Talking About Cars with Randy Kerdoon

TAC 141 – Ant spills the beans on…. and over 300 mph & she’s still not as fast as Mom!

Posted on April 20, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371April 20, 2019

“Ant” Anstead of “Wheeler Dealers”, host Randy Kerdoon, and race car, stunt car driver Tegan Hammond

(04-20-2019) – There was a commercial shown during the 2018 Christmas season about some guy who woke up as a kid looking outside to see if he ever got a car from Santa Claus. Then finally, as an adult, he bypassed that same window, a Mercedes with a big red bow on it was sitting there with his all knowing wife smiling with the kids. Ant Anstead, the co-star (or “presenter” as it’s called in his native UK), of the international TV powerhouse “Wheeler Dealers” didn’t quite wake up looking out the window on his birthday but he found THIS on his driveway

“Ant” Anstead’s birthday present from his wife Christina (courtesy Ant’s Twitter page)

There is quite the story behind that gift from his new wife Christina (formerly El Moussa from HGTV’s “Flip or Flop”), and I caught up with Ant at the recent Benedict Castle Charity car show in Riverside, CA. where he described the entire sequence for us. PLUS, Ant talks about his involvement in Christina’s new HGTV show which will be airing soon, and he gives us an EXCLUSIVE of sorts on his own new TV car show that will air on Motor Trend in the future, (but wait, there’s more) and a peek into Mike Brewer’s new show that will be shot back in the UK during WD’s hiatus!

Randy Kerdoon, stunt driver Tegan Hammond, Bob Beck (Great American Auto Scene, GAAS)

Also on TAC 140, we talk with Tegan Hammond, who looks like a model, drives like a demon, and is an up and coming stunt driver who performs with surgical accuracy! We caught up with Hammond at the Classic Auto Show at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, CA. She has some great stories about her driving over 300 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, yet still is slower than her mother, her stunt stints on the CBS Show Magnum PI, and what she studied in school that has nothing to do with cars! BTW, that first picture above with her in a car with a red interior is my own 64 Dodge Polara!! It’s a fun way to spend time listening to cool car stories!

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TAC 139 – Two men not named Shelby who elevated the Cobra!

Posted on April 14, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371April 14, 2019

Bob Beck, Peter Brock, and Randy Kerdoon

(04-14-2019) – Earlier this year at the “Dr. George” Charity car show at Indian Wells, Bob Beck (GAAS, Great American Auto Scene) host and I held interview sessions with some pretty cool car guys. Our Buddy John Kraman of Mecum Auctions, is always a great guest, and like the 2018 show, both Peter Brock and Allen Grant joined us. For those not sure of who Peter and Allen are, they are two kingpins in the world of car design and performance.

Both Brock and Grant worked with Carroll Shelby in the early days of the car company, in fact Brock and Grant shared an office. They told some great behind the scenes stories about their entrance into the automotive world, and how Brock “talked himself” into getting accepted in the honored Pasadena Art Center of Design, out of high school!!

Brock also worked on the GTO program at Pontiac and the Corvette program at Chevy in the 1960s. Don’t forget, Please LISTEN below, LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and GIVE US A REVIEW ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@talknaboutcars)!

A new season of “Wheeler Dealers” begins in the US on the Motor Trend Network. This Thursday in TAC 140, Ant Anstead gives a first hand account of finding his birthday present this year, and he and Mike Brewer have planned!

TAC 138 – from 280 Z’s to Celicas, from Hondas to Hinos!!

Posted on April 6, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371April 6, 2019

Co-host “Hot Rod” Bob Beck (GAAS), Mauricio Rosales (JDM Legends), “Big Mike” (SEMA builder), host Randy Kerdoon (Talking About Cars)

(04-06-2019) – From the “Talking About Cars” and “Great American Auto Scene” or “GAAS” booth at the Classic Auto Show, comes this edition of TAC as once again I was joined by Hot Rod Bob Beck for some great conversations with auto personalities. With our guests we talked about a subject we rarely talk about, the collector car hobby for Japanese vehicles and the TV show “JDM Legends!”

