In Wheel Time Podcast

Revving Up with Fast and Furious Star Noel 'G' Gugliemi: A Journey through Car Culture

• In Wheel Time Car Talk • Season 2023 • Episode 247

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Strap in, buckle up, and get ready to ride into the exciting world of car culture with us – and who better to guide us than our special guest, Fast and Furious star, Noel 'G'? Renowned for his role as Hector in the iconic film series, Noel offers fascinating insights into his journey into showbiz, his adoration for Texas and, of course, his impressive knowledge about all things cars.

Our journey on the fast lane takes us to the 63rd annual Autorama in Houston, Texas. Here, we dive into a vibrant discussion on the merits of non-American made cars – think Hondas and Toyotas. Noel teases us with behind-the-scenes tales from his upcoming appearance and the camaraderie among car show attendees. Also, we let you in on a secret: the upcoming Fast and Furious television series! The energy shifts gears as we reminisce on multiple cars used for stunts in films and the surprising revelation that there was only one Knight Rider car.

Next, we take a pit stop to discuss dealer-modified cars and the profound impact of dealers like Mr. Norm and Dick Harrell on the hot rod culture of the 60s and 70s. 

 Tune in and ignite your passion!

Be sure to subscribe for more In Wheel Time Car Talk!

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Tags: In Wheel Time, automotive car talk show, car talk, Live car talk show, In Wheel Time Car Talk




Speaker 1:

Welcome to another in wheel time podcast, a 30 minute mini version of the in wheel time car show that airs live every Saturday morning 8 to 11 am, central anywhere. Wow, is that my cue? No, it was kind of like a dip in the old Whatever. Hey from the 63rd annual Autorama at the George R Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. Baby, it's the in wheel time car talk show coming up. A celebrity at this year's show. What yeah, easy, he's in the house.

Speaker 1:

Later a look at the automotive news headlines this week howdy, along with Mike out of this world bars King Conrad DeLong we always need more Jeff Zekin, we do and a special, rare appearance by none other than his honor, his yes, yes man, right here, our chief engineer David.

Speaker 4:

Ainsley.

Speaker 1:

We thank you for joining us. Today is yeah, so it's the bonus hour of the in wheel time car talk show. Normally we'd be not on the air at this time. We'd be back in, we'd be drinking yeah, baby, and eating hot dogs oh yeah, but right now we're not, but we are here no because we're here with no.

Speaker 2:

LG no right. Yeah, better known as Hector from the Fast and Furious movies. There you go.

Speaker 3:

Like the vibe man, I'm already with it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we've got a whole tray of hot dogs coming this way, cuz they know I'm ready.

Speaker 3:

I'm not mad at a hot dog.

Speaker 4:

You know, you see how it's made then you know, I don't look

Speaker 1:

you're in, LA guy yeah yeah all your life was popping yeah okay, good. And Do you ever make it here Houston other than this show?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, no, no, I love Texas man. I've been to Houston a lot of times, man, I love it out. I was actually out here just about six, seven months ago for the lowrider show.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2:

So I come out here quite a bit, man it's.

Speaker 3:

Texas is like my second home.

Speaker 2:

So I love actually my third home speaking.

Speaker 1:

Las Vegas is my second home. There you go, go ahead speak. Speak speaking of lowriders man. They got a heck of a show.

Speaker 3:

Oh yeah, they got yeah.

Speaker 1:

This is the biggest it's ever been.

Speaker 3:

I think it's a really cool cars over there. Oh, I already know I'm already loving a lot of the cars I've seen already there off the hook.

Speaker 1:

So how did you get into the movie business?

Speaker 3:

Literally it was a right place, right time story. It was kind of funny. I went with this girl to an acting class. Never thought about acting a day in my life. I'm just running the streets acting a fool, and what ended up happening was it was like and you know, to win the Lottery you either got to be Mexican or over 70 years old one of them to write that's how it works right.

Speaker 2:

That's it.

Speaker 3:

So I was literally right place, right time, and there was a producer who was sitting in class that day was scouting talent Comes up to me and he says, hey, you want to be in a Taco Bell commercial and I thought he was on some whatever stuff. So I gave him my number. It ended up being real. Two weeks later I'm in a Taco Bell commercial at the age of 15 years old is a first thing I ever did in my life, and the rest was history from there.

