VintagEuro

After an unexpectedly long hiatus, Bryan and Myles return to the podcast. As they explain, they had good reason for taking a break, even though they never expected it be five months. The guys catch up on Myles' road trip back to L.A. as well as new professional ventures.

On this episode, Bryan and Myles dig into the German tuning houses that made the '80s so interesting. They break down the playing field into the good, the weird and the truly ugly, talking about the cocaine-fueled fever dreams reinterpreted in the form of BMWs, Mercedes, Porsches, Audis and occasionally even Volkswagens of the day. Tuners in the spotlight include AMG, Hartge, AC Schhnitzer, Brabus, Alpina, Boschert, Gemballa, Ruf, Sbarro, Treser and others. It's an honest look backwards at an era when too much was never enough.

Tim McNair of GP Concours Restoration returns to the show to talk with Myles and Bryan about the hottest of VintagEuro hot hatches, the Lancia Delta Integrale. He shares his personal experience as the new owner of a 1992 HF Integrale 16V, as well as his knowledge of all the other variants for the prospective newcomer. In typical fashion, the conversation with Tim takes a few side roads, veering onto topics like the miracle of detailing with dry ice and why supercars are overrated. You don't want to miss this lively discussion.

The plan was simple: Bryan and Myles would take turns asking each other questions related to their love of classic European motoring. The goal was ten questions each, but the guys got deep into their answers and ran longer than anticipated, causing what Myles would describe as a scheduling conflict with his much anticipated Sixers/Lakers appointment. We think they hit 16 in total, but we lost count. The questions were as varied as the answers were fascinating. If you've ever wondered how similar these two are, this episode is an eye opener. Can the guy who prefers loafers to sneakers also prefer to check out an Innocenti over a 300 SL? Listen and find out.

Bryan and Myles each take one for the team, helping out friends in need. Bryan spends part of his Sunday helping out past guest Jamie Orr of Orchid Euro (episode 14) with a Volkswagen engine transplant. Myles goes high-rent and gives up a bit of his Tuesday morning to help another past guest Tim McNair of GP Concours (Episode 4) with some engine-out detailing of a Ferrari 365 GT4BB.

Is a European car built in America really a European car? That depends. Myles and Bryan discuss the early European transplants, including Pennsylvania-built BMWs, Wisconsin-built Renaults and South Carolina-built BMWs. Plus Rolls-Royces and Fiats once upon a time. The guys also delve into the short-lived trend of European brands created specifically for the American market (Merkur, Yugo, Sterling) plus a diversion into American compacts with European roots. We’re looking at you, Chevette, Escort and Horizon. But before they dig into cars, the talk focuses on a weekend of food that included steak frites, French cassoulet and Philly cheesesteaks. You may regret listening to this episode on an empty stomach. Bon apetit.

Have you ever felt bad parting out a perfectly good car? Ever bought bits and pieces from a part-out vehicle to complete your own project? In this episode, Bryan and Myles discuss the merits and ethics of taking collectible cars off the road responsibly. The guys also talk about the unveiling of the wild Singer ACS, a new 911-based safari build from the magicians from our favorite Porsche resto-perfectionists.

After a year of cancelled and postponed, 2020 is almost over. As they look ahead at the new year, Bryan and Myles discuss some of the major events on the calendar for 2021. In this episode, the guys speculate on whether already scheduled concours and driving events will follow through as planned or will face another season of postponements and cancellations.

With winter right around the corner, Bryan and Myles dig into ways to stay connected to the cars, people and activities that make classic European motoring so enjoyable. Myles recounts harrowing details of his cross-country drive from Los Angeles to Philadelphia with his canine companion Zeke just in time to spend the holidays with his folks.

Bryan and Myles dig into Hagerty's Bull Market List for 2021 to discuss the three vintage European picks that made the cut, as well as a couple European youngtimers that are bound to be future European classics. The guys also go over Myles' plans to drive east for the holidays and Bryan unearths another appearance of his Range Rover project on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Bryan and Myles get busy talking about the ups and downs of modifying vehicle to change the appearance of their age. From long-hood 911s to big-bumper Jettas, the guys debate what works, what doesn't and why. At the end, Bryan delivers his list of good and bad factory updates - as well as some that he has mixed feelings about - and Myles tells him why he's dead wrong on a few.

