The Thing About Cars

Join hosts Mickey, Ben, Dave, and Tim as they chat with Autumn, Associate Curator at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Discover what makes the Peterson one of the world’s most respected car museums, from its legendary lowrider exhibits to the hidden treasures in its vault. Autumn shares behind-the-scenes insights on how exhibits are chosen, the intersection of cars and culture, and why even non-car enthusiasts will find something to love. Plus, don’t miss the trivia showdown: Which car was briefly sold at Sears? Key Topics Discussed: history, industry, and artistryVaultTrivia Time Fun Moments: Peterson-branded socksThing About CarsHome Alone We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

In this lively episode of The Thing About Cars, the gang reunites with Dawn, who unveils her brand-new 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy. She shares her excitement about its retro design, dual sunroofs, Bose speakers, UV phone sanitizer, and even a hidden compartment perfect for valuables (or a shotgun, as the crew jokes). The conversation takes a hilarious turn as they discuss the car’s powerful seat coolers, earning comparisons to Japanese toilets. Meanwhile, Mickey dodges questions about his never-ending car-buying saga, while Misty threatens another rant about driver-assist features. The crew also tackles listener mail, including mysterious blue powder on cars and a frustrating AAA towing experience that left an elderly woman waiting nine hours in the heat. Trivia takes center stage as Tim quizzes the group on Chrysler’s "Safe Hold" feature—spoiler: it’s not hill assist, but an automatic parking brake to prevent rollaways (dubbed the "Anton feature" after a tragic Hollywood incident). Catch all the laughs, rants, and automotive insights in this episode, and stay tuned for upcoming guests and more madness! Highlights: Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn for more chaos and listener Q&A! 🚗💨 We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

In this deeply insightful and inspiring episode of The Thing About Cars, we welcome Dr. Bob McMahan, President of Kettering University—a revolutionary institution turning higher education on its head with a one-of-a-kind co-op model that combines rigorous academics with real-world engineering experience. Mickey, Misty, Ben, and Tim explore how Kettering’s approach creates professionals with not just degrees but patents, leadership roles, and two and a half years of experience before they even graduate. From the school’s roots in Flint, Michigan’s auto industry explosion to its modern-day global partnerships and pioneering programs that uplift underserved youth and inspire young women in STEM, Dr. McMahan pulls back the curtain on a model of education that’s working—and thriving. Also in this episode: Plus: 🎓 Whether you’re a parent, a gearhead, or just someone who believes school should mean more than lectures and letter grades, this episode proves that education doesn’t have to be broken—it can just be reengineered. 📍Learn more at kettering.edu We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

In this hilariously sharp and candid episode of The Thing About Cars, Mickey and the gang unpack some seismic shifts in the world of Formula One. Is Lewis Hamilton really leaving Mercedes for Ferrari? Why did the FIA reject Andretti Global’s bid to become the 11th F1 team—and is there a whiff of politics and anti-American sentiment in the decision? We also check in on Phil the Ballard’s tumultuous love life, Misty rails against Ferrari’s questionable strategies (and perhaps their marinara-fueled pit lane choices), and the gang debates whether better speakers can actually improve your gas mileage. Spoiler: it’s not the speakers—it’s the noise cancellation masking the booms from fuel-saving engine functions. Plus: Buckle up for an episode full of speed, sass, trivia, and the occasional reflective traffic cone heartbreak. 🎧 Brought to you by The Thing About Cars podcast — where the curves are sharp, and the commentary’s sharper. We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

**The TTAC Crew get to talk with Alison Hill, an SCCA participant and instructor, to discuss motorsports, racing, and SCCA events and culture. ** We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

In this chaotic yet charming episode of The Thing About Cars, the gang checks in on everything from F1 drama to baked bean Furby rage. Mickey's trying to push out two episodes a week to catch up the podcast backlog (and avoid being haunted by guests), while Misty brings updates from the Dutch job market and the gridiron of Formula 1—complete with team infighting, rookie surprises, and scandalous rumors worthy of a soap opera. Meanwhile, Tim reports live from Road Atlanta during quiet hour “shush laps,” and Ben introduces a potential guest with a voice smoother than a freshly waxed Lotus. Also: MX-5s crash, F1 Academy penalizes a rising star for taking the checkered flag twice, and Misty experiences a full-on accent-induced meltdown at the hands of Irish and Scottish F1 pundits. Also in this episode: 👀 Plus: What the hell is up with a Furby made of baked beans? 🎙️It’s everything you expect from The Thing About Cars: a little speed, a lot of sarcasm, and more than a few surprises behind the wheel. We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

