Podcasts - V8 Speed and Resto Shop

V8 Radio: Just Plugging Away – 1962 Ford Galaxie Returns, SEMA HRIA Insights & Automotive Trivia

Posted on by V8 Staff

Join hosts Kevin Oeste and Mike “Cue Ball” Clark for another fun, no-fluff episode of V8 Radio! Kevin recaps his spring shakedown of the 1962 Ford Galaxie with a full tune-up, clever fixes, and real-world lessons learned the hard way. Kevin shares the inside scoop from the SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance long-range planning meeting in Florida, plus stories from the Edison & Ford winter estates. The guys also drop two fresh automotive trivia questions to keep you guessing until the very end.

On This Episode:

Automotive trivia questions
Kevin’s 1962 Ford Galaxie season opener: tune-up, new MSD wires, NGK plugs, EGR cleaning, and throttle body mods
Real talk on parts ordering mistakes (wrong spark plug wires and O2 sensors) and re-homing strategies
Kevin’s recap of the SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) planning meeting, with a deep dive into HRIA programs: education days, builder roundtables, Hammer Down podcast, and feature vehicles
V8 Speed and Resto Shop updates, Mike’s Suburban transmission plans, and teaser for a future episode on disappointing famous cars
… and much more!

Links:

SEMA / HRIA: https://www.sema.org/hria
V8 Speed & Resto Shop: https://v8speedshop.com/
V8 Radio Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/V8RadioShow/

Like, subscribe, and share and don’t forget to comment on our socials. Thanks for tuning in!

V8 Radio Podcast

V8 Radio: Just Plugging Away – 1962 Ford Galaxie Returns, SEMA HRIA Insights & Automotive Trivia

00:00 / 1:14:15

Fake Parts, Real Problems: Manufacturers Fight Fake Hot Rod Parts on Hammer Down! The Official SEMA HRIA Podcast

Posted on by V8 Staff

Host Kevin Oeste sits down with Jeff Grantmeyer (Borgeson Steering) & Brian Downard (Lokar Performance) to expose the rising problem of counterfeit & knockoff hot rod parts flooding online retailers. From fake steering boxes & missing springs to warranty scams & safety risks – they share real stories, how they’re fighting back, and crucial tips to make sure you’re getting GENUINE hot rod parts and quality.

The conversation highlights challenges manufacturers face from fake products sold on platforms like eBay and Amazon, including:

Customers unknowingly buying inferior knockoffs that use stolen part numbers, photos, or “equivalent to” phrasing in listings to appear in searches.
Real-world examples of warranty fraud, such as missing components (e.g., return springs on e-brake cables, altered MSD boxes), swapped inferior parts for credit returns, and customers receiving help for non-genuine products.
Safety concerns with critical components like steering gears, throttle cables, and drive-by-wire systems, where cheap copies lack proper R&D, testing, and liability coverage.
Manufacturers share tactics they’ve adopted: requiring proof of purchase/photos for warranties, branding/laser-etching/date-coding parts, listing authorized dealers on websites, and reporting fraudulent listings to eBay/Amazon (though it’s often a “whack-a-mole” battle).
Tips for consumers and builders: Buy from authorized sources, compare photos/details to official product images, avoid deals that seem too good to be true, check for branded packaging/castings/engravings, and register warranties when possible.
Positive outlook: Both companies report strong sales, ongoing innovation to stay ahead, and recent policy changes (e.g., elimination of the de minimis exemption for low-value imports) that may help reduce cheap overseas knockoffs.
The episode emphasizes education, due diligence, and supporting American-made quality to protect brands, builders, and enthusiasts in the long-term health of the hot rod industry.

Subscribe today for more!

More about the SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance:

https://www.sema.com/hria

#HammerDownPodcast #SEMA #HRIA #HotRod #MuscleCar #CounterfeitParts #FakeParts #Lokar #Borgeson #MadeInUSA #HotRodIndustry #CarCulture

The Car You Really Want: Balancing Power, Comfort, And Performance on the V8 Radio Podcast

Posted on by V8 Staff

We’re excited to share the newest episode of the V8 Radio Podcast is live! Kevin Oeste and Mike “Q-Ball” Clarke are back delivering another fun, insightful ride through classic car culture, hot rod builds, and shop life at V8 Speed and Resto. From automotive trivia, real-world lessons on making modified classics more enjoyable to drive, to crew shenanigans and plenty of laughs, this one’s packed with the kind of garage talk every gearhead digs.

Key topics covered:

Deep discussion on balancing high-performance upgrades (suspension, rear axles, bushings, mounts) with everyday drivability – avoiding the “noisy tin can” trap many builds fall into
Shop philosophy: connecting people to the best times of their lives through cars, and why conversations about what you REALLY want from a build matter more than horsepower numbers
Crew fun: V8 Speed & Resto Playlist Challenge (team guesses who picked which songs), shoutouts, and a few hilarious tangents including 80s spy shows and unexpected global car trivia

Funny moment: The dramatic band sting when Mike’s wildly off-base guess on an automotive trivia question gets revealed – pure comedy gold. 😂

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or head to v8radio.com. Smash that subscribe button and keep the shiny side up!

#V8RadioPodcast #ClassicCars #MuscleCars #HotRods #CarBuilding #AutomotiveLife #CarCulture #ProTouring

V8 Speed and Resto Shop Playlist Challenge Songs: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/73wnZlJW9rAFpPRQY3GuxD?si=fd470a43f31e46c5

https://www.v8radio.com

V8 Radio Podcast

The Car You Really Want: Balancing Power, Comfort, And Performance on the V8 Radio Podcast

00:00 / 1:24:54

State of the Art Shenanigans: Trivia Twists, Shop Stories, and Muscle Car Updates on V8 Radio!

Posted on by V8 Staff

Hang on for another episode of the V8 Radio Podcast, where hosts Kevin Oeste and Mike “Q-Ball” Clarke crank up the fun from the heart of V8 Speed & Resto Shop. This episode dives into automotive trivia that’ll test your tire knowledge, shares heartwarming tales of loyal customers and multi-car builds, and geeks out on how AI is revolutionizing shop ops and engine tuning. From winter garage gratitude to dream car hunts and EGR valve epiphanies, it’s another fun ride packed with laughs, tips, and that unmistakable V8 vibe. Whether you’re wrenching on your own project or just daydreaming about spring cruises, this one’s got the spark to keep your cylinders firing!

Topics Covered:

Automotive Trivia Showdown
Winter Shop Vibes: Reflections on brutal Midwest cold, indoor car storage, and a 360° tour of in-progress builds like a ’66 Chevelle SS, ’79 Broncos, and multiple Trans Ams from repeat customers.
Customer Connections: Celebrating multi-car owners (up to three per client!), Firebird Fest shoutouts, and tips on scoping out rides like a ’71 Riviera or ’87 Fiero.
Dream Car Hunting: Partnering with Zach Straits’ Dream Car Connection for concierge car-finding services, plus stories of cross-country inspections with Hot Rod Magazine alums.
Industry Insider Scoop: Hosts’ roles in SEMA and the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRA), including new member spotlights and the value of trade associations for hot rodders.
AI Revolution in the Garage: From custom shop software automating work orders to tuning EFI data logs, EGR valve deep dives, and brainstorming fuel-efficient mods on a ’62 Galaxie.
Personal Project Pit Stops: Mike’s GTO engine rebuild with Edelbrock upgrades, torque converter woes on a Suburban, and fluid-change hacks; Kevin’s O2 sensor saga and dyno dreams.
Engine Shop Spotlights: Excitement over YouTube mini-videos on honing, balancing, and more, with fan polls demanding even bigger engine content.
Shop Growth & Team Wins: Adding project managers and HR pros to handle 45+ cars, plus shoutouts to staff like Ethan Hahn for killer machining vids.

Companies Mentioned:

V8 Speed & Resto Shop – Premier classic car restoration specialists: https://www.v8speedshop.com
SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) – Automotive aftermarket trade org: sema.org
Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRA) – Advocacy for hot rod builders: hotrodindustryalliance.org (affiliated with SEMA)
Dream Car Connection – Concierge car-finding service by Zach Strates: dreamcarconnection.com
Edelbrock – Performance intakes and cylinder heads: edelbrock.com
Borgeson – Steering box experts: borgeson.com
MSD Performance – Ignition wires and components: holley.com/brands/msd
Grok (xAI) – AI tool for tuning and image gen: grok.x.ai

V8 Radio Podcast

State of the Art Shenanigans: Trivia Twists, Shop Stories, and Muscle Car Updates on V8 Radio!

00:00 / 1:19:08

Restorer and Machinist Mike Pistello and Keeping REALLY Old Cars Alive on the V8 Radio Podcast

Posted on by V8 Staff

When 1910 Meets 2026: Racing Internals in Brass Era Beasts! 🏁📜

The latest V8 Radio Podcast is LIVE! Kevin and Q-Ball are joined by the master of the “unobtainium,” Mike Pestello from Coachcraft and Precision Services. If you think restoring a muscle car is tough, try building parts for a 1907 Packard from a single photograph! 🤯

Mike takes us deep into the world of Brass Era restoration, where 100-year-old engines get treated to modern 4340 billet cranks, racing pistons, and serious compression bumps. We’re talking about pre-WWI cars completing 4,000-mile endurance runs without a support vehicle!

