The MuscleCar Place

The MuscleCar Place

Robert Kibbe

Updated about 16 hours ago
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The best darn podcast about American muscle cars, ever!

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Episodes (347)

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TMCP #575: Life on the Auction Block with John Kraman – LIVE INTERVIEW From The MECUM Auction Sales Floor!

This week we have a special interview that was recorded LIVE from the auction floor interview at MECUM in Houston Texas. Our intrepid producer Bernie McPartland caught up with TV personality and voice of MECUM Auctions on The MotorTrend Network, John Kraman. To say John has been in the car business a long time does little to explain just how long. This was an insight into what has become the biggest collector car auction company in the world, all told from the catbird seat! The post TMCP #575: Life on the Auction Block with John Kraman – LIVE INTERVIEW From The MECUM Auction Sales Floor! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Apr 19, 2024 65 min

TMCP #574: SEMA President and CEO, Mike Spagnola – State of the Industry

FEATURE INTERVIEW Mike Spagnola – SEMA: This week I spoke to Mike Spagnola, President and CEO of SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association). It is always fun to meet for the first time, especially people who are helming something important to you. This was my first interaction of any kind with Mike, and my immediate takeaway […] The post TMCP #574: SEMA President and CEO, Mike Spagnola – State of the Industry first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Apr 12, 2024 62 min

TMCP #573: ASK RICK: Its The End Of The World As We Know It, Or Is It – California Emissions Mandate, Zero Emissions by 2035

Rick Schmidt – Ask Rick: It is April and time for another riveting Ask Rick segment where I ask him the tough questions! This is the month of change where we transition from winter to spring. Out with the old and in with the new! It is time for the winter states to start getting […] The post TMCP #573: ASK RICK: Its The End Of The World As We Know It, Or Is It – California Emissions Mandate, Zero Emissions by 2035 first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Apr 05, 2024 58 min

TMCP #572: Tom Scarpello of Revology Cars – Bringing New “OEM” Quality ’65-’68 Mustangs into the 21st Century

This week I spoke to Tom Scarpello, President and founder of Revology in his facility in Orlando Florida! Revology is seemingly doing the impossible; creating a profitable company that survives (and thrives) by bringing a single classic Mustang platform into a 21st Century as a capable daily-driver by modern standards. There are a few other companies doing things like Revology, but to my knowledge this is the only company striving to be good at the "boring" stuff like reducing wind noise, squeaks, rattles, and creating high end comfortable interiors from OEM stock materials. Their door gaps are specifically set for long term use - not just awesome looking floor appeal. They're building the quality of cars far closer to a new Porsche than a Pro-Touring old Mustang. For all of this, I had to see it in person! The post TMCP #572: Tom Scarpello of Revology Cars – Bringing New “OEM” Quality ’65-’68 Mustangs into the 21st Century first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Mar 29, 2024 53 min

TMCP #571: Jono Shaw, Hemmings Gets Into The Auction Business And Makes It Easy To Get The Car You Want With Frictionless Marketplace

This week I spoke to Jono Shaw, President of Hemmings Motor News, to find out more about the new buying service called the "Frictionless Marketplace." For anyone who has bought a car online sight unseen it can be a little unnerving when you "win" the auction and are then left to figure out how to get the car legally, safely, and paid for without the fear of getting completely ripped off. To put it bluntly, this service is meant to put some teeth to the "wild-west" that has become common in buying a car line and put Hemmings into the mix to prevent the possibility of fraud. The post TMCP #571: Jono Shaw, Hemmings Gets Into The Auction Business And Makes It Easy To Get The Car You Want With Frictionless Marketplace first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Mar 22, 2024 45 min

TMCP #570: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback – The Time I Met Mike Finnegan and Launched a Show about the Dukes of Hazzard!

