Any Junkyard Wars fans?

[Cander]

Anyone been watching the new season and are as pissed as me that they have gone with a sex sells attitude?

[techgnome]

OH THANK YOU! It's not just me then either..... I had the same thought the other day.... I'm not too sure I'm all for this "new" verison....

[Cander]

Definatly sucks.

I mean Bowser is great to see again. But Crash from the NERDS? Come on! The NERDS were the most annoying team ever. If anything I would prefer one of the Long Brothers.

And the pick and choose team is crap. Dont like it.

And as far as the sex sells crap, yes the girl is hot, but I miss Kathy. They need a geek girl in the role not a model.

Did you notice how it seems they put junk in piles of the same type? Or was I just seeing things? Sure they seed the yard, but do they have to mke it that easy?

Wondering if they are screwing up the British version Scrapheap Challenge this bad.

[techgnome]

Yeah, I don't like the pick 'n' choose of the teams.... The girl looks like she might freak if she broke a nail in the yard.... ugh!
At least Kathy could keep up with the guys as they run around....
As for stuff being in the same piles... a lot of the junk places I've been to do that sort of thing.... but I've always suspected that they seed the yard... they always are able to find what they are looking for,,, hmmm...
I'd like to see one where it wasn't seeded, give them two days, and come up with a real challenge that forces them to re-design two or three times.....

[Cander]

Problem is, the really do have to seed. Usually because of safety concerns, or legal issues. And in many cases, stuff you just will not find in a junkyard. Like working engines.

Like in the Monster truck challenges where they had to get those huge tires on loan as you wont find them in a junkyard in usable shape due to cost.

And you dont see it on TV, but there are many times, they find stuff they want to use, but the safety crew will not allow the teams to use it for safety reasons.

The only time I really hated the seeding, was the Mega Wars where they had to make the planes. 99% of what they had to use was seeded. Now that just makes it pointless to call it Junkyard Wars then doesnt it?

Thank goodness Robert Lllewylen is still hosting Scrapheap I just read. New series is on in UK now. Should be in the US beginning of 2004.

[techgnome]

Originally posted by Cander
Problem is, the really do have to seed. Usually because of safety concerns, or legal issues. And in many cases, stuff you just will not find in a junkyard. Like working engines.

Like in the Monster truck challenges where they had to get those huge tires on loan as you wont find them in a junkyard in usable shape due to cost.

And you dont see it on TV, but there are many times, they find stuff they want to use, but the safety crew will not allow the teams to use it for safety reasons.

The only time I really hated the seeding, was the Mega Wars where they had to make the planes. 99% of what they had to use was seeded. Now that just makes it pointless to call it Junkyard Wars then doesnt it?

Thank goodness Robert Lllewylen is still hosting Scrapheap I just read. New series is on in UK now. Should be in the US beginning of 2004.

1) I was nto aware of that.... it would be interesting to see a sort of behind the scenes look at JW/SC.... And not just the engiens either, there have been some chasis & vehicle bodies that would make most project car junkies drool....
2) I jsut think that it's coinicidental that these designs that they "come up" with right there, the stuff for it jsut happens to be lying around.... There's some obvious pre-planning that's going on.... there was one.... the torpedo episode... There "jsut happened" to be all those pressurized CO2 cannisters lying about... ???
3) I look forward to that.... Personally I liked Robert as host over the others.... but then I'm also a RD nut, so I might be biased.

[PeteD]

I agree with what you've all said. The concept behind the program is great, but some of the things they find are just too good to be true. I reckon you could find running engines and chassis, as many people drive their cars to the breakers/junkyard, but I reckon in reality the teams would rarely finish in time. What about the crucial part that needs to be ordered/made and won't arrive for a week or so? And that 1 hour 'tinkering time' I bet thats a hell of a lot longer than 1 hour.

I suppose it wouldn't be good TV if none of the competitors finished though. I still really enjoy watching it !

[Arc]

Well i've never actually seen them find a running engine. They usually get them to run but only after some work. And it is quite common to find engines that will run in a junk yard.

Most of the other stuff they use is common junk yard fare as well. Pipes, Barrels,Various chunks of metal,Axels,Old Tires etc...

THe only 2 new ones I have seen I have caught right in the middle so I don't know anything about the pic n choose deal. But I have noticed they have had the same Boss for each team both times.


As far as the new chick, she seems ok to me. I don;t know why you think it's a sex sells kinda thing. It's not like she's running around in a minny skirt. yah she has a pretty face but so what?


Personally I like the Dicovery Channel shows alot better, Monster Garage, Monster House, American Chopper(My Fav).

[Slaine]

Junkyard Wars/Scrapheap challenge is one of the finest pieces of television ever produced - I'm a big fan, can you tell?

The scrap heaps are actually all built from scratch for the program. There is a certain amount of seeding that goes on but not as bad as you think. The experts are told several weeks in advance what the project is going to be, at which point they have time to come up with an idea and inform the producers what materials they absolutely must have to make the item - this doesn't mean they will get it though, if they asked for 10ft of 1" angle section then the producers might decide to seed the yard with 9ft or perhaps 10x 1ft lengths.

Obviously there are certain projects that are going to need specific items - the rockets all needed engines but rocket engines are not the type of thing you would normally find on a scrap heap.

One funny story is when the techs accidently place the entire seasons allocation of 'new' steel on the heap for the first show. One team found it and used the lot - consiquently there was none left for the rest of the shows.

[Cander]

2) I jsut think that it's coinicidental that these designs that they "come up" with right there, the stuff for it jsut happens to be lying around.... There's some obvious pre-planning that's going on.... there was one.... the torpedo episode... There "jsut happened" to be all those pressurized CO2 cannisters lying about... ???

That is actually a perfect example of legal issues for seeding. ANY pressurized gas cannisters have to be tested and certified by the DOT every certain amount of years. These cannisters can get oxidized, especially ones in junkyard, which weakens the cannister. This can and has caused cannisters to explode when being filled.

As far as the new chick, she seems ok to me. I don;t know why you think it's a sex sells kinda thing. It's not like she's running around in a minny skirt. yah she has a pretty face but so what?

No but is still obvious they the producers went for a sex sells theme. She is an underwear model and it is hard to believe she is into mechanics, engines, and dirty men.

They will never top Robert and Kathy as hosts. They were the best together. They are both really into the stuff on the show.

[BodwadUK]

Scrapheap challenge is on again??? When???

its a cool program but i think they do 'seed' the scrapheap before every show. They need to or nothing will be finished and it would be boring. I think we can safely say it is still scrap

[Cander]

Originally posted by BodwadUK
Scrapheap challenge is on again??? When???

its a cool program but i think they do 'seed' the scrapheap before every show. They need to or nothing will be finished and it would be boring. I think we can safely say it is still scrap

Sunday nights at 6.00 pm
on Channel 4
in the UK.

From Roberts website

http://www.llew.co.uk/scrapheap/

[BodwadUK]

WOHOOOOOO