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Hot rod build up

6K views 58 replies 18 participants last post by  painted jester 
#1 ·
I like to see a hot rod build up between these three company. Gas monkey garage, West coast custom and counting cars. Who go you think would make a better car?
 
#3 ·
I hate to be the first on this but Gas monkey (their incompetent, unprofessional and dangerous) All three farm work out, and the shows are edited to death! The winner would be whichever gets the most money from the networks and can spend more to get the cars built and painted by the good shops they send the cars to!!!!!LOL

Jester:evil:
 
#7 ·
I can not tell you, I can't convey in words how much I dislike that dude on Counting cars with the headband (?) OMG I can't stand that guy! I have been a big fan of "Pawn Stars" which is the show where he "got famous" (gag me) and the guy just brings a vomit on.

Did I mention I don't like that guy much? :sweat:

Brian
 
#26 ·
Tell us how you really feel Brian......:thumbup:

I must agree...the guy has all the cliches down pat...If that knob tried pulling me over, I would be heading right to the closest cop shop......

typical car guy, right?......:rolleyes:
 
#9 · (Edited)
I take the show's for what they really are...Entertainment !!!! When I do ever watch TV... And that's not to offen..

But I really don't think I can say there's anyone on TV that build's cars that I would like to see a build off with..... Now.. Take ED Roth,darryl starbird and some of them old builder and then it will be a good show to watch,, If the Producer's don't screw that all up...
 
#10 ·
The only problem is Randy, some of those old guys what we both love so much, they really didn't BUILD the car very well. They styled it like art, but the build it's self, YEOW. I have had the good fortune of being around some of these cars in shops being restored or repaired and seeing them "naked". Some cars that I have drooled over in the past were MILES from well built. This hasn't changed my view of them, they are still art and I know the quality of most builds have went up over the years, it is what it is.

This goes for "show cars" in general, seen a couple very famous cars that won BIG awards that were miles less than stellar naked.

Brian
 
#11 ·
And the ones on tv are any better????


I seen and had the chance to sit and talk with them guy's... Yes they had things about their cars I didn't like as well,,, But they was BUILT.. And some from NOTHING... Where is that today,,, All you see now is patching up old cars.... I would like to see someone BUILDING a car from nothing.... That's what people want to see... Just look at the view's on just me and Cboy's home made cars... That will tell you what people want to see... That is the biggest reason I post of these forums... People like seeing things made from NOTHING...

And I wasn't trying to wave a flag look at me and cboy,, Just telling it like I see it..
 
#12 ·
I understand, I am just saying........Besides most TV viewers don't want to see the meat and potatos of such builds, they want to see the fire that cooks them. :boxing:

Brian
 
#14 ·
That is all the typical viewer wants apparently or they wouldn't make these shows over and over. Us car guys hope to see SOMETHING of value and we may watch them for those little glimmers of hope that we see something interesting. I know when I first got cable I watched a lot of them, just for that little bit of real car building stuff. I don't know what changed me or them, I think a lot of both but I don't watch any of them anymore because seeing a little bit of good stuff has gotten old hat now and the drama is such a waste of time there isn't enough good stuff to make it worth it. I don't even know the names of the shows now.

The one that I really enjoyed watching with my son was Monster Garage. Before it got stupid they made some cool cars. The idea was to make something that looked unmodified yet did something very different. They did a wheel puller ambulance that was a kick in the butt. That show was fun, showed a lot about building the car, with a LOT less drama. It eventually morphed into a more drama filled stupid show with cars that were by not means interesting like when it started. The budget was real low when it started and they did some amazing things with very little money. Then the sponsers came along and they got crate engines and any wheel they wanted rolling in with big names all over the boxes and BS like that. But when it started, it was a damn cool show. The Mustang GT made into a lawn mower for a golf course was a kick in the head. :D

Brian





 
#17 ·
Anyone remember the name of the show that was based out of Canada? They would build several different cars over the season. The host would go around to the different shops highlighting the work performed each week. No drama. Just a show about guys building cool cars.
 