TMCP #570: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback - The Time I Met Mike Finnegan and Launched a Show about the Dukes of Hazzard! The post TMCP #570: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback – The Time I Met Mike Finnegan and Launched a Show about the Dukes of Hazzard! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Mar 08, 2024 52 min

TMCP #569: ASK RICK: Best ROI on Auction Cars and How A Presidential Election Affects Restoration Parts Sales

Rick's Take on the Presidential Election 2024: Every four years we experience a Leap year and another round of picking a new president. With this event comes another round of presidential ads, throwing of mud, and an substantial amount of finger pointing. I have heard many times in the past from suppliers regarding their outlook on the future around an election cycle and many will stop any unnecessary spending based on the uncertainly of the outcome of an election. Some will even cut out expensive trade shows (SEMA included) that they would normally attend in an attempt to save up for the rainy day they believe is headed their way. I decided to ask Rick what his experiences were regarding this phenomenon. NPD is run very conservatively and keeps higher than normal reserves for low times and fluctuations in the market so Ricks response was very interesting. He said that he does indeed notice a flattening in sales in relation to a Presidential election. That said, it's not just at election time, but over the whole election year. It seems like everyone gets nervous and holds back on spending. Once the whole thing is over and the parties have been decided, Rick says that people generally go back to buying for their hobbies and it is back to business as usual. The post TMCP #569: ASK RICK: Best ROI on Auction Cars and How A Presidential Election Affects Restoration Parts Sales first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Mar 01, 2024 55 min

TMCP #568: Jason Forgey, the NC944er – Everything You’ll Ever Need to Know to Own, Restore, and Upgrade the Porsche 944!

TMCP #568: Jason Forgey, the NC944er - Everything You'll Ever Need to Know to Own, Restore, and Upgrade the Porsche 944! The post TMCP #568: Jason Forgey, the NC944er – Everything You’ll Ever Need to Know to Own, Restore, and Upgrade the Porsche 944! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Feb 16, 2024 55 min

TMCP #567: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback – The Time Jeff Allison Built My Chevelle For Free!

TMCP #567: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback - The Time Jeff Allison Built My Chevelle For Free! The post TMCP #567: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback – The Time Jeff Allison Built My Chevelle For Free! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Feb 09, 2024 38 min

TMCP #566: ASK RICK – Muscle Cars At Mecum Bringing Big Money, The Best ROI is on “Junk”, and we own a 944!

ASK RICK - Muscle Cars At Mecum Bringing Big Money, The Best ROI is on "Junk", and we own a Porsche 944! The post TMCP #566: ASK RICK – Muscle Cars At Mecum Bringing Big Money, The Best ROI is on “Junk”, and we own a 944! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Feb 02, 2024 57 min

TMCP #565: Rides By Engel – The Yoda to to Building, Marketing, Operating a Profitable Production Car Business!

This week I have the pleasure to talk to long time friend of the show, Jason Engel. At SEMA 2023 I learned that Jason had entered the consulting business and was also he representative to vet licensure requirements for Shelby! What was he consulting in, specifically? Well....consulting in the entire process of owning, operating, producing, marketing, and leading a production car business where the production car is unique to the business itself. In addition, it might be a car that needs to be licensed by an OEM or other "Hollywood" style entities. Examples include companies like Classic Recreations (which he founded), Revology, Velocity Restorations, Anything Scout, etc. In a nutshell, Jason was taking on clients to teaching them the business of PROFITABLY running such a venture. For this, I needed a full length interview...and this is out!  The post TMCP #565: Rides By Engel – The Yoda to to Building, Marketing, Operating a Profitable Production Car Business! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Jan 19, 2024 64 min

TMCP #564: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback – The Time I Landed Richard Petty, The King of NASCAR!

