Paris. Oh, it's still
around. That's amazing. There's a
reproduction down in Florida, I think in
Tampa, and occasionally they run it on
the street.
So, I love it when people are obsessed
with that old technology and they
recreate it. There's a bunch of patent
wagon replicas. I think we've sold them
on the site. People build all kinds of
those, right? Oh, yeah. I've got a
friend who has one and it's marvelous.
Have you ridden in it? I haven't ridden
in it yet because it's a display piece
for him, but he could run it if he
wanted. So, I started out with the
storytelling episodes. So things like
the birth of the motor car. I did an
episode all about Donald Haley. Um I did
an episode called how they saved BMW
about Herbert Quant and how he took BMW
from certain disaster got it going again
with the Noya cars. I did an episode
about the
Lamborghini from the Italian job. Oh
interesting. And what became of it that
specific chassis. Exactly. Because that
car was long sought after, but no one
knew where it went. And a car dealer in
Paris found it in a parking garage.
Amazing. Yeah. So, that car still
exists. Um, I did an episode called
Henry Ford's fight about Henry Ford
battling against the patent process for
the automobile and, you know, how you
had to be licensed in the US. So, all
sorts of stuff. But I've also had great
guests like Yeah. Yeah. Who are some of
the notable ones? I mean, guys like
Donald Osborne. Oh, yeah. Donald's
wonderful. So, great talker. You always
want a good talker if you can get him
on, right? He's a good talker.
Absolutely. So knowledgeable. Uh John
Bothwell from Song. Yep. Patrick Long.
Oh, Patrick Long. He was at our event
this weekend. Yeah. Great guy. I was
hoping I was going to see you there,
Maurice. I know. I couldn't make it and
it was killing me. We were so far out
there. It was a huge one. You would have
loved it. Bruce Meers been on the show.
the man. One of the highlights though
was a couple years ago at the Quail
during Monterey Car Week. I hosted the
Fireside Chat. Oh. On the main stage in
front of the crowd and the guest was
none other than Emerson Fidipali.
Amazing. That was incredible. I mean, I
had 30 minutes with him in the green
room prior to going on and I said,
"Emmo, do you mind? Could we sit down
and I just want to go over a a few
notes?" Mhm. And within 10 minutes, it
was like we were old buddies. I mean,
he's that warm and gracious. So, that
was wonderful. That's got to be one of
the highlights, man. It was terrific.
And then, you know, I mentioned earlier
that Randy and I had done that podcast
at the alumni. Ask how often you do them
live. That was a live one. I I sat and
watched that uh from the crowd from time
to time. I do live stuff. I I do also
private events live that don't
necessarily become podcast shows, but I
really enjoy hosting and there's nothing
like a live audience. Fantastic. So,
agreed. Where would you recommend if
somebody was interested in jumping in?
What's like a good kind of entree into
your podcast? Where's a good place to
start? Well, I'll give you a couple
recommendations. Yeah, please. If you're
interested in like a storytelling
episode, one of my favorites that I've
ever done and kind of proud of is an
episode called Racing's Darkest Day,
which is about the 1955 Lemon disaster.
Yes, exactly. And the story is
fascinating. I'm surprised by how many I
bring that one up, you know, a fair
amount just in conversation. Even a lot
of my colleagues who know a lot about
cars don't necessarily know the details
of that and all the ramifications of it.
Well, it changed so much in motorsport.
You know, Mercedes basically didn't race
except for rallying. They didn't race
for many years. It was the beginning of
the end for Mike Hawthorne, whose life
was never the same. It shattered the
life of Lance Mlin, who was hit by
Pierre LG's Mercedes. He was never the
same. So, there were deep, deep
consequences to to that whole thing. And
of course, over 80 people were killed in
the crowd. Deadliest racing accident of
all time. Yes. Yeah. So, um, that's a
great one for people to check out.
Another one that I really enjoyed
producing was a two-part episode called
The Brilliance of Bentley with an author
called Peter Grimdale, an Englishman who
has a television production background
and is an author. He's primarily an
author of fiction, but he became
fascinated by the story of WO Bentley
and how he created these cars, but
particularly Bentley at Lama. Yeah.
