Motor Market January 2025

M A R K E T JANUARY 2025

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QUALITY From the Inside Out

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27096 Kerslake Place Tea, SD 57064

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show us your ride

Coun ts Car Show

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American Ar t Inspira tion

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Best Deal on the Block The engine block has many duties that are crucial to the correct running of an engine. The block is designed to harness cylinder combustion, stabilize the crankshaft rotation, guide the pistons, help provide ring seal, distribute critical engine oiling, cool the engine from the high combustion temperatures, and in some blocks house and stabilize camshaft dynamics, just to name a few.

From this point, the deck heights are measured from front to back. The factory deck heights have sometimes been found to be more than .020” off, and this would affect the compression ratio from end to end and side to side. To correct this condition the block is dialed on the main bore and machined to equal, parallel, and squaring of the deck.

M A R K E T

TABLE OF CONTENTS 6

COUNTS CAR SHOW

30 PREPARING FOR WINTER DRIVING

Celebra tes 25 Years of the Coolest Cars, Bikes

Safe Win ter Driving Tips With graham tire

16 ENGINE BUILDING IN TODAY'S REALITY

36 AMERICAN ART INSPIRATION

with SEHR PERFORMANCE MACHINE

with BOB SCHMEICHEL

24 SHOW US YOUR RIDE with Greg Van Zan ten

THE PIT CREW & OUR CONTRIBUTORS THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES AND ON THE STREETS

CHRIS

Account Executive

KEVIN

Regional Market Manager/GSM

JILL

Account Executive

AARON Graphic Designer

HEATHER Editor

CORY

Director of Digital Marketing

HANNA

Chief of Operations

Michels Communications Corporation

PUBLISHER

The Motor Market is the area’s source for motor enthusiasts. The Motor Market is published monthly.

We encourage all readers to submit articles. All articles are subject to publisher’s editing and approval.

ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS

PO Box 91606, Sioux Falls, SD 57109 • 605-332-0421 • admin@michelscom.com

Tanya Manus, Bob Schmeichel, Sarah Grassel, Russ Evans, CJ Yushta Photography, and Scott Sehr

ISSUE

Volume 17 • Issue 5

MOTOR MARKET

Write or call if you would like to subscribe to The Motor Market. A one year subscription is $40.00 ©Copyright 2025 Michels Communications Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the expressed written permission of Michels Communications Corporation.

Motor Market does not necessarily endorse or agree with content of articles or advertising presented.

Counts Car Show Celebrates 25 Years of the Coolest Cars and Bikes

By Tanya Manus • Photos courtesy of CJ Yushta Photography The Counts of the Cobblestone Car Club is hoping for its biggest, best event yet when the club hosts its 25th annual Counts’ Indoor Car & Cycle Show.

To enter and for more information, go to countscarclub.com, email countscarshow@hotmail.com, or contact Tommy at 605484-9586.

Cool classic cars, amazing hot rods, motorcycles — and new this year, a display of engines — is all part of the car show that’s become a popular winter tradition in South Dakota and beyond.

Every year, the car show adds more vehicles and events to appeal to all ages. The 2024 show had 301 entries and attracted nearly 7,000 visitors. The cars, hot rods and motorcycles will be back and in addition to a display of engines, Tommy said a semi-truck could be part of the 2025 show.

The 25th annual Counts’ Indoor Car & Cycle Show will be Friday, Feb. 21, Saturday, Feb. 22, and Sunday, Feb. 23 at The Monument in Rapid City. Hours are 5 to 9p.m. Feb. 21, 9a.m. to 9p.m. Feb. 22 and 9a.m. to 3p.m. Feb. 23. Tickets are $15 for ages 13 and older, and $8 for kids 12 and younger. Every ticket grants admission for the entire weekend. Discounts are available for military, police and emergency medical technicians.

The vehicle entry fee in the Counts Car Show is $50, and entries will be accepted until Feb. 20, according to Tommy Relf, car show chairman and Counts Car Club vice president.

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“The show is open to anything and everything,” Tommy explains. “We‘re just trying to update it and get it to be more than a car show. We’re trying to make this more of an all-ages event where a family can come on down and have a good time.”

After 25 years, the car show is a reunion of people who want to see the vehicles and rekindle old friendships.

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“It’s about meeting the people with the cars. For some people, this is the only one time of year we get to talk with them,” Tommy adds. “We look forward to seeing all the old faces and hearing what’s been going on and what’s new. Sometimes there’s some pretty good stories to go along with the cars.”

The Indoor Car & Cycle Show revs up with a sock hop, pin-up and dance contests from 6 to 9p.m. Feb. 21. Dance to 1950s music by The Atomic Drifters, Denver’s premier rockabilly band.

