Episodes

Collectively, In Wheel Time Car Talk has been attending events at Houston Raceway Park since the very first time the gates were opened. With our close proximity and diverse backgrounds of our crew, we have managed to see a lot of changes over the years and we were saddened to hear it is shutting down operations. For that last four years, Toyota Racing Development has been a welcomed sponsor of our broadcast from the NHRA Spring Nationals, where we have met a lot of great people! We have intervi...

We always enjoy talking with Jack Nerad, noted automotive journalis and author. Not only do we get to benefit from his vast exeriences, he is great to share how things are on the 'left coast'. In this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk, we touch on the basics of the automtoive industry and learn that Jack has been driving some pretty awesome vehilces! Electric Trucks? The price of pre-owned vehicles? Yep, Jack has thoughts on it all. You can find more of Jack Nerad at DrivingToday.com, including...

We have been talking about electric vehicles for some time now. We have even visited both coasts to see how conversions are being done with mild to wild results by DIY and high-end conversion shops. It is a wild wild EV world! On this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk, we are joing by Autum Schwalbe, Ford Motor Company Market, as we want to know more about the recently announced 'crate motor' from Ford. The actual motor was part of a Ford build for SEMA 2021 - a F-100 truck that is all electric...

NASCAR is big time oval racing with a long history and big appeal to a lot of automotive enthusiasts across the country. With TV showing the big races at the big race tracks, not a lot of people are exposed to where all this came from. There are actually smaller oval asphalt tracks across the country where racers enjoy the same type of sport at different levels, with some actually working their way up to the big time. There are even dirt tracks still operating that make it possible for almost an...

Sometime it is fun to get out of the t-shirts and shorts for a little while, particularly when it is an automotive event. Coming up is the Beaumont Main Street Gala that is being put on with the help of a number of groups and this year, it will include several aspects. In addition to being centered at the Historic Jefferson Theatre in Downtown, there will be a vintage auto show with many constumed characters on hand. The Hagertys' Members Drive Club will have a member history drive around the ar...

Each week, we try to spotlight a car club - one of the places a lot of enthusasts hang out and where a lot of people get their start enjoying automotive activies beyond daily driving. This week, we talk with Hal Sharp, from the Texas Triumph Register, the largest club of this type in the Nation. Originally formed in 1981, the club contunes to function through hurricans and pandemics. We also learn a bit about Hals' person ride, a 1976 TR6 that has been 'modified' just a bit. In our feature seg...

LBX Fly In. Of course someone had to ask, what does the LBX stand for? That is the airport designation where the event is held. So there is plenty of room for the airplanes of different sizes and type. On the inside of the airport will be a large display of model trains, there is an open car show and food trucks to go along with live music. There is a little of everything for a family day out to enjoy, particularly since spectators are free! Over in the New Car Showrrom, Don Armstrong is check...

It is hard to say that the world as we know it will ever be the same after COVID, but we are doing what we can. That includes getting ready for some summer travel! Time to load up the family truckster and make the great escape with the family ... somewhere. As we air this segment of In Wheel Time Car Talk, we know that people are keeping their vehilces longer so there are more miles on the odometer. That is not a bad thing if we have done the maintenance along the way and that includes taking c...

We have been talking with Bobby Sparkman about a 3-day event coming up April 28 - May 1, 2022 that is sure to be one of a kind. We are talking about starting in Victoria, Texas, and for three days, roll across Texas with stops at some historical sites, some drag strips, some museums and it also includes a night at the drive-in. The route has been determined and cities and towns along the way are all in! Bobby joins us on this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk for an updates on the final plans. ...

It is always fun to find an new auto museum as it is always a surprise to see what they have collected over the years. In Texarkana, which can literally be Texas or Arkansas, we found the 'Four State Auto Museum', which we learned is actually in Texarkana, Arkansas. That is ok, as Jim Christian explains, it takes a little bit from everywhere. We get to cover some of the museum, learn of Jim's personal collection, and some of the other vehicles on hand. We also learned about an upcoming event t...

In Wheel Time Car Talk is all about automotive insterests - of all kinds! We like new vehicles, particularly with the exciting technology changes, but we also go back to 'hot rods' and muscle cars. We also like race cars, so it is basically anything with wheels and a motor of some type. Heck, sometimes it don't even need wheels! Joining us in this segment of In Wheel Time Car Talk, it is Ms. Hagerty, or Angelica Brothers as we like to call her. Angelica always brings new information to the prog...

Friend of the show, Richard 'Buzz' Smith, was an early adoptor of the EV life style, and we say the EV lifestyle, as it is truely a life style that is 'different' than owning an ICE vehicle. Buzz has made several trips using his EVs, and he has kept us up to date on how those trips go. In the previous segment, Michael Marrs did a review of the Mustang Mach-E, and now we are going to talk with Buzz more in depth on the charging aspect. As the technology improves the EV, there are some changes re...

