Following in his dad’s footsteps, Mark Bowler began scraping transmissions at age 9 and rebuilding Mom and Pop trannies by 13. His dad deterred him from performance stuff until he retired in 2001, and today Bowler Performance Transmissions works with all the top companies around the world. On this episode, Mark and the guys discuss the difference between rebuilt and reman; less gears, more gears and overdrive; and the pros and cons of paddle shift automatic transmissions.
Matt Hagan is ruthless on the racetrack, but as nice a guy as you’ll ever meet in person. As the two-time DSR Funny Car Champion playfully explains to Willie and Kevin, at 300 mph “it’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity!” The racer, farmer and entrepreneur also shares his recipe for success, reveals what scares him to death, and discusses running in the NHRA in the time of COVID.
Driveshafts take a relentless beating, constantly applying load with substantial torque. Repairs, upgrades and modifications are always top of mind for Lee Mejia of The Driveshaft Shop. Citing expensive custom builds that completely neglect driveshafts and axles, Lee regales Willie and Kevin with stories of destructive and real-world testing, like what happens when a heavy projectile made out of steel suddenly pole vaults or grenades.
The Einstein of Additives, Chris Gabrelcik of Hot Shot’s Secret, returns for another informative podcast in which he demystifies viscosity; discusses the endless learning curve involved in developing problem-specific solutions for friction; and amazes the guys with tales of the World’s Fastest 7.3, his 11 Diesel World Records, and the very real 100,000 mile oil change.
They may not be all that sexy, but when it comes to pneumatics and air tools, a compressor is the first and most critical big tool you’re likely to buy. Today the guys learn from Jarrett Affolter of Ingersoll Rand all there is to know about air compressors – the different types, what the fail points are, how to make them last forever, and what size you need to do what you want to do.
Dr. Jamie Meyer’s credentials are impressive to say the least: PhD in Anatomy and Cell Biology; postdoctoral researcher in molecular genetics; former head of GM Performance; and now the newly minted President of the Performance Racing Industry. In a frank and wide-ranging conversation, the guys discuss everything from the LSX and COPO Camaro initiatives he led, to Dr. Meyer’s vision for PRI during COVID-19 and a post-pandemic world.
For Jim Chadick, life was a choice between being a rock star or a car guy. While the former didn’t quite work out, the CEO of Performance Online has no regrets. Jim and his Operations Manager Larry Ashley join the guys to reflect on how tastes have changed from the early 90s – when how you looked in a car or truck was all that mattered – through today, where owners want classics to handle like modern cars.
Lots of folks love a car or truck that looks old but drives like new. Crate motors, overdrive transmissions and big brakes have blown open the resto market, and that’s been good for business at Auto Metal Direct. GM Mike Gray gives the guys a primer on how AMD’s sheet metal is better than OE, why quality matters, and the reason muscle car guys love trucks.
A safety fuel cell is a legit piece of racing hardware; an indispensable replacement for a fuel tank with a whole lot of advantages for hotrodders. Aero Tec Laboratories has been producing and perfecting these since 1970. Ron Ross attributes ATL’s success to constant R&D and one fundamental principle: “We can’t sit still and not move forward.”
Kevin and Willie welcome Mike Kidd and Matt Memmer of TREMEC to the podcast for a frank and wide-ranging conversation. As the premier supplier to OEs around the world for high-performance cars bordering on supercars, the guys acknowledge the slow fade of traditional manual transmissions and espouse the virtues of their new DCT performance components.
A lot of guys in the racing world know about Holbrook Racing Engines; the name is synonymous with big power. Following in the tracks of his legendary father Carl – the original Captain Cobra Jet – Chris Holbrook has perpetuated the family pedigree with a slew of awards and a reputation as being the guy you don’t want to line up against on the drag strip!
On this episode the guys go deep with Mark Stielow, Sr. Manager at GM in Advanced Vehicle Dynamics, described by Kevin as “one of the sharpest car cats – from designing, to building, to driving the damn tires off!” Mark knows all there is to know about Camaros, having built 17 of them during his career-long tenure at General Motors.
