Search and Restore -Hot Rod Build TV Debut
Tim Strange’s Hot Rod Reality TV with a Heart
If you’ll be missing time in the garage watching TV, let’s hope that at least it’s something good. I caught up with Tim Strange, the newest host on Powerblock TV to learn about his new show called “Search and Restore”. It sounds just a little “Overhaulin” like where people who could use a break get one in the form of a restored, or more like customized, car. I know Tim will kill this, so I asked him to help us understand why we should watch…
UPDATE: (12/16/13) The show doesn’t seem to be accepting applications… I couldn’t find a place to submit them. And Tim Strange isn’t the host anymore. BUMMER! I hope to do a follow-up story on what happened.
With the bad taste in my mouth from an Arizona based “reality” show about restoring cars called, “Desert Car Kings” it’s easy to think… Not another car reality show! How’s your show different?
Search and Restore’s not really a cheesy dumb “reality” show, I hate to see hot rod and motorcycle guys played out in poor light…ya know like TV has been doing for years… only a couple shows have ever got it right. I hate forced drama, I have only made it through about 15 minutes of that desert show as well as the 72 hour show… funny I got a call to do one episode of the 72 hour show but I thought it was a joke, and now I see it… it is!
The show I’m doing is real family hardship stories and some feel good stuff. The only bad thing with that is the car building sometimes take a back seat. I know I have seen the cuts of the first 2 shows and was a little surprised on what I call, “Important hot rod building” stuff that got cut to the editing room floor… a couple all nighters of work just gone.
Will you have any guest builders that either A) have no talent and make you want to kill them or B) spontaneously break into tears?
I get to approve of the guest builders and can get them lined up a little. As I type this we’re about into 7th episode and I don’t think I have made anyone cry yet! I don’t think… Yes I require hard, consistent and awesome work. I’ll also say I was a little worried about it as the other hosts from the Power Block shows also help and co-host and help build, but most have surprised me with quality and work, Tommy Boshes really stepped up on the first build we did.
See more hot rods and hot rod builds here
Tim Strange in front of “Resilience” an amazing Kustom built by Tim with design by our buddy Brian from Problemchildkustoms.com. (see the picture below)
I dig what you said about helping people and touching people’s lives or helping them rebound… Why is that important to you? (Was there some specific reason or experience that make you feel that way?)
It is cool to be able to build a project to make people forget a little about the bad stuff in thier lives, or maybe help give them and little positive outlook on the world. Ya know, I’ve built many high end hot rods for people… Some get so wrapped up in awards and exposure they sometimes don’t really seem to enjoy the car. This is a little different. I can’t really talk about the shows till they air, but the first build (each build gets 4 half hour shows) was amazing to do, tons of hard work, but what a payoff!
* When you reveal the cars to the owners, are you gonna cry?
I can’t guarantee anything… LOL Some people might when they watch it though, some very cool stuff.
5 words or less, why should we watch?
Real people building real cars
Make sure to tune in to Search and Restore on May 7th, Spike TV for a back to back episode debut featuring a 67 Nova. Or go to the Search and Restore homepage to see whatcha missed.
To learn more about Tim Strange hot rod building, go to Strange Motion Rod and Custom and he’s got a “Strange Words” newsletter that covers the shop and a little about the show.
Finally, Tim’s a member here at MyRideisMe.com. Check out his garage for more builds: Strange Motion garage
Good luck Tim!
Thanks everyone for your many comments below. Please keep in mind…
I can NOT help you get on the show!
Please contact Search and Restore directly.
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i like the show. how do you pick the cars to rework?I have a 1968 ford torino convertable GT.I have had it over 30 years. i am retired and can not afford to re do it like iy should be done/ if you would like to do it let me know. there were only 5000 made. thanks
I’d like to help my father get his 1976 cobra 2 mustang on the road again. It is a black on black car with gold strips, with a 4 speed. He lost both his parents in the last few years. With helping my younger brother, and sisters out, time and money is short. After watching the show week after week, i know the car would be better then anything we could do.