Speaker 2:

So you with a little dog.

Speaker 3:

No, I know right. Everyone always says that I wasn't a little dog.

Speaker 1:

No, you.

Speaker 4:

Do you get a lifetime supply of Taco Bell?

Speaker 3:

I don't even like Taco Bell.

Speaker 2:

That's fake Mexican food.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so that's how it kicked off. But it was funny because at the time when I did the commercial I didn't know about residual checks. I Was ignorant to that. I was 15 years old. I thought you got a word to get paid, work to get paid, of course. So when I started getting all these checks I thought it was a computer mess up. But I was cashing them because, you know, I had my story. So when it got a little weird, I called up the dude and I said why keep on getting paid for this commercial? He goes no, no, no, that's how actors get paid.

Speaker 2:

I said what I said. Why?

Speaker 3:

want to be an actor, so that's how it, that's how it was like. It was like winning a baby lottery.

Speaker 1:

Did you have an agent for the talk? No, I didn't have an agent at the time. I was.

Speaker 3:

I came in cold turkey to the game you know, and then they make you join the union?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, right away.

Speaker 3:

I well, I got tapped hardly at the time, but I didn't understand any of this stuff. You know, I didn't find out until later. So at that time they tapped hardly me for the commercial or whatever, which is what I found out later. Then I wasn't a part of the union and then I had to rejoin because I didn't pay at the time to. I didn't know. You know what I'm saying. Oh, I know, and um, but it was funny. So I asked the home. Yeah, I was like man, if that's how you get paid, I was like let's do this some more.

Speaker 2:

You know what I'm saying? I?

Speaker 3:

was like this works for me, right, so? You don't drop it for your local. Try to get a good job, bro. I'm trying to make a career. You know I got tired of standing in front of Home Depot. So, but yeah, so that's how it kicked off. That's good. How many of these fast and furious you've been in there? Two of them I was in one and seven. One and seven, yeah, so they're making fast and furious the television series. Now I'm coming back to that.

Speaker 2:

Are you?

Speaker 3:

They're gonna make it a TV series so that's great yeah, so fast and furious is crazy. It's the most money-making franchise for universal studios. So universal studios hasn't done any other movie that has made more money for them than fast and furious.

Speaker 1:

And dude, it's all about the cars.

Speaker 2:

I hear they're writing in a car talk show and one of the scenes Just just to keep it real man, I'm gonna be honest with you.

Speaker 3:

I'm not a fan of fast and furious no more. You know what I mean. It got two superhero. For me it got a little too Marvel. I still get residual.

Speaker 4:

I'm a fan of the check I'm just a fan of like it got to storyline.

Speaker 3:

I tell people if they like Marvel superhero movies and they still love fast and furious. You know what I mean. I'm a fan of the first one, the original. Yeah, because that's the original. You know, and I admit this openly, I don't care, but how do you go from racing cars to saving the world? Do you know what I mean? Yeah, so it just kind of got a little out there for me, but yeah, so that's just my honest.

Speaker 2:

We do it three hours every Saturday, saving the world. We do.

Speaker 1:

I am jump with a bunch of supermans.

Speaker 3:

that works, that's exactly right. All right, have you ever seen the movie the Hollywood nights? No, I've never seen it.

Speaker 1:

I never even heard of it. What's that about that would that would be. That would be something on a you know, on a lonely Tuesday night to watch. Is that what we're gonna do when we're eating the hot dogs and drinking the beer?

Speaker 3:

You're gonna show it on the big screen in the backyard and he's gonna recite all of it. Since you're from LA, what year was?

Speaker 1:

that movie made? Ah, what 1980, something were in there. What's the movie where they recite the I was five years old at that time. That's okay, you would appreciate it. All right, I'm gonna check it out. I'm gonna check it out.

Speaker 3:

I probably would, because a lot of the old stuff that was made before the new stuff is better anyway.

Speaker 1:

So well, this is the Hollywood nights k and I ghts. It's a car club in Hollywood, halloween night 1965. I think that you would appreciate it.

Speaker 3:

Okay, okay, okay yeah you're taking me back to when tv was black and white.

Speaker 1:

Is it a silent? I want to know.