“Big Mike” (he doesn’t like using his last name) has been part of SEMA’s “Battle of the Builders” and is known to write stories on cars for automotive publications. Mauricio Rosales, a painter on “Legends”, was watching our Facebook LIVE interview with Mike when we dragged him into the booth. What followed was a fun and informative discussion about the Japanese custom car market, and how both Mike and Mauricio rose to their current status, and what cars they both grew up with!

With Custom Car Designer Rick Dore (photo by Richard Morey)

This past week has been a bit crazy with news about the car shows you watch on TV. Big changes involving hosts at Motor Trend TV’s Garage Squad, and a real health scare following last year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas for expert car designer Rick Dore. My interview with Rick and the news about who’s in and who’s out at Garage Squad lead off Talking About Cars #138. (There was bigger news that broke right after the podcast was uploaded on Thursday involving “All Girls Garage”…..

TAC host Randy Kerdoon with former All Girls Garage star Rachel DeBarros (Photo by Julian White)

….that Rachel DeBarros was leaving the show after four seasons. PLUS we might break some news about the hosts of “Wheeler Dealers” in TAC 139 which uploads on Thursday, April 11th, so watch for it on Radio.com, KNX1070.com, iTunes and Apple Podcasts….and of course here!)

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TAC 137 – LeMans vs LaLaw & “Abby Perkins” stories

Posted on March 30, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371April 6, 2019

(03-30-2019) – Let’s turn the “wayback machine” to the mid 80s and a TV show that made us forget all about “Perry Mason.” “LA Law” on NBC was a multi-story filled 60 minutes (including commercials) with attractive lawyers solving big cases while dealing with “first world” problems outside the courtroom. Things like, someone dented their Beamer, or I can’t believe my massage therapist is double booked, or two female lawyers having a kiss on the lips for the first time in over the air television.

Michele Greene as Abby Perkins on LA Law

Thanks to David and Ester at “the Hollywood Show” I caught up with Michele Greene at one of their recent events in Los Angeles. I was actually walking by her when she saw me carrying my microphone with TAC mic flag on it and a recorder and asked who I was interviewing. I explained the podcast and how “Everybody has a Car Story”, and her eyes grew big and she said she loved cars! Next thing I knew, I was getting some great car stories from Michele about her fickle, and not so fickle moments growing up a car person in Southern California!

Sebastian Bourdais is a veteran, winning race car driver who will be inducted into the Long Beach, California Motorsports Walk of Fame in mid-April 2019 along with fellow driver Will Power. He was literally born to drive at LeMans (pronounced “Le-MAW” as opposed to the Pontiac pronounciation of “Le-MAHNS”). Bourdais was actually BORN in LeMans, France. Kinda like I was born in Hollywood, and worked at KFWB and KNX radio there (until both moved to the Miracle Mile in the 2000s). We discuss his induction, as well as what else LeMans is known for besides racing!

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TAC 136 -Top Gun, T-Birds & Tanya Tucker

Posted on March 23, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371March 23, 2019

(03-22-2019) – Stories about those in the CHP or California Highway Patrol, go back to the Broderick Crawford days with uniformed officers driving mid 50s Buicks, although how those officers transported bad guys in the back of 2 door cars is beyond me. Soon, Dragnet, Adam-12 and other shows arrived on the scene. Then around 1978, “CHiPs” arrived.

It was “the Lone Ranger” on wheels, minus the star and his sidekick angle. The team concept was in full effect. Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada were “Baker and Ponch”, two CHP motorcycle officers cruising LA’s nearly vacant freeways (they did a lot of shooting on the 118 freeway before it was actually opened for use).