Hey, I watch your show regularly and love every episode. I have a younger sister of 36 who just lost her husband a little over a year ago to cancer. He was a gear head from the word go.He dedicated many hours to his 1982 mustang and now it is just rotting in her drive way. She has my 3 year old nephew who is always trying to work on my diecast nascar pieces. My brother in law was a great man and my sister wants nothing more than having thier son follow in daddy’s foot steps. My sisters name is kala hardy and her son is dawson hardy. He loves the street rods around here and already at three knows the difference of a mustang and a camero. If ever you want to see the happiest two people on this earth I would ask you to do a simple restore for these these two people. My sister really wants my nephew growing up with dad’s hot rod. The cancer took david away from his passion as he was bed ridden until he passed. He was an avid bike rider owning two Hyabusa bikes. He was known to his many fvriends as “Busa Dave” You would make this brother and uncle really swell up with tears, if you could restore this mustang in memory of “Busa Dave” for my sister and nephew. I recently saw a show where you restored a Nova for a man who lost his wife to cancer. I want nothing more out of my life than to see the same trembling hands on my sister as she accepts the keys from her late husbands dream car to one day soon place those same keys in the hand of my nephew.
I have a 55 Chevy 210. I am a US Marine and am slowly but surely trying to restore it. I love the show and would love for you to pick my car to restore it or give it that custom street rod look. Please let me know if that is possible. Thank you.
Guys,
I appreciate the comments and it sounds like you’re worthy of some help, but this is NOT the place to post for help from Search and Restore. Here’s the link to apply to have your car restored: http://www.searchandrestoretv.com/application.php
hi guys your show is great luv what you do to you cars ,i went as far as i could go for now with mine but in time i will finish thanks for all the ideas you have given me i will keep watching you show .ty
hay guy love the work u guys put in to all of the cars i got a 1969 chevell malubu with 307 eng. had this car for over 15 year park . i can never seam to save the money to restore her .i stared working on my 1992 chevy truck and never finished it because my baby was born and now i can seem to fix none of them .my wife is beging me to sell my 69 chevy becaues i being pay to park i we never get to drive the car but id will sell my work truck befor geting rid of my car
I am not sure if you will see this comment but i got to try.My husband was diagnosed with pancriatse cancer in DEC,2011 he is really sick the doctors frist gave him two years but they recently found out he is ate up with cancer so now were not sure how long he went from 240 pounds to 140 since December his dad left him his 1990 fxr low rider but it needs to be redone he has the frame & motor and a few odds and ends but i would love nothing more then for someone to get this harley running for him before he passes on it has been about two 1/2 years since his last ride please this is the life for him.Thank you just one more ride.
Tim, I knew a truck driver in the early 70’s who drove for Robroy Industries out of Gilmer Texas named Bob Strange. You remind me a lot of him, are you related. Thanks Wm. Steenburgh
Hey everybody, thanks for the nice comments, the show is fun to do, a little learning on the TV side of things, but the TV guys had a lot of learning on how a hot rod actually gets built…first production meeting they had the build lined out for days and weeks, they actually thought I could paint the car BEFORE any rust repairs were done! Crazy… also the only way to get picked is send it online through the http://www.searchandrestoretv.com website, I don’t go through the applicants, they have a guy that does that. Sometimes there is certain things the shows and sponsors look for either muscle cars, trucks, or something in particular the family is dealing with. I do know over 100,000 applicants have been sent in so far. We just wrapped the first season and are getting ready to start production on the 2012 season, so its cool it did well enough for a second season. There was talk about getting out of the Power Block (as the other shows are more how-to shows) and in to a week night time slot, but don’t think that will happen, needs to be more sponsors behind it first for that.
Thanks for MyRideisMe.com for putting this story up and doing this interview with Brian from Problem Child Kustoms and I, a ton of people have read and commented to me on it.
Hey I like the show. My name is Julie and My son has been wanting to restore his 1986 chevy k5 blazer. He has been a really great kid and a very hard worker. He recently lost his dad this year from pancreatic cancer and that was his buddy and also beat friend. He recently put a lift kit on with his dad and was planning on finishing the rest and restoring the whole thing but now with his father gone it is hard on him and I hate to see my sons dreams go away. He has been trying to keep his head up and work on it a little but it but has a hard time because nobody is there to help him. If you guys could make his dreams come true He would be so happy. Please consider us. Thank you so much!
