The Motor Culture Podcast

To me, the pinnacle of car collecting is when the machines within that collection are used for their intent & purpose.  There's people who do the other, where the cars largely sit around and even while well kept,  just stationary.  Then there's those who don't; Jordan, for example.  The caretaker of quite a few speed machines, namely in the darkest available shade of paint.  The caretaker of the legendary R33 GT-R T-002 built by one of the industry leaders in automotive tuning; HKS.  The fascination Jordan has with cars is awesome in itself, let alone that he's based out of a desert climate which makes the whole thing a little more cool.  His down to earth attitude is refreshing in this age of clout!  We talk about a whole lot including his previously owned Dallas Performance TT Gallardo that was built to the brim, one I got to experience for myself.  My apologies if I sound muffled in the earlier part of this episode, filter issue.Thanks for sticking with me, let's get back to it. Cheers.Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklin production squad. Thanks gents

I am so slow with the uploads, but theres a good reason.  I moved to Miami to pursue a cool but challenging opportunity at..., you guessed it; RMC Miami.  Now in Miami, life's been hectic to say the least.  Moments to breath aren't easily found, juggling more than one gig at a time isn't for the faint of heart.  It's all for the better.  I am hit with a daily splash of imposter-syndrome however, I need to get over that.  This is now life.  Constantly back and forth between here and Tampa to see my family is the current reality.  Luckily, I have made some great friends in MIA over the last few years and this is where I segway to the episode on hand, numero 73.  My boy Ricky and I got lit, and did a podcast.  No frills.  Just a chill back and forth about many a things, most of which are random but automotive flavored.  We had a real nice setup going with a view at Ricky's spot, after a visit to a nearby delicious Thai restaurant.  We had a great time, and have some great collabs in the works.  I hope you enjoy!Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

The first episode of 2023, and what a return to the game it is.  Friends, lovers, haters, I welcome you back to Motor Culture.  A dope episode is in store for you today, featuring some automotive figure heads in the Miami metroplitan area.  An in-person episode setup right in the middle of the RMC Miami vehicle showspace with a lit shisha & all the goods.  I was joined by my friends Matt, Scotty, Gabe, Ricky, Esteban, Danny & our guest of highlight, master story teller, Dan.  On this episode, we feature a plethora of Wangan speak.  Dan has spent many years in Japan before becoming a reverse ex-pat.  He owned an R34 GT-R with various modifications to keep it sturdy at 200+ MPH for long periods of time.  He spent shit loads of time as the rowdy American to the chill, sometimes shadowy figures that are known as the real night runners.  This includes members of Team Midnight.  The circumstances involved to not only become friendly with these people but to gain their trust as a running partner is a feat.  Japanese automotive enthusiasts, setup your best speakers or headphones and listen closely.  Cheers.Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