Okay. You know, does he cover the
Bentley boys too, Wolf Bernado and all
that? All of it. All of it. Such a great
era. We talk about Bentley's early life.
you know, he went to the north of
England to apprentice in the locomotive
sheds, but then he got interested in
motorbikes and realized, you know,
trains and locomotives are kind of on
the way out and the motor car and the
motorcycle are going to be the future.
Yeah. He went to war in the Great War.
He realized that the engines on the
English planes were seizing in midair
and killing a lot of flyers. He
developed a lightweight aluminum piston
that served as a heat sink and made the
engines more reliable. And I think it's
confirmed, but at least legend has it
that the plane that shot down Baron
Fontoen was powered by a Bentley engine.
Oh, interesting. Built by Bentley. Built
by designed by Bentley. Okay. Yeah. And
so, uh, yeah, Peter Grimsdale, The
Brilliance of Bentley. That was a
wonderful episode. Those sound like
great places to start. Yeah. Really love
those episodes. I think those are
excellent places to go. So, you and I
discussed when you were generous enough
to allow me on your podcast. We talked
about the one-year garage game that we
play here on BAT. And you mentioned
you'd like to do it. And we've never
done it with two people. and this would
be your first time playing. So, we came
up with a variation on it and so we want
to kind of end the episode with doing
that. But before we dive into that and I
remind folks how that works and we'll
have some fun debating how we're going
to do the variation of it. I wanted to
give you an opportunity Maurice just one
last time to let folks know about
anything you got coming up or anything
else that you might want to share with
folks that they should know about you or
Horsepower Heritage. Well, thanks, Alex.
And I just think that Bring a Trailer
users are the audience that I cater to
because the breadth I think in large
part, right? You cover everything. Yeah.
And, you know, BAT users are so
knowledgeable and I really like to get
into the minutia. I do a lot of
research. I'm fascinated by this stuff.
It energizes me to talk about all of it.
Same. And we nerd out on the show. So,
just like the commenters on Bring a
Trailer, you know, it it can be pretty
wacky. Just Google Horsepower Heritage
and you can find me on all sorts of
platforms. Instagram, I've got a YouTube
channel, lots of videos there, not just
podcast episodes, but you know, fixing
my own Ford Model A Roadster, stuff like
that. So, the podcast, YouTube, and
Instagram is where to find me. Killer.
And we'll put links up for all that
stuff, too. Fantastic. Uh, you ready to
nerd out on some Chevys? Am I ready? Are
you kidding? Okay, good. All right. How
much prep did you do? You're probably
going to blow me out of the water. I
did. I did quite a bit of prep. Okay.
But again, it's just like having a car
conversation with a friend. Like, I
couldn't stop. I know. I know. I know.
It really I prepped last night and then
I was thinking about it as I was falling
asleep. And then this morning while I
was getting my kids ready, I was
thinking about it and then I was looking
at more cars and then as I told you when
you came in, I was like, I need to prep
more. And I have not had the opportunity
to do that. But that's okay. I think
because of the way we're going to tweak
this, we're going to have probably not
have too much overlap, but I want to
clear up a few ground rules with you
first. So, first off, for folks who've
never heard us play this game before,
typically we pick one year and then pick
from five different categories, a sports
car, a daily driver, a family hauler, a
truck 4x4, and a wild card from that
year. We usually play with three or four
people, and there's no overlap, so the
order matters. Since it's just the two
of us, we're going to try a slight
variation. I've wanted to try this for a
long time anyway, so I'm excited to do
it with you, Maurice. We're going to try
to do a decade, 1960s, but one
manufacturer only. So, same categories,
but you've got to pull it just from one
manufacturer. We're going to do
Chevrolet. We talked about some other
ones. We talked about BMW in the '90s. I
think there's only the X5 for trucks in
the 90s. So, so we decided Chevy because
they make a bunch of stuff. Couple
questions for you and we can decide
whatever we want because we're making
the rules here, Maurice. But there's
three different Corvette generations in
the 60s, right? There's C1's, twos, and
threes. My inclination would be each one
of us could have a Corvette in theory as
long as it's not the same generation.
How do you feel about that? Oh, totally
fine with that cuz there's also multiple
El Camino generations. There's multiple,
you know, lots of cars have different
iterations. So, I was thinking there can
be overlap as long as it's not the same
generation. How do you feel about that?
Absolutely. And by the way, I went into
this with the game plan of the
unexpected, and you probably did, too.