Julie
Hi Julie, Thanks for the comment Julie. Tim Strange left a comment on how to get on the show. It’s tough, even with a touching story like yours. Please check Tim’s comment and apply at the show’s website.
my husband has a 1991 grand Prix se he trid fixing it but never finch i will love to surprise him but we do not have money he had a operation for his heart and can not work any more.thank you hope u can help
There’s info in this blog on how to contact “Search and Restore” to get your car on the show. Please look for it… Good Luck!
Hi, I’m John Keating I have been machanicing for many years, as well as body work i.e paint and body repair. I am a gear head and I think its really cool what they do for people, and I would like to volunteer my time and skills. I’m not Mr. Goodwrench but I would like to help in anyway possible. I’m not employed at the time so I have a lot of free time on my hands that I would like to do some good with.
Thanks,
John Keating
My husband just bought his dad’s old 1958 Ford F100. Its been in the family for about 45 years, pasted around many times. I would love to be able to fix it up for him. We’ve been married for 15 years and together since high school. My husband has been talking about restoring an old car/truck as long as I’ve known him. He goes to work everyday to make sure that me and the kids have anything we need, he’s worked at a job he dislikes so I Can go to college and I want to do something awesome for him. He’s my rock and I feel like I owe him so much. If you every want to restore an old Ford I’m sure he wouldn’t complain. He enjoys watching all the trick, pimp, restore, rebuild shows.
I was wondering how you choose to pick the cars that you rebuild. I am a high school football Coach in Texas and can’t seem to find the time to work on my car. I inherited the car from my father when he passed away. This was the last car that he was working on before he passed, so it is very special to me, and I would really like to finish it. It is about 85% finished. It is a pretty rare car, it is a 1951 Ford Woody. This car would make a great episode, because the shows in the past have never done a woody, it would really be unique.
Thanks,
Lee M. Rabe
I would love to do something special for my parents. They have a 1968 Firebird. My Dad has been working on restoring the car for about 20 years now. He has got a lot done but its still not done. My Dad works 40+ hours a week, he had a rental property that we have all helped him with. My Dad had surgery on his shoulder and his back, so all this takes away from time and money that he could of been putting in the car. I would so love to have this car done for them. I am the oldest of 3 kids and my parents have always been there for all of us kids. They are also know here for the grandchildren. I am divorced with 2 girls and I work 40 hours a week and and my Mom and Dad both help me out if needed with my girls. They watch then on week ends while I work a second job to support my kids. This is would be the best gift I could give them. I would so love to finally get to see my Parents get to drive this car to a car show. Currently they just go and look at the cars. Also the 1968 Firebird is more rare then other years, have found this out while trying to get parts for it.
Hi,My name is Rita.My fiance Joe watches your show & dreams of the work you do on the cars.He says that you guys have amazing talent as Builders & Designers of the most amazing cars that he has seen,& he loves your style.Joe is a Pizza Chef & makes custom pies,He works 6 days a week 13 hours a day plus 3 hours traveling time..His car been broken down for months after spending 8 plus thousand into it.We live week by week & we support 2 grand kids & 3 kids.He kills himself to make the bills we love him so much that I want to do something for him,I seen your web ad and now I’m writing you to see if you can help me, help Joe .Could you he;p me with your team just to make the car start & run.He has a 2002 Mitshibishi Galant ES ? thank you Rita
Kim and Rita, I appreciate your heartfelt comments, but this is not the place to apply for selection for Search and Restore. Tim’s a friend of MyRideisMe.com, but to be on the show, go here: http://www.powerblocktv.com/shows/sr.php
I’ve seen your show and my car was submitted and I wondered if you was going to do my car on your show. Its a 1961 Cadillac and needs to be restored I’ve ran out of money and I’ve no place to work it also I’m out of work can you help me. I really want a responce to my message.
Mark, sorry to say you won’t get a response here. Tim’s said they have 1000’s of requests. They can’t do them all. Please check in the comments above for a note from Tim Strange @ Search and Restore to see how to submit your request.
i have a herbie the love bug replica car wish i could get it restored how do i get on your show??
its a far out car love to see it restored,but i have limited income due to lung desease but would be my dream to see herbie ride again!!!
My daughter bought me a 1987 Oldsmobile 98 Regency Brougham in February, 2012. It has the original 81,000 miles on it. The engine, and the entire car looks awesome for its age. I drove it for 5 wks, smooth rides everyday, and then, all of a sudden, it stalled and only started when it wanted. Its been off the road for 8 wks now and I finally put it in the shop. I love this car so much. My husband changed all kinds of sensors, amongst other things, and spent about 700 dollars in parts and still does not stay running. Any chance of you picking my car to feature, repair, and restore? It is considered an antique, but I didn’t want the special plates because I want to have freedom of driving it when I want, since it is my ONLY means of transportation. Thank You
Hi my dad has a 57 chevy 4 door hardtop fair condition but been disasembled its a az car so not bad shape would love to see it on your show what do you think . hope your interested My dad and i love your show wish we had your know how to restore . Thanks
I have a 1966 Chevy Caprice Classic in my garage…my Dad bought it new (I’ve got the original window sticker!). It’s completely original, except for a repaint in the late 70’s. The interior is spotless! I’d love to surprise my Dad…he’ll be turning 78 next June and the Chevy will be 47. It’s an impressive car that just needs a little TLC to make it amazing. We love the show and would love to be on it.
I have a 1963 plymouth valiant 4 door. It is in fair shape but needs a lot of tlc. Me and my wife have had a few unfortunate events in the last 5 years or so when it comes to the economy and our jobs. We have lost our jobs a total of 6 times together(3 times each) all due to cutbacks. We have been force to cutback and downsize ourselves. I purchased this car so i could give my financed good running car back to the bank and save the car payment. I would love for you to put my car on the show. As i said it has a pretty good amount of work to be 100% restored but all i want is a safe and reliable cool looking car. Oh yeah did i mention that we have had to move around the country way to many times due to the line of work and position i have. It would be nice not to worry about a car and car payment. I would like to drive this car for the next 49 years. Thank you for your time and i hope you pick my car i think you would have a good time restoreing it.
Hi Charles, like Tim Strange, the host of Search and Restore, I’m sorry you’re having a rough time. Unfortunately, this isn’t the place to post and be found for the TV show. Tim posted about to go here: to tell your story. Good luck and hang in there! -pikesan
Hello my name is caleb stephens and my grandpa has a 46 ford pickup and has been wanting to fix it up for years but hasn’t had the time or money to do it. He got ran over by a 3/4 ton dodge and broke his legs and hasn’t been able to work. I’m trying to find someone that will fix it for free because we dont have the money to ourselfs.Please if you can help he has done everything for everyone else and he loves this truck. If we dont get it fixed he said he is gonna give it so someone who can fix it I dont want this truck to go away and neither does he so please help if you can. Thanks
I have a 1965 Chevy II 4-door, three on the collar that My mother gave me. For about 7 years in the mid to late 80’s this was the only car she had to drive. We lived in a small town in Ga where small holiday parades are common. While on her way home from work she unknowingly found herself in a parade with nlookers waving at her. She could only laugh when she finally noticed why they were waving. These are the type memories I want to preserve. Unforhtunately, I have not been able to bring the car to NC where I now live and haven’t been able to begin the restoration process. The car has been sitting in front of my m’s house deteriorating. I’d love nothing more than to restore this classic. Please contact me if you can help. Thanks
Hi,I love the show. Your guys really know how to restore and put together muscle cars and classic vehicles. I have a 1962 ford thunderbird(bullet bird) that I started to restore about a year ago. I had no one to help me or get advice from. I was working on the car one day and this guy came along and told me he was a mechanic,so we started to talk and after about 2 weeks I figured that he was straight up and just looking to make a few bucks like all of us. This guy had all the tool and equipment to work on and fix any car in the back of his work van. We took the motor out of the car and loaded it in the back of his van and took it over to his shop,he started out keeping me informed about what I needed to do to get the car up and running. After 2 weeks of going back and forth with the car,this guy stopped calling me so I went by his shop and he was gone and the shop was emptied out. I never found this guy or my motor to the car. I ended up buying a ford 302/5.0 motor to put back into the car. Bad luck strikes again because I was laid off from my job and I have no income at all now.The car has been sitting up for about a year and a half now and it’s about to tear my family up because we invested money into the car parts that this guy ran off with. I want to keep the car and fix it up or I can sell it ti keep my family togehter but it would be great to have it restored and take the family out for a nice ride on Miami Beach.