It is hard to believe that in May of 2024 it will have been fifteen years since I carved out a hole in my basement and started recording this podcast! Many listeners have tuned in and followed along as I met people from all across the automotive world and simply asked the questions we all wanted to know about business and cars. I had no idea that 15 years later I'd still be in the business, nor did I have a clue what a life defining thing this would become. In a nutshell, this podcast (and you) have changed my life. I am blessed to have started the show during the pre-podcast boom and have been able to use it to go places and see things that were far above my punching weight. I've had backstage passes, met stars, and attended events with all of you listeners along for the ride. I've raised a family along with way too, lost a parent, and had the chance to build and drive cars with my best friends. You have given back to me with friendship and support for chasing my dreams while creating a place we all can enjoy, The Muscle Car Place. Many great and exciting things have happened since that start but one of my most memorable was getting to talk to the King himself, Richard Petty. At the time the "new" Challenger was still fairly new,  and who knew it would go on for another twelve years and the most amazing cars that were not even imagined yet. It was pretty exciting to see Daytonas once again on the streets, even if in limited numbers, as Petty Garage made special editions of the Challenger with the iconic nose and wing of the NASCAR heydays. I did get to ask him about his racing career and recorded every glorious second of the conversation in Episode #76 way back in 2011. In every great sitcom there is the throwback episode where they queue the wobbly lines and memories from previous episodes come back based on a vague story line. This week the throwback episode, is my interview with Richard Petty. Enjoy! The post TMCP #564: 15 Year Anniversary Throwback – The Time I Landed Richard Petty, The King of NASCAR! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Jan 12, 2024 28 min

TMCP #563: ASK RICK – 2024 New Years Business Goals; How to Get the Best ROI for Buying and Selling at the BIG January Auctions!

ASK RICK - 2024 New Years Business Goals; How to Get the Best ROI for Buying and Selling at the BIG January Auctions! The post TMCP #563: ASK RICK – 2024 New Years Business Goals; How to Get the Best ROI for Buying and Selling at the BIG January Auctions! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Jan 05, 2024 55 min

TMCP #562: The 2023 Christmas Show: Feature Interview with Santa Claus – Alternative Fuels, Electric Sleighs, and How to Get on the Nice List!

TMCP #562: The 2023 Christmas Show: Feature Interview with Santa Claus - Alternative Fuels, Electric Sleighs, and How to Get on the Nice List! The post TMCP #562: The 2023 Christmas Show: Feature Interview with Santa Claus – Alternative Fuels, Electric Sleighs, and How to Get on the Nice List! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Dec 15, 2023 44 min

TMCP #561 – Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals Show 2023 – The Greatest Muscle Car Show of the All?

Welcome to the first ever show from the streets of Chicago at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals show (MCACN). Ryan Brutt, the Auto Archeologist himself, brought out man Scotty Stap into the event to get a deeper look at what has become the premier annual muscle car event in the country! MCACN is a unique show in that both original, unrestored, barn find, and rare/oddball unique muscle cars are curated along with barn finds, specialty restoration parts suppliers, and everything in between! Thanks to Ryan we also secured a significant interview with Bob Ashton, the Managing Member of the show. We last had Bob on in the show in 2015 (Episode 265), so we were definitely overdue for a catchup!  The post TMCP #561 – Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals Show 2023 – The Greatest Muscle Car Show of the All? first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Dec 08, 2023 71 min

TMCP #560: Ask Rick – Long Term Employee Retention – Niche Restoration Parts Being Discontinued – Classic Car Investment VS The Stock Market

TMCP #560: Ask Rick - Long Term Employee Retention - Niche Restoration Parts Being Discontinued - Classic Car Investment VS The Stock Market The post TMCP #560: Ask Rick – Long Term Employee Retention – Niche Restoration Parts Being Discontinued – Classic Car Investment VS The Stock Market first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Dec 01, 2023 57 min

TMCP #559: SEMA Show 2023 Special #2: Ron Francis Wiring, Scott Bowers Goes Racing! – Cam Douglass, OPTIMA Series – Chris Douglas, CEO of Edelbrock Group:Racing and When to Move on to the Next Level -Wayne Perdue, JEGS, 35 Years of Speed Parts – Rick Love, Vintage Air, New Fox Body Mustang Systems!

