0:00
[Music] Welcome to Corvette Today, the podcast
0:06
that talks about everything Corvette with your host Steve Garrett, MC and DJ at one of the largest Corvette weekends
0:12
in the country, Corvette Funfest, president of the Corvette Club of Kansas City, Missouri, and radio disc jockey at
0:19
the number one radio station in Kansas City for over 40 years. Here's Steve Garrett.
0:28
Thanks for listening and watching Corvette Today, the show that talks about everything Corvette and the only
0:34
current podcast dedicated to Corvette. I'm your host, Steve Garrett. I appreciate you tuning in. Corvette Today
0:40
is brought to you by Wheelcraft. Want to dress up your Corvette with bright chrome or black chrome wheels? Learn
0:45
about their advanced PVD chrome finishing. They can refinish your wheels or offer a wheel exchange for most
0:50
models, and it comes with a 5-year warranty. Visit wheelcraft.com today or
0:56
call 833-639-4231. You can listen to Corvette today on all
1:01
podcast platforms. You can also listen on your smart device. Just say, "Hey Google," or "Alexa, play the podcast
1:07
called Corvette today and you're connected." Be sure and visit the updated Corvette Today website. It's
1:12
corvette.com. You can also access everything there, including the Corvette Today merchandise
1:17
store. You can also join the Corvette Today Facebook group there and sign up for Corvette Today emails,
1:23
notifications, and updates at corvette.page. And if you like YouTube, you can
1:30
subscribe to the Corvette Today YouTube channel. See all Corvette Today episodes on YouTube. And be sure and patronize
1:36
our flagship sponsors of Corvette today. Aerolari wheels, a true 4-in wheel with over 20 different unique styles to
1:43
choose from for your C8 and widebody versions of the C7, C6, and C5 Corvettes. It's an amazing value
1:50
starting at only 23.88 for a set of four fully forged wheels. And use the promo
1:55
code CT111 and get $100 off your purchase. Visit aerolari.com. That's a r
2:02
o l a r i.com and use the promo code ct111 for your $100 discount. And Soul
2:09
Performance Products developed and manufactured in the United States. The Soul Performance Products exhaust
2:15
portfolio has been tailored to elevate the experience of the world's most exciting sports cars, including the
2:20
latest generation of the Corvette. Soul Performance Products, the official exhaust of Corvette today. Also,
2:26
mid-engine Corvette forum.com. the forum that focuses on the new mid-engine C8 Corvette. Meet a lot of Corvette
2:32
enthusiasts like yourself at mid-enginecorvetforum.com. And a shout out to Corvette Forum and
2:38
Canadian Corvette forum.com, welcoming Corvette enthusiasts from around the world. It's time for another Corvette
2:44
Today vendor showcase highlighting some of the latest and greatest products on the market for Corvette owners. Phil
2:50
Pitakei is with me from Car Capsule. Phil, welcome to Corvette Today. Hey, how you doing? Good to be here.
2:56
Thanks for being here, Phil. First off, your brand new SC1 car capsule is
3:02
licensed by General Motors and it's available for sale. Tell me about this brand new product, Phil.
3:07
Well, we've been in business for over 20 years and we've noticed that Corvette's our number one customer. And so, we
3:14
decided to get a license, which we did through General Motors. They were excited about it and we came out with a
3:19
unique design that kind of goes with the flow and shape of a vet. It actually looks like it's moving when it's sitting
3:25
there. and it has all the Corvette logos on it and it's quite attractive, but more importantly, it's functional. It It
3:32
does a lot to preserve and protect your car. Also, it has lighting. It looks like carbon fiber, which I gravitated to
3:39
right away. Yeah, it has a carbon fiber look to it. It's not inflatable carbon fiber, but it
3:44
does have that look. It has double white stitching, Corvette zipper pulls. The floor when you drive in looks like a
3:50
road, so you got highway stripes on the out and white dashes down the middle. It comes with a lighting kit which is
3:56
actually Cobb lighting. It's a new lighting technology. It's better than LEDs. And it really is a nice feature
4:03
with a remote control. You can change the colors and the function and the speed. And it comes with the intellarge.
