Posted by Gordon on Friday, January 25, 2002 at 5:17AM :
In Reply to: we should go to their web site and tell them stay away ,, posted by Allen Patnode on Thursday, January 24, 2002 at 6:58PM :
I think the format of the show originated in the UK about 3 or 4 years back as 'Scrapyard Challenge' The UK anchor presenter is Robert Llewellyn (never could spell that) who you may or may not know as Kryten from Red Dwarf.
I'm sure they re-located to somewhere in the US high desert for 'Junkyard Wars' and probably film in both locations, as the British series shows the US in the background of one episode, and then whatever toy they make is tested at some British Government hardware or explosives facility in another episode. A lot of left hand drive vehicles in one episode and right hand drive in another, but I'm sure they put some US vehicles in the British location, primarily to show prospective US channel executives how it would look and sound with a few V8s in and not those wimpy British 4-bangers...
I'd guess sacrificical stuff is set up for each episode in advance - it's too much of a coincidence that several radio-controlled toys turn up when they are looking to make a radio-controlled car, for example.
Interesting stuff gone west during the various episodes ? Well there was one 5/4 ton jeep maintenance truck on the minesweeper episode, one M35-type 6 x 6 on the monster truck, an original Austin Gipsy 4 x 4 on the hole borer.....
I'm just dreading the one when they get round to the Tucker Sno-cat that someone saw on the pile. My favourite epsiode was the three-way challenge with the Russians, brits, and US, which may or may not have aired where you are. I've never yet seen a Dodge product trashed in the British version of the show (obligatory Dodge content) but I expect it'll happen some time.
Gordon (it's snowing here in central Scotland today, but not enough to run my Sno-Cat one)
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