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Desert Car Kings - Larry the idiot - paints with a dust mask...

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stude1951

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As guy whose spents years and thousands restoring a Studebaker convertible, and Vette roadster, I cringe when I catch an episode of these so called "pros". I was turned off by the Chevelles pics showing up as Ford Galaxies....but I was wondering when in the Cuda rebuild did they dump the slant six for the repainted 273 V-8. I went back in the show just to make sure it was the 6 I saw at the beginning. Plus the giant DUH factor shown over the push button Torqueflite ****** killed me. There are really no serious how to car restorations shows out there.
 

rickairmedic

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As guy whose spents years and thousands restoring a Studebaker convertible, and Vette roadster, I cringe when I catch an episode of these so called "pros". I was turned off by the Chevelles pics showing up as Ford Galaxies....but I was wondering when in the Cuda rebuild did they dump the slant six for the repainted 273 V-8. I went back in the show just to make sure it was the 6 I saw at the beginning. Plus the giant DUH factor shown over the push button Torqueflite ****** killed me. There are really no serious how to car restorations shows out there.



The part I liked the best on the Baracuda restore was when they had to replace the starter on the " restored car " and you could see the dirt falling from the car as they removed the starter . Even SWMBO looked and was like I thought they just finished restoring that car wheres all the dirt comming from :D:D.

Rick
 

rickairmedic

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Well I'll be they actually did a nice car this time and actually turned a profit on it . I wonder if they learned anything from this one :D.

Rick
 

tdkkart

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Well I'll be they actually did a nice car this time and actually turned a profit on it . I wonder if they learned anything from this one


I'm not too sure somebody didn't do half the work for them before they bought it.....

The "driveline" is too long?? Since when do we call a driveshaft a driveline??

WTF was up with bumping the starter when they were supposedly trying to start the motor?? Little baby bumps of the starter won't even start an EFI motor, let alone an old "dry" carb'd 396. And then did you catch the line at the end where they mentioned it had a 454??

What was up with the guy supposedly working on the motor out in the middle of the dirt parking lot??

The old man's kid is the biggest idiot in the whole crew......he should be selling couches somewhere in town.
 

rickairmedic

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LOL I agree about the Kid completely I am not even sure he would be qualitied to sell couches . He is what I would consider a poor spoiled little rich kid ( daddy has provided him everything he has ever neded ) .


Rick
 

rickairmedic

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Yeah that one killed me as well . With at least 1/2 dozen if not more aftermarket ( restoration ) Chevy Heavy places to choose from every emblem on that car could have been had NEW within 24hours :D.

I must have missed the 454 bit due to being so amazed they had actually pulled off a decent car.


Rick
 

jmh21586

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I'm not too sure somebody didn't do half the work for them before they bought it.....

The "driveline" is too long?? Since when do we call a driveshaft a driveline??

I had a question about this. When a car is sitting on all fours, shouldn't there be room for the driveshaft to go in and out with suspension travel?

Because it looked like they wanted it to be all the way in when they were trying to get it on at first. How much of the yoke should be in the ****** and how much travel should it be able to have in both direections? Doesn't seem like they were allowing for any inward play.
Does my question make sense?



WTF was up with bumping the starter when they were supposedly trying to start the motor??
Causing drama. Plain and simple.


The old man's kid is the biggest idiot in the whole crew......he should be selling couches somewhere in town.

IMO, they are all morons.

Did anyone see right after a commercial when the show came back on there was a little trivia and it said they once "restored" a car and sold it for $74,000?? Can't remember what kind of car.
My only guess is they started with a car that was already worth $250,000 and "restored" it down to a value of $74,000. :lol_hitti
 

strnjss

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All of the reality shows are based on drama. When they broke the back glass in the Cuda I turned it off. You knew it was going to get broken by the way they kept saying that it absolutely could not get broken. I don't believe 10% of the drama between Jr & Sr on American Chopper is real. Just a way to keep making money. I hate em all. If you watch American Pickers you can see that they are trying to introduce the drama with the chick getting involved.

I'm pretty sure the American Chopper stuff is real. They don't even have any onscreen drama anymore because they won't even talk to each other anymore and are suing and everything else. The extent of it now is off hand comments like, "oh Jr would never be able to do this". Or "too bad Sr.'s lost his mind", etc.

