S4 E29 Audio
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[00:00:00] What's up everybody? Welcome back to another episode of Very Vehicular. As always, I'm your host, Brian Scotto. Today's kind of special 'cause this is the first time we've had anyone from the off-road community on the show. Can't believe

it's taken seven months to do it. Our guest today, I've known him for about 10 years now. It's Blake Wilkey. He's probably best known for getting arrested for making a video. Well, we'll let him explain that. Anyway, enjoy it.

Wilkey, welcome to the show What's up, dude? It's good, man. It's good to see you. It's been a little bit. I know, dude. Yeah. For sure. Um, I'm just gonna jump right into this moment, 'cause I think this is, like, where our roads [00:01:00] intersect. So it's 2016, and somebody's like, "Dude, you gotta see this video." Every frigging time, dude And it's obviously the original Urban Assault.

And I, I don't think I've ever been more conflicted in my life, because on one side, as, like, a filmmaker, I was like, "This is rad." And, like, there's a bunch of really cool stuff in there, and, you know, it was a, it was a lot of stuff that, like, we were already kinda doing, right? Obviously, we've done Recoil and Gymkhana films.

Um, but then there was the other side of me that was like, "Oh my God, you are gonna cause me such a headache, 'cause I'm now gonna have to prove to people that there aren't, um, what they call copycat type people that do stuff." But, like, that obviously jettisoned you into, like, a whole different space. Yeah.

You've obviously gone and made a bunch of other videos. Um, and I know you've talked on, on, on, um, the initial Urban Assault, but, like, you, you had some jail time, you had some fines, you had a lot of that. Yeah. Just give us the quick background on kind of how, [00:02:00] like, that all came together, and, like, what made you think it was a good idea to go steal all of those locations in San Diego?

I mean, they were already our thrash spots, dude. Right Like, we'd ride our, our pit bikes, our little XR50s and bikes and scooters and shit growing up on all these embankments or, like, just similar features, you know? Grew up racing dirt bikes, so, like, you know, even in, like, on the freeway you see, like, mountains and you're like, just thinking like, "Er," like, "I'm gonna jump all this shit."

Mm-hmm. Same thing. Car was getting sold to the head of security in Qatar, so I was like, "Last hurrah. Let's go frigging hit all the local spots and film it," you know? I think we spent, like, 400 bucks that day. Gave my homie a couple hundred extra bucks to edit it, um, Corey from Perplex, and drop something with copyrighted music, and didn't make really any money on the back end.

But that thing banged probably, like, sh- like 100 million views between Facebook and all these other- Right ... platforms that were sharing it, like Gas [00:03:00] Monkey Garage. I think you- Well, and- ... you guys even shared it on- Yeah, and because of the illegalness of it, I think it got even further. Yeah. 'Cause it was so many people were talking about it.

So I couldn't remember what year it was, so I looked it up today just to be like, what year was it? I remember it was 2015, 2016, and I actually found, like, the Hot Rod Magazine article. And, like, the title was, like, "45 Days in Jail", you know- Yeah ... w- but it was worth it, you know? 100%. It was, like, was the thing, and I think that the, the illegality of it actually got even more people kinda talking about it.

That's crazy. But when, when, when you put that out, so for those of you, you should just pause this and go watch it and come back. But you basically made, like, your own kind of, you know, action film through San Diego, through hills, and, like, crazy kind of, like, wall rides. All these different things that you did, like jumped over cars.

It was a whole bunch of different things happening. Yeah. And you did it all without any permits with a super small team. Like, it was real, like- Raw ... raw skate video style. Like, you went and, what [00:04:00] we call, like, you stole all the locations, right? Yeah. When you put it out though, did you think, "Oh shit, we're gonna eventually get in trouble," or did you think like maybe no one will see it?

I didn't think it was gonna go as viral and create so much attention. Yeah. Okay. Like I was, uh, actually like when it hit the news, like, uh, the day after we dropped it and then the thing already banged a million views. I was like, "What?" Like, "Oh shit. Okay." Like, and then they're like, "What are local authorities gonna do about this?"

You know? Mm-hmm. "Hoodlum." And I'm like called my friend who was an attorney. I'm like, "What do you think I should do?" And he's like, "Probably hire me for representation." Like, you know, otherwise they're gonna potentially detain you or come- Mm-hmm ... arrest you at your job or so- at your, at your workplace or whatever.

And yeah, I was like, "That's not good. You're hired." Yeah. So I mean, I was working construction downtown at the time, and every time, like, I'd ... There's a lot of cop cars that park all over the place- Mm-hmm ... [00:05:00] downtown San Diego, and I'm working on, um, one of the new, uh, city college buildings, and it's all open walls and stuff, and I'm like, every time I see a cop go by or park down below, I'm like, "Am I gonna get hemmed up?"

But, uh, yeah, it was, it was crazy how gnarly that thing just spiked and took d- took off. Yeah. And unreal. Like, you couldn't ... Like, you can't really duplicate I don't think, unless you get in trouble. Yeah. You know? Which I don't recommend, because that was my first time going to jail, and- So you did end up having to go to jail?

For four days, 'cause I had other reckless driving charges- Oh, okay ... on my record that I was on informal probation for. So I went to jail for four days, uh, 45 days house arrest, three more years informal probation, and, uh, it was the most 45 productive days I've ever had- ... with an ankle bracelet on and shit.

Like, 'cause I had ... I was working construction, but I had my own shop under Wilkie Works, [00:06:00] so like 10:00 curfew, like can't go anywhere else but these two establishments really. So I was going to work and then going to the shop afterwards, and just full crush mode. Yeah. And I built the next car Megalodon, which we did Urban Assault Two with in that time span, finished, finished it off after selling the car and figuring out all the fines and shit- Yeah

which was, like, close to 10 grand. Whatever. I mean, it probably would've been more expensive to permit it all, so. Oh, for sure. Yeah. You know? But it just really helped, I guess, my, my name get out there. Oh, yeah. You know? For sure. No, I mean, I remember that week, 'cause it was kind of everywhere, and you know, this was a period of time, like, we had done the Gymkhana films, we obviously had done Recoil at that point, and there was a lot of, um- Inspiration for you?

Yeah, well, there was ... Yeah, no, but there was a lot of lookalike pe- like, everyone was trying to make a kind of that kind of video. I, I don't think that's- Yeah ... as popular anymore, but at that period, it was just a lot of people trying to make a drift video that felt like Gymkhana or [00:07:00] an off-road video that felt like Recoil, and then you came out with this thing that was super raw.

W- had not ... Obviously, like, now you told me, like, $600 in budget in total. And with probably- With, with pro- production. A- and, and, and had that same initial impact. Yeah. Right? Like, it really hit and, like ... And I, and now look, I, I think I want to give you the credit, 'cause I think the legal part was, was definitely something, but it was that vehicle- Just looked really cool flying and doing the things it was doing, right?

Like, it really worked, and I think the rawness of it... Yeah, there it is right there. It's right there, dude. Yeah. Yeah. And, like, I think that that, um... And look, I might be a little biased, 'cause, you know, I enjoy Volkswagens, but, like, it just looked really fun, and to me it, it really had that skateboard video vibe, which is what we were always, you know, trying to do with, with Gymkhana.

So yeah, and I, 'cause I think I reached out to you at that early point, or maybe you and I had just started talking on something else, and I was just like, "Dude, I'd love to do something with you, but, like, right now you're, like, [00:08:00] too hot. I can't touch you because you're, like, the exact opposite of what we're trying to do with the brand."

Yeah. I'm like, "Let it cool off for a little bit, and we'll do some more stuff together," which obviously we eventually did. But yeah, I mean, after that, like, I imagine doing the next film was easier, because now you had a bunch of people who knew you had a following. Yeah. Yeah. No, totally, and we did it in Vegas with my boy Nick Brion for Urban Assault too.

Yep. Right da- down downtown Fremont Street, on Fremont Street- Mm-hmm ... and everywhere close to that. Um, just like Urban Assault, everywhere was within, like, 10 minutes of my- Mm-hmm ... of my home. So, like, we knew all the spots. We didn't even have to go scout it. Mm. We were just like, "Let's go hit this spot, this spot, this spot," and everyone's like, "We all know those."

But- Whose idea was the, um, the, uh, Ka- the knocked-over KRLs? That was mine Yeah, I love that. Yeah. Uh, 'cause I think one of the things that's really hard to replicate is what off-road suspension can do, not in the whoops. Yeah. Right? Like, like seeing something in a more [00:09:00] mechanical state, and like, with like Recoil, you remember the Recoil II we did in Ensenada, there was like- Yep

the housing foundations we came down- The drop-offs? ... the drop-offs. Sick. Like, that was one of those things that like when we saw it, and I wanna give credit to, it was actually, um, BJ's helicopter pilot, Tony Ferrari, who saw it and was like, "What about that?" And BJ and I were like, "Oh, that's perfect," right?

That's, that was gangster. You know, it's like finding something like that to show off what suspension can do- Yeah ... is really difficult when you're not in just whoops, you know? And like having it, like coordinate well. So I- Yeah ... think that worked real, worked out really well. Yeah, to where it's just natural shit that's- Yeah

urban environment. Mm-hmm. 100%. Yeah. Yeah, and that was, that was fun at first, you know, when they were super tight, like we ended up gapping them out and then like you couldn't come into it and you'd get pop off it, and then you'd land and you didn't have speed, so it was like, just beat the hell out of you, the tests and that shit.

So then like I got another K rail, they were remodeling that hotel next to Atomic Liquors. I went over there and borrowed sandbags [00:10:00] and, uh, some of their scaffolding wood and like made it to where like I could jump up into it and then start clipping the tops- Mm ... and spread them out. So like that, that feature took a little bit of time to really dial in and just some, to make look cool.

But when it did, you know, the slow-mo that Brian Lambert got of it with the camera car and stuff, it just shows those King shocks just cycling. Mm-hmm. And it was still pretty violent, 'cause like- Yeah, it, it doesn't look violent, but it was violent. Yeah. Most of the stuff isn't, people don't understand how violent it is.

I think the le- the least violent car I have is my Class 11. Wait, really? For sure. I would think the exact opposite. I'll take you for a ride. You'll understand after I take you for a rip. Yeah. Res- if you drive it respectfully. I mean, any, any vehicle you get out of shape a little bit. Yeah. You know, you're getting your ass kicked, but- One-

long term, I'll cruise that thing all day. One of my favorite moments with you was we had built, uh, we'd built Scumbug. Vinny and I are [00:11:00] driving it, me and him are swapping back and forth, and we're going through like the San Felipe whoops, which I don't realize is like some of the more notorious whoops in the, in the off-road community, right?

And I get out and I say to you, "What do we c- like how can we adjust the car? 'Cause like it doesn't really seem to be like," you know, and you said, "I don't know, go 30 miles an hour slower." He's like, "It's not," he's like, "It's not a Can-Am," 'cause we were so used to driving UTVs. He's like, he's like, "Maybe you're just driving too fast through that."

'Cause we just kept getting like rear bucked and like just like donkey fucked over them all, so. Yeah. Yeah, it was, uh... And then you were like, "I don't know, maybe you're just driving too fast for what that thing is." With the tire size, the suspension- Mm-hmm ... travel, the horsepower, like- You know, you need power to pull through stuff, and this thing's just kinda gutless.

Yeah. I think it had, like, an 1815 or maybe not even that, and it just, uh, basic of basic with, you know, uh, a good King adjustable reservoir bypa- Yeah ... or shock. And, uh, [00:12:00] yeah, you guys are trying to go 60 miles an hour through, like, trophy truck square edges and shit, just getting- ... bucked sideways, and I was like, "These guys are gonna make me have to fix more of their bullshit."

That's- 'Cause I did, that's what I had to do a lot back then. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Rewinding, though, how did, how did you get into all of this? Like, obviously you came up on bikes, but, like, how did you- Yeah ... move over to bugs, and how'd that all start for you? Just growing up riding, racing dirt bikes and going to the desert.

You know, everyone had Volkswagen, uh, buggies or sand rails, and they're all colorful and bright. And going to the river, hot rod jet boats, you know, just, like, being around go fast, loud, fucking- Yeah ... fun shit, you know? And, uh- Couldn't take a chick on my dirt bike at night, so I needed a buggy. So yeah, I bought a clapped out, broken, um, Sand Rail that had a broken inner pivot with a shanty-ass shitty trailer for, like, 2,500 bucks.

[00:13:00] But a good motor and, uh, good shocks, and decent enough, and got me by for that season, and chopped that thing up. But, uh, in, like, the metal fab and, like, off-road stuff and just mechanical stuff, mainly my dad. You know, the first thing me and him ever built out of metal was a shank. Like, piece of rebar 'cause he ties steel and pools.

So we, uh, sharpened and annealed and made a wooden handle, made a knife. That was the first thing I ever made out of metal at seven years old, and then started building BMX ramps and a bunch of other stuff. And, uh, went to El Cajon ROP for welding after he already taught me how to, like, stick weld and MIG weld with our shitty equipment that he had just for dicking around in the garage.

And, um, at 15, went to Fabcom, started doing a bunch of, uh, welding and metal forming and punching out tabs, whatever they could after school, and around the shit. Mm-hmm. And just asked questions and, uh, went to [00:14:00] PRD, Precision Race Development, at 17 and said, "Can I sweep your floors for free to learn?" And, uh, he's like, "Sure."

He's like, "How, how long till you turn 18?" I'm like, "About five or six months." He's like, "Oh, you're not gonna get hurt before then, right?" And I was like, "Yeah." He's like, "Well, then the day you turn 18, you know, need to go get your home-based mobile business license, call it mechanics or welding or whatever that might be, and, uh, then I'm gonna 1099 your ass, but I'll pay you cash under the table until then if you do a good job."

So worked there for a week after, uh, school or whatever hours I had with going to Harvard on the Hill, AKA Grossmont Community College. Harvard on the Hill. That's what we called it. And, uh, yeah, man, just after the first week, he's like, "You did such a good job, I'm gonna pay you for this week." I was like, "Sick.

