Car SOS

[fuzztownshend]

Guys. If you want in depth resto' techniques then perhaps that ought to be a new Practical Classics online vid' series.
I'd be happy to start that idea up.
But when it comes to Car SOS, we wanted to make a show that the whole family could watch, without dissent from peeved partners. The cars are not hand picked for ease of renovation, as happens with many other shows. A serious element of what we do is down to the story of the owner and their relationship with the car.
Money is not the object and quick makeovers are not our game.
Perhaps PC could follow one of the jobs, should we get a second series. I'd be happy to show just how much work takes place on these vehicles.
I hope that you enjoy the next episode, Thursday 14th February on National Geographic Channel at 8pm.

Fuzzer

[arceye]

That sounds like a bloody good idea

I can see where the show is coming from, whilst it may be lacking a little of what we classic nutters want to see it does seem to be aimed at a "wider" audience. Happen why the wife didn't moan too much when we watched it t'other night.

Yeah, I'd like more of the dirty (wouldn't we all ) but I can see what the show is getting at.

[TerryG]

Sorry Fuzz, no offense was intended with the budget question, I was merely curious about the costs involved in doing the job. As other programs (wheeler dealers) show the (completely fictitious and incomplete) costs, it was interesting to see what a job actually costs to do.
You'll have to set up a webcam so us car obsessives can perv over the real work going on at real speed.

[fuzztownshend]

No offence taken, Terry.
I'm happy to let folks know how many hours to expect a professional outfit to take on a basic, but thorough recommission.
It should also aid calculating the time that it would take to do a similar job without full facilities to hand - I estimate roughly 2-3 times the amount of hours, depending on the set-up and skills available.
Hours taken is a far better way of calculating the total impact of a resto' on both pocket and personal life.
Don't tell your other halves though.

[arceye]

Just watched the second one, no complaints and felt the balance was pretty good re Work / Human interest.

Well done chaps, will be tuning in for more.

[Oldcarnut]

I notice a trend forming here in just near where the vehicle is to be showed, something not works to add to the suspense .I am aware it can happen, but admit it, its all done on purpose?.............

[Phil P]

Fuzz is right. Doing a full restoration in a workshop with all the facilities and doing one at home without the facilities are poles apart. You can achieve the same result but the time factor is something else. I did a full nut and bolt rebuild on my jeep in 15 months in my garage at home and some folks think that was an amazingly short time. There is a secret. Open your wallet take out your Visa card and throw it at the job!!


Just watched a US restoration programme on a '64 Impala. They are supposed to have done it in a week. Utter utter rubbish. One guy doing all the prepping and painting of the body, no way. I know how long the prepping and painting of the cars on Car SOS took. More like a month to do an Impala.

Phil

[Phil P]

Sorry Oldcarnut but things did go wrong and were filmed. Whether they are left in or edited out during the series is another thing. Yes the coil did fail on the jeep after somebody started messing with the jeep and left the ignition on. It was me that found it. The Fiat had a blocked carb jet. You may see other things that went wrong but none were staged. They happened for real. I can't tell you what else happened as that would spoil the series and I would be hung from from the nearest engine hoist!

Phil

[TerryG]

Have just finished watching the jeep on Sky+. That came out rather well
Hopefully the series will get some more people interested in running older cars and our hobby will carry on for another generation.
With the benefit of a new tub did this take as many hours as the Fiat?

[fuzztownshend]

Have just finished watching the jeep on Sky+. That came out rather well
Hopefully the series will get some more people interested in running older cars and our hobby will carry on for another generation.
With the benefit of a new tub did this take as many hours as the Fiat?

Hi Terry,

What we gained in using the new tub, we lost again when transferring the original parts over. Both the Jeep and the Fiat took around the same amount of time to do - In excess of 400 hours.

FT