From June, to October - welcome back everybody.  The direction of my life was altered a bit over the course of this year and I had to take a pause to focus, fix & adjust.  A process that I am still knee deep in but well on the way.  Even with just a handful of months off the air, I truly missed this shit.  The nights preparing, the enlightenment, the unique stage upon which I get to know somebody new - or chat with one of my old friends.  We're back, and it's about to get crazy during the coming months with the guests that are in line for the next chapter.  Spy vs Ethan vs Spy.  This episode features a real good fella by the name of Ethan, whom works at RMC Miami.  He helps to keep operations afloat with a multi-faceted frame of mind and smarts.  He's recently dipped into sales which has been an entirely new journey given the type of machinery RMC deals with on a daily basis.  Special cars, special clients.  This is one one of those "this kids going places" episode.  Sit back and enjoy.  Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome back friends.  Today's episode features the man, Jann Mardenborough.  He's a British racing driver of which started his career by winning the illustrious GT Academy back in 2011.  If you aren't familiar, the GT Academy is an international virtual to reality contest which allows players of Gran Turismo to compete in an effort to become a real racing driver, or atleast be given the oppurtunity to do so.  This is no simple task as Jann beat out 90,000 entrants to secure his victory.  This guy has a special fucking drive (no pun) which has accelerated (no pun) his racing career, one that was never envisioned before.  Since 2011, he has competed in the following disciplines; British GT (GT3), GT4,  Formula 3, 24H of LeMans (3x), Super GT (GT300 & GT500), and the Blancpain Endurance Series to name a few.  For those that are big fans of racing, here are some of the cars he has piloted:Nismo GT-R GT3 (R35)GT-R GT300 (R35)GT-R GT500 (R35)Nismo GT-R LM Nismo (LMP1)Zytek Z11SN - NissanLigier JS P2 - NissanDallara F312That is quite the list innit?  It was an absolute honor to be able to add Jann to the Motor Culture library and for him to talk about some of the intricacies of racing.  Given his wide array of experience throughout multiple disciplines gives him a very intellectual outlook on racing, on driving.  Like me, he likes to get into a car and just fucking drive for no reason and I can truly appreciate that.  His love for motoring is one that flows through both categories of business & pleasure.  So without further adieu ladies & gents, Jann Mardenborough for Motor Culture.  Cheers.Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome one, welcome all to the Motor Culture show.  Glad to have you here with me today as I present to you Jorge & Diego of Method Auto Group.  This was an on-site recording in Gaithersburg, Maryland in the courtyard of a cozy condo building - so excuse any background noise!  The fellas at Method Auto are killing the Japanese automotive importation game in the DMV area and at a fast pace.  They specialize in bringing over all sorts of passenger cars (not just sports) from the land of the rising sun.  They took me over to their garage to show me a sampling, and it felt good to see those cars hiding in some random Gburg hangout.  My favorites; VIP Cresta, bone stock Chaser, & a white NUR R34 GTR VSII.  Legends in their own regard(s).  The guys take it up a notch and allow you to pickup your vehicle directly from the port broadening the experience.  Given that most ports across the country have a Japanese vibe as it is, this beckons a great oppurtunity to give the customer an experience they will soon not forget.  Anywho, enjoy this episode with Method Auto Group!Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome one, welcome all.  Episode 68, lets go.  This was a lovely late night, last minute session spanning from NY, to NJ, to me in FL!  My boy Andy from German Motor Group brought on his pal named Jake from Eurobids, a hell of a venture both of them and some other individuals are currently working on to make the lives of enthusiasts with a taste for European cars (in EU  spec form) much easier by bringing to market an easy to use buy and bid system coined, Eurobids.  Imagine sight unseen purchasing of vehicles that will be exported from Germany, but with a caveat of a satsifacation guarantee as each and every vehicle will undergo a very particular verification process before the papers are officially signed.  The structure is still very much in development but both Andy and Jake provide great info on what Eurobids will be, and what they think it will do for enthusiasts & for the market alike.  To think that it would be more advantageous to sell your old E36 320i touring while living in Munich on a site like this which will give the oppurtunity to a lucky North American to own and continue the life of this car, all while as a seller you are collecting a premium to do so *takes deep breath* is a WONDERFUL idea.  Why let shit go to waste?  We crave imported cars but in the geography from which they arise, they're normal fare.  So then, WHY NOT give them to us to build that second lease on life?  Exactly, why not?  So, sit back and listen.  This is a great episode and a nice early look into a hell of a venture within the automotive [enthusiast] community.Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Hello everyone and welcome to 67, featuring a hell of a Honda maestro by the name of Tyson Hugie.  This was such a relatable episode for me, having a family background with several Honda models.  Chances are, if you're apart of a brown family that was on the up n' up during the 90s then you too, can relate.  The Phoenix based Tyson is somewhat of a declared Honda historian and currently sits on a lovley rotating collection of Honda/Acura models that evade us in regularity these days.  When's the last time you saw a showroom fresh DA Integra or an SLX?  I bet the most of you haven't even seen an SLX, or a first generation Legend out and about.  I bet if you have, we're talking decades since they were in freshly manufacturered condition.  The Honda addiction has turned into a bit of a dream side quest, and this is the part I want you all to truly feel the inspiration from just as I did.  He took his enthusiasm so far to the point that Honda themselves gave the guy recognition and let him spec a car for a long term test, and then mailed him the title after the testing period was complete.  How cool is that?  What about riding in the backseat of your own car while Jay Leno drives you down a canyon road in it?  Never know where your passion will take you.  Be it in the gym, on the road, or smoking up and relaxing- enjoy this very special episode.  Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome to the 4th iteration of Sanjay's and my sub-series, Conversation Street!  On this session we take a stroll into quite a few territories.  FOR instance, will the cars we adorn - most of which are included in the surge of pricing be expensive, forever?  Will BMW surprise us with the (G81) M3 touring in the USA?  Toyota is taking the high road and ensuring that brand enthusiasts + are well fulfilled with their current and future array of sports offerings, widening to the U.S. market.  Why aren't more manufacturers doing this?  Long gone are the days of questioning whether or not these risk based sales scenarios will work, so hear us give you a bitchy opinion about that.  This was fun, as is always with my mans from MD.  Listen up friends and, enjoy.Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Hello all, and welcome to episode sixty-six featuring Schaefchen.  A kind, very intelligent personality that called in from the mountains of Austria to talk cars with yours truly.  This guy's a true talent as it comes to wheeling a vehicle through some endearing situations and as I recite on this session's intro, pause what you are doing and head to his IG to look for yourself.  He provides a very unique angle indeed where his specialty is less about the mystique of the car, but more so about the ability along with his abilities.  Given his very unique geography comes some unforgiving snow in the Winters which is taken full advantage of.  This is where his [U.S. exported] Raptor II, R34 GTR V-Spec & Evo V RS come into play at full WRC pace.  The latter of two which are equipped with light pods just to add that chef's kiss.  See, what most don't understand about European motorists is that long distance road travel is more of a household situation than here in the states & this is an attribute that Schaefchen takes seriously.  As a matter of fact, before our call today he was on multi-hour journey back from the track where he pushed his MKIV Supra to the limits along with some seat time in his E90 M3.  He's a driver, a traveller and an enjoyer of long-term automotive ownership with a special interest in being connected to the car.  Creating memories with his machines, his squad.  It's worth mentioning the guy has a special eye in capturing these moments, which undoubtedly you will witness for yourself.  This is a lovely episode, and very inciteful for us Yankees.  Tune in, and enjoy.  Also, a special thanks to the man himself as our 6-hour time difference required him calling in late.  Along with a special thanks to my man David aka @d_t_a_f (Ep. #049) for making the connection.  Cheers!Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents 

