The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts The TV Restore Shows

How many of you watch the restore shows on TV ?
I know we spend a lot of $$$$ on our Big Trucks ,I think it is time we got noticed on one of those shows. Lets see some "Big Bolt" restorations on TV.

Don\'s C-60

most of those shows are doing 60' cars or even newer. I guess are trucks are just to old and rusty. Rust can consume lots of metal and time.

The show Trucks on Spike is doing a 30s International pickup right now. What I hate is that these shows are just one big commercial. Anybody can build a truck the way they throw new parts at it.

I been asked to do a couple of those show but declined
First most are 'infomercials' and Jim Carter isn't making enough to pay for a show
And second I like walking thru a swapmeet and jus' lookin like an ol' farmer with his gran'daughter

If I had teamed up with Jesse James(that was honestly an option) I'd never get a good deal at any meet again

Which restore shows? I watch the Monster shows, the hot-rod shows, the makeover shows, and the speed shows. Don't see how a restore show would have enough glitz or sponsors (maybe on PBS).

Tim

One of the shows offered me was on PBS.

They wanted someone to go to swapmeets,restoration,and shows and just talk about trhe hobby

Hershey is comming There are often several big trucks there lovingly restored

A few years back I was trying to get a show on the local PBS station, "restoring" an old truck the crude way.Like in a cluttered garage, using tools the typical home restorer or rodder uses, nothing beyond a grinder, welder and torch set.No billet,nothing store bought.With some comic relief, like the "hick" on the old PBS show The Woodwright ,miss with a screw driver amd make a gouge, opps.
The hardest part was finding a suitable filming location,the station and myself had limited funding.Then they lost interest,a new manager thought none one would care for a guy in a t- shirt hacking on a truck.

to continue with this thought, i would hope instesd of putting all these new engines why not overhaul the 235 6. one show they did for a young girl, she had a nova they took out the 6 and put in a big v/8 now wasn't that nice. they could have shown thier talents by re doing the orginal engine. jesse james is one of the worst on this matter whether it is new or old, most make for a good show for the advertisers. of course i hope one day they would steal my truck and redo it but would i be happy with the color, engine stance etc, probally not. ron

I got a real kick out of the guy doing a rolling restoration on a corvette. The garage is spotless, He has every tool imaginable and he wears those cute little rubber gloves to keep his hands clean. My hands look like i been in a dogfight! And lost.
I put in another long day today finish sanding Tomorrow the paint goes on.

I hear ya Don.....
You have a good web site going!

Yeah, what's the deal about these "mechanics" wearing these pretty little gloves that say "mechanic" on them, or rubber gloves??? Are they really that afraid to get their little hands dirty? Do we now treat our vehicles like they have AIDS or some other hideous disease so that we don't get soiled working on them???

Most of those "car nut" shows I choose not to watch. I like actually WORKING on my cars and trucks in my big, new, and cluttered shop, without heat and air, and with a half-assed air compressor.

If they had a show where a guy was actually doing the work himself (or with a couple of friends), that would be something. But, American Chopper, Monster Garage, Hot Rod TV, and those others just don't so anything for me.

Wow! You have a garage .........Must be nice.

Hey how about letting Red Green have a try at one of your trucks? I'll bet he cuold come up with some thing. it just would not end up restored.....

yeah - i've got a garage too, but the '59 is too tall to fit!

those shows can be neat to watch, but mostly just to see how some of the shop toys work. it's really nothing like the real world with an old machine, especially one you want to keep original.

we're the junkyard archeologists, they're plowing over the whole mess to build new condos, yah?

my 2 cents the show i liked was when jesse james modified the mercedes suv for the boy who hada wreck. it was a kind hearted gesture buuuuut the boy had a wreck doing about 135 mph. seems to it was rewarding stupidity and recklessness. i said 2 cnts worth. oh btw i wear the gloves because i work with the public and clean fingernails are important and i don't want to give up the satisfaction of working on most of my cars. i don't open the hood of the pt cruiser, won't do much good except to check the oil. ron

Don, I have a garage AND a shop. The garage is attached to the house and actually has three cars inside of it. The shop holds three pickup trucks and three cars, along with two lawn tractors, a 5x8 trailer, a full bathroom, two benches, two rollaways, loft storage, two 16' long x 5' deep x 6' high metal racks for parts storage (like the big orange ones at Home Depot, but smaller!), stereo system, alarm, and a refrigerator.

darn right I work on my stuff!

BUT, I don't paint and I don't do trannies or differentials! Front-wheel drive cars are the scourge of the Earth!

I agree - It would be AWESOME to see one of those shows do a true, acuarate restoration, faithful to the original, with a 216 or 235 truck. I'd learn loads.

BTW, I ALWAYS wear disposable latex gloves when I'm working on the rigs. With what limited time a have to spend on my passion of working on old fire trucks, I DON'T want to waste time scrubbing under my fingernails to be presentable again. It's a time issue, not a cleanliness issue.

It works for me, anyway. Just my .02.

-Michael

Avon makes a lotion called "Silicone Glove" that you apply to your hands before working on an engine, etc. It keeps oil and lubricants from sticking to your hands without the need for gloves, and it doesn't leave a sticky feel like other lotions can. It leaves no residue on whatever you're working on...great stuff!

Now the fingernail problem is still a problem, but I hate to work with gloves unless I absolutely have to!

You sayin' stuff about people wearing gloves in the shop? And then you suggest "Avon hand lotion"? And then talk about the sticky feeling.....and then the fingernails?

You guys wash your hands?

You know the biggest problem with those shows is they do not take enough time to show how they actually do something.

It would be a great learning process, yea I know money, money, money.

I have a 2 car garage and my shop is attached to that which my shop would hold 3 cars. Except there is 59 parts all over the place, garden tractor, garden tools, table saw, welder and torch. But, it is HEATED!

popcorn The Truth is Out There ( 88 GMC sits outside, Maws Z28 and Harley sits in the garage. Think about it I really do need another shop!!!)

ya everyone saw that girls car and hated to see the v8 go in it easy to put a 6 back in im sure there would be takers for the v8

Sure, Step, gloves get in the way, most of the time! The Avon product makes it much easier to clean your hands than if you went in without it. And, it's not a hand "lotion", i.e. foo-foo lotion, but a protective layer for your hands, if you will. No smell and easy to clean up afterwards...works for me!!! Without the bulk or BS with gloves (ever had a latex glove melt on your hand??? I'll pass, thanks!)

I take offence at watching them put parts on a motor with an air wrench. Sometimes there are some interesting bits of metal working shown but that is a small part of the air time.