Monster Garage
Discussion
Ditto the above comments.
I had to switch off as they cut through the fibreglass nose. Made me very angry. I can't understand how anybody with any petrol in their veins could do such a thing...
Edited to say: and their crappy forum software needs the administrator to "approve" my registration online! FFS, what's to approve!? all they know about me is my email address!
>> Edited by nicecupoftea on Saturday 1st May 00:54
I had to switch off as they cut through the fibreglass nose. Made me very angry. I can't understand how anybody with any petrol in their veins could do such a thing...
Edited to say: and their crappy forum software needs the administrator to "approve" my registration online! FFS, what's to approve!? all they know about me is my email address!
>> Edited by nicecupoftea on Saturday 1st May 00:54
NiceCupOfTea's letter to C4 said:
I had the misfortune to watch the above programme last night, and as a lover of cars I was horrified to see you destroy a classic Lotus Europa in the name of "entertainment".
The programme referred to it as "a rare classic Lotus" so there was no mistake in it being selected. Why on earth could you not have started with something less important and rare? There are plenty of kit cars based on old Ford chassis and the like.
May I suggest a new format for you - "Monster Art Gallery", where every week a classic work of art is slashed to bits with a Stanley life and then pritt sticked to a piece of paper to give a 21st century interpretation of it??
I cannot understand the mentality of somebody who will mindlessly destroy something as important and rare as that Lotus Europa - absolutely criminal.
I shall not be watching any of the other programmes in the series, and I await with interest justification of your actions.
Yours etc.
I'll post any reply I get in here but don't hold your breath as apparently it could take up to 4 weeks.
>> Edited by nicecupoftea on Saturday 1st May 11:45
Just registered with the forum myself to vent a little spleen - agree fully with all said above. Amazed at the post (on the C4 board) suggesting "It's only a fibreglass body so you don't know what state it was in underneath" - In my (OK limited) experience, no matter what state a car is in, you can always find someone to bring it back from the brink, especially something really worth keeping "alive", like a Europa.
I even got an email this am from a mate of mine who isn't a car fan at all expressing his own horror at the display; said something along the lines of "..when they powersawed off the front of the car I was crying - god knows what state you were in..."
(somewhere between
/
and )
I even got an email this am from a mate of mine who isn't a car fan at all expressing his own horror at the display; said something along the lines of "..when they powersawed off the front of the car I was crying - god knows what state you were in..."
(somewhere between
/ and )
Quite possibly the biggest load of sh1t that it has ever been my mis-pleasure to catch 10mins of. Of all the things to do to a classic part of automotive history. I see as sacilage. And that chav scum, mockney tw@ doing the voice over, what was that all about?
Next weeks show with the milk float, thats not new. I went to santa pod in 1990 and saw a V8 milkfloat. Hadly an orignal idea.
Next weeks show with the milk float, thats not new. I went to santa pod in 1990 and saw a V8 milkfloat. Hadly an orignal idea.
It was pretty shocking, but I'm used to it now after following the US series that this one is based on. In the US they went to a muscle car swap meet thing and Jesse James (the guy that that Hell's Angel bloke is pretending to be) went in disguise and bought a pristine '71 El Camino SS from some guy. They then chopped the thing up to make a stock car for figure 8 racing and brought the seller to the garage to show him what they'd done to his car. Don't think he was overly happy about it.
It bothers me when they use decent or rare cars that some people would love the chance of owning, but the US series is pretty good. They build some awesome machines and the whole production is a lot better. The UK version is just poor. They are doing the same challenges and even parts of the 'commentators' script is taken straight from it. They've copied it, but made it worse in every way.
It bothers me when they use decent or rare cars that some people would love the chance of owning, but the US series is pretty good. They build some awesome machines and the whole production is a lot better. The UK version is just poor. They are doing the same challenges and even parts of the 'commentators' script is taken straight from it. They've copied it, but made it worse in every way.
nicecupoftea said:
I had the misfortune to watch the above programme last night, and as a lover of cars I was horrified to see you destroy a classic Lotus Europa in the name of "entertainment".
The programme referred to it as "a rare classic Lotus" so there was no mistake in it being selected. Why on earth could you not have started with something less important and rare? There are plenty of kit cars based on old Ford chassis and the like.