Speaker 2:

Before they actually made tv.

Speaker 3:

I'm like is alfred hitchcock. Have a cameo on there.

Speaker 2:

Vincent price. What's the show where they? They act out, that the Participants act out the movie.

Speaker 3:

Oh, oh. Where they do the re were, they do the voices. I know what you're talking about.

Speaker 1:

He does that, he does that.

Speaker 2:

Okay that's hilarious.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, here's see here. Maybe uh don't get him started, oh so so are you.

Speaker 4:

That's hilarious.

Speaker 3:

Are you a car guy, car guy or I'm a? I'm a car guy, not a car car guy, but I'm a car guy, though I.

Speaker 1:

I do. What kind of car do you drive? What kind of cars you?

Speaker 3:

have hondas, toyotas. Those are some of my favorite cars man. Yeah, you know this is so sad to say, but I, I just got to be real and real is real and I tell the truth and even if the truth cuts a little bit, I will not drive an american made car. I just won't, man, I just I just can't bro, I just we understand, it's okay.

Speaker 3:

I got so many people got american made cars and they got so many problems with them. You know what I mean. Toyota and honda is my go-to and that's it. But I love a Honda Civic still. I just got the Honda Civic type r, so I love that car.

Speaker 1:

Have you seen or driven the new toyota crown?

Speaker 3:

No, I haven't drove that one yeah brand, brand brand.

Speaker 1:

You, kathy, looked into one.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, those are, those are nice. Yeah, oh yeah, okay. Okay, I'll check that out, I'll look into that, that's kind of like the avalon replacement.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, but it's not it's, it's uh.

Speaker 1:

It's a real honest toyota from from japan and uh, it's supposed to. I haven't seen it, or driven.

Speaker 3:

I just like anything not american made.

Speaker 4:

That's all Stay with your art type and you'll be a half. Yeah, no.

Speaker 3:

I like it already, yeah, yeah. But I mean, you know, I am a car guy, though I do, I'm Mexican. I could start cars without keys. You know what I'm?

Speaker 2:

saying we got ways around things. You know what I'm saying, so I'm playing. I read about it somewhere.

Speaker 4:

I read about it somewhere. I've heard that story. Yeah, yeah, yeah, got a garage for the Hyundai's.

Speaker 3:

Hot does. So, you're here, you know what? Ok, I'll take you, I'll give you a movie real quick. I'll give you a movie and take it back. If you guys watch this or you watch that movie with Michael Keaton, what's it called? Gung Ho? Was it Gung Ho?

Speaker 2:

It's an old one. You know what I'm talking about.

Speaker 3:

That was a good movie, bro. That's taking you back to the day right there.

Speaker 1:

That was with Michael Keaton. You haven't seen that movie. I probably have, but now, at my age, I've forgotten everything.

Speaker 4:

Oh man, You'll forget this in 20 minutes, Willie that's not good.

Speaker 2:

So you're here to the show early today, or yeah?

Speaker 3:

yeah, yeah, we're hanging out early. I'll be here pretty much all day chilling, so they got me on the stage over here. Anybody want to come through?

Speaker 2:

Sure, get a picture, buy some collectible stuff. 2 to 5, I think it is. No, no, I'll be here a little, yeah, but I mean on the stage, I think it's scheduled for 2 to 5.

Speaker 3:

But I'll be here a little longer though. So I'm right, what's up, blair Chillin'? So I'll be here a little longer.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, that's great. We appreciate you joining us. No, it's love man, so this is Wheel Time.

Speaker 3:

This is the Wheel Time podcast, right here. This is it. That's what's up. That's what's up, man. I like it, I like it.

Speaker 1:

Our World Wide Broadcast here. Oh wow, you get back to.

Speaker 2:

LA and you get to feeling kind of lonesome for Houston.

Speaker 3:

Saturday mornings 8 to 11 central time.

Speaker 1:

I got you, I got you, we're there on our radio, and if you missed that, then you got all the podcasts too.

Speaker 2:

And there is no residual checks for this occasion. Oh, what Zero. What kind of place is this? Good bye, I'm out of here.

Speaker 1:

I'm out of here bro. No but we do have some good chili dogs. Yeah, right there, they'll take you down there.