The band also will perform from 2 to 4p.m. on Feb. 22.

The car show will have plenty of activities throughout the weekend for kids and kids at heart, including a Hot Wheels drag strip. “I think if you want to play with Hot Wheels, you’re considered a kid,” Tommy chuckles.

Valve cover races are returning this year for DIY car builders.

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“You take a valve cover off an engine and build a car out of that. … It’s a valve cover off a V8 engine. You modify it and put wheels on it and there’s rules they have to follow,” Tommy shares.

“Anybody can come and enter those as long as they bring their own valve car.”

Visitors can vote for their favorite vehicle to win the People’s Choice trophy. Awards will be presented at 7p.m. Feb. 22.

Throughout the weekend, there’s plenty of shopping at a wide variety of vendor booths.

“We have all kinds of vendors, not even all car or motorcycle related vendors sometimes. We have people selling all kinds of stuff,” Tommy adds.

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Every year, there seems to be a vehicle at the show that makes Tommy say, “I’ve never seen that before!”

A Grabber Blue 1965 Chevrolet Impala promises to be just one of this year’s showstoppers.

The car is a two-time International Show Car Association championship finalist, and its owner, John Bodsberg, has taken the Impala to ISCA shows throughout the United States and in Canada.

“I run the indoor ISCA circuit,” John says. “When I got the car done, I was taking it every weekend.

I’d hit a show Friday, Saturday, Sunday. … Last year I did four shows and the year before I did seven shows.”

This will be John’s first time at the Counts’ Indoor Car & Cycle Show.

John, who hails from Harris, Minn., says he found the Impala on Craigslist in Wisconsin in 2017. The two-door car has a full frame restoration, a custom interior, custom chrome wheels and a color typically seen on Ford Mustangs. Though John said he’s not a Ford guy, he liked the vivid Grabber Blue.

John has been a mechanic since his teens, and he did much of the restoration work himself on the Impala, outsourcing the paint, interior restoration and body work.

“I always tinkered with car stuff pretty much,” adds John, who also has a 1941 Chevy and another 1965 Chevy awaiting restoration.

When he’s not showing the Impala, he likes to drive it just for fun on the weekends and give his wife and kids rides in it.

In 2025, John plans to show the Impala at ISCA shows in the western and southern United States.

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Though the Counts’ Indoor Car & Cycle Show is known for bringing remarkable vehicles like the 1965 Chevrolet Impala to the Black Hills, the show exists to give back to the community that has shown it so much support for 25 years.

In 2024, Tommy said the Counts Car Show was able to donate $17,000 to local charities and in 2025, he hopes the 25th anniversary show will top that. Follow Counts Car Club on Facebook for updates about the show.

Counts Car & Cycle Show 2025 Friday, February 21, 2025 to Sunday, February 23, 2025 The Monument, 444 N Mt Rushmore Rd Rapid City, SD JA N U A RY 2 0 2 5

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Engine Building ̦ in Today s Reality

Engine building has gone through many different changes throughout the years. Engine design, process changes, hard part choices, equipment changes, and updated precision machining requirements are just some of the radically changed aspects of engine building in the past years. Even our machining industry has changed in the recent years. Some shops are choosing to specialize in one or two specific engine profiles, some are widening their service reach, and some are selling off equipment to downsize. Many machine shops are closing their doors or retiring from business, and that has left fewer machine shops to choose from to service the need. Adding to the changes, our engine part supply chain has also taken a hard hit in the last couple years. It

goes really deep, and this is one of the largest and most cumbersome of the changes recently.

Today we are dealing with an increased service load with decreased engine part availability and uncertain quality control measures which requires more time to search and find available parts for the project. When we do find the correct part, we spend extra time acting as Quality Control by double checking measurements, fitment, strength, straightness, etc. This has given us a challenge that we haven’t dealt with before and we are navigating this constant change the best we can.

All part manufactures are doing the best they can with the demand, but there are many aspects to overcome. On top of that our industry has also

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Here at Sehr Performance going the extra mile has always been of high importance.

We check, measure, recheck, and re-measure every component of our engine builds. demanded continuing process updates and machine tooling changes to properly build today’s engine. These processes are more time consuming compared to the procedures of the past, so this adds to the timeframe in which a project can be completed.

