Have any of you guys caught the show "Wrecks to Riches" on TLC? On the show, they go buy a beat up "muscle" car (usually from the 60's) and customize it, upgrade it, and rebuild it to a Super Muscle Car (and label it: SMC) - then take it to auction to sell it for a profit.

The 1 hour show takes you through the whole cycle - from finding the right car to start with, ordering parts, tearing the car apart, rebuilding it, and then to the auction. They keep track of the costs paid for everything, and also for the man-hours of labor spent on the car. (what they don't do is calculate a labor rate to show you what it would cost if everyone didn't work for "free")

It's pretty interesting. Last night's show they took a '71 Torino, in very good condition, with only 5k miles on the clock, and a straight 6 cyl engine, and turned it into a badazz muscle car with a 521ci big block. It was a little sad to see the very much original "survivor" car rebuilt in such a non-original way however. Like a piece of the car died when they tore it all apart.

But anyways - it's pretty interesting to see what different cars do at auction. Some real steals out there it seems, and a bunch of cars undervalued. Also, it's interesting how nearly impossible it is to make a profit by buying a "junker" and turning it into something nice for auction. Ok - they do seem to rebuild it "right" and not cut corners - and that is costly. But the only times they've made a profit is when they don't include the cost of labor - think about it, a couple hundred hours of labor isn't free!

So - what do you guys think about the show?

I like the show..you can see more of Bary's SMC collection and info at www.supermusclecar.com I don't particularly like the giant 19inch front and 20 inch rear rims he uses all the time but overall, I find the show is rather informative. Way better than overhaulin. hey, maybe we can all make my project 67 firebird a SMC? Get a bunch of us to come over my house, work for free, oh and I'll need free parts! so when's everyone coming over? I've got a bbq grill....

The notion that he's turning all of these cars into $50,000 auction rip-offs makes me want to puke. I'm drawn to the show though because I like watching the cars get transformed. Neither this guy or Chip Foose choose the same modifications I would, but it's still entertaining. I don't like the pranks on Overhauling as much as I like the buildups. Sure wish I could draw like Foose.

The other night it was a '69 Camaro. I just about choked when it cost the guy $6200 to pull the "rust-free" (NOT!) shell out of the boneyard.

Is that the going rate these days?

And from what I have heard, there is always some club or organization that throws in a ton of free labor for each of these projects.

I' m not really crazy about his style of cars, but he wants to take old beat up cars and bring them back to life, that is a good thing. Even though I am not crazy about Torino' s, such a low milage survivor car should have been left that way, IMO. Imagine if he would have done that to a 5000 mile OHC Firebird. We' d probably all be having a fit.

I saw it last weekend, they got a '69 Camaro from somewhere in AZ, I think, paid $6200, no tranny/motor, which I thought was too much even if it didn't have any rust........like they thought , they tore in it, and ooops, cancer ridden. They said they had to get $45k to brea even, got $57K.......not sure if that counted all the "labor" they put in it....
was entertaining though. Kel

I have always wondered about the labor rate too. It really skews the show.
I dont mind the cars that he builds, but I wouldnt buy one for the money they are going for.
I also think its a little gay the way they are called and tagged "Super Muscle Car"

Hi Guys,

I watch this one and Overhaulin' on just before it when I can. Like everyone else, I really don't like the pranks that Foose pulls but the builds can be interesting.

Over on the Hotrodders' bbs, there is a thread about "Wrecks to Riches" that runs 8 pages. Barry's daughters even get on there. Here's the link

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/wrecks-riches-87284.html

Jerry

Quote: "I also think its a little gay the way they are called and tagged "Super Muscle Car""


Not that there's anything wrong with that. :p

Of course not

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Not that there's anything wrong with that </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">


LOL.....

I watch both shows occasionally. It's interesting to see the build, but I can do without the drama. Of course the car is going to have more rust then expected, and of course they're not going to find the right bumper, marker light, steering wheel, etc..., but I guess if it all fell together too easily, they wouldn't have it on TV. I rather watch Muscle Car, at least there they show HOW to do the work. I think I've learned a lot of body work tips from that one.

I have seen both shows and like Overhaulin better. As for the Wrecks to Riches I seem to notice the same people at these auctions bidding on his cars. Why people want to pay stupid money for clone cars is way beyond me. I really like the episode where he takes a 70' or 71' Lemans and makes into a "GTO SMC" and people bid up to around 45K but it doesn't hit reserve. Don't get me wrong anyone can spend their money how they want, but 45 or 50 grand will buy you a nice original car. Makes for good TV though.

Plus Overhaulin has AJ. She' s hot!!! And not as ditsy as the blond they had before. Courtney?

I enjoy watching both Overhaulin and W2R, however, like others have said the pranks on overhaulin are pretty much worthless. I don't understand why they paitn a car before all the metal work is done on W2R! It amazes me that they paint the car then go to town replacing floor pans, grinding and welding! Has anyone noticed that they usually use rattle cans to paint the suspension components, firewalls and floors? I don't see how a basically stock car can be called a "Super Muscle Car" just by adding a big engine. Most of the cars have had basically stock suspensions.

Ponchoman hit on something that bothered me with that show as well. If he is doing these auctions all over the US, why is the same 2 people always bidding? The one older guy and then the married couple. Are we supposed to be stupid enough to think these shill bidders aren't just trying there to drive the price up to make for engaging television? It is a neat concept to turn "wrecks to riches", but I wouldn't buy his crap after seeing him use rattle can paint on the chassis and metal work after paint as Drew pointed out. At least not for the price he is looking to get.

Overhaulin' is better, but as everyone mentioned, the pranks have worn out their welcome. Having a ditzy, hot chick puts it above W2R and I am a little more impressed with Foose.

Thanks Limelight, and I agree about Foose. The wife thinks Barry is real jerk-off but she likes Foose because he doesn't bark orders, just gets in there and helps out. And yeah, the hot chick helps.

Your wife likes Foose because of the hot chick? Wow, man your wife is cool!

Maybe that came out wrong, but now that I think about it....yep that would be cool.

I like the aspect of the pranks on OH - but I realize they are more for the person who's car is being worked over rather than the entertainment value. Puts them on an emotional rollercoaster - but doesn't do much for the TV viewer. I just wish they would do their "reveal" with the actual car, instead of saying "you're on Overhaulin! - now wait a couple hours and we'll show you the car".

How cool would it be to show up to a place "upset", and then see some amazing FGF pull up? You'd probably drool over it a bit - and then when they tell you that it's actually YOUR car, you can fall backwards in disbelief. Eh - it's their show though - up to the producers. I'm just happy to see so many car shows on TV these days - go back 10 years, and there was no "Speedvision" channel, no "Powerblock", no Saturday morning car repair shows... the best thing we had on TV was on PBS, a little show out of Owings Mills MD called "Motorweek". Oh yeah, that show has taken off now!

Is it just me or does the guy on the DIY network show doing the resto on a 62' Vette drive you crazy? He always wears gloves (no dirty hands) and of course has a lift right in his garage. I guess that is why they can Do It Yourself but how many of us have one in our garage?

The gloves may be because I think OSHA has come out and stated that used oil/grease can have a wealth of baddies that can be absorbed through the skin and cause cancer.