Do cars give you the ultimate joy? Do you fancy working on that old derelict vehicle parked in your garage with some nice guidance and a shot of entertainment? If you are nodding up and down, then our list of the best car restoration shows is going to be exactly what you wanted the Internet to gift you.
Car restoration is a serious yet interesting business that many enthusiasts take up as a hobby. The idea of taking old cars headed for the junk or modern cars showing age and restoring them to their former glory makes fanatics blush. Hence, a TV or web show documenting such an intricate process in the best of ways is exactly what enthusiasts, car builders and restorers seek.
On YouTube and several OTT platforms, you will find several shows and videos that are either trying their best to inform you or going over the top to seem cool. All that’s something we don’t want. What we seek are car restoration TV and web shows that achieve the right balance between information and entertainment.
Luckily, we have found a couple of these restoration shows that fit the bill in our opinion. From the controversial BBC’s Top Gear (hold your breath and read before you hunt us down for calling it a car restoration show) to something educative like Wheeler Dealers, our list has some of the best recommendations for you. There’s even a car show hosted by Robert Downey Jr.!
Hence, without wasting another moment, hit the accelerator and get rolling with our list of the best car restoration TV shows.
Best car restoration shows you should watch
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Aired: 2003-2022
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video, Discovery Plus
Wheeler Dealers is one of the few car restoration shows that takes a detailed step-by-step approach to the restoration of popular cars. The show follows a Do-it-Yourself (DIY) approach to car restorations where the mechanic takes viewers through each and every mechanical aspect of the vehicle. Be it the removal of engine parts or the installation of suspension bearings, you get an in-depth look into all the crucial aspects and get proper tips.
Beyond the restoration, the show’s presenter Mike Brewer also gives an idea on how to assess the used car market and find the best deals for restoration projects. His sarcastic tone and excellent presenting skills make Wheeler Dealers such a fun watch.
On the whole, Wheeler Dealers is highly recommended for those itching to get started with the long-delayed car restoration project.
Aired: 2012-2020
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video, Discovery Plus
If the sedate pace of Wheeler Dealers isn’t your thing, then Fast N’ Loud – another car restoration and resto-modding show from Discovery Plus – might pamper your appetite. Set in the USA, Fast N’ Loud follows the fast-paced world of entrepreneur Richard Rauling and his Gas Monkey Garage, a restoration shop that aims to buy old derelicts and turn them into gold.
Instead of taking viewers through a detailed analysis of all the repairs, this show emphasises getting the job done within strict deadlines and earning a hefty profit. Viewers get to see how a multi-personnel garage works together hand-in-hand to balance quality restoration of muscle cars within a promised time frame.
This is a great recommendation for those who simply like to relax while overseeing meticulous restorations.
Aired: 2016 – present
Streaming on: YouTube
Cheekily advertised as ‘cheap Top Gear for YouTube’, Car Trek encompasses all the goodness from the BBC’s Clarkson-hosted Top Gear of the bygone era. Involving three YouTube creators as the hosts, Car Trek involves new challenges around used cars, which require minor restoration and modifications, to complete long journeys across the USA. Ed Bolian from VINwiki, Tyler Hoover from Hoovies Garage and Freddy Hernandez from Tavarish channel imitate the old Top Gear trio with humorous segments and car customisations.
With just three years of production, Car Trek is one of the most interesting car restoration shows. Even if you don’t care about road trips, these individual creators document some of the most ambitious car rebuilds in the world.
This is a highly recommended show for lovers of car restorations and road trips.
Aired: 2016-2024
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
After the debacle with BBC, the original Top Gear trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May established their new motoring show on Prime Video. Titled The Grand Tour, this show was essentially a continuation of the trio’s unhindered sarcasm and passion for cars. It also brought back one-off car restorations in what came to be known as The Grand Tour Specials.
Be it their adventure involving the modified Beetle-based dune buggies or the extreme modifications done to the off-roaders in Colombia, The Grand Tour presents a unique take on vehicle modification. While it may not be as informative as some of the other shows we discussed here, it surely is fun.
Sadly, The Grand Tour is also coming to an end as the trio are set on retiring their popular car show format for the final time. The last episode will air on Prime Video in 2024. Nonetheless, the episodes will always be available online for enthusiasts to cherish.
Aired: 2002-2022
Streaming on: BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Discovery Plus
Many may argue that BBC’s Top Gear is more of a motoring show rather than one that focuses on car restoration. However, when you look at some of the Top Gear Specials involving used cars that the series produced over the years, it ends up being a lot of restoration and transformation.
Initially, a mainstay of celebrity auto presenters – Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May – Top Gear continued to toy with the decades-old formula of showing cars as a plaything instead of commodities post the Clarkson era. The show was last hosted by Chris Harris, Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness prior to BBC pulling the plug on its production after Flintoff suffered major injuries while filming.
Top Gear is not coming back for the foreseeable future but its heritage is still accessible on online streaming platforms, especially the popular ones from Clarkson’s era.
Aired: 2022
Streaming on: Prime Video, HBO Max, Discovery Plus
Resto-modding iconic classic cars into EVs is a concept that might get a lot of backlash from the community of auto enthusiasts. Hence, such a challenge could only be bestowed upon Hollywood superstar Robert Downey Jr., to convince people why electrification is the best way to keep our classic cars relevant in today’s times.
Downey’s Dream Cars involves the superstar restoring and converting some classic cars from his garage into EVs. The show details the story behind each of the vehicles, the meticulous process of restoration and a post-completion validation either in the form of a road trip or a drag race. The cars involved are icons of the past like a Corvette Stingray, a classic Mercedes Benz and even a Volkswagen microbus, which Downey gets on account of the show.
Aired: 2005-2008
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
Overhaulin’ is one of those TV shows that you would want to be a part of, especially if you possess a classic car.
The show’s premise involved the Overhaulin’ team secretly restoring and modifying the owner’s classic car into stunning custom creations while tricking the owner into believing their vehicle was towed away for the wrong reasons. Beyond documenting the meticulous hard work of the builders and the mechanics creating masterpieces within strict deadlines, the show’s core concept was about sharing heartwarming car stories and how the restaurant helped put a smile on the owners’ faces.
For those seeking a great entertainer based on cars with a valuable emotional payoff, Overhaulin’ is a must-watch.
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Saad Chaudhry via Unsplash)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Wheeler Dealers is one of the most popular car restoration shows today.
Car Masters: Rust to Riches is one of the best car restoration shows on Netflix.
No, car restoration shows feature both classic and modern cars.
