It has been a while since any new episodes of GearZ have aired on Speed. Well, that is all about to change! Tomorrow morning, at 9:00am EST, new episodes will start back up. We have been very busy getting them all filmed and edited so we could get them to you as fast as possible. Plus, Speed ordered 2 more episodes for this season! So that will make for a total of 15!
So what have we been up to? Well, in this weekend's episode Stacey rolls in a '59 Ford Stepside Truck that is being built by the Herobox organization to help raise awareness for their goal of sending Heroboxes to all of our men and women serving in the Military. It's a great cause and a great truck and both need to be seen! The truck has already received a lot of modifications, but Stacey adds his special touch by installing custom wood in the bed, trying out a new roll-on bedliner, and sinking some cool 60's Corvette taillights into the rear fenders. If you've got an old truck and have been wondering how to bring the bed and fenders up a notch... this show will definitely give you some ideas! After that, Stacey shows you just how important having the proper work table is, and the kind of things you can do if you have one. It's all about the tools... it's all about the techniques... it's all about GEARZ! Click here to go to our website for a sneak peak.
Another new episode will air next Saturday, June 5th as well. You WON"T want to miss this one! Ask any gearhead what they dream about doing, being a Blue Angels Jet pilot or an Astronaut will be right at the top of the list. But what is really involved in being a pilot for the Blue Angels? Well on this episode of GearZ, Stacey takes a look at the incredible history of the Blue Angels, and where they are today. Then as only GEARZ can do, Stacey takes you into the cockpit and allows you to experience firsthand the incredible experience of flying with the Blue Angels. If sitting on top of thousands of horsepower and flipping inverted at the speed of sound sounds like fun to you... then hold on, because you are in for the ride of your life! If you've ever wondered what it was like to be a part of the Blue Angels, and wondered if YOU could ever be a part of the team... this is one show you can't miss! To find out more check out Stacey’s blog about the experience.
We have also had some great opportunities to give away some great prizes from our friends at Royal Purple and Miller Electric. All of our winners come from the What Are You Workin' On community. If you haven't done so, already be sure to sign up. There is one month left in the Royal Purple give away for the top participants on the site. Also, Stacey is still picking member's rides to be showcased on GearZ in the What Are You Workin’ On? segment. Each owner featured gets product donated by our friends at Miller Electric.
Speaking of products, we have some cool new things available in the GearZ online store! Custom GearZ shift knobs made by SpeedDawg; replenished supply of GearZ t-shirts for summer; and coming very soon, What Are You Workin On? ringer tees with some really cool graphics. Be sure to check 'em out!
Stacey will be in Vegas this weekend with the guys and a gal from American Graffiti to raise money for the Lili Claire Foundation at Gasoline Alley. If your in the area be sure to stop by and say hi!
From all of us at GearZ, have a great holiday weekend. And like Stacey says... "Get out there and build it, then drive it like you stole it!"
Our friends at Advanced Plating in Nashville have survived the (grossly under-reported) Nashville Floods, thanks to the quick work of owner Steve Tracy and good friends pitching in. Although the building was mostly underwater, Steve went into action during the flood to save his customers parts and to minimize the damage. Now that cleanup is well underway, Advanced Plating is having a “FLOOD SALE” to close out the items that were under water ... May 20, 21, 22 in the parking lot of Advanced Plating. www.AdvancedPlating.com
The GOOD News is that all is fine now.... of course when there is a disaster like this, rumors fly.. visions of parts floating away, rumors of EPA shut downs ... are all UNTRUE ! Steve and crew were given a clean bill of health by EPA and all customers parts are intact. Check out the tremendous flood .... that our news media seems to have overlooked... and marvel at what hard working Americans do when disaster strikes... It’s pretty amazing www.AdvancedPlating.com
As I sit here on the runway about to take off……my mind drifts off to all the thousands of other flights I’ve made over the years that are full of drowsy passengers mindlessly scanning the Sky Mall catalog, sipping diet Cokes, nibbling free peanuts, and impatiently looking at their watch. How easy it is for us to get busy and overlook the amazing mechanical marvels that are happening around us everyday. However, I have no doubt that THIS flight is going to be anything from typical, because the canopy of the Boeing F-18 Hornet has just clicked down and locked in place, and there is no sweaty salesman sitting beside me. Instead, I am strapped into a fully functional ejection seat with more harnesses than I can count, and all that surrounds me is a hard core military aircraft interior, lined with puke bags. When I glance into the screen in front of me, I see the reflection of the helmet I am wearing and the Blue Angels logo across it drives home the point, that I am about to go supersonic with one of the best pilots...from one of the most iconic organizations in the world. The Blue Angels.
This is beyond a gearheads dream…this is EVERY kid’s dream. To fly with the Blue Angels??......are you kidding? It doesn’t get any better than this!
As the power comes on and the wheels come off the tarmac, everything seems deceptively smooth…not that much different than a commercial jet…that is until Captain America hit the afterburners and kicks that sucker straight vertical! 8000 feet in two seconds!!!...... HOLY @!#%………… I THINK I SWALLOWED MY TONGUE! What awesome acceleration!!!
For the next hour we slashed thru the sky and went thru the complete routine that the Blue Angels perform day in and day out at air shows across the country. We even did a few other things that they don’t do at air shows! We did flips, rolls, and loops. We broke the sound barrier. I got tossed around in that jet so much I felt like we were in the opening sequence of the old “Six Million Dollar Man” TV show. If you don’t remember it, just youtube that old show and then you’ll know what I mean!
Everybody asks, “How many G’s did you pull”? Well, We pulled an incredible 7.4 G’s without the aid of G-suits, and let me tell ya… at 7.4 G’s it felt like I had a ’65 Buick Riviera on my back! Until you feel it, you can’t comprehend what that kind of force feels like. When we finally touched back down, I felt like I had been tossed in a clothes dryer that was set on the spin cycle with a set of combat boots thrown in for good measure! Riding with the Blue Angels is an incredibly physical ride, and gave me even more respect for the Heros that climb into this kind of equipment everyday and then fly out into harms way so you and I can enjoy the freedoms that we have today.
Obviously, there is so much more to say about this experience, and with so little room here, you’ll just need to keep an eye out for the episode on GEARZ where we take an in-depth look at the Blue Angels, and put YOU in the cockpit with us!
But the ride aside, I think the thing that was most impressive about the Blue Angels organization was how cool EVERYBODY was…..not just the pilots. The crews, the staff, everybody was so glad to be there and so proud of what they were involved in that it was absolutely contagious. And that brings me to the point of this Blog. If you are a gearhead, and are looking for a direction in life…..or some schooling…… or maybe you are just ready to try something new…… I encourage you to check out a branch of our Military that interests you. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, it doesn’t matter…..they all need you. You’ll be able to get a great education doing something that really matters, and at the same time get to mess around with millions of dollars worth of cool equipment! And maybe...just maybe…you’ll be able to do some things that most people only dream of doing, like be a part of the Blue Angels. The sky is the limit…don’t be afraid to reach for it!!! Stacey
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