Yeah, 100%. So, this is going to be
really interesting to see where we both
end up. I like litigating stuff while
it's coming up, so that's part of the
fun. Here's a a one for you. I have a
couple of these that we can kind of get
to if they come up. Is the Corvair a
sports car? Ah, well, we'll find out,
won't we? All right, great. We're going
to do it one category at a time. All
right, let's dive in then, man. I'm
excited about this. You've got me all
jazzed up. You're the guest. You go
first. You pick the category and then
we'll go for it. So, you get first
overall pick. All right. Well, I got to
start with sports car. Okay. Great. All
right. This is what I was hoping for.
This is top of my list, too. Just very
quickly, did you use So, just to warn
you, a lot of my picks are going to be
straight up specific cars from BAT. If
you've heard me do this before, I do
this a lot. Definitely don't have to do
that at all. But to warn you, I am going
to have specific lot numbers for some of
mine. Okay. Well, Alex, I have to tell
you that I have 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 like 15 tabs open on Bring a Trailer
right now. So, I'm right there with you.
Okay, good. All right, sports car. All
right, my pick for sports car. The 1966
Corvair Yenko Steel Stage 2. Okay, that
definitely counts in white with blue
racing stripes. By the way, for all of
my picks, I've specified exterior and
interior colors and spec is vital as far
as I'm concerned, especially with I
think Chevys in the '60s because like
that's what people love those. That's
like that's like what it's all about. Is
it AC or no? You know, all that stuff
matters. Yeah. All right. So, are you a
Corvair guy? I am not a Corv guy. You
have to appreciate the Corvs.
Number one, it was uh well, you know, Ed
Cole saw what the Europeans were doing
and he's like, "We need a small car. We
need an economy car." Rear engine. Rear
engine. He loved the Volkswagen. He saw
how well the Beetle was selling. So, you
know, that's the genesis of the Corv in
in uh 1960 was the first model year, of
course, but the 66 was the second gen,
right? Which fixed the swing axles,
right? It has joints on it and
everything. And was the car I don't know
about you, but when I grew up, I always
preferred this. I like the looks of it
better. The second gen. Do you have a
preference at this stage? Now, I kind of
like both equally, but I kind of like
both, you know, and it all depends on
the spec and the body style. Totally. I
mean, when I say body style, I mean
twodoor, four-door, convertible. But, so
Don Yenko was a Pennsylvania Chevy
dealer and he was a racer, right? And
the Yanko Stinger was basically the
Pennsylvania Porsche, if you will. I
mean, 160 CIC in flat 6, 190 horsepower,
Sagenov four-speed. So good. Donko was
like great paint schemes, too. Whatever
car he was modifying. So, the first
hundred, I think, were all white with
blue racing stripes. Okay. I'm pretty
sure. But on the Yanko Corv. Yes. Yes.
But yeah, that's my pick. I mean, it's a
fantastic one. Didn't even cross my
radar. I love it when somebody cuz
usually we do these and it's like
everyone's kind of swimming in the same
pool. I didn't even think about that one
and I'm upset at myself and it's also a
freaking great pick. Thanks. All right,
what do you got for me? Okay, I have a
very specific car. I was a little
worried you might take a vet. So, I have
a specific one. So, this occasionally I
talk about cars that I wish I'd bought
that were on the site and this is it's
definitely in my top 10 if not my top
five and it's a little weird. So, I'm
going C1 Corvette 62. This is lot number
14,97497. It's a 62. So, final year of
the C1. Black FY four-speed 360 horse.
So, it's as much performance as you
could ever get in a C1. And this car has
every freaking performance option. Has a
411 PY rear end, heavy duty rear brakes.
brakes. They're fin drums with air cool
fans in them. It has a Sebring
suspension package which has two front
sway bars. It has these really weird
fiberglass I think they call them
elephant's ears. They're like brake
ducks. They're in the trunk. Maybe you
know more about these cars than I do,
but this is like this is one of those
cars. It didn't sell unfortunately bid
to only 75 grand. And it's just one of
the cars that I think about all the
time. And I love C2s and C3s also, but
this from the 60s is the Corvette I want
the most. This specific chassis number.
I remember this auction. Well, you
remember this auction? Oh, I I probably
still have a little drool on my
keyboard. Yeah. I mean, all black, black
and black. Just so evil. Yeah. So
sinister. I love it. So that's my sports
car, man. I think about that car a lot.