When a project comes in to be built, we need to fully disassemble and check every component to determine what work needs to be completed. Then we will see what parts may be available for the build. In our latest experiences, we have noticed that even if there is availability listed it may not mean it is available right then. We have been experiencing long wait times on ordered part inventory coming in and in many cases the availability is cancelled or pushed out to a further date. This is frustrating to not only the project process, but it tremendously disrupts the machining procedures as well. We are spending

multiple hours researching and often reordering parts to get a project completed. Recently we are experiencing improperly made parts. Many times we can machine them to correct, but sometimes we have to reorder the part and then wait. Due to the lack of qualified workers and the high demand of engine hard parts, quality control of many part manufactures is much less apparent than previously.

Here at Sehr Performance going the extra mile has always been of high importance. We check, measure, recheck, and re-measure every component of our engine builds. Knowing this gives our customer confidence in our engine build. Having qualified, certified engine builders and machinists along with the priority of attention to the details ensures that every engine we build is by far the best product we can provide our customers.

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Prepared

to serve

By: Sarah Grassel According to a recent report from the South Dakota attorney general’s office: In the last few years, there have been more than 65,000 criminal offenses.

Law enforcement is a necessary service across the country, and Lake Area Technical College is taking job preparedness one step further.

To become an officer of the law, you are not required to have a degree, but you must at least go through a 13-week police academy in Pierre. At LATC, the law enforcement program stretches that academy out and includes additional hands-on training and skill development over an 18-month Associates of Applied Science Degree.

Chad Stahl, who retired after serving 20 years in the Watertown police department, is now the department supervisor for the law enforcement program at the college. Chad explains, “We work hand in hand with the attorney general’s office who takes care of certifications across the state.”

The program focuses on completing and following guidelines with students so they are work-force ready after graduation. In addition to the academy requirements, officers of the law must be 21 years of age.

“By taking the program at the college, our students become a more employable, desirable, applicant when they become of age to apply as an officer,” Chad notes.

Statistics show that the majority of students who choose the AAS degree come straight from high school or after a short gap year. One student, Isabele Johnson joined a volunteer search and rescue team as a teen, and the team connected her with local law enforcement.

“While I was on the explorer program, there were two college aged students going through two programs at different tech schools, which is where I was first introduced to LATC,” Isabele starts. “For me it was an easy decision given the program curriculum, the instructors who were all law enforcement officers, and how the classrooms were set up.”

Chad further explains that while undergoing state requirements the program is more hands-on than one might expect. With mock scenarios with real squad cars and equipment, students are able to fully prepare themselves for the job. He shares, “Students learn how to interact with individuals in different scenarios like simple vehicle stops - running drivers licenses, warrant checks, etc. They also learn defense tactics and we run scenarios with simunition guns that shoot a special

LEARN MORE: In addition to Law Enforcement, Lake Area Technical College offers programs in agriculture, auto, business, human services, nursing, med/fire rescue, heavy equipment operating, welding and more.

THEM OTO R M A R K E T. C O M 20 Visit lakeareatech.edu for more information.

round recreating hostile situations so students feel ready before they hit the field.”

In the 18-months, students undergo realistic scenarios and interactions. Among these skills, they are also being taught and discuss ethics and how to be respectful during difficult situations like domestic violence.

For those who are coming to LATC that are already 21 and have even already gone through the police academy, there is another outstanding option for further education.

Chad talks about the virtual

academy as an extra step to become an associate’s degree holder. He says, “It’s targeted toward certified law enforcement individuals because it takes into account the work they’ve already done in Pierre.”

The hybrid option takes the 18-month program and brings it down half-way and offers more accommodation for the students in question and their officer work schedule.

Learn more about the virtual academy or the full AAS program at LakeAreaTech. edu or contact Chad Stahl at 605.882.5284 ext. 493.

With a strong mission statement from the college, the program is fundamental: recruit, educate, train, and develop outstanding law enforcement leaders who will remain true to the principles of law enforcement – service, justice, and fundamental fairness.

More about Isabele Isabele is set to graduate in May of 2025 and she is really looking forward to this life of service. Last year she went above and beyond program requirements and went to Atlanta, GA to participate in a national skills competition. “It was an amazing opportunity.

While I was there, I took a test over law enforcement questions and participated in five different scenarios demonstrating how I would handle them as an officer,” Isabele smiles.

Still beaming from the competition, Isabele was the first-place winner and took home the gold award. She adds, “I relied on all of my resources and skills from being in the program at LATC and the skills I obtained while being an EMT.” What makes Isabele’s dedication stand out though is her actions after the competition. At the end of the day, she came back to her humble start and reached out to her instructor, Chad Stahl, to get further insight. “I asked him if he thought there was anything I could have done better and just wanted some further feedback on some of the scenarios I ran through,” Isabele says.

Overall, Isabele is feeling ready for the workforce more and more every day.

