Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!

What do you do when you retire from a corporate career but still want to build things? If you're Mark Freibaum, you buy a 24-foot NASCAR auto hauler and transform it into a mobile woodworking shop for kids. 🛠️🏁

In this episode, we sit down with Mark inside his incredible "Woodworks on Wheels" trailer to discuss his mission to bring the lost art of shop class back to a new generation. We also take a trip down memory lane to his first car—a 1963 Mercury Comet that his dad rescued from a junkyard for $35 (and required a paperclip to start).

We also cruise through his memories of owning a massive 1964 Buick Electra 225 (the legendary "Deuce and a Quarter"), racing slot cars in the basement, and his current project: creating 3D-printed Bugatti-inspired Pinewood Derby cars.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• 🏁 The NASCAR Workshop: How Mark converted a bare auto hauler into a state-of-the-art mobile woodshop to teach kids trade skills.
• 🚙 The Junkyard Comet: The story of his first car, a 1963 Mercury Comet, which was bought for $35, fixed by a high school shop class, and started with a paperclip.
• 📏 The "Mantis": Why he misses his 1964 Buick Electra 225, a 21-foot-long luxury land yacht he bought for $500.
• 🏎️ Tiny Racers: From HO slot cars to a Bugatti-themed Pinewood Derby event, how model cars spark a lifelong love for engineering.
• 🛠️ Trades & Arts: Mark’s philosophy on why woodworking is both an art and a trade, and why it's vital to keep these skills alive.

Mark was hooked on our podcast after hearing the unusual Trabant and Tucker episode with Andrew: https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/17009738

Whether you're a maker, a classic car fan, or just love a story about giving back to the community, Mark's journey is sure to inspire you to build something great.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Visit Mark's project: woodworksonwheels.com
• Check out our content and 60+ episodes on LinkTree 🔗🌲 https://linktr.ee/carsloved
• Check out our Guest-inspired Road Trip Playlist on Spotify: 🎧🚗 https://carsloved.com/playlist

📢 Join the Conversation: Did you take shop class in school? Let us know on Instagram @toallthecarsivelovedbefore

*** Your Favorite Automotive Podcast - Now Arriving Weekly!!! ***

Listen on your favorite platform and visit https://carsloved.com for full episodes, our automotive blog, Guest Road Trip Playlist and our new CAR-ousel of Memories photo archive.

Don't Forget to Rate & Review to keep the engines of automotive storytelling—and personal restoration—running strong.

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!

What happens when a 13-year-old girl wants to buy her first car but can't legally work? She starts rebuilding carburetors in her dad's garage—and accidentally builds a national brand. 🔧😲

In our 2026 Premiere, we sit down with Riley and her father Dane, the dynamic duo behind Riley’s Rebuilds. Riley went from being a high-level soccer player to a viral automotive sensation, restoring thousands of carburetors for enthusiasts worldwide and becoming an official rebuilder for Edelbrock Group.

We dive deep into their incredible journey, from scouring Facebook Marketplace across four states to building a Jurassic Park Jeep YJ and navigating the automotive industry as a young female entrepreneur.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• 🦖 The Jurassic Jeep: The story behind Riley's first car, a 1995 Jeep Wrangler YJ transformed into a movie-accurate Jurassic Park tribute (mud included!).
• 🔥 The Nitrous Incident: Dane’s "first car" story involving a 1977 Monte Carlo, a stoplight race with a Ford LTD police car, and a hidden nitrous plate.
• 📈 Viral Success: How a car accident and a single Facebook post led to 300+ free carburetors showing up at their doorstep.
• 🛠️ The Art of the Hustle: How Riley balances a triple major in college (Math, Physics, Mechanical Engineering) while running a business and managing a team of her best friends.
• 🤝 Women in Automotive: Riley's work with the Jessi Combs Foundation and her mission to bring the next generation into the trade.

Don't miss Riley and Dane's favorite episode with their good friends, father-daughter duo Caroline and James from HH Wheels: https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/17960446

Whether you're a seasoned mechanic or just love a good story about grit and family, this episode is the perfect way to kick off the new year.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Check out Riley's work: Instagram @rileysrebuilds
• Watch their builds on YouTube: Riley’s Rebuilds
• Listen to our 60+ episodes on LinkTree 🔗🌲 https://linktr.ee/carsloved

📢 Join the Conversation: What was your first "wrenching" experience? Did you learn from a parent or figure it out yourself? Let us know on Instagram @toallthecarsivelovedbefore

*** Your Favorite Automotive Podcast - Now Arriving Weekly!!! ***

Listen on your favorite platform and visit https://carsloved.com for full episodes, our automotive blog, Guest Road Trip Playlist and our new CAR-ousel of Memories photo archive.

Don't Forget to Rate & Review to keep the engines of automotive storytelling—and personal restoration—running strong.

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!

Is it possible to start with a $3,000 budget and trade your way up to a $60,000 JDM legend in less than a year? 🤯💸

In this episode, we sit down with Jon Khlok, founder of Kent Island Cars and Coffee, to hear one of the wildest "car flipping" stories we've ever heard. During the pandemic, Jon started with a 1987 Mercedes and executed a series of strategic trades that landed him behind the wheel of a Nissan Skyline R34 and eventually a Mark IV Toyota Supra.

We also dive into his humble beginnings with a Chevy Cavalier Z24 (complete with a PlayStation in the glovebox) and how he founded a massive Cars and Coffee event at a BBQ joint in Maryland.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• 🚗 The First Car: Jon's 1987 Chevy Cavalier Z24, modified with an aluminum wing and a PS1 bolted to the dash.
• 📈 The Trade-Up Sequence: How Jon flipped a Mercedes 420 SEL → BMW 335xi → Nissan Skyline R32 → Porsche 911 Targa (996) → Nissan Skyline R34 → Toyota Supra Mark IV.
• 🔧 The "Man Cave" Philosophy: Why Jon modifies every car he owns (and why he refuses to do "camber" builds).
• ☕ Kent Island Cars & Coffee: How a craving for a brisket burrito at Bark Barbecue turned into a monthly car meet with 400+ attendees.
• 🏁 The Dream Car: Why a Mercedes 190E Evo II is the one car he would keep forever.

Don't miss Jon's favorite episode featuring the secrets to importing JDM Legends into the US: https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/17376238

Whether you are interested in the art of the trade, love 90s JDM culture, or just want to hear how to turn sweat equity into a dream garage, this episode is a must-listen.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Check out the meets: Kent Island Cars and Coffee, Cult Classic Car Meet, and the JDM & Exotic Show on Facebook/Instagram
• Find your favorite in our 60+ episode archive: 🔗🌲https://linktr.ee/carsloved

📢 Join the Conversation: What is the best "trade up" you've ever made with a vehicle? Let us know on Instagram @toallthecarsivelovedbefore

*** Your Favorite Automotive Podcast - Now Arriving Weekly!!! ***

Listen on your favorite platform and visit https://carsloved.com for full episodes, our automotive blog, Guest Road Trip Playlist and our new CAR-ousel of Memories photo archive.

Don't Forget to Rate & Review to keep the engines of automotive storytelling—and personal restoration—running strong.