Speaker 3:

I thought there was some paperwork involved. What's going on, man?

Speaker 4:

Yeah, what you joined the union for right. I know right.

Speaker 3:

What's this world?

Speaker 4:

coming to man.

Speaker 3:

What kind of place do we live in?

Speaker 2:

Exactly.

Speaker 3:

Where's the agent Show?

Speaker 2:

me, my agent. Do you know this guy here?

Speaker 3:

This is my boy man. He picked me up at the airport.

Speaker 2:

That's the man right there. Larry is the man I know, larry.

Speaker 3:

Way, Take care bro.

Speaker 1:

He's been with us since the very beginning, since we started doing the car show here. Oh my gosh, larry, what's it been 10 years?

Speaker 4:

10 years, I think.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, something like that.

Speaker 2:

If I ever fly into.

Speaker 1:

Canada. He's picking me up at the airport.

Speaker 2:

Oh, he hooked it up. He hooked it up.

Speaker 3:

They've been taking care of me, man. I thank them for the hospitality and everything has been going on. I'm having fun already it's a cool show man.

Speaker 1:

These are great people. All the people here you're going to go. Yeah, I like this a lot. You ever go to the LA Auto Show?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I've been there a couple of times.

Speaker 1:

You ever go to the Peterson Museum.

Speaker 3:

No, I've never been there yet.

Speaker 1:

man, that's a place that's probably on the bucket list though that I've got to go to, Even though you don't like American they got other cars in there?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, no, I know that's a place I've probably got to go check out. I've been to a lot of car museums, but not that one yet.

Speaker 1:

Have you met Jay Leno? Have you been to his garage?

Speaker 3:

I just did a show with Jay Leno, really, yeah we just did a show about. Just a month ago we did a show for Hot Wheels.

Speaker 4:

Yes, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so I was a part of that. Me and Jay Leno were the main judges for the cars out there.

Speaker 2:

They filmed a segment in Houston.

Speaker 3:

They had a smart financial.

Speaker 2:

I think had that Well. Yes, as a matter of fact, the epic segment, the high school team won the competition.

Speaker 1:

We're going to have them on here in another week or two. I've sent Mr Mars the information.

Speaker 3:

So that was just a month ago. You could pass that down. Oh yeah, that was just literally a month ago with Jay Leno doing the show.

Speaker 4:

Yep, oh, that's great man. He's truly a car guy. Put it on. Yeah, yeah, yeah Most definitely.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I love it.

Speaker 3:

You know, you would think he built some of the cars himself.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, I guess it was a car. Well, how was he doing? Because if you were just with him a couple of weeks ago, that was after he got burned pretty bad.

Speaker 3:

He's doing really well. I tripped out you know that guy's 73 years old and still pushing man.

Speaker 1:

Careful.

Speaker 3:

He's still pushing. He's doing really well yeah. Yeah, I'm saying no, his energy, just the way he is, and everything cool. Cap man, I had a good time with Jay.

Speaker 1:

That's good.

Speaker 3:

Yeah. Yeah, I heard about that, the burn situation, whatever but no, he was doing good that time and nothing was wrong.

Speaker 1:

That's good.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, his health is perfect.

Speaker 1:

That's good. How did you get that gig? How did you get involved in that?

Speaker 3:

So I know the Hot Wheel guys, Brian and all of them over there.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, brian, we talked to him on the phone.

Speaker 3:

OK, got you, got you. Yeah, so they're actually making my car from the movie.

Speaker 2:

Are they?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so that's how this all got started. So it's coming out in 2025. But it's going to be the Hector Honda Civic, the one that I drove in part one.

Speaker 1:

So it's coming out. How cool is that. How does that make you?

Speaker 3:

feel. So I'm excited You're still kidding, the only company who did my car was Revell and they're not around no more. And then Jada's jumping on board now, because Hot Wheels jumped on board, so I'm excited about that. Very cool. I didn't understand why they didn't do it to begin with.

Speaker 4:

Because, I know right, I'm going to find out when I sign the paperwork.

Speaker 3:

But you know. What's funny, though, is I'm surprised they didn't do the car earlier, because Hondas are very popular cars. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean anytime there's a Honda and the Hot Wheel stack, that's one of the first go-tos. Everybody's trying to grab that car and there's a lot of rare ones out there now. That used to be $1, but they're now up in like $1,500.