She says, “The program has helped me so much with understanding aspects of law enforcement and what the career is truly like. All the instructors use their own personal experiences and stories to help me understand more on how different things apply to being in law enforcement and when I might use them.”

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-Motor Market Presents-

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NAME: Greg Van Zanten CAR YEAR-MAKE-MODEL: 1966 Ford Mustang GT ENGINE: 289 High Performance TRANSMISSION: The transmission is a 4-speed Toploader with 2.32-1 1st gear.

SUSPENSION: Leaf spring on rear, coil spring front, Lakewood traction bars, Sears Steady Rider shocks, 3rd member snubber, 3:91 gear ratio EXHAUST: Appliance long tube headers, 3-inch pipes into Magnaflow mufflers BODY: Vintage Burgundy paint on all original skin, trim and glass except for the windshield INTERIOR: Original black vinyl

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TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CAR AND WHY YOU CHOSE IT. WHAT’S YOUR CAR’S STORY?

WHAT’S AN INTERESTING FACT OR SOMETHING PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS RIDE?

DOES YOUR CAR HAVE A NAME?

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

I was involved in sports in high school so I had after school practice. I couldn’t ride the bus home so I needed a car to drive to school. The color, 4-speed, bucket seats and high-performance V-8 would catch any 17-year old’s eye. I’m grateful to be able to hang on to it all these years.

Brute 66.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT THE CAR? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE?

With the horse power available, a 4-speed transmission and the 3:91 gear and weighing 2400 pounds, the car’s very quick. It would keep up with or beat pretty much any factory muscle car in the 70’s in the ¼ mile.

It’s a very rare car. Ford built 1.7 million Mustangs from 1964 to 1967. Only 13,214 were GT K-Codes. Less than 1%! This is the car that Carroll Shelby built the Shelby GT-350 from. Many production models went to factory race teams leaving even fewer cars available to the general public.

I purchased the Mustang from Jay Shon Chevrolet in Sioux Falls, SD for $1,500.00 and I still the original invoice. The car was sold new out of Huber Ford in Freeman, SD. I did a lot of street/highway racing in the 70’s (not proud of that, but it was a different day and age). I beat a lot of factory muscle cars that really frustrated the owners. I had a successful summer racing at Thunder Valley Speedway in 1973. At a car show a number of years ago, an old friend came up to me and said, “Greg, if this car could talk, we’d have to kill it!”

WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THIS CAR?

I have toyed with the ideas of returning the car to factory original. I have all the parts to do so. It’s just too much fun driving the car as it is and enjoying and appreciating the 70’s technology. I’m hoping it becomes a family heirloom.

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Lake Area Tech values the partnership it has with local, state, tribal, and federal agencies as its mission is to graduate students with the necessary knowledge and skills to be employed in the law enforcement field including positions as police officers, sheriff deputies, corrections officers, highway patrol troopers, criminal investigators, tribal officers, crime scene specialists, communications officers, conservation officers, probation, parole, and juvenile officers.

At Lake Area Tech, Law Enforcement students will be offered training in areas not limited to but including Constitutional Law, Criminal Law & Procedures, Criminal Investigations, Crime Scene Evidence Collection, Juvenile Justice, First Responder, Patrol Procedures, Firearms, Mechanics of Arrest, Street Survival Tactics, Corrections, and Emergency Vehicle Operations. Students will also learn how the legal and criminal justice systems work in tandem with local, state, and federal government agencies. After successful completion of the program, students will earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Law Enforcement.

Lake Area Technical College’s curriculum for Law Enforcement meets the educational requirements for professional licensure in South Dakota. Professional licensure and certification requirements often vary from state to state.

Prospective or current students considering an academic program that leads to a professional license or certification are strongly encouraged to seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in the state you plan to work before beginning an affiliated academic program.

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TALKIN’ TIRES with Graham Tire

Preparing for Winter Driving Safe Winter Driving Tips

By ArticleBiz.com This winter, the best advice for driving in bad weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it. But sometimes you just can’t.

With messy snow and ice threatening to hamper the drive to work or play, now is probably a good time to improve your knowledge of road safety.

Winter Weather Safety Tips

For starters, don’t go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.

Winterize Your Vehicle

Schedule a maintenance checkup for your tires, battery, belts and hoses, radiator, oil, lights, brakes, exhaust system, heater/ defroster, wipers and ignition system. Keep your gas tank sufficiently full – at least half a tank is recommended.

Equip Your Vehicle with Chains or Snow Tires

stop, turn corners and change lanes without the worry of your backend sliding. Most snow tires cost less than an insurance deductible and last at least three seasons. If the east coast blizzards can teach us one lesson, it is that it’s never too early in the season to start thinking about winter tires. Prepare yourself with tire chains or snow tires today.