It's the week of Thanksgiving, so Bryan and Myles take a moment to look back and reflect on what a mixed blessing 2020 has been. They also look forward to what 2021 may bring for VintagEuro.

On this episode, Bryan and Myles recap the action from their second VintagEuro United gathering held on November 15th in Montecito, CA. The gang also talks about Bryan's serendipitous acquisition of a car with TV history. Listen to find out where you might catch his Range Rover Classic on the small screen.

Amber turn signals, side marker lights, rear fog lights. Myles and Bryan dig deep into the topic of lighting on European vehicles. They dig into things like H4 headlights and why American safety regulations still keep us in the dark. The guys also recount some of their own perceptions and experiences with Euro-spec lighting and how such a seemingly insignificant detail as a city lamp could influence the appearance of a car.

On this episode, the guys sit down with Ezekiel Wheeler, founder of the automotive culture media brand Auto Conduct, to talk about the changing face of automotive culture and his mission to drive diversity in the scene. Bryan and Myles also turn in their homework from the last episode, where they challenged each other to come up with two outlaw concepts of their own. Who had the better build in mind? Listen and decide.

Bryan and Myles dive into a discussion on the world of outlaws, restomods, customs and bespoke builds to get a better understanding of why certain modified classics are more valuable than others. They also debate how electric-powered conversion fit into the scene. The guys discuss everything from Emory 356 Outlaws to Magnus Walker's Urban Outlaw 911s, as well as iterations on the concept such as Porsches reimagined by Singer, retro-classic Benzes from Mechatronik, perfected Alfa Romeos from Alfaholics, and posh Defenders.

Bryan and Myles sit down with Cars and Coffee Los Angeles founder Osiel Rojas to discuss the uncommonly good mix of cool cars and owners at this monthly East Side gathering. The guys also announce details for the second VintagEuro United event scheduled for November 15th in Montecito, California.

It's fall, and for Bryan and Myles, that means it's time to head out on the road. The guys discuss the joy of fall driving (and riding) and why it's unlike any other time of the year. From rich northeastern colors to the largely overlooked northern California fall season, they share some of their favorite locations and past destinations.

Who doesn't like a station wagon? Seriously. Well, Myles and Bryan sure do. But what is it about a wagon that makes them so much more interesting than coupes, sedans, convertibles or...dare we say, crossovers? The guys dig into their past to share their own wagon stories, analyze the appeal, and digress into the related territories of shooting brakes, hatchbacks and SUVs.

Bryan and Myles catch up with Myles' old friend from Minnesota, Chad Person. He owns two '80s-era Porsche 911s, one of which belonged to his father. The two cars couldn't be more different, but they provided a common bond between these two car enthusiasts. Chad shares his journey with his dad's '87 Carrera, which started with factory delivery in Stuttgart. A complete article with pictures of both cars accompanies this episode on the VintagEuro website.

Take a virtual tour of Italy with Bryan and Myles as they talk with custom tour operator Rem Malloy of Italy4Real.com. For more than two decades, Rem has created bespoke travel packages to Europe, but Italy is his first love. He shares his tips on what to see (and skip) in the Motoring Valley, how not to kill yourself on a rented Vespa, and how to avoid getting several hundred dollars worth of mystery traffic tickets in the mail after you return home.

Bryan and Myles are joined by Jamie Orr of Orchid Euro. An intrepid world traveler, Jamie turned his wanderlust into a business, bringing in parts and cars from Europe for his personal project. That business now includes importing cars for customers, and he sits down with the guys to demystify the entire process.

Coming off the Labor Day weekend, Bryan and Myles take a break from hosting guests to catch up as well as discuss future plans for VintagEuro. In early October, Bryan will host the first-ever VintagEuro United event, a casual cars-n-coffee event in suburban Philadelphia. The guys also get philosophical about the meaning of a magazine in a modern context.

