Mike Copeland was a fixture at GM Performance for 25 years before striking out on his own and eventually purchasing Arrington Performance. As a diehard HEMI guy, he’s currently targeting 2500+ hp as the highly achievable future of hot rodding. Beyond that, he’s at the forefront of a movement to popularize an entirely green form of fuel consumption, telling the guys that “we’re on a path to emission-certify hydrogen as an alternative fuel as a zero-emission approach for virtually any gasoline or diesel burning engine.” And he’s got the results to prove it.
The name “Godzilla” instantly conjures images of the mythological monster who’s wreaked havoc in the minds of moviegoers for multiple generations. Most recently it has also become the moniker of a massive mountain of machinery from the folks at Ford, perhaps the ultimate OE crate engine to date. Brian Wolfe of Willis Performance Enterprises, since retired from Ford, is the godfather of this creation and was critical in its development. Kevin and Willie are beyond excited to pick his brain about this powerful beast, capable of 900 hp right out of the box.
According to Travis Hill, SVTPerformance.com has been “the go-to place on the internet if you want to know anything about any Ford Performance vehicle,” and he would know: he’s had his finger on the pulse of the entire landscape of Ford Performance-type stuff for well over two decades. As Willie says, “There’s never been a better time to be a car enthusiast, just because of the capability of these platforms and what you’re able to do with them now,” to which Travis adds that this latest Bronco model “is basically the ultimate expression of the Raptor model lineup from Ford.”
Brian Tooley has enjoyed a storied professional and racing career defined by his relentless pursuit of power. Today “The King of Cams” returns to the podcast to reveal the latest technological breakthroughs at BTR, where “one of the things we’ve really doubled-down on is quality and durability.” To illustrate his point, he’s got a big announcement regarding a new cylinder head design that’s destined to become a gamechanger.
Fireball Brands’ Achilles Thomas drops by to chat with the guys about some shared passions, including transmissions, engines, brakes, diesel trucks, and the various e-commerce sites he’s created to serve the aftermarket. Beyond that, he’s actively developing Lead Foot City, “America’s First Automotive Theme Park” located on 80 acres of a former chicken farm outside Tampa. Replete with a burnout drift pad, 1/8-mile dragstrip, drift and autocross track, and amphitheater for mega concerts, he promises “it’s gonna be the most unique automotive enthusiast complex probably in the whole country, maybe the world.”
Fireball Brands’ Achilles Thomas drops by to chat with the guys about some shared passions, including transmissions, engines, brakes, diesel trucks, and the various e-commerce sites he’s created to serve the aftermarket. Beyond that, he’s actively developing Lead Foot City, “America’s First Automotive Theme Park” located on 80 acres of a former chicken farm outside Tampa. Replete with a burnout drift pad, 1/8-mile dragstrip, drift and autocross track, and amphitheater for mega concerts, he promises “it’s gonna be the most unique automotive enthusiast complex probably in the whole country, maybe the world.”
In 2019, “Ford v Ferrari” captured the hearts, minds, and imaginations of moviegoers around the world, (re)introducing Carroll Shelby and his iconic Cobra to multiple generations. A huge fan of the movie, Kevin notes that “there is a natural sex appeal around a Cobra whether you’re a car person or not.” Jeff Grice of Nostalgic Motoring Limited is an expert on all things Cobra and joins the guys for a passionate conversation about originals, replicas, history, lineage, you name it.
John Kraman, the voice of Mecum Auctions drops in to chat with the guys about the exploding classic car auction scene. “We are on one heck of a roll, on pace to set another all-time record north of $600 million in the sale of collector vehicles as the world’s largest collector car auction company.” Learn firsthand about the ins and outs, what’s hot and what’s not, what to expect and what to avoid in this dynamic and thrilling market.
Today’s podcast is all about rolling gears using the notorious third pedal. But make no mistake; it’s not all fun and games. “There’s so much going on with a clutch,” warns Kevin. “There’s a lot of pitfalls, you can go right down into a deep dark hole that you didn’t want to be in if you go down the wrong path.” Luckily, Geoff Gerko, owner of Mantic Clutch USA is on hand to guide the guys down the right path.
The Einstein of Additives and his cool crew are back, and this time Chris Gabrelcik, Kevin Adams and Kyle Fischer bring Kevin and Willie into the Hot Shot’s Secret kitchen for some high-level mixing, blending, and baking. “We want to first of all protect the oil, protect the machinery, protect the fuel system,” says Chris, “but also tweak it to give you a little bit more of what you’re after.” So, grab your lab coat and goggles and get ready to learn everything you ever wanted to know about the science of additives!
Wrenching on cars for a very special cause is something super close to Willie’s heart. For 20 years, he’s been giving back to the Denver community in a truly meaningful and impactful way, donating as many as 70 cars each year to families in need. As you can imagine, it’s a massive undertaking, albeit one he finds incredibly rewarding. “The best is when you give these cars to these people, and you know they’ve got a righteous ride and their gonna last for years.”
Today’s podcast is all about making beautiful noise, and no one knows more about this than Magnaflow’s Rich Waitas. Kevin calls it “the magnificent choir that comes out of the back of exhaust pipes… it’s an art form,” albeit one whose days may well be numbered as EV appears ready to displace IC and the sound it generates. Yet, for all those like Willie who believe that “the right sound means everything,” there is still much to be adored and admired.
