Reality Rides TV Show

[Jim Yergin]

There is a reality TV show on the Velocity cable channel that is just finishing its first season following the restoration of a 1955 Buick. The second season (starts January 4, 2014 on my local Comcast cable system) where they will be restoring a 1942 Dodge Command Car with the original flat head six. You can watch the first episode of the second season on-line.

I like the show. It does not have the manufactured deadlines and drama of the other automobile reality shows.

Jim Yergin

vimeo.com/channels/realityrides

[Don Coatney]

I really like the tri 5 Buicks. I would take one any day over a shiverlay of the same vintage. I know (or perhaps I don't know) that Buick portholes have some mysterious meaning. The barn find in the video clearly has 4 portholes. The finished product sports three portholes. Not looking to add drama but anyone know why?

 

My dad once bought a 55 Buick two door hardtop when I was just 16 years old and a foolish beginner driver. In my youthful stupid foolishness I trashed two automatic transmissions in that car so my dad dumped that nail head Buick in short order and bought another car.

[JerseyHarold]

The low-line Buicks (in this case the Special series) got three portholes (aka ventiports).  The Century, Super, and Roadmaster got four ventiports on the front fender.

 

FWIW, the second car I ever drove was my aunt's '55 Century 4-door hardtop.  Being the pack rat that I am, I still have the shop manual to that car.

Edited December 28, 2013 by JerseyHarold

[fstfish66]

ive seen the show  not bad ,,but have not seen  it on  for a little bit,,,  i hope to catch the 42 dodge  show,,should be interesting as all the trim and grill are different then  any other year,,,

 

there was a guy here in PA he sorta got out of it a few years ago that specialized in 1942 dodge and plymouths,,he had  a few restored he did his self mostly  converts,,,and a ton  of parts   when  i was there he was  sitting in a old  cold  garage with a space heater reworking  a steering wheel,,and  getting ready to install a convetable top  by him self,,, was was over 70  said he had  restored over  50  early  40s late 30s mopars and rubbed out be hand,,, only  place  i ever seen any  1942 mopars

[knuckleharley]

ive seen the show  not bad ,,but have not seen  it on  for a little bit,,,  i hope to catch the 42 dodge  show,,should be interesting as all the trim and grill are different then  any other year,,,

 

there was a guy here in PA he sorta got out of it a few years ago that specialized in 1942 dodge and plymouths,,he had  a few restored he did his self mostly  converts,,,and a ton  of parts   when  i was there he was  sitting in a old  cold  garage with a space heater reworking  a steering wheel,,and  getting ready to install a convetable top  by him self,,, was was over 70  said he had  restored over  50  early  40s late 30s mopars and rubbed out be hand,,, only  place  i ever seen any  1942 mopars

Can you contact him and ask him if he has any nice trim parts for sale? Especially a grille for a 42 Dodge?

[Jim Yergin]

It is a 1942 Dodge Command Car, a military vehicle, not a regular Dodge passenger car.

Jim Yergin

[fstfish66]

Can you contact him and ask him if he has any nice trim parts for sale? Especially a grille for a 42 Dodge?

this man  is over  70,,last  i seen him  about  4 years ago,,,we was  selling all  his inventory,,and  retiring,,,every thig  is gone now ,,,

[Jeff Balazs]

I watched the first two episodes. Caught a brief view of the brake and clutch pedals......and they sure looked similar to the ones in my Pilothouse.

I will be interested to see how they progress...wonder what corners they will cut? They sure tore into it.

 

Jeff

[fstfish66]

 I wonder how the winnery came to choosing this vehicle,,pretty  rare and out of the box  thinking,,

[austinsailor]

I just watched the first 6 episodes of the Buick restoration.

 

Very interesting. I have two comments, though.

 

First, I would have thought they would have removed more rust and old paint.  I'm surprised at the things they covered. Would probably last for years, but if it was mine I'd not sleep well painting over so much rust and old paint problems.  Then, maybe if I was in their business, I'd go broke pretty quick trying to overdo everything.

 

Second - I can't believe those guys sand paint all day without even a dust mask. At my age, 67, I'm watching many people I grew up with die off. I can tell why a lot of them are gone, or will be soon. Much of it is simple things like that. You can look at what they did in their lives and see the results. Too bad people in their teens and 20's can't see it so clearly. Oh, well, they probably wouldn't think it mattered to them anyway.

 

But - the series - pretty good. I drive by there occasionally, maybe I'll have to stop by and join the other tourists who are probably doing the same thing.

 

Gene

[Tones52]

This will hopefully be of interest to forum members especially on the truck side of the house. I wasn't sure whether to post it here or under announcements, so Admin, may decide to move this.

 

While most of the other restore old cars/trucks reality shows leave a lot to be desired, this one looks like it has promise. It's on the Velocity channel but their website seems to also show full episodes.

 

This season's focus is starting with a 1942 Dodge Command Car. It's a ground up restoration for a winery's museum.

 

Here's a link to their website page with episode videos. Enjoy.

 

http://reality-rides.com/1-command-car-inspection.html

 

Tony

 

ps: I could have done a better search because I see others had already posted on this. But the lnk is good. It starts off with an overview of the show's intent, the builder & his team, background on the winery and then the 42 Command Car.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Tones52

[Jeff Balazs]

Well......what a joke this show has turned into. The episode aired today had no more than about 4 minutes of time on the Command car project.......and it is being heavily glossed over. Lots of adverts and foo-foo winery crap though.

Unbelievable that this sort of stuff stays on the air. It doesn't seem like there is one decent automotive show produced here in the States. Wheeler Dealers out of the UK puts them all to shame. The level of detail on that show makes our shows look very sad indeed.

 

Jeff

[fstfish66]

AMERICARNA  looks  to be a good  show with no  hoopla,,

[Plymouthy Adams]

is failure to have a personal identity reached such levels in the US that we must have reality shows...don't watch them could care less what a few prima donna may be doing...we will continue to have this garbage shoved down the throat as long as people tune it to this junk...want reality...go turn a wrench while laying on your back on wet concrete because you need to take the car to work and pay the bills...and give thanks to the fact you had concrete to work on..7 out of 10 programs on the line up is this so called reality bs that is just hype and drama...I'm finished..got it off my chest...

Edited February 12, 2014 by Plymouthy Adams

[48Dodger]

My assessment of season 2 episode1? I just watch a commercial for Jordan Winery.......lol.

 

warning: if you dont like reality car shows...no need to read further.

 

The show quality, the pace and the music seem to remain really low budget. Almost like the J. Winery paid the bills. 

Having lived in the Healdsburg area for almost 14 years (sonoma county) I can tell you there is a lot of money in the wineries there. 

Its all part of the Napa Valley / Silverado trail  blah blah of wineries. I looked up the guys who film/own the show, Greene HD Productions, they seem like a good group of people who are moving towards TV shows vs freelance and documentaries. Might be why it looked like a commercial. Velocity (owned by Discovery) is an HD channel, and thats where GHDP has been for the last 25 years, filming HD stuff. So no wonder they took a shot at a HDTV show.

 

Gunnery Sargent Emery should have been used to described the use of the vehicle, given the specs and the years in service. A description of the motor would have been nice and maybe a report on it performance during the war. A bit of background on the vehicle they chose would have been nice too. But instead we got a dude saying "These were called command cars and generals used them...or colonels or whatever" (11:03) or " Be willing to bet its an old plow"(14:30) Really? why? " its from Colorado"(18:30) Oh right, content isn't important...just say the floor is rusted 20 times and its gonna be a lot of work. The final inspection?  I'd really like to tell you what I think of this vehicle, but taking this phone call is so much more important (15:46) lol. The "cast" seems like people I would know who actually work in the business of cars, but honestly, they look scared of the camera most of the time. Over all I give the show a C+.......I would say: fix the music, improve the pace, do the research, and get your "actors" comfortable.    

 

Its worth noting that Velocity doesn't list the show anywhere (as of this date on this post), and a few well know shows have been added to their line up like My Classic Car, and a reboot of Over Haulin' with the original cast. So it might be over for Reality Rides, who knows.  

 

48D

Edited February 13, 2014 by 48dodger

[Don Coatney]

Most reality shows are directed at an audience that has never graduated from anything nor seen the sun (or moon) shine. They sell drama and not facts.  Might as well watch the Amish mafia as that is about as un-real as it gets.

 

And speaking of TV coverage I have been watching bits and pieces of the Olympics. What I have been waiting to see is the Zamboni competition as that would be pretty exciting but I guess it is not worthy of metals. 

[ggdad1951]

wait, you mean Amish Mafia isn't REAL!??!?!??  CRAP!

[Plymouthy Adams]

Don Coatney, on 13 Feb 2014 - 07:40 AM, said:

Most reality shows are directed at an audience that has never graduated from anything nor seen the sun (or moon) shine. They sell drama and not facts.  Might as well watch the Amish mafia as that is about as un-real as it gets.

 

And speaking of TV coverage I have been watching bits and pieces of the Olympics. What I have been waiting to see is the Zamboni competition as that would be pretty exciting but I guess it is not worthy of metals. 

 

just give them time Don...may be a great off season feature and the very means to weed out folks to qualify for the Olympics...  "Zamboni Wars, caught cold"

[fstfish66]

Most reality shows are directed at an audience that has never graduated from anything nor seen the sun (or moon) shine. They sell drama and not facts.  Might as well watch the Amish mafia as that is about as un-real as it gets.

 

And speaking of TV coverage I have been watching bits and pieces of the Olympics. What I have been waiting to see is the Zamboni competition as that would be pretty exciting but I guess it is not worthy of metals. 

thats funny