4:09
So when you put your Corvette away, an old one, a new one, you plug in our Intella Charge, which maintains your
4:16
Corvette battery to full capacity and runs my circulation fan at the same time. If there's a power loss, it
4:23
switches over automatically and runs my fan off of your car battery and then switches back when power resumes and
4:29
charges your battery back up. So, you always have continuous air flow, continuous air change, which means zero
4:35
condensation during storage. Wow, that's really cool. And the beauty of this is no tools are necessary to get
4:42
the SC1 up and running, right? No. And we always tell folks, the most work is getting it out of the box. You
4:48
roll it out like a sleeping bag and then fold it right, fold it left, locate the
4:53
inflation valve, hook up our pump, turn it on, and less than 5 minutes you're good to go.
4:58
Wow. It's that quick. There's no put this together, bolt that together. There's nothing. Complete inflatable frame.
5:05
That's really nice. And it's got the C8 logo on it, too. The cross flags. Yeah, we've got that logo on the sides.
5:11
And then across the horizontal beam, we go from C1 through 8. So, we've got every Corvette logo on there to make
5:18
every Corvette owner happy. Very nice. Now, you also have car capsules for what different generations
5:23
of Corvette? You know, we cover them all. We cover all makes and models as far as that goes. But, I mean, if you got a C1, two,
5:30
three, whatever. We start out with our basic bubble, then we have an enhanced version, then we get into showcases, and
5:35
then we come out with this SC1, which is our supercar one, which your car is your
5:41
supercar. That's what goes in this SC1. Very nice. Now, obviously a lot of Corvette owners have daily drivers. So,
5:47
you make car capsules for more than just Corvette. What other cars can Car capsule accommodate?
5:53
Pretty much anything and everything. I mean, we just made some customs last week ago for firet trucks.
5:58
Wow. We cover everything from a daily driver to a special use to some oneoff creation
6:04
for somebody. Take Florida, number one state we ship to. But a lot of people buy our standard showcase, stick it
6:11
underneath a carport, and while they're gone anywhere from three to six months, they come back, your daily driver is
6:17
dustfree, mold free, mildew free. It's in perfect shape. It's a timesaver. It's
6:23
not so much worrying about something hitting your car. The biggest problem storing a car is condensation. And we
6:29
prevent it with a continuous airflow technology. And we've been at it 20 plus years. Very cool. Now, you also make car
6:36
capsules for more than just cars, don't you? We make them for trucks. We make them for bikes. We make them for boats. Those
6:43
are stock sizes and models we offer. And then, like I said, we always are making
6:49
customs. There's not a week goes by that we're not picking up some custom creations for something.
6:54
That's very cool. Phil, give us your phone number and the website that they can look at the full line of car capsule
6:59
products. Sure. Our phone number is 219-945-9493
7:06
and our website is carcapsule.com ccapsule.com.
7:13
For Corvette Today listeners and viewers, use promo code podcast at checkout and get free shipping and save
7:20
a few bucks with every order. Perfect. Phil, thank you so much for being on Corvette Today. This is really
7:25
informative. Thanks for having us. We got some really great videos on our website underneath the video tab that go over every product
7:32
we offer. Very cool. We'll look for those for sure. We're going to take our first break. When we come back, another vendor
7:37
coming up on Corvette today. We all know that wheels make the car. Wheelcraft's
7:42
PVD chrome finish in bright chrome or black chrome will take your Corvette to new levels. And it comes with a 5-year
7:49
warranty. Whether you've taken delivery of your C8 or have one on order. Learn how Wheelcraft can help you transform
7:55
the look of your Corvette and save you money. Durability is a defining feature of the Wheelcraft finish. Their PVD
8:00
chrome is superior to traditional chrome with a finish that is break dust resistant and cleans effortlessly with
8:06
soap and water. We can also refinish existing chrome wheels. Wheelcraft offers factory wheels on exchange or
8:12
they can apply the PVD finish to your current wheels. No matter what generation you own, call Wheelcraft to
8:18
transform the look of your Corvette. With every Corvette comes a unique story, and Wheelcraft has embraced this
8:23
idea. When you purchase your new set of wheels, you receive a lifetime membership to the Wheelcraft Pit Crew,
8:29
granting you access to your own page on Wheelcraft's website, where you can post pictures and tell your Corvette story.
