April 14, 2024

Creative Classics and Customs: the Keels & Wheels Sneak Peak

Creative Classics and Customs: the Keels & Wheels Sneak Peak
Creative Classics and Customs: the Keels & Wheels Sneak Peak
In Wheel Time Podcast
Creative Classics and Customs: the Keels & Wheels Sneak Peak
Apple Podcasts podcast player badge
Spotify podcast player badge
Amazon Music podcast player badge
iHeartRadio podcast player badge
TuneIn podcast player badge
Apple Podcasts podcast player iconSpotify podcast player iconAmazon Music podcast player iconiHeartRadio podcast player iconTuneIn podcast player icon

Get ready to hit the rewind button on time with our special guest, Dustin Hardin from Creative Classics and Customs, as we chat about the meticulous process of bringing automotive history back to life. From a '59 Apache truck that's prepped to steal the show at Keels & Wheels to a '69 Roadrunner that's undergone a full technological metamorphosis, we're taking you on a journey through the past, revved up with today's tech. And hold onto your seats, because we're not stopping there—we'll share Don Armstrong's ride with the rugged 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Edition, providing insights that only hands-on experience can deliver.

Strap in as we navigate the twists and turns of classic car restoration and customization, revealing the stories and sentiments that fuel these labors of love. Hear about the family-run workshop where each classic, from a 1967 Camaro to a 1965 C10 pickup, is more than just a project—it's a cherished member of the family. This is the episode where automotive passion meets craftsmanship, and we celebrate the dedication poured into every polished chrome detail and every purring engine restoration.

Cap off your experience with a preview of the 28th Annual Keels & Wheels Concours d'Elegance, an event that's as much a feast for the eyes as it is a testament to the relentless spirit of car and boat enthusiasts. Discover what goes into making this event a perennial favorite, including a special nod to Mustang and Donzi boat aficionados. From ticket details to the expected lineup, we've got you covered, ensuring your calendar is marked for a weekend of timeless elegance and horsepower history. Join us for a ride through the vibrant car culture and the stories they carry—the keys are in the ignition, and this episode is ready to roll.

The Original Lupe' Tortilla Restaurants
Lupe Tortilla in Katy, Texas

Sponsored by Gulf Coast Auto Shield
Paint protection and more!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

---- -----
Want more In Wheel Time Car Talk any time?

In Wheel Time Car Talk is now available on iHeartRadio!

Just go to iheartradio.com/InWheelTimeCarTalk where ever you are.
----- -----
Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast provider for the next episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk and check out our live broadcast every Saturday, 8a-11aCT simulcasting on iHeartRadio, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and InWheelTime.com.

In Wheel Time Car Talk podcast can be heard on you mobile device from providers such as:

Apple Podcasts, Pandora Podcast, Amazon Music Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio podcast, TuneIn + Alexa, Podcast Addict, Castro, Castbox and more on your mobile device.

Follow InWheelTime.com for the latest updates!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/InWheelTime

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inwheeltime/

https://www.iheart.com/live/in-wheel-time-car-talk-9327/

https://www.youtube.com/inwheeltime

https://www.Facebook.com/InWheelTime

For more information about In Wheel Time Car Talk, email us at

info@inwheeltime.com

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




InWheelTime.com/InWheelTimeCarTalk.com available on iHeartRadio, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and most podcast providers.

00:01 - Keels and Wheels Car Showcase

10:10 - Classic Car Restoration and Customization

17:01 - Keels and Wheels Event Details'Review Car

29:31 - Auto Services at Gulf Coast Shield

Keels and Wheels Car Showcase

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 .

Speaker 2

The board is on . It's cool with a girl named Faith . The board is on , not seeing it .

Speaker 1

That's good , all right . Well , we're going to go anyway , morris , whether you like it or not , here we go .

Speaker 2

Okay , all right , we're spinning up . Go go anyway , morris , whether you like it or not .

Speaker 1

Here we go . Okay , alright , we're spinning up . Golly , that's loud . Hey , welcome to the award-winning In Real Time Car Talk Show . We don't know why we won an award . It was probably some sort of award that was made up on MAG Magazine . Yeah , there you go . Just ahead , dustin Hardin from Creative Classics and Customs in Kima , texas . You'll hear my thoughts on driving the new 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Edition . And Mr Mars has this week's events calendar . It's just ahead on the In-Wheel Time Car Talk Show . My microphone sounds funny . Have you noticed that ? Yeah , you sound funny . Well , I am funny . You are Funny . Odd-looking Howdy , along with Mike out of this world . Mars , we need more Jeff Seacon . Sleeping engineer David Ainsley .