Speaker 4:

Wow, it's remarkable how the value of those cars have elevated for specific ones.

Speaker 3:

And it was the most popular car. That was affordable and it looked nice and you had a nice car.

Speaker 3:

The only reason why it was made so much fun of is because everybody and their mom had that car Right that was it, but everybody and their mom yeah, and everybody of their mom didn't have that car, but it was the most reliable, most dependable, you know, and still are, exactly, and they still hold their value to this day, you know, and they're just very nice cars. It's like the cheapest, nicest car you can get, you know, and that's why they're so popular.

Speaker 1:

It's really not any different today than it was when we were teenagers. We got the hand-me-downs, the Honda Civics or whatever they were from mom or dad or whoever. We hopped them up. We, you know, put wheels on them. We did our own thing with it. It's the same thing today as it was back then, just different cars.

Speaker 3:

Right, right, right, and just a little more, little more.

Speaker 1:

Dependable, yeah, yeah, reliable.

Speaker 3:

He saved me on that one yeah. I was sinking for a minute but, you know, you threw in the life wrap bro.

Speaker 2:

So what do you think of this show? You haven't been here long today, but yeah, I've only been here an hour.

Speaker 3:

Let me get my feet wet but I'm loving it already I walked in I saw all the cars that were set up. Very nice, rides man, Very nice. I'm like I don't even want to fly back home, I'll just drive one home. You know, but no, a lot of the cars here are plush man, I'm loving it already.

Speaker 1:

How do you like the culture? Because obviously you've been thrown into it.

Speaker 3:

The car culture, the whole car culture thing, no you know what I like about the culture man, so I'll give you something about Fast and Furious that a lot of people don't think about. Fast and Furious was one of the first movies ever to put Mexican, black, white and Asian people together, the culture together, all the races together because of the cars.

Speaker 2:

The cars.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, and the cars with a heart of it all. You know what I'm saying. So that's what I loved about that movie too, is the barriers that it broke, cultural-wise Meaning that we had all the races in there, but it didn't matter what race you were.

Speaker 1:

Everybody just had love for the cars. That's correct. That's how it is.

Speaker 2:

That was the common bond?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, and I always say it's an individual thing. Of course you got haters and lovers and whatever, but you know.

Speaker 4:

You have that everywhere though.

Speaker 2:

No, that's why I say it's an individual thing. So with the movie, do you do your own stunts, because Don could probably be your stunt driver.

Speaker 3:

No, they don't let you do a lot of the stunts yourself, because if you get injured then there goes the whole movie and that's a lot of money. So a lot of actors even who want to do their own stunts, they're not allowed to because it just could ruin the movie if you get hurt, not in the day, like the Paul Newman's and all that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, back then.

Speaker 3:

Steve. Mcqueen, steve McQueen, you get a little more clever as you go on in the years. You know what I'm saying, but, yeah, they don't really allow us to really drive the cars like that they do. When you're offset, though, and you're learning, and they're teaching you the stunts or whatever have you, and you could do some stuff in the movie, but they don't really let you go to the extent because, again, if you get hurt, then they're screwed.

Speaker 4:

So what about the cars that were, that were featured in the movies? What happens to those?

Speaker 3:

Well, you know what was funny. So when I was a kid man, I'd make this super short and quick. When I was a kid, I remember I was on the tram at Universal Studios and they showed us the Night Rider car and there was like 50 of them and I was like what you mean? One car doesn't do the whole thing, you know what.

Speaker 3:

I'm saying I felt like I got ripped off as a kid. You know what I'm saying. But then it was funny, so fast and furious. I already knew what I was walking into is my point. But there's 10 cars of this, 10 cars of that, because one needs to go fast. One is the show car, One needs to explode. One needs to crash. All these different things or whatever, so now it doesn't bother me, but when I was a kid, yeah, I was pissed off when I found out about that.

Speaker 2:

I was like what do you mean?

Speaker 3:

And I was in Dukes of Hazard too, you know, and it was funny, the Dukes of Hazard, every car that jumped was totaled and gone. Yeah, you could see the car in pen.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, people don't know that.