#18 ·
I have had an opportunity to see the Challenger from the Search and Restore program and have to say it is a first rate build. The body mods were minor, spoiler, front air splitter, and a few tweaks, but all nicely done. The mechanicals were done very neatly and professionally - this car really performs. I am pretty sure this is the exception rather than the rule. I wouldn't trust most of the crews of the buy em', fix em', sell em' shows to change a tire. The Powerblock shows look like they do pretty good work, and aren't trying to sell you the cars, but they sure sell a lot of supplier's parts. I am actually relieved to hear that the Fast and Loud guys don't actually fix the cars themselves.

About Gilligan's Island, I always wondered if the Professor could build a radio out of coconuts, why couldn't he fix the boat?!?
 
#20 ·
I don't think I would say it's what the viewer wants... More like what they will get and like it are not.... TV is now nothing buy DRAMA... At one time I had a TV and every room.. Now I'm down to two,,,:D And everyday I ask my wife why do we have A TV anyway ???:confused:

I guess the kids,, But they are now at the age where they don't even watch much either...:thumbup:

NO NEWS,AND NO DRAMA, Oh !!!! I forgot,They are both the same...:smash::D
 
#23 ·
No, pretty sure Chop Cut Rebuild is a US show...but I haven't got any idea of a Canadian car show like that...let alone a good one. There used to be a show about a high end body shop in Southern Ontario but I think that they made about 2 episodes and now we get to see them way to often so we keep enough Canadian content on our television.
 
#25 ·
Dan Woods is Canadian...He used to do a local program called Classic Car Restoration....Featured a lot of the Guilds stuff...They are down near Sarnia somewhere

Can we vote for the professor on Gilligan's Island to build the best car on TV...come on, he did build that radio
The proffessor did build a car, Gilligan was driving it around in an episode...



 
#27 ·
Okay Harry, that settles it...the professor gets my vote...a little left to be desired on the fit and finish but at least it's more believable than .

I did not know that Dan Woods was a Canadian. I'm learning all kinds of stuff today...like Mopar made a 350 CID in 57 to 59...who knew.

Ray
 
#28 ·
I think it's pathetic that the shops around the country, who have built their business on good workmanship... a friendly and honest relationship with their customers... and being flexible enough in their style and abilities to serve many different tastes... will never be nationally known. (Not that it really matters.)

On the other hand... get some bad actors who act and dress like hillbillies... a writer who can concoct child-like scenarios full of B.S.... convince viewers a car can be built in 10% of the actual time... and people think they are an exceptional company and they become nationally known!

In the mean-time... a person or persons spends decades building a reputation which brings people and their friends back over and over and over again, and they will rarely be known outside their local market.

What amazes me is that people buy into the illusion so easily! It's kind of sad really.
 
#29 ·
I think it's pathetic that the shops around the country, who have built their business on good workmanship... a friendly and honest relationship with their customers... and being flexible enough in their style and abilities to serve many different tastes... will never be nationally known. (Not that it really matters.)

On the other hand... get some bad actors who act and dress like hillbillies... a writer who can concoct child-like scenarios full of B.S.... convince viewers a car can be built in 10% of the actual time... and people think they are an exceptional company and they become nationally known!

In the mean-time... a person or persons spends decades building a reputation which brings people and their friends back over and over and over again, and they will rarely be known outside their local market.

What amazes me is that people buy into the illusion so easily! It's kind of sad really.[/QUOT

To top off what you said Jay, what are they actually doing for the trade overall. Take a show like Car Warriors...build a car in 48 or 72 hours...sure they look like crap but, does the customer know...No...they can't figure out why I might spend hundreds of hours doing body work, making sure that all the rust is gone and metal properly welded in replacing the rust. Several times I've been questioned as why it takes me so long when they watch these CarToons that don't show the real world.

I have a customer now that I'm doing work for...over 20 years ago I built a car for him and he wanted to be hands on...best thing I ever did was get him to do some of the work and when what he did wasn't good enough, I explained why, I showed him how and made him redo it. It probably cost him more money being hands on but he now knows and laughs at these shows.

Take Counting Cars, Danny gives these great deals, for example the Mustang for the Pawn shop guy, I think it cost the guy 25K to get this restoration done on a car that I wouldn't touch unless 25K was the deposit...Paint Body, Interior and drive train for 25K...come on, and a customer see's that and thinks everybody is ripping him off.

It's not even entertainment, it's hurting the trade and the hobby.

Ray
 
#30 ·
I saw a comment from Tim Strange, who was the host of Search and Restore - he commented about all the people calling him and asking if he can build them a car - for Free! Several of his friends that have their own shops said they get those calls all the time. However, it does seem like most real car guys have an appreciation of what it takes (skill, time, and money) to do a car right. When I tell people I started my car 5 years ago, none of the real car guys think that's too long a time.

The Professor has my vote too Ray - apparently the Professor prefers woodies!
 
#33 ·
I understand what Tim Strange is feeling, probably not to the degree, but, I understand. Family and Friends often feel that because of the relationship, the value of what you do should be effected. I have told people that if they wanted to be my friend, call me after 6 PM...in the past it's gotten to that point...and yes, a real car guy doesn't think 5 years is to long, they understand.

I hate to admit this but on a personal note, I started a project some 20 years ago...it's still a project. I'm not lazy, it's just that every time I get working on it, I look at what I've got and there's better stuff out there now...LOL.

Ray
 
#32 ·
The point is that often the public that watches these shows and looks at 72 hours...only, start to finish....recently, well with in the last 3 1/2 years...I finished a build for a customer...start to finish, I had over 600 hours in the paint and body...Car Warriors was brought up and it was brought up that the whole vehicle was built in the about the time it took me to do the paint and body work.

I took me a while to explain the difference....I did a rotisserie restoration/custom. The bottom of the vehicle, as requested by the customer, was as shiny as the top. All custom touches where metal worked...not get it close and fill the rest with filler. The engine compartment along with the engine was painted body color, not spray bombed...and the fact that it took 40 hours alone to color sand and buff, including the drive shaft wasn't factored in. The biggest thing of all, when the vehicle was done...it was done, no need to take it home and as has been stated by a few crews on Car Warriors, do it up right.

Oh Bob...I think the professor is winning by a score of 2 - 0 now.

Ray
 
#38 ·
I can appreciate that bills need to be paid and in some way, I suppose that we are also being informed as to what new products are available. What gets me going is that often shows such as "Counting Cars" insult the intelligence of professional people, the guys that do do work similar to what they are trying to claim that they do and in the process, misinform the public.

I remember one show where they where restoring the Pawn Shop guy's Mustang. The "Count" said, "my guys have been working hard for weeks" getting this Mustang ready for the Pawn shop guy. So, let's do a little math, weeks means at least 2 and more than 1...lets say 2 weeks at 40 hours per week...that's 80 hours per man...to be conservative...lets say 5 guys (the car was in rough shape, it would take more than 5 guys 2 weeks to get this car even close...but lets say 5 guys) that makes 400 hours. 400 hours at again, conservatively speaking, $50.00 an hour (overhead in Los Vegas I'm sure isn't cheap) ...that's 20K...we haven't even touched the cost of parts and material...The engine was redone, the interior was new and the Bullet replica Mustang had a green BC?CC paint job, let alone the 4 new wheels and tires.

So potentially a customer see's this show, brings the car to a reputable shop, The shop quotes him 50K plus whatever else they might run into. The shop is then labeled as a rip off shop because of the BS seen on these shows...and I've personally seen it happen.

Sometimes I think I should label these shows as comedies, because what they call them on TV is wrong, reality shows they are not.

Ray
 
#40 ·
I can appreciate that bills need to be paid and in some way, I suppose that we are also being informed as to what new products are available. What gets me going is that often shows such as "Counting Cars" insult the intelligence of professional people, the guys that do do work similar to what they are trying to claim that they do and in the process, misinform the public.

I remember one show where they where restoring the Pawn Shop guy's Mustang. The "Count" said, "my guys have been working hard for weeks" getting this Mustang ready for the Pawn shop guy. So, let's do a little math, weeks means at least 2 and more than 1...lets say 2 weeks at 40 hours per week...that's 80 hours per man...to be conservative...lets say 5 guys (the car was in rough shape, it would take more than 5 guys 2 weeks to get this car even close...but lets say 5 guys) that makes 400 hours. 400 hours at again, conservatively speaking, $50.00 an hour (overhead in Los Vegas I'm sure isn't cheap) ...that's 20K...we haven't even touched the cost of parts and material...The engine was redone, the interior was new and the Bullet replica Mustang had a green BC?CC paint job, let alone the 4 new wheels and tires.

So potentially a customer see's this show, brings the car to a reputable shop, The shop quotes him 50K plus whatever else they might run into. The shop is then labeled as a rip off shop because of the BS seen on these shows...and I've personally seen it happen.

Sometimes I think I should label these shows as comedies, because what they call them on TV is wrong, reality shows they are not.

Ray
COME ON, REALLY
how many times have all the car mags, touted build a olds 455 on the cheap, or 600hp bbc for 3000.oo or 400hp sbc for cheap. and
take the block to a pro shop that does all the extra's for nada, they use a set of forged pistons that just happen to be under a bench, some rare old cyl heads that where ported by a pro. they "scored" at a swap meet for 100.00 ready to run?

how is that any different?
anyone that thinks what a show say's is what a real shop would do/cost/ is the same ones that think scifi shows are real.
don't blame the show, for peoples lack of common sense
 
#41 ·
Exactly my point, the shows are wrong, the magazines are wrong...the problem is that people believe it, why, they aren't in it on a daily basis and take the BS that's put out by this media and believe it to be Gospel. So here we are, people watch these shows and read these magazines...and feel they are informed, who does it effect, the people that are actually in the trades trying to make a living. I've seen this and personally have been effected by it.

I don't know what you do for a living, or at least I'm not sure, I get the impression that you work in the aftermarket parts industry, forgive if I'm wrong. I work in the part of the industry that tries to make a living installing parts, purchasing and applying those materials. Customer come to me shopping for the best deal, they are enthusiasts that often get their information and education from what they watch and read and if that isn't reality, the people that are installing the parts that magazines advertise, the materials that these shows are inadvertently selling get the flack.

When you have a combination of shows and magazines that claim to be reality and peoples lack of common sense, you have a dangerous formula....It doesn't matter if I blame them one or both, the problem is that it's there. I feel that I've been fortunate that I can rely on past performances, people starting out can have a real difficult time of it...or do you feel that it doesn't make a difference?

Ray
 
#42 ·
Exactly my point, the shows are wrong, the magazines are wrong...the problem is that people believe it, why, they aren't in it on a daily basis and take the BS that's put out by this media and believe it to be Gospel. So here we are, people watch these shows and read these magazines...and feel they are informed, who does it effect, the people that are actually in the trades trying to make a living. I've seen this and personally have been effected by it.

I don't know what you do for a living, or at least I'm not sure, I get the impression that you work in the aftermarket parts industry, forgive if I'm wrong. I work in the part of the industry that tries to make a living installing parts, purchasing and applying those materials. Customer come to me shopping for the best deal, they are enthusiasts that often get their information and education from what they watch and read and if that isn't reality, the people that are installing the parts that magazines advertise, the materials that these shows are inadvertently selling get the flack.

