It all comes down to this. 

“I didn’t want something easy. I wanted something that was going to be an ‘Are you going to make it?’ moment every time I get in the car.”

That’s how Babcox Media’s Joe Keene set the stage in the first episode of Road to AAPEX, well before he knew what was ahead of him. And oh boy did he deliver on those “Will he make it?” moments! 

The road to fixing up a 33-year-old Cadillac Brougham with more than 180,000 miles on the odometer to make the 2,500-mile drive from Akron, Ohio, to Las Vegas for AAPEX was long and unpredictable. It was also fun and exciting as Keene, an ASE-certified technician, was able to take in the sights of America’s automotive past on Route 66. 

As the journey rolled on, one thing became clear: If the Caddy was going to make it, if it was even possible, the automotive aftermarket would make it happen. The automotive supplier partnerships, the independent shops — the people that are the heartbeat of the aftermarket industry — were behind him every step of the way.

Now there’s just one question left to answer: Did Joe and the Caddy make it to Las Vegas for AAPEX? 

For the answer, watch the episode above.