Car Restoration TV Show Rant

mattmacklind wrote: I like Wheeler Dealers OK. They miss some real obvious steps in some of the episodes, though.

I think part of that is due to the editing required to fit into a US time slot.

Victory by Design is an awesome show.

Ian F wrote:

mattmacklind wrote: I like Wheeler Dealers OK. They miss some real obvious steps in some of the episodes, though.

I think part of that is due to the editing required to fit into a US time slot. Victory by Design is an awesome show.

I think even without the US editing, I think they miss some important steps or what we consider important steps to fill the time slot. I think the point of WD is to just show the lay person how to do certain tasks to flip a car.

I think on the Porsche 911 episode, Edd replaced the clutch, but never shows him replace the pilot bushing. I imagine in a car that old with a bad clutch, the pilot bushing needs to be replaced.

You guys forgot Tricked Out!

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

ditchdigger wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I saw a piece of one show once with an englishman who was restoring an old jag. He spent a whole half hour show researching a gearbox rebuild. It was fantastic. I never found it on again and I can't recall the name of it. I would love to see the other episodes.

That fellow was Mark Evans. that series was either called a jag is born or simply a car is born. He also did a series on an old land rover, built his own plane, cobra replica, helicopter, lotus seven replica.....ect. He is a veterinarian and all around busy, awesome dude. http://www.markevans.co.uk/

AWESOME. Thanks for the link.

+1 more for Mark Evans. His stuff is proper die-hard car-nerd television.

I'll have to look out for the plane and helicopter series!

What ever happened to that show were they got a non mechanical person let them build a chopper within a certain time frame and if they succeeded they got to keep it that show was awesome. It seemed like the real point was that if you showed up at the shop super early in the morning and showed a true will to succeed and a real work ethic they would make sure you succeded I loved that show. It would be really cool with cars.

Let's face it: those shows have to have product placement to pay the bills and things have to happen quickly to keep the instant gratification iPad generation happy. Then you have to have shiny bling to keep the flat billers and pimp wannabes interested; this means those shows are catering to the lowest common denominator. I've given each one a chance and come away disgusted each time.

That Desert Cars show has some really stupid manufactured stress. In the episode I watched (1965 T Bird), the painter didn't properly spray the lower right rear quarter, allowing the primer to show through. Here's the thing: the car was dark green and the primer was light gray (who is THAT blind?), the molding had been removed and reinstalled giving plenty of chances to spot the alleged 'mistake' but of course it wasn't spotted until the night before The Big Auction, thus giving the shop owner plenty of opportunity to chew the painter's ass and make him work through the night so the car would be ready. I nearly threw up.

I'm going to check out that Mark Evans site when I have time to burn. Sounds like my kind of guy.

Don't forget about the group of "idiots" attempting to build a hot rod with that shiny happy person Jimmy Shine.

NickF40 wrote: and I miss Tuner Transformation

Fun show except for the paint/graphics guy. He managed to turn every car into a fast-and-furious-fueled, rolling clusterberkeley. His taste was questionable beyond belief.

They had some decent wrenching skills, though.

Ranger50 wrote: Don't forget about the group of "idiots" attempting to build a hot rod with that shiny happy person Jimmy Shine.

While Jimmy Shine may really (REALLY, REALLY) like himself, there's no doubt he's obscenely talented at building spectacular hot rods.

Also, the dude who won that show had damn good taste and knew what he was doing.

In reply to Curmudgeon:

Not to mention on that Desert Car Kings show, when they buy cars from other Junkers, they were mislabeling the years left and right. Maybe the regular schmo doesn't know but car guys probably do.

Because of the thread, I am now DVR'ing Desert Car Kings.

Couldn't find Wreck Rescue in the listings, though.

gamby wrote:

NickF40 wrote: and I miss Tuner Transformation

Fun show except for the paint/graphics guy. He managed to turn every car into a fast-and-furious-fueled, rolling clusterberkeley. His taste was questionable beyond belief. They had some decent wrenching skills, though. Also, the dude who won that show had damn good taste and knew what he was doing.