All the real drama on that show happens off camera too, all the lawsuits from the old painters wanting a cut of merchandise sales, Sr. taking back the bike he pretended to give Cody, Sr saying other stuff just for the camera's sake then taking it back off camera, everyone suing everyone else, etc.
 

jmh21586

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I love American Chooper. I like the drama in that show. No different than any made up scripted show on tv. Although I think American Chopper is 100% real.
 

tdkkart

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I had a question about this. When a car is sitting on all fours, shouldn't there be room for the driveshaft to go in and out with suspension travel?

Because it looked like they wanted it to be all the way in when they were trying to get it on at first. How much of the yoke should be in the ****** and how much travel should it be able to have in both direections? Doesn't seem like they were allowing for any inward play.
Does my question make sense?

In a typical situation, with the vehicle sitting on it's wheels the driveshaft yoke should be about 1" more or less from being bottomed out in the transmission. At least this is what most recomend and use for measuring driveshafts. The only reason it would vary would be if you had some wierd suspension that produced alot of fore/aft movement of the axle.

I fully expected them to just lop an inch or so off the end of the driveshaft yoke with a hacksaw, but once again they disapponted me.
 

Kevin54

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I had a question about this. When a car is sitting on all fours, shouldn't there be room for the driveshaft to go in and out with suspension travel?

Because it looked like they wanted it to be all the way in when they were trying to get it on at first. How much of the yoke should be in the ****** and how much travel should it be able to have in both direections? Doesn't seem like they were allowing for any inward play.
Does my question make sense?




Causing drama. Plain and simple.




IMO, they are all morons.

Did anyone see right after a commercial when the show came back on there was a little trivia and it said they once "restored" a car and sold it for $74,000?? Can't remember what kind of car.
My only guess is they started with a car that was already worth $250,000 and "restored" it down to a value of $74,000. :lol_hitti

'59 Chevy Convertible IIRC

And the scripting on that show has to be the worst of any show on the air. Every show has a custom hotrod pulling down the dusty drive looking for one part. It would be better just showing more of those cars and less of dad and junior
 
OP
R

racerock

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I love American Chooper. I like the drama in that show. No different than any made up scripted show on tv. Although I think American Chopper is 100% real.

In case you did not hear - American Chopper has been cancelled... From what I remember it was announced around Sept. 2010. SO, the recent "new" episodes of Sr vs Jr are the last.

Now back to the regularly scheduled program of idiots - Desert Car Kings...

SO, I just saw the Studebaker. Paint sprayed on, they wetsanded it, and did you see all the polish marks... Amazing...

It seems to me that if they would invest in better temp/booth environment, guns and personnel that know how to paint - the end result would be better.

Maybe not...

This should be on "Comedy Channel"
 

Lotek_Racing

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There are really no serious how to car restorations shows out there.

Because the reality would scare too many people away.

The average Joe 6-pack doesn't want to watch me stand at the blast cabinet for three hours.

"Up next, watch 200 riveting hours of block sanding!"

Shawn
 

kmacht

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I don't get some of the comments that have been made here. Yes, they don't do a full restoration on the cars they sell. There are imperfections, things that could use more detail, and other things that would make the car nicer. The flip side of that is they don't get top dollar for their cars and they do the work in just a few short weeks. They don't claim to be doing a showroom restoration and couldn't sell the cars for a profit if they did. They make the cars so they run and aren't an embaressment to drive and the selling prices reflect that. I don't think they could dump 20k into a car and still sell it at their little local auction and turn a profit.

Keith
 

CARS

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I don't get some of the comments that have been made here. Yes, they don't do a full restoration on the cars they sell. There are imperfections, things that could use more detail, and other things that would make the car nicer. The flip side of that is they don't get top dollar for their cars and they do the work in just a few short weeks. They don't claim to be doing a showroom restoration and couldn't sell the cars for a profit if they did. They make the cars so they run and aren't an embaressment to drive and the selling prices reflect that. I don't think they could dump 20k into a car and still sell it at their little local auction and turn a profit.

Keith

That's just fine and dandy Keith, but keep it off TV. Shows like this is what cost me a fortune every year re-programing people. Overhaulin did the same thing (although much, much better quality). Joe Cuda walks in for me to look at his car. I tell him the average cost of body and paint is 15K and will take up to 6 months depending on parts availability and hidden damage. "well, Chip does it in 7 days and that one show does a "restoration" for under 10K. Why are you trying to screw me?"

