Hank Watson's Garage Hour - Cars, Trucks, Beers & Guns

Live from Helix Brewing Co in lovely industrial La Mesa, the Garage Hour goons have assembled to take a whack at Christmas gift shopping, in particular, buying gearhead bits (gifts included) via Craig's List.

FNG cohost Gringo Rich joins .45 Phil and Hostus Maximus Justin Fort to reveal his yearlong investigation/harassment of Craig's scammers, and between sips of fine Helix ales, the three chat up some of the essentials rules for shopping on the cash-and-carry geek goldmine that is the internet.

It's not all ball bearings nowadays, however: there's more desert racing, ORW at TDS 2018, the Helix water system (just say "flume"), dude versus chick Christmas gifts (Black Purses Matter) and the incomprehensible Purse Logic Black Hole, Silent Dennis and Not So Silent Craig, plus #ScrewIt.

Direct download: HWGH122017mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 4:08pm MST

Live from Helix Brewing Co in lovely industrial La Mesa, the Garage Hour goons have assembled to take a whack at Christmas gift shopping, in particular, buying gearhead bits (gifts included) via Craig's List.

FNG cohost Gringo Rich joins .45 Phil and Hostus Maximus Justin Fort to reveal his yearlong investigation/harassment of Craig's scammers, and between sips of fine Helix ales, the three chat up some of the essentials rules for shopping on the cash-and-carry geek goldmine that is the internet.

It's not all ball bearings nowadays, however: there's more desert racing, ORW at TDS 2018, the Helix water system (just say "flume"), dude versus chick Christmas gifts (Black Purses Matter) and the incomprehensible Purse Logic Black Hole, Silent Dennis and Not So Silent Craig, plus #ScrewIt.

Direct download: HWGH122017.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 3:53pm MST

From the fancy "nomnom" intro (because food-truck BLT) to the battle of one-upmanship that kills the session (because VW powa!), it's a great time for gearhead talk.  The Garage Hour goons assemble the consultancy for an hour about the Great American Beer Festival and diesel tuning ensued (Maximum Gearhead), but that's okay - you'd have done the same.

Joining the usual suspects (.45 Phil, Chef Jeff and Hostus Maximus Justin Fort) on-air were Instagram sensation "SDBeerTour" founder, Rob Strudel, as well as Garage Hour groupie sensations Jennifer and Blaire.  Why would we assemble this dreadnaught of talk-radio charm?  Because of new beers at Helix Brewing Co., the annual gathering of small glasses that is the Great American Beer Fest in Denver, wild and crazy beers versus asparagus beer (yup!), as well as Americans' irrational hatred of Miatas, the latest bush-fire rampage in San Diego, as well as a little taste of desert season and the how-big-is-your-engine melee that ruined everything.

Why not?  Because gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH120517mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 6:42pm MST

From the fancy "nomnom" intro (because food-truck BLT) to the battle of one-upmanship that kills the session (because VW powa!), it's a great time for gearhead talk.  The Garage Hour goons assemble the consultancy for an hour about the Great American Beer Festival and diesel tuning ensued (Maximum Gearhead), but that's okay - you'd have done the same.

Joining the usual suspects (.45 Phil, Chef Jeff and Hostus Maximus Justin Fort) on-air were Instagram sensation "SDBeerTour" founder, Rob Strudel, as well as Garage Hour groupie sensations Jennifer and Blaire.  Why would we assemble this dreadnaught of talk-radio charm?  Because of new beers at Helix Brewing Co., the annual gathering of small glasses that is the Great American Beer Fest in Denver, wild and crazy beers versus asparagus beer (yup!), as well as Americans' irrational hatred of Miatas, the latest bush-fire rampage in San Diego, as well as a little taste of desert season and the how-big-is-your-engine melee that ruined everything.

Why not?  Because gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH120517.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 6:27pm MST

It's beers and gears season in San Diego, and the Garage Hour goons are out visiting new makers of fine sippables like Protector Brewery (thanks to the support of Helix Brewing).

When one of our teams buddies suggested we needed to visit another teams guy making beer, who were we to refuse?  Sean from Protector has carved out a niche in San Diego's grand brewing scene by going 100% organic with his ingredients (it's harder than you think) but that's about where his beers stopped following any rules.  Protector's got a delightful - and eccentric - brigade of tastes and styles, and cohost/Master Guns .45 Phil joined Hostus Maximus Justin Fort on-air to sample as many as the taste buds would permit.

It's a Garage Hour that's heavy on the beer and not much else.

Direct download: HWGH120417.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 2:44pm MST

It's beers and gears season in San Diego, and the Garage Hour goons are out visiting new makers of fine sippables like Protector Brewery (thanks to the support of Helix Brewing).

When one of our teams buddies suggested we needed to visit another teams guy making beer, who were we to refuse?  Sean from Protector has carved out a niche in San Diego's grand brewing scene by going 100% organic with his ingredients (it's harder than you think) but that's about where his beers stopped following any rules.  Protector's got a delightful - and eccentric - brigade of tastes and styles, and cohost/Master Guns .45 Phil joined Hostus Maximus Justin Fort on-air to sample as many as the taste buds would permit.

It's a Garage Hour that's heavy on the beer and not much else.

Direct download: HWGH120417.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 2:40pm MST

The Garage Hour brain trust gets together to debate the great questions of our time.  Who's the better villain, Darth Vader or Little Bill Daggett?  You'd be surprised.  Who has more rights, your car or you?  Will Isaac Asimov or Mary Shelley's vision of the robots in our future prevail?  Will .45 Phil's September Temper spell the end of life on Planet Earth, or just wind up causing a pile of broken robots?  Can Crag Maxwell cross "choke out Che Guevara" off his list of crazy sh!t he never thought he'd get to do?

These questions and more (like Jagermeister versus Olde English, Morphine versus Spinal Tap, Nazis versus Imperial Stormtroopers, and Wikipedia's porn problem), all on this episode of Hank Watson's Garage Hour.  Get some, because now.

Direct download: HWGH092912.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 4:46pm MST

The Garage Hour brain trust gets together to debate the great questions of our time.  Who's the better villain, Darth Vader or Little Bill Daggett?  You'd be surprised.  Who has more rights, your car or you?  Will Isaac Asimov or Mary Shelley's vision of the robots in our future prevail?  Will .45 Phil's September Temper spell the end of life on Planet Earth, or just wind up causing a pile of broken robots?  Can Crag Maxwell cross "choke out Che Guevara" off his list of crazy sh!t he never thought he'd get to do?