Episode 065, welcome!  This session was very enjoyable thanks to my boy Sean Troy of European Road & Racing.  I came across Sean via social media in 2015, a year after I moved to Florida.  He is a BMW afficionado like no other and that has yet to change.  The owner of many iconic models of the brand, both past & present including his recent pickup; a Valencia Orange E82 1M.  A legendary parts bin excercise by BMW of which Sean was pushing around town during our call!  We cover the history of his family business which is SUPER interesting, and a damn blessing in itself.  Only a gifted few can say that their entire family is dedicated to the passion, so much so they made it their busienss.  There's a lot of cool in this one, so sit back, get lit and have a listen.  Oh & please excuse the audio quality in this on as Sean was driving around town!  I love that, and I love you for listening.  CheersIntro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome to part 2, featuring Evan of ITEM-B!  As the title presents, we forward our conversation to the present where the details & insight comes just as fulfilling.  We talk about the business aspect within the doors of Autohändler in the automotive world, particuarly the aftermarket.  Evan produces aero kits geared toward BMWs setup to slide & shit, it's a crazy world.  You'll learn about specific considerations in drifting, my favorite part being the huge consideration for the setup at the front axles.  One of our biggest topics of discussion was Evan's accident.  He was in an unfortunate circumstance where his E36 drift car fell atop of him as he laid under the car, due to a failed jack.  This is an insane story, and the recovery part is even crazier.  Within the last 20 minutes (I think) we had a dropped call so you'll hear the combined cuts.  Don't worry, you don't miss a thing.  This is a great episode, stay tuned for future collaborations between Evan & I.  Puff one for me, cheers.Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome back, and to the 63rd episode of MCP.  Today we havethe talented Ara, based out of LA.  This was a long time coming as my guy Sanjay and I have been IG fans of this fella for a long while now.  The fascination first started with a car Ara purchased from a friend of mine, Ken - from the DMV.  That was 10 years ago, and now today the car is a super enhanced drivers machine.  We talk about a plenty.  Ara's an attorney and we touch on his specialty and go over his new firm.  We also delve deep into his enthusiasm and array of cars throughout our motoring history.  Great fucking chat, just jump into it and enjoy.  Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome to the first part of a 2-part series featuring my guy Evan Brown of Item B.  This is going to be a hit amongst my listeners and his listeners alike as we delve deep into the wild ride that brought Mr. Brown to where he is today, and to us as onlookers.  There's never been a background story like this on Motor Culture and I'm happy that this is where we start.  This one starts at the beginning of a long road of clarity.  From top tier student, to hitchhiker, to bike messenger, through many of the USA's major cities.  All of this without a passion for automotives, at the time which is a foreign concept to the guests I've had on.  That's what makes this so damn interesting where it's a show of understanding there is something that gets everyone going, and you may not find it when you're a kid.  You might find it as a full fledged adult.  Enjoy part 1 of this inspiring chat!Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome to sixty one, featuring my boy Adrian of Future's Past,  a video & film production company based out of San Diego.  Our friendship started a few years ago when Instagram brought us together via some BMW related algorthym, thanks Zuck.  At the time, he had a Hellrot E36 M3 & we hit a chord given his love of BMW (cars generally) & passion for visual arts.  Both areas I can relate to.  We have a long overdue conversation going over a few things included but not limited to the uprise of his company, projects, & of course- cars.  Plenty of car talk.  This was nice & chill, enjoy and stay tuned.  Cheers friends.Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome all to epiosde 60.  We recorded this the night before our journey to Daytona for the 60th year of the Rolex 24.  This was my 5th time, all while being an inaugural experience for Danny & Drew.  The weekend started Thursday with Drew flying in from the DC area & Danny arriving from Miami with his Andial 993tt racer in tow.   The guys & I really get into it about driving disciplines, preferences & general automotive related shit talk.  The next day we had a journey on our hands which would consist of the previously mentioned 993tt, @rollinartworks 997.2 GT3, & my humble F56 JCW.  Our session was a blast, recorded at my home with all our amenities about.  A great weekend with my boys.  Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Hello again!  Today's episode features a common name amongst the BMW [classic] community, Neil Sutherland of Quarry Motors.  An expat from the UK, Neil specializes in bringing BMW's stateside from his homeland.  This has resulted in right-hand driven BMW cars to scale the states via the ports of Naples, FL.  I'm proud to say I'm amongst the community with my E30 316i touring that I bought from Neil.  We take a deep dive into the start of his obsession with cars early on & what the motivation was to start a very task rich business for enthusiast clients.  This was a great chat with lots of insight.  Enjoy!Neil's contact info:Quarrymotors.com "Quarry Motors" on Facebook Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome!  Tonight's episode features the homie Michael Barr, a super [JDM] enthusiast from the Tampa Bay area.  We've known eachother in passing for a couple of years now so this was a great oppurtunity to chat, get to know one another.  He showed up in a Bayside Blue (repaint) R32 GT-R fitted with a Do-Luck kit and an ultra set of Nismo wheels.  The car sounded fucking fabulous.  That was a nice suprise.  We go over tons of shit including Barr's start into automotives & his past job at BMW as a product specialist.  He's gone to great heights to build the 32 that was parked out front, this one is in depth- and multi faceted.   Enjoy everyone.  Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