People believe what they see on t.v. :headscrat
 

Az Scooter

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That's just fine and dandy Keith, but keep it off TV. Shows like this is what cost me a fortune every year re-programing people. Overhaulin did the same thing (although much, much better quality). Joe Cuda walks in for me to look at his car. I tell him the average cost of body and paint is 15K and will take up to 6 months depending on parts availability and hidden damage. "well, Chip does it in 7 days and that one show does a "restoration" for under 10K. Why are you trying to screw me?"

People believe what they see on t.v. :headscrat

And the answer is, "did you notice how many people Chip has working on the car, standing around at the reveal? Did you know you could double that number, and still not have all the people that worked on the car?"
 
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djjsr

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I thought the Studebaker business coupe was a pretty neat car. I'm surprised it didn't sell. Maybe because it was so streaky. A little time with a buffer would have made a difference.
 

CARS

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How much did it go for? I fell asleep..:lol_hitti

I think it went to $8,000.00 No Sale. Had a reserve on it.

Has anyone else noticed that everyone out west wet sands without a backing pad?? Edit: What I mean is that I remember Boyd's shop doing it, I have seen it on Overhaulin, etc. I have never seen anyone in the 5 state area around MN just grab a sheet of 2000 grit and a hose to sand a car. We're taught to use a block or some sort, work your way up through a few different grits, and use soapy water out of a bucket when wet sanding.

I am still in awe that the one guy grabbed the 2000 grit in his hand and started sanding vertically on the drivers door. Can you imagine the finger groves created?? Maybe that is why they didn't finish buffing the car :confused:
 
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kc-steve

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I'm not familiar with the show, but I like to watch those kind of shows to get tips. But if they are not following standard guidelines then maybe I'll pass.

Back in the 1960s and early 1970s I was a delivery guy to both auto repair shops and body shops. I am pretty sure I always saw those guys wearing just a dust/paint mask. And back then the paint wasn't near as bad as the stuff is today. Most used lacquer but solvents have always been around.

I guess I am lucky, my limited unprotected exposure hasn't shown to cause me any health problems over the years. But I am sure the liability costs has probably been the primary reason for current high prices of auto paint.

Steve
 

ZRX61

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I tell him the average cost of body and paint is 15K and will take up to 6 months depending on parts availability and hidden damage. "well, Chip does it in 7 days and that one show does a "restoration" for under 10K. Why are you trying to screw me?"

People believe what they see on t.v. :headscrat

The thing is that Chip still charges "Time & Materials" just like the rest of us schmucks. So next time just tell em "take it to Chip then" :thumbup:

I remember one car that had 400 hours in paint & bodywork.. & it still wasn't finished.. :)

Has anyone else noticed that everyone out west wet sands without a backing pad?? Edit: What I mean is that I remember Boyd's shop doing it, I have seen it on Overhaulin, etc.

I'm out West, I use pads, got an entire drawer full of all sorts of shapes & profiles :)
 
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CARS

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The thing is that Chip still charges "Time & Materials" just like the rest of us schmucks. So next time just tell em "take it to Chip then" :thumbup:
Good idea!

I remember one car that had 400 hours in paint & bodywork.. & it still wasn't finished.. :)
I remember one episode of Rides where Chip was building a Ritler (sp?) Winner. They had 300+ hours just in wetsanding and buffing! Of course that included 3 painted and polished oil filters... :wtf:



I'm out West, I use pads, got an entire drawer full of all sorts of shapes & profiles :)
Good!

I can just see every diy'er out there with a garden hose and a handfull of sandpaper because of t.v. shows :lol_hitti
 

Brew62

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It's cumulative, you can be fine for years & then just suddenly drop dead from respiratory failure when ya show up at work one morning.

Boy, you sure know how to ruin a guys day.
 

uhohjim

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And the answer is, "did you notice how many people Chip has working on the car, standing around at the reveal? Did you know you could double that number, and still not have all the people that worked on the car?"