These questions and more (like Jagermeister versus Olde English, Morphine versus Spinal Tap, Nazis versus Imperial Stormtroopers, and Wikipedia's porn problem), all on this episode of Hank Watson's Garage Hour.  Get some, because now.

Direct download: HWGH092912.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 4:45pm MST

Let's get right to it: the Garage Hour goons gathered for a glorious getogether goading the girl from the Ladies Off-Road Network, none other than Charlene Bower, and she brings it.  Jeeps and BFGs, Nittos and junkyards, Craig's parts and loud... women...  it's just what you ordered - another groovy Garage Hour.

Between sips of Helix's Praugenosis and the inimatable RNA red ale, the tales of tools and turbochargers quickly spin out of control.  Fortunately, that's how we like it.  Have yourself a Garage Hour, because gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH100817.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:32pm MST

Let's get right to it: the Garage Hour goons gathered for a glorious getogether goading the girl from the Ladies Off-Road Network, none other than Charlene Bower, and she brings it.  Jeeps and BFGs, Nittos and junkyards, Craig's parts and loud... women...  it's just what you ordered - another groovy Garage Hour.

Between sips of Helix's Praugenosis and the inimatable RNA red ale, the tales of tools and turbochargers quickly spin out of control.  Fortunately, that's how we like it.  Have yourself a Garage Hour, because gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH100817.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:19pm MST

Reloaded Garage Hour gearhead awesomeness for you...  Hostus Maximus Justinius Rex and longtime superfan Nacho "K" scatter stories and shrapnel about desert racing w/ the old BFGoodrich crew (while grooving Goodyears, ironically).  Details include running from pit bikes and commiserating with federales, the men and the personalities of the Baja 1000 and/or 2000, Deadbolt, Frampton, stadium trucks, movies and Dougies.

There's also a call from Alex at the Coronado Classics - because vintage Trans-Am, obviously - and various diverging topics like nailguns at weddings, Bizarro Justin, Brown's Chicken in Naperville, rallycross, Operation Hipster Shield, the Festival of Beers at Lost Abbey Brewing, plus puking on Rainer.  Cohosts Dirty Dave and Grizzly Chris do their best to hold on.

Direct download: HWGH092609.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 6:37pm MST

Reloaded Garage Hour gearhead awesomeness for you...  Hostus Maximus Justinius Rex and longtime superfan Nacho "K" scatter stories and shrapnel about desert racing w/ the old BFGoodrich crew (while grooving Goodyears, ironically).  Details include running from pit bikes and commiserating with federales, the men and the personalities of the Baja 1000 and/or 2000, Deadbolt, Frampton, stadium trucks, movies and Dougies.

There's also a call from Alex at the Coronado Classics - because vintage Trans-Am, obviously - and various diverging topics like nailguns at weddings, Bizarro Justin, Brown's Chicken in Naperville, rallycross, Operation Hipster Shield, the Festival of Beers at Lost Abbey Brewing, plus puking on Rainer.  Cohosts Dirty Dave and Grizzly Chris do their best to hold on.

Direct download: HWGH092609.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 6:22pm MST

Gearhead talk radio starts in the garage, and the Garage Hour goons got together in the Fletcher Hills compound to talk about their recent weeklong run to high-mountain Colorado.  Jeeps and leafs, Toyotas and tires, Silver Gulch, Imogene, Ouray and Ophir, plus trail-building and rotten weather, and you have a spectacular time on-trail: Dustin V2 and the Diesel Ayatollah join Hostus Maximus Justin Fort to talk about it all.

The truck-guy party gets even better as brave neighbors come over for sips and bits and the pile of new truck parts in the garage from Total Chaos and BDS Suspension.  Add a few growlers of Helix Brewing's "Honor, Not Inner" (a fine chocolatey stout) and "CentenniAll" (a one-hop pale), and we're in business.

We ARE cars, trucks, beers and guns.

PS>  By the way, the second hour of the show was mistakenly deleted during mixing (seriously - more than eight years on-air, hundreds of episodes, and that's never happened).  We'll do it over, once we've had enough to drink.  Promise.

Direct download: HWGH092317.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:28pm MST

Gearhead talk radio starts in the garage, and the Garage Hour goons got together in the Fletcher Hills compound to talk about their recent weeklong run to high-mountain Colorado.  Jeeps and leafs, Toyotas and tires, Silver Gulch, Imogene, Ouray and Ophir, plus trail-building and rotten weather, and you have a spectacular time on-trail: Dustin V2 and the Diesel Ayatollah join Hostus Maximus Justin Fort to talk about it all.

The truck-guy party gets even better as brave neighbors come over for sips and bits and the pile of new truck parts in the garage from Total Chaos and BDS Suspension.  Add a few growlers of Helix Brewing's "Honor, Not Inner" (a fine chocolatey stout) and "CentenniAll" (a one-hop pale), and we're in business.

We ARE cars, trucks, beers and guns.

PS>  By the way, the second hour of the show was mistakenly deleted during mixing (seriously - more than eight years on-air, hundreds of episodes, and that's never happened).  We'll do it over, once we've had enough to drink.  Promise.

Direct download: HWGH092317.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 9:41pm MST

Vintage Garage Hour reload for you:  vintage cohosts Dirty Dave and Grizzly Chris show how digression is done in this episode, which reminds you why the Garage Hour's old slogan was "Intriguing or Offensive, but Never Boring".

Let's keep this simple:  Like dirty trucks?  Used truck parts?  Rallycross?  Used car logic?  Pike's Peak?  Cars that make you ugly?

How about WW2 history?  "Panther Soup"?  Tanks?  Fortresses?  Blowing things up?  

How about politics?  Khadaffi, Madoff, Dilbert, New Jersey, Commies and their holidays, or Monty "Walled Him Up In the Old Coke Oven" Burns, or Cash for Clunkers?

We've got it.  Come get it.

Direct download: HWGH091209.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 2:14pm MST

Vintage Garage Hour reload for you:  vintage cohosts Dirty Dave and Grizzly Chris show how digression is done in this episode, which reminds you why the Garage Hour's old slogan was "Intriguing or Offensive, but Never Boring".

