Mopar Muscle Cars under the Neon Lights

Neon glows, steel shines, and the floor hums with V8 heartbeat as we step inside the Hemi Hideout for a guided tour through one of the most captivating Mopar collections in Texas. We move car by car, blending hard facts with honest reactions—why an aero-wild Superbird reshaped NASCAR, how a numbers-matching Super Bee earns reverence, and where a properly built restomod Cuda proves that drivability and drama can live under the same Shaker hood.
We share the stories that make these machines feel alive. A violet 1970 Road Runner convertible exits a riverbed after 25 years and returns as a numbers-matching gem. A 1947 Dodge Power Wagon scores 996 out of 1000 and closes its doors with refrigerator solidity. A 1969 Coronet R/T convertible gets a 528 Hemi and triple carbs, while a Pink Panther Challenger and a chameleon ’37 Plymouth coupe show how attitude and engineering come together in Pro Street form. Production numbers, engine codes, and rare color combos turn into small epiphanies—one Go Mango Super Bee is one of only 32 with its configuration, and just four exist in the registry today.
Between spark and story, we widen the lens to community and the market. Charity open houses turn $10 tickets into doubled donations. Cruise nights, coffee meets, and holiday toy drives invite everyone to pull up and talk cars. And when talk shifts to tariffs, we unpack why a 25% headline rarely becomes a 25% price hike, explaining how transaction values, content rules, and dealer variability shape what buyers actually pay. It’s a full-spectrum ride: history, hardware, community, and clarity.
Love muscle car history, NASCAR lore, and the art of a great restomod? Tap play, then tell us your pick from the Hemi Hideout lineup. If this tour revs your engine, follow the show, share with a friend, and drop a review so more enthusiasts can find the ride.
Be sure to subscribe for more In Wheel Time Car Talk!
The Lupe' Tortilla RestaurantsLupe Tortilla in Katy, Texas
Gulf Coast Auto Shield
Paint protection, tint, 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 is now available on Audacy!
Just go to Audacy.com/InWheelTime where ever you are.
----- -----
Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast provider for the next episode of In Wheel Time Podcast and check out our live multiplatform broadcast every Saturday, 10a - 12nCT simulcasting on Audacy, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and InWheelTime.com.
In Wheel Time Podcast can be heard on you mobile device from providers such as:
Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music Podcast, Spotify, SiriusXM Podcast, iHeartRadio podcast, TuneIn + Alexa, Podcast Addict, Castro, Castbox, YouTube Podcast 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.youtube.com/inwheeltime
https://www.Facebook.com/InWheelTime
For more information about In Wheel Time Podcast, email us at
info@inwheeltime.com
InWheelTime.com/InWheelTimeCarTalk.com available on iHeartRadio, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and most podcast providers.
00:00 - Live From The Hemi Hideout
01:18 - Super Bee And Collection Backstory
02:48 - Superbird Aerodynamics And NASCAR Impact
05:15 - The Sublime ’71 Cuda Restomod
06:50 - Charity Open House And Venue Vibe
07:22 - ’37 Plymouth Pickup Street Rod
08:31 - ’69 Coronet R/T Convertible Build
10:13 - Pink Panther Challenger Details
12:00 - Low-Mile ’66 Belvedere Hemi Rarity
13:02 - ’37 Plymouth Coupe Pro Street
14:05 - Award-Winning ’47 Power Wagon
15:00 - Violet Road Runner’s Lost-And-Found Story
16:20 - Ultra-Rare Go Mango Super Bee
17:26 - Break Tease And Upcoming Segments
18:06 - Event Plugs And Cruise Calendar
20:24 - Car Show Lineup And Community
22:04 - Tariffs, Pricing, And Market Impact
25:40 - Imports, Valuation, And Dealer Math
28:05 - Production Realities And US Content
Live From The Hemi Hideout
SPEAKER_01Welcome to another In Wheel Time podcast. From the Fabuloso Hemi Hideout in Brookshire, Texas, USA, it's the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show. Just ahead. The Hovest Mopar Collection. And you have not seen all of them. Nope. And we're about to show them to you. Jeff has the crews in and events calendars, and I'll bring in stories making automotive news headlines this week. Howdy, along with Mike out of this world, Mars. We always need more Jeff Zegan sometimes. Our chief engineer David Ainsley has decided to join us today. Usually he's sleeping in at this hour of the day. I'm Don Armstrong. Glad you could join us. It's been uh a whirlwind of chaos here at the In Wheel Time show booth.
