I was flipping throught the channels and caught this show on TLC. So far it seems pretty cool. They send a guy out to find a "project", take it back to the shop, and hot rod it. In this episode they are building a 71 Le Mans to look like a 70 GTO.
This looks like it could be a pretty cool show. They even show the guy negotiate the $1000 for the rust bucket. Anyone else seen it?

yep i've seen it. a little different from the other tv car reality shows but still has that deadline for effect.

Yeah I have been watching it. I kinda get the impression that they might exagerate what there final cost actualy is. Seems like a hell of alot of work to walk away with 5 grand.

But I guess it helps to keep the cost up high since people are saying "Oh I didn't think it cost them that much to build"

The show is not bad I don't like the fact that they tell you that they make money on the car at auction but in fact they must lose a tremendous amount of money.

For instance (these are estimates from my memory), with the Camaro they restored had about $55K in parts and about 400 hours in labor. I believe the car sold for $75K at auction. The producers and the actors make is seem as though they made $20K profit, what happend to the labor is it free?

By my estimates with a shop labor of $90/hour = $36K, that plus the parts is $91K, they lost $16K on that project.

Did I miss something?

The show where they built the GTO, some students from UTI voluntered to help build, the show last week, local cops did some wrenching. Sounds like he gets some free labor outa the deal.
Hey! anybody wanna come down with a video camera and help build an awesome 914? we can put it on the air and make some money. yeah it's that easy, right?

I've been watching for a while, My understanding is that he's a former drag racer with the shop located in Corona. I think he builds some pretty nice cars, after he finishes them, he takes them out in the street and does a couple of burnouts.

I think he factors the labor into his costs, because he'll say he has $9,000 in a paint job, and I'm sure the materials didn't cost that much. But, I don't remember the Camaro having that much into parts alone.

Not alot of drama in this show like Boyds.

I was thinking the same thing, they must factor labor cost into the build. He was on another show a while back but i can't remember what it was.

I thought the guy was kind of jerk by the end of the show. He didn't meet his reserve price of $50k on the sale of the GTO, and wouldn't take the $47k the couple had high bidded. I don't believe the cost of the vehicle either. No way they build that car for a $4-5k profit. The labor cost is obviously inflated when you use free labor from "interns" But, it was a pretty sweet ride. That designer sure got pooped on. They refused to listen to him about the front bumper not fitting. That was pretty funny.

I saw the LeMans show.

I was wondering if they are allowed to pass the car off as a GTO when it is in fact a GTO conversion? If someone wanted a real GTO they wouldn't be getting it by buying that car. But it was a nice car. Guess I don't understand something there.


I'd like to see more of the rust repair they had to do to the front windshield. That looked pretty bad and then all of a sudden it's going for paint.

On Overhaulin' they show the rust and rust repair too or explain it anyhow which is cool.

So when are the Germans going to do an equivalent show?

Overhaulin, Boyd Coddington's Show, and now Wrecks to Riches will only entertain doing domestic muscle and hotrods.

I want my wife to scam me with the German Version of "Overhaulin".....

They did a honda on overhaulin before, I'm sure to try to appeal to the ricer crowd, so why not a german car. I'd really like to see what Chip Foose could do with my VW fastback, or a notchback, something that's a little more rare. I don't think they'd consider doing a show way down in the southeast, he seems to pick only west coast cars.

I agree with Olav, it must say somewhere that the GTO started life as a LeMans but it still demanded a very high price tag. Same thing with the Satellite they turned into a GTX (or whatever).

There's some drama in how the "designer" screws up almost weekly. Wonder if that will get resolved.

I watch that show as well - pretty much any car related show for that matter. Barry has been around for awhile now, and he has built some insanely slick hot rods - mostly known for his 30s-era Fords and that sort of hot rod. I was surprised to see him focusing on muscle cars for this show given his history with hot rods.

Anyway, I asked myself the same question about whether labor was involved until they quoted the price on a paint job. I think labor has to be in that. Also, I think he is quoting slightly inflated prices, and those based off the price you and I would pay for stuff. I can guarantee he is at least 15-20% below those "cost tallies" as he would get discounts on everything.

Let's put it this way - my engine (complete and dyno'd mind you) would have cost right at $9500-$10K to buy as an "average Joe" calling in to where I worked to order one. Cuz I have some really good friends in the industry, I have about $6500-$7K in it. That is a solid 30% savings. Because Barry has the engines built (John Beck at Pro Machine on the last episode - I dyno'd my engine at the place that shares that space and John helped me get 'er fired - great guy!!), he will be a little higher in cost ALSO, I would bet he asks the supplier "your name will be on the show, so cut me a huge deal/free for advertising".

Overhauling is all donated for instance, and people do it for the national "free" advertisement. Barry may be pulling some of the same thing.

Barry was on that Barrett Jackson Search show where they had teams from around the country search for cars that they would make the most money at auction. The cars on the new show have turned out nice, but I don't think I have heard announced at any of the auctions that the car WAS NOT a GTO, GTX, a Z-28 etc. Also it looks to me he always has the same shill bidder at every auction.

T.C.