8:35
And don't miss Wheelcraft on the Road. See their finish in person at Bloomington Gold in June and Corvettes
8:41
at Carile in August. Wheelcraft will also be located on the midway at Carile with their very own mobile tire
8:47
installation on site. Exchanges of the CH5-spoke, Trident, 20 spoke, and Z06
8:53
wheels will take place on Installation Alley. Call early and place your order for installation at Carile. Visit our
8:59
website at wheelcraft.com or call us at 833639-4231.
9:04
That's 833639-4231. Arrive in style with Wheelcraft. The
9:10
Radiator Grill Store offers C8 Corvette A-pillar wind diffusers in beautiful carbon fiber or OEM gloss black that
9:18
help reduce wind buffeting when a window is open. Easy installation and OEM fitment. Plus, get 10% off your total
9:24
purchase with the promo code CT10 at radiatorstore.com.
9:29
When you want to buy a Corvette or any Chevrolet for that matter, get yours from Hendrick Chevrolet Shauny Mission
9:35
located in Kansas City. Hendrickk Chevrolet is the largest Corvette dealership and showroom in the Midwest.
9:40
With a knowledgeable sales staff and Corvette sales specialists on hand, they'll help you build the Corvette of
9:45
your dreams. And they ship nationwide. With Corvette certified master mechanics on site and a huge parts department with
9:52
over 24,000 parts and $2 million in inventory, Hendrickk Chevrolet is well equipped to take care of your every
9:58
need. From sales to service to collision repair, Hendrickk Chevrolet has you covered. Visit cheviusa.com or call
10:04
913-384-1550. Are you ready to take your Corvette to
10:10
the next level? Look no further than Classic Trim Customs. As the number one supplier for American Hydrocarbon, we've
10:17
manufactured some of the most impressive Corvette parts on the market. From engine bay panels to splitters and side
10:22
skirts. With over 30 years of experience in hydrographics, we've perfected the technique and use only state-of-the-art
10:28
materials and equipment to ensure the highest quality and precision. Visit our website at classicgcrimcustoms.com
10:34
or give us a call at 305-258-3090 to learn more about our products and
10:39
services. Whether you want to create a showstopping ride or just add a touch of personalization, the sky is the limit
10:45
with classic trim customs. Let us help you create the Corvette of your dreams. Vetfinders.com is the internet's
10:52
original Corvette classified ads website with classified ads starting at just $25. And every ad runs until your
11:00
Corvette is sold. If you're in the market for a Corvette, vetfinders.com has over 500 Corvettes for sale from all
11:07
around the USA and Canada and covering all eight generations. Visit vetfinders.com, the internet's
11:13
destination for buying and selling Corvettes. That's vefinders.com.
11:22
You're enjoying the only current podcast on Corvettes. Corvette today. Thanks for
11:27
listening and watching Corvette Today, the show that talks about everything Corvette, brought to you by Wheelcraft.
11:33
Visit wheelcraft.com and learn about their advanced PVD chrome finishing or call them at 833639-4231.
11:41
As a matter of fact, my guest on this special edition of Corvette Today's vendor showcase is our signature sponsor
11:48
of the show, Wheelcraft. And here to talk about Wheelcraft is President Ed Holland Head. Ed, welcome to Corvette
11:54
Today. Uh, thank you, Steve. First, let me tell you, it's a great pleasure being a sponsor of the Corvette Today podcast.