All right. You take us to the next
place, Maurice. Okay. All right. I'm
leading the way here. All right. Let's
just go the opposite direction with
truck and 4x4. Oh, good. Oh, I'm excited
to hear what you pick here. Okay. So
many good options. So, because I went
first and I picked the next category, I
want to hear your pick first. Oh, okay.
Good. Um, I don't think there's going to
be any conflict here because I've gone a
little outside the box. Oh. On truck
4x4, so this may also need a ruling from
you. I think this counts. Is an El
Camino a truck? Not only is it a truck,
but I had an El Camino selected, too.
Gosh. No, that's okay. I I got a a good
backup. So, okay. So, I've chosen
another specific car. A weird one. So,
second gen El Caminos are like my
favorite. 64 to 68. 67. What's the I
think 67. Yeah. Okay. So, this is a 65
and it's a really weird spec. L79 350
4-speed. I've always had a soft spot for
El Cabinos. I don't know why exactly.
I've never driven one. I like the big
late ones. I like the funky '8s ones
when they had the kind of Camaro front
end on them. I like the early finned
ones, but the second gen is my favorite.
And so I went pouring over BAT last
night. And this specific one, sorry,
it's a
327 with 350 horse. So it's a high-spec
327 with a four-speed. Lot number
143608. So a much more recent auction.
Is it a four-speed? It's a four-speed.
Yeah, dude. Look at this thing. Come on.
Oh, you know, come on. With the tack
down here under the dash. Love it. We'll
link to this. Exactly the wrong place
for it, but that's okay. Totally. But
anyway, I mean, what a car. I mean,
that's almost like that's like your
sports truck right there. Definitely. I
love it. I'm sorry I stole from you,
though. No, no, it's okay. I mean,
there's so many good Chevy trucks in the
'60s. I also picked an El Camino, but I
picked a 1960 in cascade green and jade
green. A lovely two-tone. One light, one
a little bit darker. The jade green
being kind of light on the roof. 335
horsepower, 348 cubic inch special super
turbo thrust V8 with tri power. You
could get tri power in this car. The
original big block, right? Isn't that
the original? Yes. Exactly. And uh
two-speed power glide, man. Yeah. I I
don't want a manual in this one. I want
to cruise with the auto. You smoke the
tires no problem no matter what.
Absolutely. And yes, El Caminos are
trucks. Yeah. If I% if I can haul lumber
in it, if I can put a pack of dogs in
the back, you know, if I can shove a
manure into it, it's a truck. Honestly,
it's probably more functional than some
of these unibody modern trucks that have
the little tiny 4ft beds on them, right?
Like it's got a spacious bed. Yeah,
totally. Absolutely. And then they
dropped the El Camino in a couple years
it's gone, right? And then it comes back
in the body style that I like so much.
Right. Right. So, but that first one is
epic and has almost a little bit of like
50s hangover, right? It's like kind of
the end of that 50s, which I also love
so much. I love late 50s styling so much
and especially when it carries over into
the early 60s. So, the
61 Chrysler 300G is my favorite of all
the letter cars. So, it's a 60s car, but
it's still got the big fins on it. You
know what I mean? See, like 59 and 60
Cadillac. I prefer the 60. I do, too. I
feel the exact same way. And I'm not
trying to run down the 59, which I also
love, but it's almost become cliche,
right? So, this and the 60 is so much
cleaner. I love it. It's all about the
fins on that car. Agreed. And I just
think I like the understated 60. Great.
Great pick, dude. Oh, man. You're doing
great. Now I'm like slightly
intimidated. All right. Where are you
going next? What category? Oh, I get to
pick again. Okay. I'm in. All right.
Let's see here.
Let's go family hauler. Oh, good. Okay.
I've got my This is gonna be fun. Okay.
Because when you're a car guy, but you
have that compromise that you need to
haul the wife and kids and the dog and
who knows what else. Maybe grandma
rolled up in a area rug on the roof. I
know where you're going. So, my pick for
family
hauler is the 1965 Chevel Malibu
four-door station wagon. Fantastic. In
willow green poly metallic with an
analogous interior. fan. Okay. And I got
to go big on this. I was going to say
it's your powertrain combo. L79 turbo
fire 327 350 horsepower and a
four-speed. Wow. And it's similar to the
powertrain in my El Camino. Exactly.
