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Private Notes
Dragsters, surf culture/Woodies. The 1940 Ford West Coast style - If they were running Moonshine in the southeast in 1940s Ford - on the west coast there was a different take. They were cruising, modifying the car for hot rodding and cutting the top off.
Junior Johnson, Bill Elliott and other surprise guests explore the impact on the 1940 Ford in Post World War II America on the southeast. They explain how they used the car and their ingenuity to build a business that turned into a popular sport.
Nashville, country music and the automobile. Both respected musician and auto racer Marty Robbins crossed between the world of the Grand Ole Opry and stock car racing flawlessly and no one has done it since. Ray returns Marty’s 777 to the race track.
A visit with Don Prudhomme and John Force as well as director Ron Howard and Beach Boy Mike Love. Ray and Don take a look at street racing and the Tom Cobb Roadster that set so many land speed and early drag records.
Two buried treasures/time capsules from the 1970s. The PUROs had their Daytona race car literally buried in a car hauler for almost 40 years. Ray uncovers their prized possession and takes a look at the car that is a hidden treasure
A journey to Indy & a rooftop finds that the car that finished 2nd in the 1955 Indy 500 sat on the roof of auto mechanic shop for nearly 50 years. Rescued by prominent Indy mechanic/owner Chris Paulsen the car is now being restored.
Innovative NASCAR mechanic Henry ``Smokey'' Yunick sells his famous truck to a Virginia family in the 1960s.
The automobile impacts life in large cities in the early 20th century and contributes to the transformation of Long Island.
New Jersey racer Fred Dmuchowski drives for fun on weekends and becomes a legend.
Rick recalls how the Chevrolet Corvette inspired the beginning of his car empire; musician Brad Paisley makes an appearance.
The last car Elvis drove the evening he passed was his beloved Stutz Blackhawk. Ray wants to help document the preservation and heads to Graceland to check out this iconic piece of American music history. Ray and the team reveal the restoration of the car at Charlotte Motor Speedway with Rick Hendrick ("Mr. H") and arguably Elvis Presley's biggest fan, Dale Earnhardt Jr. While at Graceland, Ray and the team also get an exclusive look at the paneled station wagon Elvis used to get in and out of Graceland in disguise. It's an intimate look at the King's incredible automobile and the secrets about his cars only Elvis knew.
This episode takes an inside look at the famous racing L88 Corvette: From its history, to its successes and heartbreaks, to the stories of the men that drove it. Now, it's a car world's version of the Flintstones meet the Jetsons, as the Owens Corning Corvette - that clinched 22 straights races, making it the winningest Corvette in racing history - challenges the new Corvette C7-R at the track. The Owens Corning team reunites for the challenge at Sebring on March 11, 2014, and the crew went behind the scenes for the Corvette test drive of a lifetime.
From break up to make up - Jeff Gordon and Ray reunite revive their Chevrolet Monte Carlo that claimed victory in their final race together at Phoenix, AZ in 1999. John Bickford makes the call that reunites the old team. Jeff and Ray look to bum parts off their boss - Rick Hendrick - to make their vision a reality: get the car, replace the parts as they were, make it run and get it to auction. Jeff and Ray work to restore the car back to its former glory and tell their story about their last season together and how they won at every track on the circuit at that time. We see the old mullets and mustaches - as well as talk about the pressure of winning that last race. The finale of the episode concludes at Barrett Jackson Scottsdale where the car is auctioned off for the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation for Pediatric Cancer.
One of the greatest battles in NASCAR history was Hall of Famer Richie Evans and rival speedster Jerry Cook. Ray is determined to uncover - and revive- the cars that made these men famous. They purchase the car from Jimmy Spencer and take us through the side-by-side restoration process of Ritchie Evans #61 car and a replica of Jerry Cook's #38 car. Through the build Ray uncovers legends' stories through the eyes of guys who were there in Rome, NY like Robin Pemberton and Steve Hmiel. Both cars will hit the track at Martinsville - site of one of the greatest races in modified history and the tragic death of Richie Evans himself. Legends live again as Ray recreates one the racing world's most celebrated rivalries on a track that has seen it all.
General Motors VP of global design, Ed Welburn, takes AmeriCarna behind the scenes to talk about the history and development of the company's concept cars that never made it to production. In a rare tour at the factory's inner design studio, Ray gets an exclusive look behind the creative curtain at the GM plant in Detroit.