Hello I know you have heard it all. I was just wondering if you could finish helping my 23 year old son get this 1967 camero totally legal and a show car he has tried so hard to get it done before his grandpa passed away almost 3 years ago but with trying to raise a family he cant seem to afford it. You see it is very important to him. He promised his grandpa he would . His grabdpa was a wonderful man always there for him unlike the bum father that never even wanted to see him or have anything to do with him. His grandpa after being on dialises for over two years and having only half hhis heart working , diabetic high bllod presure and was disabled when he was very young by falling of a scaffle 75 feet up broke his back he was very lucky to be alive. He gave up after 2 years of dialises and within 8 dats passed away. My son wants the car to be nice in memory of his grandpa. Could you help? Thank you for your time and consideration. Joy
Joy, you’re posting in the wrong place. I’m sympathetic, but I can’t gaurantee Tim will even read this, and he’s only one of many people who decide what cars to fix up. Please contact Search and Restore.
I have a REAL challenge for you. I have a 1930/31 ford coupe w/rumble seat. She has been in the family since she was new. My uncle John was a hermit. Bought it new. Only put less that 300 miles on it, then parked it in his field. When my Daddy went & saw it, he ask uncle John if he could by it. Sold it to him for $35.. Daddy charged the battery & drove it from Neodasha, KS to Ponca City, Ok. worked on it himself. & when I turned 15 made me to learn to drive in her. When he was dying he ask me to teach my son to drive in her. He was 7 yrs old. So at 7 he did learn to drive in her, By the way, her name is “Hester” , uncle Johns sister’s name. Now we have a delima, He told my Daddy he wanted to teach his kids to drive in her. But we need alot of work done to keep original. My son is so afraid of his children not being able to learn to drive in her as we can’t afford the cost it takes. We can help w/some of the costs, & have some parts, hopefully still good. PLEASE PLEASE CAN U HELP,
MyRideisMe.com feels for you and your deserving ride. We really do! BUT… you’re posting your story/info in the WRONG PLACE! There is no way possible to make this more clear. Go to Search and Restore’s homepage to apply.
My wife has an interesting story with her 69 Chevelle and I thought you might be interested.
Her mother received the car as an engagement present and having been a polio surveyor she had to duct tape a handle on the steering to drive the car. I met my wife in 1978 and I remember her driving the car with the handle and thought it was interesting. She drove the car through high school and college. After graduating college her parents bought her a used mustang which drove for sometime early on in our marriage. Around 1998 her mother had a Mr. fixit go through the car and repaint and gifted to my wife. My wife was so excited to have her old car again. We had a couple of years and put in a new transmission. Our living arrangements changed and we were unable to keep the car inside, so we asked her father(they divorced when my wife was very young) to keep the car in his barn in North Carolina. He accepted and we shipped the car there until we were able to have arrangements to keep the car inside. After a few years we went to her father’s house to visit and he had placed the car outside, the windshield was cracked headliner falling and rusting my wife was devastated. Please note there are many barns on the property with junk in them so she could not understand his thinking. She kind of gave up on the car for the next few years and then about six months she went to a Medium on a lark and they told her there was a gentlemen that was coming through saying he was her father and the gentlemen’s name was the person that gave her mother the car. My wife never really believed her father was truly her father and after speaking with her moms best friend back when my wife was conceived we believe her father is the person who bought the car.
We contacted a high school friend of ours George Landis with SRC racing in Boca Raton Florida and he said he was driving up north and he would bring his trailer and haul the car back for us(really nice, we covered the gas etc). Upon his arrival the car was wedged between two barns and all tires plat. Her father who had the car had a tractor right next to the car and could have pulled out for George, but did not, nor did he help with anything while George rescued her beloved car. George had to pull the wheel off as one of the drums was locked up and loaded the car. When George was able to inspect the car, he was pleased to find that the only rust on the car was the truck from the rear window rust and rust around the front and back glass. He was wishing a he had the car to restore for himself.
