Season 4 of Roadkill Garage, featuring David Freiberger and Steve Dulcich. Starting with Episode 39 (MTOD numbering) and originally aired on Motor Trend on Demand.
On this episode of Roadkill Garage, Steve Dulcich’s teenage dreams finally come true as David Freiburger surprises him with a new project: a 1965-ish VW Dune Buggy! The guys have mastered the American engine; now it’s time they take on something new, or at least new to them. The “Boon Duggy” has a German-engineered four-cylinder 1200 boxer engine boasting a furious 40 horsepower and a four-speed transaxle. There’s only one problem—it’s been sitting around for years and may not even run. Will the guys’ knowledge of V-8s translate to VWs, or will they figure out how to overheat an air-cooled engine? Watch as the guys have maximum fun with minimal car.
On this episode of Roadkill Garage, David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich have been challenged by Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle from Dirt Every Day to a Jeep build-off. What’s the best way to improve a 1975 CJ-5 with a small-block Chevy? Step one: Don't focus on the suspension, axles, gearing, and so forth. Step two: Add more power, of course! With some leftover parts from Engine Masters, the guys swap in a 383 short-block topped with a Weiand 671 supercharger and create the blown CJ-5 now known as the BJ-5! Before heading to the driving challenge set up by the Dirt Heads, the guys call in JP Editor Rick Péwé to help sort out some other mechanical issues and take the blown Jeep for its first off-road test drive.
When one project fails, fix another! That’s the motto on this episode of Roadkill Garage as David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich have fun with a project vehicle smorgasbord. First the guys set out to make the Cadillac 500–powered ’74 Gremlin faster at the track. Unfortunately for the Caddy Gremi, it spun a bearing after some epic burnouts. But on the farm, one car’s misfortune is another’s chance at a revival as the guys decide to rescue Dulcich’s ’71 Plymouth Satellite powered by a 383 big-block. With a little bit of work and some inspiration from burnouts in the ’75 blown small-block BJ-5 Jeep, the guys get it running and test it in the “Two-Pole” against Freiburger’s ’71 Road Runner.
The ’67 Chevy C10 shortbed is back. Its storied past started in HOT ROD Garage and then multiple episodes of Roadkill and Roadkill Garage, but now it’s time to finally make it a clean and respectable daily driver. David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich take on the task of a DIY paint match on the bed, a five-lug conversion, interior upgrades, new wheels, and a new gas tank that doesn’t put rust into the fuel system. Watch and learn on this episode of Roadkill Garage, as the C10 transforms into something that’s probably way too nice for Freiburger, but not too nice to thrash on.
The most epic day of desert bashing in Roadkill Garage history wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. You’ve seen some of the aftermath on Roadkill Extra, but now get the whole story of what happened to the ’70 Dodge known as the Off-Road Challenger (ORC). It survived the 100-year sandstorm that nearly killed David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich, but the E-Body’s 318 engine wasn’t so fortunate–turns out cylinders don’t just self-bore when a pound of sand makes it through the carb. After two years of neglect on the farm, the guys finally get the ORC back into working order with a fresh 360 powerplant and 727 trans from a $1,500 parts truck. If just getting it back up and running wasn’t victory enough, the guys decide to put it to the test in a mud drag race against their blown small-block, Chevy-powered Jeep CJ-5. Will the Off-Road Challenger’s new heart survive another beating and out-mud the Jeep? Find out on this episode of Roadkill Garage.
The Disgustang is back! David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich are going all in to finally give the 1969 Mach 1 the attention it deserves. Originally rescued from decades of junkyard neglect on Episode 66 of Roadkill, then engine-swapped and road-tripped over 1,300 miles only to be beaten around DirtFish Rally School on Episode 73, it will now be made into the ultimate Roadkill daily driver. What’s the plan, you ask? A power steering conversion, an engine bay refresh and paint, a five-speed trans swap, and a little cosmetic love. It’s an ambitious task to complete in five days, and the guys take to bang-shifting the Cougar for inspiration. Have they bitten off more than they can chew in a week’s time, or will they have it fired back up and running? Find out on this episode of Roadkill Garage.
What’s the use of more power if you can’t handle it? Last episode, David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich refreshed the drivetrain in the Disgustang but now they are tackling the rest of the project to truly make it a daily-driving beast. Up front, it’s getting a new suspension with plenty of stiffening to the flimsy Ford while still making it a smooth ride. In the hind quarters, they are upgrading the shocks, swapping the rear gears, and beefing up the axles. Once everything is together, the guys finally get to take the Disgustang on its maiden voyage. Will it pass the Roadkill daily-driver test? Find out on this episode of Roadkill Garage!
It took Michelangelo four years to paint the Sistine Chapel, but for Steve Dulcich it took only two years to paint the Crop Duster! That’s right, the Crop Duster is finally painted, and it’s a masterpiece! Way back on Episode 18 of Roadkill Garage, Dulcich set out on Part 1 of a DIY paint- and bodywork job and today that project is complete. Follow along as Dulcich and David Freiburger lift a huge weight off their shoulders, while also getting the ’67 long-bed C10 back up and running. Watch this paint-and-body episode that’s two-plus years in the making!
Everyone needs a vacation, and on this episode of Roadkill Garage, David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich take a break from their everyday grind to do exactly what they love doing day in and day out anyway. Dulcich recently bought a new project vehicle in Arizona, a ’73 Triumph TR6, and the guys have decided to take the Mopar Muscle Truck (MMT) to go pick it up…only problem, it needs a new engine first because Dulcich blew up the 408ci small-block that was in it. After replacing the 408 with a 318, the guys test drive it and conclude it’s probably best to road trip to Arizona in the Ford Muscle Truck (FMT) to pick up the TR6 instead. Why do the guys ditch the MMT for the FMT? Find out on this episode of Roadkill Garage.
Finding the time to complete a project is hard enough, but being able to fix multiple problems on multiple projects at the same time? It’s nearly impossible, unless you’re David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich, of course! On this episode of Roadkill Garage, Freiburger and Dulcich take on the problems plaguing the off-road Challenger called Vanishing Paint and the Super Bee, in order to get them ready for a special Roadkill Nights shootout. If that wasn’t enough, the guys even find time to pick up a new project that’s not quite a mini Mopar muscle truck, but is 100-percent Rampage!
We need more speed! Plus wheelies. It’s all about the Crusher Camaro, one of our most long-standing project cars. It’s been around since 1994 and has been seen in HOT ROD magazine and on Roadkill, HOT ROD Garage, and Roadkill Garage. Last time on Roadkill Garage, David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich did an early ’70s retro makeover that included a tunnel-rammed 400ci small-block engine and a Gearstar TH350 trans. They went to the dragstrip and ran 10.76, but had traction problems. This time, the guys are solving that and lightening up the front end in the hunt for dramatic wheelies at the track. Will they end in glory or fail in Roadkill style? Find out on this episode.
Back on Episode 87 of Roadkill, David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan bought a completely wrecked ’68 Road Runner and brought it back to life, creating the world’s only C-Body Road Runner. Now on this episode of Roadkill Garage, Freiburger and Steve Dulcich are finally seeing through with the original plan of using the C-Body as a parts car. Follow along as the guys turn a straight ’68 Plymouth Satellite body purchased for $500 into an awesome 383, four-speed Road Runner clone for under $10K.