SPLIT-LINER
May 19, 2025
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
THE INTERNET JUNKYARD FIND
It used to be that people took their old stuff to junkyards and swap meets when they didn’t want it anymore. And resourceful bargain hunters would pick through the goods in search of that diamond in the rough—turning over busted fenders, inspecting used fuel tanks—all in the hopes of finding the item that’s actually worth something. Nowadays, in the era of eBay, the search for value is conducted with a keyboard and high-speed connection; kicking the tires happens by way of written descriptions, digital images and email communications. Of course, the opportunistic at heart relish eBay as the best thing since sliced bread, a massive database of the world’s old stuff, neatly organized and categorized. For everyone else, eBay is the Internet’s junkyard, with shady merchants hiding around every corner.
Tuning A Marine Carburetor
There’s no escaping the fact that gasoline prices are out of sight. This has many boat owners wondering how to tune their engines so they can get more hours out of a tank of fuel, while at the same time improving overall efficiency. A properly tuned fuel and ignition system will allow your marine engine to perform at its potential and will be more enjoyable to use because it’s efficient and reliable.
BUDDY’S BUILD
They say don’t mess with it if it isn’t broken. This straightforward build of a 2006 Honda Ridgeline RTL puts that advice into practice. Honda’s foray into the truck realm seems to have tapped into something big: that some people really want their truck to be more like a big, spacious car. Those people, for whatever reason, like the idea of driving a truck, but deep down they prefer something more comfortable and more refined. That is exactly what the Honda Ridgeline delivers.
So when Buddy Rice, Honda and Fesler Built started talking about customizing a Ridgeline, the conversation didn’t involve an all-out overhaul. Instead the team wanted to rely on the designed-in features that have made the Ridgeline so popular.
Spotlighter
Broncos Storm Pigeon Forge
The 2025 Great Smoky Mountain Bronco® Stampede
The 3rd Annual Great Smoky Mountain Bronco® Stampede thundered into Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on August 15–16, 2025, and for two days straight the LeConte Center was wall-to-wall Broncos. Old, new, stock, modified, lifted—if it had a Bronco badge, it had a place in the herd.
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
Photography by Scott Killeen
Bronco Nation, United
You could feel it the second you walked through the doors: this wasn’t just a car show, it was a full-blown Bronco family reunion. First-gen survivors with steel wheels and dog-dish caps parked next to shiny new Sasquatch Editions on 37s. There were bone-stock restorations, half-finished projects, and wild customs with more cage than body panels. Every aisle was a reminder of why the Bronco’s legacy runs so deep—and why its comeback has been one of the hottest stories in the off-road world.
More Than Just a Show
What really makes the Stampede different is the mix. Sure, it’s about showing off rigs, but it’s also about swapping stories, finding parts, and learning what works on the trail. The vendor hall was packed, the crowds were buzzing, and more than a few conversations ended with: “See you on the trails.”
The Stampede Keeps Growing
Three years in, the Great Smoky Mountain Bronco® Stampede is already cementing itself as one of the premier Bronco events in the country. This year’s turnout was the biggest yet, and it’s clear the momentum isn’t slowing down. Whether you brought a Bronco, bought parts for your build, or just came to soak in the atmosphere, the Stampede proved why it’s a can’t-miss.
Even More Broncos Inside the Pavilion
If you thought the parking lot was loaded, the pavilion cranked it up a notch. Broncos filled every corner—shiny, muddy, lifted, slammed—like a giant toy box for grown-up gearheads. From uncut first-gens on stock steel wheels to modern rigs with long-travel suspension and oversized tires, it was a rolling catalog of what’s possible with Ford’s iconic off-roader.
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