Purchase Winter Driving Safety Essentials

Before winter hits, do yourself a favor and build a winter driving safety kit for your trunk including a snowbrush, ice scraper, rock salt, small shovel, flashlight, blanket, jumper cables and first aid.

Clean Off Your Car

Before you hit the road, be sure to clear snow and ice from windows, lights, mirrors and the roof. If you don’t, you’ll leave a trail of dangerous conditions for the other drivers around you.

This is one of the simplest driving safety tips.

When it comes to traction on slick winter roads, consider using tire chains or snow tires. Tire chains are highly effective and can be purchased at just about any auto store. Inexpensive, and easy to install and remove, tire chains will give you that maximum grip to ensure your safety.

Turn on Your Lights

An equally effective alternative for winter driving safety is the use of snow tires, which provides the added benefit of giving your standard tires a rest during the winter months. You’ll feel like you’re driving around in your very own snow mobile as you

Failing to allow yourself enough time to stop is a major cause of winter driving accidents. In slippery conditions, stopping distances can triple. Driving at a slower speed, anticipating stops at traffic lights and intersections, and applying brakes

30 THEM OTO R M A R K E T. C O M

Winter weather and limited daylight hours can make for limited visibility. Keep your headlights on at all times so that you can see and be seen.

Slow Down

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sooner than usual are excellent safe winter driving tips to remember. When braking, brake carefully with short, rapid application of the brakes. Always allow plenty of extra space between you and other vehicles to minimize the need for quick stops.

Know How to Handle a Skid

If you’re going a slower speed on winter roads, you shouldn’t find yourself skidding, but if you do, it’s important to know how to handle it. Determine where you want your car to go and turn your steering wheel toward that point. Avoid over-steering.

Get Over the Hill

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Drive too slowly and you’ll find yourself spinning your wheels on hills. Drive too fast and you’ll risk skidding. So, what can you do? Maintaining momentum. Apply light and even pressure on the gas pedal, and approach the hill with medium speed. At the top of the hill, slow down and roll down the hill slowly.

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Maintain Your Car Insurance

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While no additional coverage is needed for winter, you should make sure your auto insurance policy has coverage for loss of use. This way, if you happen to get into an accident, you can get a rental car while your vehicle is getting repaired.

Preparation is key when it comes to winter weather safety tips. Teenage drivers who are new to the road in general need some extra guidance before they get behind the wheel. Parents or family members are urged to take teens out to practice in an empty parking lot upon first snow fall. But the fact is, no matter how old you are, winter driving safety is something you should always have on your driving radar to avoid a car accident.

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When your heater goes out, time is of the essence. That’s why we provide 24-hour emergency heating system services in the Sioux City area. We return all calls as quickly as we can, and we will offer you a free, no cost estimate for repairs once we have assessed your situation.

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JA N U A RY 2 0 2 5 33

Yesterday’s Memories

&

WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA’S ONLY

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TOPPER DEALER!

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Over 100,000 Sq. Ft.!

Over 250 Vehicles!

Largest Old Truck Collection in the Midwest!

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#1

TRUCK ACCESSORIES

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SINCE 1985!

605.939.3661 | www.timetruckequipment.com | 311 N. Cambell, Rapid City, SD

Hours Monday-Friday: 8:00am-4:00pm Saturday: By Appointment Only Sunday: Closed (Staff-guided tours available by appointment)

106 Eastern St., Sanborn, IA 712-729-3268

antiques@yesterdaysmemories.us www.yesterdaysmemories.us Trucks, Parts & Equipment

Largest truck inventory in the Midwest!

- New, Used & Rebuilt Parts!

- Over 100 Acres of Trucks for Parts!

- With 6 Locations to Better Serve You! Providing Parts & Service Since 1939!

800-242-5030 www.vanderhaags.com

34 THEM OTO R M A R K E T. C O M

Provi

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We stock the most extensive inventory of PTO and driveshaft parts in the region!

601 N. Western Ave., Sioux Falls, SD • Contact our team today!

605-335-6143 • 1-800-999-6450 • www.drivelineserviceinc.com

Events C L D R CALENDAR

WANT TO HIGHLIGHT YOUR NEXT EVENT? CONTACT : ADS@MICHELSCOM.COM january 2025 and beyond ICYKEL FAT BIKE RACE JANUARY 18, 2025 CUYUNA STATE RECREATION AREA IRONTON, MN 45TH ANNUAL OKOBOJI WINTER GAMES JANUARY 23-25, 2025 UNIVERSITY OF OKOBOJI 2025 COUNTS CAR CLUB SHOW FEBRUARY 21-23, 2025 – AT THE MONUMENT CARSHOWPRO.COM/EVENT/1964 RAPID CITY, SD O'REILLY AUTO PARTS ROD AND CUSTOM CAR SHOW SAT. & SUN., FEB. 22 & 23, 2025 MONTICELLO, IOWA SOUND OF SILENCE TESLA RALLY MAY 17-19, 2025 – CUSTER, SD FACEBOOK.COM/BHTESLARALLY WHEEL JAM TRUCK SHOW JUNE, 2025– HURON, SD SOUTH DAKOTA STATE FAIRGROUNDS WHEELJAMTRUCKSHOW.COM

KING SERIES TRUCK SHOW JUNE 13-15, 2025 • LEAD, SD WILD BILL DAYS JUNE 13, 2025 – JUNE 14, 2025 MAIN STREET, DEADWOOD, SD 14TH ANNUAL STURGIS CAMARO RALLY JUNE 18-22, 2025 – STURGIS, SD STURGISCAMARORALLY.COM BLACK HILLS CORVETTE CLASSIC JULY, 2025 – SPEARFISH, SD TOUR THE BLACK HILLS BLACKHILLSCORVETTECLASSIC.COM D.A.D.'S REPAIR CAR SHOW JULY 26, 2025 BERESFORD, SD 85TH ANNUAL STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY AUGUST 1-AUG. 10, 2025 – STURGIS, SD STURGIS.COM 31ST ANNUAL KOOL DEADWOOD NITES AUGUST 19 -24, 2025 MAIN STREET, DEADWOOD, SD

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American

Art Inspiration

By Bob Schmeichel

After WWII between 1945 and 1950 America was starting to bloom with jobs and growth which led to people buying new cars. Not everyone could afford the real expensive vehicles, so they bought the cheaper brand cars. In order to make their cheaper cars stand out compared to others, some owners did some customizing that reflected the owner’s personality.

There were many different levels of customizing that started with chopping tops and lowering a vehicle, to sectioning a wholebody front to back and channeling it over the frame. Metal was added and leaded into place with the idea of making the cars lines look slick and flow better. Because of that, the customizers weren’t looking at Detroit how to improve the looks of their cars, but ironically, Detroit was looking at the customizers. When it came to truly radical customized vehicles, George Barris and his brother Sam in Linwood, California pretty much started the trend when Bob Hirohota brought in a brand new 1951 Mercury for Sam to customize.

Bob Hirohota had a couple parking lots that he made income from, so paying George and Sam to do their talents with creating what has become an iconic radical custom car with the way it was built, has inspired others to follow a similar direction. Most people following in this direction used those earlier 1949 to 1951 Mercurys, which many still do today. To see more about this Hirohota Mercury, there are many videos on line that are worthwhile seeing with it story from beginning to end along with its restoration to the point of winning top honors at the

36 THEM OTO R M A R K E T. C O M

Pebble Beach car show as well as the end value today when it was recently sold at a Mecom auction.

My story today took place in the early 1990’s with a guy named Tommy Jenkins, living on the right coast in Ipswich, Massachusetts, who decided to build a Hirohota-inspired custom, but starting with a 1948 Hudson rather than a Mercury. As it turned out, two Hudson bodies were used to get the chopped top to flow smoothly from the front to the back. The front windshield was chopped 3” and the rear portion of the top was chopped 5,” all while making it a hardtop by eliminating the window frame and post between the front and back windows.

Special side glass was cut along with adding window sealing trim to mimic the Hirohota design and the way George designed it to work as a hardtop. Other things too many to mention included pan-caking the hood and rounding the corners, Frenching the headlights and front signal lights, creating front and rear roll pan to smooth the lower part of the body out on both ends along with creating a grill surround in the front that holds a floating ‘57 Corvette grill. All the chrome side trim was removed as well as the door handles and the windshield wiper towers are hidden so no identifiable features were left on the car.

Really small rear-view mirrors are molded into the doors. The rear of the car had ‘41 Studebaker tail lights installed along with ‘57 Corvette bumperettes and a recessed license plate pocket. A disc braked 1969 Camaro subframe was grafted to the original frame and used to hold the 468” Chevy BB with a beefed 700R4 transmission behind it. The rearend was a disc braked Lincoln unit for the final forward motion connection. Vintage air conditioning and heat were added as well as power steering and power windows. After much body work to get everything straight, Tommy painted the car with PPG Purple himself which helped him win a “Best Use of Color” award from PPG at an east coast car event which led to an article being done on the car in the January 1996 issue of Rod &Custom magazine.

After a few years of showing the car, it was sold to another guy in Payton Colorado. He pretty much took the car to another level with a complete makeover that included changing the BB Chevy to a 350 Chevy small block, a completely new interior, Dakota Digital gauges, air bags on the front and air shocks on the rear to drop it on the ground when parked at shows. A new sound system to help a person go deaf if he felt it was necessary, and a wildly graphic paint job that is on the car today with one-off wheels. The guy in Colorado put a ton of money into the car, drove it quite a few years and eventually sold it to an older gentleman in 2009 in Bowman, North Dakota.

Jason Jellis, who collects Hudsons, told me he wasn’t looking for another Hudson, but it came to him through his Facebook feed and was advertised as being for sale on an auction taking place in the middle of July. He showed the pictures to his wife Christina who thought the car was interesting, but they both realized it was nine hours away and thinking it might not be a practical trip to take a chance on. Jason told me he really didn’t want to lose a chance at getting the car, so he placed a couple bids online to see how the bidding proceeded over the following two weeks until it stale mated for a couple days, then he placed one more.

He got a call later from the auction company saying he had the highest bid but it was well below the seller’s reserve. They said they questioned the seller about dropping the reserve, which he did, and Jason’s bid was accepted.

The following weekend Jason and his father Terry headed out to haul the car back on a car trailer. As Jason was telling me his story, a little bit on the lighter side came out when his father Terry, asked him, “Why does he have to buy cars that are so far away?’ Jason responded by saying,” So we have some father-son bonding time that too many of us don’t have enough of these days!” as he smiled while ending the historical story about their new Hudson.

A farm boy from Salem, Bob’s family moved to Sioux Falls when he was 12 years old. After graduation from Washington High School, he attended USD where he majored in Commercial Art. A lifelong auto and art enthusiast, Bob wanted to combine his passions into a career. A self-taught mechanic, bodywork, welder and painter, he worked in the industry for seven years. He later went to work for Horner Waldorf Box Company, where he worked for the next 33 years, retiring as Package Design Manager for Smurfit Stone Container. Bob has built dozens of street rods over the years, doing everything except the upholstery work. Bob started the Great Plains Street Rodders Car Club in 1985 and today the club has over 340 members. You can see more of Bob’s paintings and car features on the club’s website: www.greatplainsstreetrodders.com.

JA N U A RY 2 0 2 5 37

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JA N U A RY 2 0 2 5 39

New Year

Your Classic & High end car detailing professionals!

SAME GREAT BODY SHOP!

Your local Goodmark, Dynacorn, Vintage Air, Heidts Hot Rod, Inline Tube AMD Dealer, American Autowire, Classic Industries Parts & Acc, Legendary Auto Interiors, LTD., Dakota Digital & Eddie Motorsports!

WWW.RONPIEPERBODYSHOP.COM 715 BLUFF ST., SIOUX CITY • 712-258-5838

30 Years in Collision Repair Free Estimates • Guaranteed Color Matching

KEITH BITTNER | LENNOX, SD | 605.647.5272

In Shop & Mobile Service Dry & Wet Blasting Small or Large Jobs Various Abrasives

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offers Auto Restorers, Car Enthusiasts and Body Shops the easiest, safest and most affordable paint removal solution available today!

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(605) 310-9499 • 400 S. Ellis Rd., Sioux Falls, SD

STRIP YOUR PAINT NOT YOUR WALLET! 40 THEM OTO R M A R K E T. C O M

SPEED SHOP

SPEED SHOP

chassis building, suspension upgrade custom headers and exhaust engine swaps and building efi swaps complete car wiring hot rod MAINTENANCE differential/axle building cooling system mig and tig welding back halves, ladder bars, 4-link, roll cages performance parts and accessories auto restoration

like and follow

605-759-0270 46318 US-18, Davis, SD

41 THE M O TO R M A R K E T.COM

JA N U A RY 2 0 2 5 41

NOW ON OVER 240 TERRESTRIAL STATIONS, PODCASTS, AND YOUTUBE WITH A LIVE CALL-IN SHOW AND HD VIDEO STREAMING!

ASK THE MOTOR MEDICS® From the Hos t s of the Und er T he Hood r adio show.

TUNE-IN AND TUNE-UP!

®

with The Motor Medics ® Shannon Nordstrom, Russ “The Super Tech” Evans, and Chris Carter

Dear Motor Medics, Guys, My brakes are broken. I have a 2008 Ford F350 single wheel truck and I’m on my fourth set of brakes in four years. I put about 6k miles a year on this truck to pull my camper. I have been told I’m over pulling and that’s why the brakes are wearing out, but my camper fully loaded as weighed on the scale is only 8k lbs. That’s under what the truck is rated for. The same shop has been replacing the brakes for me and they do all my other work. The truck I had before this was a 2000 and it never had brakes in 90k miles. What can cause this?