SPEAKER_02We're gonna blame it on the weather.
SPEAKER_01Do we are we set up to do uh It was raining? Are we set up to do video pictures that we can show? Well we start with one. How's that? Let's see if I can pull that puppy up. Okay. Are you ready? So John, you know, started this. John's a uh he was 18 years of age in 1970, so he's got a a special uh place in his heart for 70 model cars. Okay?
Super Bee And Collection Backstory
SPEAKER_01So our first car today that we're going to discuss is the 1970 Dodge Super B in the collection. I don't is it in here today? I don't know if it is or not. I see a yellow car over there, but it may or may not be yet. Anyway, it's back there. It's called Banana Yellow Exterior with a black interior. This has a 440 six-pack, 440 cubic inch V8, three two-barrel carburetors, and the N96, not mask, but hood scoop. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Torque flight automatic transmission. Power steering, an AC, power front disc brakes, and here's the real clincher on this car. It's a numbers matching, one of only 599 built. That's that's pretty cool. Numbers matching, one of 599. So um, congratulations, John. I know that he put a lot of thought in his collection when he was buying all of these back in the day. Before this place was built, he had the collection in a barn here on the property. Well, this is taking the place of the barn, although I understand that the barn is still in use because not all the cars are inside the hideout to make room for people, tables, chairs, and that sort of stuff. Okay.
Superbird Aerodynamics And NASCAR Impact
SPEAKER_01Next up on the list is the 1970 Plymouth Superbird.
SPEAKER_03Woo-hoo!
SPEAKER_01Now, um this one kind of changed the landscape of NASCAR because it's got that big, weird nose on the front of it, and that great big sticks way above the roof line, rear spoiler on it, along with plenty of power and everything. If you see this car in person, you go, man, that's really weird looking. But boy, I'll tell you what, it certainly got got the attention of NASCAR. Oh, it didn't. Because it won all of the races that it was in. It was truly amazing. And then they banned it. Yeah, they banned it. They tried they tried to make some changes to to accommodate it, but it now didn't happen. And then it was kind of like the very first car that really worked on the aerodynamics of the cars. And that really changed the landscape of NASCAR.
SPEAKER_02It did.
SPEAKER_01The cars didn't look like that after they banned the car, clearly, but they started working about, you know, windshield rake, uh, the nose going into the wind at 200 miles an hour. Uh it changed the landscape. And let's not forget the uh the rear spec sp uh deck lid spoiler on the thing. And you know that thing's adjustable? Yeah, it can also sit on it.
SPEAKER_03It's it holds the weight of a human. Well, it holds some humans.
SPEAKER_02It holds the weight of a very small blonde in the bikini. I've seen that, but I haven't seen anybody like Don set up there. It's not mother-in-law.
SPEAKER_01It must be in that bikini. You just didn't recognize me in the bottom. It must have been younger years. That's not mother-in-law proof. So uh here's the here's the specs on this. 440 cubic inch V8, 390 horsepower, three two-barrel carburetors, torque flight automatic transmission, power steering, power front disc brakes, numbers matching. John's the second owner. One of only 277 440 six-pack super birds. There were a total of 1,840 super birds made. One for every dealership in America. Wow. That's how they did it.
SPEAKER_02That was the NASCAR rule at the time.
SPEAKER_01Well, it was a NASCAR rule that you had to build 500. And they decided that we're going to give one to every dealership.
SPEAKER_02Well, I thought NASCAR told them they had to.
SPEAKER_01500. There's always 500 cars. Back in the day, that's that was the deal for any kind of car. You had to build 500 of them.
The Sublime ’71 Cuda Restomod
SPEAKER_01That's why the old saying about, you know, race on Sunday, sell on Monday. True. There you go.
SPEAKER_02Yep.
SPEAKER_01All right. Next up is the 1971 Plymouth CUDA. Now, this is John's favorite car. He's told me that. I don't know whether it still is, but I would imagine it would be. If you've ever heard this car run, you go, yeah, I kind of get it. It's painted sublime. Get it? Sublime. Sublime. Pearl green exterior with a black interior. And here's the real kicker. 528 cubic inch all aluminum Hemi V8 with 739 horsepower. One four-barrel carburetor underneath the Shaker Hood Scoop. And a five-speed manual transmission with the pistol grip shifter.