Speaker 3

I'm Don .

Speaker 1

Armstrong , glad you could join us on this Saturday for our live show . We are live every Saturday from 8 to 11 , normally . Every once in a while we'll vary it up a little bit , sometimes 9 , sometimes 10 , our start time . We've had requests to come on at 3.30 in the morning . That's not going to happen , okay . Well , although I'm awake , I was going to say .

Speaker 2

I could come out here and do a little tap dance or something . There you go , we'll put it on subscription and charge for it you need to take a poll first we're going to have to put an age limit on how old you can be .

Speaker 1

If you're going to be up that time of the day , well , it'll have to be one of those kind of things . All right , yeah , so it ought to be a good show . If you've noticed , we've kind of changed up the look a little bit . Yeah , again , we've made some adjustments here in the new look studio and , matter of fact , jeff is going to show you the second look that we have Want to do it right now you the second look that we have in the in the do it right now , yeah , do it all .

Speaker 1

Right , look at that . See there , we are way up there . Hey , get a nosebleed , yeah . And so , uh , we've kind of widened the shot a little bit so you can see the studio here in the sugar shack studios anyway . So we'll move on from that and talk to dustin harden . We were supposed to talk to his dad , but his dad's got better things to do .

Speaker 3

And we totally understand that .

Speaker 1

Dustin , good morning , how are you ? I'm doing good . Yes , good , dustin is with Creative Classics and Customs in Kima , texas . Are you under the boardwalk ? Not quite , there's a song in that . That's the reason I said that we could sing it . Yeah , yeah , under the boardwalk anyway , maybe not , uh , so uh , where are you exactly ?

Speaker 4

in keema we are at 2325 anders lane , which is right , right off of highway 96 , runs parallel with lawrence road okay , well , whatever that all is I bet you .

Speaker 1

I bet you that if we Googled creative classics and customs , we could find you It'd probably pop up . Yeah , no doubt you guys don't do boats , do you ? We do not do boats .

Speaker 4

They live on the water , we did one boat one time and we learned our lesson .

Speaker 3

And you're still paying for it . You're still paying for it . Bust out another thousand . That's what boat stands for Exactly paying for it .

Speaker 1

You're still paying for it . Bust out another thousand . That's what Boat stands for Exactly so Dustin and Creative Classics Customs are going to be showing some stuff in the upcoming Keels and Wheels , which you'll hear more about Keels and Wheels in this show as a matter of fact . But in the meantime , I understand that you're bringing some cars .

Speaker 4

We are cars and trucks cars and trucks .

Speaker 1

So were you invited in ? Did you buy a space or how did the ? How did that work out ?

Speaker 4

Yeah , we actually bought a space this year . We've been doing keels and wheels for a little over 10 years , and this is the first year that we've actually bought a sponsored area . So Kiehl's and Wheels is having a theme this year of resto mods , and so they've invited some local shops that build resto mods to come out there and showcase some of their work . Nice , we bought a booth this year , so we've got five cars coming . Four will be shown and one will just be in the display .

Speaker 1

Very nice . So let's talk about the cars that you're bringing . What's our first car ?

Speaker 2

We have some pictures here that we're going to show , yeah , we're going to talk about the 59 Apache .

Speaker 1

Apache . That's a very rare truck , is it not ?

Speaker 4

I don't know about rare necessarily 's , just uh I never see him you never see him well , I mean , it's rare to me .

Speaker 1

I mean , uh , back in the day they only made the apache for a few years , if I'm not mistaken .

Speaker 4

It was only for a few years . It's not .

Speaker 1

It's not rare like a cameo or something like that . But um yeah , it's not real common , is it mid 50s ?

Speaker 4

59 59 .

Speaker 3

Okay , it's got the double headlights up front okay okay , yes sir , I got you because that was a 59 was the first year of the duels of the headlights , or the 58 58 I believe was the first year I think the apache started at 55 so , dustin , what's so special about this car ?

Speaker 4

That Apache has been completely , completely built from top to bottom . It has a Schwartz custom chassis , 427 big block with fuel injection trim at six speed . There are some one-off features of that truck that we actually designed and had made the steering wheel , the mirrors , mirrors we actually drew them up and sent them off to have them put into a cad program and they machined them for us . So the steering wheel and the mirrors on the truck are actually one-off designs that we we designed and had made for the truck okay the .