12:00
You know, your audience is super knowledgeable and fun to work with and we appreciate the exposure Wheelcraft
12:05
has received being associated with such a great platform. So, thank you for allowing us the privilege,
12:11
buddy. Thank you. The pleasure is all ours on this end. Thank you so much for being our big signature sponsor. Ed
12:17
Wheelcraft is now famous for refinishing wheels with your patented PVD chrome finish. explain a little bit more about
12:24
exactly what PVD chrome finishing is and also talk about the warranty. Okay, fantastic. Well, PVD chrome is a
12:32
performance finish that is eye-catching, durable, and very easy to clean. So, PVD
12:38
by definition stands for physical vapor deposition and it's also called physical
12:43
vapor transport. But the key is that it's a process of applying a micro thin layer of chrome onto the entire surface
12:50
of a part. So in our world, we're applying a chrome finish onto wheels. So the best way to describe is to
12:56
differentiate a little bit. The traditional chrome process layers material onto the surface of the wheel
13:01
in a series of chemical baths in order to achieve a chrome finish. The PVD chrome process takes place in a vacuum
13:08
chamber where we take a solid material and in our case that's chrome and we convert that into a gas. That gas is
13:15
then deposited i.e. transported onto the wheel where it converts back to a solid
13:21
resulting in a chrome finish. So, the chrome finish is applied to every bit of the wheel surface except for the back
13:28
plate of the wheel that mounts up to the hub. But we finish the inner barrel, the outer barrel, the rear of the spokes,
13:35
etc. Now, the process overall creates an inseparable bond between the chrome finish and the underlying alloy of the
13:42
wheel. So the final step of this process is to apply an acrylic clear coat that seals in and protects the entire finish.
13:48
We like to refer to that as a protective glove that engulfs the entire wheel. So the extreme durability of our
13:54
performance finish is due to that ultra thin thickness of our application. Why is this important? The thinner the film
14:01
finish, the tighter the bond is with the alloy. The thicker the material, the more susceptible it will be to chips,
14:08
cracks, and peeling. Oh. So our entire finish measures in the range of 6 to 9 mil in thickness. So in
14:14
relative terms, this is slightly thicker than a sheet of paper that measures at 6 mil. So we're applying a finish, a layer
14:22
of film on top of the wheel here that's bound with the alloy that's no greater than a sheet of paper.
14:28
That's amazing. We've actually measured that finish of other applicators and those will measure
14:33
anywhere from 3 to 10 times as thick as our finish. And it's not unusual at all for us to find coatings that are 20 mil
14:39
or greater. What that is is that thickness leads to susceptibility for chips and peeling and lots of impact
14:47
damage. So we actually outline and demonstrate the DNA, if you will, of our micro thin finish on our website at
14:53
wheelcraft.com. And we have on the our process page, we have photos and videos
14:59
that show the structure of our finish compared to others. And we also demonstrate using a hammer onto the
15:05
surface of the wheel. We have a hammer test that shows how durable our finish really is. Wow.
15:11
And in there, too, you'll also find a link to a virtual tour of our facility on that process page as well.
15:16
That's cool. So, there's a lot of science and technology here. There's quite a bit of science and technology, and we've really mastered it
15:22
and figured out there's a lot of key elements without diving into the weeds on how we get from point A to point B
15:28
and make this such a pristine, durable finish. Our process has tackled that and
15:34
we do have a tremendous outcome. And all of this brings us to our industry-leading 5-year warranty that
15:40
guarantees our finish against chipping, peeling, color separation, and most importantly, brake dust, burns, and
15:46
discoloration. So, brake dust literally washes off of the wheel with simple car
15:51
wash soap and a microfiber towel. Our customers find our finish extremely easy to clean with very, very little effort.
15:58
And our chrome finish can be ceramic coated, which is really popular with a lot of our Corvette customers, and we get that question quite a bit.