SPEAKER_03I have a picture of Kathy and I standing in front of this car from years ago.
SPEAKER_01Probably from You know, that was the first car that we took to Autorama.
SPEAKER_03Autorama. Yep. Yeah, it's right over here. I still have I got the picture on the wall. Kathy and I stand in front of it. We're all dressed to the nine.
SPEAKER_01And it got all the looks. Yep. Oh, we did. Oh, I'm sorry. They were looking at the car to get to me. Narrowed four-link rear end, power RP steering, and AC. Power four-wheel disc brakes. Pro Street RMS altercation front end with coil over shocks and 22-inch wide rear tires. It's tubbed. It's that's the car that's tubbed in here. Doesn't have an LS, it's got a Hemi. It's got a Hemi.
SPEAKER_03Everything got a Hemi in it, Mike.
Charity Open House And Venue Vibe
SPEAKER_03Got an aluminum hemi.
SPEAKER_01And by the way, if I didn't tell you already, hey, thanks for joining us today on the Unwheel Time Car Talk Show. We're coming to you today from inside the Hemi Hideout. Open house, 10 bucks get you in. No children under 12. Come on out. The money that you spend per person goes to charitable causes because it's doubled up by John. So you pay the 10, he'll give you 20 for the charity. All right. Next up is the 1937 Plymouth pickup truck.
’37 Plymouth Pickup Street Rod
SPEAKER_01Green exterior and tan leather and suede in your 360 cubic inch V8, 255 horsepower, electronic fuel injection, torque flight automatic transmission, low-car floor shifter, power RP, steering, and AC. Is RP is that a company? I believe it is. I believe it is. Okay. Front power disc brakes, all steel, custom built street rod, Mustang 2 front suspension. Plymouth was the last company to build pickups and the first to stop building pickups. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Look at the airbag sensor on the front. The bumper? Yeah. I don't think that's what that is. Can I point something out with this? The folks that are watching this uh on the on the broadcast, look at all the background behind these vehicles. Look at the walls with all the the neon and all the pictures and all the memorabilia. That's the real show there as well.
SPEAKER_01It is. Yeah. Yeah, because once John had the collection put in place, then he goes, you know, I sure do like those signs. Yeah. He started filling up the Hemi Hideout signs. Which uh you'll you'll be able to see throughout the broadcast today.
’69 Coronet R/T Convertible Build
SPEAKER_01Okay, next up, the 1969 Dodge Coronet RT. Right there. Sitting right next door to us. Yeah, it's right there over to the left.
SPEAKER_02And I'll I'll have to apologize to John because I keep drooling on it. Is that what those stains are? Sorry.
SPEAKER_01So white exterior with a black bumblebee stripe and a black interior. 528 cubic inch Hemi V8, 650 horsepower, nice. Three two-barrel carburetors. Have you ever tried to tune a multi-carbureted car?
SPEAKER_03I've never driven one.
SPEAKER_01It is a real pain, I can tell you that. Uh you gotta have uh uh an actually uh an airflow meter that you stick on top of the carburetor to see what kind of air it's pulling in. And that's only the air side of it. Then you gotta fiddle with it to get the gasoline side, yeah. Three two-barrel carburetors, lift-off fiberglass hood, torque flight automatic transmission, power steering, power four-wheel disc brakes. Originally a 440 four-barrel, one of only 99 built RMS altercation front end with coil over shocks. Only 99 bars. And by the way, I failed to mention it's a convertible, too. Yeah, that is one bad to the bone car.
SPEAKER_02And the the I've only seen one other, and it was the same thing. They took a 440 Cornette and put a Hemi in it, but it was a convertible, red, black. I mean, it's it was it's what they call a resto mod today. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03See, that's what you need, Don. Plus, it's a ragtop. I mean, not necessarily a ragtop, but you need something like that.
SPEAKER_01There are plenty of cars in in the collection in here, and the one that I want is the one that's next to it. All right. But we'll get to that. All right. Uh let me let me just check and see where we are
Pink Panther Challenger Details
SPEAKER_01here on the time? Yeah, 104. We're doing fine. All right. Next up is the 1970 Dodge Challenger RT Pink Panther exterior.
SPEAKER_02See, that's one I would have thought Don would win after.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Bubblegum, Barbie. Yeah. You know, I just don't have the matching pumps for that one, but I'll find them somewhere. Black interior, 500 cubic inch, all aluminum V8, 690 horsepower, three two-barrel carburetors. John is really into that uh three-barrel, yeah. Uh-huh. What they call the six-pack. Yeah. Shaker hood scoop, four-speed manual transmission, pistol grip shifter, power steering, and AC, power front disc brakes, one of only five pink striped challengers. Originally a 440 six-pack custom RMS altercation front suspension.
unknownWow.
SPEAKER_01He like he he's like me. I I like those rest of mods. Yeah, I guess. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate numbers matching original cars. I got that. But I I'm drawn to the rest of mods.
SPEAKER_03Well, sometimes you can't have all that. And you you need you want to you want the vehicle, but you don't you don't you didn't find the car with all of the numbers matching, so you gotta adapt.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but I want to drive it. Yeah, the numbers car to me, a matching like if that was a matching car, I I wouldn't I'd be hard pressed to drive it very much on the street. Just because you know, the value of it, some little old lady run a red light or something and T-bone it. That happens all the time. Well, I know it. That's the reason I wouldn't. But a rest of mod, it's not quite a good one.
SPEAKER_01Jackie Hansen's Nova.
SPEAKER_02That is a good example.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, beautiful car. Left a car show, somebody ran into it. Yeah. Popped the whole front end of it. It was bad. Okay, up next. Hmm. In 1966, Plymouth
Low-Mile ’66 Belvedere Hemi Rarity
SPEAKER_01Belvedere. Oh, yeah. Bright red exterior, black interior, 426 cubic inch, Hemi V8, 425 horsepower, dual four-barrel carburetors, dual four-barrels. Oh my god. Four-speed manual transmission, 10,000 mile unrestored car, numbers matching, two owner original, one of only 284 built. Now that's a rare car. That's a rare car.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_0110,000 miles of four unrest. There it is. Two four barrels. You couldn't couldn't fit the third one in there? I guess not. They're gonna, you know, got the wedge in there, I guess. Oh my. Anyway. Coming up next, we have the Plymouth 1937 Plymouth Coop. That's right there, too. Nine color chameleon color shifting exterior with a gray interior. This one has a supercharged
’37 Plymouth Coupe Pro Street
SPEAKER_01Temi V8, turning out 800 horsepower through a 671 blower and dual four-barrel carburetors. Torque flight automatic transmission, ratchet shifter. I don't even know how you would drive that. That'd be a first car for a you know college student. Oh, yeah. For about five minutes until they put it into a tree. Ratchet shifter, power RP steering and AC, and power front disc brakes. Custom built ProStreet, Mustang 2, front suspension, narrowed rear with coilovers. Narrowed rear meaning it's got uh it's tubbed. Yeah.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_02Got some big mead under there.
SPEAKER_01That's yep.
SPEAKER_02Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_01Wagyu. Up next, I love this thing. A 1947 Dodge Power Wagon. It could be an in-wheel time machine. It could be. This thing is so fine. I can't even begin to tell you. And to open and close the door, you go, oh my god, it's a Norge refrigerator. I mean, it is it is solid, man. Yeah.
Award-Winning ’47 Power Wagon
SPEAKER_01Green and black exterior with black interior. And this is another part that I really like about it. 230 cubic inch flathead six-cylinder. 94 horsepower. Yeah. Four-speed manual transmission. My guess is it probably has that granny first in it. Four-wheel drive, fully restored. Two-time National Power Wagon National's best in show winner scored 996 points out of a thousand. That truck is truly an amazing thing. Yeah. And it's beautiful. Go down to the feed store and put some grain in there. Don't put anything. Don't touch it. Don't touch it. And if you're going to ride in it, put some of those spandex pants on. Because I don't want you scratching the interior. Oh, again? Again. Okay. Up next, we've got the 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner.
Violet Road Runner’s Lost-And-Found Story
SPEAKER_01Another convertible. In violet. Is it violet? Can you tell? Uh kinda. It doesn't look like a lot of it.
SPEAKER_03There's a pink one next to it.
SPEAKER_01All right. Well, I don't know. Are these in order? I mean, whatever. This is good. Exterior with a white interior. 440 cubic inch V8, 390 horsepower, three two-barrel carburetors again, air grabber hood. Yeah, it's got that. Torque flight automatic transmission, power steering, power front disc brakes. Numbers matching? One of 34 convertibles made with this engine combo, and only two of those were in this color combination. Wow. Stolen and then recovered after 25 years underwater on a river bottom.
SPEAKER_00No way. Wow. That's a story.
SPEAKER_02I I don't know.
SPEAKER_01Oh, come on.
SPEAKER_02Freshwater? Yeah, but if it doesn't have the air, and if it gets a good covering of silt on it, I really don't think. If you look at some of them they pulled out when they find these bodies and stuff.
SPEAKER_01You know what happens when you die? You don't live anymore. Yeah. Well, you probably just kind of melt away into nothing. And that's what that would be like. I'm going to be stuffed. Stuffed? Yeah, I'm going to be stuffed.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, John's got a place right over there.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it would be behind the steering wheel.
SPEAKER_01All right. Uh last car for this segment, because
Ultra-Rare Go Mango Super Bee
SPEAKER_01we're going to carry it over to the top of the next hour when John can join us. This is a 1970 Super B Go Mango exterior with black bumblebee stripe with black interior. 426 cubic inch Hemi V8. You know, Steve doesn't give any miles per gallon on this. No. Uh 425 horse miles, yeah. 425 horsepower, dual four-barrels, uh carburetors, N96 ram air hood, torque flight automatic transmission, power steering, power front disc brakes, numbers matching original. Get this. One of only 32 engine colored combos made. Wow. Only four known to still exist in the Chrysler Registry. And this one is one of them. That's it. Isn't that cool? Yeah. Okay. So um I've got more. And we're going to get to those after a break. No, we're not. We're going to pause pause the run through on these. Okay. What number is this one? The one that's coming up. The one that's coming up will be uh card number twelve. Okay. Okay.
SPEAKER_03So we're going to get
Break Tease And Upcoming Segments
SPEAKER_03out of this for now.
SPEAKER_01We're going to get out of this for now because we need to take a quick break here and we're going to some other stuff we've got to get done, including the cruise in and events calendars and uh the headlines. Okay? Hey, uh, we hope you're going to join us on the uh Hot Rod Tour of Texas. More of that coming up. Jeff has the cruise in and events calendars coming up, and I'll have the stories making automotive news headlines this week. Thanks for joining us on the award-winning In Wheel Time Car Talk Show, coming to you today from the Hemi Hideout in Brookshire, Texas. We'll be back after this break. The Tailpipes and Tacos Christmas Edition 2025 happens Saturday, December 13th from 8 to 11 a.m. and you want to be a part of it. Tailpipes and Tacos is the cruise in
Event Plugs And Cruise Calendar
SPEAKER_01everyone wants to attend. And the Christmas edition is extra special. Donate an unwrapped new toy and help yourself to a free Lupi Tortilla Breakfast Taco. They'll be adult beverage is available for purchase too. And don't forget your ride. Just cruise in and you're automatically registered to compete for one of three famous chili pepper trophies. Best Hot Rod, Best Classic, and Best Modern Classic. Tail Pipes and Tacos Christmas Edition will be held Saturday, December 13th, 8 to 11 a.m. at the Lupi Tortilla Tex-Mex, located at 703 West Grand Parkway, just south of the Katy Freeway in Katy. Oh, and don't forget to bring the kids. There'll be special trophies and goodie bags for them, too. It's the Tailpipes and Tacos Christmas Edition 25, Saturday, December 13th, 8 to 11 a.m. at the Lupi Tortilla Tex-Mex at 703 West Grand Parkway in Katy. Bring a toy, get a free breakfast taco, and enjoy the camaraderie. In real time, we'll be there too.
SPEAKER_00Time to fire up those engines and pay tribute to the folks who make freedom possible. Bastro's own heroes and hot rods is rolling in for Veterans Day weekend. Friday night, downtown cruise, Saturday, 400 of the coolest rods in Texas. Proceeds, no veterans, shelters, food pantries, and scholarships. Sponsored by Craig's Jewelry, November 7th and 8th, Main Street. Don't miss it.
SPEAKER_01Um, okay. Hey, I want to remind you again about the upcoming Hot Rod Tour of Texas. We're gonna go on it, and we'll be broadcasting on the Saturday of April 26th from uh the Spindle Tap Brewery right here in Houston, up on the city's north side. I bet you've never heard of it. I bet you've never been there. We invite you to join us. It's a very different place in a bizarre location that you'd never guess in a million years, but it's really a cool place. That's a real honest to God brewery. And uh you're gonna love it, I promise you that. Thanks for joining us today here on the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show. Time now for the cruise in and events calendars, Jeffrey.
SPEAKER_03We're sponsored by anybody?
SPEAKER_01No. Okay.
SPEAKER_03Just making sure. Uh we've got next weekend Wharton Cruise Nights. This is another one.
SPEAKER_01You can sponsor us though if you'd like.
SPEAKER_03Okay, well, I'm sponsored by uh Need More Jeff. Uh Saturday night, hang out with the old and new friends with their cars, bikes, trucks, all that good stuff. Bring a tricycle,
Car Show Lineup And Community
SPEAKER_03they don't care. From 6 p.m. to whenever, it's the Wharton Cruise Night at Domino's Pizza 309 East Bowling Highway in Wharton, Texas. Again, from 6 p.m. until whenever uh at the P at the Domino's Pizza. Then you've got Octane and Espresso. That's the Speed Advocates. We'll be hosting this event. Uh it's every second Sunday of every month at the Black Rifle Coffee Company in Copperfield, Texas, uh 7086 Highway 6 North. And then we've got one next weekend. Uh we're supposed to have some Mustang people here. Uh we've got a Mustang event going on next week again. Snakes and Stangs, all Ford cars. Snakes and Stangs. You've got to say that.
SPEAKER_01You got to say that with a little bit of a draw about it. We could do that.
SPEAKER_03Have you seen David Snakes and Stangs? Anyways, that's uh from 5 to 9, Tailgate Party at the Hallmark University. It's a car show. It is in uh where is that one going on? It's in the Hill Country. It's in San Antonio. So if you're gonna go out there, it's a poker run, they've got all kinds of stuff, People's Choice Awards, kids' event, and all that good stuff. Mike sent me this one 21st Annual Corvettes and Crawfish. Mike, you want to take that one?
SPEAKER_02Well that's AJ Lupo, the Corvette Club down here.
SPEAKER_01Loop, loop, loop, lupo, loop, not loop. Lupo's my neighbor. It's loop. Loop.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And uh this is benefiting Texas Equisearch. They would do this twice a year. This spring happens to be their crawfish uh event.
SPEAKER_01What year, uh what day is this?
SPEAKER_02This is on next Saturday, the next Saturday. Okay. Yeah, it's coming up pretty quick. So it's only seven days out. So be sure to check it out. And uh it's a great, it's a good event. It has lots of fun. We went down there here recently. Good. It's a Space City Corvette Club on Facebook and uh on the internet, and you can find out more information. Okay.
SPEAKER_01All right,
Tariffs, Pricing, And Market Impact
SPEAKER_01time now. I want to get uh some of the uh news stories in, and obviously the one that the the elephant in the room, so to speak.
SPEAKER_03Oh, as a as a as a Mopar uh elephant hint. There you go. Oh my god. The elephant in the room.
SPEAKER_01While President Donald Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on imported vehicles, in all likelihood, consumers will not see a 25% hike. That's because of complex factors, including the amount of non-U.S. content in each vehicle, automaker calculus, dealer decision making, and loan agreements. Cox Automotive, for example, predicts a 2.8% year-over-year increase in wholesale vehicle prices in 2025. BlackBook presents uh projects a 5% increase in the average transaction price this year. Morgan Stanley predicts the tariffs will boost the average price of a vehicle by 11 or 12 percent. So don't panic, be calm. Hang on, man. Be happy crazy. Well, don't worry about it. The projections recognize that the tariff is not applied to the manufacturer's suggested retail price, and that the industry relies on sometimes labyrinth systems to calculate the vehicle's cost. The price of the vehicle is determined using a cocktail of market research, bills of materials, financial agreements, institution, and other elements. Even more variability enters the picture in the dealership lot, where prices vary widely by region, timing, personal relationships, and the way buyers settle up with the retailer, a separate business from the automaker. Are you following all of this? We talked about this with our guest last week.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01It sounds like a bunch of lawyers saying, So automakers export vehicles from the foreign facilities and calculate the transaction value of the import. U.S. Customs and Border Protection defines the transaction value as, quote, the price actually paid or payable for the merchandise when sold for exportation to the United States. End quote. Plus, packing costs, commission, royalties or license fees, or resale proceeds that go to the seller. Importers have to explain the declared transaction value to the government. Even if an actual sale does not take place, as in the case of foreign automakers with domestic subsidiaries, companies follow rules from the Treasury to calculate the transaction value of goods going across the border. The rules rely on a principle that transactions be valued as if two unrelated entities were involved. For vehicles imported from outside of Canada and Mexico, the automakers who are the importers will be paying the government 25% of the total transaction value. For imports from Canada and Mexico, which are captured by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. I know you've heard about that. Automakers will be given the opportunity to certify their U.S. content and systems, will be implemented such as that 25% tariff. It will only apply to the value of their non-U.S. content, according to Trump's March 26th executive offer. That's why I said to you about these guesses as to how much the price of a car is going to go up. 2.8%, 5%, 11 or 12%. Not the 25%. Because cars aren't made
Imports, Valuation, And Dealer Math
SPEAKER_01like they used to from our era. All of the stuff was wasn't produced here in the United States. Even cars that are actually assembled here in the United States, they get glass for it's uh really just assemblies. That's correct. Uh actually there's only one, the Toyota Corolla, which I'm driving out there, is built in Mississippi and the panels, the body panels, are actually stamped at that assembly facility. That's the only one that I know of. Because usually the the assembl the uh body panels are stamped somewhere else, and then they get sent to the assembly.