Let's keep this simple:  Like dirty trucks?  Used truck parts?  Rallycross?  Used car logic?  Pike's Peak?  Cars that make you ugly?

How about WW2 history?  "Panther Soup"?  Tanks?  Fortresses?  Blowing things up?  

How about politics?  Khadaffi, Madoff, Dilbert, New Jersey, Commies and their holidays, or Monty "Walled Him Up In the Old Coke Oven" Burns, or Cash for Clunkers?

We've got it.  Come get it.

Direct download: HWGH091209.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 2:01pm MST

The Garage Hour goons got together at Helix Brewing for a late-night chat under the stars.  You can hear the freeway and WRXs going by at speed (with an HKS tweet!), you can hear the earth breathing, and you can hear the Diesel Ayatollah and Rob from Facetagram sensation "SD Beer Tour" chat about gears and beers with Hostus Maximus Justin Fort.  So much good stuff.

Gearhead?  This episode has crotch rockets at speed, taking care of your 12-volt battery, pride of ownership and why gearheads take better care of their bits, wenches in the garage, truck poseurs versus gas mileage, off-roading for the Persieds (and dragging a Prius behind), adaptable 4Runners, Palomar Mountain's curves, and going fast versus going too fast (and when is which).

Beers?  San Diego's very own Helix Brewing, Mosaicaholic, Stoner Moment and the Red Rufus, San Diego's beer fests in September, hazy versus lazy, and a little preamble of Helix's second birthday party on August 26.

Direct download: HWGH081617mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 12:18pm MST

The Garage Hour goons got together at Helix Brewing for a late-night chat under the stars.  You can hear the freeway and WRXs going by at speed (with an HKS tweet!), you can hear the earth breathing, and you can hear the Diesel Ayatollah and Rob from Facetagram sensation "SD Beer Tour" chat about gears and beers with Hostus Maximus Justin Fort.  So much good stuff.

Gearhead?  This episode has crotch rockets at speed, taking care of your 12-volt battery, pride of ownership and why gearheads take better care of their bits, wenches in the garage, truck poseurs versus gas mileage, off-roading for the Persieds (and dragging a Prius behind), adaptable 4Runners, Palomar Mountain's curves, and going fast versus going too fast (and when is which).

Beers?  San Diego's very own Helix Brewing, Mosaicaholic, Stoner Moment and the Red Rufus, San Diego's beer fests in September, hazy versus lazy, and a little preamble of Helix's second birthday party on August 26.

Direct download: HWGH081617.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 12:03pm MST

Hey, it's summer - too much gearheadventure to be had.  We're back now, though, with miles in our eyes, dust on our tunics and gristle in our teeth.  Well, not gristle, really, more like bacon.  But we're back.

The Garage Hour goons joined our buddies from Helix Brewing to record a live "Where's Garage Hour?" special at this year's San Diego Beer & Music Fest.  Joined on-air and in person by local brewers like Belching Beaver and Julian Hard Cider, the Diesel Ayatollah, .45 Phil and Silent Craig whipped out a great gearhead chat with Hostus Maximus Justin Fort.  What about?  The beer scene in San Diego, independent beers versus industrial pet loss-leader beer, new restaurants, cider versus beer, the secret story of Julian's apple pie (It's made with people!), and why people at beerfests wear pretzel clothing.  The Garage Hour goons also make their way to a few of the 50-plus brewers at the SD Beer & Music Fest, and we tell you about what we drank.

It's because we care.

Speaking of because, because the folks with Helix were so damn busy at this event, we were unable to capture them for radio time, so we Bogarted Andy from the Beaver and Brian from Julian Hard Cider to join us on-air instead.  It's great radio about great beer - who are you to resist?

Justin case you aren't just a beerhead, yes, we'll always be gearheads.  There's our recurring love affair with the mystery of Amelia Earheart's disappearance, e-locked Tacos, beer powers, Bob "Red Catfish" Failner, cirrhosis of the fescue, flare wrenches, the alcohol app, low-flying aircraft (DUCK!), and the never-ending saga of brake bleeding.

Because beerhead, except because gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH070717.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 11:10pm MST

Hey, it's summer - too much gearheadventure to be had.  We're back now, though, with miles in our eyes, dust on our tunics and gristle in our teeth.  Well, not gristle, really, more like bacon.  But we're back.

The Garage Hour goons joined our buddies from Helix Brewing to record a live "Where's Garage Hour?" special at this year's San Diego Beer & Music Fest.  Joined on-air and in person by local brewers like Belching Beaver and Julian Hard Cider, the Diesel Ayatollah, .45 Phil and Silent Craig whipped out a great gearhead chat with Hostus Maximus Justin Fort.  What about?  The beer scene in San Diego, independent beers versus industrial pet loss-leader beer, new restaurants, cider versus beer, the secret story of Julian's apple pie (It's made with people!), and why people at beerfests wear pretzel clothing.  The Garage Hour goons also make their way to a few of the 50-plus brewers at the SD Beer & Music Fest, and we tell you about what we drank.

It's because we care.

Speaking of because, because the folks with Helix were so damn busy at this event, we were unable to capture them for radio time, so we Bogarted Andy from the Beaver and Brian from Julian Hard Cider to join us on-air instead.  It's great radio about great beer - who are you to resist?

Justin case you aren't just a beerhead, yes, we'll always be gearheads.  There's our recurring love affair with the mystery of Amelia Earheart's disappearance, e-locked Tacos, beer powers, Bob "Red Catfish" Failner, cirrhosis of the fescue, flare wrenches, the alcohol app, low-flying aircraft (DUCK!), and the never-ending saga of brake bleeding.

Because beerhead, except because gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH070717.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:53pm MST

'Tis the season for fine beers and high-mountain off-roading.  We did a little better with the succulent sipping on this episode, however, because the Garage Hour and its goons were at Helix Brewing Co. in La Mesa's little industrial district (where the road goes in a circle but the beer just goes).


Hostus Maximus Justin Fort (He Who Speaks the Sharpest) is joined by the Diesel Ayatollah (The One With Too Many Trucks), Rob (He Who Sips Everywhere) from SDBeerTour - as found on Instagram - and the brewmaster himself, Cameron from Helix Brewing (He Who Makes the Best) for an hour of crowd-fueled gearhead talk.  

