I have the ability to watch the velocity channel on the web now, and have been looking forward to it. Looking at the show lineup looks like a bunch of typical “oh noes! The deadline is approaching and we have to do the impossible, while fighting with family issues” type shows. What are the good ones? I’m watching the first episode of Velocity Dispatch (go cart episode) and it’s good so far.
I don't care for the self imposed ridiculous deadlines, drama and wrench throwing; I lean toward Full Custom Garage. Soft spoken guy with good fab skills working alone in a garage. I tape My Classic Car and FF through all the commercials, nice stuff. Used to watch Fantom Works once in a while but the owner is so condescending to everyone, I can't.
Dan
I don’t have Velocity but the MotorWeek website says its available on Velocity. I’ve watched this show off and on since the 80’s and I have always liked it, the format, the facts, all sans drama!
It's called the Motor Trend Network now, the Velocity name went away last year.
Wheeler Dealers is okay, but not as good as the old days when they were in the UK .
Iron Resurrection has some nice hot rod builds with less of the drama of most other similar shows.
Car Fix is okay.
Chasing Classic Cars with Wayne Carini
JDM Legends is interesting, they restore and modify cool Japanese cars.
I like watching the restoration work on Graveyard Carz but the owner of the shop drives me crazy, so I watch it with the sound off.
They occasionally run episodes of Roadkill and Hot Rod Garage, but seem to keep changing up the schedule
They occasionally have race coverage, the other night they had the 1000 miles of Sebring.
Beyond what stuart noted, I also like Bitchin Rides. There is a bit of clowning around, and tge styles they create are not always my can of corn, but there is no stupid fighting, and tge fab skills these guys have border on amazing to my untrained eye. I also like watching Motorweek either on this channel or on PBS.
In reply to einy :
I have the same opinion of that show - their design style (mainly the outsize wheels) don't always appeal to me but their fabrication and paint skills appear to be top notch.
One thing I have noticed on a lot of the show is they seem to put a lot more time into showing HOW they do things. I suspect they got a lot of feedback about “cut the BS drama and humor and give us some actual useful information”!
Full custom is good. I agree that the Fantom Works owner is a drama joke... “oh my god, this is going to be a LOT more work then planned!” (Which we will have to charge for, which I will do none of, and make that much more profit) “the horror!”
Fantom Works was canceled, although I imagine they'll show reruns forever.
Dan Short the owner of Fantom Works quit the Velocity TV series on their own accord.
I have the MT app on my smart TV so no longer rely on schedules to watch what I want.
What you have to keep in mind is that Velocity or whatever they call themselves this week dictates what the shows will be. Much has been said about Mark Worman and Graveyard Carz but I did find an interview somewhere a few years ago where he talks about the show he wanted to make which Velocity refused to buy. They told him what they wanted (think American Chopper) and he made that just to get on the channel. If you watch the show today it is vastly different than the first few seasons as he has gained more creative control. This afflicts most all of them. The reality is scripted, folks. Studio execs wrongly believe this is what we want.
The exception to the scripted rule is probably Roadkill. Freiburger isn't interested in 'playing' a role and he will tell you there is enough stupidity they do organically they don't need their fails to be scripted. The popularity of that show will hopefully change how other shows get made. All the rest are pretty interchangeable and I can't tell the difference between FantomVegasCarKings and UniqueOutlawRestoration.
Oh, and decent shows I vote for Garage Squad. Funny jokes without being scripted or insulting, actual car repair while resurrecting stalled GRM style projects and minimal product placement. The show was originally a half hour and it went by too fast. They expanded to an hour and it is much more watchable. They really do only have a week to do the project so the time factor, while played in the typical fashion, is actually a real timetable. I've learned a ton by watching Joe Zolper.
ddavidv said:What you have to keep in mind is that Velocity or whatever they call themselves this week dictates what the shows will be. Much has been said about Mark Worman and Graveyard Carz but I did find an interview somewhere a few years ago where he talks about the show he wanted to make which Velocity refused to buy. They told him what they wanted (think American Chopper) and he made that just to get on the channel. If you watch the show today it is vastly different than the first few seasons as he has gained more creative control. This afflicts most all of them. The reality is scripted, folks. Studio execs wrongly believe this is what we want.
I agree that Graveyard Carz has improved quite a bit, but I still have to have the sound turned off to watch it. 
The Iron Resurrection show periodically has episodes where the cast members watch a previous episode and comment on it. The main thing they talk about is how they wish they could show more of the build process, and how there will some particular part of a build (say, forming a patch panel) that takes 30 seconds on screen but actually required hours to accomplish.
I wonder why the executives keep using the same formula over and over for those shows...whether they're getting feedback from somewhere that says the scripted drama is what the viewers actually want, or if they came up with that idea on their own.
I suspect they look at the success of American Chopper and whatever Boyd Coddington's show was called and think that is the formula to raking in viewers.
GYC among others is responsible for the production of their shows. Velocity/MT just buy it but since they have the checkbook they dictate what the show should be. Once again marketing people deciding what enthusiasts want without asking them.
I get a lot more out of YouTube channels. Junkyard Digs, Thunderhead289, Ratchets and Wrenches, The Missenden Flyer (motorcycles) and an Aussie by the name of Peter Anderson are way better than most TV fodder.
ddavidv said:I get a lot more out of YouTube channels. Junkyard Digs, Thunderhead289, Ratchets and Wrenches, The Missenden Flyer (motorcycles) and an Aussie by the name of Peter Anderson are way better than most TV fodder.
I've been watching Peter Anderson's videos for a while and enjoy them although I do have to turn the volume up, he tends to talk away from the microphone.
I wish someone would resurrect "Rides." In my opinion, that was a high water mark for car shows.
“If we don’t sell this car, we’re gonna lose the shop!!!!”
I have Motor Trend on Demand and love it. I have started watching Auto/Biography which is still on Motortrend’s TV channel. It’s awesome.
Cant stand most on tv car shows due to the quote I posted above.
Scottah said:I have Motor Trend on Demand and love it. I have started watching Auto/Biography which is still on Motortrend’s TV channel. It’s awesome.
That's the show that tells the story of the Dino buried in a back yard, the real identity of Hitler's Mercedes, and so on? It's interesting, but I wish they'd pick up the pace...it seems like they take an hour to tell ten minute stories.
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