To the uninitiated, it’s a show out of Europe that’s airing right now on TLC (USA). It’s a gameshow where two teams are put in the middle of a junkyard and given a goal to accomplish, ie. fly from here to there, make a machine that walks but doesn’t use wheels, rescue a submerged car in a lake, etc.
The two teams have a day to design and build their machines with only the parts from the junkyard and then square off against each other in a heated competition (The tracker tug-o-war is my favorite so far) to decide the vitctor.
This show is damn addicting. Anyone else watching?
BTW- It’s nice to see some television producers out there realize their’s actually a market out there for things other than Sally Jessie, Montel, and Maury Pauvich. Too bad it took the BBC to actually see that.
I actually come from the UK and I know the show you are talking about. It is called Scrapheap Challenge over here. It is on Channel 4 and it totally rocks.
It is actually a knock out competition, with the prize being a trohpy made of scrap (oh, and the kudos of doing all those cool things).
I think one of my favourite ones was where they had to build an amphibious vehicle. It had ro drive and enter the lake, and then come out at the other side. Another good one was where they had to make a hovercraft and then they raced together. I would love to do something like that, but I have no knowledge or talent in that area at all.
This show is too cool. I took a break to see if anyone else was catching it. Glad to see I’m not alone in my fascination with this kind of thing.
If your not watching, your missing out. Right now the two teams are designing/making machines that are suppose to demolish a building. It’s not as easy as it looks.
I’m putting my money on the ‘Muncher’ machine that somewhat resembles a giant claw. They should win by shear creativity if nothing else.
That’s the part I find the funniest. You see these muscle-head steel workers who seem to enjoy nothing more than a good Harley ride in the mean part of town saying, “If we bodge this bugger on the 'diff over yonder…” RickQ-
I give you guys credit. You can come up with some pretty sophisticated shows over there. It’s too bad that most of the time were stuck with WWF over here.
The things I could accomplish if I only had an arc welder…
I just happen to be watching it right now. Imagine my surprise to log on and see a topic about it! Right now there building the wall crunching machines… they just did the walking machines… that was good.
ALRIGHT… so I’m watching the one where they build the flying machines to drop the “bomb” on the target. Everything looks well and good until the airplane team just “HAPPENS” to find a propeller. Let me tell you, I worked in a hobby shop for almost 5 years and what they found was a model airplane propeller that was an EXACT PERFECT match for the gas leaf blower engine they found. Let me reiterate… a PERFECT non chipped Model airplane prop JUST the right size (there are hundreds of sizes) for the 22cc (or so) engine they found. Those props cost $15 -$20 a piece and they just dont get thrown into a junkyard.
EVEN WORSE!! The “blimp” team after hours of searching for plastic they could make their airship out of and not finding anything JUST HAPPENED to find AN ENTIRE HUGE ROLL OF BRAND NEW LOOKING MYLAR in the trunk of an abandoned car!!! MYLAR!!! Geeeee… mylar would be perfect wouldn’t it?
Things that make you go Hmmmmmm!
You beat me too it whammo, things do seem to be too well prepared but on the other hand the show might lose something if all you had on hand was scrap iron. Mylar is a bit of a stretch though. Just finnished the episode with the amphibious landing vehicles and fawk, a cosworth engine turning a propelller. If only they hadnt buggered the ecu. A 2 litre turbo engine with 200+ HP strapped to some plywood and a couple wheels, now thats what id call entertainment.
OK… now I’m watching the one where there actually making gliders to fly PEOPLE!! What they’re building just looks WAY dangerous… they dont KILL people on here do they? I mean… one team is building a glider out of actual PLANE wings… thats so heavy… can it fly? I doubt it… but then again, I’m not done watching. The home made hang glider looks more plausible… but its stitched with duct tape??
Ya, I noticed quite a few things that seemed awfully well placed in the junkyard. However, even though they seem to be given a lot of stuff that’s in good shape, you still get the enjoyment of seeing them building something out of it. It isn’t like they’re getting exactally what they need already put together.
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The home made hang glider looks more plausible… but its stitched with duct tape??
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They may stock the junkyard a tad, but they still have a sense of humor. “You got yourself a nice wing there team A. Now, how are you going to attach it to the frame? He He he.”
Osip has not TV so Osip cannot watch siad program
Right now there building the wall crunching machines… they just did the walking machines… that was good.