There's beers - what's C-Ball's making (including the new "Bomb, Hop Bomb" and "Centinale"), plans for his fine leather-bound collection of sours, and what he's got up his sleeve for the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado.  Then the going gets truckier, because Rob, Justin and the Diesel Ayatollah get after trail and rock season, old 4Runners and older CJ-5s.  There's also a chat about Humble Farmer Brewing's Carrot Ale (made in Holtville, CA), and what it takes for a enthusiast-fueled Instagram page like Rob's "SDBeerTour" to hit 1500 followers just by drinking.

On the plus side, because we missed the Ferdfull of truck buggery that had been planned for this episode, there should be a dually's share of it in the next show.  Oh, and we still owe you guns - promise.

Direct download: HWGH062917.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 2:17pm MST

'Tis the season for fine beers and high-mountain off-roading.  We did a little better with the succulent sipping on this episode, however, because the Garage Hour and its goons were at Helix Brewing Co. in La Mesa's little industrial district (where the road goes in a circle but the beer just goes).

Hostus Maximus Justin Fort (He Who Speaks the Sharpest) is joined by the Diesel Ayatollah (The One With Too Many Trucks), Rob (He Who Sips Everywhere) from SDBeerTour - as found on Instagram - and the brewmaster himself, Cameron from Helix Brewing (He Who Makes the Best) for an hour of crowd-fueled gearhead talk.  

There's beers - what's C-Ball's making (including the new "Bomb, Hop Bomb" and "Centinale"), plans for his fine leather-bound collection of sours, and what he's got up his sleeve for the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado.  Then the going gets truckier, because Rob, Justin and the Diesel Ayatollah get after trail and rock season, old 4Runners and older CJ-5s.  There's also a chat about Humble Farmer Brewing's Carrot Ale (made in Holtville, CA), and what it takes for a enthusiast-fueled Instagram page like Rob's "SDBeerTour" to hit 1500 followers just by drinking.

On the plus side, because we missed the Ferdfull of truck buggery that had been planned for this episode, there should be a dually's share of it in the next show.  Oh, and we still owe you guns - promise.

Direct download: HWGH062917.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 2:08pm MST

Some good beer-on-radio gearhead talk for you…  The Garage Hour goons get together with our other favorite brewery in the East County's Circle of Hops to sip and chat rock, bikes and beers.

We usually record at Helix Brewing Co. in La Mesa, but they were ultra-busy with a new wave of beers, so Hostus Maximus Justin Fort, Chef Jeff and the lovely Karen dropped in at Burning Beard Brewing in El Cajon to hang out with 1/2 of the outfit's dynamic duo, Mike Maass.

This episode is heavy on the music and the beer to go with it, and we have good debates about ingredients, beer styles, concerts in SoCal, bands that matter, and single versus double-bass.  Beard also announces their pairing of a tap takeover at the Pizza Port in Solana Beach with a Sword show at the Belly (Corporate) Up on July 18.

We also chase details of the secret tracks on the epic Beard jukebox, Owner #2's (Jeff) pursuit of Liberace, Menudo and New Kids on the Block, and whether Al Jourgenson and Ministry opened for Bing Crosby or Soundgarden first.  Then, it's all about side effects: tapeworms, loss of etiquette and projectile leprosy.

Direct download: HWGH061517mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 12:33pm MST

Some good beer-on-radio gearhead talk for you…  The Garage Hour goons get together with our other favorite brewery in the East County's Circle of Hops to sip and chat rock, bikes and beers.

We usually record at Helix Brewing Co. in La Mesa, but they were ultra-busy with a new wave of beers, so Hostus Maximus Justin Fort, Chef Jeff and the lovely Karen dropped in at Burning Beard Brewing in El Cajon to hang out with 1/2 of the outfit's dynamic duo, Mike Maass.

This episode is heavy on the music and the beer to go with it, and we have good debates about ingredients, beer styles, concerts in SoCal, bands that matter, and single versus double-bass.  Beard also announces their pairing of a tap takeover at the Pizza Port in Solana Beach with a Sword show at the Belly (Corporate) Up on July 18.

We also chase details of the secret tracks on the epic Beard jukebox, Owner #2's (Jeff) pursuit of Liberace, Menudo and New Kids on the Block, and whether Al Jourgenson and Ministry opened for Bing Crosby or Soundgarden first.  Then, it's all about side effects: tapeworms, loss of etiquette and projectile leprosy.

Direct download: HWGH061517.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 12:17pm MST

Why does it feel like being a gearhead makes us a target?  Cars, trucks, beers or guns, they're all in the sights of the politicians in Sacramento, and you should be worried.

What's wrong with a government bureaucracy that levies more and more taxes and fees on an overtaxed (literally and figuratively) electorate?  How can a state with some of the most burdensome regulations on auto and vehicle ownership create more?  Why do politicians in the capitol of California behave like they don't want citizens to enjoy the constitutional freedoms guaranteed them?  Does it look to you like the leftist elitists in Sacramento have figured out that the time's running out on their party?

In this episode, Hank Watsons's Garage Hour and Hostus Maximus Justin Fort take an hour to pull back some of the curtains shrouding the scary statists who've been chaperoning the pending failure of the third-world cleptobureaucracy of Kalifornistan, and how the Big Gov't policies of these "Democrat" progressives and statists have taken direct aim at our wallets, our hobbies and our cars.

Don't be low-info: the Gearhead Consultancy is here to help.  The Garage Hour's got insight into the precipitously unglued bureaucratic mindset of politicians and quasi-governmental institutions that are running the state like drunks at a liquor sale.  This is not a drill: CA's coming after you, and the taxes and fees that Sacto has once again levied in the face of every reason not to are yet another sign of the pending Fool's Apocalypse.

Direct download: HWGH052217mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 3:10pm MST

Why does it feel like being a gearhead makes us a target?  Cars, trucks, beers or guns, they're all in the sights of the politicians in Sacramento, and you should be worried.

What's wrong with a government bureaucracy that levies more and more taxes and fees on an overtaxed (literally and figuratively) electorate?  How can a state with some of the most burdensome regulations on auto and vehicle ownership create more?  Why do politicians in the capitol of California behave like they don't want citizens to enjoy the constitutional freedoms guaranteed them?  Does it look to you like the leftist elitists in Sacramento have figured out that the time's running out on their party?