George thought my wife had an interesting story and thought I should contact you about it and has also offered to be the local shop for the rescue.
My wife has been volunteering and giving to everyone in our community for years including raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for my daughters schools through her imaginative ideas and drive and was even nominated for volunteer of the year for Palm Beach County Schools (One of the largest School Districts in the nation).
I just would like for someone to do something great for her.
Thank you for reading my longwinded email and I hope you would consider doing this for my wife as I am unable to restore it how she has been dreaming to do it.
Thank you for your consideration,
David Lindley
David, Thanks for your note.
Once again: Do not submit your car for Search and Restore here. It will not be considered.
hi my name is james Eckert im 24 an Feb, 20,2013 my birthday my grandma gave me my grandfathers truck he past away about 18 years ago an the truck has been sitting its a 1940 ford pick up it has a chevy 350 small block s10 frame camaro rear body droped 4 inches 3 inch chop top he was in the middel of building the truck an on the way to go get paint he was killed by a drunk driver it crushed my family an the truck has just been sitting since an now im old enough i would like to build it an fill his dream with the truck any ideas or help with it i would appreciate.
I would really appreciate some help, or sent in the right direction. My husband has a 1969 Olds 442 W-30 . His ex would never let him fix it up. Well, here I am and I would love for it to get fixed up. But since I have breast cancer, he has yet again set the car aside. Every October there is a huge car show in town over 1000 cars, in the 6 years (anniversary coming up 3/24/13) we have gone to that show we have never seen a 1969 OLDS 442 , or a W-30. I would love to get the car fixed up and surprise him with it. CAn you offer any advice or help.
You guys please! Read the story. I feel for you but this is the WRONG place to ask.
My dad bought me my 1967 GTO when I was fourteen. I have it parked the garage and would like to get it restored for him. On July 3rd 2013 my dad, after 43 years is getting his Purple Heart and several other medals he was not awarded. I would like to get the car restored and give it back to him. It is a 1967 GTO with the 389 tripack and hurst shifter.
I would like some help with my 1967 ford f100 pickup and it needs some dents to be back in place and ‘dent free’ and a silver gray paint job with blue interior with some exast manifold and some street
wheels and surprise me with that I said.also a ford racing engine
Hello
I have a 1971 ford mercury comet
V8 302, rag top was my first car my grandfather
Helped me buy when I was 16 I’m 31 now, he recently passed
Away from prostate cancer and I’m just
Looking for some helpful advice or help with restoring her
to where I can drive her around town without worrying
about breaking down.
thank you
RONNIE WILSON
I have a 1927 Model T hack that was road able. Being handicapped and in a wheel chair I was not able to work on the car so I sent it to a shop to have better breaks and a automatic transmission, and convert it to 12 volt. After a year and a half of promises I repossessed the car only to find the shop had tried to put the ford model T body on a 2000 ford ranger frame, motor. No room, for the computer, gauges, the body did not fit, it was a total loss. I still have the body, fenders and the desire to get the car on the road need some kind of frame, motor, axles, advise and help.
Hello we have a 1977 Chevy Camaro we bought from my sons friend who needed to sell it right away. Would love to drive it some day it runs, but it needs a lot of work inside and out. Can not drive it till we get it fixed and inspected. We love classic cars and would love to have it restored, my husband said it would be his project if he ever has time. I would love help in restoring this car for him.
Thank You
Diana De La Fuente
My fiance has a 1971 dodge dart he was trying to put back together until he was diagnosed with stage 4 head and neck cancer after going through chemo and radiation he just doesnt have the strength or finances to put gis dream back on the road. Duane was a bmx bicycle racer when he was a young man we have a history with dodge darts in 1984 he bought my 69 swinger which he turned into a racecar its sitting on the trailer he hasnt been able to even go back to racing. I would love to see him get something for once in his life that means the world to him.
I saw part of a show where people from a school in sacramento California were helping with a restore searched all over but no luck do you know where I could search and learn to restore my own 1966 olds f85
My dream is to get my 68 Chevy 11 nova restoration done .I have had this car for 20 years.I’m disabled on social security just not enough income.my dream car.