Past Gas – Details, episodes & analysis

From the early days of innovation after WWII to the brand new supercars coming out of Japan, "The Golden Era" of the Japanese Car Industry spans many generations and is more far reaching than anyone realizes. In this final installment of Season 2 of Past Gas, Nolan Sykes and Joe Weber recap their favorite parts and unpack what didn't make it to the episodes. 

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From legendary 90s JDM icons skyrocketing into the millions, to corporate scandals, economic crashes, and a generation forced to trade the steering wheel for a smartphone, this is the true story of how we lost the greatest automotive era in history, and why the "car dream" is now completely out of reach for most of us.

The golden era of Japanese sports cars is officially dead... or is it?

Over the past several decades, “The Great Race” has become a vital part of the fabric of Australian motorsport, and by extension, Australian culture. How did the Bathurst 1000 change Australian motorsport? How has one event given the racing world everything from V8 Supercars to the R32 GT-R known as “Godzilla?” And what about it has made it a cultural icon? Today on Past Gas, it’s the history of the Bathurst 1000.

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Need to hire? You need Indeed. https://Indeed.com/PASTGAS.
• This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/ PASTGAS and get on your way to being your best self.

More about Show:

• Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.  
• Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
• Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!  
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
• If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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Despite its affinity for front-wheel drive cars, especially in its legendary 99 and 900 badges, Swedish automaker Saab still managed to sell one of its properly cool cars as a wagon with all-wheel drive. The 9-2X Aero. But here’s the thing: It wasn’t a true Saab, but a mashup of GM DNA mixed with Subaru. And, it was entirely built by Subaru, too. But let’s take a step back and try to get an idea of where it all started. When did Saab start slipping away? What did platform sharing and badge engineering mean for its legacy and survival? What happened at the end? And finally, will we ever see some form of Saab ever again? Today, on Past Gas: it’s the final part of our two-part series on Saab.

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More about Show:

• Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.  
• Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
• Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey.
• Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!  
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
• If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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The story of Saab is one of out-of-the-box thinking. This Swedish brand barely made it past its 70th birthday before it died, but the legacy it built throughout those decades made it something truly special. But what made Saab such a legend in all things detail-oriented and quirky? What were the most legendary and popular models, and what made them so fun-to-drive? And finally, why did the brand die out in the early 2010s? Today on Past Gas, part one of our two part story on Saab!

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Grab your Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Sugar-Free in bulk nationwide at Costco or get 20% off your 1st order when you go to https://LIQUIDIV.COM and use code GAS at checkout.
• Need to hire? You need Indeed. https://Indeed.com/PASTGAS.
• This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PASTGAS and get on your way to being your best self.

More about Show:

• Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.  
• Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
• Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey.
• Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!  
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
• If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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With hands blistered by a red-hot steering wheel and a head still reeling from a long night of sex and champagne, Hellé Nice won the first all-female Grand Prix at Montlhéry. The next day, Bugatti invited her to their showroom to convince Nice to compete under their name. She signed a sponsorship deal with Lucky Strike cigarettes, and with her immaculate profile, Nice bought herself a yacht. Now a household name, Hellé Nice was then invited to show her skills on the board tracks of the United States. How did the poor daughter of a postmaster become one of France's most dazzling stars in the first place? Why did this cabaret dancer decide to become a racing driver? And how did one of Europe's most beloved and promising competitors fall so quickly out of favor? Today, we'll find out more about the woman known as The Bugatti Queen. 

Shop now at https://TheFreezePipe.com and use code GAS for 10% off your entire order!

More about Show:

• Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.  
• Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
• Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!  
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
• If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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Le Mans, 1991. The Mazdaspeed team has been chasing gold at the legendary endurance race for the better part of a decade, and the team can only watch on anxiously as the clock ticks past midnight. With a looming ban on rotary engines, they know that the rotary-powered 787b is their last chance at victory. And for now, roughly every 3 and a half minutes, the nervous silence is broken as the distinctive 4-rotor engine screams with a ferocity down the pit straight. How did one of the most legendary race cars of all time come to be? How did Takayoshi Ohashi lead Mazda to become the first Japanese manufacturer to conquer Le Mans? And how has Mazda become the company it is today? Find out today, on the final episode of Past Gas’s history of Mazda!

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Need to hire? You need Indeed: https;//Indeed.com/PASTGAS
• Go to https://SHOPIFY.COM/gas now to grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in.
• This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PASTGAS and get on your way to being your best self.



More about Show:

• Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.  
• Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
• Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!  
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
• If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1974. For the past six years, Mazda Sports Corner have taken the rotary engine to task against the racing titans of Europe. And back in Japan, Mazda’s high-revving rotaries have captured the attention of the underground racing scene, and can be heard screaming at 9,000rpm down streets and expressways across the country. But how did two tuning companies come to shape Mazda’s image on the track and on the street? How did Isami Amemiya create a blueprint for Mazda tuner culture that has withstood the test of time? And how did Takayoshi Ohashi set Mazda on a path to motorsport immortality? Today on Past Gas, part three of our four-part history of Mazda! 

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Need to hire? You need Indeed. Just go to https://Indeed.com/PASTGAS right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.
• Download the Prize Picks app today and use code gas for a first deposit match up to $100!
• Explore 2024 with Lectric eBikes. The most accessible and adventurous eBikes ever. Visit https://LectricEbikes.com to learn more. 

More about Show:

• Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.  
• Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
• Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!  
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
• If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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It’s October 1963, and the 10th Tokyo Motor Show is underway. Toyo Kogyo’s Mazda brand has had some success, but to prove its worth as an independent business to the government, Toyo Kogyo President Tsuneji Matsuda has hedged the company’s future on a new, pistonless engine technology that many considered to be a fantasy. But soon, that fantasy would become a reality. How did Tsuneji Matsuda take Mazda from a small truck manufacturer to a respected car-maker during one of the most competitive times in history? How did they take an engine technology no one believed in and use it to save the company? And how did Mazda create two brand-defining cars in barely more than a decade? We’ll find out today on Past Gas, in part two of our four-part series on Mazda.

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Explore 2024 with Lectric eBikes. The most accessible and adventurous eBikes ever. Visit https://LectricEbikes.com to learn more. 
• This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PASTGAS and get on your way to being your best self.
• Start building your credit. Open a Chime Checking account with at least a $200 qualifying direct deposit to get started. Get started at https://chime.com/gas.
• Go to https://SHOPIFY.COM/gas now to grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in.

More about Show:

• Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.  
• Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
• Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!  
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
• If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices