Hot Rods TV Car-Related Shows

For each of us, there are probably some Car-type TV shows that we have difficulty watching and some we don't. I divide the shows into two groups; those that are constant crisis and those that are fun. I seldom made it thru an episode of the crisis type shows.... a fingerprint on the chrome? A crisis for sure. Then they break to a commercial and rehash the crisis on return. Boyd's show was constant crisis as well as several recent build shows. On the other hand, Roadkill was a fun show. They would have their oil pan fall off in a snowstorm.... no crisis here, just a little duct tape and soldier on down the road. Those type of shows are typical of my experiences which are fondly remembered for the fun. Now, to make the "crisis" shows watchable, I treat them as a comedy and laugh at all the crisis situations.

 

I don't have a t.v. in the shop. I try to get more work done that way.

 

Not a car show but I always liked the Perry Mason show, regularly saw a variety of 50/60's cars, Nomads, Corvettes, Thunderbirds, Lincolns, sports cars, even some race cars.
I'll gladly watch old reruns instead of the s#/t they are putting out nowadays.

 

I liked "Burn'm-Up Barns",frist used in Movie theaters,and on TV,an later "77 Sunset Strip".

 

We have a TV at our house, my wife likes to watch some of that garbage they call shows now.
I spend my time (way too much) on the junk box called a desk top computer.
In my younger days, my time was spent in the garage or putting miles on my hot rods, but these days the car activities are cruising around somewhere between 100 and 150 miles a week, and maintaining the two vehicles we usually drive.

 

Too bad they are all going away. Certainly they evolved from “Pinks” and “Pimp my Ride” over the years. Showing the mis-steps on Hot Rod Garage and Roadkill was realistic to how things can do. Engine Masters explained some myths and mysteries. Motor Trend pulled the plug. Too bad, as I think those and other shows helped promote interest in our culture.

 

Edd Byrnes was about the only guy that Norm Grabrowsky would let drive his T. He got tired of having to fix it after every Hollywood joker drove it. He basically got into the movies by requiring that he drive his car.

 

neat how we have to completely different topics going on in one thread. One is about old TV shows with cars in them from 50-70 years ago, the other is about modern shows about working on cars.

I usually watched roadkill, but don't have time for most of the other stuff out there these days. And haven't seen many of the old TV shows, although I have watched a lot of the Perry Masons, and the first two seasons of Route 66 recently.

 

Haven't been there, long time, did like the job they did on "Fantom Works"
As far as old shows, I avoided TV for 2 decades. ( '62 '82 )
Not too pleased with the current fare

 

I've recently watched some of later "Leave it to Beaver" seasons. Lumpy Rutherford drives a 40 Ford Deluxe convertible with baby moons and twice pipes. They joke about what junker it is but it actually looks like a pretty nice car.

 

Adam-12, despite one episode the blue and white C1 Corvette is Reed’s POV and the next week it’s seen driving by while he and Malloy are conducting a traffic stop. I suppose it kept the production expenses lower by using the cars in different scenarios.

 

First time seeing 77 Sunset strip with Kookie and his hotrod ( Norm Grabowski’s hot rod ) I was all about pre 1940.
77 still rings a bell until spring when 78 will ring the bell. Still love pre 1940

 

As for the working on cars shows I like the early Kindig-it stuff before they started 3D printing cars, Iron Resurrection because they are not scared to cut something up and hand form the parts, plus Amanda is fun to look at, then you can’t beat Roadkill and Roadkill Garage just because of the **** they come up with and do .

When it comes to old shows dang near anything filmed in the 50’s and 60’s. There is a film I saw the other week called “Hollywood Home Movies” on TCM where this gentleman films his life and friends as he comes up in the film industry. I can’t remember his name off the top of my head but he does have a star on the walk of fame. But he starts 1927 Los Angeles and films for the next 30 something years and shows all these stars their homes and cars and even a tri motor plane. If you like transportation then it’s a must see.

 

When Kindig-it first hit the airways, it was the number one car rated show on the Motor Trend channel. Due to the lack of "drama", it quickly started to drop. Same thing with the Ian Roussau show. Amazon Prime still has the old Jesse James show where they turned an old Explorer into a trash truck. Those shows were so bad, that they were good!

 

Dragnet, and Highway Patrol.

Especially after I read about Broderick Crawford from Highway Patrol being a real life drunk driver.

 

Highway Patrol, period rides & Brodrick Crawford don't take no ****. Ya just don't see that on TV anymore....

 

No one has mentioned "Boston Blackie". Drove a couple different custom cars around LA accompanied by his girl friend Mary and their Dog Whitey. 1951-53.

 

Tha's yer Huckleberry right there.
Yah, mang... tha's it.

 

The Waltons.

 

Pretty sure I get way more done (which still isn’t near enough) without watching any tv. If a tv is on, my wife is picking what we watch because I don’t care what I fall asleep to.

 

Of recent TV shows, I like Roadkill Garage, most the rest of the shows are stupid, and are just bull sh*t, and **** big time.

I like Highway Patrol too, with Booze Hound Brodrick Crawford. You can see him "Jones-ing it" (DTs) in many episode.

 

I've tried the car tv shows. Too much made up drama. 30 minute episode has 5 commercial breaks. They always have the "perspective" shot where one of the characters (let's be honest, that's what they are) is sitting on a stool in a dimly lit room explaining what is going on. It's like they all follow a rule book, and since I'm a rule bender, I guess it's not for me.

YouTube, on the other hand, well I can waste some serious time watching car related channels on there.

 

TV show Life of Riley 1956 The JUVENILE DELINQUENT.

 

From Dragnet the big hot rod. HRP

 

Hey Beaver says Mr. Cleaver. Have you seen Wally? Yeah Dad, I think he and Lumpy went down to the junkyard to get a new fan belt.

 

I find Roadworthy Rescues somewhat interesting as Derek gets them running again after sitting abandoned for many years with his main tool being a Leatherman pocketknife!

 

All the modern ones are heavily scripted. The drama is mostly fake. Like the chopper craze in the mid-2000 its over exposed and pretty much out of new ideas. A real shame. When the "stunts" have more airtime than the builds its a lost cause for me.

 

When the crisis/drama car shows are on I turn off the sound and just watch the cars,if I like them.

 

Haven’t watched cable TV since 2016, but watch a bunch of great car related channels on YT such as:

Nick’s Garage
Iron Trap Garage
Dead Dodge Garage
Hoovie’s Garage
Car Wizard
Car Care Nut
Make It Kustom
Bennett’s Customs Co
Rocket Restorations
Magnacars
Jay Leno’s Garage
Audrain Muesum Network
BarryTsGarage
Bad Chad
Deboss Garage
Wired Customs

 

I always thought that guy was an idiot. I remember one show where he built the guys car using his own ideas not the customers and ended up having to buy the car.
The MoPar restoration guy was good but there was way too much drama to watch more than 10 minutes.

Boy that guy could wing a suspect at 100 yards with a 2" revolver.