This episode of The Thing About Cars features Annie Koehler, affectionately known as the "Hot-Rod Granny Annie." Annie shares her incredible journey from owning nearly 100 cars to driving dump trucks professionally, and now competing—and winning—in burnout contests well into her 80s. She tells us about her beloved 1957 Cadillac Series 62 DeVille, now modified with a 540-hp big block engine, and her epic 4,200-mile road trip across the American West. Annie also reflects on how car culture has changed since the 1950s, touching on everything from street racing to modern NASCAR. Looking ahead, Annie is preparing for the Rockabilly Ruckus event in Ohio, where she’ll hit the dirt and drag strips once again. She’s got a full calendar of local events, all while searching for a tire sponsor to keep her burnout dreams alive. Annie’s story proves that passion for cars doesn’t fade with age—in fact, it just gets louder and smokier! We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

Hope has a 1958 Desoto Firesweep that she bought in 2009. We find out what are the joys and troubles of owning a car from a brand that has been defunct for many decades. Hope lets us know where you may have seen her car before, if some of the work that it requires, currently allows it to be driven by Fred Flintstone, and what she's done in its back seat. Ben joins the party a little late as he is suffering from motorcycle lag, but he is able to offer some encouragement and hope to Hope. Our trivia question concerns Porsche's synthetic fuel. We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

We welcome David Kreidler, Senior Exhibits Curator for the Harley-Davidson Museum. Ben takes over for Tim with the trivia question, and our guest has his own trivia question too! We learn all about what goes into creating exhibits that reflect the history of Harley-Davidson and broader related topics as well. David has one of the best jobs around and clearly enjoys it. You'll definitely want to see the Harley-Davidson Museum after you hear this episode! We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

We welcome Tom Glatch to the table to discuss his book about American Motors Corporation, better known as AMC. AMC only lasted 34 years but it's a fascinating story full of interesting engineering accomplishments and business decisions. Nashes and Ramblers and Gremlins, oh my! You'll see AMC in a whole new light. We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

We welcome writer/photographer Tom Glatch, author of Dodge & Plymouth Muscle Cars and Mopar fan since childhood. Mickey thinks his dream-car is in the book. Misty is mourning fallen bollards. Ben confesses driving 100 MPH in his dad's beat-up Plymouth but luckily the statute of limitations has run out, and we even give the K-Car a little love. And if you didn't think that Plymouth Dusters were fun, wait'll you hear what Tim has has for our trivia question! We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

Film-maker Indy Saini joins us to tell us all about her film Women In The Front Seat, which is about a diverse group of women motorcyclists. They're all different, their bikes are different, their styles of riding are different- but they share the common bond of going places on two wheels. More than just a series of profiles, the film explores deeper motives and reasons for women to ride. These riders have embraced the joy of riding and it enhances their lives in amazing ways. It's raining men in Misty's world! Sometimes a Moon Pie is just a Moon Pie. Do you need a pit-crew to answer Tim's trivia question? Listen and find out!We chat with film maker Indy Saini about her multiple award winning movie about female motorcyclists: Women In The Front Seat. We learn about funding, filming and finding people to be in a documentary, as well as what traits the subjects of this film have in common. Our guest explains why her motorcycle is right for her and Misty's long history on motorized two wheel transport. Ben explains what the best riding position is and how it can help Mickey's back issues if he ever learns to ride, while Tim discloses his history of riding poorly. The gang discusses some of the best riding roads in Europe and the southeast US, as well as what to avoid on your journey. Our trivia question concerns the pedigree of NASCAR pit crews and we wonder whether their hips do or don't lie. We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