In this episode, Hank Watsons's Garage Hour and Hostus Maximus Justin Fort take an hour to pull back some of the curtains shrouding the scary statists who've been chaperoning the pending failure of the third-world cleptobureaucracy of Kalifornistan, and how the Big Gov't policies of these "Democrat" progressives and statists have taken direct aim at our wallets, our hobbies and our cars.

Don't be low-info: the Gearhead Consultancy is here to help.  The Garage Hour's got insight into the precipitously unglued bureaucratic mindset of politicians and quasi-governmental institutions that are running the state like drunks at a liquor sale.  This is not a drill: CA's coming after you, and the taxes and fees that Sacto has once again levied in the face of every reason not to are yet another sign of the pending Fool's Apocalypse.

Direct download: HWGH052217.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 3:05pm MST

The Garage Hour's Gearhead Consultancy talks truck parts and the third-world cleptobureaucracy of Kalifornistan's latest plan to screw its taxpayers right out the door over new beers and the new brewer at Helix Brewing Co.

This Helix-homebase episode is a choose-your-own-adventure special:  1. Like beer?  We've got the FNG: Mike Schlerethenbergenhofer (that's how HE spelled it), who talks hops like Idaho 7 (powering the new Hop Bomb) and HPC 369 and 342, which underpin other on-tap creations by head brewer CamBall.  Oh, yeah, and Cameron got a haircut, which will offset his fancy surfer abs when he brews shirtless - you heard it here, ladies.

2. Like trucks?  There's trucks.  Big brakes and where to get them (Mexico versus China), bleeding brakes and whether brake fluid is flammable (apparently not), and blown rings in a master cylinder.  Then it's diesels, functionality and the cost of buying old versus the penalty of buying new.  Oh, and apparently urea is bad for you AND for your truck.

3. Like guns?  We review a day at the range with Active Shooter Defense School and sometime cohost and full-time hardcase Matt Klier, and then get into the Weaver stance (think Miami Vice) versus Matt's isosceles stance (think Special Forces).

 4. Like always, there's the fact that whether or not you are interested in politics, politics is interested in you (especially in the Garage Hour's home state of panic that is CA).  The statist creeps that have infested the capitol just passed a few more up-yours laws, like a huge increase in gas and diesel fuel taxes.  And, just when they hybrid and electric car owners thought they were safe because they'd drunk the Kool-Aid, Gov. Spongebrain Brownpants and his low-info zealots included fees for them, too.  Flee while you can.

Direct download: HWGH050217mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 12:21am MST

The Garage Hour's Gearhead Consultancy talks truck parts and the third-world cleptobureaucracy of Kalifornistan's latest plan to screw its taxpayers right out the door over new beers and the new brewer at Helix Brewing Co.

This Helix-homebase episode is a choose-your-own-adventure special:  1. Like beer?  We've got the FNG: Mike Schlerethenbergenhofer (that's how HE spelled it), who talks hops like Idaho 7 (powering the new Hop Bomb) and HPC 369 and 342, which underpin other on-tap creations by head brewer CamBall.  Oh, yeah, and Cameron got a haircut, which will offset his fancy surfer abs when he brews shirtless - you heard it here, ladies.

2. Like trucks?  There's trucks.  Big brakes and where to get them (Mexico versus China), bleeding brakes and whether brake fluid is flammable (apparently not), and blown rings in a master cylinder.  Then it's diesels, functionality and the cost of buying old versus the penalty of buying new.  Oh, and apparently urea is bad for you AND for your truck.

3. Like guns?  We review a day at the range with Active Shooter Defense School and sometime cohost and full-time hardcase Matt Klier, and then get into the Weaver stance (think Miami Vice) versus Matt's isosceles stance (think Special Forces).

 4. Like always, there's the fact that whether or not you are interested in politics, politics is interested in you (especially in the Garage Hour's home state of panic that is CA).  The statist creeps that have infested the capitol just passed a few more up-yours laws, like a huge increase in gas and diesel fuel taxes.  And, just when they hybrid and electric car owners thought they were safe because they'd drunk the Kool-Aid, Gov. Spongebrain Brownpants and his low-info zealots included fees for them, too.  Flee while you can.

Direct download: HWGH050217.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 12:10am MST

Sorry about the slow uploading - too much work to do.  Got to pay the bills.  Lots of new Garage Hour coming in May.

This vintage reload is all about the 'froadin: we have near-death experiencer Cliff-Diving Dave in-studio to talk about how he's not dead, despite his Jeep's best efforts to fling him off a cliff on Saddleback in Orange County.  Seriously, above-the-clouds cliff.  Fortunately, there were a bunch of Toyotas nearby to save him.

Dave #1 and Dave #4 join in the usual Garage Hour fare after that: V8 BMW M3s versus V-10 Dodges, homologation versus homos, Speedvision versus Fox and Fox Network versus gearheads, the Isle of Mann Tourist Trophy, historic road racing on Torrey Pines, off-roading in San Diego, plus sasquatches and bears and what caliber is better than a .22LR (all of them).  Then we counsel Cliff-Diving Dave about tow points and off-roading with friends, and then it's off to Ballas with Dollas for Gamblothon at Barona Drags.

Because gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH051510.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:14am MST

Sorry about the slow uploading - too much work to do.  Got to pay the bills.  Lots of new Garage Hour coming in May.

This vintage reload is all about the 'froadin: we have near-death experiencer Cliff-Diving Dave in-studio to talk about how he's not dead, despite his Jeep's best efforts to fling him off a cliff on Saddleback in Orange County.  Seriously, above-the-clouds cliff.  Fortunately, there were a bunch of Toyotas nearby to save him.

Dave #1 and Dave #4 join in the usual Garage Hour fare after that: V8 BMW M3s versus V-10 Dodges, homologation versus homos, Speedvision versus Fox and Fox Network versus gearheads, the Isle of Mann Tourist Trophy, historic road racing on Torrey Pines, off-roading in San Diego, plus sasquatches and bears and what caliber is better than a .22LR (all of them).  Then we counsel Cliff-Diving Dave about tow points and off-roading with friends, and then it's off to Ballas with Dollas for Gamblothon at Barona Drags.

