Cars and Comrades

This is a short one, but don’t worry we’ll have a 2-hour chonker for you in two weeks. (And maybe something sooner?) Bryant has some updates on nuclear-powered vehicles, and a theory about the “Gizzverse.” Plus some apologies, pet peeves, Lyme disease, and a health tonic that makes your jaw fall off. Notes/Links/Sources: Lockheed CL-1201 (giant flying aircraft carrier/tow tractor) https://en.wikip...

This is a bit of a hodgepodge episode recorded over a couple different sessions and full of surprises! We had a discussion about running hypothetical car companies, which involved a shallow dive into the engineering of engine bore and stroke ratios, a business model heavily reliant on gulags, and the inevitable progression towards having our hypothetical companies produce random shit for our own p...

Bryant is going solo on this bonus episode to talk about moving house, selling his old moped, and that time he (sort of) owned a Volkswagen Corrado for all of 12 hours. Plus a story from a listener about a giant robot designed to repair nuclear powered bombers. We'll have a regular episode for you next week. Notes/Links: “Beetle” robot: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/15294/the-first-giant-m...

On this episode, we talked about our various car projects (mostly problems) as usual, and eventually we got around to the main topic: The RPM Act. Is this what we need to protect us from an overzealous EPA trying to regulate our hobby away or perhaps an attempt for an industry trade group to make themselves appear more important than they actually are? I mean, before all this RPM Act controversy,...

Finally, the conclusion of our series focusing on the RPM Act. Which means I can now close a whole lot of tabs in my browser that have become rather cumbersome. Anyway, in part 1, we mostly introduced the problem and the 2 sides of this “debate”. Although, if you were only using your average automotive media coverage, you might be surprised to learn there was even another side to the story. While...

This week we're bringing you the automotive news from a leftist perspective, starting with an update on the state of our project cars. Then, a story about cops being bastards (42:15), Conner fawns all over the new Nissan Z (52:21), and the latest fuckups of Tesla and Elon Musk (1:41). With many tangents in which we disagree on car styling, hate on Texas generally and Whataburger in particular, and...

Leaded gasoline seemed like a great idea at the time, but it turns out that aerosolizing a neurotoxin is bad for human health and society as a whole. After a brief project car update we tell the story of tetraethyllead (at 27 min), get Zach’s ideas for running a car company (at 1 hour), and hear Bryant's field report from the recent 24 Hours of Lemons race in Colorado (at 1:21). Sources: https://w...

This week we're talking about the NUMMI joint venture between Toyota and General Motors (1:16:00), and how it relates to supply lines, the UAW, toilet paper, Tesla, and "the worst workforce in the automobile industry in the United States." But first we talk about our project cars, the IATSI strike, Amazon, and Lordstown Motors' latest struggles. Complete Notes: https://web.archive.org/web/20211213...

Zach and Brandon discuss possible engine choices for Brandon's communist-themed drag racing van project. Email us with tips, stories, and unhinged rants: carsandcomrades@gmail.com RSS feed: https://media.rss.com/carsandcomrades/feed.xml Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/cars_and_comrades_podcast/ https://twitter.com/CarsAndComrades https://www.facebook.com/Cars-Comrades-Podcast-...

Brandon and Bryant were both hung over for this recording and Conner couldn’t make it, so fair warning this one is a little more scatter-brained than normal. After getting caught up on our project cars we talk about the IATSI and John Deer strikes (23:46), before discussing what cars we would build if money was no object (46:00). Plus tangents on electric drag racing, the Pike’s Peak Hill Climb, F...

Who was Walter Reuther and why might he be important to leftist car enthusiasts? Walter was a labor organizer who became the President of the United Auto Workers (UAW) as well as the Congress of Industrial Organisations (CIO). Walter had a broad vision for what the labor movement could achieve for working people and he was at the forefront of the labor struggle throughout most of the 20th century....

Complete notes: https://web.archive.org/web/20211213042127/https://shoutengine.com/CarsComrades/killer-bs-and-soviet-rally-cars-with-guest-james-g-101422 In this episode we explore the history of rally racing, from early time-speed-distance rallies through to the killer Group B cars of the '80s, and the prototypes of Group S. Thanks to James Gilboy for joining us on this one, you can read his writ...

In this episode Bryant talks with Rafi, a train conductor/engineer with RTD (the mass transit authority in Denver) about his experiences driving taxis, race cars, buses, and trains. Rafi provides some knowledge on the difference between light and heavy rail, the streetcar conspiracy that inspired Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and the benefits of socialized medicine. They also spend some time nerding ou...