What about the police car inspired WRX sti that was the bees knees.

you realise what you're all saying: we could come up with a better TV show that would sell advertising time to sponsors.

Thumbs up for wheeler dealers

ShadowSix wrote: +1 for Wheeler Dealers, if I had a nickel for every hour I've spent watching WD I could fund that American version.

ditchdigger wrote: The best? An MG is born http://www.streetfire.net/video/an-mg-is-born-episode-1_728220.htm Actually all of MarK Evans' shows I have seen have been great but MG is the best nuts and bolts, welder and grime car restoration hands down. No forced drama, no fake deadlines, no auctions. Just a couple of blokes in a cold garage restoring an old car and learning as he goes.

Mark Evans does some good TV, he has a Jaguar one and a Range Rover one, too-all great British TV

loosecannon wrote:

ditchdigger wrote: The best? An MG is born http://www.streetfire.net/video/an-mg-is-born-episode-1_728220.htm Actually all of MarK Evans' shows I have seen have been great but MG is the best nuts and bolts, welder and grime car restoration hands down. No forced drama, no fake deadlines, no auctions. Just a couple of blokes in a cold garage restoring an old car and learning as he goes.

Mark Evans does some good TV, he has a Jaguar one and a Range Rover one, too-all great British TV

I just watched an episode....very good. It is really good....WAY better than the forced drama/artificial deadlines stuff.

if anyone needs wheeler dealers or any of mark evans shows lmk. I have them all, i could link you a torrent.

I spent a good part of the weekend watching the Mark Evans shows about the MG and the Jaguar, they were all available on Streetfire.net. Good shows. I liked how he was scrabbling around on a dirty floor in a cold shop (you could see his breath in some shots) - I can relate.

Did anyone else see Reality Rides sunday morning on Velocity? I was pleasantly surprised! they're restoring a Buick 55 Special and actually take you through the build episode by episode and don't have any 'fake' deadlines or BS. A breath of fresh air! Definitely tuning in next week

Wheeler Dealers is an awesome show. It's well put together, but not artificial like some of the others where there's a "time limit" and everybody starts fighting like Classic Car Rescue.

I don't know if it still exists, but Gearz with Stacey David was on Speed and it was alright for entertainment value at times. He was pretty enthusiastic and funny to watch, but I nicknamed that show "paid programming." Don't play a drinking game based on how many times he says "...but the guys over at have solved your problems with the easy-to-use " unless you want to be unconscious.

2 1/2 years later, and we pick it up like its nothing.

I see this thread is back from the dead.

I still think Wheeler Dealers is the best automotive restoration show out there.

I saw Edd reply to someone on Twitter that it generally takes them two to three weeks to do the car repair while filming. It's good to know that they are realistic.

Appleseed wrote: 2 1/2 years later, and we pick it up like its nothing.

funny, I missed this as a zombie thread... I just started watching wheeler dealers a few months ago.. just found a torrent with the first 9 seasons... I like the show and the various takes each season is neat so it'll be neat to see them all bunched together :)

I like that one episode of Fast & Loud...the one where they insult the seller, still manage to overpay, do a last-minute thrash throwing money at the car, and rush it to an auction to lose their ass...

(I still thinks it's good in occasional doses, and it seems like they're deviating a little from the formula. Still, Sue is the best part of the show.)

Fast & Loud seems to sadly be going down the American Choppers rabbit hole of corporate builds. The Dale Jr. Mt Dew build was the first hint of that inevitably happening.

Still one of my favorite shows, though.

Classic Car Rescue is decent--I like Bernie. Staged/scripted, obviously (whoops--I didn't mean to drop that windshield!!!) and I want to strangle the Canadian guy every time he says "Alfa Romero", but still a fun watch.

I just fail to believe a small team can do a vaguely functional "resto" in these super short times.

I like "Counting Cars". Danny seems like a solid guy and the show doesn't take itself too seriously.