The MuscleCar Place

The Real Players in the Hobby Listen to Ask Rick!

After our recent discussion about Revology, something pretty cool happened. Revology founder Tom Scarpello heard Rick Schmidt's comments on The MuscleCar Place and responded personally.

Rick had praised the quality, engineering, and craftsmanship behind Revology's Mustangs, while also helping explain why building a world-class reproduction vehicle isn't cheap. It didn't take long for those comments to make their way directly to the people at the top. That's a reminder that the leaders, innovators, and decision-makers in this hobby are paying attention.

The collector car world may seem huge, but it's a surprisingly small community. The people building the industry's best products are listening, and conversations like these matter.

Early Reproduction Bodies Were a Nightmare!

Today, reproduction muscle car bodies are better than they've ever been—but according to Rick Schmidt, it wasn't always that way. In the early days, many manufacturers struggled with poor fitment, alignment issues, inconsistent dimensions, and countless hours of extra labor just to make the bodies usable.

For companies trying to build turnkey muscle cars and restomods, the cost of correcting those problems often turned a promising business plan into a frustrating and expensive challenge. Before a single car could be sold, builders were spending countless hours reworking brand-new bodies that were supposed to save time.

The good news? Decades of improvements have transformed the industry. Today's best reproduction bodies are far better than the early versions—but Rick remembers just how painful those growing years really were.

Why Did Rick Call the 1950 Oldsmobile a "Blue Chip" Car?

When the budget cap came off, Rick Schmidt's favorite car wasn't the Shelby GT350R or the 1969 Charger R/T—it was the beautifully restored 1950 Oldsmobile 88 Convertible.

Rick described the Olds as a true "blue chip" collector car. The restoration was mature and proven, the styling was timeless, and the quality was obvious from every angle. Unlike many projects that still need work, this Oldsmobile was the kind of car you could buy, enjoy immediately, and feel confident owning for years to come.

Sometimes the smartest collector car isn't the fastest or the most famous—it's the one that combines quality, rarity, and long-term desirability.

How Silver Springs Helped Create One of Florida's Greatest Car Shows

For more than two decades, NPD's Silver Springs Ford and GM shows attracted thousands of enthusiasts, but Rick Schmidt says the real star was the venue itself. Silver Springs is one of Florida's most beautiful and historic natural treasures, offering attractions, entertainment, and activities that made the event enjoyable for the entire family.

When Silver Springs returned to its roots as a traditional Florida State Park, many of the attractions that helped make the car show experience unique were removed. While the change preserved and protected this incredible natural resource, it also eliminated many of the elements that allowed NPD's legendary events to thrive. Rather than watch the show slowly become something less than it once was, Rick chose to end it on a high note.

Sometimes the best way to preserve a great tradition is to let it go out with a bang rather than fade away.

Why Was NPD's Silver Springs Car Show So Successful?

According to Rick Schmidt, the secret wasn't the cars—it was the experience. While many car shows focus solely on trophies and parking rows, NPD's legendary Silver Springs events were built around the entire family.

With glass-bottom boats, shopping, food, live music, attractions, and activities for all ages, spouses and kids had just as much fun as the hardcore car enthusiasts. The result was more than a car show—it was a full-day destination that kept people coming back year after year.

Rick's advice is simple: if you want a successful car show, create something the whole family can enjoy.