TLC show 'Wrecks to Riches'

[Damn True]

I love the way the designer guy says "we're gonna add modern touches" as if he invented the idea of doing so.

[Damn True]

......most of the criticizers don't have squat anyhow..ask for their credentials the next time one of them whine. Guarantee they haven't won AMBR or Ridler or been in the finals for Goodguys car of the year, on the cover of a decent magazine, etc.

All of the above counts for exactly nuthin Bob. A matter of taste is just that. If you dislike carnitas who am I to say you are wrong for having that opinion. One need not graduate from cordon-bleu to decide what they do or do not like to eat. Similarly, one need not win a riddler to decide if they like a car or not. Buying an expensive car makes one no more qualified to comment than a guy who has yet to finish building his own.

[Bob Johnson]

All of the above counts for exactly nuthin Bob. A matter of taste is just that. If you dislike carnitas who am I to say you are wrong for having that opinion. One need not graduate from cordon-bleu to decide what they do or do not like to eat. Similarly, one need not win a riddler to decide if they like a car or not. Buying an expensive car makes one no more qualified to comment than a guy who has yet to finish building his own.

opinions are like as* holes..everyone has one..and 99% of them stink. If I look for an opinion on something I'm doing, believe me I will not go to some jack leg schmuck who hasn't ever had or built anything of note. I will go to someone who has been there and done that. I would presume you would go to someone knowledgeable in your business if you want advice or an opinion. I do think Barry's knowledge of muscle is not as great as his knowledge of hot rods. That's the way Alan Johnson is. But both see the attraction to muscle and are learning fast. It's ridiculous for someone who hasn't ever had anything criticize a quality builders work. Any whiner should have to post all of his past heaps and let the person they're criticizing voice an opinion on their cars.

[Bob Johnson]

That show is all well and cool but has anyone noticed that the same people are bidding on his cars no matter where the aution is?

some of those smaller Silver auctions do not have a great number of bidders. I would have thought the Reno August Auction would have had more players. But it did sell to a new guy. Good money for a 71 Roadrunner/GTX..not a car I would choose to build..but worth what was paid..should have picked a 69 or 70..pay more on the front end and get a whole lot more on the back end. can't scrimp on your starting car..

[19topless69]

Great show, hope it makes another season. I like the blown 69 camaro
the best.

[paul67]

running for just over a week here in the uk on the discovery home and leasure channel better than boyds less bitch more build.

[paul67]

just watched the mustang fastback episode ,was it me or when it was lowered it suffered bumpsteer , if so was it cured before it hit the road or if not how did it handle. As i have about the same amount but not driven my 67 camaro on the road yet.

[dplenzig]

Last Friday I was driving through a small town by my house here in CO and the SMC Roadrunner was sitting on a classic car lot for sale. I stopped and checked it out. Not my favorite body style, But it is a pretty nice car. Kind of weird watching the show and then seeing it a mile from the house on a small car lot.

Daren

[bnickel]

just watched the mustang fastback episode ,was it me or when it was lowered it suffered bumpsteer , if so was it cured before it hit the road or if not how did it handle. As i have about the same amount but not driven my 67 camaro on the road yet.

i think most of that was due to the worthless flaming river rack and pinion rather than the lowering of the car, although i'm sure that added to it as well. the problem with the FR rack is the that tie-rods end up being too short for the mustang chassis because of the end take-off design.

[bnickel]

opinions are like as* holes..everyone has one..and 99% of them stink. If I look for an opinion on something I'm doing, believe me I will not go to some jack leg schmuck who hasn't ever had or built anything of note. I will go to someone who has been there and done that. I would presume you would go to someone knowledgeable in your business if you want advice or an opinion. I do think Barry's knowledge of muscle is not as great as his knowledge of hot rods. That's the way Alan Johnson is. But both see the attraction to muscle and are learning fast. It's ridiculous for someone who hasn't ever had anything criticize a quality builders work. Any whiner should have to post all of his past heaps and let the person they're criticizing voice an opinion on their cars.

Bob, i don't want to start a flame war here but i have yet to see one these super muscle cars that i would describe a super in any way, i mean anyone can build a car with bolt on parts and hire someone to do a snazzy paint job. i also don't want to put down Barry as he does build some of the best customs and hot rods but as far as muscle cars goes i'm not really impressed. if i had the money to buy all those bolt on parts i could do the same thing, but i don't so i have to get creative. i would call your car a super muscle car or practically anything stielow has built and many others out there as well. I do think the show is enertaining though.

[Hartz]

Last Friday I was driving through a small town by my house here in CO and the SMC Roadrunner was sitting on a classic car lot for sale. I stopped and checked it out. Not my favorite body style, But it is a pretty nice car. Kind of weird watching the show and then seeing it a mile from the house on a small car lot.

Daren

So how much were they asking???

[Neil B]

Just a little constructive criticism after watching a few episodes:

1) Reality or not, having the same buyer at all the auctions really detracts from the show.

2) Using the same or similar 'one off' wheel design on every car ruins the individuality of the car. That '69 fastback really needed T/A-inspired wheels.

3) Using novice guest builders, hacked up wiring harnesses, chipped paint, fab work after painting, etc. are all sending the wrong messages (perhaps only to the enthusiast audience)

With that said, I still look forward to each new episode.