16:04
Right. That's great. Now, you have four finishes to choose from. Ed, once you select a finish, what's the process for
16:11
either purchasing wheels or having your Corvette wheels done? Well, Steve, our primary PVD chrome
16:17
finishes are bright chrome and black chrome. Then, in addition, we offer custom tints to complement our bright
16:22
chrome finish, as well as provide custom powder coating. So again, without diving too deep into the details, we have what
16:30
we call recipes for our finishes. And basically, these recipes are based on how long we're going to expose the wheel
16:36
inside that vacuum chamber to the chromium gas field that we've created. And the longer we expose the wheel to
16:42
the chromium gas, the brighter that wheel is going to become. So we dial in our recipes to where we offer two
16:49
different tones of black chrome. And we've had a number of customers interested in looking at it from both
16:54
directions. We have a really, really deep black that leans closer to a gloss black with a chrome tint to it. And then
17:01
we have a much lighter black that is like a smokier looking black. They're both really attractive and available to
17:07
be run customized for anybody. Very nice. If an owner likes his wheels, but they're damaged, you can repair
17:14
those wheels and then put the PVD chrome finish on them. Isn't that right? We can. One, we have a prep department
17:20
and a team that are skilled craftsmen that are able to clean up cosmetic damage, curb damage to the point where
17:27
you would never know it was there in the first place. We can bring a wheel in, we strip that wheel down, and then we can
17:34
correct that alloy and it'll look brand new again before we run it through our process. Now, you've got an additional thing that
17:41
you guys just started that I absolutely love. It's called the pit crew. talk about the pit crew and how someone
17:47
becomes a member of the pit crew. Well, Steve, as you always say on Corvette today, every Corvette owner has
17:53
a story. Whether it's someone's first Corvette or 50th, whether it's a custom creation or a daily driver, there's a
18:00
story out there and how that car was acquired and why. And we love sharing our customers story for others to view
18:06
and enjoy. With that in mind, we developed the Pit Crew program to become that vehicle of ours to share pictures
18:11
and stories related to our customers cars. and we create a personal URL on our website for every one of our
18:18
customers cars. And on that URL, we load up a vehicle description. We can list all of the various accessories they may
18:25
have added, any work they've done to the car with ceramic coating. And we also give tribute to the different vendors
18:30
that our customers have worked with. And this link lives on our website so that they can share pictures and information
18:36
about their car with their family, their friends. And then certainly it's searchable as well. for our benefit.
18:41
It's an opportunity to showcase our work and have pictures of finished cars that have our various finishes on the wheels.
18:48
I think that's a fantastic idea and it's so much fun. It's so cool to read everybody's story. Like you said, I
18:55
always say every Corvette owner has a story and it's great to read the stories and see the cars. And you know, we've
19:00
actually taken this even a step further, too, because one, every one of our customers is invited to participate in
19:05
the pick crew and we do all of that at no cost. But in addition for our customers that actively attend car
19:10
shows, we've partnered with a company called Car Show Life. And Car Show Life helps us customize trading cards of our
19:18
customers cars along with custommade showboards that can be displayed at car shows. So we take it a step further and
19:24
we help our customers bring out recognition of their car when they're attending shows and sharing with others.
19:30
You can find the pit crew on our website too, wheelcraft.com and just simply select the pit crew link to browse
19:36
through a multitude of member profiles. Very cool, buddy. Also, you do some custom finishes as well. Let's detail
19:43
that. Plus, what other cars besides Corvettes can get the PVD chrome finishing? Well, as I mentioned previously, we are
19:50
able to customize our chrome finish with some resilient tint offerings. You know, we've delivered red chrome, blue chrome,
19:57
brassy chrome, gold chrome, and some other finishes to give that customer the
20:02
opportunity to personalize the look of their car. We can finish any make and model wheel up to 22 in. And the
20:08
limiting factor for size is the size of our vacuum chamber. We can finish up to
20:13
a 22x3in wheel that we can get into this piece of equipment. So Ed, if someone wants to
20:20
reach out to you, let's give the website URL, your telephone number, and how they can purchase wheels.
20:25
Okay. Well, first, please visit us at wheelcraft.com or call our office at
20:30
833639-4231. And when you visit, please be sure to click on our process page to learn more
20:38
about the finish and take a virtual tour of our facility. It's really interesting and fascinating. Once a customer has
20:44
selected a finish that they're interested in, we offer an exchange program where we leverage our inventory of Corvette factory wheels to apply our
20:51
finish, ship to the customer for installation, and then coordinate the return of their current wheels. So, we
20:56
have a very coordinated, tightly managed process to get from point A to point B.
21:01
Now, we manage an inventory of all C8 models. We have the five-spoke, the trident, the forge 20 spoke wheels and
21:08
Z06 wheels. But we also have sets of C5, C6 and C7 wheel styles for exchange as
21:14
well. So the easier we can make it for a customer to acquire our product and our finishes, we try to accommodate with
21:20
having an inventory to support those needs. Now, in the event we don't have a set that someone wants, we have a
21:25
process in place to have customers wheels shipped to our facility for processing. And then once those wheels
21:30
arrive, our process takes five to seven days and the wheels are shipped back to the customer for mounting and balancing.
21:36
We walk our customer through the entire process. Steve, one of the most unique features of our business model and our
21:42
customers bring it up to us all the time is that we do not ask for a deposit or any final payment until they have
21:48
received the finished product. We have such a high confidence that our customers are going to love our finish
21:54
that we ship the product to them and our honor system has never failed us.
21:59
That's fantastic. And it's so cool to hear that you can go C5 all the way up through C8 as well.
22:04
Yeah, we don't necessarily have all styles, but we have the majority of popular styles. That's great. Ed, thank you so much for
22:11
taking time to be on the Corvette today vendor showcase, and thanks again for being our signature sponsor. Well,
22:17
Steve, thank you once again for allowing Wheelcraft to sponsor Corvette Today podcast. We're proud to be associated
22:22
with such a great platform and thank you very much for your time. The pleasure is all ours, my friend. We'll take our final break. When we come
22:28
back, another vendor on the Vendor Showcase here on Corvette Today.
22:34
Are you ready for a better insurance policy without the Corvette tax? With agreed value protection, the value of
22:40
your collector vehicle will never change. Plus, you'll save money. Get a quick quote at ncm insurance.com.
22:47
Car Capsule brings you the official multi-awwardwinning Corvette SC1 showcase. It's the ultimate form of
22:53
protection, preservation, and presentation for your Corvette. No dust, mold, or mildew. This officially
22:59
licensed GM product features all eight Corvette flag logos, Corvette branding on the panels, a carbon fiber look and
23:05
feel, and interior chip onboard lighting, plus the Intella Charge battery charger with the fan backup
23:11
system. It takes only 5 minutes to inflate and it won't collapse when you open the doors or during a power loss.
23:17
It's a freestanding drive-in driveout operation. See it at carcapsule.com or
23:22
call 219-9459493. America's best pre-owned Corvette
23:27
destination. Familyowned for 70 years and three generations. The number one Mid-Atlantic regional dealer of the year
23:33
for 15 years in a row. Corvette enthusiasts nationwide all say we have the best Corvettes in the USA with 125
23:41
Corvettes and exotics in stock. We are C8 and C7 Corvette heaven and proud to
23:47
say 50-year Corvette specialists. autodirectcettes.com 85646199.
23:54
You're going to love our Corvettes as much as we do. We guarantee it. Hey honey, are you awake?
23:59
M I am now. I can't sleep. Since turning 50, I keep dreaming of a red door and a blue door.
24:05
Somehow knowing there are only choices for retirement. Okay. Through the red door, we outlive our
24:11
money. We have to rely on our kids. We're stuck on a fixed income. It's terrifying. Yeah, that would suck.
24:17
But through the blue door, our money outlives us. We retire on our terms. Our kids stay our kids, not our caretakers.
24:24
We make work optional. Yes, that's much better. That's what I want, too. But what do we do? We call
24:30
True Wealth and Company at 913-6538783. They specialize in helping successful
24:36
people make work optional. They're our fiduciary blue door personal wealth managers. Hey, where are you going? It's 3:00 a.m.
24:43
I can't sleep. I'm going to check out True Wealth & Company online at retirewithtr.com. That blue door is
24:49
going to be our retirement. 9136538783. Visit us online at retirewithtr.com.
24:54
Investment advice offer through company LLC, a registered investment adviser in the state of Kansas.
25:00
And now back to the only current podcast on Corvettes, Corvette Today with your host, Steve Garrett.
25:06
Thanks once again for checking out Corvette Today, the only current podcast dedicated to Corvette, brought to you by
25:12
Wheelcraft. Summer is here and so is car show season and you want your Corvette looking its best. Dress it up with
25:18
bright chrome or black chrome wheels. Visit wheelcraft.com and learn about their advanced PVD chrome finishing.
25:25
They can refinish your wheels or do a wheel exchange and you get a 5-year warranty. Visit wheelcraft.com today or
25:31
call them at 8336394231. My next guest on Corvette today is one
25:38
of the owners of a premier performance exhaust company. He's the main point person for many of their customers and
25:44
shops, and he also leads the tech talk production videos on their YouTube channel. He's John Gatos from Soul
25:51
Performance Products. John, welcome to Corvette today. Well, happy to be here, Steve. Thanks
25:56
for the invite. Nice to chat cars with you. Absolutely, buddy. John, first of all,
26:02
give us a brief history of Soul Performance Products, how the company was started, how long it's been around,
26:07
and what's the mission of Soul Performance Products. Well, realistically, we got together, a few of
26:13
us, I want to say it was like eight or nine years ago, and we were just sitting around said there is a gap in the market
26:22
for a exhaust company in the higherend exotics and Porsches and general sports
26:27
cars to make a really good quality product that performs well, sounds
26:33
great, but also has the customer service and experience and the knowledge of the
26:39
guys that you're working with to really back everything up. We're track rats. We love to beat the snot out of our cars.
26:45
We want people to be able to put stuff on that fits great and they have the confidence to go absolutely hammer down
26:51
on the street or the track. And that's really where it all came from and how we've been so successful over the years.
26:56
You can call, you can get someone on the phone that's enthusiastic and chat cars and come up with a good educated
27:02
decision on how to best meet your specific goals. And I'm happy to say it's been doing very well for us. We
27:09
started business about 7 years ago and it's been off to the races. That's awesome. Now you make performance
27:14
exhaust, John, for all the top car brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, McLaren, Audi, BMW, Mercedes,
27:22
AMG, Bentley, and Range Rover. And on the American side, you also work with Cadillac and Mustang. Talk about your
27:29
venture into Corvettes. Oh, that has been a real passion of ours, you know, and this all goes back. I mean, all of
27:36
us over here have grassroots going back to not just General Motors, but V8
27:41
power, you know, as we were kids, like I have a 1998 Z28 that my father used to have to drive
27:48
me to sleep in. We all go back to Americanmade cars. So, as we got the swing into the exotic market and the
27:56
higherend stuff, we really started to say, you know what, we need to go back to the passion that really started this
28:02
all when we were kids. We need to get back into the V8 stuff and let's start with General Motors. So, the C8 platform
28:09
was the big entryway into that. That was very, very successful for us. We did
28:15
high- flow cats. We did valve muffler replacements, non- valve muffler replacements, and then we were like,
28:20
"All right, well, the C8 platform worked out great. Let's take a look at the Cadillac platform." So, we brought in
28:26
the CT5V Blackwing, and we also brought in the newer generation 350 and 500
28:32
Mustang cars and made some pretty slick products for those, too. And sitting in the garage right now is the new Z06. We
28:40
are deep into the development on that car, and boy is that car exciting. They've managed to stuff essentially uh
28:47
a Ferrari V8 on steroids into this thing. And it is a freaking cool car.
28:52
I know. And I was going to ask you about the Z06 because I heard that you were working on an exhaust for the C8 Z06.
28:59
When do you think that'll be on the market? Oh, we don't rush to market. We take our time. We do it right. And we put a lot
29:07
of thought and time and effort into it. So, let me be the first to tell you, it'll be on the market when it's on the
29:12
market when it's right. and it's going to be the best that we can do it. I would expect we are still two to four
29:18
weeks before we come down to the final honing in on to the final production
29:24
product. So, you know, I would say we would hope to have a release sometime in July or August if everything goes well
29:32
and we certainly hope. We'll be watching for it. I'm excited to see what you can come up with, John. Almost everybody there at Soul
29:38
Performance Products is from racing, too. give us a little bit of background about your racing career. Oh, super humble, modest.
29:46
It all started with carting. You know, I raced shifter carts for about I want to say like five or six seasons and that
29:52
was a huge huge amount of fun and then went into doing mostly HPDE with cars
29:58
and then graduated from that into doing endurance racing. So, I've been doing a lot of endurance racing and that's been
30:04
a whole hoot of fun. I did a few races with AER. I've been doing the lemons 24
30:11
hours stuff recently and and let me tell you that is probably the most fun for the dollar of any wheelto-heel I've ever
30:17
done. It is just absolutely hilarious. I got passed by a hot dog stand into turn
30:22
one at New Jersey Motorsports. That's great. That's fant. Everyone has a crazy theme and it's a lot of fun.