For some people, getting a new car every few years is a personal choice, or maybe a business/tax decision. For many others, the average age of a car is over ten years, and it seems to be growing even longer. With the shortage of new vehicles due to parts availability, the price of pre-owned is going way up. This is another factor leading people to keep their vehicle longer - the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know. Mike Quincy, Consumer Reports is here to talk about some rece...

Sue Mead is a noted automotive jounalist but she is really REALLY known as one of the best female off-road drivers there is. Sue has competed in several international events across South America as well as in the Middle East when she is not roaming the off-roads of the North American Contitnet. We have known Sue for a number of years and when Sue says there is someone we should talk to, we listen! Sue introduced us to Dana and Susie Saxten, a mother and daughter that have been off-roading for a...

Ah, spring time when the living is easy and the teenagers start driving! Something all parents worry about is when the kids start driving. Like most parents, we try to teach the basics without imparting our own bad habits, but a professional is the way to go. Nina Saint with Safeway Driving is here with some tips, not only about teen drivers, but some of us older people might need a tune up as well. She also has some tips for dealing with elderly drivers, something many of us have had to deal w...

Last year, we talk with the managment of Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, about the future of the track. Houston Raceway Park is one of the historic NHRA venues for more than 30 years. The track is home to numourous record breaking runs making it a facility that the racers look forward to attending. For the spectators? Plenty of track side seating and a pit area large enough for walking through to see the cars and people closer than then starting line. Unfortunately, the track property ...

We can honestly say that if you are into classic, hot rod, or muscle cars, a live visit to a Mecum Auction should be on your bucket list. Image, an open car show with 1,000 entries ranging from classics to modern vehicle in one place where they can be 'viewed'. You can get up close and under these vehicles making it one awesome car show, regardless of what variety is a favorite. Then when the lights fo up, the sound fills the place, and people start bidding, it is max adreneline time as vehicl...

Joining us on this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk, it is long time friend of the show in North Texas, George Skelton! We get a chance to talk with George before he gets his morning coffee about a package we received at the studio, and we wanted to thank George! Join us for this fun interview. In the Car Clinic, Michael Marrs is sitting in for Konrad DeLong who is out this Saturday and we are talking about some recent coolant system issues and how it was compounded by - complacency! We also...

Just like Spring time, when the weather seems to get nicer, the air a little cleaner, it is time to clean winter off the ride! Joining us on this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk is John Gray, long time friend of the show and owner of Gulf Coast Auto Shield. Even though John knows a whole lot of stuff about paint care and protection, John is always keeping up with what is new. In this episode, we hear about some products and washing technique that will help us stay shiney and new looking. In ...

Launched just days before the iconic Ford Mustang, the Plymouth Barracuda was set to take the market ... until the Mustang. Timeing, it is all about the timing... Later the 'Cuda seemed to steal the original thunder even more, so unless an enthusiest like Brain Verdehem steps in, the Barracuda can be lost. Working with a 1966 Plymouth Baracuda Formula S that his father bought in 1972 for $400, the factory 273 still resides under the hood with a few other upgrades to keep this a very nice street...

When looking at the '80s, easy to forget that there was still a little performanc coming out of Detroit. Looking at the Rosewood colored 1987 Buick Regal, until you open the hood, you would think it is just another wanna' be muscle car. Once you open the hood and see that turbo V6, it takes on a different look. Not a 10-second street car, but something that might suprise a few Mustangs and Camros. Through the period correct interior and you have a nice throwback with only 78k mile on it. Jodie ...

When a lot of people think about 'ol school hot rods, the '32 coupe or roadster may come to mind. For Danny Graham, it is a 1955 Chevrolet drag car that has been converted to a street car! This is not surprising since he also owns a '32 Ford and a '41 Champion Studebaker hot rod. So Danny drops in a 327, a 5-speed tranny, and a set of 411 gears for go. For the show, the car has old school real wheel wells cut and it has beensprayed a nice Forrest Green from Pontiac in 1968. To hear more about t...

Every time we get to attend the Tailpipes & Tacos Saturday morning cruize, we get to see some really cool vehicles and talk to a wide variety of automotive enthusiests. Ron Rivers is one such participant with a one owner 253k mile daily driver that is 'different' - a stock looking 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche. Starting under then hood, silents sits a 7L 427 that dyno says produces 516 hp. Can you say 'sleeper'? Join us to hear more about this ride... In our feature setment, Don Armstrong has the ch...

Any discussion regarding hot rodding almost always includes at least one of the Tri-Fives. If it is a bright red '57 Chevy, it gets everyone's attendion, thanks to Michael Brown who drove the beauty out to Tailpipes & Tacos. We also have some of this weeks Automotive News Headlines. ---- ----- 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 YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ...