TV Restoration of 1946 TC

[Beau]

Last night I watched a program on National Geographic called Car S.O.S., based in Great Britain. The program revolved around an elderly gentleman who had a TC in need of repair and restoration. Fun to watch and may prod a few of us to get at it again. It is season 2, episode 10.

Beau

[frenchblatter]

Beau, Was it the one where they get the blocked "stiched"?

[Beau]

Yes it was. I wish my TC was that easy. It was amazing what some spit and polish can do.

[antijam]

Was it not a TA rather than a TC? 'For the Love of Cars' was a series on UK Channel 4 that did a resto on a TC about the same time.

[Beau]

You are right, it was a TA. I believe a 1938.

[Steve Simmons]

It always looks so easy on TV! I wish I could edit my restoration down to 60 minutes.

[antijam]

Anyone who's restored a T-type will know only too well that the process is nothing like as smooth and trouble-free as it appears in the TV resto programs. I recall in the 'For the Love of Cars' episode, Ant Anstead (more recently of Wheeler Dealers fame) got a full ash frame from Hutson which he subsequently panelled himself. Coincidentally I was at Hutson shortly after the program aired ordering my own(fully panelled)tub and mentioned to Andy Rayner, the Manager, that I'd recently seen his work on the box. He laughed and said they'd actually supplied several tubs before Ant was able to exhibit a finished product on the show. If you've a TV budget that's maybe not a problem - I don't think you or I could afford three go's at a new body....

[Mark McCombs]

Haha, you can ask Craig Seabrook how many 'extra' tub pieces I bought as I ruined them along the way in the fitting process....but multiple whole tubs!

Always enjoyed Wheeler Dealer US but no doubt their 'selling prices' dramatically affected what similar models get advertised for...

[i.thomson]

Surely nobody who know anything about old car restoration can possibly believe either the timescale or prices involved. It always seems that they must buy very clean cars as the first time they hoist them up they are spotless and seem to come with a hidden light in the wheel arch! I am willing to suspend my disbelief just long enough to imagine that the mechanic is not a complete novice but as to doing it alone - no way. I wish I had his range of skills though. As to prices perhaps the suppliers are willing to give what we over here call "mates rates" in exchange for the free advertising but then again maybe they just make them up, Just like they don't factor the labour into the final costs.

[Steve Simmons]

They do exchange discounted parts for advertising on the shows. It makes perfect sense really. Television is a business of which marketing is of major importance. And unfortunately for us gear heads, if they made a program that actually showed highly detailed technical work in real time with regular people doing the work, the show would never make air and no one would get paid. Let's face it, our interests are not shared by the majority of the television viewing audience. That's why we're relegated to you tube when we want to see something done in detail by an actual expert.

Limited budgets and short attention spans dictate how all the popular car restoration shows are made. The more outlandish they are, the more successful.

[i.thomson]

I'm touched by your defence of modern commercial journalism Steve, and, by extension, the workings of the market which worms its way into every part of our existence. Us gear heads may be nich but we are not gullible nor do we lack knowledge. I find myself cringing when they use primer from a pressurised can to "protect" a repair and then use stone guard from another can to cover a mutitude of sins just so that the potential buyer will not be put off from getting their wallet out. I would be interested in the buyers opinion of their purchase when the cut corners begin to show.

Ian

[Steve Simmons]

Sorry, I thought we were just talking about a car show, not journalism and its affect on the world. No need for such serious conversation on a forum for old MGs. I'd say if you feel TV is worming its way into your life too much, then shut the infernal thing off! Love it or hate it, the whole world is run on marketing and TV is no different. That's why we have so many garbage "car shows". Every once in a while I catch one that's actually kind of fun, but I'm not going to kid myself by expecting it to cater to guys like us. If you can make one that does, and get it on the air, I'll be a dedicated viewer! There is no lack of desire to make such shows, but finding someone to buy it is the hard part.

As for shoddy work, I don't think those TV shows have the market cornered. They will never do the kind of work that guys like us demand. Can you imagine the bean counters wondering how their $20K TV show just spent $150K on a restoration?

[Duncan M]

I can't stand any of those shows where they are working under a deadline. So fake. Jay Leno does a pretty good job of entertaining while specifically talking about troubles in restoring a certain car. The "restoration blogs" on youtube are pretty interesting.

He talks about and shows his MG TA project at 19:48 in this episode-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyePz_Nq2pY

[Mark McCombs]

My comment regarding their pricing is noted specifically to their selling prices when completed. There was an instant reflection in advertised prices in the very models old Mike Brewer sold in those episodes. BMW 2002 for $32k...clearly the purchase is staged but those prices...

[Steve Simmons]

I agree Duncan, Leno does a pretty good job. He started out as a web series, and then I think it was Motor Trend who bought the show. A new channel hungry for content plus his star power were definitely factors. Although there is a bit of trickery and silliness in his show, at least he's a real car guy. He darn near burned his eyebrows off once lighting a steam car, but left it in the show.

[antijam]

I've been impressed with Jay Leno's You Tube restoration blogs; he certainly is 'a real car guy'! I was particularly interested in his restoration of a Daimler SP250 as I was doing one at the same time. This is mine - sharing the space with my other V8's.......

I've owned mine for over 50 years so know it inside out and was impressed with his understanding of the car and the detail he covered. He is at least honest about the real time a resto takes rather than the '10 days most car shows imply'. On his first test drive after completion he was honest enough too to own up to the stupid error of fitting the wrong radiator cap. Our two cars ended up looking pretty much the same - same spec, same colour - although he'd carried out a few mods from original (Weber carb and a Tremec gearbox). I do hope he gets as much fun out of his as I do out of mine!