SPEAKER_02A different kind of factory to do all that.
SPEAKER_01It's a bizarre labyrinth of stuff that you just you you never know really what's going on. I've got more of this to tell you about. Automotive news put that together, and I thought that kind of really tries to explain it because it's difficult to understand.
SPEAKER_02Well, the good news is Jeff's got a camera going on the Hemi Hideout, so they got something to look at while we list talk about all this nastiness.
SPEAKER_03Nastiness, yes. Yeah. We just wanted to, you know, give him a shot.
SPEAKER_01You don't have that isolated camper that's focused in on you?
SPEAKER_03No. I uh we didn't bring it. We didn't bring it.
SPEAKER_01You forgot it?
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I left it at David's house. David's house. Where he's using it for other things. There is that.
SPEAKER_02God's Let me write down what time it is, so we'll know what the FCC says.
SPEAKER_01Well, at least it's not the FAA. That's true. True. All right. Or the CIA. I've got lots of papers here. Have you noticed that? Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Every week you get more and more.
SPEAKER_01Well, I know. Are you recycling or what? Well, no, I wanted to do the car, the Hemi Hideout cars. And it was very stressful. Yeah, yeah. I started working on this last Monday. Because not all of the cars show up on the Hemi Hide Out website.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_01So Shelley had to come out here and take some pictures of the cars that are not in here today, but they're in the barn, in the other barn. Oh. Yeah. It's been a process, I'm telling you. Well, you did good. Well, you the show's not over yet.
SPEAKER_02Very interesting. Yeah. Don't mess it up. I like it.
SPEAKER_01Well, I've already done that. Coming up at the top. Hey, we'd love to hear from you. Shoot us an email. The address here is info at inwheeltime.com. We are back after this quick break. Who
Production Realities And US Content
SPEAKER_01doesn't like a social event? How about one that centers around your love for all things automotive? Another Gulf Coast Auto Shield Car Social is back. Saturday, December 6th, 9 to noon, at 11275 South Sam Houston Parkway, just south of the Southwest Freeway. It's a morning packed with incredible cars, some of the finest rides in town, from classics to modern exotics. Here's your chance to talk to fellow car lovers. Grab a coffee and check out how Gulf Coast Auto Shield keeps these rides looking perfect. Meet the team. Take a look around the shop to see firsthand how Gulf Coast Auto Shield gets the most of the look you're trying to create. In real time, we'll be there with their live car talk show. You might just be one of the guests. Don't miss this free, fun, and fast-paced car gathering of fellow car lovers and their rides. Saturday, December 6th at Gulf Coast Auto Shield, 11275 South Sam Houston Parkway. Bring your car, bring your friends, and bring your love for all things automotive. We'll see you then. The award-winning Inwheel Time Car Talk Show downreaches 5.3 million folks each year. Check us out on Inwheeltime.com, YouTube, Facebook, and podcasts available from your favorite go-to source, including our live broadcast every Saturday, 10 to noon, Central Time. The Inwheel Time Car Talk Show has informative automotive guest interviews, new car reviews, along with popular features including driving destinations, Jeff's car culture, latest car news, cruise-ins, and racing dates. It's all on InWheeltime.com. Join us. 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 InWheeltime.com website. Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartPodcast, Podcast Addict, TuneIn, Pandora, and Amazon Music. Keep listening and We'll see you soon.