UNfortunately ......Alot of people who aren't true CAR people don't have a clue that there were maybe a hundred people working on the overhaul cars not to mention suppliers on standby and engine builders trans guys and the like............Plus try to even find somepleace to chrome a bumper for you on a moments notice.........Just sayin LOL
 

ZRX61

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UNfortunately ......Alot of people who aren't true CAR people don't have a clue that there were maybe a hundred people working on the overhaul cars not to mention suppliers on standby and engine builders trans guys and the like............Plus try to even find somepleace to chrome a bumper for you on a moments notice.........Just sayin LOL
I worked on 2 projects the first or second season, wasn't anywhere near 100 people working on the cars, doubt it was half that number.
 

mike54

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That's just fine and dandy Keith, but keep it off TV. Shows like this is what cost me a fortune every year re-programing people. Overhaulin did the same thing (although much, much better quality). Joe Cuda walks in for me to look at his car. I tell him the average cost of body and paint is 15K and will take up to 6 months depending on parts availability and hidden damage. "well, Chip does it in 7 days and that one show does a "restoration" for under 10K. Why are you trying to screw me?"

People believe what they see on t.v. :headscrat

Yes they do. I hadn't thought about the impact on your business from these shows. I figured it created a bunch of people who know enough to be dangerous, but also a certain number of people who might take up cars as a hobby, or maybe better understand those of us that participate in it. Who knows.
On of the things that I find personally annoying is as I'm working on a car and it's in primer some one says I should paint it. Maybe, but 15K is a lot of money but that's just what a decent paint job will cost you. When I tell them I haven't painted a car yet because I'm saving the cash and what it costs they think I'm holding out for a show quality job. People . . . who can figure 'em out.
On thing that should be obvious from DCK is that it's hard to flip a car and make money. Not many people have the skills (such as they are) and the resources that they do on that show and more often than not they barely break even. You've got to really like just dinking around with cars to be in the hobby. Some times you get lucky but more often than not you work your **** off to break even.
 

moose knuckle

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I question the true budget behind some of these builds.. Looks to me they dont buy a whole lot of new parts, but reuse of garabe thats been cleaned the best they can. Except for the tv money, why bother making a couple hundred bucks "restoring" a car. The interiors do turn out as the best part of the cars IMO.
 

Kevin54

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I'm not familiar with the show, but I like to watch those kind of shows to get tips. But if they are not following standard guidelines then maybe I'll pass.

Back in the 1960s and early 1970s I was a delivery guy to both auto repair shops and body shops. I am pretty sure I always saw those guys wearing just a dust/paint mask. And back then the paint wasn't near as bad as the stuff is today. Most used lacquer but solvents have always been around.

I guess I am lucky, my limited unprotected exposure hasn't shown to cause me any health problems over the years. But I am sure the liability costs has probably been the primary reason for current high prices of auto paint.

Steve

Paint was just as bad back then, but people were ot aware of the effects or after effects until years and years later. I remember the very first time my dad shot a car in Imron. It laid him up in the hospital for a week. A few others died from using it due to not having proper PPE (Personal Protection Equipment)
I used to shoot with only a smaller particle mask and at times no mask at all. That was maybe 30 years ago. No ill affects from it YET, but I imagine later on in life, I will pay for that stupidity.
Same goes with gloves and chemicals. Never used them. Wipe a car down with cleaner with rags soaked. Paint on your hands, grab some lacquer thinner to clean it off. Breathing filler dust that the mask did not stop. It will all catch up later on. You just don't know how though. It could be in the form of cancer, it could be in the form of dementia. It could be in the form of serious reactions to various things just like todays isocyanate poisoning.
Anyways.....not to preach because ones can and will do as they want, but proper PPE is a must with me anymore. :thumbup:
 

ZRX61

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I find that surprising but then I wasn't on the show so I guess I'm wrong....Jim

Once you get above a certain number everyone starts getting in each others way so it limits the amount of hands on the project.
maybe 5 or 6 for paint/body, 2 or 3 for suspenders & brakes, 3 or 4 for interior, 2 sparks, 3 or 4 for engine, 2 for trans, 2 for trim, 2 for glass etc.. It doesn't take many before you end up with people standing around with their thumb up their collective *** waiting for someone else to get out of the way..
Interior guys get held up while the car is on the lift, brake/suspendies/exhaust crew can't do anything while the car is on the ground...
& then ya have to figure in the access for the camera crew so while they film one guy putting the same wheel on & off 8 ******** times from different angles (it happens) everyone else is getting fat at Craft Services.
I spent over 12 hours on a Sema project film shoot & only did about 2 hours actual work because of the jackasses with the cameras... & that was just one of 4 days filming.
All this "deadline" ******** you see on the shows are usually caused byTV scheduling & nothing to do with when a car has to be ready for the customer or a car show etc... but that ain't what they tell you ;)
 