LADIES & GENTS, Welcome back to an overdue episode of Motor Culture.  This is your badly-planning host Imraan A Shameem, and its time for some podcasts.  The last couple of months has been a tough time to get shit done, and that's saying the least.  A lot has happened between business movement, & possibly being infected by Omicron (though never confirmed).  Along with that, life is just moving & changing as it should!  I have been diligently seeking out and scheduling individuals/groups of human beings that will continue to make Motor Culture the go-to automotive podcast, believe that.  Now, to session 57 with my boy Alex.  This was CHILL and much needed whether it was recorded or not.  My family is out of country for a couple of month's and I have been staying lowkey, so this was a "get it all out there" type of chat.  Alex and I met a while ago at what was then known as "Motorsport by Reeves - cars & coffee" located right here in Tampa.  He has an Evo VI which (including the V) is my favorite chassis of the great Evo.  I fell IN LOVE with the car the moment I set eyes on it, and actually have a picture of the first day we met pulled up in my finder at this very moment.  Beyond cars, we realized there was a lot in common between the two of us including but not limited to nerdish enthusiasms & culinary.  We're both fans of travel, both speak about life in eclectic ways...it was meant to be.  I love in-person sessions dearly, so enjoy this as much as I did.  See you soon.  Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents

Welcome to episode fifty-six of MCP!  This session features my boy Daoud, a spiritual motoring addict based in Ohio but with links throughout the country particularly here in Florida.  We have known eachother thanks to the internet (specifically E46fanatics.com) since 2007 where we discovered we owned different specs, of the same car.  My beloved, his beloved E46 M3 convertible.  We were both 18, both hustling at AT&T at a time where the world was transitioning to the "smart phone" and killing it.  He's honed a very simliar tuning & taste outlook to mine and it's kept us homies ever since.  He's had 20+ BMW M3s, his machine of choice [naturally].  It's worth mentioning that his current M3 is very special given it's a BMW Individual "Speed Yellow" example sitting on a meaty set of Mag-blue TE37SL!  Fucking rad.  We had a lovely discussion about specs, colors, tuning and one thats relatble as one of my accounts is in ode to the BMW Individual lineage; @BMWindividuell.  Enjoy our well tenured conversation about a whole LOT.   Intro & exit track provided by the talented @ArifOmariandFranklinproduction squad. Thanks gents