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Overcrest: A Pretty Good Podcast

Overcrest: A Pretty Good Podcast
Author: Kris Clewell / Overcrest
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© Kris Clewell / Overcrest
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Exploring automotive culture and beyond with diverse guests and compelling stories. With Kris Clewell—novelist, photographer, adventurer, filmmaker, event producer, and former automotive journalist. Join us for engaging conversations with unique guests from all walks of life.
520 Episodes
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From bouncing rubber balls in the jungle to a couple of French brothers trying to keep their grandfather’s rubber shop alive, this is where things get weird. Tires that blew apart in the dust, a car called the Eclair that barely beat a horse, and a creepy stack of white tires drinking glass shards for fun. Out of all that chaos came a little red book that turned into one of the most powerful institutions in the world. This episode of Overcrest is about bicycles, busted roads, early cars, and a mascot that still looks like nightmare fuel, and how all of it accidentally reshaped the way we drive, eat, and travel.Get cool stuff and Support this show:https://www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub
Extreme YangWang — China’s 308 mph supercar — is now the fastest production car on earth. We dig into Andy Warhol’s fatal BMW M1 Art Car, the $125k Porsche Cayenne auction that makes no sense, BMW’s oversized grills, and Mercedes’ so-called “electric V8.”Subscribe for more Overcrest: cars, culture, and chaos every week.Support this content AND get exclusive content!https://www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub
Kris brings a favorite fix-it trick, a thrifted bit of instrumentation, and a mood check. Jake tries to keep machines and life pointed straight.Support Overcrest!https://www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub
Everyone knows the nursery rhyme. But the real London Bridge wasn’t just “falling down”. It burned, froze, collapsed, drowned people, and carried a whole neighborhood on its back for nearly 600 years. From Roman legions and Boudica’s revolt to medieval masons, firestorms, frost fairs, severed heads on spikes, and finally a trip across the ocean to Arizona, this is the definitive story of London Bridge.Support this Show!https://www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub
No velvet ropes. No concours tickets. Just old roads, 600 hay bales, a Porsche hanging nose up while Felix Holst painted it live, and a community that built something unforgettable.In this episode Jake and Jeff take you behind the scenes and the chaos and magic it took to make it happen.Support this Showhttps://overcrestproductions.com/driversclub#Overcrest #SportscarVacationland #carweek
Rob Howard is the founder of Kindred Motorworks. He started in the world of technology, building a career in engineering and leadership before turning toward something more tangible. Nights and weekends in his garage became full restorations, from Mustangs to a 1957 Chevy wagon for his kids. The move from tech to cars was not a rejection of innovation but a return to working with his hands and creating something built to last. That shift shaped Kindred’s approach, applying the precision and process of the tech world to the craft of rebuilding vintage vehicles for the road.
Chris Runge is a craftsman chasing unachievable mastery who builds one-of-a-kind, hand-formed sports cars from scratch. He joins Kris to share his journey from farm kid to renowned car builder, and gives us a preview before his appearance at Sports Car Vacationland.Support this show:www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub
This one’s got it all. A blown Volvo engine, a mad dash rebuild by a hero, and Overcrest Rally scouting that turns into a full-blown mechanical fever dream. It's about the people who drop everything to help, the places most folks never see, and the weird magic that happens when you push deeper instead of turning back.
Tyler Pappas is a BMW performance specialist, race car driver, and the founder of Tyspeed in New Jersey. In his third outing at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, he showed up with a 705 horsepower G87 M2 built in-house to take on the production car record. After setting top times in practice, his final run ended in a high-speed off at one of the most unforgiving corners on the mountain. The car was damaged, the week looked over. Instead, Tyler and his team pulled off a full rebuild overnight using parts from a donor M2 with help from FCP Euro and Winslow BMW. He made it to the start line the next morning. The record attempt was cut short due to weather, but the drive to get back up speaks louder than any time sheet. This is the story of a shop owner who bet everything on one mountain. Watch the full film to see how far he got.Support this show:https://www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub
Kris and Jake break down how AI-generated junk is flooding car media and what that means for the future of trust, context, and car culture. From fake motorcycle YouTube channels to AI citing AI, it is a feedback loop of disinformation.They talk about Porsche’s new Club Coupe, a two hundred thousand dollar purse disguised as a 911, and draw lines between heritage branding and identity loss. Toyota is pushing hydrogen, California just got shut down on its EV ban, and a brake swap with Kris’s daughter turns into a hands-on reminder of what still matters. Also included are Jeep duck madness, speed limits, and capybara smugglers.Support this content and join the Drivers Clubhttps://www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub
This episode is being republished due to an upload error.Kris buys a new (old) car and dives deep into why Volvo’s legacy matters. From redblock engines to the invention of the seatbelt, this episode covers the brand’s rally roots, bulletproof engineering, and what makes an honest car... honest.We break down CIS fuel injection, weird stereo mods, shady listings, and the joy of finding the perfect scouting rig. No spoilers on what he bought, but trust us, it’s boxy, Swedish, and built like a brick.If you love Volvos, rally cars, or just hate unreliable crap, you’ll want to hear this one.#Volvo #Redblock #RallyCar #VolvoHistory #ClassicCars #Overcrest #AutomotivePodcast #SwedishCars
The guys start with movies, force fields, and why modern films are ruined by cell phones. Then Jake went deep. What begins as a rant about sci-fi tropes turns into a real-world mystery involving a bizarre incident at a 3M factory, an invisible barrier that physically stopped people, and a trail that might lead straight into government black projects. Kris spirals into plasma physics, energy calculations, and how this might be the accidental discovery of something far more dangerous than tape. A ridiculous conversation that just might make too much sense.Support this show!https://www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub
This week, Kris and Jake dig into the deep end of vintage car ownership, from rare inline sixes and obscure manifolds to sketchy used car deals and unexpected rebuilds. A new truck enters the family with a story that goes back to 1961, while a beloved Volvo project takes an unexpected turn. The guys break down engine choices, carburetor setup, and why doing things the hard way still matters. There’s also talk of upcoming rallies, life lessons in rust, and a reminder that every old car comes with a little baggage.Support Overcrest Here:https://www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub
Zak DePiero is a photographer, fabricator, filmmaker, and former professional skateboarder. He and his longtime friend Kevin Wandelear set out on a raw, self built, cross-country journey in a 1947 Autocar truck with deep roots in their hometown. Along the way, they faced the kind of chaos only a vintage build can deliver, broken oil pans, roadside fixes, and the kind of "type 2 fun" that becomes unforgettable. The trip wasn’t just about the miles or the metal—it was about chasing stories, connecting with history, and doing it all on their own terms. The Overcrest Foundation was proud to support this project as part of its mission to preserve automotive heritage, empower creators, and help bring meaningful automotive stories to life.Support Zak Here: https://rust2redemption.bigcartel.com/Support the Overcrest Foundation's efforts, like this one here: https://overcrestproductions.com/pages/foundation
Kris and Jake talk through the latest garage project updates and debate what makes a great shop. Floor finishes, lighting choices, storage ideas, and steel beams for crane trolleys are all on the table. ChatGPT throws some wild curveballs about Jake’s bio, and the guys break down why form matters just as much as function.We apologize for the error with the original upload on Monday. We had internal uploading issues that have since been resolved. Thank you for bearing with us. We hope you enjoy this week’s episode.Thanks to the Drivers Club for supporting this episode. Want to get involved? Join us:https://www.overcrestproductions.com/…
Kris and Jake take a wild dive into the sketchy, radioactive, and downright absurd world of vintage mail-order products. From radium-infused tonics and opium-laced pink pills to dehydrated water, atomic car gadgets, and even explosives, the episode explores just how unhinged the catalog era really was. Along the way, they unpack scammy car mods, historic disasters, and the legendary Turboencabulator.
Steve Pelletier from Donuts and Drip joins to talk about routing philosophy, and what planning a rally means to him. Kris recounts his journey in the ill fated Miata.Thumbnail photo: @ethan_p.hJoin the Drivers Club to Support this show!
Jake and Jeff crack open the wild world of motorsport liveries the paint schemes that turned cars into legends. From national racing colors to Marlboro’s day-glo dominance and the psychedelia of the hippie Porsche, they explore how design became identity. They break down why the JPS Lotus still slaps, how a pink pig trolled its own sponsor drought, and why BMW let Warhol finger-paint a Le Mans car. Plus, there’s deep dives into offbeat icons like Camel Trophy trucks, Apple’s one-off 935, and even the monster truck that started it all Grave Digger. This one’s for the nerds who pause races to screenshot decals.Support this Show: https://www.overcrestproductions.com/...
In this episode, Kris, Jake, and Jeff recap a packed week of Overcrest adventures in California. From selling Jake’s 944 Turbo at Air|Water, chasing heavy equipment across the desert, and launching the Overcrest Foundation, to ghost towns, Eagle Mountain, Garage 79, and rally FOMO, it is the full story of one of the busiest springs Overcrest has ever had.Support this Show:https://www.overcrestproductions.com/...
In this episode of Overcrest, Chris and Jake explore how cars went from driver-focused machines to tech-heavy tools of control. From automatic seatbelts and keypads to airbags and speed limiters, they unpack the quirky, frustrating, and sometimes dangerous path that brought us here.Join us as we dive into the features, policies, and people that quietly reshaped what it means to drive—and why we should care.Thanks to the Drivers Club for supporting this content. https://www.overcrestproductions.com/driversclub