Because gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH051510.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:12am MST

We've got your microaggression right here, plus the other kinds.  In a rare two-hour Garage Hour, tonight's contestants invaded Dustin V.2's Jeep Kitchen for a good sipping session, and then let a radio show break out.  If you like hot-boxing your CBR1000RR or arguing about four-wheel drive versus all-wheel drive, THIS is an episode for you.

Share our theory about "two-degrees from the Olds Cutlass"?  Wish your World Class T-5 didn't need rebuilding?  Getting sick of the fools and poseurs who think they're off-roaders because they dropped $20Gs on a new side-by-side?  Like a good night run to whereabouts unknown?  Think a vehicle should go 'froading because it says Jeep on it?  Want to self-identify as a rich guy when your bank account has the genes of a SoCal homeowner?  Tired of stepping over automotive victim groups?  Want to laugh when people start prepping now that Trump's the president?  Yes, have some Garage Hour

There's a lot of good stuff in this one.  The Bearded Wonder.  FJ Summit.  AMC VS Jeep.  Loose bolts.  Mr. Dustin versus Dustin V.2.  Brake lines.  Burnout shrapnel.  V8-powered FJ60s.  Harmonic unbalancers.  4Runner mods and fixes. Music by Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold (and Sevendust), Skynyrd and KMFDM.

This is a BS-proof show, cats and kiddies.  Remember, it's when the nut behind the wheel comes loose that you've got a problem.

Direct download: HWGH031617mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 12:49pm MST

We've got your microaggression right here, plus the other kinds.  In a rare two-hour Garage Hour, tonight's contestants invaded Dustin V.2's Jeep Kitchen for a good sipping session, and then let a radio show break out.  If you like hot-boxing your CBR1000RR or arguing about four-wheel drive versus all-wheel drive, THIS is an episode for you.

Share our theory about "two-degrees from the Olds Cutlass"?  Wish your World Class T-5 didn't need rebuilding?  Getting sick of the fools and poseurs who think they're off-roaders because they dropped $20Gs on a new side-by-side?  Like a good night run to whereabouts unknown?  Think a vehicle should go 'froading because it says Jeep on it?  Want to self-identify as a rich guy when your bank account has the genes of a SoCal homeowner?  Tired of stepping over automotive victim groups?  Want to laugh when people start prepping now that Trump's the president?  Yes, have some Garage Hour

There's a lot of good stuff in this one.  The Bearded Wonder.  FJ Summit.  AMC VS Jeep.  Loose bolts.  Mr. Dustin versus Dustin V.2.  Brake lines.  Burnout shrapnel.  V8-powered FJ60s.  Harmonic unbalancers.  4Runner mods and fixes. Music by Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold (and Sevendust), Skynyrd and KMFDM.

This is a BS-proof show, cats and kiddies.  Remember, it's when the nut behind the wheel comes loose that you've got a problem.

Direct download: HWGH031617.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 12:25pm MST

Long-lost Garage Hour found: you've got it right here.  It's one of our auto-detailing specials, with everything from crappy clear coats, clear versus enamel, polishing by hand versus machine, professional detailers versus amateurs, the danger sauce that is dish soap, dish soap versus auto wax, microfiber, majorfiber, meltofiber, carnauba, the two-bucket maneuver, cotton versus polymer, chasing drips with compressed air, clay bar and clay elbow, plus Mothers Polish, Griot's Garage (Hour) and San Diego's Chemical Brothers.

There's also new Dodges and used Evos, track ZR-1s and trailed Jeeps, Smart cars, dumb 'Vette flags, a bacon smoothie, the Indian Garage Hour (weird), Terry Crews and Old Spice ads (funny), rock and industrial and down-tempo lushbeat (Dog Fashion Disco, Ozzy Osbourne and Amon Tobin), one of the Garage Hour's Villains Cage Matches (Hannibal Lecter beats Scorpio), a 'Squatch Run, board-opp humor and the Bilstein Boys.

Direct download: HWGH090812.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 12:04pm MST

Long-lost Garage Hour found: you've got it right here.  It's one of our auto-detailing specials, with everything from crappy clear coats, clear versus enamel, polishing by hand versus machine, professional detailers versus amateurs, the danger sauce that is dish soap, dish soap versus auto wax, microfiber, majorfiber, meltofiber, carnauba, the two-bucket maneuver, cotton versus polymer, chasing drips with compressed air, clay bar and clay elbow, plus Mothers Polish, Griot's Garage (Hour) and San Diego's Chemical Brothers.

There's also new Dodges and used Evos, track ZR-1s and trailed Jeeps, Smart cars, dumb 'Vette flags, a bacon smoothie, the Indian Garage Hour (weird), Terry Crews and Old Spice ads (funny), rock and industrial and down-tempo lushbeat (Dog Fashion Disco, Ozzy Osbourne and Amon Tobin), one of the Garage Hour's Villains Cage Matches (Hannibal Lecter beats Scorpio), a 'Squatch Run, board-opp humor and the Bilstein Boys.

Direct download: HWGH090812mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 11:59am MST

Just add gearhead!  The Garage Hour goons gathered in Dustin v2's garage for an hour of broken parts - Toyota AND Jeep (who knew?), shouldered bolts and Loctite's new "Black Hold" supersauce, wall urinals for convenient garage peeing, salvage nails and screws, Jeep V8s (and the blown ones littering Dustin v2's garage), and the wonder that is a garage being remodelled around a CJ-7 being rebuilt.  This was in tandem with the show's look back at the 2017 Superstition Run, which contributed to the pile of broken bits.

Because we're such big fans of microagression (as well as the other kind), we also snowflaked it up with Jeep V8s, failed half-shafts, oil loss, broken plumbing, broken femurs, Kalifornistan versus Arizonafforable, and how the six-cylinder WJ Selectrac can be adapted to replace the V8 Quadratrac.  Reality bubbled back to the fore, thankfully, and everything from buying ourselves a hardware store in Silverton to renting ourselves a warehouse in San Diego came up as the gearhead goons spread logic all over the place.

Rock and roll backing this triumphant expression of gearheadulation includes 16 Volt, Prong and Ministry.