Randy and Larry Wilcox at the Hollywood Show 2019

Also on the show, Robert Pine (Chris Pine’s dad for those of you who were born in the 90s and beyond) and Lou Wagner, who was the quirky guy in the CHP garage who wore a lab coat to fix cars while adding gadgets that reminded you of James Bond’s Q character.

Lou Wagner and Randy at the Hollywood Show 2019

Lou also was one of the apes in the original “Planet of the Apes” movies with Charlton Heston and Linda Harrison. At a recent “Hollywood Show” at the Westin LAX, not only were Larry, Lou and Erik there, but so were some big time fans of the show, talking with their faves and getting autographs. While Erik was surrounded by mobs of people, I caught up with both Larry and Lou in a down moment. Larry talked about time racing all sorts of vehicles, the time he lost to country singer Tanya Tucker, set 8 land speed records at Bonneville, (but not IN a Bonneville), and his “Top Gun” adventures (this guy likes to fly!). Lou and his wife Deborah (who I worked with some 20 years ago at LA’s KFWB radio when it was “News 98”) were looking great, and Lou talked about the one car from his past he doesn’t need to get back….because HE STILL HAS IT!

Enjoy Talking About Cars #136, and remember, please LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE (it’s free), LIKE, SHARE/RETWEET, and COMMENT! Also remember we are now a WEEKLY podcast!! Let me know who you would like to their on future shows!

Thanks again to David Elkouby and his wife Ester of the Hollywood Show for their help with this episode.

TAC 135 – Nerds, Playmates & NASCAR

Posted on March 16, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371March 16, 2019

(03-15-2019) – Another “Hollywood Show” meant another trip to some cool car stories from stars we know from movies, TV shows and magazines. Then to top it off, we added an extra interviewee, a driver from NASCAR!

Actor and former race car driver Robert Carradine

Robert Carradine comes from a long line of Carradines in the acting biz. Older brothers David and Keith Carradine, and his dad, John Carradine, were well known for their presence on the movie and TV screens. Robert showed his comedic chops in the role he’s best known for, “Lewis Skolnick” in 1980s “Revenge of the Nerds” movies. Not many knew that Robert was also a race car driver! He explains his passion for fast cars, and why he doesn’t race anymore in TAC #135

In the middle : 2013 Playboy Playmate of the Year, Raquel Pomplun

Born in San Diego, Raquel Pomplun had the unfortunate timing to be the first Playmate of the Year NOT to be given a fancy set of wheels to call her own. Sure, Pomplun did eventually get a Jaguar “F” Type to call her own, on a one year lease. Well, as she explains below, she still had a lot of fun with it.

Toyota Camry NASCAR driver Matt DiBenedetto

Matt DiBenedetto continues to climb up the NASCAR charts. About to run in his 6th Auto Club 400 race in Fontana, CA., Matt outlines the unorthodox ways he obtained sponsorship money so he could still ride in races, and what the key is for him to do well on Sunday, March 18th!!

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TAC #134 – Mrs. Claus, Harley Trikes, the $55,000 Fury & the $2,000 Olds Diesel

Posted on March 5, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371March 5, 2019

(03-05-2019) – Another Barrett-Jackson auction on Scottsdale has come and gone, and after time for reflection, we caught up with some fun storylines!

We found our Canadian pal Scott Newstead’s (Cold War Motors) favorite ride (not his car, but he loves those ‘60 Plymouths) a car that the builder did his best “Let’s Make a Deal” to acquire and eventually build, and it sold for some decent money! Of course, we also caught up with a man from Minnesota who brought down his 1978 Olds Diesel who hoped to buy another car with the money he made auctioning his car, but could only afford a Matchbox version!

Electric Bikes with a not so electric trailer

We also caught up on the latest in electric bike transportation, and how to turn your Harley Davidson softtail into a trike or quad!!