Speaker 3:

You know what I mean. So there's the car for that and then there's the. So there was over like it sounds insane to say, but it was over, like 5,000 Dukes of Hazard cars that you know, the and the Fast and Furious cars same thing. So there's one there and then you got which one was screen used and which one we didn't get to that wasn't used. You know what I'm saying. So there's all these factors that are involved that you got to think of, so you don't have one of those at home in your garage.

Speaker 3:

Well, I'm actually doing a rebuild right now of the Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Speaker 2:

That's the one that the Hot Wheels is going to do. No, no, they're doing my Honda, your Honda.

Speaker 3:

That's Paul Walker's car Gotcha. That's the most popular car in the series, cause that was the first car ever shown in Fast and Furious, the green Mitsubishi.

Speaker 2:

Eclipse, bright, green, the silver, and yeah, it was really no sunroof?

Speaker 3:

no, nothing man. So they're making that. Yeah, here's a funny story about that car. To make it easier on the gear shifting, they made it an automatic. It was a stick and they made it an automatic to make it easier to drive For the actors. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So really, when it looked like he was changing the stick shift, it wasn't, it was an automatic. Those are, those are Hollywood tricks for you. Right there, I taught my daughter how to drive a stick shift.

Speaker 4:

Just ruin the whole series for me.

Speaker 3:

That's what my dad did. That's what my dad did. That's how I was able to drive a stick before an automatic.

Speaker 2:

I can't watch it now, knowing that.

Speaker 1:

No, yeah, that's right. I ruined the whole movie. You did the whole series.

Speaker 2:

There goes my residual Fast and Furious 62 is going to be out.

Speaker 3:

I wouldn't be surprised if I think Fast and Furious part 11 is cars underwater. Part Fast and Furious 12 is cars meet dinosaurs. And that's not a skid. That's where it's going bro.

Speaker 2:

That's where they put the car talk show in. That's where it's getting ridiculous. James Bond went to the moon, so you know what they went to space in part nine, Like get the hell out of here.

Speaker 3:

You know what.

Speaker 4:

I mean, I was like he took his lotus underwater.

Speaker 3:

That's what. Yeah, that's what I was like I'm done. I'm done, Like I'm done.

Speaker 1:

Well, it's been a real pleasure to talk to you Very much, so Lots of fun, and you're one of our car guys. Now, no, it's all love man, Thanks for having me and if you guys want to keep up with me.

Speaker 3:

keep up with me on actorNowellG. That's my Instagram, actornowellg. Hit me up there if you guys want to keep up and much love. Thanks for having me on the show. You guys are fun bro.

Speaker 2:

Thank you. We'll come get hot dogs later. Tell everyone what time are you going to be on stage.

Speaker 3:

I'm going to go right now, I'm going to be on stage right now and I'll be there for a while. Just you know.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and hanging out this afternoon. Larry said you were going to be there from 2 to 5.

Speaker 3:

OK, there it is, for people coming in this afternoon.

Speaker 4:

That's where they get to 5.

Speaker 3:

Yeah but I'll even be there, maybe a little longer than that, because I like to hang out and I like to hang and chill with the people.

Speaker 2:

So I'll probably be there. Well, you know you're in town, you might as well. Yeah, yeah, and you have your bodyguard with you.

Speaker 3:

It's either. Yeah, she's gangster. Don't let her fool you bro.

Speaker 1:

She knows that.

Speaker 3:

Cobra Kai stuff.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. I love it. So my son has a question.

Speaker 3:

So did you got to spoon the engine? Oh, the three spoon engines. Yeah, that's the most famous question that I get.

Speaker 2:

Ok, that's all right, you're. He was saying, I'm gangster and I'm like yeah, I was coming from Texas.

Speaker 1:

Oh Texas.

Speaker 2:

That's what she's like. There you go. You better watch out, yeah exactly.

Speaker 3:

No. No, it's funny, I get that question all the time. The three spoon engines yeah, I didn't bring it with me, I flew in, so I didn't drive in. Yeah, but I get that question 24-7. I don't think there's a day I left the house where I don't hear about the spoon engines. So it's all good. What is it? That's my son's question. Yeah, it's the spoon engines, the ones in the Honda Civic that I buy.

