Sports Car Revolution / Tuner Transformations

Is it just me or is Sports Car Revolution and Tuner Transformation just about the two best shows on TV?

Anyway, I think I just watched the last episodes of these shows last week. Sports Car Revolution finally gets the Acura RSX-S and the Noble M12 GTO completed and they take them out on the test track and on Tuner Transformation they stick a stage 2 turbo kit on an SRT-4 and get something like 370 HP out of the engine... both really good episodes.

Does anyone know if these shows are coming back next season. Does anyone else like these shows as much as I do?

There are a lot of great shows like that on Speed. Even if they don't cover vehicles you're interested in, it's still enjoyable to watch.

Bunch of good stuff on the tube for gearheads. Spike TV has been running a series (can't remember the name, but watched for a few hours during a "motor madness" marthon recently) where they've been transforming motors, cars, etc.

TechTV has some good project car stuff on too.

Originally Posted by RKT BMR

Bunch of good stuff on the tube for gearheads. Spike TV has been running a series (can't remember the name, but watched for a few hours during a "motor madness" marthon recently) where they've been transforming motors, cars, etc.

TechTV has some good project car stuff on too.

Yep, those type of shows suck me in like nothing else. I love 'em!!

Originally Posted by Andy

Yep, those type of shows suck me in like nothing else. I love 'em!!

Yup... hours, man, hours! Has become a new source of wife-pissing-off interference with the honey-do list on the weekends

Even though i don't mod my cars or anything, i still like watching them.

Man, I'm pissed that my cable co moved SPEED to digital.

Not a big fan of SCR (except for the dyno thing; both the actual segment and the Dyno Babe). Tom and Peter should really stick to their DCG stuff. I've found both shows to be somehow more enjoyable (funnier) if I remember that they're Canadian.

Originally Posted by RKT BMR

Bunch of good stuff on the tube for gearheads. Spike TV has been running a series (can't remember the name, but watched for a few hours during a "motor madness" marthon recently) where they've been transforming motors, cars, etc.

TechTV has some good project car stuff on too.

Do you ever watch Horsepower TV? (I think that's the name) Mostly muscle car stuff, the kind of thing that would have made me drool back in my high school days.

I posted about these shows when they first came out. I watch them both as well as Chop Cut Rebuild. I like all three.

Tuner Transformations - They are shooting for the chemistry of Monster Garage, and failing miserably. Other than the bad acting... and some low production values, I still find the show entertaining. As far as I know, the show is going to continue as they have like another 8-12 cars lined up including a IS300, Skyline, XB, J-Body, and a bunch of others. I like to see what they come up with when they are done with the car.

Sports Car Revolution - An entertaining mix of information and entertainment. It's a bit too glossy to go into any detail on any specific segment they do. I don't know if they will do another season, but I'd continue to watch if they do.

Chop Cut Rebuild - Of the three Speed shows, I think I liked this one the best. Chronicling the rebuilding of 4 project vehicles... all 4 being totally different. The concours restoration of the original Supervan is interesting, as is the souping up of the Chevelle. The project Ranger looks like a nightmare for the poor team assigned with it, and the WRX is now done with the last episode. I guess this show will continue as they eluded to a new project to replace the WRX on the next episode.

Now... with all that said about those 3 Speed shows...

Has anyone been watching Overhaulin' on TLC?

Now... THAT is a great show! Premise is they steal a car from the unsuspecting owner and do a complete and total rebuild to the car in one week's time. They focus more on the older American cars... but so far, every vehicle they've done has turned out awesome! Chip Foose is the ongoing design lead, and each week they have a different build team.

The show is kind of a cross between Monster Garage and Tuner Transformations... except as far as I'm concerned better than both combined.

Originally Posted by Kaz

Man, I'm pissed that my cable co moved SPEED to digital.

In one fo the channel lineup changes, I got Speed, but then the next channel lineup change too it away. . Don't know if they moved it ton one of the extra cost packages or over to digital, but given how much I use my TV anyway, I'm not inclined to pay much extra to get it and I'll switch to digital when they pry the analog boxes from my cold dead hands.

Tuner Transformation is horrible. You've got a bunch of idiots who barely know anything about cars doing nasty things to other people's vehicles.

Sports Car Revolution just has a bunch of idiots pretending that they actually know something about cars.

The "Artist" on Tuner Transformations is the pits.He seems to know nearly nothing about cars and his concepts are almost always over the top tacky.The Pimp My Ride folks have better taste than him.You know the Mazda 323GTX he did was going to have some quick tape peeling done as soon as the owner got home.Speed does have some half decent shows including Chop Cut Rebuild and Barrett Jackson Car Search.Not always great but at least something other than the endless NASCAR stream.I miss the New Zealand jetboats though.

Originally Posted by Clarke

The "Artist" on Tuner Transformations is the pits.He seems to know nearly nothing about cars and his concepts are almost always over the top tacky.The Pimp My Ride folks have better taste than him.You know the Mazda 323GTX he did was going to have some quick tape peeling done as soon as the owner got home.Speed does have some half decent shows including Chop Cut Rebuild and Barrett Jackson Car Search.Not always great but at least something other than the endless NASCAR stream.I miss the New Zealand jetboats though.

Car Search seemed good but I lost my SPEED just as it started winding up. CCR has this weird artsy format which I think is a bit odd, though I don't mind it.

A totally different type of show that I like, but I'm sure lots of people in the US don't get (I get it on the LA Unified School District channel) is the English version of Auto Motor und Sport TV from Germany. Content is a bit on the thin side (it's kinda like MotorWeek) but it covers cool euro stuff we don't get.

Originally Posted by OBS3SSION

Has anyone been watching Overhaulin' on TLC?

Now... THAT is a great show!

TOTALLY agree. I've been intrigued at the commercials for it enough to program it into the PVR. Once I watched one episode, I was hooked. Sure they tend to take out door handles in lieu of electronic door opener, but the sheer craftsmanship cannot be touched in any of the other "pimp my ride" genre, that's currently exploding from most channels.

The male host, who pulls a lot of the pranks is wee bit over the top, but the work they get accomplished in just one week.. from a rusted out/ratty interiored heap to a show car with more than cosmetics, is just incredible. They do take into account things like handling, suspension setup, engine, ICE, incredible leather treatments... It's not a bondo job either. They find replacement parts, fill rust holes with welded steel, totally blend all panels.. nice work.

Originally Posted by LarryN

The male host, who pulls a lot of the pranks is wee bit over the top, but the work they get accomplished in just one week.. from a rusted out/ratty interiored heap to a show car with more than cosmetics, is just incredible. They do take into account things like handling, suspension setup, engine, ICE, incredible leather treatments... It's not a bondo job either. They find replacement parts, fill rust holes with welded steel, totally blend all panels.. nice work.

What I wanna know about OverHaulin' is where all the money comes from. It's not a network show, and surely all the crazy man-hours and pricey parts (they don't cheap out on this show) can't all be donated. I'm sure Foose can afford to sacrifice some of his time, but there are shloads of people involved to get a 7mo project doen in 7days.

That's the thing about this particular breed of reality show. The production of the show itself is pretty cheap. You have your cameras and equipment used from show to show, and you spend every other dime on the car. While a traditional show has to spend money on sets, music, actors, etc. etc. So, each episode of Friends and Overhaulin' may have both have $100K to spend, OH is pretty much all spent on getting that car done and nothing else.

I was watching the movie, "The Italian Job" again the other night and I noticed that the song that is playing during the helicopter chase scene where the MINIs are driving through the dam/reservoir, is the same song that is Sports Car Revolutions' Theme Song.