They have started to show the episodes right back from the first series in 2003.
For those of you unfamiliar with the programme, used car dealer Mike Brewer buys a classic car in need of a little attention at a knock-down price. Then, trusted mechanic Edd China gives the car the attention and finally Mike sells the car on for a profit (if you don't count Edd's labour).
I have heard speculation over the years that all is not what it seems on this show.
I have heard that the people Mike buys the cars off and those he sells them to are production staff from the show.
I have heard that Edd doesn't do any of the work.
This interview from Total Car Magazine implies all is legit. This is from this year.
This forum post from Wheel Whores implies otherwise. This is from 2008.
A guy calling himself Pete Nice says he pretended to be the bloke Mike bought a knackered Beetle off - this would be him:
Indeed, in the episode, this bloke is called Pete.
The episode involved converting the Beetle into a Beach Buggy.
Whether or not it is the same Pete is open to conjecture but there is something fishy in that episode from Series 2. The knackered old Beetle had registration number FTD 243J. That plate appears on the workshop wall behind Edd during that episode:
However, when the conversion is complete, the finished Beach Buggy sports a completely different registration number - UPW 450H:
That, to me, implies a completely different, slightly older, base car was used.
But never mind.
I would have thought, nowadays, if the show wasn't genuine, they would have to declare that bits were fabricated for entertainment purposes. There are certainly such disclaimers on American Hot-Rod and Classic Car Rescue.
However, in 2003 such rules probably didn't exist.
Let's just say all is legit today.
Deal?
Just watched the show on Discovery. If you noted the car they boughts chassis was so knackered that they bought a prechopped second chassis to replace it. And that's where the second reg will have come from. They could have used the original car, but it would have taken months to fully treat its pinworm, and after that Ed would have had to chop it too. Hence owning up to the expense in their costing. Thet used several mechanical parts from the first car, engine, steering, fuel tank, axels, etc. So the first car donated most of the bits that make it go, but by using a second chassis that would have legally had to use that cars registration.
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