"Best day at work ever."
June 16, 2013 10:26 AM Subscribe
Motor Trend has put a considerable amount of effort and money into their YouTube presence (autoplay) over the last year or so, and have pulled up a decent batting average for quality videos. However, one of their series stands head and shoulders above the rest: Roadkill (also autoplay). Starring Hot Rod Magazine's Editor in Chief David Freiburger and Staff Editor Mike Finnegan, Roadkill is a roughly 20 minute web series, typically posted the first Friday of every month, and is essentially two hot rod/muscle car guys taking on self-imposed amusingly bad ideas - such as throwing a dart at a map and trying to buy a car and drive home on only $1,500 - or occasionally chronicling the goings on at major Hot Rod Mag events like Hot Rod Drag Week.
The show is almost entirely unscripted, and basically produced whenever Finnegan and Freiburger can spare a few days from working on the magazine. It heavily evokes the feel of early Top Gear adventure segments, except with a good deal more wrenching by the side of the road in the middle of the night. They're not afraid of failing or looking silly, and the go-for-it attitude and love of cars and the road shines through in every episode. A perfect way to spend an hour or two this Father's Day with your gearhead father - or just if you're a gearhead yourself.
1. El Paso To LA - The Hard Way!
2. Viva Ranchero! Alaska or Bust!
3. Cheap Truck Challenge!
4. Extreme Elco Engine Swap!
5. Rat Rod vs. Lamborghini Aventador!
6. Thrash Battle! Van vs. Wagon
7. Release the Draguar! Building a Blown Jaguar Rat Rod
8. 426 Hemi in a '55 Chevy!
9. Surviving Hot Rod Drag Week!
10. 727 Cubic Inches and Australian Tire Smoke!
11. Junkyard 'Cuda Rescue, With Nitrous Oxide!
12. Chevy vs. Ford Cop Car Thrash Battle!
13. The Ranchero Returns! Alaska or Bust: The Sequel
14. The Ranchero Returns Part 2! Alaska or Bust: The Sequel
15. Rat Rod Jeep Death-Wish Trip!
16. Leaf-Blower Supercharging a 1978 Chevrolet Monza Spyder!
The show is almost entirely unscripted, and basically produced whenever Finnegan and Freiburger can spare a few days from working on the magazine. It heavily evokes the feel of early Top Gear adventure segments, except with a good deal more wrenching by the side of the road in the middle of the night. They're not afraid of failing or looking silly, and the go-for-it attitude and love of cars and the road shines through in every episode. A perfect way to spend an hour or two this Father's Day with your gearhead father - or just if you're a gearhead yourself.
1. El Paso To LA - The Hard Way!
2. Viva Ranchero! Alaska or Bust!
3. Cheap Truck Challenge!
4. Extreme Elco Engine Swap!
5. Rat Rod vs. Lamborghini Aventador!
6. Thrash Battle! Van vs. Wagon
7. Release the Draguar! Building a Blown Jaguar Rat Rod
8. 426 Hemi in a '55 Chevy!
9. Surviving Hot Rod Drag Week!
10. 727 Cubic Inches and Australian Tire Smoke!
11. Junkyard 'Cuda Rescue, With Nitrous Oxide!
12. Chevy vs. Ford Cop Car Thrash Battle!
13. The Ranchero Returns! Alaska or Bust: The Sequel
14. The Ranchero Returns Part 2! Alaska or Bust: The Sequel
15. Rat Rod Jeep Death-Wish Trip!
16. Leaf-Blower Supercharging a 1978 Chevrolet Monza Spyder!
Wow, that guy takes "womb broom" to a whole 'nother level.
posted by ReeMonster at 12:02 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by ReeMonster at 12:02 PM on June 16, 2013
It's entertaining. I can totally fill my Top Gear offseason void with this. Show would be infinitely more watchable if he shaved that sheet of baleen hanging off his chin.
posted by nathancaswell at 12:17 PM on June 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by nathancaswell at 12:17 PM on June 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
Just watched #8. Interestingly, I've got a '55 chevy (sort of), and just completed almost the exact trip in reverse, in an old suburban.
posted by 445supermag at 1:18 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by 445supermag at 1:18 PM on June 16, 2013
Man, I've missed being a "car guy". Still have the '70 Impala...this might be the inspiration I need.