Hell yeah." I'm getting paid now, and I'm around race cars, pre-runners, all that shebang at 17 and a half. Like, it was just an ultimate goal after doing my [00:15:00] own thing with, like, super basics and watching whatever I could on YouTube or race desert, desert ranger forums. Yeah. You know, just being super avid with that stuff, trying to sponge it all in.

But now I got equipment to learn off of, someone to shadow around and ask questions and try not to be annoying, but soak it all in, and that's What really igni- I guess ignited my progression Yeah And that's where I built the OG Bug. Um, and then kind of just ran with it from there with, with whate- whatever opportunity I had or places to, to migrate to and learn, you know?

So after that, I went to, um, Premier Motorsports Group, PMG, and did... I was a crew chief for short course. Um, ended up winning my first year with them the, uh, Mechanic of the Year award because I was working on, like, five different drivers' shit constantly, um, while I was also, like, [00:16:00] teaching other people from being around it at PRD and doing a lot of prep and fab, like teaching other people the cars that would come in and take over on that car.

If they moved places or people around, um, I kind of knew all the cars and, like, the little to-dos and to-don'ts and ways to set things up or, like, the drivers like to be set up. So each driver got to pick a mechanic at the end of the year, and since we had five drivers, they all picked me 'cause I was always keeping their shit running.

So that was super cool, first year going into short course, winning an award, and, I mean, like, just more motivation, you know? And that's where I finished the, finished the car, or actually made a lot of prog- progress with the OG Bug. But I started out with a, uh, that buggy that I center-mounted, that Chenowth that I bought that was that piece of shit.

And then I did a, uh, Toyota single cab pickup, and then I did what I called the Brown Bomber, which was a single cab Chevy [00:17:00] Cat Eye. Or it was a old, old C10 that I put Cat Eye glass on, fiberglass glass, and I-beamed it, linked it, and 388... or 383 stroker on it, and she got down, but then I rolled it at Tough Trucks in Del Mar.

Luckily, I had insurance o- on it, but I drove it there, kicked the windshield out after Tough Trucks, and drove it home with goggles that I had in it. For the people who don't know what Tough Trucks is, please explain Tough Trucks, 'cause it is one of the coolest things to watch. It's a super small stadium with very aggressive features, jumps, bumps, whoops, and it's designed to kick the shit out of you and your vehicle and to, to g- actually slow you down so you don't go too fast.

But we're idiots. We like to go fast, and of course, I found, paid the price and rolled my shitbox. It's, it's buried in dirt. And most of the trucks are, like, pretty basic builds, too, right? Yeah. Yeah. Anything from mild to wild. You get some trophy trucks that come through, but- Yeah ... a lot of them are hoopties that just [00:18:00] are bouncing around, and mine was in the middle.

Right. But- I mean, I've seen guys out there with just, like, blocks on leaf springs and just going for it, you know? So- Straight up, dude. It's a super good time. But yeah, that Chevy I rolled, kicked the windshield out, drove it home with goggles on, and said, "You know what? This thing's too heavy. I wanna go back to the buggy platform."

So I got insurance, sold it to actually a dude that was into off-road that worked at the collision repair place. He's like, "What are you gonna do with this? You gonna fix it or what?" I'm like, "I don't know. Thinking about selling it," and he bought it. So then that's the money that started the OG Bug. Mm. Yeah.

So- And, and what was it... I mean, was it just the lightweightness that attracted you to Volkswagen, the Volkswagen side? 'Cause I, I think- Like the, the thing with the Bug world is like there's a lot of Baja Bugs out there, but there's only, like you built stuff that is on a whole different level- Yeah ... and really pushed it, like obviously Trophy Bug and things like that.

Like, you really committed to that, to [00:19:00] that model and to do that, where I think a lot of other people would have- Mm-hmm ... left and built a different truck. But you were like- Yeah ... "No, I'm gonna make this work and push it way beyond." Like, I love a Baja Bug, but what you create is something that's like really kind of another level.

Like, what made you fall in love with that so much? The Volkswagen Bug is the most influential vehicle on the planet. Like- Yeah ... you know, with how many, how old they are, um, the history of 'em, how many times they've changed hands. You know, when you see one, it's m- you can't misidentify it. Yeah. So like, and also when I was born, my mom had a Bug, and there was a picture of me and her on the fridge, but my grandma saw a Bug mangled on the side of the road from like a truck hitting it and just was like, "You know, my grandson's and my, my daughter are gonna be rolling around, like this newborn, like we need to get him something a little safer," so she got her a minivan.

The minivan was cool 'cause it was like a jungle gym, but that- Yeah. ... that picture always, on the fridge growing up, um, always really [00:20:00] resonated with me. Yeah. You know? And it's just Cali vibes and the culture and everybody seems super chill in it, so like that was kinda like where my direction was. Like, I just felt like that was me.

Yeah. You know? It, two things I wanna pick up. One, the jungle gym of a minivan is so true. It's- That, like this younger generation doesn't understand what we did in the back of minivans while our parents were driving. Oh, yeah. My parents took out the middle seat and- It's sick ... would just let me play in the back of the car.

Like, we'd be driving for hours and I would just be like building Legos, like doing whatever on the floor, like no seat belts, no nothing. It was just like a moving, like playpen. It was the, like that part, like you can't do that anymore. For sure. It's just not the way it is. Well, I, I think one thing that's interesting on the Volkswagen stuff, like, you know, as someone who's not from California, and obviously I grew up around water-cooled VWs, very different than air-cooled.

Yeah. It is such a part of culture here, and just the other day Ashley and I, we were driving back into the neighborhood and I, I see this Volkswagen Bus [00:21:00] drive by, and I said to her, I was like, "That's gotta be like the ninth VW Bus that lives in our neighborhood." I was like, "It's crazy," and she's like, "Is it?"

I'm like, "I don't know, it just seems wild." And like, there's like 10 of those. There's like another 10 or 15 Vanagons in the neighborhood. Like, it's sort of crazy to see that, man. She's like, "It's California. Like, we- that's just culture here." And like, it's, you know, she grew up in San Clemente, so it's like- Yeah

for her, it's normal to see that, but it's, like it's crazy how much a part of, like, the Cali culture is that. And for you, and I'm sure you're aware of this, but like, you have like a, you have an aesthetic, right? Like, obviously we used to call you Off Road Spiccoli. Yeah. Like, like you have this thing, and the Bug fits that, where like if you were in like a Chevy, like, trophy truck, I don't think it has that same vibe.

I, I feel that. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, no, for sure. And like, it makes you wanna breathe for it. You're profiling me. I am. I'm profiling you, 100%. Yeah, so hey, we're gonna take a quick break and come right back. So Nick, you see, uh, I bought a new car? I did, outside. Looks a little bit modern for you. [00:22:00] I, I was really trying to stay true and like just drive old cars and, and be in it.

The AC died in the van. The RS2's like a little problematic, and then I got a flat the other day. So I bought a new car. New? It's 13 years old, dude. Yeah, but like for me, it is definitely youngest by miles. It's got only 28,000 on the clock. But it's you, so there's a catch. What's the catch? Yeah, so I got it thinking, "This thing's gonna be perfect.

There's nothing to fix. No reason to go to FCP Euro and order some parts." But I got inside, and it smells like it has 100,000 hours of cigar smoke in it. Rough. So obviously it needs to go get detailed and cleaned, and if you know anything about doing this, if you don't replace your cabin air filter, it doesn't really matter, 'cause you blow all of that horrible smell back into the car.

So I went to FCP Euro, got myself a new cabin air filter, and of course, on the way to the cart, like might have clicked in a few other Liqui Moly fluids. It was weird for me though, I gotta admit. Like, I'm used to having this like really [00:23:00] long, like multi-page cart of all the parts I need, which reminds me of that other Audi that I bought a few months ago, which honestly needs all the parts.

Hmm, maybe I should head back to FCP Euro and order some of those. So if you've got a thing for questionably reliable old or new cars, uh, check out fcpeuro.com and they will keep your machine on the road. All right, so one thing I, I think that like I always found really interesting about you, and we've never had this conversation.

We worked a bunch on different things, but like you live in this weird in between, because- You love fabricating, you love building stuff. That's a big part of what it is. Yep. You sort of build these vehicles that don't fit into any sort of, like, competition rule book, so they're really kind of... It's almost like freestyle off-road.

Like, you just literally- For sure ... build like or let you know, like, the thing you want to build, right? Um, and you're- you sort of attained this, like, big name in [00:24:00] off-road, but you're not, like, you're like, it's not like you're racing the Baja 1000. Like, you've done it kind of your own way, right? And it's like- 100%

it's almost... I mean, whether... I say the word freestyle, but it's almost like, you know, in, in, like, snowboarding you have, like, the freeriders. Yeah. It's like they don't... They just do what they wanna do, right? And they just go and go and make cool stuff, and, like, you very much live in that space. Yeah. But somehow end up getting the respect of the big boy racers, and then you also have, like, an entire audience that knows you and is not familiar with racing, 'cause whether it's from Urban Assault or other things.

Was that something for you that was, like, a decision? That you're like, "I just wanna go do these things and do it my way and be different," or was it something that just kinda happened? Definitely something that just kinda happened from the momentum of Urban Assault. Okay. You know, I mean, believe me, if I could afford to race back in the day, I would totally be racing.

You know, growing up racing dirt bikes and then just yarding [00:25:00] myself all the time. Like, you know, I kinda lost that edge to where I can continue to compete at, like, the level I wanted it- Yeah ... to potentially make it a career out of. So, like, you know, fabrication and still riding dirt bikes, but being able to build off-road toys for people and/or construction or whatever I had to do to kind of elevate my fun-having experiences, you know?

Yeah. I always, the goal was always to go racing, and like it still is, and it, we still are doing it from Class 5 in Baja- Mm-hmm ... right now, Class, um, 1800 in the UTV Pro Open- Mm-hmm ... in the Polaris Pro R. I've raced the TT Bug a couple times in Trophy Truck. I raced and won a few championships in Class 11 and a lot of prestigious races in Class 11, but I think back in the day, you know, Urban Assault definitely put a sour taste in like the hardcore racers' mouth.

Mm-hmm. [00:26:00] Um- But realize it still puts you... And I think the point I was trying to make here was that it put you on a prestige level- Yeah ... in, in terms of being known with those guys, which is probably why they had the sour taste, right? Yeah. Because you were, you know, most guys who were in Class 11 aren't getting talked about as much as you were getting talked about.

Yeah. So, like you found a way into that. And, you know, in a lot of ways that was similar to a lot of like what Ken was doing early on, was like we were out there racing in the WRC, but people were talking about Ken because of the Gymkhana films. And like- For sure ... he understood the marketing value there.

So did- Yeah ... did you understand that value when you had it? Harvard on the Hill, Grossmont Community College. I took like, uh, several different like, uh, classes like anthropology, philosophy, psychology, business marketing 101. Price, product, promotion, placement, the four Ps always was something that resonated with me.

And it was like, well, I can't go race and I can't compete. Like, I don't have money to do that. Like, I want to build- [00:27:00] cool ass shit to where when people see it and see what we do with these vehicles, they can't forget it. And it's like, well, like, where do I need to place this thing? In the market of, like, consumers, enthusiasts, and, like, attach an apparel company to it.

Like, and a, a lot of that came from your guys' playbook. Like, you know, like, imitation is the best, you know, form of flattery, and, like, like, what you guys were doing was fucking epic. I loved all that shit, and I was like, "But I'm not really a car guy. I'm an off-road guy." Mm-hmm. How can I do that and talk to my people- Mm-hmm

you know, and motivate them, share, like, you know, what I'm doing. Like, I don't got any secrets 'cause I'm not racing, so, like, it's like, "Hey, here's how you cycle the suspension, and, you know, here's proper up travel. Here's camber and caster you're looking for. Like, here's how you set up an IRS rear transmission setup.

Here's how you build a Class 11." So it was just constantly trying to, like, I guess, gain respect, following, [00:28:00] create new friendships, try new endeavors, and always push myself to be, like, one, fulfilling my own, like, happiness and, like, challenges, but also sharing the ride with people, and I still do that to this day, and it's the most rewarding when you get kids that bring you drawings of your cars- Mm-hmm

and, like, wanna take pictures, or their, their dad's like, "Thanks for signing a poster," and it's up in their room, and it's like that sh- that'll never get freaking old. But, um, you know, again, going back to, like, how did I anticipate it, I didn't anticipate it to, like... But I had to kinda adapt and roll with it and figure out h- ways how to, like, monetize it 'cause I was trying to do more events, more YouTube stuff, and, like, I mean, I can edit videos, but not very good.

Mm-hmm. You know? And it takes me a lot longer, and I had, you know, um, not only my fab shit, I was doing construction and doing a, as much as I could to, like, keep going on these [00:29:00] trips and create all the stuff. But, uh, yeah, man, it was just nonstop grind of, you know, what's next and trying to delegate all that stuff and put it all together to where, um, when I was building the second car after Urban Assault and people saw that, BRP is like, "Well, let's throw some seats in there."

HP's tuner is like, "What ECU you got in there?" I'm like, "It's just a factory GM ECU." They're like, "Let's tune it. We'll sponsor you." And it, like, kinda like I didn't really pitch it to a lot of people, but Um, you know, the few people that like wanted to support it, I was like, "Okay, sick." Like, this is rad, and it just kind of all started to snowball together and just riding the wave.

And after getting parts or support, you know, they wanted title sponsorship. How much is that gonna cost? I'm like, "10." They're like, "Eh, we'll give you 15. How about that?" And I was like, "Just keep making videos and doing cool shit." Mm-hmm. "Use that towards your media, and you'll get other sponsors." And, um, that was a gentleman, Andrew at HP Tuners, that kinda coached me through it and said, you know, "Get a few [00:30:00] people to sponsor you with couple grand a year.

You know, that's a tri- a trip and an edit." Mm-hmm. You know, you get 10 of those, and that's 20 grand. You know? Just lay out your deliverables and, you know, live up to that and grow. And as the shit grows, just keep climbing the ladder. And I was like Hell yeah. Let's go. Um, I, of, when you were doing stuff as a fabricator, like, I, it sounds like that's something you really...

And I, and I've worked with you on stuff. I know that's something you've really grown to love. For sure. Do you, like, for you, if you had to rank it from, like, the making content, 'cause I, I, I see you as a content creator 'cause you've made some really cool stuff, so I think it's a big part of your story, right?