In this episode, Ray celebrates the 50th birthday of the Ford Mustang through the lens of three distinct Mustang owners who hold a slice of the car's incredible history. In Chicago 1964, schoolteacher Gail Wise unknowingly purchased the first ever Mustang to ever be sold to consumers. It was 3 days before it became available to the public and her husband reveals the incredible restoration that brought the earliest Mustang ever sold back to its 60's glory. (Ford Motor Company knows she has the car, has verified it was sold before it was legal to sell.) John Grafelman is a farmer in Illinois and life-long Ford lover. A few years ago he found an old car hidden in a barn - it took some time but he convinced his friend to sell it to him. After some detective work he discovers he purchased 1968 Ford Design Chief Larry Shinoda's personal car he tinkered with to invent the BOSS 302. Lastly, Ray travels to Dayton Ohio to interview Gale Holderman the Mustang stylist who won the company's contest to draw and design Mustang.
How do you cast a car in a movie? What are the secrets to the build? Hollywood car designers give Ray the ultimate tour of some memorable movie cars. Includes a look at the recently found "Hells Chariot" - last surviving car from original Grease movie, the backstory of "Bumble Bee" from Tranformers, the making of tank from Hunger Games, and the iconic 1968 Chevy Impala from American Graffiti.
Ray explores buying a unique, hand built car that the Schultz family has kept in their New Jersey home for years. The car was originally called the Schultz El Fierro but it's officially titled in New as a "Schultz Special" from 1958. It was used to drag race and held numerous racing records, but most important to that family was that it was driven by the legendary Carroll Shelby. With a frame and style much similar to the Shelby Roadster, the Schultz family wonders if it inspired one of the most well known automobiles in America. In another epic New Jersey story, Ray finds Mario Andretti's 1965 Indy car. The catch: it's completely in pieces hidden away in a garage. The iconic driver talks about his days on the track with that car and Ray attempts to negotiate a deal to buy the parts.
Post World War II, a large generation of American soldiers were looking for cars that mirrored the incredible sports cars they saw overseas in Europe. After searching for an affordable way to recreate these, one manufacturer responded with a durable, cost effective option: a line of fiberglass sports cars. Very few of these cars still exist but there are collectors who are constantly looking to save pieces and parts of these virtually unknown vehicles - many of them at the Smithsonian Museum. This episode presents a unique look at how the narrative of American war time experiences often shaped the nation's automotive demands.
While visiting the estate of automotive genius and land speed record holder Willie Glass, Ray discovers a lost set of the extremely rare Ardun Heads - a hot rodders dream discovery. He visits the infamous H & H Flatheads outside Los Angeles and discovers a surprise connection to the Earnhardt family.
Eight incredible vehicles are wrecked when a sinkhole opens underneath the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky.; General Motors Corp. restores the 1 millionth Corvette, which was damaged in the event.
The Race of Gentleman, an iconic event held on the beach in Wildwood, N.J., features period vehicles, period dress, and pure authenticity; Ray enters a car in the race and adds a very special driver.
Ray discovers he has much in common with Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Records; Indy racer Josef Newgarden; musicians Tim McGraw and Cassadee Pope.
Bob Keith and his Dos Palmas dragster visit England in 1964; after the car is lost for over 40 years, Ray discovers the classic vehicle and gives it a proper rebirth at the National Hot Rod Reunion.
Ray's love of cars and guitars comes in handy when he meets blues musician Joe Bonamassa, who is looking for a special gift for his parents.
Race tracks built of boards spring up across the United States in the early 1900s; Ray and X Games veteran Travis Pastrana recall the era of the motordromes.
Ray finds a t-bucket with a record-breaking past, and wants to rebuild the roadster so it can match or improve on the record.
Ray finds a Gurney Eagle in a garage in New Jersey.
Ray restores the famous Brawner Hawk Indy car that Mario Andretti drove to win Rookie of the Year honors in 1965; the duo takes the vehicle to the Brickyard for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ray build a half car have truck El Laguna and have Al Unser Jr. race it against a vintage racing champion on a road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Vintage racing is sweeping the nation and Ray and Awesome Bill Elliot team up in a Corvette against 33 former Indy racers and their pro-am partners at the Brickyard.
Ray restores the car that started it all for him and set him on his path in racing --the 1958 Chevy from the iconic, Academy-award winning film by George Lucas -- American Graffiti.
