Episodes

Get ready for an entertaining ride as we chat with Pam Parsons from the Saleen Club of America, Texas version, and her betrothed, Cliff, about the world of Saleen cars and some behind-the-scenes stories about Steve Celine himself. We share our recent possum escapades in our studio (now known as the Possum Palace) - when Don and Jeff faced off against the intruder. No animals were hurt during this segment, but we are not sure about Jeff, just yet. We discuss upcoming car events, and Don Armstro...

On this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk, we look at piston technology and how it has evolved over the years, from compression ratios in the 50s and 60s to modern ratios as high as 18 to one. We look at the flat top piston, the hemi piston, the wedge engine, and the notched piston. We learn about the innovative gasoline direct injected engines that use a powerball of air and fuel to push the piston down. We also look into the incredible advancements in engine and vehicle safety, such as Honda'...

Electric Vehicles continue to develop as more and more people get on the EV bandwagon. New is good, new with warranty is better! What happens then? How and who can work on an EV? Our special guest, Hugh Man from Houston Community College Automotive progam is joining us today on In Wheel Time Car Talk! He's here to discuss their innovative EV curriculum, designed to train technicians on safety practices to work on an EV, as well as evaluating, maintaining, and repairing hybrid and electric vehic...

Joining us for this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk featuring David Donahue, son of legendary racer Mark Donahue! Discover David's journey from the Bridgestone Supercar Series to his time with the IndyCar Series and Craftsman Truck Series, as well as his experience working at Porsche Cars North America and his anticipation for the 2023 Pikes Peak Hill Climb. We also briefly discuss the engineering that makes the Porsche 918 what it is and the PDK transmission. David shares how the feedback fr...

Sometimes, it seems that car insurance is a necessary evil, but when you need it ... you need it. Joining us on this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk is our guest Summit Shah, COO of Cerebrum X, who sheds light on the factors contributing to higher premiums and introduces us to the concept of usage-based insurance - an idea that could potentially save you 10-15% on your insurance costs. Summit explains how vehicle technology influences insurance rates and how usage-based insurance uses data on ...

We grew up with car clubs and we try to include one in our Car Club Spotlight segments because we think it is a great way to enjoy hot rodding and a great way to keep the sport going. Join us as we chat with car enthusiast Bobby Stout, with the Christian Classic Cruisers as we learn what it takes to be the host club behind organizing the annual Lone Star Street Rod Association's annual meetup in Granbury, Texas. We talk about the participants work on their own vehicles and the volunteers who mak...

We uncover the groundbreaking innovations that make the Chevrolet Corvette a legend in its own right. We look at how the first-ever fiberglass body in 1953, the fuel injection system of 1957, and the independent rear suspension of 1963 transformed the Corvette into an icon that continues to develop. We also look at the GM Small Block V8 that is a still a staple of hot rodding with over 50 million units built and briefly touch on Pontiac's Tempest and its own independent rear suspension - can you...

Ever thought about turning your Jeep into a monster or injecting it with testosterone? Join us as we chat with John Ghattas, owner of Apocalypse Manufacturing, about the wild world of custom car creations and the future of vehicles. From six-wheeled trucks and Jeeps to electric Hummers, you have to check out the projects John and his team bring to life. In our feature segment, Konrad DeLong has the popular feature - 'This Week In Auto History', where we uncover the history of the odometer, disc...

Joining us on this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk is karting legend and multiple award-winner, Alan Rudolph, from his Speed Sports Racing Park in New Caney, Texas. We explore the thrilling world of rental go-karts, drifting, and auto-crossing, while also discovering the amenities the park has to offer for public and corporate events. But that's not all! Alan also shares the ins and outs of his Alan Ruff Racing Academy, where enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels can dive into a two-hour p...

How has the global pandemic shaken the automotive supply chain? Join us with our guest, Dr. Robert Hanfield, as we dive headfirst into the factors that have impacted automobile production, from stay-at-home orders to port bottlenecks and material shortages. Learn how the Big Three are monitoring their supply chains to stay ahead of potential vulnerabilities and why just-in-time production has been particularly challenging in this industry. We also acknowledge the toilet paper shortage and hoard...

Formula 1 racing is a very high-end and expensive endeavor. The cars are considered things of beauty and engineering marvels. Currently, all F1 cars run the same motor - a V6 capable of 850 horsepower at 16,000 rpm! They may not be the absolute fastest, but add in the cornering ability and braking that can create enough g-force to hurt a driver, and they become automotive marvels. Author Steve Rendle joins us from the UK to talk about his book on the technology that goes into an F1. In our fe...

Electric Vehicle technology is changing so fast, sometimes it is hard to keep up, particularly with the advancements in batteries. While the batteries are a key component, we don't hear a lot about those other than what range is enabled. To make it all work, the power of the battery has to be utilized in the most efficient manner while extending it as long as possible. However, as with most batteries, which we don't think of, there are safety considerations - voltage, heat, and even chemical pr...