Speaker 4

The bed was a very custom piece . It's made out of a solid piece of mahogany A solid piece of mahogany With some soft-close cabinet hinges that open up a hatch to access the gas tank . We had some trim pieces water cut that we laid on the bed wood and then poured bar top epoxy over top of it . The trim is buried under about a quarter inch of epoxy . It's a pretty neat bed . It almost sounds like a bar . It kind of looks like it back there . Yeah .

Speaker 4

That is very cool , you could probably slide a drink across it pretty easily .

Speaker 1

Yeah , no doubt about that . Let me ask you about the wheel tubs . Are they a different color or something ? No no they're not a different color . Okay , it just looks that way in the picture . Well , no , it looks like they're open , it's probably just a color flop because of the angle change Gotcha , I gotcha , and that interior looks really cool .

Speaker 4

Yeah , the interior came out really nice To me those .

Speaker 3

Really nice . Is that a wooden steering wheel ? You got on there ? Yeah , a custom wheel .

Speaker 4

It's the custom wheel that was the one that we designed in-house and had made for the truck .

Speaker 3

Wow .

Speaker 1

Go back up to the wheel . Is that Morris , messing with that over ?

Speaker 3

there . Yeah , he's just trying to get everybody to see it .

Speaker 4

Okay . So if you look at the design of the steering wheel it has the three little hash marks on there and kind of a spear design . That that was to pick up the design of the original bedside trim that has that same spear and little three hash mark yes , of it yes , and so we designed the steering wheel , the mirrors and the trim in the bed to kind of complement that factory style of the bedside trim .

Speaker 1

I love that . I love that thought process . I love the creative part of that to bring it all together and bring it inside .

Speaker 3

Now the engine package and transmission packages are correct . Those tubs are not near wide enough . You need wider tubs . The tires were only 15 inches wide . Come on now . We probably could have gone a little bigger .

Speaker 4

Why do tire companies make a tire wider than 15 inches wide ? Come on now , we probably could have gone a little bigger , but we were looking . Why do tire companies make a tire wider than 15 ?

Speaker 3

inches . Oh , I'm sure there are .

Speaker 1

Well , we're kind of looking for a steamroller look back there .

Speaker 3

Yeah , exactly .

Speaker 1

Right , right , yeah , you know that . So , while we look at these pictures here of the Apache , what is your job there at the shop ?

Speaker 4

What is my specific job ? Well , I'm half owner . My dad and I are partners , right ? Do you have a specialty ? I have a specialty in the . I'm well-versed in mechanical work . I started off life as a mechanic . I was a BMW technician for many years . I worked overseas in Iraq for a few years doing doing vehicle maintenance and repairs for the uh contractors .

Speaker 4

I've got pretty extensive mechanical knowledge , Um , so I do a lot of that kind of stuff around here , tearing apart , putting together , Um I I do specialize in the finishing part of the job , when a car comes out or when pieces come out of the paint booth . You know I do all the cutting , buffing and polishing and finishing and all that .

Speaker 1

Now did you build the 427 yourself ?

Speaker 4

No no . It came as a crate engine .

Speaker 1

Oh , as a crate engine ? Okay , yes , did it come with a fuel injection system on it ?

Speaker 4

No , it came as a long block and the Holley Sniper system was put on top of it .

Speaker 1

Okay , Long block did it have ?

Speaker 4

heads on it . Yes , it did . Okay , it was . It was oil pan to intake , essentially , I got you .

Speaker 1

Okay , very nice , all right . So I'm just trying to , you know , get a lay of the land here of your , your involvement in this . Now , how long have you been working with your dad at the shop ?

Speaker 4

um 2007 is when I came back from Iraq and started working at the shop . My dad had another business partner at the time and um in 2016 , that business partner decided to move back to Arkansas , where he was from , to help his ailing mother and I . I bought his half of the business which made my dad and I partners Good , so I've actually been with the business which made my dad and I partners Good . So I've actually been with the company since 2007, .

Speaker 1

But became an owner in 2016

Classic Car Restoration and Customization

Speaker 1

. Does he ever want to lay , whale you ? Every once in a while ? Probably so , Because you know , there's always that thing , the father-son thing , that every once in a while . No , Dad , it's not that way . Yes , it is that way .

