I’m disappointed in Freiburger

[RustyCrankshaft]

DF has done some pretty hack things for sure. I think there are 2 big things working against guys like him for the minority group of guys who hang out on forums like this one: 1) it's all entertainment and there have been so many buy outs and changes since the days of the real Peterson Publishing it's a different game. Even back then it was about making money, but at least the people who owned/ran the parent company back then were also part of the industry. Now it's all suit and ties at some investment company making the decisions.

2) Guys like Freiburger are usually just average hot rodders with a lot of support for parts. He isn't a great engine building, chassis builder, etc. But he gets paid to entertain people and ends up being some sort of authority by default.

I think the reason shows like Road Kill and RK Garage gained so much popularity is because they show running out of time, or scabbing something together to make it work because you don't have the money or whatever reason. A lot of people loose interest when they see a rust bucket in episode 1 and by episode 4 a fully prepped shiny race car leaves the garage and everyone working on it had freshly dry cleaned shirts and never showed anything that really didn't work right.

To each their own. There are a lot of things those shows do I don't have any interest in, but some are enjoyable from an entertainment aspect.

At the very least, RoadKill and RK Garage spends time working on something that isn't a Nova/Camaro or C10.

[390owner]

I was glad to see an fe on the show but I know he could have a least done a one wheel burn out He did not even try. Headers was what the engine needed to go with the other stuff he put on the engine.

[hwoods]

Roadkilll did pull a 64 Glaxie 390 4 spd out of a junkyard, got it running and drove it a bit only to break down.  They bought a rebuilt FE frm a High School shop I think it was, but could not get it running right.  I don't remember exactly what happened, but they said the car would be back at some point

[cjshaker]

To be fair, for being a self professed "Mopar" guy, his favorite personal car seems to be his '69 Mustang Mach 1 that he acquired on an episode of Roadkill (the Disgustang). He's actually spent quite a bit of time and money making it a nice daily driver for himself.

Shortly after the Disgustang episode aired, he stopped to talk with me and look over my car at Drag Week tech day. He was genuinely interested in seeing how to do some upgrades and seemed to be pretty excited about his 'new' car.



Here's a video of some of the work he's had done to the car. I've not seen him put this much work into one of his vehicles before, so I'd venture to say he really likes the car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IqcmlgesH8

He's a "hack" on Roadkill because that's the premise for the show. I do think some of the stuff they do on Roadkill is downright dangerous, especially to other people on the road, which I really don't like. And while I think he treats Dulcich like crap sometimes, always talking down to him, they're good friends and that may just be the normal "banter" between them. He seemed to be a nice guy when we talked. They also have done a pretty wicked 351C powered Cougar on Roadkill Garage. Dulcich loved that car because he liked slamming gears in it.

[Falcon67]

I didn't watch RK for a long time after Frydaddy and I think Dulcic hacked on a 351C and easily had no idea about what to do with it.  I have subsequently watched more, with the eye that they are in many cases just trashing stuff for video views more than much of anything else.  A lowrider through the desert to Vegas for example.  I have to give creds for them driving/nursing junk across county that I would have loaded on a trailer and not even attempted.  But that's just part of the show.  I do find the "we ran out of time" business odd, when they turn around and do things like spending two days in the snow in the Summit parking lot swapping in a crate engine, or pulling a boat to the lake, pulling the blown motor out of the truck, then into the boat, drive said boat, then reverse the motor back in.  Like the home improvement shows - lot of stuff on the digital cutting room floor between takes I think. 

I like a few of the shows, like Hot Rod Garage with Lucky and Tony.  You just have to put up with stuff like a two engine Impala and other weird deals once in a while. 

[plovett]

I like Freiburger and I think he does good shows and good tests.   Now this particular one, it sounds like he did not.  I would say it was just an off day or maybe just a gap in his knowledge, or both.

They should have someone from the forum as a guest on an FE episode!

paulie

[My427stang]

I like the guys, I like Roadkill, but sometimes I think their hacks are extra hacky for ratings.

Like the Ford Econoline truck where they put a radiator in front of the grill so it wouldn't overheat, no fan, PCV pipe, etc.  When they ended the show breaking the tough old girl that just brought them on a long cruise, I was a little disappointed, it made them both look stupid.

Call me sappy, but I hate when people treat a vehicle badly, especially one chugging away trying to do what you want it to do.

[DuckRyder]

Yeah I wasn’t a fan of the Econoline episode either.

I enjoy most of the older Roadkill episodes and the roadkill garage stuff is usually pretty good too.

The premise of Roadkill Garage is supposed to be things two guys might do in a weekend project so I somewhat get the running out of time... But wouldn’t one of the two guys hit up some forums or facebook groups or something and try to figure out what would be a good choice for parts? maybe not but I would...

The episode was still entertaining but I was like WTF when he pulled out the barely bigger than stock cam. I expected it to be a hack, it is Roadkill after all ... I just expected it to be a slightly more technically sound hack... 

I do like the Disgustang

[RustyCrankshaft]

I think it also bears keeping in mind that when RoadKill first started it was sort of a sideshow (pun intended) and they've gone through an ownership change and RoadKill and it's spin-offs are actually a main attraction rather than an add on to HotRod. Big changes like that will change the direction of the show and I think that's partially why there is more hacking for the sake of hacking in some episodes now.

[hwoods]

also note, Big Ed quit Wheeler Dealers when Motortrend took over that show because he did not like how they would make the shows play out.  Roadkill guys said if they did not go with MotorTrend, they could not afford to continue to do the show, unless they pitched everything they talked about to sell it.  Overall, I enjoy the shows,but it generally comes down to the golden rule, the guy with the gold makes the rules and I don't think that is Freiburger

[428 GALAXIE]

Like everthing similar its entertaiment and it should not taken so serious.I rather watch roudkill or its cousins than the other reality shows but it is what it is entertaiment......

And i didnt like the econoline episode either.

But just for the looks stubby bob was gold.

[allrightmike]

also note, Big Ed quit Wheeler Dealers when Motortrend took over that show because he did not like how they would make the shows play out.  Roadkill guys said if they did not go with MotorTrend, they could not afford to continue to do the show, unless they pitched everything they talked about to sell it.  Overall, I enjoy the shows,but it generally comes down to the golden rule, the guy with the gold makes the rules and I don't think that is Freiburger

[allrightmike]

Big Ed China was my reason for watching car hobby TV. He was a wizard with a rattle can! I do miss him.

[gt350hr]

   I don't have any issue with David. He is a local and I often bump into him at local swap meets. He makes fun of himself regarding some of the episodes. Maybe a true "reality" show IS boring and it has to be "unreal" to be entertaining. Might be because the "directors" aren't well versed mechanically. We as an industry have gotten past the Model T , bailing wire , and chewing gum days.