May I suggest a new format for you - "Monster Art Gallery", where every week a classic work of art is slashed to bits with a Stanley life and then pritt sticked to a piece of paper to give a 21st century interpretation of it??
I cannot understand the mentality of somebody who will mindlessly destroy something as important and rare as that Lotus Europa - absolutely criminal.
I shall not be watching any of the other programmes in the series, and I await with interest justification of your actions.
Yours etc.
I'll post any reply I get in here but don't hold your breath as apparently it could take up to 4 weeks.
>> Edited by nicecupoftea on Saturday 1st May 11:45
post the address and I'll tell what a bunch of untalented morons I think they are too
It's the programme feedback form on their website, in the contacts section - in common with most other websites these days they don't seem to publish their address and you have to use a web form. Hateful, as you have no record of what or when you sent...
Starting to wonder why I have Outlook installed at all!
Starting to wonder why I have Outlook installed at all!
AHHHH... they did what??
Bloody hell, that's just not right!
Now, maybe not everyone likes what I've done with my Europa, but it's still a Europa, not a bloody hovercraft!! Geez... I mean, if it was a basketcase, I'm not too uptight about it, all the useful parts could be salvaged, but if it was a decent example...
I have friends who have cut up Europas, but those were piles to start with, ended up being decent race-cars.
Wow, am I glad I didn't see that one. I, however, did see the El Camino SS -> figure 8 racer over here... that bugged the hell out of me. And to think I tossed my name in to go on the show back when it started out, then they used regular everyday stuff, it was great! Now they're pandering to marketing.
I think I'm going to have to have a little nap to get over hearing about this... makes my blood boil...
Gary
3154R (A happy Europa, back to real car status, almost ;-))
Bloody hell, that's just not right!
Now, maybe not everyone likes what I've done with my Europa, but it's still a Europa, not a bloody hovercraft!! Geez... I mean, if it was a basketcase, I'm not too uptight about it, all the useful parts could be salvaged, but if it was a decent example...
I have friends who have cut up Europas, but those were piles to start with, ended up being decent race-cars.
Wow, am I glad I didn't see that one. I, however, did see the El Camino SS -> figure 8 racer over here... that bugged the hell out of me. And to think I tossed my name in to go on the show back when it started out, then they used regular everyday stuff, it was great! Now they're pandering to marketing.
I think I'm going to have to have a little nap to get over hearing about this... makes my blood boil...
Gary
3154R (A happy Europa, back to real car status, almost ;-))
I've not seen the UK programmes but have seen several of the US ones. It wasn't a case of "I have to watch this", more "there's nothing better to watch than this".
Taking a car and making it do something clever in the way (film analogy) Q can modify James Bond's car is good, and the show sees people take the challenge and turn it into reality on a budget. The bit that annoys me is that the US show is more about the clashing of egos than the triumph of brainpower over budget. The only winner is Mr James' bank balance from the show and all the ads he now does on the telly. The average scrapheap challenge team could do a better job - think of the remote control demolition derby - and it's much better viewing.
If you're really unlucky you'll get a bike programme next. TLC's show about hand built choppers makes Monster garage look like the greatest show ever made in comparison.
Taking a car and making it do something clever in the way (film analogy) Q can modify James Bond's car is good, and the show sees people take the challenge and turn it into reality on a budget. The bit that annoys me is that the US show is more about the clashing of egos than the triumph of brainpower over budget. The only winner is Mr James' bank balance from the show and all the ads he now does on the telly. The average scrapheap challenge team could do a better job - think of the remote control demolition derby - and it's much better viewing.
If you're really unlucky you'll get a bike programme next. TLC's show about hand built choppers makes Monster garage look like the greatest show ever made in comparison.
HI guys!
Had to reply to this as I was involved with the making of MG and have to give the show some defence. I am a big classic car fan myself as were many of the guys on the show.
The hovercraft programme was a very very complicated build as i'm sure you know. The technical requirement limited us to a light 2 seater sportscar within a certain price range.