Exactly. So, I mean, if I got to drive a
wagon, I want to shift. Yeah. Totally.
Totally. But that's also a really sick
car and was definitely on my list, too.
I actually like that car in almost every
body style it comes in. But the wagon is
particularly fantastic. Yeah. Yeah, I
just love it. Now, there's a
technicality here because the
L79, like I think you could only get it
in the Corvette that year. You know
what? Actually, I'm mistaken. So, no, it
was the L84 you can only get because it
had solid lifters. Yes. Right. Versus
the hydraulic. So, the Yeah, the L79 was
available. You're pulling out all the L
codes, Maurice. I can't do that. It's so
hard for me to keep up on all that. so
much research into the RPO, the regular
production order, totally Chevrolet
nomenclature versus the CPO, the central
office production order. You could just
spend I mean, we try to decode those as
much as we can cuz again, like we were
talking about up top, collectors care so
much about each one of those, right?
They do. It's important. Okay, so you
didn't steal mine. Not that I was that
worried about it. And I'm really glad he
took a second generation Corv cuz for
Family Holler, I'm going to take a first
generation Corv wagon. Wow. And this is
another car that I have thought about a
lot. So, this was in Mike Malamut's
collection. He listed it twice on the
site. It's a silver over red
Monza Corvair wagon four-speed, and it's
got that big, beautiful Swan neck
shifter that kind of comes way out from
under the and it's red interior. And I
think it only bid to like 10 grand. And
I just love the way these look. And the
windows get wider as they go back. Oh
man, I love these cars. This is, like I
said, when I was a kid, it was that
second generation Corvette. That was the
only one I thought was good-look. That's
all I cared about. And these older first
generation cars with white walls,
they've really grown on me. Uh my wife
was a district attorney up in rural
Northern California, and one of the
secretaries daily drove a
teal Corv sedan. That was her daily
driver. teal on teal power glide and I
just loved that as a daily driver and it
really helped me kind of fall in love
with these and I think the wagons are
great looking. I love the coups. Ry's
dad had a turbo uh Monza coupe which was
an awesome car too. Um but anyway,
that's my pick for family hauler. Now
this car, what's the lot number on that?
That is lot number I wrote it down
somewhere. It is lot number
22167. Now does that have the optional
95
horsepower engine? Because the, you
know, the stock, I think the Monza had a
little more power, didn't it? Yeah. The
standard Corv came with an 80 horsepower
engine, but I think mid 1960 you could
order the performance package, which was
a 95 horse, but you could only get it.
It's not going to be a speed demon like
your family hauler no matter what.
Unfortunately, Maurice, let's see if we
set it here. This it was on the site
twice. Yep. Yep. You're right. That's
perfect. I was curious if you were going
to pick a Greenbryer. Oh, I do love
those a lot. I really like them a lot.
Gosh, now that makes me think for a
truck I should have picked the what do
they call it? Ramp. Yes. Oh, man. Well,
I was thinking about You were thinking
about that the Greenbryer van for the
family hauler. But I don't know. I don't
know if I would want to do a cross
country road trip in that thing.
Totally. You picked You picked the right
You picked the right thing cuz you're
going to be hauling ass, man. Very good.
By the way, this Monza wagon that you
picked, that's like one of several Corv
that Mike Malibut has had on the site
and they've all been fantastic. He has
such I mean, you've been to the museum
before? No, I dude I know. It's crazy
that I haven't been there yet. It's one
of those things. I was actually
surprised. So, we went and interviewed
Matt Farah and he was generous to let us
come into his collector car facility and
he had never been to Malamut's Museum. I
I kept talking to kind of all these
notable LA folks and it was surprising
how many people I don't know if it's
that Mike doesn't open it up very much.
But I'll tell you, man, so I was up at
Rob Deets's uh W facility at the other
end of the block for most of our event,
but then at the end I was like, I never
seen it either. I was like, I got to get
down and see Malamutes. And there were
so many people in there, it was hard to
move through. It was jam-packed. So the
Los Angeles really uh wanted to come out
and see it. I got to get over there. You
know, you could
spend all year doing a different car
thing in LA and really not run out of
stuff. Totally. Totally. All right. You
want to do daily driver? Daily driver.
Okay. I'm excited to hear what you got.
