Ep 9. El Mirage Dry Lake Racing, Reproduction Weatherstripping

My Classic Car season 10 episode 9 takes us to two different locations. The first half of the episode focuses on El Mirage Dry Lake Racing in Southern California. Host Dennis Gage attends the event and checks out the different cars and motorcycles that will be racing on the dry lake bed. He talks to some of the car owners about their vehicles and what modifications they’ve made to them to prepare for the racing. There are a lot of different types of cars, ranging from vintage hot rods to modern race cars, and it’s fascinating to see them all in action.

The El Mirage Dry Lake Racing event is a unique opportunity to see these cars in action, as it’s one of the few times they’re allowed to legally race on a public roadway. The dry lake bed provides a flat surface for high-speed racing, and the scenery is pretty spectacular too.

In the second half of the episode, Dennis visits Steele Rubber in Denver, North Carolina to learn more about reproduction weatherstripping. Steele Rubber is a company that specializes in making rubber parts for classic cars, including weatherstripping. Dennis meets with the CEO of the company, Matt Agosta, to learn more about the process of reproducing weatherstripping for classic cars.

Matt explains that the process starts by taking an original piece of weatherstripping and creating a mold from it. The mold is then used to make new weatherstripping that’s identical to the original piece. Dennis gets to see the different types of weatherstripping that Steele Rubber creates and learns about the different materials that they use.

One of the interesting things that Dennis learns during his visit is that weatherstripping is not a one-size-fits-all product. Different cars have different types of weatherstripping, and it’s important to use the correct type for each vehicle. Steele Rubber makes weatherstripping for a wide variety of classic cars, ranging from pre-war vehicles to muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s.

Overall, the episode is a fascinating look at two very different aspects of classic car culture. The El Mirage Dry Lake Racing event is a high-octane display of speed and power, while the visit to Steele Rubber gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at how reproduction weatherstripping is made. Whether you’re a hardcore car enthusiast or simply enjoy learning about different aspects of automotive culture, My Classic Car season 10 episode 9 has something for everyone.