Speaker 3

Well they make TV shows about that they throw stuff at each other .

Speaker 4

We keep talking about the TV show thing . We don't have quite that much drama in the shop . That's good . Things run pretty smoothly around here .

Speaker 1

How many cars can you get in the shop ? How many do you work on at a time ? We usually have half dozen .

Speaker 4

Yeah , six to eight cars is typical , you know , typical for us . Um , you know we typically have three to four big projects going on Right and we pull in . You know , small jobs in between that .

Speaker 1

Yeah .

Speaker 4

Um , we , we do collision work for classic and exotic cars . Uh , you know we don't take in your grocery getters and that sort of stuff , but we work with Hagerty and Grundy and the classic car insurance companies to do collision and repairs on classics . So we do take in some small stuff in between the restorations and full paint jobs .

Speaker 1

Interesting Now , this orange car that we're looking at . What is it ? First of all Is it the Roadrunner 69 .

Speaker 2

Roadrunner 69 .

Speaker 4

Roadrunner . Yeah , the customer bought that car from Mecham and when he got it home and the dust settled and the fun wore off from the auction and all that , he decided he hated the car , oh my , and so he brought it to us and said what can you do to this thing ? And we told him well , the sky's the limit . So it literally was , and we started off on that car three years and three months ago . You know the car was real solid . We didn't have to do a lot of metal work to it .

Speaker 4

But he wanted something that was wow , and so we actually built the dash for the car . In-house built a custom dash for it .

Speaker 1

Um , why did you do that ?

Speaker 4

he didn't like the factory factory dash and the factory gauge layout and all that . He wanted the . He wanted the big holly touchscreen . Uh , dash in there , and so the instrument cluster and all that is actually a touch screen .

Speaker 1

And there's the the holly 11 inch touchscreen , so it controls everything .

Speaker 4

You know the headlights are on , everything's on there who's your electrician in the shop ? Oh man , we , uh , we , we sourced that , see that that .

Speaker 1

that's my cup of tea right there . I don't know nothing about that stuff . Yes , I'm in broadcasting , but I'm sorry , I'm going to raise my hands at that and say somebody else's job .

Speaker 4

That's why we have an engineer here . We try to stay in our lane .

Speaker 3

You buy it at Mecham and then you get buyer's remorse Well , and then you take it to somebody .

Speaker 2

Yeah , but then I mean you've put this thing on a rotisserie . I mean you literally took this car straight from Mecham and took it apart .

Speaker 1

Yes , yeah , well , okay . So what else are we bringing besides that one ? Now what's next ?

Speaker 2

Mr Morris , let's see , I'm looking for the 67 Camaro .

Speaker 1

So are these all customers' cars that you've gotten in Cahoots , all of ?

Speaker 4

them , except the 67 Camaro . The 67 Camaro is actually my car . I bought that car in 1996 when I was 15 and drove it through high school . My dad and I did a little half restoration paint job on it when I was a senior in high school and I built a V8 for it . It was originally a six-cylinder car . We're just finishing up a nine-year-long resto mod on the car . Wow , you know a lot , a lot of stuff happened in between starting that project and now . You know I had a couple of kids .

Speaker 1

We built a new shop , got a house flooded during harvey , you know there was a lot of obstacles that went on in the last nine years that I've been working on it , so it took a lot longer than expected , but it really came out nice .

Speaker 3

So with the 67 Camaro it's a lengthy build . You're getting it the way you want it . What's going to be the end result once it's finished ? Is it going to go through a Mecham or a Barrett-Jackson , or are you just going to keep it ?

Speaker 4

No , no , I've got a two-year-old and a five-year-old . That would probably disown me if I got a race car , Ah okay , they absolutely love it . Love riding in it . Love working on it .

Speaker 1

This is the car that has the Corvette Stinger hood on it . Yes , wow , that's a nice touch . I like that .

Speaker 3

We'll see it there , yeah .

Speaker 1

Yeah .

Speaker 3

I know That'll be the car that'll be displayed at the show .

Speaker 4

I didn't enter it into the show this year , but we're going to have it in our tent just as a display piece . Nice , so yeah . Well , that car was 100% done in-house , meaning I wired the car , I built the engine from scratch . I built the car , I built the engine from scratch , I built the chassis , suspension , I made all the brake lines , fuel lines . Everything was done to the car in-house , with the exception of the sewing , of the upholstery .

Speaker 1

Do you ever ?

Speaker 4

go home Sometimes .