It is a really big week for recalls across the industry, with over 2.5 million do not drive notices! Almost the entire alphabet of makers can be found on the list. To check your vehicles, go to SaferCar.gov and put in your vin#, which can be found on your insurance card or on the dash plate of the vehicle. We recommend doing this twice a year, as history has shown that there can be recalls on the recalls...and maybe even a recall on the recall that was recalled. In the New Car Showroom, Michae...

In America, road races are few and far between. One of the 'most' famous is 'The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb' or simply Pike's Peak. It is a race up to the top of Pikes Peak, 12.42 miles that climbs to a height of 14,115 above sea level - hence it also referred to as The Race to the Clouds. The original road, 1916, was gravel, creating a lot of exciting action. Over the years it was paved so all events are now run on asphalt. There are several classes, with the fastest being an open whe...

There is a saying, 'Technology is our friend', with a lot of people willing to debate if that is true or not. We do have more information at our finger tips, and we have a tremendous amount of safety features on new automobiles. It is an ongoing process of development, but it does make us safer drivers...which hopefully translates into better drivers. As a fleet manager with long haul rigs, being a better driver can mean a lot of things. Not only avoiding accidents or damaging the load, but tak...

Ever since the automobile first putt-putted down the road, there have been a lot of people that found a lot of ways to use a vehicle. Some make the headlines, some make a great movie, but most go just under the radar. In steps Crispian Besley, lifelong auto fan, and first time author. The work is appropriately called 'Driven to Crime' with 60 chapters that looks at real events. It includes it all - cars, sex, drugs, cars, theft, fraud, and more cars. We nominate it for Netflix Series! Join us ...

Long known for being a neutral 'testing' body that consumers can look to for information that is not biased by the need for direct sales, Consumer Reports takes a look at almost everything! Refrigerators, TVs, washers, dryers and more. A big portion of their effort goes into automobiles. Of course to properly test the modern automobile, it takes a lot of people and lot of space. In fact the more complicated automobiles become, seems the more space is needed to test. Back when it started, Consum...

For the last few years, car sales have been down down down...for a lot of reasons that are generally traced back to the pandemic for starters. Supply chain issues followed, then just getting parts for the supply chain helped create a lot of vacant concrete at dealers across the country. In Houston, it is the Houston Automobile Dealers Association that helps dealers with some of these issues. By banding together, the competitors are able to help each other through the tough times that impact the...

There are all kinds of statistics and reports and data that will attest to a young man's fascination with automobiles. Most of the time, particularly with teen drivers, it is not so good, but it is there. Joining us on this episode of In Wheel Time Car Talk is Jonathon Eckelberg, the 'driving force' behind the High School Racing Association. Also joining us is Curtis Hellickson, a young man that is an actual high school racer. On the surface, this may seem counterproductive as it relates to te...

Whether you are talking politics, stories on auto consumers or even some of the early morning 'family news' shows, Electric Vehicles are getting headlines. So much that it is often hard to figure out what is what. When that happens, we turn to Richard 'Buzz' Smith, the EV-anglist. Buzz is a well known EV enthusiast that uses his ability to make common sense presentation full of information for consumers. People like us! Join us as Buzz talks about new battery technology that is being developed...

Short track oval racing is a form of motorsport that takes place on oval-shaped tracks typically less than one mile in length. Unlike other forms of racing, short track oval racing creates an emphasis on driver skill and strategy over outright speed due to the track layout. Short track oval racing is also known for its grassroots nature, with local tracks and regional series creating an unofficial farm league the is playing a role in the growth of the sport. So there is a long history, even th...

Reading the headlines, it is very easy to think that an EV - Electric Vehicles - doesn't have the same maintenance issues or schedules that an internal combustion engine vehicle has. That is somewhat true, however, due to the very nature of being 'electric', the EV has some very different maintenance concerns that still include cooling systems, fluids, and some very special safety tools that are required by a truly certified EV tech. Joining us is the Senior VP of Operations for Opus IVS, a sup...

Camping and RVing has long been a family tradition. Many people started with the idea of simply getting away to nature. Back when the family truckster was a station wagon, folding the seats down and sleeping there was an easy start. From there, an upgrade to a tent and the associated gear to eat and sleep in nature came into play. For many of us, roughing it is a cheap motel, but for others, a luxury RV is the only way to go. Some people even go to the point of living in their RV, traveling aro...

The Hot Rod Tour of Texas is now in it's 2nd year! From a simple idea of families getting together with hot rods as the common theme, the Hot Rod Tour of Texas was born. Now in the second year, 300-automotive enthusiasts signed up to start the tour in Victoria, Texas. Don Armstrong made the initial event, and this year, the rest of the crew couldn't stand not getting involved. So we met up with the tour and tagged along talking to some of the participants and the a few of the hosts. All this a...