When it comes to Chevy Blazers, Mark Sopko of Motor City K5 is THE go-to guy. “I did Broncos for almost 20 years; I knew Broncos like the back of my hand,” before deciding to change course and specialize exclusively in Blazers. “I was expert in the old world, I need to be expert in the Blazer world,” he tells Kevin and Willie, “so that’s what I did.” And in a big way, with his 4WD SUV walking off with First Place at 2020’s Detroit Autorama.
Livernois Motorsports and Engineering is making great modern horsepower come alive in your car, and they’re doing it in the easiest and simplest of ways. “Everything today starts with the tuner, it’s the cheapest mod you can do,” co-founder Dan Millen tells the guys. With 27 lifts and 45-50 cars in the shop at any given time, this self-described die-hard Ford guy turned die-hard everything guy is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible both on and off the track.
Vorshlag Motorsports owner Terry Fair knows the ins and outs of every type of go-fast car. Autocross, open track events, time trials, wheel to wheel road racing, drag racing; you name it, he’s done it at a high level. As if that’s not impressive enough, Kevin has dubbed him “the Christopher Columbus of LS swaps,” having been at the forefront of a movement that has gone from laughed at to lauded. Strap in for some fascinating conversation as Terry shares his wealth of knowledge with the guys.
Fresh off a nine-day, 1600-mile cross country bike ride, Kevin’s a little raw but raring to go swapping stories with noted custom bike builder Kevin Dunworth. Add Willie to the mix and you’ve got a trio of diehard motorcycle fans shooting the breeze on everything two-wheeling past, present and future. “We are in the last of the gasoline era in cars and bikes,” observes Dunworth, before adding, “I might get beat up at the bar for saying this, but I think electric’s cool!”
Back in the day, instrument clusters had some very cool designs and architecture, albeit limited functionality due to the available technology of the times. Today, getting the gauges just right for your resto mod project is the sole mission of Classic Instruments. As owner John McCleod puts it, “We really want that old school look and feel, but being able to run modern,” to which Willie replies with awe, “It really is a craft and a skill; it’s straight up art.”
The aftermarket is a $300 billion industry powered by 270,000 independent shops driving massive amounts of inventory. When COVID swept in, it required an immediate need to pivot. As Chief Merchandising Officer, Dave Morris was at the forefront of navigating those rough seas for CarParts.com. In an insightful and candid conversation, the 30-year industry veteran takes Kevin and Willie behind the scenes of how the company not only survived but thrived throughout this unprecedented crisis. “We’re a very analytical company,” he explains. “We sell jobs, not parts.”
The new owner of this 1999 C5 hasn’t wasted any time making it his own. Now he’s ready to tackle the real work under the hood, beginning with the engine. He knows that a quick way to get good clean power is to add a top end kit, which can add up to 100 hp quite easily. Enter Kevin and Willie outfitted with brand new heads and a cam that are guaranteed to give this C5 a nice wakeup call! They’ll also install new brakes, tires and other items before getting this Vette ripping down the road again!
Generations have been trusting Dupli-Color and its sister product VHT for everything from oops-type fixes to full-on paint jobs since 1938. From prep and cleaner to undercoating, wheel coating, engine coating and truck bed coatings, Product Manager Brian A. Suter certainly has a lot on his color palette. Kevin and Willie caught up with him on a recent break to talk about the latest trends in the industry, his top tips for DIYers and how formulation is key to the continuing success of the brands.
Today the guys have the ’71 Duster from last season back in the shop and are planning to put the power plant back in. To get started they’ll have to run the engine harness and wiring, then mate the engine and transmission. Once this is done, they’ll slip the engine into the vehicle and be that much closer to getting it back out on the road.
Today the guys have the ’71 Duster from last season back in the shop and are planning to put the power plant back in. To get started they’ll have to run the engine harness and wiring, then mate the engine and transmission. Once this is done, they’ll slip the engine into the vehicle and be that much closer to getting it back out on the road.