In this episode, we cover:

🔧 Reverse Engineering History: How 3D scanning and printing are saving cars built before the Titanic sank.
🏎️ The “Sleeper” Century: Hiding modern racing engine technology inside 120-year-old engine blocks.
🧟 The Zinc Pest Nightmare: Why “New Old Stock” might actually mean “crumbles in your hand.”
📉 Dyno-ing the Ancients: Building a custom dyno because modern ones can’t handle engines that max out at 2,000 RPM!
🏆 PRI Show Recap: Highlights from the Performance Racing Industry show and the emotional Hall of Fame inductions.

😂 Funny Moment: Don’t miss the trivia segment where Kevin and Mike Pestello accidentally share a brain cell! They both gave the exact same answer to two completely different trivia questions. Great minds think alike… or maybe they’ve just been around too many exhaust fumes? 💨🤔

Listen now and subscribe!

#V8Radio #ClassicCars #BrassEra #Restoration #Fabrication #Machining #PRI2024 #CarTrivia #AutomotiveHistory #MuscleCars #Podcast

V8 Radio Podcast

Restorer and Machinist Mike Pistello and Keeping REALLY Old Cars Alive on the V8 Radio Podcast

00:00 / 1:19:29

Drool Ponds and Ram Air Dreams: V8 Radio’s MCACN 2025 Recap with Starlight Black GTOs and Hemi Convertible Madness!

Posted on by V8 Staff

Dig the latest V8 Radio Podcast – Kevin and Mike recap the muscle car magic from the 2025 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, share trivia triumphs, and geek out over rare rides like that drool-worthy Starlight Black GTO!

🔥 Topics we revved through:

MCACN extravaganza: 640 cars, Hemi B-body convertible invasion, Z16 Chevelle showcase & the epic red carpet display!
1967 Pontiac GTO Ram Air unveil – black beauty with buckets, 4-speed & rare pedigree
Overhead Cam Six Pontiacs, Maple Leaf Muscle from Canada & survivor stories like the 256K-mile ’66 Shelby GT350H
Personal picks: Kevin’s Bamboo Cream ’70 Buick GS 455 4-Speed Convertible (Dave McClelland’s ride!) & Mike’s Sprint Six LeMans convertible

😂 Funny moment: Mike’s epic drool over the Starlight Black GTO leads to Kevin joking about installing a “Cue Ball’s Drool Pond” with gondola rides at the convention center! 💦🚣‍♂️

Companies Mentioned:

Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN): https://www.mcacn.com
V8 Speed & Resto Shop: https://v8speedshop.com

#V8Radio #MCACN #MuscleCars

V8 Radio Podcast: https://www.v8radio.com

V8 Radio Podcast

Drool Ponds and Ram Air Dreams: V8 Radio's MCACN 2025 Recap with Starlight Black GTOs and Hemi Convertible Madness!

00:00 / 1:27:26

2025 SEMA Show Recap, Q’s GTO Updates, Automotive Trivia, and Much More on the V8 Radio Podcast!

Posted on by V8 Staff

On the latest V8 Radio Podcast – Kevin’s hopped up on cold meds so he’s a bit goofy, but the mellifluous vibes are STRONG! We dive deep into SEMA Show 2025, automotive trivia, Q-Ball’s GTO block resurrection, and a LOT more! Listen and subscribe! #V8Radio #SEMAShow #MuscleCars

🔥 Topics & Tangents:

SEMA Show recap: New dealers, 2334 display vehicles, the Smokey Yunick Camaro, thousands of new products & the epic SEMA Cruise chaos!
1969 Corvette build spotlight with Coker Tire’s hot new redline/raised white letter Pro-Trac radials
GTO 400 block teardown: Cracked, but not dead! Dyno dreams ahead!

😂 And: Kevin apologizes on-mic for blocking media cams at the SEMA Cruise: “Sorry, I was the guy with the big bucket of brains!” 🤯

V8 Radio Podcast: https://www.v8radio.com

V8 Radio Podcast

2025 SEMA Show Recap, Q's GTO Updates, Automotive Trivia, and Much More on the V8 Radio Podcast!

00:00 / 1:23:33

From Illegal Nash Ambassadors to SEMA Prep, it’s V8 Radio’s Latest Automotive Adventure!

Posted on by V8 Staff

Tune in to the latest episode of the V8 Radio Podcast with hosts Kevin Oeste and Mike “Q-Ball” Clarke – it’s an “illuminating” ride full of classic car chat, trivia, and shop stories. Whether you’re wrenching on your ride or just dreaming about it, this one’s a must-listen!

In This V8 Radio Podcast Episode:

Automotive trivia bombs: Why was the 1957 Nash Ambassador illegal in 11 states? And what’s unique about 1968-1970 Firebird window stickers?
Behind-the-scenes at V8 Speed & Resto Shop: From building a stunning ’66 Chevelle SS (aka “Tropical Freeze”) to the latest engine carnage update on Q’s GTO.
Fun shop tales: Impromptu car club tours, student success stories, and prepping for the 2025 SEMA show.

Funny moment:

Kevin’s deadpan rage-baiting about “LS-swapping” everything – even though he secretly knows it’s sometimes the smart move. 😂 Don’t miss Q’s reaction!

Listen now on your favorite podcast app, subscribe for more, and share with your car buddies. What’s your wildest engine fail story? Drop it in the comments! #V8Radio #ClassicCars #MuscleCars #Podcast

https://www.v8radio.com

V8 Radio Podcast

From Illegal Nash Ambassadors to SEMA Prep, it's V8 Radio's Latest Automotive Adventure!

00:00 / 1:23:23

Failure Is An Option? What happened to Mike’s GTO, The Triple Crown of Rodding, COMP Cams Camaro, Trivia, and more on the V8 Radio Podcast!

Posted on by V8 Staff

On this episode of V8 Radio, hosts Kevin Oeste and Mike Clarke talk about their experiences at the Triple Crown of Rodding event, including a charity concert by the Lieutenant Dan Band and the display of the COMP Cams Camaro. They also dive into their personal car projects, from Mike’s GTO engine woes to Kevin’s ongoing work on his Ford Galaxie. Of course, there’s the Automotive Trivia questions and a bunch of laughs along the way on the latest episode of the V8 Radio Podcast!

Tune In To Hear:

V8 Radio Introduction & Trivia Question (00:00 – 07:11) – Kevin Oeste and Mike Clarke, the hosts of V8 Radio, introduce the show, touch on the unseasonably hot weather, and pose two trivia questions.
Triple Crown of Rodding Event Recap (07:11 – 29:32) – The hosts discuss the third annual Triple Crown of Rodding event, a two-day show that featured close to 170 vendors and raised around $77,000 for the Gary Sinise Foundation. Listen closely to learn Q-Ball’s new nickname!
The COMP Cams Camaro was on display, which was a “happy accident” because the owner had brought the car to the shop to fix an issue where the battery was dying. They also talk about a new V8 Speed and Resto Shop customer who took a ride in the Camaro to experience what her future car could be like.
Personal Car Project Updates (29:32 – 58:56) – Mike gives an update on his award-winning Pontiac GTO, which has suffered a major engine failure. He discovered a dropped valve, and the engine is locked up. Kevin talks about his Ford Galaxie and the progress he has made with its power steering system and sound system. He also discusses using an AI tool to create enhanced images of cars for the V8 Speed and Resto Shop website.
Trivia Answers (58:56 – 01:13:30) – The hosts reveal the answers to the trivia questions.

Click To Listen and Subscribe!

https://www.v8radio.com

#V8Radio #ClassicCars #MuscleCars #HotRods #CarRestoration #AutoRepair #CarShow #AutomotivePodcast #DodgeLaFemme #PontiacGTO #FordGalaxie #TripleCrownOfRodding #V8SpeedandRestoShop

V8 Radio Podcast

Failure Is An Option? What happened to Mike's GTO, The Triple Crown of Rodding, COMP Cams Camaro, Trivia, and more on the V8 Radio Podcast!

00:00 / 1:18:14

Navigating Challenges & Building Success in the Hot Rod Industry with Rick Love | Hammer Down Podcast

Posted on by V8 Staff

This episode of Hammer Down hosted by Kevin Oeste features insights on navigating tricky times with special guest SEMA and SEMA HRIA Hall Of Famer Rick Love of Vintage Air! Tune in as they:

Chat about maintaining focus and positivity during challenging times from tariffs, political turmoil, pandemics, and other challenges.
Share insights and tips for Hot Rod business owners to build lasting relationships with builders, suppliers, and services to be more successful.
Discuss product development and what goes into market research and developing new ideas.
Provide insights on online vs. in-person product sales and relationships.
Share tips on building and keeping a top-quality team doing high quality work.
Talk about the future of the Hot Rod Industry, trends in Hot Rodding, and the health of the Hot Rod scene!

… And share some laughs and great stories along the way!

Whether you’re a seasoned gearhead or just starting your professional Hot Rod journey, Hammer Down delivers informative and entertaining discussion that celebrates the passion, ingenuity, and enduring legacy of the Hot Rod community and how the SEMA HRIA aims to help Hot Rod businesses succeed.

https://www.sema.org

https://www.sema.org/hria

#hria #podcast #sema #hotrod #hotrodindustry #carpodcast #semapodcast #hammerdown

TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE BEST TIMES OF THEIR LIVES THROUGH THINGS WITH WHEELS

Category: Podcasts

Topics Covered:

Companies Mentioned:

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V8 Radio Podcast: https://www.v8radio.com

🔥 Topics & Tangents:

V8 Radio Podcast: https://www.v8radio.com

In This V8 Radio Podcast Episode:

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