Um, obviously as a driver, like, I've seen you rip. I know you can do that. But as a fa- like, w- what is that, where does that mix work for you? Like, what, which, what do you see yourself as first? Like, are you a driver first, a fabricator second? You know, like, like how do you see that? I think they're all [00:31:00] coexists, you know?

Right n- like now that everything's built and I'm, like, maintaining, I'm building, like, another six-foot little mini death boat that I was thrashing on before I came here. Mm-hmm. My alarm went off, and I was like, "Shit." Like, 'cause you get in the zone where you wanna fab, but then, like, the weekend I was racing and turning wrenches and just dialing my Class 11 in.

Um, content, you know, you're at damn near every event, you're creating content too, so I think it's... You know, I have a really good blend of, of all three. Mm-hmm. You know? But it started with the fabrication, for sure, and then it, you know, with the fabrication and getting toys, it's driver, and then the content came last.

But, you know, the content is, uh, something that h- that keeps the wheels turning. You know, if I had these badass machines that I built and didn't really post much about them, like, I think partners and people would be less interest- interested or, like, less inclined to, like, you know, watch your story posts or, like, [00:32:00] maybe put you on, like, a notifications thing.

So, like, I think it's a consistency of doing all three very repetitive. Yeah. When... I, 'cause I know you sold the first Bug. I, I'm assum- have you built other Bugs for people? Is that, like... 'Cause I would imagine a lot of people must come to you and be like, "I want my own Megalodon. I want my own trophy Bug."

After that, yeah, there was an, an influx, but I was, again, still doing the construction thing where I'm making 65 bucks an hour PW, plus retirement, health insurance- Mm-hmm ... something that I didn't have, uh, for a long time, which was sketch. Yeah. Um, and, uh, yeah. So, like, I've, I've taken on tons of different jobs, like not really full builds.

I've modified people's stuff, a lot of people's stuff, to, to make it better. 'Cause, like, a full build takes so much time, and to do it right, it's so extensively costly, and then also that car's in that spot for so long. Someone might run out of [00:33:00] money. You know, like, I can't float someone a bunch of extra parts, and I need to get paid on the weekly.

So, um, and I just seen people and other fabricators struggle with things like that, and finding the right clientele to do shit the right way with all the right parts, not skip corners. But, um- I've, I've, I've done a big array of stuff, I would say, but mainly it's been, like, additions and then, like, I have a bunch of friends that are in construction, and they would throw me, like, a lot of construction work.

Like- Hmm ... I've done everything Just like fab work around that kind of stuff? Yeah. You know, for, like, we've custom-made, uh, electrical boxes, um, you know, uh, valve covers for, like, those green little covers for the valves- Oh, for- ... on the sides of the streets Yeah, yeah, yeah, for the, for the irrigation- To- ... uh, like water setup and stuff like that, yeah

yeah, to, to dog kennel lids- Yep ... for when they feed the canines at, like, the police station. Like, it's been such in a wide ar- array. You know, the fabrication stuff, [00:34:00] it can be frustrating at times 'cause, like, shit might not work out, and I've had to... I've lost my ass on a lot of jobs because it's like, damn, I quoted this dude 8,500 bucks for this, but I should have probably charged him 12.

Mm. You know? Like, or like, I- scuff this shock shaft or something, you know, with, with tool or grinder or something, you know, just kinda letting things get away from you 'cause it happens and it's like, damn, there goes a, an $1,800 shock. Like, so I was very, like, methodical and strategic with the workload that I would take on.

Mm-hmm. For sure. But we did build a second TT Bug for- Oh, really? Did not- Yeah, for my buddy Jesse, that became a friend, actually a friend of a friend. Um, he's taken it out and played with it. He's not super socially active. Um, just kind of a low-key dude that just had the money. Just having fun. Sounds awesome.

Yeah. Like, "You're building one of those. I've seen your other builds. Build me one." I'm like, "It's gonna be around 300 grand, [00:35:00] dude." Like, he's like, "I'll, I'll pull up with 100 grand next week," and pulls up with 100 grand cash. And I'm like, "Okay." Like, perfect timing 'cause we were about to cut the first one out, and like-

that's something that really helped me build my TT Bug, um, because, like, building mine, you know, I did have a lot of help from partners. And if I'd get a free set and be able to get another set or, you know, buy one, get one free or 30% off, like if I bought two sets or 40% off, I'd be like, "Look, dude, I'm gonna break you off like 20% saving or 10% savings on this item, but it's gonna drive my price down lower for my cost on my stuff."

That's how it was tangible for me to build something of this caliber. Mm-hmm. And, uh, shit, dude, racing and building shit and keeping, you know, Shreddy, the apparel company, going together, I'm pulled in a million different directions, and I love it because, like, I feel like when I have a down week and it's like there's not really [00:36:00] much going on, I'm just dicking off riding my pit bike in the, in the front yard a bunch or depending on the time of the year and kind of like I go and do things with...

I'll try and go do things with friends. But, like, I feel like unless I'm under pressure and, like, have a gnarly schedule in the shop doing what I love, like, I'm just bored and I feel like I don't have purpose. I, I've always been impressed at the amount of stuff you do 'cause, like, you know, I did a lot, but I did it with a team, right?

Yeah. Like, you don't really seem... Like, you've got people that help you, I assume. For sure. But you don't have a massive team. Nope. Yeah. In the shop, it's, you know, Poppy. You know Poppy. Mm-hmm. He, uh, saved our ass in Baja when- Mm-hmm ... um, when w- when I actually met them with you guys in the Scumbug chasing the 1000.

I think it was with BJ. Mm-hmm. Um, Kevin, who, you know, engineered and designed the whole TT Bug out of, out of our shop, um, in-house where we built it. Uh, you know, and these are just all part-time dudes, like homies that'll pull up, and if I'm, you [00:37:00] know, under the pressure, they're like, "Yo, you need any help?" And depending on- Yeah

their level of, uh, you know, skill sets and level of like- comfort with me letting them touch whatever that might be at that time. Um, they're just kinda like the homies that come through and help out with that stuff. On the, on the shop side of things, uh, Aaron, my partner with Shreddie, um, he freaking is a huge backbone, and Kenny, and Dave, and, um, Ryan.

You know, those are other, other people that help out with that. But, um- And Shreddie looks like it's doing really well. Like, I, I see it a lot, especially- Yeah ... like when I go down, when I go down to the farm and I'm in like North County- Yeah ... I can see... Actually, the other day, I was out near, um, the Salton Sea.

Yep. And there was like a shop, like I don't even know if it's a shop or what it is, and there was just like a huge Shreddie sign. I was like- Yeah ... what the hell are you guys doing? Yeah. Do you know what I'm talking about? Like, I don't- Yeah ... if it w- I'm not sure if it's a shop or what it is, but it's like you pull off the, whatever the [00:38:00] w- the road is on the west side of the sea, and there's like- Yep

the big Shreddie logo on the side. Yeah. I was like, "Oh, that's cool to see, see it out there." So- Yeah ... but like I, I see it everywhere now, so. It's... Dude, it's a revolving door, you know- Mm-hmm ... with apparel, dude. It's like you get new designs, you have to buy like six, seven sizes to put- fit one body. Yeah. So like, you know, we try- we're trying to do some more universal fits all type things.

You know, like we take pride in our hats and all of our gear- Yeah ... and whatnot. But, um- Yeah, dude, it's just, it's... I, I explain it to people like, it's like you have a lake full of money. You, you, that lake dries up when you throw it into a cloud, which is inventory, and then has to trickle back in to fill the lake up.

But usually the lake doesn't fill up enough to fucking throw back in the atmosphere- Yeah ... to keep, to keep the, the trickle effect coming back. But it's definitely a struggle, but, um, we got a lot of people that support it, rep it. What was your, like, aesthetic design for Shreddy? 'Cause I, I think [00:39:00] it's a brand that really kind of stands out to me in automotive.

Like, it doesn't f- Like, when I look at it, it doesn't instantly feel like an automotive brand, which I think is a good thing. Yeah. Um, but has, like, a, you know, it, it has, like, it has clear origins. Like, what is it for you that, like, kind of was the background or, like, brands that inspired that? I would say the brand that inspired that was, like, Neff.

Okay. Yeah. I see that. You know, it was loud and colorful. And real party vibes. Yeah. And, like, '80s retro-y kind of vibe. Yep, yeah. 'Cause, like, you know, again, going back to the hot rod jet boats and, uh, at the river and then the buggies, they were all colorful. Mm-hmm. They were loud. People were proud. Like, you'd have big, buff, fucking steroided out tan dude-

with a pink and purple boat with a- Mm-hmm ... super badass chick with big old fake tits. I'm like, "I wanna be that guy." Like, you know? So that's kind of also, like, why my colors and stuff, I like them loud, 'cause they stand out and they're- Yeah ... freaking hot. Yeah. You know? But, um, the [00:40:00] term shred is like, Shreddy is shred ready, you know?

And growing up surfing, skating- Yeah ... motoing, snowboarding, freaking off-roading, like, um- Everyone kind of like, "Shred, yeah, Shred Menare." Yeah. Like, Shred was, like, associated with whatever demographic of action sports that was. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me, 'cause I- I definitely saw it. It always... Like, when I first started seeing your designs, it felt like a surf brand for car guys.

Yeah. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, it blended those two sides. Like, you want that, like, fun color and style, and, like, don't take ourselves seriously at all vibe that you see in a lot of, like, '80s and, like, '90s surf stuff. But then it had this, like, Motörhead vibe to it, which was, like, completely different.

And, like, weirdly enough- Yeah ... like, I don't think those things have really crossed over much. Like, I grew up riding BMX, and you saw that vibe and that style in, like, the '80s and '90s. For sure. Like, you know, neon... Like, I, you know, my first bike was a neon yellow Dino VFR, you know? Yeah. And it was, like, you know, and I think I put, [00:41:00] like, pink pads on it that were, like, checkered, right?

'Cause, like, that was such an inspiration of what style was coming out of California at the time. Um, and, like, that brand, I think when you guys came out, like, the... It felt very unique, because everyone else was, like, kind of doing something. Like, Hoonigan had a very punk rock, or, like, its early inspiration was very punk rock, tough, like, single colors.

Like, most of our shirts were, like, black with white letters, right? Yep. We did have a party vibe phase for a while, and it's actually funny 'cause we were doing it, like, because actually brands like Neff and, um, Party Shades, and, like, all that kind of stuff in that era, like, was- Yeah ... like, had the bright colors, and we were making purple shirts and whatever.

But you guys have taken that and really owned, like, that look and style, so it's def- definitely rad. Yeah. Loud colors, loud toys. Yeah. Fucking shred everything. Yeah. What's, uh, what's next for you in terms of, like, builds or anything? You got anything new work that you're working on at the moment, or what?

I've been all over the place, man. I've been trying to think of, like, if I should build a [00:42:00] 6100. Um, you know, I got Kevin wanting to build a second TT Bug that we put a 6100 motor in, go race 6100 spec. I know, uh- So could you race 6100 w- in, with the, with the Bug? Yeah, I raced it in Trophy Truck. Okay. But it has a supercharger, big Magnuson blower on there.

Mm-hmm. So it's, like, keeping everything cool and getting high RPMs, and the torque it puts out, it's kind of hard on... Like, everything's not really matched for, like, those big, hard, long races. Mm-hmm. Whereas, like- A 6100 pla- if I put a 6100 motor in there now, it'd, it'd freaking live and, you know, finish races- Yeah

more than likely because it's way less hard on drivetrain components. You don't have as much horsepower to keep cool. Would that be a mid-engine setup for the car then? Or would you s- Front engine It would be front engine. So, so you'd- Yeah ... run a tr- you'd run a Bug body, but it would basically be a classic 6100 drivetrain.

As long as it's a sedan with closed wheel wells. That's why, like, the fenders- Oh ... on the [00:43:00] TT Bug are so massive and big. Ah, okay. It's 'cause you're supposed to have closed off wheel wells. Got it. Got it. So, like, we designed that body to play within that, in that rule book. Yep. So that's why we're able to race it in, in Trophy Truck.

Um, but yeah, it just sucks when you spend all that money and you go break something. So- That's racing ... I'm like, "You know what? Like-" We, but originally the, the reason why I started the Class 11 was because I wanted to go from the bottom and speak to, like, the people and resonate at, like, the grassroots level while we were building the TT Bug at the top tier level.

Mm-hmm. So it was like, cool, you know? It was like, "Hey, we built this. We're going racing," and we kinda helped revitalize that class. A lot of people tell me that. And it's so much fun, and I totally support that. And but it's, it's like the class has always been cool, but now last year at Rage of the River, there was 52 entries.

Which I saw a shot from that. It was just insane to see all the cars starting. But for those who are [00:44:00] listening who are, like, from performance car side, don't know much about off-road, explain what Class 11 is to everybody, 'cause I think this is one of those bucket lists you must do at one point in your life.

Like, I wanna do it. Stock Bug. It's a stock Bug. Stock Bug. By the way, for those listening on audio, he's doing air quotes. Yeah. So it's a, you take a, a Bug, preferably, you know, the, uh, IRS rear suspension and ball joint front end, which is '69 to '72, and, uh, you can cut, turn the front beam. You have to run stock drums, stock spindles, stock front arms, stock steering, stock rear arms that you can box.

Um, you can cut a little bit out of them to cycle a bigger shock in the rear. The rear shock has to be 18 inches eye to eye, but people are welding them off the side of the shock body, so eye to eye is still under 18 inches. Okay. Gray areas. Yeah. Um- And but that's racing. Yeah. Is finding loopholes in the rule book, yeah.

Stock transmission, but you can put, like, a super diff [00:45:00] in them, so like, but stock gear ratio on the transmission. 1600 cc motor. So you have to use the stock trans from that era. You can't use, like, a bus trans or something. Can't use a bus box- Okay ... type one. Um, and then a 1600 cc motor. Low comp run eight and a half or less compression.

High comp, eight and a half above. Mm-hmm. Uh, but the carburetor difference, you get a, a dual barrel carburetor with the low comp. They've only got 32, 36 or something like that? Or a smaller- Uh, I, I run the, the Weber 44. Oh, okay. Or no. Fuck, I don't remember. But you have to also choke down the- Oh, restrictor plate?