TMCP #559: SEMA Show 2023 Special #2: Ron Francis Wiring, Scott Bowers Goes Racing! - Cam Douglas, OPTIMA Series - Chris Douglas, CEO of Edelbrock Group:Racing and When to Move on to the Next Level -Wayne Perdue, JEGS, 35 Years of Speed Parts - Rick Love, Vintage Air, New Fox Body Mustang Systems! The post TMCP #559: SEMA Show 2023 Special #2: Ron Francis Wiring, Scott Bowers Goes Racing! – Cam Douglass, OPTIMA Series – Chris Douglas, CEO of Edelbrock Group:Racing and When to Move on to the Next Level -Wayne Perdue, JEGS, 35 Years of Speed Parts – Rick Love, Vintage Air, New Fox Body Mustang Systems! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Nov 17, 2023 69 min

TMCP #558: SEMA Show 2023 Special #1: Roadster Shop and Aeromotive BIG Future Plans – Superformance Celebrates30 Years of Cobras – E-Musclecar Electric Muscle Conversions – TV’s Chris Jacobs and Finale Speed – Jason Engel: Consulting in Shelby Licensing

TMCP #558: SEMA Show 2023 Special #1 - just for car builders! Roadster Shop and Aeromotive BIG Future Plans - Superformance Celebrates30 Years of Cobras - E-Musclecar Electric Muscle Conversions - TV's Chris Jacobs and Finale Speed - Jason Engel: Consulting in Shelby Licensing The post TMCP #558: SEMA Show 2023 Special #1: Roadster Shop and Aeromotive BIG Future Plans – Superformance Celebrates30 Years of Cobras – E-Musclecar Electric Muscle Conversions – TV’s Chris Jacobs and Finale Speed – Jason Engel: Consulting in Shelby Licensing first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Nov 10, 2023 76 min

TMCP #557: Ask Rick – Thanksgiving 2023 – OEM EV Strategy Change – and SEMA 2023 Winners!!

TMCP #557: Ask Rick - Thanksgiving 2023 - EV's Are Slowing Development - and SEMA 2023 Winners! The post TMCP #557: Ask Rick – Thanksgiving 2023 – OEM EV Strategy Change – and SEMA 2023 Winners!! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Nov 03, 2023 45 min

TMCP #556: SEMA and Industry 2023 Preview with Dan Kahn – Upcoming Technology in the Automotive Aftermarket – Trucks and Overlanding For the Win!

Dan Kahn is a well known name in the automotive PR and marketing world and Kahn Media is (in my opinion) is the leader in that space.  I've known Dan for years and have always found him to have a great understanding of our industry as well as the ability to read the tea leaves on what's coming next. Long time listeners will remember our time together on a podcast called "Cars for a Living" and I asked him to return today for a "crystal ball plus the state of the nations" type discussion in regards to the upcoming 2023 SEMA Show! If there's one thing the Kahn team knows well it's the automotive aftermarket. The post TMCP #556: SEMA and Industry 2023 Preview with Dan Kahn – Upcoming Technology in the Automotive Aftermarket – Trucks and Overlanding For the Win! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Oct 20, 2023 60 min

TMCP #555: THE Pro-Touring Update with Larry Callahan – SEMA 2023 Preview – Pro-Touring Dinner – Ron Francis Goes To The OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational,

It's once again is the quarterly Pro-Touring Update, Presented by Ron Francis Wiring, and starring Mr. Larry Callahan! Technically this is the 3rd quarter update, but with the schedules of events (and the possibility of something special in the first weekend of Oct) we needed to push it back a couple of weeks. I'm happy to say that the gamble was worth it! The focus of this update - as always - is to stay on the inside scoop of what is going on with Larry and The Pro-Touring community as well as getting the inside scoop on upcoming Pro-Touring (autocross) events for the end of 2023! The post TMCP #555: THE Pro-Touring Update with Larry Callahan – SEMA 2023 Preview – Pro-Touring Dinner – Ron Francis Goes To The OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational, first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Oct 13, 2023 47 min

TMCP #554: Ask Rick – Whats The Big Deal About SEMA? – UAW Strike, The Real Flaw In The System – Henry Ford “X” Engine – Listener Questions – Cars Picks of the Week