Speaker 1

Because I know on a car like that I'm going to have to work a little late tonight . You wind up getting home 10 , 11 o'clock at night , Three days later . Three days , yeah .

Speaker 4

Yeah , because you work on the customer cars first . I put an AC unit out in the garage at home , so the work continues after I get to the house ?

Speaker 1

Of course it does . Yeah , no doubt . Okay , do we have another one there , mike ?

Speaker 2

There's an interesting-looking 65C10 on here . Let me get back to it . I thought you don't see them very often .

Speaker 4

No , you don't see those vintage trucks restored to that level very often Not the 65s . Yeah , not the 65s . That's probably one of the nicest 65s that I've ever seen . And again , that truck was done complete top to bottom . It's got a roaster shop chassis , fuel-injected , 383 stroker , 700 R4 , custom interior , polysniper fuel injection . It's been done from top to bottom , front to back .

Speaker 1

You know you don't see too many 65s . No , no , you really don't , and I guess it's the front end on it that is not as popular as some of the other ones . I don't know .

Speaker 4

Yeah , that's what I've heard . Now , like anything else , you start seeing the prices of the 50s models and the 70s models going up . You're going to start seeing these become more popular .

Speaker 2

Yeah , they'll just bring it along at reasonable prices .

Speaker 1

Hey , do you got a website we can send folks to to take a look at some of your work ? Pardon , do you have a website that we can send ?

Speaker 4

the folks to oh , yeah , yeah , what is it ? Creativeclassicsandcustomscom .

Speaker 1

And that's all spelled out creativeclassicsandcustomscom

Keels and Wheels Event Details'Review Car

Speaker 1

. Well , dustin , it's great to talk to you and we look forward to visiting you when we're down there in a couple of weeks at the keels and wheels and we're going to be telling everybody about all the details of keels and wheels . So it's great to meet you , great to talk to you , we look forward to seeing your work in person and we hope to see you again .

Speaker 4

All right guys . We appreciate you having us . Thank you .

Speaker 1

All right . The In Wheel Time Car Talk show is available 24 seven7 through the iHeartRadio app Just look for In Wheel Time Car Talk . We also video stream our three-hour weekly show on Facebook , youtube and InWheelTimecom , and podcasts are available from your favorite podcast provider . The In Wheel Time Car Talk Show continues right after these brief messages .

Speaker 1

Pro-am Auto Accessories has been serving Houston's auto enthusiasts since 1984 , providing world-class products for sports cars , european sedans and American muscle . Pro-am is known as the place to go to find exclusive and hard-to-find parts and accessories . Pro-am is one of the very first distributors in the USA for brands such as Recaro , redline , momo Corbo and Simpson . Located in the heart of Houston's premier retail and service corridor , the Galleria area , pro-am's walk-in storefront includes an 8,000 square foot warehouse , showroom and installation bays . Pro-am not only sells parts and accessories , but also offers installation and service . Pro-am is now reaching a worldwide audience through Pro-Amcom , taking its local reputation to the rest of the world . At Pro-Am Auto , you'll be dealing with a small group of professionals who truly want to help you with your automotive needs . If you don't see what you're looking for on the website , call and Pro-Am will lend you a hand .

Speaker 1

Pro-am Auto , 6125 Richmond at Greenridge , in Houston's Galleria area . Call them at 713-781-7755 . Well , you know , I think I did everything , except are you ready ? Mm-hmm , this , I didn't plug it in and the battery died . So in the meantime , jeffrey , why don't you tell- . Let me tell you about something here going on . I got it .

Speaker 3

Mike , the 28th Annual Kiels and Wheels Concours d'Elegance . It's made it's Concours d'Elegance it's Concours d'Elegance . It's over there . It is May 4th and 5th of this year , coming up very , very soon . Tickets are $30 in advance through the website and let me tell you something while you're doing this .

Speaker 1

Yeah , yeah , don't think anything strange , because I'm getting on the floor .

Speaker 3

You just go on , big boy , I'm going to do the tight shot . How's that ? No , don't do the tight shot . Oh , there you go . Anyways , $40 at the gate , $15 for students , children under 12 are free , free parking , shuttled from the convenient locations of the parking lot . All of that good stuff is taken care of . You got 60 cars , 60 years of Mustang , 60 years of Donzie boats , restomods , the ride reimagined . We just heard from Dustin and he's part of Creative Classics and Customs in Kemah . You're going to have the Maxi Riders , maxi Riders Brothers Customs in Bloomington , out of Bloomington , illinois , the Mobley Performance Shop . Rover Trophies at Bridgeport , connecticut . Smithy Customs in Houston . 150 cars , 50 boats , About 19 , 20 , 25 motorcycles .