When you have a combination of shows and magazines that claim to be reality and peoples lack of common sense, you have a dangerous formula....It doesn't matter if I blame them one or both, the problem is that it's there. I feel that I've been fortunate that I can rely on past performances, people starting out can have a real difficult time of it...or do you feel that it doesn't make a difference?

Ray
Again, if those stopping by your place of business that think t.v. is reality.
that's the problem.. not the show. it's not the shows fault people are

#%&* stupid. blame the parents that , I'll guess never told little Johnie, t.v. is make beleave.
yes it's a r.p.i.t.a. to have to deal with it, day in day out. but that's the fault of other things, not a t.v. show. that's starts with parents, and our sad excuse of a school system.
I'm not the smartest bulb, but I know rachal ray 2 hour dish didn't take 10 minutes, that comes from common sense and well, parenting, and a little smarts.
They don't call t.v. entertainment for nothing..
sorry you have so many people that can't think for themselves show up at your place of business, and to think they vote.
 
#43 ·
Thanks for understanding and I hope we can agree on a few points...however, I wouldn't say that I so many people showing up to my place of business with this attitude, all it takes is 1 or 2 and if what your selling is generally in the high 4 an 5 figure range, 1 or 2 can make a difference.

I can appreciate that parenting plays a roll, I feel that some parents think that the best baby sitter they have in the house is the television.

Ray
 
#44 ·
Thanks for understanding and I hope we can agree on a few points...however, I wouldn't say that I so many people showing up to my place of business with this attitude, all it takes is 1 or 2 and if what your selling is generally in the high 4 an 5 figure range, 1 or 2 can make a difference.

I can appreciate that parenting plays a roll, I feel that some parents think that the best baby sitter they have in the house is the television.

Ray
My dad has a sign in his shop.
This isn't Hollywood, your car will not be finished in 7 days, shop rate is_______. an estimate, is just that. We will call you if we find anything unseen as we get into the work. Most that walk through the door have no idea that paint cost are huge, and the man hours for that mile deep black paint. they all want.. they also don't understand the cost of the tools, that a box in the shop that looks like a storage shed(paint booth) can cost 100k.
most have no clue, because any time they took car to body shop the insurance company was footing the bill. so they have no real idea of the cost. until they bring that car they had in high school or wanted back then, and now wants it to look new. and somehow think all cars had perfect fit of panels back then. hell most the body men forget that when b_tch'n about aftermarket fit of panels. lol
 
#45 ·
All of you guys are right. But the real cause of all these problems began when Cable TV was invented. That led to Satellite TV. When those two products came to being, "reality tv" went from "Days of our Lives" to the endless crap that's being shown today. Why is it so prevalent today? Simple. It's cheap to produce. Very little scripting and very little writing. Very little production costs. You have to fill all those channels with something. One idea guy comes up with a premise and it's cloned ten more times. Now you have ten lousy shows. Put that together with at least two generations of people with the attitude that things are "owed to them" because everyone else has " it" and show them flashy people who are " bigger than life" telling them how easy things are, and you have a moron watching a flashy moron on tv and believing everything that's shoved down their throats. It must be true because theres ten shows showing the same thing. Common sense went out the window when the viewer failed to realize the these shows aren't anything but but a vehicle to make you want to buy the sponsors products.

BB :mad::mad:
 
#46 ·
Your right, most don't have any idea, they are ignorant and if they have an open mind they can be educated. We are all ignorant of something, so I can appreciate someone not knowing. It's the ones that think they have an idea and don't, their mind is closed because they feel that they know it all regardless...those are ignorant idiots. They could very well be the ones that watch reality TV, believe it and get that priceless education from writers, director and actors.

Love the sign in your Dad's shop...now that's reality.

It almost seems like there is a double standard, not so much in the auto body industry, but I remember when I was in the mechanical side...if I had a car booked say at 2 PM...if it wasn't in the shop and the work started by 2:15 PM, I would get yelled at but, if they go to a doctors office, they don't like it but they can wait for hours and don't say a word.

Ray
 
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