Dear Motor Medics, I’m looking at getting a vehicle with 4-wheel drive. I moved here from California and have never driven in snow. I don’t know how to drive in it and want to make sure I have the best vehicle possible for the snow.

I am looking at either a Subaru or a Jeep Cherokee, but there are so many choices of four-wheel drive type vehicles that I am confused.

What’s the difference between Four-Wheel Drive and All-Wheel Drive, and does it matter? You guys are the best. I listened to your show in California for ten years before moving here.

Thank you.

Michael in Holland, Michigan

Regan Montevideo, MN

Dear Michael, Take a close look at your receipt. What was done? A detail-oriented shop will write down what was done in detail at times like this. They should always know what they did before by looking at your description in case it comes back sooner than expected. If they have only replaced pads and rotors and have not replaced calipers or brake hoses and there is no description about cleaning and lubricating slides and making sure they are free, then there may lie the problem.

If brake hoses are restricted, it can cause a pull and premature wear. Same goes for sticking calipers or caliper slides. You should be able to get many more miles out of these brakes. Something is likely getting missed during the brake job. Ask your shop about these items.

Dear Regan, Step one, a four-wheel drive car does not make you a better driver. This is important to remember as you will see during winter people get a false sense of security when speeding down the road in a four-wheel drive. Those are usually the same people who are crashed into the median or down in the ditch.

However, once they are stuck, they have a much better chance of getting unstuck on their own. Four-wheel drive is for getting moving by way of better traction, not for stopping. Four-wheel drive can be shut off and all-wheel drive is mostly automatic but some four-wheel is, too. It’s time for some research on your own as it would take a long time to describe them both.

Take care, The Motor Medics

Take care, The Motor Medics

25362 Hwy. 11, Garretson, SD 605-594-4181 or 888-200-7562 www.nordstromsauto.com

Under the Hood

Heard across America on radio and podcast!

Listen

FIND THIS 30+ YEAR CAR-TALK SHOW ON A STATION NEAR YOU!

Choose your way to listen on our website!

Join us on

facebook.com/underthehoodshow for a chance to win a Hoodie every show!

FOR ENTERTAINMENT ONLY. Consult your local shop and follow all safety procedures before repairs. To get your questions answered call the show each week Thursdays OTOCT. R MThe ARK E T. C Ois M866-594-4150 we would love to hear from you. You can also email us through the website, WWW.UNDERTHEHOODSHOW.COM. 42 THEM from 9-11 number

NORDSTROM’S 2.0 QUALITY RECYCLED

AUTO PARTS SINCE 1969 See what a Gold Seal Certified Auto Recycling Facility looks like!

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Thank You For Your Service!

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AND SUV PAR TS • Quality recycled auto parts from the

most current 2024 models on back • All makes & models of vehicles are inventoried & dismantled • We dismantle many cars with less than 100 miles • Consider a money saving repairable vehicle from Nordstrom’s • Money saving OEM surplus, remanufactured & new alternative parts in stock • We buy damaged & distressed vehicles

One of the Area’s Only ARA Certified, Gold Seal Auto Recyclers, Environmental Conscience & Organized to Serve You Better

Search & Buy Parts Online!

Visit www.nordstromsauto.com to view our full e-commerce store!

Search for year, make & model to find the right parts for your vehicle!

YOU NEED PARTS? WE HAVE OPTIONS! Just a few minutes northeast of Sioux Falls on a fully paved route!

nordstromsauto.com • ewepullet.com • nordstromsinstall.com • underthehoodshow.com

D EC EM B ER 2 0 2 4 43

SINCE 2004

RESTORATIONS IT’S WHAT WE DO!

Our skilled technicians restored the vehicles you see here in the last few years. Some are restored to “as manufactured” specifications; others have a variety of modifications.

Now is the time to get your vehicle scheduled into our shop for restoration. Whether you are considering factory stock, custom, “resto-mod” or total performance, our team is up to the task. To enhance your build, we are dealers for a wide variety of performance accessories and crate engines. And, don’t forget, we also now have our own upholstery shop!

Call Zach at 605-214-1193, or stop in, to discuss your ideas and learn what we can do for you!

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Restoration and Custom Services, Inspection, Maintenance and Repair

300 N. Linda Ave. | Tea, SD | 605.214.1193 | Zachstraightlines1@gmail.com