Yeah. Oh, yeah, okay. Yep. The, the Venturi inside of it. Um, but yeah, we play with a ton of that shit and geek out on that to, like, you find half a horsepower, a horsepower here or there, all different directions, it all adds up. Yeah. So, like, we've... Tim Slaten's really done a really good job, but those are, like, the most fun.

I think I... You guys were doing some races with, like, was it with [00:46:00] Nitrocross was it? That looked insane. Yeah, the Blocks- Yeah ... played around with that too. That looked like so much fun. They, yeah, that's usually the crowd favorite. You know, these electric cars were fast and, like- Mm ... you know, they're fast, they were gnarly, they were aggressive.

They were making some contact, but when you're seeing these Bugs make contact going half the speeds and just battling, and they'd always invert the start, so you'd wanna go for points for qualifying, but then also points in the race. So, like, you know, we're... And they had really good, like, good paired-up drivers at each one of those, so super sick battles.

And good size fields too. Like, there's a lot of cars on the course. I think they kept it to 12. Oh, was it? Okay, it still looked- 10 to 12 ... seemed like a lot because I think 'cause the cars are so balanced- Yeah ... everybody's on each other. Yeah. So it feels real door-to-door. The whole time. It's pretty cool, yeah.

Yeah. Have you done the 1000 and the 11? I have not. I did Nora 1000. In the Nor- You did the Nora, okay. That was a six-day rally race. I wanna do the Nora. Sick. Tell [00:47:00] me about it, 'cause- The best race. Okay. The best race, like, hands down. 'Cause you could have a bad day and still race again tomorrow. Where at the 1000, you could break in the first five miles and be done.

Yep. Yeah, in the, in the, yeah. S- So tell me about the Nora. What's, what's it like? S- Six days from Ensenada all the way to Cabo. Each day, they stop in, like, the most iconic locations, but they also have time zones. So, like, say, okay, this stage is 240 miles. Mm-hmm. They'll make it to where there's, like, it, the, the furthest you usually have to go is, like, I think the furthest stage is, like, 140 miles before there's, like, basically, like, a, a check-in, check-out time to where you get in that stage of each day.

You get a buffer to put gas in it, get out, take a piss, have a snack, talk with the team about logistics, where you're at, timing- Mm-hmm ... and kinda enjoy yourself. So it's not like you have to have a big team. Like, when we did it, we did it with o- my truck and my trailer with a team of three people and [00:48:00] a pit truck.

Yeah, that's awesome. And me and a co-driver, the whole way down. Mm. And, uh, you, you're, you're greeted with beers at the finish line. Like, they cater for you. You can get them to do all the hotel logistics. So you can make it pretty damn easy with a super small crew, and just soak it all in. But, um, obviously, you wanna finish each stage.

Yeah. And, and, like- Each day, but if you do have a bad day, like, uh, last year we did it again this year in 6100, um, with my boy Adam Fizza, and, uh, basically like they had another person that was on the X Comp team too, and he blew a motor, and they found a motor, bought a motor out of a dude's Jeep in one of...

I forget which town it was, but, um, they asked around like if anybody had a motor, and this dude pulled one out of his Jeep, and they put it in his class- ... class eight truck, and they freaking kept going, just an LS based freaking- Yeah ... 350 Chevy motor. [00:49:00] Um, but It's just the vibe, you know? You got all the old school dudes too, and they have, like, vintage classes.

Like, if you don't wanna race and you got, like, I don't know, say a Ford Raptor, you can go do the Safari class- Mm-hmm ... and see all these missions, and, like, stop on the beach for photo ops. It's kinda like a, a guided tour, and they have people that'll do sweep to, like, pull you out of there- That's cool ... at the end of the day too.

So it's like you don't essentially even have to have a chase team, you know? If it's something that's semi-capable, like, you can make it through anything. I did it with Meyers Manx in a freaking- Oh, nice ... like, street cruiser Manx. Beat the hell outta myself. And, uh, my, my co-dog, who actually, um, helped with Urban Assault III, but he set that up with Manx, and that was a blast.

Like, getting to see... The first time I ever got to race NORRA and do NORRA, we did the Safari class. Got to see all these sick missions, these, like, just views, and really [00:50:00] soak it all in. Like, that's what the Safari Baja is sick about. But you meet up in town with the racers, and usually they have, um, a very similar race course or something very different, like, to where, like, some of the race course, 'cause you start after the racers.

So, like, some of the course, and then sometimes they'll veer off into a couple different, um, towns and stay, and then come back and merge in to where, like, even if you're, you're not a racer and you wanna go just explore and do some Safari type shit, you get to meet up with the racers, see the race cars, talk about it, you know, whatever, and- Hmm

everyone's just so friendly. It's the happiest race on the planet. And every- everyone, like, stays in the same group every night too, right, over the six days? So, like, everyone's in the same area. Yep. Yeah. So, like, say you're in, in La Paz. Yeah. Like, everyone's pretty much within that region of La Paz. Like, so, like, after hours, if there's, you know, a few bars, you walk into a bar, um, 'cause they'll feed you too.

They give you [00:51:00] beers and dinner- Mm-hmm ... at each stage. That's part of the entry, which is awesome, so it's, like, one less thing you and the team gotta worry about. You pull up, eat, go back to the hotel if you gotta work on the car, or hang out or go to a couple bars with, um, you know, fellow racers- Yeah ... or enthusiasts.

So it's, it's cool. It's something I highly recommend. Well, 'cause, you know, with the, with the Scumbug project, which for those who are listening might not know, Blake came in to take it from the original virgin, version, which was an old Baja bug we found that was barely held together, to- Scummy. Yeah. Very scummy.

The early scum version of it, to, like, a Class 5-ish, uh, right? Was Class 5-ish, was, you kinda say? More 51600 probably. Yeah, okay. Yeah. ish with a cheater motor in it, and we went down, and the goal was that we were gonna go basically pre-run the, the 1000. We pre-ran a decent piece of it, but then we start, but then I think we got to the point where we're like, "Okay, we're actually on race course now.

We have to get off, and, like, let the dr- [00:52:00] let, let the actual racers pass us and catch up." And the original intention was that we wanted to go race the Baja, and I think that year made us realize that we just didn't have the budget or the crew to actually go race Baja, and everybody we ran into was like, "Go race the NORRA."

Yeah. 'Cause the NORRA is actually way better for filming because not only from a, from a perspective of a race team, like, we would need, you know, a minimal of, like, another four or five support trucks, but we would also need media trucks to support all of that- Yeah ... to tell the story, and it's like you're constantly moving and not being able to keep up.

And, uh, so many people are like, "Just go do the NORRA." Like- 100% ... it's actually more fun, and, like, it's way better for content. And, like, sure, it's not like the Baja 1000, but it has, like, a different vibe, and it would, they were, everyone was like, "It just suits Hoonigan more." Yeah. So that was always the goal, you know, and then the pandemic happened, and we never did it.

But, like, I, I s- but speaking of Scumbug, I've seen the videos of, that you've actually turned that thing into, like, a monster now, [00:53:00] so. It's way better. Yeah, that's what I've heard. Yeah, I wanted to turn it into, like, a legit Class 5 car, but that's a little bit more budget than- Yeah ... what we had to work with.

So they're like, I was like, "You know, like," and if they did want to turn it into a Class 4, um, 5 car, I'm like, "We need to just start completely over and just if, if you guys want, like, we could cut this, the shell off, and that's all I got to start with." Yeah, yeah. 'Cause everything else was, is not race car spec worthy.

So I'm like You're saying Brad didn't build a race car? I, he wasn't, he wasn't given, I feel like- We did it on a- Yeah ... scrappy budget and got it done in, like, a few weeks, and- Yeah ... a classic Hoonigan job, so. A pretty standard, yeah. Yeah, yeah. It was fun, though. No, yeah, it still is fun, and now it's just, like, a fun having car that's a lot more capable.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I watched the video of you and Zac, and Zac looked properly scared, which is, like, not easy to get Zac scared. Yeah, he came on this pod and was just like, "Dude, you wanna just do this, it's fucking sick." Yeah. Yeah, dude. So. Uh, [00:54:00] it's, it, it buggies, but- Yeah ... it's another Bug in the arsenal. Yeah. I, uh, I just, I, I, it's something that I'll eventually, it was, like, eventually have in my fleet is a good Bug, because the Scumbug, like, when I left Hoonigan, it was, like, the one car that was, like, hard to say.

It was that and the Donk were the two cars that were hard to say goodbye to, and the Rolls-Royce. I guess those were probably my three favorite. Um, but the Bug, like, during all of pandemic, like, I kept that as a daily. Yeah? Because, like, any time I had to go anywhere in Long Beach, I would just rip the Bug, and we have, like, what we call- That's sick

we call it the Compton Motocross Track, which is basically just a dirt field the kids build jumps in. And I would just get bored and, like, go jump in the Bug and rip down to the Compton Motocross Track and go rip that around. And then all my neighbors would be like, "I heard, someone was down there ripping things up.

I'm calling the police." I'm like, "Wasn't me." They couldn't see a bright ass orange Bug ripping? You can't really see it from where we are, you can only hear it. So they don't actually know what's happening, they just hear it echoing. Yeah. So, [00:55:00] um, but, uh, yeah, and, uh, I don't know, I just ... That thing I love. Like, I have all these photos of, like, my son who was

He, at the time, he was, like, eight months old with, like, that in the background, like, on the front, like, you know, parked in front of the house on the lawn. That's sick. And it's like, that car to me was just super cool. So I was stoked to see it, like, not get mothballed and have you guys actually do something with it, so.

Oh, I'm pumped, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Pumped for it. No, it was ... That was, that was a good one. The, um ... I mean, I even ... 'Cause I think we fixed it and got it back out for This vs That off-road. Yeah. And that was, like ... 'Cause, like, it had been s- 'cause we, we ... You know, I don't know if you know this, but we lent it to, or we rented it to a video, like they were doing a music video.

Uh-huh. And we had no information about this music video, but these people reached out to us. Again, it was like pandemic, and it was like, "Hey, like, we need a Baja Bug for a music video," and they were gonna give us, like, 1,500 bucks or something, and we were like, "All right, sure, like we have one." And they blew the motor in it, right?

Oh, shit. So that's, that's what happened to it. And we had, like, no idea. It was, like, a guy who [00:56:00] worked on the Gymkhana sets who was like, "Hey, can I borrow this?" He was, like, an art director, and he later on sends me the video and it's, like, this famous, like, you know, Spanish music musician named Karol G. And the video went on to do, like, 20 million views.

And Scumbug was in it? And Scumbug's ... It ... Not only is Scumbug in it, she's driving Scumbug. What? So Scumbug is, like- She blew the motor? So, so, so yeah, she apparently blew the motor. But the funny thing to me is, like, there's, like, a probably a community of people who have no idea who we are, whatever, but, like, know that car because they love Karol G.

Yeah. And, like, we're just so unaware of it 'cause, like, it didn't happen in- inside of our bubble. So yeah. That's awesome. Scumbug out there I'm gonna have to look up Karol G. Yeah, well, I'll, I'll send you the link. Send me the link. I'll send you the link. I wanna see the video of the Scum ripping. Yeah. Yeah.

So have you done much stuff outside of off-road, or are you just living in off-road? Like, have you gotten to jump around, do some drift car stuff or anything else, or? I did one time with the Sorensons. Oh, okay. Yeah. Like, before they s- like, when they were young, dude. Yeah. Like Randy Sorensen, their, their dad invited me out to Vegas [00:57:00] and, uh, to drive one of their stock Beamers that just was caged and shit.

And, uh, I was able to sync up a couple laps pretty decent, but initially Amanda Sorensen, when she was showing me around in, like, the fundamentals and talking to us through the rugged radio comms and stuff, she tried to show off a little bit, and she backed it into the tire wall. Kind of, and, you know, just al- alleviated the bumper-

'cause all the shit's zip-tied anyways. These kids, they're just hard on shit. So, um, they let me take it for a spin, and I definitely ended up spitting some, some gravel- Yeah ... onto the track a few times. But, uh, something I'd like to get into for sure. Yeah. Like, I've talked to, like, um, Matt Fields and- Yeah ... a couple of the boys for, like, some pointers on, um, maybe a platform or maybe taking components from a platform and scalping something together myself with maybe a Bug body on it or something.

But- This is why I [00:58:00] ask- ... 'cause I saw, there's a video, and I'll send it to you, of a, of a Bug, and it's still, like, rear engine out drifting, and it looks so cool. Hell yeah. Like, I wouldn't think it would look cool because, like, I don't... It just doesn't fit the drift sort of box that I think drifting fits in.

But I saw this, and I was like, damn, that's actually, like, pretty cool. And I, I don't know how he's making a rear engine car sort of slide and control that well. I don't know how much power he's got, but yeah, it- Probably all of it. Yeah, probably all of it. Yeah. Yeah, so. But I, I also think there's, like, I mean, I've watched a lot of people, like, you know, everyone from Darren Parsons to BJ jump into sliding cars, and it's kind of amazing how quickly the skill set transfers.

Yeah. Like, how quickly someone can take ripping off-road vehicles and getting into a drift car, and it's like, yeah, yeah, this makes perfect sense 'cause it's basically the same thing, right? Yeah. It's like sliding, like, that part of the driving kind of transfers. So I was just- Yeah ... curious if, like, you had gotten to, like, do any stuff with Micah or anyone else while you're doing Hoonigan [00:59:00] stuff or no?

Yeah, I mean, with my schedule, dude, I have, like, 38 events or appearances or- Damn ... whatever, like, last year, and probably something similar this year. Um, so, like, it just... And I have so many toys now or assets that I have to continuously, religiously maintain. I, I told myself, "Until I sell one of those, you're not getting a drift car," 'cause otherwise it's like you won't have time to keep fixing all your busted ass shit.

So, like, I- I should take that for myself, but I don't. Yeah, I- I've seen. Yeah. Let's take a quick break, and then I wanna actually get into one of your toys that's probably my, my favorite toy of yours. Heat Wave makes some great shades. The Skynet, The Wraith, and my personal favorite, The Vice. But did you know they also make goggles?