All right, my friend. I'm really torn
because I I I'll just tell you, I picked
three cars for every category cuz I
really wanted to cover my bets. Very
smart, right? It's very smart. My third
pick for this Well, no. I'm not that's
not fair because I I'll just go with
always follow your heart. Right. Right.
Although I lose on Instagram every time
we do this. So maybe that's not good
advice. All right. So I picked three for
every category just to cover my beds.
So, my pick for daily driver is a 1964
Chevy 2 Nova Super Sport 2 in satin
silver poly metallic with a red
interior and
RPO703, the L77 283 cubic inch V8, 220
horses and a four-speed. Amazing. A
little ripper of a motor. A little
ripper. I love 283s, by the way. Yeah,
they're terrific. And those Novas, I
just think they're so handsome. Yes. You
know, I I actually think it's Ry's a
Falcon Sprint 63 and a half is like kind
of in that same neighborhood of looks
and those I completely agree with you.
It was on my list for Daily Driver, too.
They're so good looking and light and
like, you know what I mean? Like it was
a classic dragster. Light and the size.
I mean, great city car in the early60s,
you know, and just so easy to park,
simple and clean. That that mid60s
styling of a lot of the cars that we're
talking about here, you and I are
clearly gravitating towards that. It is
I love 50s styling, too, but that kind
of pallet cleanser of the mid60s is also
delightful. I just love everything from
this era pretty much. You know, for the
daily driver category, one of the things
that I was thinking about is I was
imagining because you guys are in San
Francisco, I was imagining myself daily
driving here in the city with the hills
and the tight parking and all of that
and what would be a great pick and and
so that was my choice. Man, I should
have picked an automatic. I didn't. But
I'm going to stick with my heart here,
which is one of my favorite cars from
the '60s, which is the original Camaro.
Ah, yes. 67. So, I've chosen an RSS
4-speed. This one was offered by Bullet
Motorsports or sold by Bullet
Motorsports, I should say, one of our
local partners. And this one is in
butternut yellow, has the nostripe,
black nostripe, which I think is great,
black vinyl roof. I think as much as I
love the styling of Mustangs, the
original Camaro might be my favorite
looking car from the '60s. It's so
pretty and it's so simple. I just love
them, man. Not just your favorite muscle
car, but your favorite just look in
terms of look. I think I probably would
own I love Fords and driving Mustang so
much. I think that's probably what I
would own personally. But I mean, in
profile, it's one of the prettiest cars
in my opinion. I love the rally slotted
mag wheels. That's one of my favorite
wheels. I actually think I've picked a
6768 Camaro as a daily before in one of
these because whichever year we did 67 I
think because I love them so much. So
I'm repeating myself here a little bit.
You can see I'm like waxing rapsotic,
but I I just love them. I would be happy
walking up to that car every day. I
wanted something too that was kind of in
that 60s beige color. I love all the 60s
beiges. And I think that I would like
this car. You you spoke about driving in
the city. I think this car would be fun
kind of beat up sitting in the city,
sitting outside. I think it would still
be, you know, doing burnouts wherever. I
don't know. Anyway, I love this car. It
would be a great car for you if you were
a private detective to get into
adventures with. I'm trying not to say
the word bullet, but yeah, totally.
Right. I was thinking more Rockford
files. Totally Rockford files. Yeah.
Anyway, there's my GM build sheet on it.
We'll link to that one, too. That is lot
number 93785.
And I just got to say that color,
butternut yellow, which is really kind
of a just a cream. Yeah. It's a perfect
choice for that car. You don't need to
be flashy. No, no, no, no. I completely
agree. And this has got flash in
different areas. the nose stripe, the
red line tires, all that kind of stuff.
Definitely. All right, buddy. Wild card.
You ready? Okay, wild card. This is
always where you really learn about a
person. We've come around the horn. So,
this is our last category. Yeah. All
right. I'm going to tell you the
specific reason I picked this car. It's
not because it's a cool car. It is, but
there's more to it than that. So, my
pick for wild card is a 1961 Impala SS
409 bubble top sport coupe. So good in
tuxedo black with a green interior. Oo,
and a myy four-speed man. 409. She's
real fine. My 409, which is or is not
related. It's not related to the Is that
a different block than the 396 348
block? No, it's the same block. Yeah.
360 horsepower four barrel. Single four
barrel. Yeah. And there were only 142
built in 1961. So it's a rare car. And I
don't think I've ever seen one in that
color combo before. Black, green. No,
that's a kind of an unusual combo. A lot
of them are red and white, I feel like.