[romar 02 SS]

You have to realize they only have 4 weeks to complete these cars. There is no time to be innovative, change body lines, recess bumpers, etc.The best they can do is install someone elses innovative product that has the bugs already worked out.The show really is just about a muscle car build, the only difference is it's in a pro shop and not a garage. Given more time I think the cars would be that much cooler. All in all I like the show. Just my opinion. Larry

[hotrodgal]

Just a little constructive criticism after watching a few episodes:

1) Reality or not, having the same buyer at all the auctions really detracts from the show.

2) Using the same or similar 'one off' wheel design on every car ruins the individuality of the car. That '69 fastback really needed T/A-inspired wheels.

3) Using novice guest builders, hacked up wiring harnesses, chipped paint, fab work after painting, etc. are all sending the wrong messages (perhaps only to the enthusiast audience)

With that said, I still look forward to each new episode.

Neil, 1)we really don't have control over who goes to what auction...just so happens that there are a few guys who have the money and the means to travel the auction circuit...Ardell being one of them...and he happens to like our cars (and also his 15 minutes of fame being on TV, if you ask me). The production company actually asked us to discourage him from buying any more of the cars after he bought the Camaro...they didn't want people to think exactly what you're thinking. Hopefully, there will be more people to bid at future auctions so you won't see the same guys buying.
2)OK, I'm looking at our catalog with the wheels we used on the cars...they're all different. And the gold centers were supposed to be "trans am" oh well
3)wish we could get professional volunteers who could hammer these cars out...but who really can take 4 weeks off work? And I knew the bit with the wire harness would merit a comment or two...we actually only used one piece of that...not the whole thing. As for the chipped paint, and fab work after painting...that's what happens when you're forced to cram a 12 month build into 4 weeks...

And thanks for continuing to watch!!!

[restomodbird69]

everyone is an arm chair quarterback but yall got the show so just keep on keepin on.

[Madspeed]

Why dont they let you really show your tallants and build somthing awsome and inspiring? Do a more long term build, Lets see some twin turbo'd awd manual trans handcrafted masterpiece =)

What part of that harness was used? I thought I had seen the Instrument cluster piece used and tail lamp sockets.


Out of curiosity why are all the cars automatics?

Bahh I still enjoy the show annyways In the words of Mike Tyson, "I take my hand off to you"

[ubervic]

Neil, 1)we really don't have control over who goes to what auction...just so happens that there are a few guys who have the money and the means to travel the auction circuit...Ardell being one of them...and he happens to like our cars (and also his 15 minutes of fame being on TV, if you ask me). The production company actually asked us to discourage him from buying any more of the cars after he bought the Camaro...they didn't want people to think exactly what you're thinking. Hopefully, there will be more people to bid at future auctions so you won't see the same guys buying.
2)OK, I'm looking at our catalog with the wheels we used on the cars...they're all different. And the gold centers were supposed to be "trans am" oh well
3)wish we could get professional volunteers who could hammer these cars out...but who really can take 4 weeks off work? And I knew the bit with the wire harness would merit a comment or two...we actually only used one piece of that...not the whole thing. As for the chipped paint, and fab work after painting...that's what happens when you're forced to cram a 12 month build into 4 weeks...

And thanks for continuing to watch!!!

1) I kind of figured as much - the heavy fellow and the other couple, fans of the cars as well as liking the fact they're on tv.

2) IMHO, the wheels on the Mustang were fine. My gf, who's watched all the shows with me, and isn't much into cars commented "Now that's one car I'd drive." My favorite where the wheels on the "GTO."

3) You're not pre-selling these cars for lots of $$$ (like certain other shows). If the build quality on these cars isn't that great, then I guess nobody will bid much for them at auction.

4) (Okay, so there wasn't a #4, but I decided to add a few more cents) People complaining and bitching about other people on tv, I don't care to watch - it's been done before. I'm more interested in seeing the development of the design, the actual building of the car, and the business of building them. If the episodes were edited to show builds overlapping, just how much stuff was going on at one time, all of that stress, I think that would give you enough "conflict."

Overall, it's a good show. I tivo and watch all of them.

[Neil B]

OK, I'm looking at our catalog with the wheels we used on the cars...they're all different. And the gold centers were supposed to be "trans am" oh well

Yes, they are different, but they all look basically the same.

Camaro wheel...


GTO wheel...


'05 and '69 Mustang wheel...


And the GTX wheel was very similar.

I love the show and I just want to be able to look forward to a 'fresh' new design on each car. Keep up the good work and thanks for responding - it's rare to get feedback from the entertainment industry.

[kennyd]

As someone who has had great opportunities to work with as well as for some of the best builders in the industry today it never seems to stop amazing me how when for whatever reason freindships and or partnerships desolve, one of the people involved typically takes the high road and the other well lets just say takes a path less traveled by most. as the saying goes there are always two sides to every story, airing "dirty" laundry in a forum that nobody knows about nor needs to know about is not only unprofesional but also just plain rediculas. people in glass houses should not throw stones. its good advice if you can understand the meaning. this is a site about the show the shop the cars and the parts, i hope that the sour grapes can be left in the trash where they belong and not here where it adds no content or insite into the topics of discussion.

i assume this is barry , good point to make .
and if it is barry ... great job , some of us less noticed builders look up to shops like yours .
stay around and talk .

[Bob Johnson]

It's impossible to do a one off custom car and not expect to lose your as*..You will have lot of guys and big companys building street machines and rods with nothing but bolt on stuff, and they think they are on par with handbuilt one off custom piece cars...stranger yet, Jon Q. public just doesn't see past a slick paint job. The idea is to build a car and make money on it at auction. If you put Barry's labor rate into the build cost, it ain't happening and it isn't going to happen consistently with him or anyone else.