To All The Cars I've Loved Before: Car Stories & Classic Car History

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!How does a kid who learned about cars by watching Top Gear become a Mazda Motorsports factory club racer in less than four years? Today, we sit down with 21-year-old race car driver Joey Andrews, known across the internet as "The Stiglette," to talk about his journey from indoor karting to taking on the nation's top young drivers in the Spec MX-5 series.In this episode of To All The Cars I've Loved Before, Joey takes us through his rapid ascent in the motorsport world and shares his earliest automotive memory: riding to preschool in his mom's ocean blue 1999 Porsche Boxster—a car she still owns and drives 26 years later! We also dive into the quirks of daily driving his very first car, which happens to be an ultra-rare, manual 2009 Volvo C30 T5 R-Design. Joey's Volvo currently holds the unofficial record as the third highest-mileage C30 in the world with a staggering 267,000 miles. Plus, we discuss his ultimate dream car (the futuristic Porsche 918 Spyder), what makes the Petersen Automotive Museum a hub for Los Angeles car culture, and how he is working with the FAT Karting League to make competitive motorsports more accessible.Connect with Joey "The Stiglette" Andrews:Follow Joey: Find him on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook @TheStiglette, or visit his website at https://thestiglette.comAccessible Racing: Learn more about the arrive-and-drive karting programs at the FAT Karting League https://fat-kartingleague.com/Connect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!SEMA Honda Prelude swaps and twin-turbo manual Murcielago builds. Join Doug for an automotive nostalgia journey with Evan Beckerman, co-founder and COO of Throtl. We skip corporate marketing talk to go behind the scenes of Throtl’s headline SEMA project cars, wild engine swaps, and the garage wrenching sessions that built a global automotive media powerhouse.   What happens when a 15-year-old pizza chef buys a manual sports coupe before he even has a driver’s license? For Evan, taking a wrench to a black 1995 Honda Prelude VTEC sparked a hands-on obsession with project car culture that eventually grew into one of the biggest names in the aftermarket space. In this episode, Evan shares the lessons learned from late-night driveway builds and explains what pushed Throtl to tackle its boldest high-stakes projects yet.   From the mechanical audacity of grafting a 6-speed manual Civic Type R (FL5) powertrain into the new Honda Prelude to the trial-and-error of twin-turbocharging a gated manual Lamborghini Murcielago, Evan breaks down what it really takes to build showstoppers for SEMA’s Central Hall. We also dig into the $2,000 roadside rescue that turned into a forever BMW E36 M3, the unexpected headaches of supercar ownership, and the mechanical marvel that once allowed a modest Japanese coupe to out-slalom European exotics.   In this episode, we cover several car stories:🛠️ The SEMA Prelude Secret: Why Throtl took on the challenge of swapping an FL5 Civic Type R powertrain and manual transmission into the revived Prelude.   🏎️ Twin-Turbo Murcielago: The ambition behind rebuilding a wrecked Lamborghini with a gated manual conversion for SEMA.   🏁 The $2,000 E36 M3 Rescue: How an abandoned BMW found on the side of the road became a 500-wheel-horsepower keeper that will never leave his garage.   💥 First Car Drag Strips: Learning clutch control on the fly, stripping interior weight, and chasing speed in a 1995 Honda Prelude VTEC.   🐂 Supercars vs. Daily Reality: The difference between navigating the mechanical anxieties of a basket-case Ferrari and experiencing the raw drama of an Aventador SV.   🧠 Automotive Trivia: The revolutionary 1987 engineering marvel that made the Honda Prelude handle better than a Porsche 911 or Corvette on the slalom.   Connect with Evan Beckerman & Throtl:🌐 Website: throtl.com and Idemitsu Lubricants📸 Social Media & YouTube: @throtlConnect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!What happens when you score a free classic Porsche engine out of a stranger's basement and keep a vintage car build hidden from your family for an entire year? You get the ultimate 50th birthday present. Today, we sit down with Vu Nguyen, the Executive Director of the Porsche Club of America (PCA), to talk about his incredible automotive journey and what it takes to help lead an organization of 170,000 passionate members.In this episode of To All The Cars I've Loved Before, Vu takes us through a lot of car stories including the wild tale of finding a 1956 Porsche 356A chassis to match a free 1600S motor—only to discover the car was actually a highly coveted numbers-matching chassis.We also dive into his first car memories, including lowering a gold 1986 Pontiac Fiero SE ("Nugget") and preserving a rare 1992 Fox Body Ford Mustang GT that he bought new and turned into a 12-second quarter-mile time capsule. Plus, we debate the real value of "numbers-matching" classics, why his ultimate dream car is actually a 1964 Chevy Impala on air ride, and the forgotten history of Porsche secretly designing a car for Studebaker.This episode is brought to you by Car Curious! Sync your listening experience with real-time specs, photos, and the history of the cars we discuss. Test drive the free audio player at carsloved.com/listen or get the app at getcarcurious.com/app.Connect with Vu & The Porsche Club of America:Join the Club: Visit the Porsche Club of America (PCA) at https://pca.org to unlock member resources, Porsche Panorama magazine, and local