Chevy’s new C8 Corvette is among the most anticipated releases of recent years, and the guys are sold on the hype. In this first episode of the show’s 20th Season, Willie and Kevin get ahold of a new 2020 C8 and set about making modifications with the help of an old friend and prior host, Dave Bowman. They’ll tackle long tube headers, a front drop, and exterior stylizations to help wake up this high horsepower beast.
Everyone’s heard the old adage, “There’s no replacement for displacement,” right? Well, Henry Bueno and Carsten Wagner of Wagner Tuning have gone to considerable lengths to thoroughly debunk this myth. Their intercoolers are a must-have for boosted applications, offering the largest application list of plug and play units in the aftermarket. With the company’s roots in Germany having recently expanded to a sprawling 60,000 square foot facility in Texas, Willie and Kevin are fired up to hear all about the art and science of cooling down.
Today Willie and Kevin are going vintage, beyond old school, to a time when Ford’s phenomenal flathead engine with its iconic V8 brought affordable parts to the masses – and gave birth to the original hot-rodding era in the process. Joining them on their journey is Bill Jagenow of Brothers Custom Automotive, who has an unbelievable eye for details and knows these engines inside and out.
There’s certainly no shortage of aftermarket waxes and polishes. Let the buyer beware – when it comes to “flossy and glossy,” not all products are created equal. Consider this alternative: ceramic coatings that create show-quality finishes that can last 9+ years. Kevin Davis from Gtechniq educates the guys on what it is and what sets it apart, schooling them on chemical bonding, physical curing, and the difference between hydrophobic and hydrophilic lubricity. Who knew?
On this episode the guys get a step-by-step crash course in powder coating from Lee Goldenstein of Pristine Powder Coating outside Denver. “I’m self-taught and self-trained,” says Lee, “and it’s just incredible what you can do now.” Header coatings in particular have become very popular, he notes; in addition to their killer looks available in hundreds of colors, they’re very strong and extremely durable, supplying a major reduction of radiant heat.
Kevin and Willie B take a 1970 Chevelle from an automatic to a manual transmission, outfitting the new engine along the way.
For all those who aspire to have their ride inspire “the look-back,” this one’s for you. Willie and Kevin introduce a pair of prepping and painting pros armed with expert recommendations on how to make your Technicolor dreams come true. First up is Tom Williams of Mobile Environmental Solutions, purveyor of super clean, affordable, portable, pop-up paint booths, followed by Thin Red Line Paint Specialist’s Raymond Harrison, with advice on fillers, primers, and ratios, and a mantra to just “take your time and have fun with it!”
Few things are a bigger bummer than overheating. But keeping a white-hot engine running cool is no easy task. Willie and Kevin know that not all fans are created equal, and in this podcast, Fred Garza of Maradyne High Performance Fans provides some fresh insights about staying cool under extreme heat.
Navigating a virtual rat’s nest of wires can drive just about any DIYer to the breaking point of gutting their electrical system and starting from scratch. Willie and Kevin know this drill all too well, and in this podcast they turn to American Autowire’s R&D Manager Don Bock for help with hassle-free wiring.
Christmas comes early this year in the form of the all-new TREMEC TKX, their slimmer, rounder, lighter next generation 5-speed transmission that delivers an astounding 8000 RPM. “This is the first time we’ve actually developed a transmission specifically for the aftermarket,” says TREMEC’s Mike Kidd, while Kevin and Willie pick their dropped jaws off the floor. With multiple shifter locations capable of handling those 8000 RPMs, it’s the sweet spot that weekend warriors and hot rod builders have been needing for a really long time.
The owner of this 2003 GMC Yukon wants to add a lot of horses to this grocery getter. So, the guys take over the project and install a turbo, fuel lines and add rear end components to help keep that newly added power on the pavement!
The owner of this 2003 GMC Yukon wants to add a lot of horses to this grocery getter. So, the guys take over the project and install a turbo, fuel lines and add rear end components to help keep that newly added power on the pavement!