Direct download: HWGH020117mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 2:53pm MST

Just add gearhead!  The Garage Hour goons gathered in Dustin v2's garage for an hour of broken parts - Toyota AND Jeep (who knew?), shouldered bolts and Loctite's new "Black Hold" supersauce, wall urinals for convenient garage peeing, salvage nails and screws, Jeep V8s (and the blown ones littering Dustin v2's garage), and the wonder that is a garage being remodelled around a CJ-7 being rebuilt.  This was in tandem with the show's look back at the 2017 Superstition Run, which contributed to the pile of broken bits.

Because we're such big fans of microagression (as well as the other kind), we also snowflaked it up with Jeep V8s, failed half-shafts, oil loss, broken plumbing, broken femurs, Kalifornistan versus Arizonafforable, and how the six-cylinder WJ Selectrac can be adapted to replace the V8 Quadratrac.  Reality bubbled back to the fore, thankfully, and everything from buying ourselves a hardware store in Silverton to renting ourselves a warehouse in San Diego came up as the gearhead goons spread logic all over the place.

Rock and roll backing this triumphant expression of gearheadulation includes 16 Volt, Prong and Ministry.

Direct download: HWGH020117.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 2:41pm MST

01.23.10 (MP3): Classic! Drag Racing & F1 (& Schumie's Return), Tiger VS GM (& Ambien), Automotive Design Faves, Bugeye VS STi, Selling Cars in SD, w/ My Life w/ Thrill Kill Cult, Stone Foxes + Sweat Engine, + Studio Invasion by San Diego's Halloran

Long-lost Garage Hour awesomeness right here:  gearhead friend of the show Mark Deadrick joined Hostus Maximus Justin Fort and Dirty Dave for an episode, and he brought along his punk/talk/DJ buddy of note, Mike Halloran.  Then Halloran tries (and fails, thankfully for fans of cars, trucks, beers and guns) to take over the show, and a pretty damn good episode ensues.  Because gearhead.

Not firstly, but first, the rock and/or roll that has been rendered one of the Garage Hour's cornerstones is called into question by longtime airplay savant Halloran, so a running debate of whether if/which/how tracks are rolled in the background of every episode infects every other stage of the show.  Some punk and garage rock goodness percolates to the surface, including My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult, SOMA, Stone Foxes, Beauty Bar, and Mark's old band, Sweat Engine.  But gearhead.

Surprisingly, there's a ton of good automotive chatter in this episode as well - somewhat unlike the occasional Garage Hour that goes off to live in the digression.  Automotive design, Acura's beaks versus Caddy's creases, Pontiac's G8, little Benzes and Audis, car designs of the eras, commuting in the rain, street-riden old 'Glides versus Halloran's "Shriner Bike", F1 in Abu Dhabi, Schumacher in a Mercedes, bugeye versus hawkeye Subies, and GM versus Tiger Woods versus Ambien.  Then someone complained about Jeeps and Dirty Dave had to defend his Miata.  Go gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH012310mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 11:23pm MST

01.23.10: Classic! Drag Racing & F1 (& Schumie's Return), Tiger VS GM (& Ambien), Automotive Design Faves, Bugeye VS STi, Selling Cars in SD, w/ My Life w/ Thrill Kill Cult, Stone Foxes + Sweat Engine, + Studio Invasion by San Diego's Halloran

Long-lost Garage Hour awesomeness right here:  gearhead friend of the show Mark Deadrick joined Hostus Maximus Justin Fort and Dirty Dave for an episode, and he brought along his punk/talk/DJ buddy of note, Mike Halloran.  Then Halloran tries (and fails, thankfully for fans of cars, trucks, beers and guns) to take over the show, and a pretty damn good episode ensues.  Because gearhead.

Not firstly, but first, the rock and/or roll that has been rendered one of the Garage Hour's cornerstones is called into question by longtime airplay savant Halloran, so a running debate of whether if/which/how tracks are rolled in the background of every episode infects every other stage of the show.  Some punk and garage rock goodness percolates to the surface, including My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult, SOMA, Stone Foxes, Beauty Bar, and Mark's old band, Sweat Engine.  But gearhead.

Surprisingly, there's a ton of good automotive chatter in this episode as well - somewhat unlike the occasional Garage Hour that goes off to live in the digression.  Automotive design, Acura's beaks versus Caddy's creases, Pontiac's G8, little Benzes and Audis, car designs of the eras, commuting in the rain, street riden old 'Glides versus Halloran's "Shriner Bike", F1 in Abu Dhabi, Schumacher in a Mercedes, bugeye versus hawkeye Subies, and GM versus Tiger Woods versus Ambien.  Then someone complained about Jeeps and Dirty Dave had to defend his Miata.  Go gearhead.

Direct download: HWGH012310.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 11:10pm MST

02.02.17 (MP3): An Hour of Beer @ Helix Brewing, w/ Fine Brews, Selling Diesel Trucks, Tuning FN/FALs for Fun & Profit, Home Stilling, Stupid San Diego Weather & Flying Quonset Huts, w/ the Anarchist-In-Chief & Beer Tourism

Live from San Diego's Circle of Hops (yes, that's a thing now), the Garage Hour goons - with everyone from .45 Phil, Chef Jeff & Ms. Karen, to the Diesel Ayatollah and our newest cohost, Vinnie the Screw (or Drywall Vinnie - we can't decide) joining Hostus Maximus Justin Fort - chat up Helix Brewing's primary and head keg wiper Cameron Ball about his luscious selection of finely crafted beers.  From there, it's all gearhead: bullets and tornados and flooding, but hey, it's got beer and guns.  And trucks - surely someone said "diesel" at some point.

We free Cam Ball's taste buds from beer jail for long enough to try a suite of his finest ales, including his Pale, the piece of art that is Galaxy Rye, Active IPA, the latest - and most subtle - batch of Stoner Moment, a creamy Honor Not Inner stout on nitro, while .45 Phil gets outside of the last keg of the sublime Pumpkin Basic.  Beer vibes included beer honesty and beer fun, which then detours into why home stilling might blow up your garage.

There's also .45 Phil's dissertation on Laotian HVAC guys in San Diego (way more interesting than you'd think), hot places from Thailand to Iraq, making an FAL run like you plan to take over a small third-world nation, FAL and Luger ergonomics, RIPs for recently deceased SEAL Team 6 SSgt Bill Owen, tarps, flooding at NASSCO, what kind of ruckus is a Helix ruckus, bone tours, and America's newest anarchist, Uncle Donald, and how he plans to go tiger mom on the state of California's gun banning troglodyte horde in Sacramento.