Complete notes: https://web.archive.org/web/20211213042134/https://shoutengine.com/CarsComrades/automotive-news-5-5-21-with-special-guest-chris-fr-100947 Car related news for dialectical gearheads. We've got your regular dose of Elon Musk/Tesla news, a story about how gentrification is threatening a vibrant car scene in Austin Texas, and a petty squabble between massive international corporations...

Complete notes: https://web.archive.org/web/20211221235502/https://shoutengine.com/CarsComrades/scooters-and-mopeds-with-guest-scott-from-elephorc-100642 In this episode: Conner tells us about Elon Musk's stupid and unsafe Las Vegas Tesla tunnel (at 6:30) We get caught up on the progress of our various project cars (34 min) Bryant talks to Scott from Elephorce Racing about driving in the 24 Hours...

Horror stories about the worst cars we've ever owned. Plus a snapshot of the early history of the United Auto Workers, and the violent opposition that organizers faced from Ford's henchmen. Drop us a line: carsandcomrades@gmail.com Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/cars_and_comrades_podcast/ https://twitter.com/CarsAndComrades https://www.facebook.com/Cars-Comrades-Podcast-10190...

Car related news for dialectical gearheads. We've got GM news, Elon Musk/Tesla news, a potentially cool new hot hatch in the works, and a stupid state appellate court ruling that will definitely create a precedent for hurting working class people for decades to come. Buckle up and join us for a meandering journey through the news. Complete notes/links archived here: https://web.archive.org/web/202...

The third and final part of our discussion on the Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement, the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, and what came after them. We also spend some time exploring the exciting world of "just-in-time" manufacturing and logistics and their vulnerable bottlenecks. But first Bryant explores the Aukerman Podcast Shared Universe Theory. Drop us a line: carsandcomrades@gmail.com...

Part two of our discussion on the Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement and the League of Revolutionary Black Workers. Brandon also explores the ideologies of Anarcho-Stalinism and Marxism-Bidenism. Drop us a line: carsandcomrades@gmail.com Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/cars_and_comrades_podcast/ https://twitter.com/CarsAndComrades https://www.facebook.com/Cars-Comrades-Podcast...

Part one of our discussion on the Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement. Drop us a line: carsandcomrades@gmail.com Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/cars_and_comrades_podcast/ https://twitter.com/CarsAndComrades https://www.facebook.com/Cars-Comrades-Podcast-101908671824034 https://www.hexbear.net/u/CarsAndComrades All music from the free album Polygondwanaland by King Gizzard &amp...

people know that the Navy has nuclear-powered submarines. But nuclear power plants for cars, airplanes, spacecraft, and other vehicles have all been dreamed up, and in some cases tested, mostly by cold-eyed psychopaths and crazy dreamers during the Cold War. First we get caught up on the state of our project cars. Full list of links and sources archived here: https://web.archive.org/web/2021122123...

Part two of our discussion on how Rahm Emanuel ruined the Chicago car scene with over-policing at the request of bougie gentrifiers and NIMBYs. Speed bumps on Lower Wacker: https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150519/downtown/street-racing-on-lower-wacker-drive-could-lead-new-speed-bumps-downtown The No Fun Police tries to get $10k fines for “Fast & Furious”-style drag racing: https://www.radio.c...

In this episode we catch up on our project cars and get some background info on Chicago politics. Mostly about how Rahm Emanuel sucks* and how Lori Lightfoot isn't much better, with tangents on Rahm's brother Ezekiel who wants to do Logan's Run IRL, and how leaded gasoline might've melted Joe Biden's brain . *for legal reasons this is a joke A retrospective on Rahm Emanuel's many failures, includi...

Part 2 of our interview with automotive journalist James Gilboy in which we discuss what it's like to get started as an auto journalist, why worker solidarity is important (especially among freelancers), what it means to be a "shrimp eater," plus a little speculation on the future of work, the car industry, and football. Check out James' writing here: https://www.thedrive.com/author/james-gilboy 1...

When life gives you lemons, race them! Automotive journalist James Gilboy joins us to talk about racing in the 24 Hours of Lemons and his daily driver Toyota MR2, with digressions on miracle head gasket fixes, engine swaps, and radial aircraft engines. Check out James' writing here: https://www.thedrive.com/author/james-gilboy The 24 Hours of Lemons: https://24hoursoflemons.com/ Drop us a line: ca...