Speaker 1

Does it get the price of the tickets on there ? Yes , I already did that .

Speaker 3

Oh okay , sorry yeah tickets are 30 , 40 at the gate and then 15 for students . Children under 12 are free .

Speaker 1

And I want to tell everybody that if you've been before , of course you know every year it's a different show . Yep , they have different cars all together and I did want to mention that there's going to be some . I saw that free parking and shuttle from two convenient locations Houston Methodist Clear Lake , the outpatient buildings in Nassau Bay and over at Bay Area Elementary School in Seabrook City Hall , just off 146 in Seabrook . Those are the parking locations , so they take the shuttle , it's free . They got it all worked out . Well , now that my computer is up and running again , let's try this again . No , we're done with that , we're just going to move on and we'll do something else Like the events calendar .

Speaker 1

Mr Mars has the events calendar . Oh geez .

Speaker 3

He was going to fix the video for you , and now he's going to do events .

Speaker 1

See , we run a tight ship here .

Speaker 3

We are so tight . So so , so , so . So Theoretically we could get this right .

Speaker 2

Theoretically , this weekend , 11 through the 14th , 37th annual Houston Art Car Experience is going on . Got all the neighborhood mini parades there was a ball last night , Kids' creative things are going on , but the actual Art Car Parade is today later on , today on . But the actual art car parade is today , later on . Today two o'clock . Still got time to go see it . The awards will be tomorrow . Go to houstonartcarparadecom for more information . Then on april the 13th , which is also today , space city corvette club , 20th annual corvettes and crawfish , still got time to go down to stevenson park and friendswood to make that event . Space City Corvettes clubcom for more information . Then two weeks , two weeks . Hot Rod Tour of Texas . Woo-hoo , april the 25th through the 28th , kicking off in Victoria for three days of cruising across Texas , going to go up through Shiner , new Braunfels and then going to . We're going to have a drive-in night in New Braunthals , then ending up in Fredericksburg Saturday night . Go to HotRodTourOfTexascom . It is sold out last I heard , didn't he ?

Speaker 3

say , last week it was sold out .

Speaker 2

Yeah , yeah , yeah , all spaces are taken , yeah but if you want to see a long , like 15-mile parade of cars , be sure and check it out in the route . May the 4th and 5th Kiehl Fourth and fifth Keels and Wheels at Lakewood Yacht Club Keelsandwheelscom . Keels-wheelscom for more information . We are going to be there live on Saturday .

Speaker 3

It'll be a lot of places .

Speaker 2

Yeah , then June the 7th through the 9th is the 49th Lone Star Street Ride Association State Run in Granbury , Texas .

Speaker 1

And go to L-S Did you read this before you started ? He did .

Speaker 2

Well , I just realized that I wasn't saying that correctly . He misspelled it . Lssraorg for more information on that event and we're going to be there live as well .

Speaker 1

Thank you . Time now for this hour's car review . I had the opportunity to drive the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek . It comes in these trim levels Base , premium , sport , limited , and then I had a sub called the wilderness . All right and uh , it looks really good . Small suv seats , five people including the driver . Exterior changes well , it's all new , uh , and it's a third generation cross trek and it really is a very cool little car .

Speaker 1

Exterior features include well , I put down here is it a wagon or is it an SUV ? I don't think it's an SUV . Well , it kind of blurs the line there , if you ask me . Wilderness body side cladding gives it a true off-road look . Special wilderness grille adds to the tough look . Wide open rear hatch would swallow a week's worth of camping gear . No doubt what I liked . The overall tougher look is appealing . It's got a more masculine look to it than the just regular Crosstrek . What could use improvement ? Well , there's some cheap plastic parts interior , but you know I can almost find those in every car that's built these days . Interior highlights Awesome dash design with extra large built-in info screen , and I love that . Wilderness interior follows its tough theme on the outside Simple , usable dash displays . Steering wheel controls are perfect as far as trunk room , cargo room , it's small but plentiful , with the second row down . What I liked about it ? The user-friendly design on the interior . Nothing secret about that . What could use improvement ? Not sure I like the different looking materials patterns mixed with the faux carbon fiber pieces . It seemed to work somehow . Not Not sure I like the different looking materials patterns mixed with the faux carbon fiber pieces . It seemed to work somehow , not quite sure .