Should be a show.  We certainly are - grab some Garage Hour, and we'll see you in the garage.

Direct download: HWGH020217mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:38pm MST

02.02.17: An Hour of Beer @ Helix Brewing, w/ Fine Brews, Selling Diesel Trucks, Tuning FN/FALs for Fun & Profit, Home Stilling, Stupid San Diego Weather & Flying Quonset Huts, w/ the Anarchist-In-Chief & Beer Tourism

Live from San Diego's Circle of Hops (yes, that's a thing now), the Garage Hour goons - with everyone from .45 Phil, Chef Jeff & Ms. Karen, to the Diesel Ayatollah and our newest cohost, Vinnie the Screw (or Drywall Vinnie - we can't decide) joining Hostus Maximus Justin Fort - chat up Helix Brewing's primary and head keg wiper Cameron Ball about his luscious selection of finely crafted beers.  From there, it's all gearhead: bullets and tornados and flooding, but hey, it's got beer and guns.  And trucks - surely someone said "diesel" at some point.

We free Cam Ball's taste buds from beer jail for long enough to try a suite of his finest ales, including his Pale, the piece of art that is Galaxy Rye, Active IPA, the latest - and most subtle - batch of Stoner Moment, a creamy Honor Not Inner stout on nitro, while .45 Phil gets outside of the last keg of the sublime Pumpkin Basic.  Beer vibes included beer honesty and beer fun, which then detours into why home stilling might blow up your garage.

There's also .45 Phil's dissertation on Laotian HVAC guys in San Diego (way more interesting than you'd think), hot places from Thailand to Iraq, making an FAL run like you plan to take over a small third-world nation, FAL and Luger ergonomics, RIPs for recently deceased SEAL Team 6 SSgt Bill Owen, tarps, flooding at NASSCO, what kind of ruckus is a Helix ruckus, bone tours, and America's newest anarchist, Uncle Donald, and how he plans to go tiger mom on the state of California's gun banning troglodyte horde in Sacramento.

Should be a show.  We certainly are - grab some Garage Hour, and we'll see you in the garage.

Direct download: HWGH020217.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:36pm MST

12.30.16 (MP3): New-For-2017 @ San Diego Auto Show Show! Truck & Car Intros, Robot Cars VS Your Liberties, Diesel & Eco, CF Wheels, Pickup Beds, Cute Utility Vehicles + Gearhead Christmas, Good Beers, Candy Snatchers & Fatso Jetson

The Garage Hour goons did a slow troll through the halls of San Diego's International Auto Show, but the fireworks didn't hit until they got back to the garadtch.  They also tried to get HCM Carbon and California Motorsports on-air with us at the show, but the exorbitant table-rental fees levied by the show-hall unions meant they couldn't even afford to sit down.  

On new cars: what's small is bigger, what's tested in steel is tried in aluminum, what's electric becomes efficient, and what's ugly was far too many.  Luckily, there's still a high-Q selection of pretty metal coming from dealerships near you, so don't fret.  Dirty Dave made a rousing defense of Miatas come and gone, but his protestations regarding the new big Volvo fell on poorly manufactured Chinese ears.  Majid from GSR Car finally got a nickname (Diesel Ayatollah), and he was a serious threat in the second inning on the issue of Kia's robot triathlete chaser, the Rino (did we spell that right?).  Hostus Maximus Justin Fort argued the logic of making cars with less content more expensive, and espoused on the coming fall of Elon Musk's government-funded pyramid scheme.

From that point, it devolved into the usual Garage Hour spectacularity: far-ranging conversations about Germans in hotted-up station wagons, the practicality of carbon-fiber wheels, cleaning guns with diesel fuel, what medication is necessary for Miatosis, the shame that is market-engineering cars with genres that only make sense to two people at a time, the Volvette, the new turbo'd 2.3-liter Mustang, and why idiots getting stoned at the Pike's Peak are very economical.

The beer was pouring, with the show graced by Helix Brewing's red, Garage Brewing's Marshmallow Stout and Leiny's Grapefruit Shandy, and there will be a second hour of ale-fueled coverage to follow this episode - stay tuned (because gearhead).

Direct download: HWGH123016h1mp3.mp3
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:39pm MST

12.30.16: New-For-2017 @ San Diego Auto Show Show! Truck & Car Intros, Robot Cars VS Your Liberties, Diesel & Eco, CF Wheels, Pickup Beds, Cute Utility Vehicles + Gearhead Christmas, Good Beers, Candy Snatchers & Fatso Jetson

The Garage Hour goons did a slow troll through the halls of San Diego's International Auto Show, but the fireworks didn't hit until they got back to the garadtch.  They also tried to get HCM Carbon and California Motorsports on-air with us at the show, but the exorbitant table-rental fees levied by the show-hall unions meant they couldn't even afford to sit down.  

On new cars: what's small is bigger, what's tested in steel is tried in aluminum, what's electric becomes efficient, and what's ugly was far too many.  Luckily, there's still a high-Q selection of pretty metal coming from dealerships near you, so don't fret.  Dirty Dave made a rousing defense of Miatas come and gone, but his protestations regarding the new big Volvo fell on poorly manufactured Chinese ears.  Majid from GSR Car finally got a nickname (Diesel Ayatollah), and he was a serious threat in the second inning on the issue of Kia's robot triathlete chaser, the Rino (did we spell that right?).  Hostus Maximus Justin Fort argued the logic of making cars with less content more expensive, and espoused on the coming fall of Elon Musk's government-funded pyramid scheme.

From that point, it devolved into the usual Garage Hour spectacularity: far-ranging conversations about Germans in hotted-up station wagons, the practicality of carbon-fiber wheels, cleaning guns with diesel fuel, what medication is necessary for Miatosis, the shame that is market-engineering cars with genres that only make sense to two people at a time, the Volvette, the new turbo'd 2.3-liter Mustang, and why idiots getting stoned at the Pike's Peak are very economical.

The beer was pouring, with the show graced by Helix Brewing's red, Garage Brewing's Marshmallow Stout and Leiny's Grapefruit Shandy, and there will be a second hour of ale-fueled coverage to follow this episode - stay tuned (because gearhead).

Direct download: HWGH123016h1.m4a
Category:gearhead personality -- posted at: 10:31pm MST

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