5 Minutes with…Kevin Oeste: Sema MC, Video Host and Producer, Co-Owner of V8 Speed & Resto
If you’ve ever searched for videos about a specific muscle car, there’s a good chance you came across a series called Muscle Car of the Week, hosted by Kevin Oeste. Kevin and his wife Kelle own V8TV Productions as well as the V8 Speed & Resto Shop in Red Bud, Illinois, a full-service hot rod shop. Or maybe you’ve come across Kevin on stage hosing a SEMA event or interview or even another car show or event.
Kevin has been involved with the hot rod industry from the later days of print to the formative years of car-based cable TV shows, then YouTube and into podcasts and other new media. All this while helping to run a thriving professional hot rod shop. We wanted to chat with Kevin to learn about his background, his thoughts on the media landscape, and how he manages it all, and were able to catch him before we all headed to the 2024 SEMA Show.
Goodguys: How did you get involved in the hot rod industry?
Kevin Oeste: My buddy Paul and I participated in the 1996 Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour in his junk ’88 Chevy Cavalier. On that trip, I met Hot Rod Publisher, Jim Savas, and other members of the magazine staff. Months later I reached out in hopes of getting a job. They thought I had the ability to sell magazine ads, something I’d never considered, but I took the job to get in the door. Soon, they realized I had a formal education and some experience in radio and television production, which led to me becoming an associate producer on the Hot Rod Magazine TV show. The rest, as they say, is history.
GG: You’re involved in video and YouTube, podcasts, have worked in print, and even as an emcee at SEMA and other events. Do you have a favorite media form?
Oeste: I enjoy different aspects about all forms of media. I have great fun as an emcee of live events, setting the tone, and working with the energy in the room. Being live and on stage, there’s no second take, so you have to be on your game. Producing video and television allows for far more control over the story, and there’s room for more creativity in the edit. Podcasts are great because it’s a true long-form medium where you can leave all the details in. The bottom line is that all forms of media rely on a good story. It’s not going to be compelling if it doesn’t tell a good story.
GG: You’ve interviewed some big names in our industry. Who were some of your favorites?
Oeste: I’ve been fortunate to have interviewed thousands of people over the years, and I always intend to learn something from each of them, from enthusiastic participants on the Hot Rod Power Tour in the ’90s to big names in the industry today. If you ask the right questions and give people the breathing room to tell their story, you’re going to find some gold. I was riveted by Antron Brown sharing his story of starting his race team and how they were able to focus on a shared goal of winning. Peter Brock was another great one. I had an unexpected opportunity to bring him on stage at the SEMA Show one year, and he gave us 15 minutes of his time.
GG: You did a series of Muscle Car of the Week videos, what are your favorite muscle cars?
Oeste: So far, we’ve produced around 400 episodes of Muscle Car of The Week. The vast majority were from a single private collection called The Brothers Collection. That has expanded to also include select cars from the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals show in Chicago, and even some from our shop. As for my top favorites, there’s a lot; a
71 Hemi Cuda convertible, ’66 Shelby GT350, ’69 Ram Air IV Trans Am, ’70 Olds 442, ’68 Cougar GT-E 427 and others, but if I could only have one, it would be a ’70 Buick GSX 455 Stage 1 four-speed in Saturn Yellow.
GG: How did you and your wife Kelle meet?
Oeste: Once again, the Power Tour changed my life! I was shooting the event for Hot Rod using my ’62 Ford Galaxie 500XL convertible as a camera car, which decided to fail miserably along the route. I ended up meeting some fellow tourers who helped me put an engine in the car overnight in southern Illinois. One was a wonderful gal named Kelle… who eventually moved in with me in Los Angeles and we were married several years later. She’s the best. We eventually started our business together, and today, Kelle runs the shop while dedicating time to the industry as a member of the SEMA Board of Directors.
GG: What can you tell us about your Galaxie convertible?
Oeste: My Dad bought a ‘62 new, sold it, and complained for years about selling it. After much prodding, we eventually got our current car back in 1993. Coupled with the Power Tour story, there is a lot of personal significance with the car. It’s funny, one of the reasons I went into this industry was to build a few cool cars of my own, including the Galaxie. However, it still looks the same as it did over 25 years ago! We did put a fuel-injected 351 Windsor backed by a 4R70w overdrive transmission after the Power Tour experience, but that was back in 2000. We’ve made some good upgrades over the years, as it’s got Hydroboosted disc brakes and good suspension, and it drives really nice. I wanted to blow the whole thing apart and do it over for my 40th birthday in 2012, but the business takes all the time we can throw at it, so that didn’t happen. However, I have a plan to set aside some time for the Galaxie this winter!
GG: It’s been 20 years since you and Kelle started V8 Speed and Resto. How was the transition from V8TV to having a full-fledged shop?
Oeste: When we started this business, we set out to produce an automotive enthusiast television show that focused on the details of restoring cars and modifying them. Soon, viewers started to call us requesting to build a car. We were not set up to be a commercial hot rod shop, but that’s exactly what we morphed into. Today, we have 32 people on staff working on 46 cars, and customers from seven different countries. Thankfully, Kelle is a visionary who took on the challenge of building a top-notch team. It has its challenges, but it’s worked out very well.
GG: Any tips for young enthusiasts looking to start in the performance aftermarket?
Oeste: My advice is the same for anyone looking to get into any industry, and that is to get involved. Don’t be afraid, show up at events, ask questions. Seek out the event organizers or the people that are doing whatever you would like to do. Ask them about what skills you need to get in the business and then work to get those skills. Today, you can learn about anything you want on YouTube, making for a far easier path of entry. Dreaming about it doesn’t get you anywhere, you must go out and make something happen.