posted by notsnot at 3:42 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by notsnot at 3:42 PM on June 16, 2013
I would love to do this!
posted by Room 641-A at 4:42 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by Room 641-A at 4:42 PM on June 16, 2013
16 is brilliant. There's something special about guys taking an idea at the edge of plausibility and giving it their best shot.
posted by wotsac at 5:04 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by wotsac at 5:04 PM on June 16, 2013
As a former H-Body owner, #16 really hit the spot for me too. Cars used to be what arduino powered plant waterer/raspberry pi robot lawnmowers are today: hacking platforms to prove out fun, wild design concepts. (Oh, and those rockers were sloppy because all those 305's had crappy soft camshafts that wore out at about 60K mi.)
posted by klarck at 5:29 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by klarck at 5:29 PM on June 16, 2013
#4 brings back memories of the days when I used to carry a toolkit in my car at all times. I kept a Daewoo era 'LeMans' on the road for about 50000 miles longer than it had any right to go - it had a blown head gasket when I got it. If the breaks hadn't been a vicious buzzkill to fix it would have hit at least 225k.
posted by wotsac at 8:15 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by wotsac at 8:15 PM on June 16, 2013
I love this show. Especially the second Ranchero part where they go nuts with the fireworks. They're such kids, I love it!
posted by xedrik at 9:08 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by xedrik at 9:08 PM on June 16, 2013
Love their work. I saw #3 a few months ago and never followed up on the rest of their work, I'll be working through these with the kids over the next weeks (and yes, #16 is great).
posted by N-stoff at 9:22 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by N-stoff at 9:22 PM on June 16, 2013
As a former H-Body owner, #16 really hit the spot for me too. Cars used to be what arduino powered plant waterer/raspberry pi robot lawnmowers are today: hacking platforms to prove out fun, wild design concepts. (Oh, and those rockers were sloppy because all those 305's had crappy soft camshafts that wore out at about 60K mi.)
I shall maintain a copy of this quote, for when people mock my raspberry pi-based autonomous lawn-maintenance system.
posted by pompomtom at 9:29 PM on June 16, 2013 [1 favorite]
I shall maintain a copy of this quote, for when people mock my raspberry pi-based autonomous lawn-maintenance system.
posted by pompomtom at 9:29 PM on June 16, 2013 [1 favorite]
From #16:
Finnegan: I think it's got a driveline vibration. The engine's shaking, it's running too fat, and the tires are out of balance.
Freiburger: So, it's fine.
Basically sums up the show. Great stuff.
posted by xedrik at 9:29 PM on June 16, 2013
Finnegan: I think it's got a driveline vibration. The engine's shaking, it's running too fat, and the tires are out of balance.
Freiburger: So, it's fine.
Basically sums up the show. Great stuff.
posted by xedrik at 9:29 PM on June 16, 2013
Thanks for the share.
I especially like the fact they openly admit when they're doing something for looks rather than style and when they're throwing money at the problem rather than fixing it properly. Gives the whole thing a nice honest vibe, you know they're trying to achieve a certain entertaining situation and they just lay it out and let you enjoy (or not) the show.
Wish I had their budget for gooning around ;)
posted by samworm at 5:19 AM on June 17, 2013
I especially like the fact they openly admit when they're doing something for looks rather than style and when they're throwing money at the problem rather than fixing it properly. Gives the whole thing a nice honest vibe, you know they're trying to achieve a certain entertaining situation and they just lay it out and let you enjoy (or not) the show.
Wish I had their budget for gooning around ;)
posted by samworm at 5:19 AM on June 17, 2013
Nice: "Yah, this is waaay too good for us." Thanks for this!!
posted by wenestvedt at 6:20 AM on June 17, 2013
posted by wenestvedt at 6:20 AM on June 17, 2013
Man, watching the first ten episodes and knowing that I love cars but have no idea how to work on them, I never want to own an old classic car. Everything breaks down in almost every episode, and while they're back on the road with a couple wrench turns, I'd be sunk.
posted by mathowie at 7:47 PM on June 18, 2013
posted by mathowie at 7:47 PM on June 18, 2013
Same here, pleasant surprise. The guys are very likable and I have been watching way too many episodes already. Thank you for the link!
posted by nostrada at 6:32 PM on June 19, 2013
posted by nostrada at 6:32 PM on June 19, 2013
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