Speaker 1

Two and a half liter , optional four-cylinder and at 182 horsepower , 178 pound-feet of torque , with a CVT transmission and full-time all-wheel drive Tow rating of 3,500 pounds . So a small camping trailer , not one that you could live in , but one that you could still your gear in . That would be perfect for this thing . 25 miles per gallon in the city , 29 on the highway for a combined of 27 . I got 26.3 over 377.5 miles . What I liked about it ? The gas mileage . What could use improvement ? Would like to see a little bit more power , at least 200 horsepower . I would also like to see a standard automatic transmission or , better yet , since it's an off-road kind of vehicle , how about a manual in this thing ? Wow , ride and handling what I like the smooth ride for such a small car . What could use improvement ? The steering seems to be a bit overboosted for me . You know , it's kind of like the Oversteer , almost , almost like the Buick .

Speaker 1

Just one finger . Yeah , some people like that . It's great for parking lots . Base trim price on this is $33,540 . Price is tested $33,540 . Price is tested $35,955 . You can get in a Crosstrek for $25,195 . Competitors include the Ford Bronco Sport that goes for $31,230 , which is being recalled , by the way . Jeep Compass $28,400 . And the Mazda CX-30 starts at $24,995 .

Speaker 1

Pretty cool little car . I've had it before and I really do like driving it . It was a fun ride and it beats the heck out of searching for an electric plug-in place for two and a half hours like I did the week before . I was very thankful to get a gasoline motor and I've got more on that coming up . You know , I know that our dear friend up in Dallas , buzz Buzz , buzz Smith , yeah , yeah , I don't care what he says , oh boy , don't care , we could go toe-to-toe on that . Not that I have a penchant against EVs . I know a guy that has a Tesla . He's had it now for two and a half years and he loves the car . I get that . I totally understand it . But the infrastructure is not there to support EVs . If you drive anywhere other than home , work , grocery store , church , that sort of stuff , it's going to be a real pain to find .

Speaker 3

We all know that . Buzz knows that as well , and I got into a discussion with another journalist over that .

Speaker 2

You know that . You know EVs failed back in the early 1900s for the same reasons . Battery issues infrastructure's not there for charging . Well , the technology then wasn't what it was today .

Speaker 3

But still it's the same core root problem .

Speaker 2

Battery issues , infrastructure's not there for charging . Well , the technology then wasn't what it was today , but still it's the same core root problem . A hundred years later , we still haven't solved it .

Speaker 1

Well , it's up to you to do that , Morris . Hey , if you'd like to get in touch with us .

Speaker 1

Shoot us an email . The address here is info at nwheeltimecom . We will be back right after this quick break , 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 and 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 Katy is another location that gives you the same quality and service Houstonians have come to expect at Loopy's . It's located just off I-10 of the Grand Parkway at Kingsland Boulevard in Katy . Find yourself in Aggieland . 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 too's on I-10 . You can't miss it . The original group of Loopy Tortilla restaurants invites you in for the best Tex-Mex .

Speaker 1

Anywhere you own a car you love , why not let Gulf Coast Auto Shield protect it ? Houstonian John Gray invites you to his state-of-the-art facility to introduce you to his specialist team of auto enthusiasts . We promise you'll be impressed . Whether you're looking to massage your original paint to a like-new appearance , apply a ceramic coating , install a paint protection film , nano-ceramic window tint or new windshield protection called ExoShield , gulf Coast Auto Shield is where Houston's car people go .

Auto Services at Gulf Coast Shield

Speaker 1

Curbed your wheels . Instead of buying new , why not have them repaired ? How about a professionally installed radar detector ? Gulf Coast Auto Shield does that too . Get a peek inside the shop and look at the services offered by getting online and heading to gcautoshieldcom . Better yet , stop by their facility at 11275 South Sam Houston Tollway , just south of the Southwest Freeway , and get a personal tour . Gulf Coast Auto Shield is your place to go for all things exterior . Call them today 832-930-5655 or gcautoshieldcom . 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 8 to 11 am Central on Facebook , youtube , twitch and our InWheelTimecom website . Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts , spotify , stitcher , iheart Podcast , podcast , addict TuneIn , pandora and Amazon Music . Keep listening and we'll see you soon .