30:28
That's awesome. Let's talk more about Soul Performance Products exhaust and what sets them apart from other
30:34
aftermarket exhaust manufacturers. I want to say it really comes down to the
30:39
quality of the parts. We are very particular on taking the time to come up
30:45
with a recipe for success that has a part that is built to outlast the life
30:51
of the car. We TIG weld everything. We back purge everything. We use the best
30:56
304L stainless steel that we can get a hand on here in the States. If it's valved, we get the best valves we can
31:03
get. If it is a hot car, and by that I mean temperature, we take a lot of time
31:09
to come up with how are we going to have this car get the absolute crap beat out
31:15
of with our exhaust on it and not have any problems. So, we develop bespoke heat solutions. So, you'll see on all of
31:22
our C8 products that we have already released for the standard cars, E-51
31:27
package, etc., All of our exhaust systems come with bespoke heat blankets.
31:33
Now, the Z06 is going to have to have the same thing. It is a very, very hot
31:39
running car. So, we're going to be taking our time not just to develop the products that we intend to release, but
31:45
also come up with a way to make sure the car is running cool. And that kind of thought process goes into everything
31:51
that we do in order to knock it out of the park and at a price point that is reasonable for doing all this stuff here
31:58
in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, where we have close to 30 guys on our team here.
32:04
And we do as much manufacturing in-house as is possible here in the States.
32:09
And each of your Soul Performance exhausts comes with a lifetime warranty, doesn't it? Oh, yes. Not just a lifetime warranty
32:16
for the street, but a lifetime warranty for the track. We want you guys to take
32:21
our stuff out and put it to good use. So, please do so. If you are the original owner of our soul exhaust, you
32:28
can have it on your car for the entire time of your ownership and you are taken care of. All you need is a quick phone
32:35
call to say, "Hey, I've got this problem," which we don't expect you to have to do,
32:40
right? And we've got your back. That's awesome, John. Once again, you're located in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania,
32:46
which is right outside of Philadelphia. Give us the website URL and the phone number if somebody wants to reach out to
32:52
Soul Performance Products. Sure. The website is www.sppp
33:01
as in performanceproducts.com and our phone number is 8554861400.
33:11
Call in, select sales, customer service, and have a chat with us. We are always, always happy to point you in the right
33:18
direction. That's fantastic. John, thank you so much for being on Corvette today. I've got your Soul Performance Products
33:24
exhaust on my C8 70th anniversary Stingray, and I absolutely love it. I am happy you're enjoying it. Thanks
33:30
for your time, Steve. I really appreciate it. Thanks for listening to Corvette Today, and please be sure to tell your family,
33:36
friends, and other Corvette enthusiasts about the Corvette Today podcast. And thanks to our sponsors, Wheelcraft. Want
33:42
to dress up your Corvette with bright chrome or black chrome wheels? Visit wheelcraft.com to learn about their
33:47
advanced PVD chrome finishing. They can refinish your wheels or offer a wheel exchange for most models and it comes
33:53
with a 5-year warranty. Visit wheelcraft.com today or call 833-840-5334.
34:00
Soul Performance Products at soulppp.com. The official exhaust of Corvette today.
34:05
True Wealth & Company at retirewithtr.com. Also, Aerolari wheels. Get $100 off your
34:11
purchase with the new promo code CT111 at aerolari.com. And Hendrickk Chevrolet
34:17
in Kansas City at chevyusa.com. You've been listening to Corvette Today
34:23
with Steve Garrett. If you'd like to contact Steve with any thoughts on the podcast or ideas for guests on Corvette
34:29
Today, you can email him at stevegared djgmail.com.
34:35
That's Steve Garrett DJ@gmail.com. Garrett has two Rs and two T's. Or
34:41
connect with Steve on social media on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using Steve Garrett DJ. Thanks again for
34:49
listening to Corvette today.