The dark blue Europa we featured was not actually in very good condition; so we did not destroy a concourse car (or even a A2 car!) The interior was a total mess & the fibreglass bodywork had had numerous accident repair bodges. The Triumph engine was a little rattly on the big ends; so really it did need a total restoration. It was one of these cars that had been bodged and bodged to keep it going throughout its life.
The final car when it had been "Hovercrafted" looked absolutely fantastic. The paint shop had really done us proud. It did fail the challenge; but the Marines refused to let the car be destroyed.
The story has a happy ending, as it has been donated to a hovercraft museum down south; so the Europa has actually been saved, rather than let it deteriorate & be scrapped or written off by a young lad buying a cheap lotus!!
Please don’t come round to my house armed with a crowbar!! We did have a conscience with this one!!
In relation to the comment about the show being a "fix" with us having Ed China, Rex Garrard etc in the show; we wanted to feature people who were known in their field, not just amateur car builders who are in to modding Saxos!! MG made no secret of that!
Hope you enjoy the rest of the series!!
Had to reply to this as I was involved with the making of MG and have to give the show some defence. I am a big classic car fan myself as were many of the guys on the show.
The hovercraft programme was a very very complicated build as i'm sure you know. The technical requirement limited us to a light 2 seater sportscar within a certain price range.
The dark blue Europa we featured was not actually in very good condition; so we did not destroy a concourse car (or even a A2 car!) The interior was a total mess & the fibreglass bodywork had had numerous accident repair bodges. The Triumph engine was a little rattly on the big ends; so really it did need a total restoration. It was one of these cars that had been bodged and bodged to keep it going throughout its life.
The final car when it had been "Hovercrafted" looked absolutely fantastic. The paint shop had really done us proud. It did fail the challenge; but the Marines refused to let the car be destroyed.
The story has a happy ending, as it has been donated to a hovercraft museum down south; so the Europa has actually been saved, rather than let it deteriorate & be scrapped or written off by a young lad buying a cheap lotus!!
Please don’t come round to my house armed with a crowbar!! We did have a conscience with this one!!
In relation to the comment about the show being a "fix" with us having Ed China, Rex Garrard etc in the show; we wanted to feature people who were known in their field, not just amateur car builders who are in to modding Saxos!! MG made no secret of that!
Hope you enjoy the rest of the series!!
hi ya said:
The dark blue Europa we featured was not actually in very good condition; so we did not destroy a concourse car (or even a A2 car!) The interior was a total mess & the fibreglass bodywork had had numerous accident repair bodges. The Triumph engine was a little rattly on the big ends; so really it did need a total restoration. It was one of these cars that had been bodged and bodged to keep it going throughout its life.
The story has a happy ending, as it has been donated to a hovercraft museum down south; so the Europa has actually been saved, rather than let it deteriorate & be scrapped or written off by a young lad buying a cheap lotus!!
Hope you enjoy the rest of the series!!
I missed the 1st 5 mins (On reflection i should have missed the whole hour!), Did it really have a triumph engine fitted?
I don't understand the comment about a happy ending, or being written off by a young lad.
It isn't happy, and the 'young lad' bit is just grasping at straws. I could easily say 'it would have been bought by jay kay and fully restored'. But the reality is that an enthusiast could one day have been able to restore it to a reasonable standard.
Finally, The show is DRIVEL!
wafer (or what ever the main persons name is) is a poser with a chav attitude. The voice over sounds like a 'wanabe american' simpleton.
It's a programme aimed at the american wrestling fan 'kids' but a bit low-brow for them!!!
Incorrigible said:
You're all a bunch of sanctimonius gits,
If that (or any other basket case) is that important to you why don't you go out, buy them and restore them
I know where there are a couple of Sunbeam Alpines if anyone's interested......
anyone.....
Thought not
And I guess your a big fan of the show or do you think it's Cr@p as well?
So what is your point?
There aren't many Europas around, and they used so little of it that there was no point destroying the car for the end result.
Being Plastic it could survive a long time before it's 'found' to be restored.
I guess that there are plenty of sunbeam alpines around & that the state of the steel decides whether it can be restored or not (I don't know much about them). It isn't really a 'land mark' car whereas (I think) the europa is in as much as it's the 1st british mid-engined roadcar.
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