Then some real fun, catching up with Dodge’s new “Mrs. Claus”, “All Girls Garage” co-host and Barrett-Jackson car reporter Cristy Lee!! I hadn’t had a chance to chat with her since 2015’s SEMA show, (check out the interview on our TAC Soundcloud page). Join myself and “Hot Rod” Bob Beck as Cristy gives us the latest on what she can tell us about her future, and of course, Bob and I then try to guess what she’s hiding!

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TAC 133 – Women with a wrench, why should men have all the fun?

Posted on February 15, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371February 15, 2019

Randy and Bob Beck are joined by 4 women (and one 8 year old daughter) who worked on the 57 Chevy Montage build.

(02-15-2019) – “All Girls Garage” co-star Bogi Lateiner has always supported women’s rights, especially in the garage. She knew there were many women who wanted to get into the automotive industry like she did, and not just as service writers, but as the people who “wrenched” on the cars, or welded, or molded metal. So, Bogi got her hands on a 1957 Chevy Pickup, and put out invitations for a “women only” crew to build the truck.

Bogi and her crew move the 57 Chevy into the garage

By the time the “Montage” build was completed, over 90 women (and one 8 year old daughter of one of the crew members) toiled on the car which is a work of art, plus it had a BMW engine!

Now Bogi is working on her second build. Listen as she announces what the car will be, and hear the 8 year old welder, Bogi’s parents and the woman who had stage 3 cancer who says doctors cured her, but the women on the build “saved her”. Please subscribe and enjoy podcast #133.

TAC 132 – Rebuilding after 71 vehicles burn in Malibu!

Posted on February 3, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371February 3, 2019

(02-03-2019)- Proof that life can change….just like that. One day Malibu residents Gary and Denise Cerveny had 30 cars and 41 assorted motorcycles, and other vehicles stored in a building on their property……

Cars like a Hudson Italia, a Chrysler Woodie Wagon, a bathtub Nash, and a Studebaker-El Camino like custom. Candy Apple reds, faded yellows, pale greens and more. When they returned from a trip to the mid-west to see family, it was gone. All of it….gone

You never expect something like this to happen. In fact, insurance companies thought there was no way something like this could happen on their property because of all the precautions the stunt co-ordinator and his wife took to make sure it would NEVER happen.

But it did. Bob and I caught up with the Cervenys at their sparsely stocked rental home in Thousand Oaks. Very little furniture (their entire house burned as well) , but they were upbeat and with the help of their insurance companies rebuild their home and their automotive collection. LISTEN below to their story, from the unique rides in their former storage building located at their Malibu home, to their reaction to finding out about the fire, to dealing with the loss and the first car they’ve started the replacement process with. ALSO, when you listen, please SUBSCRIBE, SHARE on social media, COMMENT on what you think about the podcast!!

Since we met with Gary and Denise, they say their collection is now up to 3 cars…adding a Ferrari 308 and a Rolls. They plan to rent a storage facility to house those cars and their future purchases.

TAC 131 – Talking Monster Trucks with the “Grave Digger” Family.

Posted on January 19, 2019 by talkingaboutcars23371January 19, 2019

Randy Kerdoon joins Ryan and Adam Anderson at SEMA in Las Vegas in 2018.

(01-18-2019) – Monster Trucks. You’ve seen them in commercials touting a local event where your stadium has been filled with piles of dirt and driven on by screaming machines shooting flames with tires taller than some NBA players. And the biggest, most iconic Monster Truck of them all is….”Grave Digger”.

While at SEMA in Las Vegas in November I was running around (as I usually do), looking for great interviews when I came across Monster Truck royalty. The Anderson family. The sons and daughter of Grave Digger builder Dennis Anderson; Ryan, Adam and Krysten. While Kirsten had to tend to commitments with a sponsor, I was able to get Ryan and Adam for a podcast interview, and in effect a mini press conference when some fans started watching and listening to the interview and as you will hear, asked questions and shared their own childrens excitement that Dad was actually talking with the drivers of “Grave Digger!”

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