Roadkill garage
 

I have been watching this show lately how are they so popular when they are doing such basic stuff to junk. This what we did as teens and early 20’s and now you can make a career out of it?

I think a lot of folks did not grow up doing that.

Be a blast to get paid for slamming an old motor in an old project car and taking a road trip with a back up car/truck behind you!

Because the alternative is watching crappie street outlaws show. Was neat at first but after a season hyper focused on the farmtruck g@ys they moved on to some mouthy redneck dude and it became a satire.....

I get a kick out of it. I think because it does take you back to days long gone. Freiburer is lucky guy in my opinion. He's made a career out of doing what he loves. We should all be so fortunate.

If it helps get younger folks into hotrodding, Im all for it.

We used to grind on Briggs ans Stratton 5 HP cams and "re grind" them by hand. And see how long the engine would last
Engines sounded "interesting" for about 2 minutes. Then it got quiet !
Used to cobble in XR 125 4 stroke engines into Suzuki 100 cc 2 stroke bike frames.
Never thought people could make a show about stupid crap kids did as teen age,rs .
It was fun, metal shop was a learning process. Teachers gave us a lot of freedom. Doubt kids get it today.

It’s the only car show I watch. Yeah,they’re hacks. But as someone else said, it reminds me of what my buddies and I did back in high school. We had more time and ambition than smarts and money.
Also the same reason I canceled all my car magazine subscriptions decades ago, but kept getting Car Craft. CC was geared more towards blue collar type every day cars and guys, not high dollar builds.

"It was fun, metal shop was a learning process. "

Heck now at least in Katy you do not get any shop classes unless you go to the vocational school.

Yeah, WE did this stuff 40-45 years ago, but nobody has been doing it for about the past 30 years or so. Everybody is electronically distracted and owned by their phone now. So while it's old hat to you and I, it is refreshing to see younger people get interested in this stuff.
By far the best show is Hot Rod Hoarder, which is absolutely cool stuff....mainly old drag cars found and gotten running again or at least saved.
Vice Grip Garage is a hoot as well...basic stuff, but the host Derek is hilarious.

Dulcich's spread is only 75 miles from me.....I'd like to meet the guy but don't want to creep him out. Anybody who shoots a video of himself speed shifting a 1964 Dodge D600 dump truck powered by a slant six is The Man in my book!

I've enjoyed the show because Dulcich and Freiburger are what I consider "real" car guys. Some of their hacking is funny but they enjoy these cars, all kinds of cars, They aren't necessarily brand specific, they drive them everywhere, drive them daily, and they have a good time doing it. They aren't 100% into the spit shine and polish, and lets sit around and stare at it type of people.

It's refreshing to watch

I love the Roadkill shows. Makes you want to get out in the garage and work on something with your friends.

I love their show. They are very talented, I think they only play hacks when they need to. Dulcich is a very good body and paint man. He did a nice job on the Duster. They do great work when they want to or need to. It is great entertainment. I love the engine masters show also.

Not to mention Dulsich really knows engines. Some of his home ported heads have made big power, and I like the fact that he is awkward in front of a camera. He is the type of car buddy we have all had, wanted to have, or have been ourselves. I think the disgustang and vanishing paint challenger are exactly the type of inspiration aspiring car guys need. Start by getting something moving under its own power, when funds allow upgrade things system by system until you have something that is exciting to drive even if not exciting to look at. Let's be real, not everyone has $40k to buy a classic, but most guys could take a heap and over the course of a few years throw $10-15k at it to make a hot street car.

Our junior and senior years we had what was called HROP Auto. It was 2 periods long and we had local customers, town folks cars. We worked on them and fixed them like regular shops did.
College town so a lot of college kids came in for the cheap work on their cars.
That class has started 5-6 auto repair business shops that I know of.
Then they closed the program down.
Dumbest decision ever. it was a model program.
Friends with the teacher to this day. He was only 5-6 years older than us at the time.

I like the Hot Rod Garage show with Lucky Costa and Tony Angelo. Their projects tend to be a lot less sketchy, but then again they're working in a real shop and not in a junkyard or Wal-Mart parking lot. :) Both those guys also have their own YouTube channels with builds from their own personal shops, Lucky in particular does a lot of interesting builds for himself as well as for customers.

The Engine Masters show that Freiburger and Dulchich do is also interesting, there's a lot of dyno run comparisons to test various theories about making horsepower.

Roadkill can get kind of weird in what they try to do.

But at least they are not trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ears in less than a week. Spending no money and then selling it for pro-restored prices and all the time everyone in the shop is arguing and fighting with everyone else. Some of the producers and editors on these programs need to learn which end of a screwdriver to hold.

Car Craft was the entry level for car enthusiasts wanting to work on their cars and hot rod them. Now that it ceased publication, HotRod mag is the next step up. The online stuff helps the entry level guys with what they need or want.

It's popular because it's relatable to viewers. Freiberger's whole thing is that you don't need $30k+ to get into a classic car, and the show is about the journey of taking junk and making it run. People watch the show for entertainment, not for how-to or educational purposes.

Uh, not sure you've actually watched Hot Rod Garage if you think their builds are not sketchy. Building sketchy cars is 100% part of that show, and it's one of the reasons why Lucky often refuses to ride in the cars when Tony is driving hard. The V8 MG, Twinpala, Bonemaro, etc., are all super sketchy builds. I'm not criticizing their builds, as the hack nature of what they put together is part of the show's identity, just as it is with Roadkill Garage.

[QUOTE=ZeGermanHam;6237190]It's popular because it's relatable to viewers. Freiberger's whole thing is that you don't need $30k+ to get into a classic car, and the show is about the journey of taking junk and making it run. People watch the show for entertainment, not for how-to or educational purposes.”

Exactly. I watch it because it’s like watching my kids out in the garage throw stuff together, and then thrash on it. They also openly admit their screw ups. No fake drama of some other shows.
I would hardly watch ANY TV show for advice on how to do a serious build.

Skip, In the farm community I grew up in we had the "college bound" and the "Aggies".

The College Bound had classes like Farm Management, Typing, Accounting, and Business.

The "Aggies" had classes like Welding, Woodworking, Metal Casting, running a Lathe, and using a Cutting Torch.

I still remember the Business Desk I built for my older Sister and the Custom "BENCH" Rifle Stock I made for
my .220 Swift Varmint Rifle.

Course I fooled them, too, with getting a Engineering Degree and working for Ford Engineering for 39 years and Holley Carb in Emissions work before that.

At the end of the day you are what you are because of the effort you put into the endeavor.

Tom V.