Our guest Brian Phillips and his uniquely named car tells us how he turned a traffic accident into getting a nicer car with an even more unique name via some friendly dealings with a pre-loved vehicle purveyor. We ponder the longevity of cars with cylinder deactivation. Misty and Tim talk about the peculiar events of the 2023 Las Vegas F1 race; regarding rules, flagging, staffing and scheduling. The gang discusses the city of Atlanta's Erica's law if it could lead to less automotive mayhem on the city's streets. We find out why it is hard to get a Tesla off a freighter in Sweden and why Coffee & Cars in Houston banned Camaros, Mustangs and Chargers (at least temporarily). Our trivia question is about the Solar Car Challenge. And Misty needs a wombat. We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

We're flying without a guest or a plan in this previously un-released vintage episode. Dave is befuddled, Misty is stabby, and Tim is racy! Ben had to miss this one and it's a damn shame because his father worked with the criminally insane and owned a pair of Alfa Romeos, both of which get mentioned in the trivia question. The shopping is fabulous in Tangent-Land! Why are we building more gas stations when EVs are on the rise? Mickey wants to see a doctor while charging an EV. We shame the French for their ham and cheese sammiches. Much rambling but it provides a look into our twisted psyches! We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

We welcome Rebecca Vollman to the table to learn all about her adventures in engineering! It's a fascinating tale based on the idea that life's too short to drive a boring car and she shares a lot of wisdom learned from seeing the automotive industry from the inside. Tim dials 911 for the trivia question. We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

Mickey gets to visit a meeting of the Georgia Automotive Manufacturer's Association (GAMA) and do some live recording on site. It was a wonderful experience. Mickey interviews Gaby Pierre, Strategy Lead and Senior Fellow of GNEM (Georgia Network for Electric Mobility), a think-tank housed at the University of Georgia focused on electric mobility and transportation innovation, research, and economic development around the state and beyond. We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

Dave is surprisingly mellow and Misty wonders why there are bells. Mickey has got a little list. Misty is steamed at Europe's left-lane bandits, and wonders if US drivers are driving plaid. Whose Schwartz is bigger? Dave's singing voice is unequaled! Ben is annoyed at the poor quality of US drivers, Dave clutches his pearls, and Mickey wonders why we need a check engine light and Dave says Mickey is the Susan Lucci of cars. Tim thinks we should all wear GoPros on our foreheads, oh my! Ben feels schadenfreude about the express lane, and knows how he can be obscenely rich with nothing but a red button. Special shout-out to our former panelist Beka in the trivia answers! We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

We welcome motorsports goddess Dystany Spurlock to the table, one of the fastest women on two wheels! She does some cool things on four wheels too, and we really enjoyed the conversation- she's so much fun! Her entusiasm for motorsports is wonderfully contagious, so tune-in and enjoy the ride! Misty isn't moist for once, and Westy fans can rejoice the glorious return to USA. We had lots of fun going around the track for this episode, and no bollards were harmed! We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

We're all in good form as we welcome Paul D'Orleans to the table to discuss all the things that turn his crank. He's into cars and motorcycles but mostly motorcycles, and has become a top-notch impresario for curated content relating to motorcycle history and culture, as well as being a really fun guy to talk with. His love of the subject is undeniably strong and infectious and he'll make you want a vintage motorcycle. If you're looking for endless fascinating rabbit holes of moto-history to explore, Paul's your man and he can tell a lot of great stories. Dave had 35 tabs open after ten minutes! Ben audibly drools over a 1928 Bugatti. Come along for the ride, it's a blast! We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.

Misty is walking like an Egyptian away from Tim's Pharoah joke, and due to a guest who canceled we tackle other topics. We start out serious with the idea of putting anti-impaired driving interlocks in all cars but then we lighten it up with switching gears (not easy in Dawn's Mercedes, apparently), then shift into which country's cars are the most difficult to repair. Tim grew extra elbows to get to some spark plugs, while Ben contrasts the ease of working on different Lotuses. Misty relates it to her sewing machines, and Tim reels us all back in with a trivia question that relates boring industrial theory to cars. We welcome your support via Patreon and your questions and feedback via our website.