Episode 26 – TW at the movies – Ford v Ferrari
Welcome to Episode 26 of the Throwin’ Wrenches Podcast. This is our last regular podcast of 2019! Thanks for riding along with us on this automotive adventure throughout the year, and we hope you are buckled up for the 2020 season.
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Here’s a catchphrase for ya: We are the automotive podcast with the best Christmas Episodes! While there has been some contention that last year’s show was “not that great”, we hope you give our Christmas 2019 a chance when it comes out in a week or so. We promise there won’t be any Chevy Astro stories this time around.
Stay tuned for details! 🎄
Contest
Want a totally Sweet Throwin’ Wrenches sticker for your ride or toolbox? We have a few set aside just for you!
We know what you’re thinking. “Eric & Daryl, how can I get the world’s greatest sticker?”
It’s easy. We have 50 stickers. We want to give them out in a fair and equitable fashion, which also helps promote our show.
How to get a TW Sticker in 2 Easy Steps
- Just post a review on iTunes, Stitcher or another platform.
- Hit us up at info@throwinwrenches.com once you’ve done the deed and let us know where to mail your prize!
That’s all there is to it. Simple. Fair. Free.
Fair warning, if you use a funny screen name like “Irockherculestires”, we can’t figure out who you are, so please get in touch with your contact info.
Soon you will be sporting the coolest podcast swag ever made (to date), and that’s not saying a lot! As always, thanks for your support. We love hearing from listeners and appreciate your time.
Our Sponsors
In addition to awesome listeners, we also have some pretty amazing sponsors! You can click on their pictures on the right. Make sure to tell them that Throwin’ Wrenches sent you!
Projects
Eric
Red Mist – The 1990 Celica is back out and driving. She’s a gas-sipper and totally fun to drive!
Maybe she will make it to the Cheese Freeze Rally in January?
Daryl
Finally, Daryl has enough trickle chargers to go around the garage to keep all of his steel babies’ batteries topped off while they’re in hibernation mode for the winter. Meanwhile, he’s buying parts over the winter and trying to figure out what project he really wants to tackle. He needs an easy win.
Recap
Catch Eric’s Interview on the Toyota Trucks and Trails Podcast
We want to give another shout-out to Toyota Trucks and Trails Podcast. Eric was a little bashful on the last episode and may not have let you know how much fun he had doing his recording with Jason from TTaT. If you have interest in trucks, offroading or even Leave No Trace principles… We cover it. Jason also is an organizer for Great Smokey Mountain Trail Ride… And a lot of the conversation goes into talking about the setup and work that goes into making a successful TLCA event.
Throwin’ Wrenches at the Movies
We are not Siskel & Ebert, but we know a thing or two about car movies. In this episode, we breakdown the Ford v Ferrari film and try not to lay out too many spoilers.
Leo Beebe, as far as we can tell, was much maligned in the screenplay. From the light research we’ve done after watching the movie, we are pretty sure that Henry Ford II was not a nincompoop. He was the mastermind behind the machinations that film attributed to Beebe.
If you’ve got high-test racing fuel coursing through your veins, we recommend that you check out the following two documentaries:
Adam Corolla and his buddy made two overlapping documentaries about the subject of Ford v Ferrari. They are definitely worth watching if you’ve got the time. Once you’ve viewed those docs, you’ll be well-versed in Le Mans, Enzo Ferrari and the Carroll Shelby story. Eric highly recommends them.
Pro Tip: It was actually better to watch them after the movies, as they do have tons of spoilers!
Headlines
TWISM™ (This Week in Social Media)
The $4K car debate was rolling on the Central Illinois Automotive Enthusiast group page. If you want to know what’s doing on in the Peoria car scene, you need to subscribe to this Facebook group.
International News
Cars That Will Die in 2020
Daryl quickly touches on the many car nameplates that will no longer be produced after 2019. Some of the highlights include the Audi TT, Cadillac CTS, and Nissan Titan XD.
Source: IBI Times
Nissan to Furlough U.S. Workers for Two Days in January
Speaking of Nissan, the Japanese automaker is requiring nearly all of its U.S. workforce to take two days of unpaid furlough next month as it tries to reverse declining sales and profits here and globally.
Japan’s second-largest automaker employs about 21,000 people in the U.S., spanning its U.S. headquarters in Franklin, Tenn., two plants in Tennessee and one in Canton, Mississippi.
Employees at Nissan and Infiniti dealerships will not be affected by the furlough.
Workers will not be paid for Jan. 2 and 3. The company said the furloughs will “optimize business performance and competitiveness.”
Source: Forbes
National
Top Gear USA Returns This Coming Spring With Three New Hosts
After it’s debut in 2002, Top Gear has wowed audiences around the world with car reviews, tests, stunts, and gimmicky challenges. After the first go-around with a US-spec show featuring hosts Tanner Foust, Rutledge Wood and Adam Ferrara sorta fizzled in 2016, another trio sucked it up in 2017 and were canned after 1 season. Enter the next trio of hosts that may be a decent mix, just because it seems to make sense.