Isn't that right? Red and white. Black
and red interior.
Now, that is a cool car. I don't care
what you say. It's a cool car no matter
what. But the reason I picked it is
because of Dan Gurnie. Oh, what's the
Greek connection? Dan Gurnie bought one
of these in 1961 and took it to England
to race. And he raced it. He raced an
impala. Yes. Yes. What? In touring car
and he lost a wheel during the race and
he was out. But I've been fortunate
enough to ride in Dan Gurnie's Impala.
No kidding. Justin Gurnie was on the
show a few months ago and you know
Justin and I have kind of become pals
and I've ridden in his car cuz it was
his dad's own car. Yeah. And then they
kept it. Well, they didn't keep it. Oh,
it went through a succession of owners.
It was in the UK for many years. It
ended up in Australia and then recently
Justin found it, acquired the car. No
kidding. And it's back in the fold. Did
it get raced by other people or was it
his dad the only one who raced it? You
know, I wish I could remember that it
had any other race history. I don't
think it did, but he bought it to race
it specifically. Well, he's going to be
running it in vintage events. Oh, cool.
I don't think they're really going to go
racing anymore, but it'll be at Laguna
Secika for Monterey Car Week this year.
It's a beautiful metallic blue, a dark
metallic blue. How far does the racing
prep go? Is it gutted interior or does
it still have an interior? No, it's got
a full interior in it. I I think the
interior was saved. The rest of the car
had been repainted and the car has gone
through a succession of owners, so it's
had work done here and there, but it's
done properly now. And anyway, the car
is back in the Gurnie family. I was able
to ride in it recently and it was so
exciting. I mean, even at a low speed,
he didn't really get his foot in it, but
man, was it fun. And Dan's got a special
place in my heart, you know. Me, too.
He's my favorite. He's my favorite
driver. And Justin is such a terrific
guy. So, anyway, that's why I picked
that car. That's a great pick. That
actually would have been a great pick
for a lot of categories. That's an
amazing one. It was definitely on my
list for daily drivers. Well, the reason
I wanted to know whether we could have
multiple generations of the same car,
which we've done three two times and
we're about to do three times, is
because I wanted a Corvette for my wild
card. So, initially I was going to go
Grand Sport, which would be like Mac
Daddy. But then I started looking around
BAT and I had forgotten about this other
car that we listed. So, this is a 64 C2
Corvette FY big tank option was raced
SECA new. It's red with white steel
wheels, which is just about my favorite
look of all time. But a C2 Corvette race
car, but kind of a little bit So I love
Dan Gurnie. that era of sportsman
drivers buying a car off the showroom
floor and this car like Dan Gurnie it
has an interior in it but then taking it
racing and you could win races in a car
that was a lightly modified street car
especially in SoCal is just something
that's an era and a time period that is
so romantic to me. So instead of going
Grand Sport, which was, you know, a
crazy race car that Zoro Arcist Dunto
was like secretly developing, I've
decided to go for this car that was
optioned clearly to be a race car and
was raced SECA knew, but is also still a
little bit streety, right? It's a FY4
speed with the extra big tank. It was
definitely speced to be a race car. That
big tank was option N0. Oh, you know
that even look at you. Uh because they
they knew people wanted that we put it
in the thing, right? It's a rare option
to have on the factory. Anyway, I can
imagine myself being in this going to
Willow Springs in the '60s and then
driving it to work, right? But it's also
your race car. I'd love it. Now, is that
technically a Z06? It's not a Z06, but I
think they had a lot of these same
options, right? It had a lot of the same
stuff. Wish I could tell you what. Oh,
yeah. This is a 64. Oh, yeah. The Z06s
are 65. Are they the first Z06? 50 of
them or something. 199 and 63, I
thought. Okay. So, oh, they're all
they're splits. Split windows. They made
them in a split, but yeah. No, it's a
brilliant brilliant car. It's great,
right? And that is lot number. Let me
get the lot number. Oh, it's lot 71,000.
Even whoever was scheduling our cars
knew that. That was a good car, too. And
it unfortunately did not sell. No, but
look at what it bid to 195. Yeah. Yeah.
Anyway, thanks for playing with me,
Maurice. That's fun, right? This was
super fun, Alex. And like I said, I just
couldn't stop doing the research and it
was tough. By the way, you're gonna find
yourself thinking and secondguessing
yourself later. That's like part of it.