The MXG-250 is for you motocross, UTV, and dirt sport folks. It features an anti-fog coated impact-resistant lens and patented Ramjet Tech to keep the moisture under control for all [01:00:00] of you brow sweaters. Plus, it's got a triple post tear-off system. Now, if you're thinking, "I only enjoy paved motoring," that's okay.

Go full goon style. Rock a set with an open face so that you can cosplay that you're a '70s badass. Works for Travis Pastrana and Matt Field. Find yours at heatwavevisual.com. Have you ever questioned why only sockets are privileged enough to get asked to dance by the breaker bar? I mean, seriously, so many other tools could benefit from part-snapping leverage.

Our favorite German tool company, Wera, has solved this conundrum with their new X-Power actuator. What is it, you ask? It's basically a long bar that accepts a ton of different inserts, which range from the Joker self-adjusting wrenches to ratchets, bit drivers, and even a weldable blank insert. You know, so you can make your own unholy creation.

Ultimate fan clutch tool, anyone? See all the batshit things they make for this wild mechanical implement at weratools.com. If you're into older analog cars like me, then you might not know that these [01:01:00] days the suspension actually talks to a computer. But KW knows, and has sorted Porsche 997 and 991 owners with their new DDC plug-and-play coilover system, which integrates seamlessly with Porsche's Active Suspension Management, AKA PASM.

Historically, installing aftermarket coilovers meant you lost the ability to toggle between suspension modes, rendering that switch on the dash useless. With KW's new system, you get to have your cake and eat it, too. Factory controls and a 911 that rides on rails. Find yours at kwsuspensions.com. All right, so m- I think my favorite vehicle of yours is the Death Boat sketchy Yeah, and, and I- Circus

I had no idea those things existed before you. Like, and now they're, like, I wanna say, like, they're almost trending in the YouTube space. It seems like everybody has a jet stream boat. Um, I have one, which I don't know if you know. You remember- Really? Yeah, I got- Oh, you got one ... I got one, and w- I never built it at Hoonigan.

I still owe finishing it, so maybe you and I can [01:02:00] finish that one at some day. They're a lot of freaking work. I know. But I got, I got homies- Yeah ... and I can help with s- with what I can. Yeah, I mean, it was gonna be a project and, and ended up never getting there. But it's, I, to me, I remember when you built that thing, I was like, I...

And I'm not, like, a boat guy. Like, I didn't grow up around boating. I grew up in New York City. I never wanted a boat, and that video and that, just the sh- the struc- Like, just the way it looks with the roll cage and everything, I was like, "Fuck, I want a boat." Yep. Um- Price, product, promotion, placement, dude

yeah, no, like, that was- I saw that shit ... a seller for that thing, 100% Yeah ... because I was like, "I didn't know you could do that in boats." Like, I didn't know- Jump shit? J- yeah, 'cause it was like, it was like a jet ski, but for two people, but looked cooler. Side by side, yeah. But looked cooler. Like, I think a jet boat looks way cooler than a jet ski.

Yeah, I mean- Like, no knocks on jet skis. Jet skis are the most fun in the world, but they don't look as badass as a, as, like, a jet boat does. I mean, put it this way. If me and you were riding front to back on a jet ski- Yeah, that doesn't look cool at all ... versus side by side in a mini boat. Yeah. Nuts to butts on a jet [01:03:00] ski ain't the move for you and I, especially if I'm on the back.

Definitely not the move for me. Wrapped around you, just, just a little cuddle, you know? Just wherever I'm in the passenger seat of the death boat, it looks pretty cool, you know? So- It's casual, yeah. Yeah, I mean, I was a- I was aware of, like, New Zealand jet boat racing- Yeah ... which obviously is similar, but I didn't know about sort of these, like, smaller, short, like, riverboats.

How, how did you discover them? I just, I saw 'em, like, on YouTube or somewhere. Somehow, I came across them. I'm like, "No one in SoCal's got one of these." Mm-hmm. These are like the side-by-sides for the water. Yeah. You know? And it's, again, it's like, okay, I can go race a TT Bug again, and do a full prep and all this, and then maybe break, or, like, for the same amount of money, I can build this little frigging boat that I can go jump and do something that no one's really done in this space yet.

And, uh, I wanted to make sure that it was something that was super legitimus- like, legit. Yeah. Like, so, like, when the... We [01:04:00] did the a- aluminum interior to look very off-road car-ish. It's not like your standard dash- Yeah ... that comes with the kit. You know, the roll cage. I didn't get, like, their front windshield.

They have a couple different options. I built my own, like, roll cage and did all the, the framework for the, the window frame, and, like, the roof, and the paneling, and the little shark fins to match the buggy. And then we built a trailer that's a long travel trailer, so it has independent rear suspension.

Which was one of the coolest looking things, 'cause you had that behind Megalodon, right? Yeah. So you had, like, the matching trailer with the long travel suspension. Yeah. It was just, like, such a cool way to introduce that, so. Havasu Assault, that Heat Wave Visuals put, put on. Yeah. That product- led the production charge on that.

So, like, that was sick. Like, I've had homies in the boat after pulling it off of the trailer, like, or whatever. Like, "I'm just gonna chill on the boat." You know, they're a little buzzed up 'cause they ain't driving. Yeah. Like, "I wanna feel the suspension," and I'll, I'll have it behind, like, my Polaris RZR or, like, the [01:05:00] buggy and...

'Cause it's, like, super cool frigging- Yeah ... launching a boat with a- Uh-huh ... LS supercharged V8 buggy. Like, people are like, "What the is that?" Like, that whole combination just doesn't make sense. Also, it's a boat with a roll cage. Like, I just wanna say this out loud. Yeah. A boat that requires a roll cage says a lot about what you're about to do with the boat.

Like, most people don't think boating requires a cage, but- I haven't had to use it yet- Yeah ... but there's been a lot of close times. Well, I, I've seen videos, though, of people, like, you know, jumping sandbars and, like, you know, jumping little spits and, like, rolling out. So it's like- Yeah ... there's a need for it, and especially in jet ski- like, in jet boat racing in New Zealand- Oh

they roll into the dirt all the time. Yeah. So, like, if it doesn't have the harness on, we're not going across really, like, land or, like- Yeah ... fat jumps. But if I do some super sketchy shit, I should probably put harnesses on. How does it, uh... Like, uh, r- like, actually, before I even ask this question, how much boating experience did you have before this?

Like, had you [01:06:00] been out on a lot of fast boats? Dude, yeah. Yeah. I got pictures of me as, like, five years old holding the steering wheel where, like- homies leaned backwards, my mom's boyfriend at the time, whatever dude that was, was like, "Let me drive the boat." And I'm just like, got this little curly mullet blowing.

And I'm just like, "Yeah, dude." So like, again, growing up, like from stand ups and like sliding stand up skis around- Yeah ... growing up, and jumping those in Oceanside and all that shit, like pretty, pretty well-versed. Yeah. You know? But you built that thing more like a car than you did a boat, right? Like, 'cause you've got...

Meaning, like you have a gas pedal, right? Like you don't have a throttle- Oh, yeah ... you don't have like a throttle. Yeah. Right? Like you, it's like it's built more like you would a car for that purpose, right? Yeah, I mean, a lot of those boats, they're not doing like, like a s- traditional boat throttle. Mm-hmm.

They're doing either, uh, like a handlebar brake lever trigger pull, like on stand up jet ski or- Right ... or whatnot. And, uh, I just wanted to [01:07:00] do it different 'cause I wanna put one of my like collab Shreddy steering wheels in it for like branding- Yeah ... and having that just be a cool thing. And it's, it's great for cruising, you know, 'cause like you just sit there and whatnot.

Like, but it's not a cruiser. Right. You know? It's like when we drive this thing, we get aggressive with it. Yeah. Like there's, I've only taken it on a few trips where we ain't jumping shit. Well, actually, no, I haven't. Like, but, uh, you know, when you're going through choppy shit, like in Mini Boat Mafia, so if people wanna like look up some of the gnarly shit- Yeah

we've done in like the Salmon and Snake River, um, the gas pedal is kinda harder to control because you're bouncing around and like your hands are on a fixed object, while your foot's kinda bouncing around as well. So like it's kinda almost got me in some sticky situations, so. Oh, right. Yeah, so if you were to do it again, maybe you'd do a steering wheel mount?

I am doing it. Oh. You know, I'm doing it with a six-foot boat now. A six-foot boat? Yeah, I got- That's [01:08:00] tiny. I got some big plans. It's a single seater. Oh, yeah. Hopefully I can pull off what I'm envisioning and feeling. Is it another one from Jetstream or a different boat? This is a Sitka boat. Okay. They hit me up, and they're like, "You want a hull?"

And I'm like I looked and kind of compared the two, and I think the six-footer is a little bit better hull- Hmm ... um, than the Jet Stream just 'cause of some of the features that it possesses. And, um, yeah, I mean, I kind of felt bad though, 'cause Jet Stream's like, "You should've hit us up. We would've gave you a hull."

And I'm like, "Well, I didn't really want a hull until, like, this one showed up." So, like, you know, I guess I gotta freaking build it now, but- What- your current boat, is it 12 or- 10 ... 10. It's 10, yeah. So I, like, I did a lot of, like, custom shit with it and added weight, which, with, like, big Rockford Fosgate stereo system- Uh-huh

and shit, and, like, all the off-road influence stuff that I put on it. So, like, I actually had to make trim tabs on the back to make it act as, like, a longer boat. Yeah. So it's almost like extending the wheel base on a [01:09:00] car. Yep. You know? Um, but yeah, boats are fucking badass. Yeah. They're so fun. Yeah, yeah. I- again, like I said, you, you got that thing, and I was just, like, I was, like, praising the...

I'm like, "This looks like the coolest thing ever," and I spoke to the Jet Stream guys. I'm like, "Let's go build one." I was like, "I do not have time to build one." Yeah. And they're like, "Well, you'll figure it out." And then, like, yeah, ended up getting one. But yeah. Yeah, no, they're super good dudes. And then Travis, me and Travis both got one, and then Travis Pastrana went and did that crazy loop-de-loop with that one.

Did you see that? Yes, it was sick, dude. I mean, it was ... Have- I haven't seen him really jump it. Oh, they actually, they did jump it. They jumped it into the airbag, too. Yeah, they jumped it into the airbag. Yeah, that was sick. Which is, which is kind of nuts. I wanna go to Pastranaland. Yeah, you would probably- Travis, what's up, dude?

You would probably do really well there. I would- I think you'd enjoy that ... let's go. Yeah. Have you been? Yeah, yeah. It's super fun. Well, let me know when you go next. Yeah, it's a good time. Yeah. It's a good time. The funny thing about Travis, I don't know if it's as much of a thing anymore, but it used to be that, like, once you showed up there, if you'd never been there before, like, you immediately have to do [01:10:00] something.

Yeah, I'm down. You know, Ken Block had this story of like the first time he showed up there, like Travis met him at the top of the hill and was like, "All right, here's a, like a 90, like, you know, like you just gotta get on it and you gotta back flip into the thing." And Ken's like, "I don't even know where the jump is."

He's like, "You'll find it." Like it was like you know, something like that. And when... And I ended up going there for like when we were scouting to make the first Gymkhana film with him, and they had that slip and slide, like the... It's not even a slip and slide, it's a drainage pipe that they cut in half that like goes down this crazy hill in the back.

People fly. And but realize it was wintertime, so like there was no... Like they usually had like the wet landing and everything out in the back, in the back. It just was out to concrete. And he was like, "All right, go ahead." And I'm like, "Okay." And they just gave me like a, like a, like a, um, like a s- like a sled, like a saucer, like the round circle one.

Just, oh. And it- Must have been a big saucer ... the edges of the drainage pipe were all sharp, and it just like annihilated my jacket. Like I [01:11:00] had a puffy jacket and it just cut, it just tore it all to pieces. And then, like I didn't realize I was gonna get sent out onto concrete, and just like bounced down the concrete.

And I stood up and he was like, "Cool. All right, I'm gonna take the stairs." I'm like, "Wait, you're not doing..." He's like, "I'm not doing that. That's just dumb." But yeah, and now they've got this incredible, um, just massive- Trampoline ... trampoline. Yeah. They have this massive like gymnast- It's insane ... level trampoline.

And we were there last like December or whatever, and I was there with, uh, um, Gary. And like I'm, my, my knee was bad, so I was like, "I'm not even getting out there." And I watched Gary just get worked like left and right. Like I- Yeah ... if you've been on trampolines before, it's like you can get- Well- ... seriously worked on a tramp

those dudes are going like f- it looks like 30 feet in the air. It's crazy. Yeah. It's crazy. And his daughter and stuff like- Kudos. I- That, did you see that one he did with his daughter? Yeah. It's nuts how high she went. Yeah, I'm good on that. Yeah. I don't wanna tramp that. Yeah, yeah. I know I saw that and I thought to myself like, yep- Not that level

[01:12:00] following in the parent's footsteps. That's, that's sick. Yeah. Oh, mandatory. Yeah, yeah. So I mean, that's the one fun part about having kids is like I got my, I got my little dude a, like a electric quad, but it's basically like a little 50 or like a little 70. And, um, you know, Ashley was like, "You can't, um, don't teach him how to do things.

Like, like, like he's just a little boy, he's gonna learn. He's not fucking Travis Pastrana. Like don't fucking have him doing crazy shit. Like I don't wanna teach, you know, don't show him how to do things. Like if he learns on his own, that's fine, but like I don't want you teaching him wheelies." Like I'm like, "All right, all right, all right, all right."

And he had it for like six months and he calls us down and he's like, "Hey," you know, he's like, he's like, "I learned how to do burnouts" And he's like five at this point. And we're like, "Okay." And like I'm figuring like he's just like putting it up against the wall and letting the wheels spin. Nah, he's like doing full on donuts- Tricks

and figure eight slides. Sick. And I was like, and she's like, she's like, "What?" I'm like, "What? I didn't do anything." She's like, "You show him all those [01:13:00] Recoil and, and Gymkhana films, like of course he knows what this is." And I was like, yeah. Perfect. Okay. But he loves it. Now teach him how to wheelie. So we just built a little pump track at the farm.