Hosts will include Jethro Bovington (journalist), Dax Shepard (Mr. Kristen Bell and a Michigan gearhead) and comedian Rob Cordry. who is nuts and has no fear. So yeah. Catch it on the Motor Trend streaming app once it’s warm outside.
That means Dax Sheppard and Rutledge Wood are now officially two Top Gear hosts who happen to drive Buick Roadmaster wagons as a daily driver. We think that’s pretty cool.
So what are your thoughts on the new Top Gear USA hosts? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Motor1
19 Car Publications Get Sacked in 2020
TEN Publishing will shutter 19 of its 22 automotive magazines by the end of the year, leaving MotorTrend, Hot Rod and Four Wheeler as the only three titles that will continue to be published in print in 2020.
Titles going out of print include the following:
- 4-Wheel & Off-Road
- Automobile
- Car Craft
- Chevy High Performance
- Classic Trucks
- Diesel Power
- Hot Rod Deluxe
- Jp Lowrider
- Mopar Muscle
- Muscle Car Review
- Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords
- Mustang Monthly
- Street Rodder
- Super Chevy
- Super Street
- Truck Trend
- Truckin’
- Vette
We break down what this means for enthusiasts, and look at where the future of automotive journalism and niche publications could be headed.
Source: Folio Mag
Local
Sears is dying. Go Exchange Your Craftsman Stuff.
Read all about Daryl’s adventure at the Peoria Sears here.
Local Traffic Stop Results in Nothing but Bothering a Guy at 3 A.M.!
Phil Luciano of the Peoria Journal Star wrote this one, and we talk a bit about how sad it is that this story was at the top of the news feed on the PJStar Twitter account.
Cliff Notes: On November 9th, at some ungodly hour of the morning, Peoria police pulled over a man driving on Farmington Road and decided it would be fun to work him over with a drug-sniffing dog. Long story short: The Police had nothing, even if the dog said otherwise, and the man was allowed to leave. Also- Strippers may have been involved in this story.
Riff Zone
Daryl
The reindeer nose and antlers on your Ford Escape isn’t cute. It’s going to break, fall onto the highway, and I’m going to run it over. That plastic is going to ruin your weatherstripping. The slush will stain the faux fur. It’s best to just forget it.
Want to show off your holiday spirit? Try decorating something that doesn’t go 80 miles an hour. Bah humbug.
Eric
I dealt with a classic scenario this week. A 200,000 mile car comes in for service, and upon driving away, the Airbag light comes on. Whose problem is it?
Also, the auto gypsy strikes again and gets away with a free tire repair.
Cars of the WEAK™
Eric
1993 Lotus Esprit Coupe – $38,500
Lakewood, CO
I found this one while I was prepping for our Christmas Episode. Lotus Esprit’s all seem to fall into a mid-30’s range whether they are early or late models. This ’93 looks like new with its painted to match body moldings. It’s a pretty car I think it would still be fun to drive!
BTW, Car Gurus may be one of my new favorite websites right now. Lookup anything like Search Tempest in the glory days of Craigslist.
Daryl
1983 Land Rover 109 – Sold for $18,000 on BaT
Chicago, IL
A LHD Spanish-built Santana model riding on a 109-inch wheelbase (hence model 109), this Land Rover features the classic rugged lines and 4 door versatility that I love.
My wife would let me buy this one, if we had room. She LOVES these. Based in Chicago, this 2.25 liter turbo-diesel has dual tanks and a 5 speed gearbox. The mileage should be decent enough to get me home. This particular Land Rover sold for $18,000, which is a decent price but not as much as their British counterparts.
You can follow all of our Cars of the Weak picks here.
Bonus News
Chevrolet Suburban Gets Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame?
Yes. This is for real.
The Chevrolet Suburban has officially become the first vehicle ever to be given the Award of Excellence star at Hollywood and Highland, recognizing its almost 70-year career in show business.
“For six decades the Chevrolet Suburban has been Hollywood’s longest-working actor,” said Rana Ghadban, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. “Appearing in classic feature films and on must-see television shows, the Suburban is a well-established industry mainstay. With the Chevrolet Tahoe also making an impact in movies and on television, it’s impressive to have both vehicles now join an illustrious group of actors and characters that are forever known as Hollywood legends.”
Our Take: To quote Ralphie from A Christmas Story- “A Crummy Commercial?” This is no better than the Ovaltine commercial from Little Orphan Annie masquerading as a news item. We love Suburbans, for real, but can someone please send us some info on famous Suburbans? We couldn’t think of more than a couple of films in which Suburbans played a role in.
Soure: Motor 1
Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all of our friends and followers.
Catch our Christmas 2019 Episode Soon!
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