events.Connect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!What happens when you bake the Toyota Altezza headlights of a 2001 Lexus IS300 in your mother's kitchen oven? You get the origin story of an automotive journalist. Today, Amanda Cline (Amanda Reviews Cars) stops by to talk 90s JDM legends, reviewing the 1,025-HP Rivian R1T, testing cup holders with an expired can of beans, and why the ultra-rare 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo II is her ultimate unicorn.This episode is sponsored by Car Curious! Sync your listening experience with real-time specs, photos, and history. Test drive the free audio player at carsloved.com/listen or get the app at getcarcurious.com/app.Follow Amanda: amandareviewscars.com | @amandareviewscars Support Community Cats: Bonita CatsOur 90+ Episode Archive: linktr.ee/carslovedConnect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!How does a professional NASCAR driver go from pushing limits at 200 miles per hour to teaching the next generation how to parallel park?In this episode of To All The Cars I've Loved Before, host Doug sits down with Brad Coleman, a former NASCAR driver and the current owner and CEO of SafeWay Driving. Brad shares his incredible full-circle journey, starting with his teenage years when he was simultaneously racing Formula Renault 1600 cars while getting humbled in a SafeWay Driver's Ed parking lot lesson. He breaks down the exact moment he received a life-changing call from Joe Gibbs Racing to skip college and drive the #18 car in the Busch Series, and how testing driving simulators with high schoolers sparked his passion for teaching street safety.Beyond the track, Brad takes us through his wild personal car history. We discuss falling in love with a neighbor's 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi at 14 years old, surviving 4 hours stranded inside a flooded Audi S4 during the Houston Memorial Day flood, and fearing for his life in a Ford Taurus rental car with Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell! We also dive into his recent switch to EVs, comparing the ride quality of BMW M cars to his Tesla Model Y Performance.Connect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!In this episode, Doug and Dave are getting a little grease under their nails with Matthew Valbuena, a Project Manager for Mazda's North American Operations R&D division. Matthew oversees the development of Mazda's in-vehicle technologies and human interfaces, balancing the demand for cutting-edge connectivity with Mazda’s core "driving first" philosophy.Matthew takes us on an incredible automotive journey, starting with his first vehicle: a lowered 1994 Toyota Pickup complete with a $163 monthly payment and a Nintendo 64 in the glovebox. We dive into the heavy-bass nostalgia of 90s car audio, carrying around $1,500 worth of CDs in Case Logic wallets[cite: 1], and the era of Fast & Furious tuner culture.But the most fascinating part of Matthew's story is how his upbringing shapes the cars we drive today. Growing up with deaf parents, his first language was American Sign Language (ASL). He shares how this visual-first perspective perfectly suited him for a career in UI/UX design. You will learn why gesture controls are a nightmare for the deaf community, why every dashboard beep must have a visual cue, and how he used to install 1500-watt subwoofers in his dad’s Benz so he could physically feel the music.Don't miss Matthew's favorite episode with Jon from Mazda USA: https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/16805989Plus, stick around for our Mazda trivia question: What surprisingly unrelated product did Mazda manufacture when it was founded in 1920?Learn more about Mazda:Explore their latest tech at www.mazdausa.comFollow @MazdaUSA on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and YouTubeConnect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!How do you go from driving a homemade go-kart built out of lawnmower parts to piloting a 1996 Lola IndyCar originally driven by Eddie Lawson and Davy Jones?In this episode of To All The Cars I've Loved Before, Doug sits down with IndyCar driver and speaker Mianna Wick.Mianna shares her unique journey into motorsports, starting at age 10 on a custom backyard dirt track paved by her dad, and moving up through the ranks of Formula Ford and Formula Mazda.Don't miss Mianna's favorite episode with Ethan, Network Engineer extraordinaire https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/19011189We dive deep into the world of open-wheel racing as Mianna breaks down the differences between F1 and IndyCar, explains why her vintage '96 Lola actually has a higher power-to-weight ratio than modern IndyCars, and discusses the challenges of racing a naturally aspirated beast with no telemetry or driver aids. Mianna also shares the deeply personal story of her temporary retirement from the sport, how her faith guided her unexpected return, and the single greatest lesson her legendary crew chief taught her about championship team culture.🔗 Follow Mianna Wick:Website: https://www.miannawickracing.comConnect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!How do you go from buying a broken-down $3,000 Porsche 944 to owning hundreds of air-cooled 911s and flipping some of the rarest vehicles in the world?This week, Doug goes solo to sit down with Bill Patel, an automotive broker and Porsche collector who has been living the gearhead dream for nearly 25 years. From spotting Alois Ruf's personal 1984 RUF Turbo at a random Chicago dealership to preserving a 1-of-20 IMSA homologation 1992 Porsche 964 Turbo S2, Bill’s deep archives of car knowledge have led to some of the most incredible vehicle discoveries we’ve ever heard on the show.In this episode, we cover:The 1-of-20 Unicorn: The history of the 1992 Porsche 964 Turbo S2 and how ANDIAL modified 20 street-legal versions for IMSA racing.The Ultimate Flip: How an old AutoWeek magazine helped Bill identify and buy Alois Ruf's personal RUF Turbo for $65,000 and flip it weeks later for $145,000.The Widowmaker: Why the 930 Turbo remains Bill's all-time favorite car, and his quest to own every single model year.Porsche Market Secrets: Why manual 981 Boxster GTSs and 997.2s are the ultimate modern classics, and why the 996 is the best budget buy right now.Dangerous Rides: Surviving the unpredictable Dodge Viper GTS and the heartbreak of wrecking a 930 just 15 minutes after buying it.Don't miss Bill's favorite episode with Brad Phillips on The Great Race, Ferraris, and Vintage Porsches: https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/19238276Plus, Bill shares his humble beginnings learning to drive stick in a Chevy S10 Blazer and surviving a wrecked Toyota pickup, as well as his family's incredible dedication to supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.If you love air-cooled lore, the thrill of the automotive hunt, and the unfiltered reality of car flipping, this episode is an absolute must-listen!Connect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!From surviving a scary collision in a massive Toyota Land Cruiser as a teenager to swapping out suspension springs on a 7,500-lb INEOS Grenadier in her driveway, Anastasia Kim Carpenter proves that taking the path less traveled is always the best route!In this episode of To All The Cars I've Loved Before, Doug sits down with Anastasia—founder of the Women's INEOS Grenadier Club—to talk about the rapidly growing world of overlanding, off-roading, and female empowerment in the automotive space. Anastasia shares incredible stories from her youth balancing Vaganova ballet with driving rugged 4x4s, explains the fascinating origins of the INEOS Grenadier, and breaks down the real challenges (and massive rewards!) of being an early adopter of a brand-new, highly capable off-road vehicle.Don't miss Anastasia's favorite episode with superstar father-daughter duo, Dane and Riley from Riley's Rebuilds - https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/18447947If you love tales from the trail, hands-on wrenching, and the magic of sitting around a campfire after a long day of wheeling, this episode is for you!In this episode, we cover:🚙 The Land Cruiser Days: Anastasia’s teenage years behind the wheel of big, burly Toyota Land Cruisers—including a white 5th-gen, a blue one that saved her in a scary collision, and a River Rock Green Mica 6th-gen! 🩰 Ballet Meets 4x4s: The hilarious contrast of driving a massive 4x4 to a Nutcracker rehearsal as a ballerina. 🔧 The INEOS Grenadier: Why she fell in love with the utilitarian, ladder-frame INEOS Grenadier (Trial Master edition) and how she tackles complex DIY mods like installing Eibach springs. 💪 Women in Motorsport: The inspiring story behind founding the Women's INEOS Grenadier Club to empower female off-roaders to take control in the garage and on the trail. 🍻 Trivia Time: Find out exactly where INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe first sketched the concept for the Grenadier! Connect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!What is the difference between engineering vehicles at a 100-year-old legacy automaker versus a high-speed EV startup?In this episode of To All The Cars I've Loved Before, host Doug sits down with former Ford and Rivian engineering manager turned real estate founder, John Gravelyn. From fixing his own beaters out of pure pragmatism as a teenager to working in top-secret prototype shops, John shares an incredible insider look at how modern vehicles get built—and the hilarious personal car stories along the way.What We Cover in This Episode:First Car & Pure Freedom: The 300+ horsepower 1997 Cadillac STS gift from his grandfather, keeping it waxed, and the terrifying moment he tested its top speed at 115 MPH only to discover aerodynamic lift!The Practical Ranger: How a basic 1998 Ford Ranger 5-speed manual launched his teenage lawn care business and taught him hands-on repair skills.Worst Car & Commute Nightmare: Losing his clutch in a Mercury Milan on I-94 during a 1.5-hour Detroit rush-hour commute, stalling 20 times, and trading it in for $300.Inside Ford's Prototype Shop: Working on top-secret builds like the Bronco in a historic 1950s Lincoln shop, plus testing Mustang Mach-E range in the emissions lab during COVID.The Rivian EV Shift: The stark culture contrast between Ford's established systems and Rivian’s fast-paced, "bootstrapped" prototype environment where custom parts were needed instantly.The Future of Auto Techs & AI: Invaluable advice for the next generation of technicians on using problem-solving frameworks and AI tools to diagnose complex modern vehicles.Dream Cars & First Principles: Why John’s ultimate dream car is a mid-70s Lincoln Continental Mark IV, and how he now uses an engineering mindset to help analytical professionals with real estate at First Principles Partners.Connect with Our Guest:First Principles Partners: thefppartners.comConnect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: carsloved.comPodcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur.Feedspot selected us as their Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveRemember, every car tells a story. What’s yours? Love the show? Please follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