So I built a pump track for me to ride BMX, but he just rips it on the quad. Sure. So he's got like a cool berm he rips and like- Is he gonna get a dirt bike? I don't know, probably. I don't know. Me and Ashley kind of wanna move him more into like something with a cage just for- Trophy cart? ... obvious reasons, something like a trophy cart or something like that.

Yeah, one of the Polaris. Yeah, something like that. Yeah. So we'll see. Um, I mean, I, it's so hard not to ride dirt bikes I feel like in Southern California, but- Yeah. I mean- Yeah ... do it. Yeah. I don't know. I mean, I like four wheels, but you know, we'll let, I- I know ... we're very much like letting him choose his own path with all of that.

He'll learn- Kind of how that works ... so much about just handling characteristics, and if you become one with like a dirt bike- Yeah ... you know, I think something that helps me with four wheels is, you know, steering with the rear tire, you know, braking, brake biasing- Yep ... uh, weight transfer, suspension set up, you know?

Like, um, [01:14:00] just everything that a dirt bike has to offer when you're like man and machine 'cause it's like you go down on a dirt bike, you're getting hurt. Yeah. You know, and you pay the price, so you learn how to- not do that again or like, yeah, just understand it. Mm-hmm. You know? And it, it all transfers over into off-road especially- Oh, yeah

very drastically. I mean, 'cause Ken always used to say that the thing that he felt gave him the one-up in rally racing was that he had spent his childhood riding dirt bikes. For sure. So it's like he's like that instantly transferred for him. One, just like how it felt to be on loose surface, and like how to manage that, and like that was the part that like

And he's like that was more of his background than anything else. That's sick. So it's like, yeah. So yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. So, but no, it's, it's definitely a fun part of, uh, of having a kid, 'cause you're like, "Well, I'm a little old and broken now. My knees don't work." Yeah. "So like he can start doing all that stuff."

Yeah. Yeah, so but it's funny to watch how comfy he got on a quad and how much he already learns, like just sliding stuff, and like counter-steering, [01:15:00] all that. Like it was never explained to him, it's just natural. Although he has watched Cars, so he knows you gotta, you know, turn left to go right kind of thing.

But- Has he watched, has he watched a lot of Travis Pastrana's videos? He's watched a lot of everything, yeah. Oh, yeah. He's, he's- Yeah, yeah, yeah. So he sees it and figures it out ... he's on the path. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's on the path. It's, it, it already happens. He's watched your videos too, so when you see him later I'll be like, "This is the dude from the videos with the Bug."

Heck yeah. So you got any other, uh, future videos in plan, speaking of? Uh- That you can talk about Nothing that's, like, really concrete yet. We got some feelers out. Okay. You know, we're supposed to do something in Chile potentially, but- Yep ... that's kinda, like, just seems like it's a logistical nightmare. Mm.

Um, and just crazy associated costs that would come with it. Mm-hmm. Um, we also know that, I know the senator of West Virginia- Hmm ... that we're trying to potentially do something out, out in West Virginia, which would be sick. There's some, there's some really cool stuff out [01:16:00] that way. Yeah. A- and I think that that's, like, we tried to kinda do that when we did Recoil Tacoma, but it was, there's a lot of reasons why it didn't work out that way, but I think we see so much of off-road stuff in sand, that, like, going and doing it in trees on, like, with, like, tight dirt roads, like, will just give it such a different look- Yeah

than seeing what we always see and sort of, like, the classic, you know, southwest kind of atmosphere. Environment. Yeah. Yeah, and environment, to be able to create that. Even if you're mixing, like, urban stuff with other stuff, it's like it just visually looks so much different than what we, we play with out here.

Hundred, hundred percent. So, yeah. Yeah. And we, I went and scouted in Reno, uh, Virginia City, right outside of Reno. Mm-hmm. They do a hill climb there. As well as... Yeah. As well as, uh, Tahoe. With Tahoe you can't really find much, there's not much up there. Mm. You know, Reno, there's some cool, cool features- Mm-hmm

that we found. Um, because we [01:17:00] want, I wanna make sure that a lot of them are super natural still too. Mm. That, I think that's, like, the most important part. Yeah. Like, natural features just help so much. That's what made, like, the r- I think that Recoil video in Ensenada work so well is, like, they didn't build really anything.

Yeah. Like, most of it was just like, "You think if you hit that fast enough you'll go across the road?" He's like, "I don't know. One way to try." I mean, realize, like, we- Yeah ... you know, probably we can admit this now, it's been, like, 10 plus years, but, like, BJ and I pr- like, we went scouting in his pre-runner, and we would just be like, "All right, let me close the road," and he would, like, just jump it in the pre-runner.

Just be like, "All right," and it'd be like, it was, like, me, him, the producer, and one other person. Mark the spot. Yeah. Yeah, like, okay, that looks good. All right, we'll be back in two months to do it for real with the trophy truck. So. I love it, dude. Yeah. I- L- loose program, especially in Mexico you can get away with that shit.

Oh, dude, we la- we, we landed, so he had, like, the helicopter at the time. We landed a helicopter at a restaurant to, like, go get lunch. Like, just landed in their parking lot. Didn't tell them we were coming, just, like, dropped the [01:18:00] heli in the ... Like, if you did that in the United States, you would be, like, hauled off to prison.

But in Mexico it's like, "Oh, okay. We'll make room for you. We'll move the car." Yeah. And then I think they just came out and put, like, a rope around so people wouldn't go near the helicopter. I always say, like- I, I really enjoyed the Gymkhana films and it was a lot of fun to make, but the Recoil films were always special to me 'cause there's just a different energy when, one, you're jumping stuff, but like- Yeah

doing stuff, uh, off-road, and doing stuff in Mexico is like its own, its own spectacle. So, like it's- TJ, did you see- Yeah, I saw that ... episode three in Tijuana? Of course, yeah. Dude, that shit was... Yeah, that was, that was a lot. But it was sketchy, like, fun. There was just such a rollercoaster of emotions- Mm

throughout us shooting that. How big of a crew did you have when you did the Tijuana one? When we did Revolution Street- Yeah ... we had, like, 30, 30 people on set. Wow. Um, which was- That's still a small crew compared to, like, w- we would've probably had, like, 80 to shut that down, to shut- With, like, [01:19:00] PAs and all that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. And just the road closure. But aside from that shoot, like, or that spot, everywhere else was, like, 12 to 15 at most. That's nice, yeah. And some of them, like when we had the bowl arena, like, we just had- Yeah ... our immediate crew of, like, 10 of us. Um, but it was just epic, and I, I definitely wanna do a fourth one.

Mm-hmm. Right now, it's been kinda like an, again, like, you know, the Gymkhana, like, series was different location, different vehicle, you know? So, like, do I need to build another vehicle? Like, how much more badass can I build than the TT Bug? Right. You know, I can do an all-wheel drive one, but that'd take a lot of finances- Yeah

and a lot of, uh, a lot of time. So, it's like- Or do I just do, like, a fourth one where I incorporate the Class 11, you know, Megalodon doing wheelies- Yeah ... and then TT Bug, and maybe the Death Boat, and, like, have it be a [01:20:00] party, kind of like what you guys did. Mm-hmm. So it's like, yeah, but I'd like to go to, um, one more area with the TT Bug and shoot something sick soon, but it's just, again, it's so much work, and I've, I've had other people, you know, help me out substantially, and I know we've talked, and I've seen your new- I'd still...

I wanna make something. I'm down. We'll figure it out ... your new 321- Yeah ... that my boy, um, Chuck did for your logo. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, he's the- Shout out to Chuck. Yeah ... he's the homie, dude, and, uh, he was so ecstatic on that, and like- Yeah, and he just got to do a shirt for 43 Institute, too, a Ken Block one, which I know he was r- I know it was, like, really important to him.

I bought one. Yeah. Oh, awesome. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah, yeah, so. Yeah. No, he's a good dude, and I, I love, not to tangent on it, but, like, I love working with people who really, like, want to do the work, and it means something special to them versus just like- For sure ... going to a random designer and being like, "Hey, can you make this for me?"

Right? Yeah. Where he was like, "Dude, like, I'd be stoked to do it," and it's like, it's, it's cool to [01:21:00] work with that 'cause it means something to him just like it means something to me, right? So I, it's, it's a nice combo when those things kind of come together, so. 100%. Yeah, yeah. 100%, dude. It's always got a...

That's, that's how the magic happens, and it just resonates, and it's good for the soul, you know? Yeah. For everyone. Well, I think it's a part of, like, I'm almost jealous, and I think that what you were a- what you've been able to do with both your films and, you know, Shreddy and all these things is, like, 'cause you very much have kept it, like, a core friend group that builds everything, and, like- Yeah

that's super rad and unique, and I, I don't think, uh, it's... I think it's hard for a lot of people to do that 'cause eventually it becomes business, and you gotta bring people in, you gotta pay people, and then you gotta bring in this and that, and it, it starts to separate it a little bit more than, like... You know, it was f- early Hoonigan was a lot more fun than later Hoonigan because, like, it was this tight core group that did things on the weekends together.

Like, you know, the day would be over, and we'd all just sit in the lot for hours, hanging out, like, drinking, talking, doing whatever. Like, [01:22:00] you know, as you get bigger, you start to lose that. Like, you're at that sweet spot right now. Oh, yeah, dude. Enjoy that, you know? So. Totally. I mean, if we're able to do it now, I don't see, like, why not, why we can't do it later on.

Like, um, I, you know, I don't know, like, how much, like, like, what you're saying, like, growth and stuff, like, it's cool, and don't get me wrong. Like, I wanna grow. I want more sick cars and more shit, but then sometimes, like, you get a couple more assets, and it's just, like, a bigger headache, or you got more people to deal with.

They, they call it golden handcuffs for a reason. We got more people to deal with and manage, and it's like I feel like every time you elevate, you also kinda like take a step back for your personal gain. Mm-hmm. You know? Personal, like, like happiness or whatnot, you know? And like, I'm definitely feel like I'm at a very big sweet spot to where it's like, again, I'm like sell an asset even though I don't want to.

I might not even, but If, uh, if we don't build a [01:23:00] 6100, I'll probably do a drift car. Mm. I don't take my own advice, and I don't- Yeah. I think you literally have gone back on what you said just- Well- ... just 20 minutes ago, but that's okay ... Ron, we're, we're, we're addicted. Addicted to this brand. Yeah, man, I'm at, like, 26 cars right now, so, uh, it's bad, and I, I'm, I've actually, like, really had the realization that it's more cars than I could probably finish in the amount of life I have left, because I have big ideas for everything.

And I need to just start taking some cars and making them really good, and then realizing I gotta let other things leave, you know? Yeah. But I need, like, a, I ha- I don't have, like, a varied collection. Like, I have a, like, multiples of a lot of things. Like, I have five Volkswagen Rabbits. I'll take one. Maybe we just trade for something.

You know, it's like, it's, like, that's just too much for that, you know? But- Get you a kid a dirt bike ... so yeah, yeah. You see? That, that could work out well. Um, but it's like, you know, even just, like, t- like, I'm sitting here talking to you, being like, "Man, I don't really have, like, a good off-road rig in my, like, [01:24:00] lineup anymore."

Like, I kinda need that, 'cause when I was at Hoonigan, I had access to Can-Ams or RZRs- Yeah ... and obviously Scumbug, and I don't have access to that anymore, and I'm like, "Yeah, that, that's actually, I kinda need that in my life." Well- So, you know. You know- That's how that works ... these cars, when you get them finished, how much maintenance are they?

The problem with having so many cars is that nothing ever is close to finished, and something always breaks. So for example, like, I've, you remember my, my, uh, my lifted van, the 4x4 that I've got, right? Oh, yeah. So, like, that thing's got, now it's got, like, a, it's got this J&K, like, Stage 3 engine, makes, like, 750 horsepower, which is un-ru- Necessary

just you don't need that in a van. Yeah. Like, it's so unnecessary, right? It's like I did it f- for why, I don't know. But the other day, like, you know, broke the, the radiator broke because the switch for the, for the clutch came loose, destroyed the fan blades, and it tore up the radiator, right? And then I had, like, but, like, right now it has no air conditioning, 'cause I put everything [01:25:00] back together, but I don't have an AC machine, so I wasn't, I haven't been able to charge the AC.

I need to do that, but I just haven't. So now whenever it's hot, I don't drive that. And, like, I just have a bunch of these kind of problems, where, like, everything is just enough broken that it's kind of, like, difficult to deal with, right? Yeah. It's all these, like, little things. Um, yeah, and then I have, like, you know, I built that f- that Audi race car.

I think you remember that, 'cause you were around Hoonigan. It's like, that thing runs never, have, I haven't driven it yet. Like, it turns on, but I, like, I still have to figure out clutch engagement issues, and there's just too many. Yeah. It's just too many things. Like, I can't- You don't need an off-road car then

actually do all of it. So. 'Cause like- Oh, I know, 'cause they're just as much or if not more difficult than anything else, yeah. They're way more work. Nor do I need a boat, but that's not gonna stop me. You need an off-road car, and you need a boat. That's- Yes ... that's what I wanna hear. Yes. And it's more, and it's- a different adventure than your norm- Yeah

you know? Like- I think a, I think a Class 11 would be fun, um, if I was to go do [01:26:00] something with it. Like- To go race? Yeah, to go race. Hell yeah. I think. Yeah, 'cause I don't think a Class 11 is fun as a fun car, 'cause it's not really fun. Dude, you already got the- The fun is the competition side, and, like, probably maybe just, it would probably make sense to just buy one that's already built that I fit in, but that's always a problem for me.

Because I'm 6'8", like, everyone builds their cages- We can make it work ... smaller. So. No, there's plenty of room in there. Well, maybe we'll figure something out. Yeah, we can make it work. That would, that would be fun. You, you got the EMPI connect. So that is true. That is true. Yeah. Rob at EMPI, dude. Yeah. EMPI's always a great group.

We're calling you, dude. We're building- Yeah, we're calling- We're building Scotto- Yeah ... a Class 11. Have you, did you see, uh, you see the Bug that, uh, Kira Block's building right now? It's kinda cool. Yeah, I've talked to them a few- It was cool to see her, like, of all the things she could build, she was like, "I wanna build, I wanna build a VW Bug."