It is now October so be on the lookout for ghosts and ghouls at Halloween. This is time for costume parties, trick or treating, and another riveting Ask Rick segment were I ask him the tough questions that not everyone wants to hear! As always Rick delivers sage advice and wisdom founded in years of buying and selling classic vehicles. In this episode we waded into the topics spanning from "how do I store my classic vehicle" all the way to "how do we fix our broken governmental system." As always the answers are entertaining, polarizing, and sometimes surprising. The post TMCP #554: Ask Rick – Whats The Big Deal About SEMA? – UAW Strike, The Real Flaw In The System – Henry Ford “X” Engine – Listener Questions – Cars Picks of the Week first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Oct 06, 2023 57 min

TMCP #553: Holley Moparty Super Show Special! – HHWheels 1969 RT/SE Unrestored All Original Charger – Dylan McCool, Fixing and Racing an 80’s Cop Car – Richard Petty’s 1974 Charger Race Car

  FEATURE INTERVIEW: 2023 Holley Moparty Special! This special bonus episode on The Muscle Car Place is brought to you live from the Holley Moparty 2023 event at the Beach Bend raceway (and amusement park) facility in Bowling Green Kentucky! All of your favorite show hosts and co-hosts loaded up and drove out to the […] The post TMCP #553: Holley Moparty Super Show Special! – HHWheels 1969 RT/SE Unrestored All Original Charger – Dylan McCool, Fixing and Racing an 80’s Cop Car – Richard Petty’s 1974 Charger Race Car first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Sep 22, 2023 53 min

TMCP #552: Ask Rick – Is it Wise (or Possible) to Have Collector Cars as Your Retirement Investment?

It is September and football is back!!! It is also time for another riveting Ask Rick segment were I ask him the tough questions that not everyone wants to hear. As always Rick delivers sage advice and wisdom founded in years of buying and selling classic vehicles. When it comes to cars as investment, possibly a with a great ROI, Rick has strong opinions and advice here. Can it be done? Short answer; yes! Should it be done? Long answer......maybe. As with all things, it depends what you understand and where you can make your gain on the purchase of the car initially. For Rick and his dad, their collection has immense value today of course, but every car in inventory was chosen for it's specialness to the Schmidt's not as a hedge on a great investment. They chose high quality low mile original cars and didn't just stick to muscle cars. Their collection has many examples of unique rare American cars that have less than 1000 miles (think Rivieras, Eldorado's, and Lincoln's).. Some have interiors with the delivery plastic still in place! Others are beautifully restored treasures. Today, it's paid off. Technically, it could payoff if they ever chose to sell....which they almost never do! The post TMCP #552: Ask Rick – Is it Wise (or Possible) to Have Collector Cars as Your Retirement Investment? first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Sep 08, 2023 63 min

TMCP #551: Live From RoadKill Nights 2023 – Special Feature with Dodge! Interior and Exterior Design, 2024 Charger, Direct Connection, and Marketing for the USA!

This special bonus episode on The Muscle Car Place is brought to you live once again from the streets of Pontiac, Michigan! Our journeyman reporter Scott Stap was roadside at Woodard Avenue where the streets were closed and setup for LEGAL street drag racing at the annual RoadKill Nights event, presented by Dodge. Every year this event brings action, excitement, and new automotive experiences to Michigan (and visitors from other Midwestern states) automotive enthusiasts! This episode is from "press day" where grudge match racers were introduced to reveal their drag race cars. Friday was a media only event and Scott was able to get his recorder and microphones in to talk to more Dodge insiders for a behind the scenes look at how the "donuts" of a muscle-car-loving OEM are actually. This was before Roadkill Nights opened to the public and there were a lot of people to talk to in a short period of time. He talked to old friends that have been on the show before as well as interviewing new guests that provided different angles and aspects of how Dodge designs and sells new muscle. The post TMCP #551: Live From RoadKill Nights 2023 – Special Feature with Dodge! Interior and Exterior Design, 2024 Charger, Direct Connection, and Marketing for the USA! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.

Aug 25, 2023 46 min