Falcon67

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I am still in awe that the one guy grabbed the 2000 grit in his hand and started sanding vertically on the drivers door. Can you imagine the finger groves created?? Maybe that is why they didn't finish buffing the car
I want to quit watching this trash because of things like this - but it's like a slow motion train wreck, you just can't seem to look away. :lol: I've only painted a couple of cars and even I know better. Jeeze.

And having shot some cars, when somebody says 15K for body and paint I don't blink. I will do my own paint for sure, but standing in your converted shop shooting paint for 4 hours in a full suit in 95F weather will give you great respect for the profession. That after weeks of prep work too - people don't really get that.

I don't think they could dump 20k into a car and still sell it at their little local auction and turn a profit.
Well - and I didn't see the last episode - up to now the "profit" I've seen them earn from 3 weeks of "rustoration" hack work is $250. I think they'd make more just washing the snakes and dirt out of the cars and reselling.
 

demoderbydave

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Desert Car Kings...my 2 cents worth.

I have been watching this show along with every other "car guy" show this long winter to get me more motivated to work on my projects and have noticed every thing previously posted in the earlier posts about the SS emblems and especially the rear window :lol_hitti mishap. I agree that those emblems are available from NUMEROUS suppliers and some of the other thing shown really have me baffled. Before the show ever aired I would occasionally go to DVAP's site and marvel over their inventory and said if I ever needed anything that they have that would be where I would buy it...

After the show...They appear to be a BUNCH of MORONS :spit:. The owner, doesn't appear to be anywhere as much of a expert especially after hearing him talk about the cars...That kid of his doesn't have a clue and neither does most of the staff shown for that matter.

The one thing I constantly think about when I watch these shows is...after seeing some of this stupid stuff on national TV... Who would actually hire these ***** to do anything? That "new expert " they hired (who broke the window) is supposed to be the shop foreman! I wouldn't let him put air in a tire...if he ain't smart enought , in plain english, to put that "irreplaceable" window somewhere safer than on a rickety stand right near where they are "working" (and sure to be broken),and then, even if you go with the assumtion that IT WAS ACTUALLY an accident!!! Wouldn't you sweep up the remains of the F@#$ UP while you look for a replacement so the boss doesn't see it?
I know I would have.

I also remeber an episode of "American hotrod" a while back when Boyd (RIP)and that ***** Dwayne with
his cast of idiots were building the Aluminum hot rod (what ever it was called) and they had a custom one off all aluminum block made especially for this BIG BIG BUCK build and the best engine builders in the country (supposedly) and when they went to start this million dollar motor for the first time NO ONE thought to check the 50 cent oil pressure gauge screwed in to the block to check for oil pressure (first thing anyone with HALF a brain does upon initial start up or with a long dormant engine) and GUESS WHAT? They launched the mega buck motor....WOULD YOU AS A "BIG TIME PRO" CAR BUILDER want that shown on national TV? I sure wouldnt....

I will admit that I am FAR from an expert at anything other than overflowing the TOILET... But I feel like a genius after seeing some of this stuff!!! Just my thoughts...at lunch time at work!
 
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ptschram

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LOL! there haven't been many cases tho, maybe a dozen or so. I know a few guys that can't even drive past a bodyshop without getting chest pains...


Exposure to halogenated solvents in the laboratory resulted in my developing a kidney disease that ultimately cost me my flight medical clearance.

Just about any heavy solvent exposure will ruin the day for me. Etching primers seem to be the worst, I won't open the can without at least a half-face respirator.

Our bodies can only metabolize so much of any given compound in a 24-hour period. If you are re-exposed (like on the next workday), the toxins continue to build-up until the threshold is exceeded and BANG-you're either hyper-sensitized to it, or dead. This was particularly bad for me when I worked in a wire mill, the insulation fume exposure was horrible.

The things I did in school and at work 25-30 years ago.
 
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