So it was cool. And I think it was also, she, she raced one- Yeah, I know ... at Nitrocross, and I helped her and, um, Lucy, and them, kinda gave 'em pointers, and just was mentoring them a little bit. And, like, they're just so much fun and so capable. Yeah. And I think she, they saw how capable it was [01:27:00] there, and like, if we can duplicate that but with windows and, like, kinda have, like, a pre-runner/vibey car, like, and build something from the ground up- Yeah

like, that's the platform to do it on. Yeah, yeah. And, and still not spend crazy amount of money, but still have something capable, reliable- Yeah ... and cool, you know? Yeah, Bugs are one of those things I always kinda come back to. As a ... It's weird, as a, as a water-cooled Volkswagen guy, I didn't like them when I was younger, because there was this, like, air-cooled, like, water-cooled thing.

Right, right. If you go to an event, and all the events were air-cooled events. So you'd go there, and they'd, like, make all the water-cooled guys, like, park in the corner, like, by the fucking porta potties - Yeah ... you know? You ain't OG, bro. Yeah, like, that's how they- You know? And then, and I really had no interest in them.

And then I moved to California, and I think the aesthetic of the Baja Bug just looked cooler to me, right? Like, just the kinda open fenders and, like- Yeah ... that whole vibe, and like, you know, and just how the headlights looked, where they were, like, cut out. Like, all of that [01:28:00] just looked cooler, and they just looked cool up.

But now- I constantly like think about like, man, wouldn't it be cool to do like even, you know, like a slammed like Bug with this in it or that. Like, I find myself just keep going back, and I guess it's to the point you brought up before. It's like they are just this classic, perfect, like weird archetype of vehicle that nothing else looks like it, right?

Yeah. I mean, yeah, sure, there's like a f- there's Fiats that look close. But like in America, nothing really looks like the Bug. Yeah. And it's like so iconic and so different. But I also really like how they feel when you're sitting in them. It's similar to my 911, for obvious reasons. But like it has that, like the cockpit is roomy for me headroom wise, but feels like a cockpit.

Yeah. Like, it feels tight. Like, I kinda love that in Scumbug, like the whole time you're driving, your arm is rubbing up against your passenger's arm. Like, you're just in it, you know? Like, there's something like, I don't know, like fighter jet, spaceship-y [01:29:00] about it. Yeah. But it's also a Bug, which is so weird.

You- you're just telling me that you need a Bug. That's all I'm hearing is Scotto needs a Bug. I really, I run this show just so people can come in, and I'm like, "Hmm, maybe I need a Bug." And now I'm gonna go on Marketplace tonight and just spend hours being like, "Hmm, maybe this. Maybe do that." I was on there last night, and I saw one for three grand, a '69.

Oh, yeah. Needs a little bit of love, but- They all do. Yeah. They all do. Y- do you, uh, do you like other s- Bugs, or only Offroad Bugs? No, I mean, I have an appreciation for like- I g- my homie has one on bags. Actually, he picked me up when I got out of jail for Urban Assault I. He, he dropped me off, my boy Matt Darby, dropped me off in his bagged Bug, his, I think it was a '66, and, uh, picked me up.

So it was like, I went to jail for driving a Bug- Got dropped off in a Bug ... and, and picked up in a Bug. That works out well, yeah. And then while [01:30:00] I was going back home to work on my new Bug . Yeah. One of the things I, I really always wanted to build at some point was a Volksrod, where they just take the Bugs and kind of build them like old, like traditional hot rods.

Yeah. Not really traditional, but just hot rods, you know, kind of thing. There's a lot of different cars- Yeah ... that are built off of a, a- Yeah ... basically a Bug pan. Oh, yeah. Like, it's crazy. Like, anything from like Meyers Manx to, like, different kit cars and shit- Yeah ... like, that you would never even suspect.

You know, movie props and, like, um... Yeah, it- I mean, the kit car world was massive in the '70s for what- For sure ... they'd be like, they'd build, and everything was just a Bug underneath, you know? Yeah. Volkswagen. I, when I was a kid, uh, I don't know if you remember this, 'cause you're a bit younger than me, but, um, there was a trend of putting Rolls-Royce front grills on Bugs, and there was, like, this guy near my grandfather's house that had one.

And I remember as a kid, I was like, "Dad, look at that." And my dad was like, "That's gross." Yeah. Like - There's so much different shit ... like, he was just [01:31:00] like, "That's not what cars are." Like, he was just like, "No, no, no, no, no, no." But as a little kid, you're like, "Look, it's a Rolls-Royce." He's like, "It's a Volkswagen Bug with a Rolls-Royce grill," you know?

Yeah. It always, like, stood out. But, like, people just did the weirdest things with Bugs. It's crazy, though, 'cause you could still find on Marketplace Bugs that feel, like, somewhat original. Oh, for sure. Like, like, like, you would think after these many years, there'd be, like, no good examples left, but there still are, like, driver survivors.

And I don't mean restored cars, just cars- Yeah ... where you're like, "Man, this car still feels like no one's, like, molested this thing yet." Yeah. It might be on its, like, seventh paint job, but still. For sure. Yeah. The Scumbug was. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like- Scumbug definitely did not start orange. No. No. It, it's been blue, black, yellow.

Yeah. Yeah. Like, that thing is, like, a gobstopper. Like- That's kind... I like it. It's kind of a cool history of the car. You get to, like, see all those, all those pieces of it, you know? For sure. So. No, that's always, uh- Very interesting Yeah You know? Just, [01:32:00] and it's like, yeah, that's another thing, dude. How many people own this thing and got it painted the color they want it, and like, that's something that I just love about Bugs Yeah, you convinced me.

I need a Bug now. Yes. I didn't know I needed that. Well, I mean, I did, but I forgot. Yes. It's a good reminder, so. Today's the day. Today's the day. Do you have Scumbag now? Is it in your possession, or is it back at Hoonigan? No, it's at Hoonigan. Oh, okay. Yeah. Um, I built it. I was gonna, I was gonna say you should keep it so it stays, it stays running and doesn't get mothballed again.

We just taught Gary how to drive it. I saw that. Yeah Yeah I was surprised he didn't blow the transmission out when I'm like, "Stay on the gas all the way till your tires leave the lip." He stayed all the, on the gas all the way till the tires landed, but luckily it's got a good big transmission in it.

Mm-hmm. Um, now a Mandeola from Wedel. So thankfully he didn't blow that thing out yet. Yeah. But I know people that are gonna go and be like, "Oh, this thing's indestructible." It's like, you still gotta... [01:33:00] Gary did a great job driving it, but I told him, "Just send it. Stay on the gas till you're in the air." But he doesn't really have a whole lot of experience, so we'll give him that one, but- Yeah

other people aren't gonna have experience if they, like, drive that thing, and it will get messed up, and I don't wanna have to fix, fix it again. Yeah. It's, it's been a decade of fixing that thing- Yeah, man ... from other people fucking it up. Although we didn't, did we break it on the, on the trip? You guys have broke it every time you drove it.

No, but did we break it on the Baja trip that we did? We had to fix a bunch- We definitely were constantly fixing little stuff- Yeah ... but- Nothing major ... nothing major. Yeah. Yeah. Before I cut that thing apart, though, um, shock mounts in the front, steering rack, a, just a ton of shit was- Oh, yeah ... like, just blown out.

I- That's what happens when you take a bunch of guys who normally drive road cars, have only driven brand-new UTVs, and think everything will do what, like, [01:34:00] a Can-Am- A UTV of it ... like, X3 will do. Yeah. Like, oh, yeah, it doesn't do that. No, it doesn't. Yeah. I mean, in a, in the same fashion, yes, but not at the same speeds or, like, like, the side-by-sides game is

Like- I know ... when I race my, my Pro R Polaris freaking at these desert races, I'm pushing the thing full kill. Yeah. Like, doing 100- Well, wasn't it last year, the year before, a side-by-side ended in, up in, like, the top, like, l- ending in 1000? They were, like, in the top five or something like that- Yeah ... or top s- 10?

Yeah. Yeah. They just keep progressing, and they're, they're ... One of these days, one of them's gonna overhaul it. Oh, yeah. Probably be Brock here. That dude's a machine. Oh, well, trust me, like, in the rally world, like, rally is ... There's this huge fight about bringing them in or not because they're gonna end up being on the podium with, like, top-level rally cars because- 100%

they're so quick. So I think now, and I'm not 100% sure on this, but if I remember hearing it correctly, they're allowing them in the series, but they're, like, in their own class, and they don't compete for [01:35:00] overall standing. Ah. Yeah. They wanna keep it somewhat pure. They wanna keep it pure to the original sport, which I understand.

100%. But it's such an easier point of entry for people to go build a UTV 'cause it's way more durable than building a rally car. And, like, honestly, for the lower level rally car that you could build for that price, it's, is a lot more fun. Yeah. It's a much more capable vehicle, right? For sure. Yeah. I s- I mean, I, I support it 'cause it drags people into the sport, and if they can be good at, you know, um, running that class- Mm-hmm

in a UTV- Maybe they'll find some sponsors and be able to break bread and build something legit. Yeah. That's still, like, OG and core. Yeah. You know? And that's something that kind of, uh, I feel like happens in the UTV class. You know, it's like, well, you want more, you wanna go bigger, so they go from, like, a UTV to, like, a Class 10 car or to a 6100 truck, Class 1 buggy.

Like, there's still s- there's still, there's always room to, like, improve and step up- Yeah ... if you wanna go [01:36:00] bigger, stronger, faster. You know, it's same thing I guess with the rally world. Yeah. For, uh, for y- what's your pr- what's your take on UTVs in the market? 'Cause I know that, like, the old school guys, like, they still call them golf carts even though they're ridiculously fast now.

Yeah. Like, how, how, like... And then I know that, like, a lot of the dune guys feel like it's replaced a lot of what the old school dune culture was- 100% ... and the buggies, right? Like, we don't see buggies as much anymore. Yeah. Like, what, what's your opinion on that? I mean, on, uh, big, big weekends out there it's 90% side-by-sides now.

Yeah. You know, I think it's, um, I think it's a blessing 'cause it really helped the off-road economy, like, and market, like, flourish. Um, brought new sponsors. It, it, it's, it's done a lot for the off-road community. Mm-hmm. You know? But it's like, shoot, there's so many people going now, it's like we can't... Like, camping and, like, unless you go on off weekends, if you wanna go on the holiday weekends when everybody's got time [01:37:00] off and, like- Yeah

it's a giant party. But, you know, I think some of the people that it brings are disrespectful of the desert, you know, with, with trash and, uh, just blasting music till freaking the sun comes up. Yeah. And, uh, you know, I, I just... There's, but there's also those people that, you know, are older that you see cruising around with their dog in the, in the side-by-side, like- Yeah

just still living it where they don't got time to tinker with dual Volkswagen carbs, syncing them up- Right ... or changing plugs or whatnot, you know? Yeah. So, like- Or dropping 300, 400 grand on a Sand Rail. Yeah. That's, like, a fully built, yeah, yeah. Yeah. You know, I miss that purist, like, Volkswagen- dominant, like, um, I guess time because, like, that's what I grew up with- Mm-hmm

going to Glamis and Buttercup and Gordon's Wells and it, it was all super people that were very, very passionate and respected and loved the desert because it was [01:38:00] their adventure, and it's still an adventure for people today. Mm-hmm. I just don't feel like they had to really, like, ride that gritty, like, and that, like, mechanical, like, being mechanical to fix your shit or build your shit.

Mm-hmm. Now it's just here's a payment, you know? Here's a payment and I'm gonna go disrespect somebody's, like, happy place. Mm. You know? So, like, yeah, there's ... But, you know, it's ... It has brought sponsors, brought companies- Mm-hmm ... brought awareness, brought ... Built up the off-road community, you know? So, like, I think there's more pros than there are cons, but the small part of the cons definitely, like, hits deep.

Mm. Yeah, I mean, I c- I definitely could see that. I, my ... I remember my first time at Glamis. We went, like, on a weekday in off-season, so it was, there was, like, nobody there, and, um- It was bliss, huh? It was fucking amazing. Yeah. Like, it was such a cool day, and we were there, like, bef- it was ... [01:39:00] We, we had Can-Ams, but it was before they came out with the Maverick.

So, like, it was basically like a, you know, like a Banshee- X3? It was before the X3. Oh, okay. So, no, I'm sorry, it was before the X3, but it was the Maverick. Okay. But it was, like, a way more upright, felt like a golf cart, like, was nowhere near sort of like what a RZR was at the time, and, um, felt more like, um, kinda what was those original, uh, what were, like, the original ones everyone was building before the RZR?

Yamaha? Yeah, what were those called? The- Rhino ... the Rhinos, yeah. Yeah. It, it was, like, somewhere, like, just a, a notch above a Rhino at the point. Yeah. But, um, it was really, like, my, like, one of my first, like, real off-road experiences other than being with other people. It was, like, my first experience, like, going and driving and just ripping around.

Yeah. And, like, we were just ... It was me, um, Vinnie, and Jason Ellis, and, like, we just were just- Jesus ... thrashing in the, thrashing in the dunes for a day, and Ashley. And it's funny 'cause, like, Ashley had spent a lot more time doing that stuff than me and Vinnie did, so she was just, like, showing me and Vinnie up, like, left and right 'cause, like, we were these [01:40:00] road car guys- Yeah

from New York who'd never been around it. But I, I think there was this one moment where I'm, like, standing on the top of the dunes and, like, I, I'm not this person, but it was, like, almost a spiritual moment where you're looking over the caps of, like, all of the edges of the dunes, and you can just see for miles.

Yeah. And there's no one there. Yeah, that's sick. And it was just absolutely nuts to just be like, wow, this is crazy that this exists here. Yep. Yeah, yeah, it's, it's so, it's super cool, so. And that's, I think, some- something, like, why I haven't really got into drifting 'cause I know, one, I'll probably be doing dumb shit on the street.