Speaker 3:

So I go into the store and I go to order, and so they think that I'm the bad guy in the movie. But you find out I'm actually the good guy. Yeah, love it. So that's it.

Speaker 1:

Noal G. Thank you, buddy. No man, it's much.

Speaker 3:

love man. You guys are cool man. Love you guys, thank you. Thank you guys once again for having me and hope to catch up with you guys again soon.

Speaker 2:

Oh, please do. We appreciate you. Much love, much love much love.

Speaker 1:

Thanks, sir, much love Be safe, much love. Yes, thank you, conran.

Speaker 2:

You know, I don't know if.

Speaker 4:

I could follow that, but I'll try. No, you can't but yes.

Speaker 1:

Please, please try. Well, so we got the car clinic. This is a feature that we do on our regular show every Saturday live, and that show airs from 8 to 11. Today, this is the bonus hour, as I put on the sheet here extra, it's the extra hour Extra, extra. Extra, extra. So why don't you do the car clinic for?

Speaker 4:

us Well, because here in our display is a Mr Norm Mopar. Yes, a very rare car, Very rare car and to the Mopar people they know what a Mr Norm car is yes. You know, Mr Norm was one of those dealers that were modifying production cars.

Speaker 1:

Like Yenco.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, and there were a number of other dealers out there that were doing those modifications. You know, one you hear about was Dick Harrell. He stands out as perhaps the one with the largest impact on the idea of dealer-modified cars. You know he both drove cars and raced cars. He started his love for cars and building cars as an Army helicopter mechanic and that gave him his first taste of drag racing. He actually drove a 56 Chevy at the tracks and he campaigned a, if you remember the 63 Z11 Chevrolet in palace with the 427.

Speaker 3:

Z11 motor.

Speaker 4:

So he had campaigned one of that and kind of got well known in the world of Chevrolet and uh uh, dick was uh worked for Nikki Chevrolet in Chicago where he helped the dealership develop and market the 427 pirate Camaros. So with that connection was where that whole copo uh Camaro uh came from and Harold was an integral part of creating the copo Camaros. So while he was doing that for um, for Nikki Chevrolet, uh he met Don Yanko who would offer him an opportunity to go to work for him in Cannonburg, cannon'sburg, pennsylvania, in his speed shop again building copo Camaros and basically factory race cars.

Speaker 1:

Taking a factory race, taking a factory car, bringing it into your shop, making modifications mainly bolt on stuff and maybe put an emblem on it or some side striping or whatever to make it different, to make it know that this is a special car.

Speaker 4:

And then take it straight to the track and win, and that was one of the things he did. So you know um, you know. So Harold was involved in the Nikki Chevrolet, he was involved in the Yankos, and also Fred Gibb who was a uh, a dealer in East St Louis.

Speaker 1:

He also sang too, didn't he? Went into the Gibb brothers.

Speaker 4:

No, no, no, andy Gibb he was Andy Gibb, but he was another hot rod hero and Yanko worked for the Gibb building again 427 Camaros, chevelles, novas, vegas and stuff. So there was a pretty good range that Harold had that kind of impact on that many of those dealers that were building those supercars of the 60s and 70s. Another dealer that was building supercars of the 60s and 70s was Royal Bobcat, which you know Jeffrey probably knows. Royal Bobcat was basically at the end of Woodward Avenue up in Oakland, michigan and they were building hot rod Pontiacs that were of the same quality hot rod as the Yanko Camaros and stuff were. And okay, and um uh other uh dealers that were out there that were building hot rod cars that had impact on the manufacturer because Royal Bobcat had an impact on on what cars Pontiac was delivering to the customer. Another one was Bob Taskas, bob Taskas Sr, and they were the ones who actually started putting the 428 interceptor, police interceptor motor in Mustangs.

Speaker 2:

That was more on the quiet side until recently. Modern, now Taskas like boom.

Speaker 4:

Yeah Well, yeah yeah, but again, it was just a dealer that was building hot rods, and uh, and then all of a sudden, his connections with Ford. And then Ford starts putting that same motor in the Mustang as a production car. So uh, and then you know, now you look at Taska, uh, uh, top, or a funny car driver and stuff, and he's the grandson of the original one. So, and then you know, the other one that everybody knows about is Carol Shelby and the impact he had on Ford as well. So you know lots of others and I'll go into more depth on Shelby in a in a future segment.