Bryan and Myles talk to Jason Jackman, former technical editor at EuroTuner magazine, about the magazine's influence on young car enthusiasts and the tuner market in the early 2000s.

Bryan and Myles chat about cool project builds with James White of SoCal-based Old Parts, New Starts. He talks about the Saab 96 he recently finished as well as a Triumph TR6 he's finishing, plus tales of a cross-country drive in a Lotus Eclat. Bryan and James inevitably turn to talking about interiors, especially plaid cloth as a preferred seating material.

After weeks of messing around with mics, talking friends and colleagues into appearing, then recording, editing and uploading their first batch of episodes, the guys go one-on-one for a session, reflecting on their first few guests and speculating on who's up next.

Bryan and Myles enjoy a conversation with Greg Brown, former editor in chief of european car and automotive titles in the golden era of car enthusiast magazines. Later in the show, the guys talk about the boom and bust of 1980s grey-market imports and how they changed the way European carmakers in particular viewed the American market and laid the groundwork for today's more performance-oriented offerings.

Bryan and Myles talk to the founder of the automotive lifestyle site TheGentlemanRacer.com and discuss the inaugural Groesbeck Grand Prix, one of the few motoring events that may actually take place this year. In the second segment, the guys all talk about the perceptions and realities of being a so-called 'car guy' - the good, the bad, and the ugly leather letterman jackets.

Bryan and Myles sit down with their long-time friend and founder of VWvortex to discuss the early days of internet car culture, building one of the biggest online communities by accident, and how the landscape has changed for digital publishers. In the second half, all three guys talk about their love of hot hatches, particularly the VW Golf GTI, and how they all got their starts (more or less) behind the wheel of the ubiquitous Westmoreland Rabbit.

Bryan and Myles connect with the busiest professional automotive enthusiast in the business, Jamie Kitman. Formerly a columnist with Automobile magazine, he's now moved on to other projects including Octane Film Cars, his company that supplies cars to film productions. In the second segment he'll weigh in on the choice of European cars as tools for character development in five of John Hughes' most iconic '80s teen movies.

Join Bryan and Myles as they chat with Radwood co-founder Brad Brownell about Rad-era European classics, the evolution of car shows for younger enthusiasts, and the explosive growth of a tongue-in-cheek American take on the classic British motoring festival at Goodwood. Later, all three guys will discuss what it's like being a car enthusiast with no events to attend or plan in this unusual year of a global pandemic.

Join Bryan and Myles as they chat with master automotive detailer Tim McNair of Grand Prix Concours Preparation. A long-time friend of Myles, Tim shares his experiences preparing some of the world's most coveted cars for top-level concours events across the globe. In the second segment, all three guys share some of their personal nightmare stories from their various professional detailing jobs over the years, including Jaguar engine detailing and a Miata that turned wax into concrete.

Join Bryan and Myles as they chat with the multi-talented automotive artist Dwight Knowlton about his work including historical fiction children's books based on early road racing, plus his more recent efforts including official event poster artist for the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance and the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. In the second half, Dwight enlightens the guys on his passion for post-WWII road racing and talks about what he drives personally.

Join Bryan and Myles as the sit down with friend and colleague George Achorn, executive director of the Audi Car Cub North America to talk about his love of early Audi quattros, his days running the Audi enthusiast site Fourtitude.com, and how he's helped evolve the club to keep step with changing times and owner profiles. In the second segment, the guys all talk about the early days of all-wheel drive in European performance cars including not only Audi, but also BMW, Lancia and others.

Welcome to the first episode of VintagEuro, the podcast for European motoring enthusiasts. Your hosts Bryan Joslin and Myles Leevy invite you to share in share their passion for classic European cars and motorcycles from the 1950s through the 1980s. On this opening preview, the guys discuss their backgrounds, the cars that brought them together, and the reason they thought a podcast was such a great idea. Future episodes will include guest from around the automotive hobby and business, including designers, restorers, artists and fellow automotive writers. Visit www.vintageuro.com for more details.