And, like, the tracks- Who, you? ... the tracks are kinda limited, you know? And, uh- It just doesn't h- give me as much of a sense of adventure. Yeah. Like whereas off-road it's like, like, and that's something that I wanna try to really like get back into, 'cause I've been doing a lot of racing, whether it's a Class 11 UTV, the- Yeah

Pro R, but like that's one thing about Baja is like pre-running, it's still kinda like an adventure before the race. [01:41:00] Yeah. So it's super chill. But, um, like I wanna go to like St. Anthony Sand Dunes. I've never been there. Where is that? Um, Idaho. Oh, okay. Yeah. Like I wanna... That's one on my big bucket list. I've only been to Dumont one time, and it's like they're not crazy far.

They're pretty far- Yeah ... but still, like I wanna go back to like doing content and some YouTube videos of just like what originally like we did on Shreddy Life's YouTube was go freaking on these sick adventures and just take people along for the ride- Yeah ... and show our blissful experiences, those views, like these places that exist that are just Like epic Yeah You know?

I, I, I never, I guess I never really thought about that part of off-road that makes it different is the, like, adventure element. 'Cause, like, you're out there. Yeah. And if something goes wrong, you really need to be prepared to self-rescue and get yourself out of situations- Right ... especially if you're out there, like, by yourself.

So, solo. Yeah. Um, and [01:42:00] like you don't have that, like, a track day event or something like that. No. Yeah, I mean, that's one of the reasons- Yeah ... I think I fell in love with, like, Mexico when we went down there with both, with Scumbug both times because it was just like I can't believe we could just go do all this.

Like remember we went to that beach? Yeah. Yeah. And there was, like, just all those trails there, and like we just found a cool beach that we decided to camp at, and then we found all these, like, little things to, like, go rip around on, and it's like- Yeah ... it just felt so open, and you could just do whatever you wanted.

Like that just- Yeah ... doesn't exist in everyday life. We all camped out there, right? I think I- Yeah, we camped at a bunch of weird places. We camped there, and then we also camped, like, in the middle of, like, a random, like, dirt parking lot one night 'cause I think we were just exhausted and- Freezing ... it was the only place.

But we camped at one place that's, like, three hours south of San Felipe, and we were on the water. That spot was pretty cool. Yeah. Yeah. 'Cause we had, we found that spot the year before, before you came out with us when we, when we had the original Baja Bug or the original Scumbug down there. It was just kind of a s- a [01:43:00] regular Bug, and, um, we found that spot in the dark on, on the Sea of Cortez.

We had no idea it was on the water. We just found a spot and we're like, "All right, we're gonna camp here," and then woke up in the morning to that view, and everyone was like, "Yo, get out of your tent. This looks insane," you know? Yeah. And like that's such a great adventure part of it. I, I think the part of, you know, and this is coming from somebody who, you know, spent their world on, you know, in, in, you know, track cars and that kind of stuff and, yeah, a bit of rally and whatever.

But I think the part that was always really interesting to me was, you know, to me, for me to go do a track day, uh, at, like, Willow Springs, it's gonna put me back a couple hundred bucks, right? Just, just to pay to be there. Yeah. And then I gotta do all the other stuff. I got a trailer and everything else.

But, like, if you're into off-road racing, there's so much more stuff that's accessible, and sure, you need the m- you need the trailer, you need the truck, you need all the stuff to get there. But, like, once you get there, like, you have this [01:44:00] massive place to go rip around at and to go do stuff- It's endless usually

whether it's, like, you know, Pismo Beach or, like, there's so m- you know, or, like, obviously Glamis or, you know, even, like, up by Darren Parsons, like in, you know, Ridgecrest. It's like m- I would drive out the back of his house and just go drive, like rip roads for- For hours ... for hours. Yeah. It's like it's all super accessible, and as we

And I know you guys are in the process ... I know, like, the off-road community's losing a lot of that right now and a bunch of things that are happening, but there's still a lot of access, and in the world of, you know- track day stuff, like there's like no racetracks left. Mm-hmm. Like, they're all closing down.

Yeah. So it's like, it's interesting, especially if you live in this area where you're like, yeah, off-road is, there's still... And I know, like, there is a major fight right now to keep that going, and a bunch of land was just lost for off-road stuff. But there's still a lot of opportunity to go do that. Yeah.

And it's like, it creates such a different, um, access point. Yeah. 'Cause I think for me as a kid- And experience. Yeah, but I think you can go do [01:45:00] more of it. You can get more seat time. There's more of a community around it, where as a kid, I never went on on track 'cause I couldn't afford to. Like, I didn't start to go do- Yeah

track stuff until I was working in a business that paid me to go do it. I couldn't afford to go, like, to Lime Rock to go racing. Yeah. We'd go drag racing, but even that was like 50 bucks to get like, you know, five runs for the night, you know? So- And that was back in the day. Yeah, that was back in the day.

Yeah. Yeah, so. Yeah, so I don't know. It's, it's... I think that's a interesting part of the community. I remember driving home With Vinny, and I think we were coming home from, uh, it was either Lucerne or wherever, and we were j- I was just like, I was like, "Man, I kinda wanna like just sell all of my cars and get like a cool off-road truck or something," because like this feels so accessible, where 90% of what we do doesn't feel acce- accessible.

Yeah. So, and for you, it probably doesn't feel weird at all 'cause you've been doing it since you were a kid, so it's just normal. Hmm. But for someone from the outside looking in, in the off-road community, it always is like, wait, you can just go find some BLM land and like go, go drive on trails? Like, [01:46:00] that's cool.

Yeah. You know? So. No, I l- I, I love it, dude. That's why it keeps me coming back. Yeah. That's why I, I, I mean, I've done it my whole life, so, and I don't think it'll ever change. Yeah. I had a question I wanted to ask you before and I forgot, but, uh, what do you pr- Megalodon or Trophy, uh, Bug, which one is your

Like, w- what do you prefer driving? 'Cause they, they must be very, very different machines, right? It depends on the activity. Okay. Like dunes, Megalodon eats. You got that cutting brake, it's lightweight, it rotates, it wheelies. You can like bunny hop shit by seat bounce and stuff. Um, it doesn't jump as good.

TT Bug is like a big marshmallow. You go to hard pack, it eats all the square edge bumps. Yeah. It flies way more balanced because of its weight balance. Um, and it's, and it's, and it's, it's weight, so, and then, then the balance point of it. Um, dunes, [01:47:00] Megalodon. Mm-hmm. Hard pack, big jumps, square edges, go really, really fast, but through rough terrain, TT Bug.

Racing, Class 11.

I love it. Straight up, dude, so sick. We should figure out a race to do together 'cause I'd love to, I'd love to get out in a Class 11. I think it looks super, super fun. Like drive my car? Or are you gonna bring a car? No, I'll dr- I'll ... Yeah, I'll figure one out. Whatever it is, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. You're like, you're like, "You're not driving my car."

S- You're like, "I've seen what you guys do to things." Yeah. No, I mean, um, I'd let you take it for a spin. Okay. That's nice. Yeah. That's nice of you. That way you can try one before you buy one. Buy, yeah, okay, yeah. Or build one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, but- What i- what is the build on a Class 11 these days cost? It can

I kinda ramped that up to a little- You ruined it for everybody? What does a used Class 11 go for? Uh, it depends on the components. Like, uh, to have like a Sletten engine- [01:48:00] Mm-hmm ... like an engine that I run, that I run a full season on, um, you know, a price point entry on one of those fully balanced, like, full kill motors is, like, 12 Gs.

Okay. So- Which is a crazy amount of money to spend on an engine that makes, like, 70 horsepower. Upside down 69. 96. 96-ish. 96. Yeah, it is, it is a lot. Yeah. For sure. But that's, like, if you have no block, you know, clutch, just, like, everything turnkey, you know. Um, but there's other packages that are, are cheaper of his.

Mm-hmm. You know, you can still build a decently competitive engine for, I'd say, six, seven. Mm-hmm. Um, no pun with that stupid saying. Um, and then, you know, shock packages, like, if you built one and you bought, like, a cage kit to where, like, if you have a welder, you don't have a tubing bender, but you got a grinder and whatnot, like, you can put one together for, like, 25 grand.

Mm-hmm. And [01:49:00] that's, like, still very, very competitive. Right, and be able to run a season with it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, like a full season with just basic maintenance. Hmm. Yeah. That's like good trans, all that stuff. But you can still, you can still peel that back even more if you needed to, if you wanted to. But if you don't

Yeah. But then the resell on them's still really good if you don't go and wad your shit up. There's always the don't wad your shit up thing. Yep, for sure. Luckily, I've never rolled a Class 11 except for one time when Cowboy Cerrone put me in the wall. Because he got tangled up with somebody else, but what am I gonna do about it?

Go talk shit to him and get knocked out? No, yeah, probably not a good idea. He's the homie, too, so. Yeah. Yeah. You don't really seem like a talk shit kinda guy, though. You are one of the most, like, just generally good vibe, happy people I know. Like, I, I'm sure you get mad in life, but I haven't seen it. Like, I've, I've seen you annoyed at us, but in a, like, "You idiots" [01:50:00] kind of way.

I signed up for it, dude. I, I gotta just ... I'm more mad at myself. You're like, "Yeah, I got myself into this." Yeah. So, are you familiar at all with, um, folk cross racing? Where, like, folk race is really what they ... It's, it's like Swedish racing. Yeah, like rally style? Um, it's, it's rally cross racing, but- Yeah ... a lot of times Bugs compete.

Oh, yeah, I've seen the one- Yeah ... that one viral video where that Bug hangs a tire. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Making a, making a right- Yeah, yeah ... hangs a tire. Oh, dude, people send, "Build a rally Bug" all the time. I'm like, "I already got a few of them." Yeah. You know, maybe not, like, a rally specific style, but- I wonder what it would

I wonder if we could go, 'cause it would be kind of fun to just do a Class 11 class with ral- with, like, ARA and rally. That'd be sick. And, 'cause, you know, it's like then everyone who has one can just show up, and we can all compete and, and go do some rally stuff with it, too. Yeah. I'm sure there's a couple things we'd have to add to, like, make their rule book.

But, like, that could be an [01:51:00] interesting thing, 'cause it would open ... 'Cause I think that would also be really fun. There's one or two- Yeah ... Bugs that compete in rally in, in America in the ARA series, and it's like they're not fast, but they look cool. Yeah. Like, again, it's like just seeing these things, like, airing over little jumps and stuff.

Dude- It's pretty fun ... sign me up. Yeah, that, that, that would- I need to look in the rule book. That'd be sick. Yeah. I'll, I'll s- I'll send you over some specs on it. But I, I, I bring up the rally cross thing because that, I think, is also, like, a really fun format- For sure ... for, like, an affordable vehicle to, like, kinda go do.

And, you know, and, and you can even get in that probably a bit cheaper. You don't have to be a full Class 11 car. You could just- Yeah ... build something that kinda works. But, but you see, like, you'll see races in, you know, in Sweden or wherever, and it's like there's one of those, and it's like it's beating, like, a bunch of other cars that should be faster.

But you're like, "Oh, that thing's out there just smoking it," 'cause- Power to weight ratio ... yeah, and also, and, and also on dirt with a engine in the back over the rear wheels, like, ton of good grip. [01:52:00] Yeah. Yeah, so which- For sure ... which have always made those work All right, sir, we got a lot of plans to do, so, but Yeah, build you a Baja Bug, go ral- rally racing with a Baja Bug, and it's all focused around Bajas.

Yeah, and I, I know I'd also like to make... And I, and I, we need to make a video at some point. We've been talking about it forever. It'd be cool, it'd be really fun to make a film with you. Um, I don't wanna step on any of your other guys' toes, 'cause I know you have, like, a team to do something. Dude- We go do, build, build something nice.

I'm ready, ready. I hit up Teague the other day, and I was like, I was like, "You wanna make..." I was like, "We should finally make something cool with Blake next year." And he's like, he's like, "We've got some things in conversation." So I was like- But it ain't really going nowhere. Teague, if, if, if it is going places, I don't know about it, Teague.

Goddammit. But yeah, no, I would, uh, that, that would be, that would be a fun one, so. Bro- Not saying you need my help- I- ... but it'd be fun to work together, so. I think that would be a- another huge dream come true. Yeah, I think it w- we just gotta f- it's gotta be, like, the right idea, the right place. Yeah. It always, uh, yeah.

[01:53:00] Yeah. Figure out a concept, but- Yeah ... we'll talk more on it. You guys got any suggestions? Or you got any connections, people, you just- Connections are always good ... should comment that shit down below. If you're like, if you're like, "My dad's the president of a South American country," or like, "My father runs whatever, and you could come take over all of this," like, that would, that's, that's what you need.

You need those, those connections. That's what we need. So, yeah. That's what we need for Assault 4. Yeah. You, were you there for the golf course stuff that we did with the Can-Ams? Did you come out for that? Battle Royale. I don't think so. Where, where... I thought you were driving in l- that for- I did do, um, a golf course.

I ripped up a golf course. Yeah, you w- you did that, too, right? That was, uh, another Heat Wave video. Oh, okay. Um, Country Club Assault. Oh, I remember that. That's it, yeah. Yeah, that was- That was- ... with Maija Specherelli- Yeah, yeah, yeah ... and his Pro 2. Yeah. Yeah. I'd love to go short course racing, but dude, that shit, these [01:54:00] guys tearing these trucks up, bro.

Looks like so much fucking fun, though. Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, I was in it at, originally, in the beginning, just as a mechanic, and always around it, and I always was like, "One day I want one of those, too." I've actually looked on Marketplace a bunch for one. Breaking my own damn rules again. This show, this show just always, always ends with people just being like, "Yep, I was on Marketplace looking about that," so.

Well, dude, thank you for coming out today. Thank you for dealing with the sweltering heat in the garage, and catching- It is spicy ... catch, it is a little spicy in here today. Yeah. I'm happy you wore deodorant, so. Want some ice cream? Yeah, we should go get some ice cream. I'm down. Let's get it. I'm up for it.

Ice cream.

Mailbox is full, full, full, full. The mailbox is full, full. The mailbox is full. Cannot accept any messages at this time. Goodbye. Goodbye [01:55:00] Heat Wave just created my favorite sunglasses of all time, the Easy Rider Photochromic. Maybe it's 'cause I'm getting older, but I've learned to really value what yellow lenses can do for your vision when you're driving at night in your 40s.

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