Speaker 1:

Okay, well, I mean, you got another minute, you got another whole minute.

Speaker 4:

Oh well, okay, no, I'm just checking with you. You're giving me the sign.

Speaker 1:

If I go, I get the sign, I, you and you know what. There's a sign everywhere, sign, sign.

Speaker 2:

Everywhere there's a sign. Okay, I make signs.

Speaker 1:

He does. Okay, I did want to remind everybody that the in wheel time car talk show is available 24 7 through I heart radio. Just look for in wheel time car talk. We also have video stream on Facebook, youtube and in wheel time dot com podcasts at your fingertips on your favorite podcast channel. The in wheel time car talk show continues.

Speaker 1:

After this quick break, houston's finest cars are invited to another Gulf Coast Auto Shield car social Saturday, december 2nd, and you're invited to show off your personal pride and joy or just stop in to see the likes of Lucid Lamborghini, porsche, ferrari and more. Gulf Coast Auto Shield is your one stop shop for paint, detailing, coatings, window tint, clear bras and wheel repair. The car social is your opportunity to get a tour of this state of the art facility, located at 11275 South Sam Houston Parkway, just south of the Southwest Freeway. It all takes place Saturday, december 2nd, 9 to noon. This is the perfect opportunity to connect with other car enthusiasts, from BMWs to mentally, corvette's to McLaren's. The car social is a different kind of show. Talk to the owners. See Gulf Coast Auto Shield facility. You'll be amazed. Put it on your calendar now. The Gulf Coast Auto Shield car social, saturday, december 2nd, 9 to noon at 11275 South Sam Houston Parkway, just south of the Southwest Freeway. The in wheel time car talk show will be there too. We'll see you then.

Speaker 2:

The Gulf Coast Auto Shield car social. Saturday, december 2nd, 9 to noon at 11275 South Sam Houston. America's greatest hot rod tradition is back Thanksgiving weekend the O'Reilly Auto Parts, auto Ranna At the George R Brown Convention Center. Four action packed days of hot rods, customs classics trucks and performance cars.

Speaker 2:

The ultimate low rider showcase Sponsored by Shorty's Hydraulic, see Lone Star Throwdowns, texas sized truck spread and don't miss the traditional rod and custom section. Friday, saturday and Sunday see wild, high flying freestyle motocross stunt shows. Shop the SWAT meet and women's world all weekend On the celebrity stage presented by Nick's auto repair and classic car restoration. Friday meet AEW Tag Team superstars to Lucha Bros. Saturday it's Noel G Hector from the Fast and Furious. Sunday it's Lou Ferrigno, the original, incredible Hulk. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Auto-Rama this weekend at the George R Brown Convention Center. Discount tickets at O'Reilly Auto Parts, part of the summer racing equipment show car series, the Auto-Ramacom. For more info.

Speaker 1:

The original group of loopy tortilla restaurants will have you telling your family and friends just what the original recipes mean when it comes to the best fajitas in Southeast Texas. Founder Stan Holt invites you to visit the original loopy tortilla near I-10 in Highway 6. Here's the original house that inspired the design of all the rest and the original charm that helped make loopy tortilla the go-to destination for Houston Tex-Mex. Speaking of original, nothing can compete with the original lime pepper marinade that everyone will agree makes loopy tortilla award-winning beef fajitas, the best anywhere. Loopy tortilla Katie is another location that gives you the same quality and service Houstonians have come to expect at loopies. It's located just off I-10, in the Grand Parkway.

Speaker 1:

At Kingsland Boulevard in Katie, find yourself an Aggie land. Head to the loopy tortilla in College Station, located just around the corner from Kyle Field. It's a great place to enjoy those famous frozen margaritas before or after the game. Headed east to Louisiana, stop in at the loopy tortilla in Beaumont. It twos on I-10, you can't miss it. The original group of loopy tortilla restaurants invites you in for the best Tex-Mex anywhere. That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show. I'm Don Armstrong inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning eight to 11 am central on Facebook, youtube, twitch and our InWheelTimecom website. Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts.

People on this episode

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Don Armstrong

Host
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Jeff Dziekan

Co-host
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Michael Marrs

Co-host