Yeah. Well, that's part of the fun,
right? Yeah, indeed. Well, thanks for
doing all this, man. And thanks for
flying up here. As we started, I'll end
with again, there's nothing like doing
it in person. It's way better.
Absolutely. So, thanks for coming up.
We're going to go have some lunch. Any
parting shots from you? I just have to
say it's great to finally be at Bring a
Trailer Global headquarters. Here you
are. Yeah. And um on my way in, I had a
ticket for the corporate tour, but your
tour guide told me the tram was broken.
Oh yeah, sorry about that. No, but
seriously, man, I just really appreciate
you having me on. It's And I'm hungry.
Let's eat. Yeah. What a pleasure,
Maurice. Thanks for being here. And
thanks to all of you for listening. As
always, please send questions, concerns,
feedback to podcast at bringing.com and
we'll catch you next time.
[Music]
About this episode
Maurice Merrick of Horsepower Heritage joins the Bring a Trailer Podcast to share his passion for automotive history, from vintage cars to motorcycles. The conversation dives into Maurice's personal car journey, including his love for BMWs and Land Rovers, and memorable road trips. They discuss notable guests from his podcast, the importance of storytelling in automotive culture, and the thrill of live events. The episode culminates in a fun game where they select cars from a single manufacturer, showcasing their favorites from Chevrolet's rich history in the 1960s.
aftermarket suspension
BBS
bent valve
big wheels
bondo
carbureted
head gasket
high-revving
interference engine
loud exhaust
Acura NSX
BMW 1600
BMW 2002
BMW 5 Series
Buick GNX
Buick Gran Sport
Chevrolet Bel Air
Chevrolet Blazer
Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Corvair
Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet El Camino
Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Nova
Chrysler 300
Ford Model T
Ford Mustang
Honda Accord
Honda Civic
Honda S2000
Kia Stinger
Land Rover Series
Mazda 626
Mercedes-Benz 190E
Mercedes-Benz SL
Renault Talisman
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
Shelby Cobra
Toyota Supra
Volkswagen Beetle
Original notes
Alex and Maurice Merrick, creator and host of the always-fascinating Horsepower Heritage podcast, talk at BaT HQ about disappearing Mazdas, the most dangerous Super Beetle, a Series Land Rover addiction, automotive first right of refusal, vintage motorcycle personalities, and Napoleonic steam-powered artillery tractors before moving on to a new take on everyone's favorite game with a focus on Chevrolets from the 1960s.
Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:
0:48 Horsepower Heritage website
1:34 Czinger Vehicles: Accelerating the Future HH podcast episode
2:18 BaT Alumni Gathering, July 8 at the Iola Car Show event coverage
3:13 BaT Alumni Gathering at The Motoring Club in Los Angeles event coverage
11:31 Alex's 1991 Acura NSX 5-Speed BaT listing
20:49 Vintage Bikes with Paul D'Orleans HH podcast episode
20:56 The Vintagent website
21:39 Speed Is Expensive: The Story of Vincent Motorcycles (with David Lancaster) HH podcast episode
22:55 Richard Worsham of Janus Motorcycles HH podcast episode
29:33 The Donald Healey Story HH podcast episode
30:38 Pur Sang with John Bothwell HH podcast episode
30:42 Patrick Long HH podcast episode
32:15 Racing's Darkest Day: LeMans, 1955 HH podcast episode
33:17 The Brilliance of Bentley (with Peter Grimsdale) Part 1, Part 2 HH podcast episodes
36:20 Horsepower Heritage on YouTube and Instagram
39:26 Corvair Yenko Stingers BaT search
42:04 1962 Chevrolet Corvette 327/360 Fuelie 4-Speed BaT listing
44:34 1965 Chevrolet El Camino L79 4-Speed BaT listing
50:09 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Wagon 4-Speed BaT listing
54:24 Bullet Motorsports BaT Local Partner
55:56 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS 4-Speed BaT listing
57:55 Dan Gurney: The All-American Racer (with Kip Cyprus and Justin Gurney) HH podcast episode
59:44 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe 327 Fuelie 4-Speed w/ Big Tank HH podcast episode
Got suggestions for our next guest from the BaT community or an idea for a game episode? Let us know at [email protected]!
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