Chop shop

jimmyw

I really wonder about the safety of the cars that are featured on "chop shop". I mean bits cut from one car and grafted onto another and engines tried to be shoehorned in and if they don't quite fit, then cut a bit here and there. Who checks this I wonder!

"Berni,berni, berni"...........Get it f****n doneeeeeeeee!!.

pburns

I've started watching this again lately. Quite entertaining,some great characters.

The same thought crossed my mind though, especially that VW 'Gol..' on Subaru running gear they are doing for Johnny Vegas. They cut it back to the A-pillar to fit the boxer engine!

I think it's all meant to be tongue in cheek:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangla_Bangers

That Rover Jet car homage they did for Jools Holland was stunning though, helped by the fact that he really hounded Leepu into keeping it tasteful and not letting his imagination run riot...

Dustpuppy

This guys are stupid idiots. I never seen, that they first do safety, like brakes or better axles, but putting big engines in and damage structures needed. I do big modifications on cars, like at the moment, putting an 207Bhp engine into a 54Bhp VW Typ3 and the first is safety, safety, safety and more safety.
Chop shop cars are dangerous killer on roads.

qz

That show does my bloody head in. It is I think the worst car show on telly, give me some From Wrecks to Riches any day!

Stevie Dakota

Even with quick edits, low angles and trick photography the cars still look crap when finished. Poor old Leepu.

Harcrid

The only car they made that looked anyway decent was the Beauty and the Beast car for David Ginola. Still can't imagine it was of good quality though.


http://www.yourdiscovery.com/web/chop-shop-2/gallery/cars/beauty-and-the-beast-car-gallery/?gallid=793&gallimgid=1124

Abelloid

Setting a bad example for people interested in getting into car modding IMO, they knock out death traps just for the TV show.

http://www.vwaction.com/vwaction/gangstercar.php

smash

some of their cars have ended up on ebay very cheap... and not quite road legal!

I recall a group of people from some uk forum chipping in to buy one of them so they could put it out of it's misery. I don't know if they won the auction though.

Edit: JustinOval - I think that's the one...

Abelloid

It is the one.

beetlebailey

First time I saw this show ,I thought it was a piss take along the lines of The Office or Extras.Half expected to see Ricky Gervis starring as the car designer with no imagination or skill, doin a funny dance!

Words fail to describe how bad the end result is. Wonder what the celebs really think about the cars,I mean would you actually drive around in one?

voxpop

Yeah always thought the cars they worked on ended up looking rubbish and being death traps. I remember one car, where they cut the springs and then the springs started coming off the car - they then proceed to bodge some sort of "cage" to keep the spring in place. Dodge as fcuk.

The guy is basically taking all he learned from India and plying it here. Safety doesnt really come into it, their safety test is Bernie driving the car up and down a runway. The only thing I can say is that the bodyworking is pretty skilled, to get those curves without using any moulded plastic is pretty good.

darragh o meara

Could you imagine crashing one of them?? You wouldnt be found for about two years with the cloud of filler that would rise off it

Yakult

Tbh I think its a terrible show. The only word for them is "cowboys" I reckon.

R.O.R

I watched part 1 of the Volcano car last night.

If they'd have properly shoehorned the Impreza engine and running gear in to the MKII GTi and left it otherwise standard (which I think Vegas wanted) then that would have been a nice motor.

I've just looked at the pics of the completed car via the link above, and it's an abomination.

voxpop

Noone every gets what they want in that -well except Jools holland, after alot of arguing - its all a showcase for Lepu's "designs", which are on the whole - tacky and awful. Still the show is a bit of a laugh, just to see how bad the car turns out - more entertaining than the vet building a helicopter anyway

colm_mcm

they might get away with that stuff in Bangladesh, but doing them in the UK is just silly.

Stevie Dakota

Feel kind of sorry for them, I bet they thought they would be the next Orange County Choppers...

Owen

I think the cars have to pass a certification test before they get tax/test. They mentioned that when dealing with Martin Kemp. Probably doesn't include any form of safety test - or a very basic one.

I think Bernie lets it down personally, and working out of a hole under a railway line. If they'd gotten a decent workshop, and some presenters who can put across a professional image, it would have been a bit better. Leepu's got talent, but he needs a level headed partner to reel him in from time to time.

Abelloid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwyqAZ_x6vc

SVA & MOT tested.


O RLY?

jimmyw

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I think the cars have to pass a certification test before they get tax/test. They mentioned that when dealing with Martin Kemp. Probably doesn't include any form of safety test - or a very basic one.

I think Bernie lets it down personally, and working out of a hole under a railway line. If they'd gotten a decent workshop, and some presenters who can put across a professional image, it would have been a bit better. Leepu's got talent, but he needs a level headed partner to reel him in from time to time.

Leepu can be a bit of a hot head and stubborn at times, but so can Bernie. They are not working under that railway now as was shown on the Johnny Vegas car.Speaking of which, its a wonder they didn't try to put that caddy engine into the golf:rolleyes:

mickdw

You are not really supposed to tale that stuff serious. You can forget about safety. Randomly chopping just for appearance does not help the rigidity of the structure.
The designs are terrible too. The Jet car fake was the best appearance wise

Diabhal_Glas

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I think the cars have to pass a certification test before they get tax/test. They mentioned that when dealing with Martin Kemp. Probably doesn't include any form of safety test - or a very basic one.

I think Bernie lets it down personally, and working out of a hole under a railway line. If they'd gotten a decent workshop, and some presenters who can put across a professional image, it would have been a bit better. Leepu's got talent, but he needs a level headed partner to reel him in from time to time.

There is one place in the UK that does road-worthiness testing to check if these custom cars/ totaled cars are safe, I cant remember the name of it.

Chop shop; sure Its a show, Its entertainment. There seems to be a lot of haters out there.

I love that show, I found the episodes in Bangladesh even more fascinating.

Cant you just take it with a pinch of salt and enjoy it for what it is. The more automotive shows the better I reckon.

slickmcvic

...i think its a scandal what they done for johnny vegas....he came to them asking for a super fast "sleeper" mk2 golf and ended up with a failed abortion of a subaru,206, mk2 golf lovechild... not what he had in mind!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMc06JDoRFk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMc06JDoRFk

jimmyw

Diabhal_Glas wrote: »

There is one place in the UK that does road-worthiness testing to check if these custom cars/ totaled cars are safe, I cant remember the name of it.

Chop shop; sure Its a show, Its entertainment. There seems to be a lot of haters out there.

I love that show, I found the episodes in Bangladesh even more fascinating.

Cant you just take it with a pinch of salt and enjoy it for what it is. The more automotive shows the better I reckon.

Steady on there! I watched that show for awhile and then went off it a bit and now I am back watching it again. I only think there are safety issues with these cars that are done. The banter/fights between bernie and leepu are good. Then maybe the cars are tested and are perfectly legal on the road, but one would wonder......thats all;)




I would not drive or ride in one of those cars though.

ianobrien

I've only seen one or two shows, but what I've seen I would be worried about the structural integrity on the "creations"

james1410

if any of you's would of watched both series you would of seen the part were bernie says the cars go through an mot when they are completed!:mad:

i do agri with you's on the safety of some of the cars that were choped queit a bit like martin kemps saab which was cut down almost to the floor pan but on the other had the capri they did was stunning! the paint work was really well done! the v8 had a full rebuild a custom interiour was fitted extra wide steel wheels it really looked good! thats the kind of cars they should be building!

bernie may be a bit of a tit but he certianely knows his stuff when it comes to the mechanics!