ANDY CAMERAMAN FUZZ_TOWNSHEND HOT_RODDERS HOT_ROD_1 HOT_ROD_2 HOT_ROD_3 KIM NARRATOR PHIL QUAIFE_ENGINEERING_EMPLOYEE ROSTIE SANTA_POD_MAN THE_EXHAUST_PLACE TIM_SHAW UNKNOWN NARRATOR Today on Car SOS, dyed-in-the-wool petrolhead, Tim Shaw TIM SHAW I love this car, absolutely. It's just stonking. NARRATOR And mechanical maestro Fuzz Townshend. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Do you know, I love the smell of gear box oil. NARRATOR Are once again on their undercover mission to rescue classic cars for deserving owners. This time, the boys enter a world of fat wheels and enormous engines. TIM SHAW What is that, about 9 litre [UNIT CONVERSION 1.98 gallons]? SANTA POD MAN Yeah. TIM SHAW 9 litres [UNIT CONVERSION 1.98 gallons]. NARRATOR Tim discovers where Fuzz keeps his socks. TIM SHAW Oh it stinks. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND I know what you need. TIM SHAW And Fuzz discovers where Tim keeps his underpants. TIM SHAW Thank you very much. FUZZ TOWNSHEND There you go. NARRATOR And the stage is set to make another automotive dream come true. FUZZ TOWNSHEND This is like all your Christmases in one, isn't it? UNKNOWN It's got to be one of the best days of my life. NARRATOR Today, Tim and Fuzz are off to the home counties to get their grubby little hands on something a bit out of the ordinary. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Back in the saddle Fuzz more time! FUZZ TOWNSHEND Here we go, yes! TIM SHAW Welcome to my old stinking ground here in Kent. FUZZ TOWNSHEND You've lived everywhere. TIM SHAW I have. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Are you on some sort of witness protection programme or something like that? TIM SHAW Chased out of town mate, that's what happened to me round here. Anyway, forget where we are because the reason we're here is quite simple, Fuzzbot. Today, we are picking up a TIM SHAW / FUZZ TOWNSHEND 1955 Ford Popular hot rod! NARRATOR In the austerity years of 1950s Britain, Ford were eager to tap into an emerging cheap car market. And its candidate was the ambitiously named Ford Popular. As basic a car as you could possibly get. It was under-powered, unattractive, and unlikely to receive the tiniest footnote in the annuls of motoring history had it not been for a small group of British men and women who were inspired by the growing hot rod movement in America, where unfashionable classic cars were being transformed into supercharged works of automotive art. And as importing cars from the US was pretty much out of anyone's financial reach, Ford Popular with its curvaceous mud guards and tall radiator grill became the next best thing. Overnight the Pop became the definitive British hot rod, the perfect blank canvas ripe for modification. Massive V8 engines and lowered suspension pushed road legality to the limit, and turned these otherwise forgettable little cars into iconic custom classics. You might even call them the top of the pops. Although, that might not necessarily apply to the one the boys are off to see, which is more like a flop of the chops. FUZZ TOWNSHEND It was the only way that people with limited incomes could actually get their hands on something that would actually really, really move. NARRATOR Well, today's custom car fanatic is 52-year-old, Andy, a well-loved and well-known character on the hot rod scene. His beloved bright orange Pop though, is not quite such a regular, as since Andy bought it ten years ago it spent most of that time laid up in storage, with a list of mechanical and bodywork problems as long as your arm. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Come on then, let's go and get it. NARRATOR It was Andy's wife, Kim, and mate Rostie from the National Street Rod Association who contacted Tim and Fuzz with a cry for help the boys just couldn't ignore. TIM SHAW Round here, come on. What a mission that was. Nice to meet you, Rostie. ROSTIE Nice to meet you. TIM SHAW That's a hot rodder. That's what they look like! Kim, lovely to meet you. Tim, how you doing? KIM Hi. TIM SHAW This is Fuzzbot. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Hi Kim, how you doing? KIM Hi. TIM SHAW What's this joint, what's this place? ROSTIE It's my speed shop, so for hot rods. TIM SHAW Is this, is this where Andy's car is? ROSTIE This is where Andy's car is. TIM SHAW Where's Andy today? KIM Back home in Berkshire. TIM SHAW No idea at all? KIM Nope. TIM SHAW Sweet. Right, can we get eyes on it? ROSTIE Yeah, of course you can. TIM SHAW Come on then. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Whey hey. Well, I'll take the green one, please. ROSTIE Yeah, it's yours. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah, fantastic. Yeah, we're on. TIM SHAW Right, I'm going to be honest here, I've got to say, I've got to throw it out there right now. I don't like Ford Pops. FUZZ TOWNSHEND You can't say that, you can't say that. TIM SHAW No, I can say that. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Just stop talking, let's take a look at the car, shall we? There we go, there we are. Look at that. TIM SHAW Right, yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right, please, please, Kim, will you take him out of here, and give him some education. ROSTIE Come along. TIM SHAW No, no thank you. FUZZ TOWNSHEND You need to know. KIM We'll have a little chat. TIM SHAW No, I don't want... FUZZ TOWNSHEND You got some, you got some stuff to learn, son. KIM Come on. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Off you go, right look I'm sorry about that. But, shall we take a look at it? ROSTIE Yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND We've got a standard four Pop steel shell, is that correct? ROSTIE Standard four Pop. Yeah, 48 to 59. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah. ROSTIE With a classic mini roof, spun 180 and welded in. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Course, yeah, they built them to be like that because it was light weight, less metal. ROSTIE Less metal. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah, got you. ROSTIE These are the old panels. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Alright, okay. ROSTIE As you can see it was in quite a bad state. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah, those are pretty rotten aren't they. ROSTIE Yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah, same there. ROSTIE Yep. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah. Okay, what about the rear axle then? Is that a Jaguar? ROSTIE Yep. FUZZ TOWNSHEND So we know that, that's a known thing. I mean, what are those seats out of? ROSTIE I don't know. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah, I don't know, they're probably late seventies, early eighties. ROSTIE I would have thought so, yeah, and they're ratchet strapped in. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right, oh okay. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Well that's not good. There's a lot to do, isn't there? TIM SHAW I'm going to start with an apology. What I do think is, I do think it's going to look good when we're finished with it. KIM I'm sure it will. TIM SHAW It was a stupid thing for me to say, because I know that hot rodders are mad about cars, like it's a way of life isn't it? KIM Yes. TIM SHAW So, how bad a way of life is it for you and Andy? KIM Andy is mad about his car. TIM SHAW I mean, is this sort of like the way, if this is a way of dress, is his tattoos? I notice you don't have any tattoos yourself? KIM I do. Everyone he gets, I get one. TIM SHAW Right okay, and what's he got? KIM He's got his Ford Pop on his arm, his dream Ford Pop on his arm. TIM SHAW Right, so that car is already tattooed on his arm? KIM Yes. TIM SHAW What's sort of life has he had? From a young age, you know, what's his story? KIM He was adopted, and then when his adopted mother, she was like, there's something not right, and then she thought and took him and got diagnosed with cerebral palsy. TIM SHAW Right, and that means he has problem with motor coordination, frankly. So he has a problem with movement doesn't he, and balance? KIM A little bit. He's got no use of his right hand. TIM SHAW Yeah. KIM He can't speak. He dribbles. TIM SHAW Right. KIM Well it's embarrassing, and people laugh and make fun. NARRATOR We wanted to get to know Andy a bit better so we planted hidden cameras in one of the places he feels happiest, the car. KIM I don't know what we're going to do about getting the car back. Are you worried about anything? ANDY [PHONETIC I can't] KIM You never know. One day you'll have the car of your dreams. ANDY I hope so. FUZZ TOWNSHEND So, what about the front end here, does this open up? ROSTIE Yes, it's a fibreglass flip front. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Okay. ROSTIE Which obviously isn't standard. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Okay. So we've got the Rover 3 and a half litre [UNIT CONVERSION 0.77 gallon] V8 engine. ROSTIE Yep, yep. FUZZ TOWNSHEND So, that's a, that's a pretty standard thing to see, I would guess? ROSTIE Yeah, without a doubt, yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND And straight out of the sides, just past the A post. ROSTIE Straight out the side, that's it. Yeah, that's it. FUZZ TOWNSHEND That's okay. ROSTIE It's a bit noisy, but that's Andy all over. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah. It seems pretty wide at the front. What's the front axle? ROSTIE Vauxhall Viva. FUZZ TOWNSHEND A Vauxhall Viva? ROSTIE Vauxhall Viva, yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND A V8 engine, a Jaguar back end, and then a Vauxhall Viva front end. ROSTIE Yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Not only have we got to restore a car, but it's got to be done so that it fits the scene. ROSTIE Got to do it justice. TIM SHAW I mean he grew up as being, you know, a, a young man with cerebral palsy at a time when people were horrific. KIM He got stabbed for being different. TIM SHAW What? KIM He was in a nightclub, couldn't talk, couldn't say sorry when he bumped someone. TIM SHAW And he got stabbed? KIM Mm. But because he can't verbalise sorry, and not a lot of people know Makaton, we've stopped going out. TIM SHAW For that reason? KIM Yeah, he hates going out. TIM SHAW So, as a result of people in society, you guys live pretty much a reclusive lifestyle. KIM Yeah. But we've been lucky, because we found groups of like minded people who support you, yeah. TIM SHAW Do you mind we asking, why do you get upset? What's going through your mind? KIM Because I can't do it for him. One, it's money, haven't got the money. And two, I'm not a mechanic. TIM SHAW So that must be. KIM But every time he does something, I try and help. So, yeah, I just want him to be happy. TIM SHAW Well Kim, there is absolutely no way I'm going to say any, anything other than we're going to make it happen. Come on, let's get on with it. KIM Yes. TIM SHAW There's no time to waste. Come on, let's go and see what Fuzz is up to. TIM SHAW Right, Fuzzbot, before you tell me what you've found, I just want to tell you this. What happened out there just now, I love them. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Good. TIM SHAW I love them. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Brilliant, well done Kim, you've actually managed to sort him out. TIM SHAW Yeah, right now, what have you found then? FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right, about ten cars worth of work. [LAUGHS] TIM SHAW Right, let's load it up and get the hell out of here. NARRATOR Yes, it's ten cars' worth of work because it's made out of ten cars. Vauxhall, Jaguar, Mini. Oh yes, and lurking somewhere in this Frankenstein's monster there is a 1955 Ford Pop. FUZZ TOWNSHEND What I want to do is find out which bits of it we can use, which things we need to repair, and then we can start getting some idea of how we're going to build what Andy wants. Very easy to get it completely wrong. TIM SHAW I know, yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Okay. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right come on then, let's see what we got. Okay, so looks like we've got a fairly recent bespoke fuel tank. So, that could be good. TIM SHAW Right. FUZZ TOWNSHEND But I don't know whether it's leaking or not. And then, we've got the condition of the chassis. TIM SHAW That to me looks like painting on top of rust, which look at that, I'm just scraping off new paint over rust. That's a bad sign. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah. TIM SHAW Look, that's what, have a look at that. That's your condition, it's called bits of iron oxide. FUZZ TOWNSHEND And we don't know what sort of condition the welds are in. So, we need to go through all of that. So, the only way to do that really is to get it blasted, so that we can get it back to the metal and see what we've got underneath there. But this is a, this is kind of a home build. This is how it was, this is what it was all about. TIM SHAW Let's play a game called spot the Ford Pop bits. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Well, I know what you mean. Look, we've got the rear axle. That looks to me like TIM SHAW Jag? FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah, Jaguar E-type. TIM SHAW Well the diff's leaking. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Okay, so we've got a leaky diff. So there's one job. Rear axle, we need to look at all of that. TIM SHAW Yeah. Okay right, so hang on, what's that then? FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right, that looks to me to be a Vauxhall Viva. TIM SHAW Right. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Front Axle. Because that transverse leak is that one there. TIM SHAW This is Frankenstein's Monster, man. It's all different car manufacturers all smudged together into one big blur. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Well it's a bitsa, it's a bit of this, a bit of that. But that's what hot rods are all about. Then we've got a Rover 3 and a half litre [UNIT CONVERSION 0.77 gallon] V8 engine, that hasn't run for a long time. It might be a good idea to see if we can actually get that fired up, and see what we've got there. TIM SHAW It came out in the '50s from Ford, no intentions of putting this stuff in it. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yes. TIM SHAW 50 years ago it could deal with that 3 and a half litre [UNIT CONVERSION 0.77 gallon] V8. But, you skip forward like 50 years, you got loads of rust, that might just rip itself out of there, rip this with it. FUZZ TOWNSHEND You're quite right. NARRATOR Yes, a mish mash of historic repairs, and a jumble of parts from other cars, means this job is up there with the worst. TIM SHAW Tim and Fuzz have found themselves in unchartered territory, specifically a 1955 Ford Pop hot rod, who's owner loves it so much he's even had it tattooed on his arm. TIM SHAW A knife handle, really? FUZZ TOWNSHEND It's all part of the scene. TIM SHAW What do you know about the scene? Phil? PHIL Perfect, goes with the car. TIM SHAW What are you on about, goes with the car? PHIL Yeah, it goes with the car. TIM SHAW Who the hell would tattoo your first car on your arm? What kind of people do that? FUZZ TOWNSHEND [LAUGHS] is that your first car Phil? PHIL Yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND [LAUGHS] Where did the horse go? TIM SHAW What's that? PHIL Well, it's round the back here somewhere. TIM SHAW Right then, okay, I'll turn my back on you. Let's carry on with this. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right, why don't we get a battery on it and see if that turns it over. TIM SHAW Alright, come on then, battery's in the boot, isn't it? FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right, okay. FUZZ TOWNSHEND No, okay, take the earth of there. TIM SHAW Fuzz, right, Fuzz, it's, it's not working, it's not working. FUZZ TOWNSHEND No, I know you're right, you were right, I need to get that out, we need to investigate, see what's going on inside. I did a hear a clunk, it didn't sound good. TIM SHAW Okay. FUZZ TOWNSHEND I would like to know whether this engine is serviceable or not. NARRATOR Yes, here we go again. Rust holes, mechanical failures from top to bottom. And then the added obstacle that this car has been modded up to the gills. So, where to start? Well that big powerhouse of a Rover V8 is not a bad place, certainly looks like it's been round the houses. So, will need to come out, be stripped down and refurbished from top to bottom. Then there's the rear differential, the part that transmits all that power from the engine to the rear wheels. Currently the car sports one from an E-Type Jag. Perfect for a heavy grand tourer, but potentially dangerous in a lightweight hot rod. Where short bursts of speed might fling the car out of control. So, the diff will need adapting or replacing. And then what about the all important hot rod look. Every car's paintwork reflects it's owner's tastes. And as Tim and Fuzz have never even met Andy, this is where they could horribly wrong. Luckily cosmetic decisions are a long way off. Because before then the car's going to need to be stripped to the bare bones. Fuzz is going to have a good poke about that big old engine. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Let's see what we have here. NARRATOR And the shell is going off to the blasters to find the extent of the rust. And while we wait for that news, Tim's been tasked with sorting out the dodgy diff. Quaife Engineering create differentials for both the car industry and motorsport. So, if anyone can help, they can. TIM SHAW Now, I don't know what this is, and we don't, we think it's out of a Jag. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yes. TIM SHAW I don't know whether we think it might be a limited slip diff. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Okay. TIM SHAW But before we get into that, for me, can I tell you what I know about limited slip diffs? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yeah, let's go. TIM SHAW So, when a car goes round a corner for example, one wheel on the outside does a longer journey than the wheel on the inside. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Correct. TIM SHAW So as a result of that, we invented the differential. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Correct. TIM SHAW Which is what most cars have. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yes. TIM SHAW However, sometimes you get a situation where one wheel gets stuck in the mud and it's spinning, the side of the road, and you can't get out. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Exactly that. TIM SHAW But this thing would get you out of the mud? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yes. TIM SHAW One of these. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yes. TIM SHAW That's all I know, limited slip diff, that's the lot. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Let's get into it and have a look. TIM SHAW Right, sweet. Wow! QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Okay, there she is. So, this is a plated differential. TIM SHAW So this is a limited slip differential? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE This is a limited slip, yep. TIM SHAW Oh, it's stinks. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yeah. TIM SHAW It does, it stinks. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yeah, it don't smell nice. So, this Jaguar back axle would have come out of a much heavier car. You're fitting it in a Ford Pop. So, it's going to have a much higher preload in there than you're going to want in a Ford Pop. TIM SHAW Oh, so hang on, so at the point at which it will let slip. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yep. TIM SHAW So, that is all related to the weight of the car, the size of the engine, and all that sort of stuff. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Tyre size, wheels, grip, everything. TIM SHAW Really? So putting this in a little Ford Pop? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Not a good idea. TIM SHAW So, what's worst case scenario? Andy's driving down the street, comes a corner, he's putting the beans down a little bit, what goes wrong? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE The back end steps out, and he ends up in a hedge? TIM SHAW Right, well that's not happening. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Don't worry, Tim [LAUGHS]. TIM SHAW Have you got something for us? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE We've got something for you. TIM SHAW Right. NARRATOR And while Tim goes on the hunt for a 21st century diff, back at the workshop Fuzz is now up to his knuckles in that 20th century engine. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right. Now what I'm going to do is I'm going to remove the rear two bearing caps. Now, those are the big end bearing caps. That's because the rear of the engine tends to run hotter than they front of the engine. Just simply because of air flow, and of course a coolant flow as well. And so, I think they'll be more wear at the rear here. What we should have is a kind of grey, greyish white coloured metal surface. In this case, the white metal has disappeared. So, in fact this bearing is completely worn out. It just goes to show that unless you actually look inside the engine, you can never truly tell exactly what's going on. NARRATOR So, a whole lot of work for Fuzz, and a comprehensive rebuild for the engine. NARRATOR Back at the specialist, and Tim is about to get his hands on something that will make all the diff, quite literally. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE So, this is just a first part of the process when machining a differential. TIM SHAW And how many parts of the differential that we're hopefully going to fix Andy's car with, do you make? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE All of them. TIM SHAW But where does it start? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE So, it starts life as a rusty old billet that we can see here. TIM SHAW Right, so that is what we need for Andy's car? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Exactly that. Here's one I made earlier. TIM SHAW Let me have a look at that. Isn't that surreal. I mean that that is contained within that? And that happens, I guess, on the, oh you can see it happening now. So, those machines are doing it. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE So, so these are the lathes that are turning. So we've got two operations on here. TIM SHAW Yeah. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE One in operation machines this side, flick it round on to the next machine, and it machines this side. NARRATOR A traditional limited slip diff, which sends power from the engine to the wheel with the most grip was invented back in the 1930s by Ferdinand Porsche. But the experts at this factory have developed a brand new system, that not only prevents wheel from locking up, but can also be made to fit any size or weight of car. It's called an ATB. TIM SHAW What does ATB stand for, first? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Automatic Torque Biasing. So how this works, so you're going down the road, rotating, rotating, rotating. If you imagine you're going around a corner and your inside wheels starts to spin because you're going too fast. TIM SHAW Yeah. QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE So, what that does is it has a series of gears that allows us to bias the torque progressively, nice and smooth, to the wheel with the most grip. TIM SHAW So, the difference between this, and the other one is, the clutch packs on the other one just mean on or off? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yes. ATB fixes the problems you have with it locking, doesn't lock, nice progressive. And, we can set this specifically for the weight and size and Andy's car. TIM SHAW So, can we load it up, get it done, seal it up and I'll get it out of here? QUAIFE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEE Yeah, we'll get the old housing cleaned up, get this one built in and ready to go, straight back into the car. TIM SHAW Right, come on, let's do it. NARRATOR So, this is going to be one hot rod that really will hold the road. Back at the workshop and the shell has returned. We thought it might be a badun, but even in our wildest dreams we weren't expecting this. FUZZ TOWNSHEND We've had it back from the blasters, and it's really not good news at all. So, first of all, we've detected a twist in the front of the chassis here. And we've got some little breaks in the weld here. I'm not sure that it's been done very well. I don't like it, I don't like it at all. NARRATOR And if the body wasn't bad enough, Fuzz has a suspicion that there's something even worst lurking under the shell. The steel chassis is where the car gets it strength and rigidity. If that's as rotten as the rest of the car, we're in trouble. And the only way to find out is to split the two apart. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Now, we've separated it, so that we could see better the state of the chassis. We've got a lot of corrosion, that's got to take that big 3 and a half litre [UNIT CONVERSION 0.77 gallon] V8 engine. I think we've got a big problem on our hands here. This car is dangerous. TIM SHAW Oh wow! What's going on with this then, the chassis is looking a bit turkey. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Okay, just hold your horses a little minute. We've got galloping corrosion, we've got distortion of the chassis, the body's corroded. TIM SHAW Wow. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Look, can you imagine putting a Rover V8 engine in the front of that there, on those lollipop sticks at the front? Honestly, I do not think that this is safe. There are not many courses of action open to us, at all. Make the call. NARRATOR Yes, this car is so bad that its very future is in doubt. And the decision about what to do next is going to have to come from the family. TIM SHAW Hi. KIM Hello. ROSTIE Hello. TIM SHAW How you doing, you alright? ROSTIE Good to see you. TIM SHAW Right guys, sorry to get you up here a little earlier than expected. But there are some things we need to discuss with the car. KIM Right. TIM SHAW And on that note, come on in, let's go an see Fuzz. TIM SHAW You alright? KIM Yeah. TIM SHAW Okay, come on in. FUZZ TOWNSHEND So, we've managed to separate the body from the cassis, and as you can see it's not very pretty under there. What we've got is basically a really badly corroded chassis, with lots of previous repairs on it. So, it's in a, it's in a bad way. And it's also a little bit twisted in the chassis. TIM SHAW Kim, what does this car represent to you, and to Andy? KIM It's the world to him, so, it's the world to me. TIM SHAW We needed you to see it like this because some decisions need to be made about what we do with this car. Rostie, you're looking at this, what are you thinking, mate? ROSTIE Exactly what you say, it ain't good. KIM I was going to say it was bad in my mind to start with, and now it is so much worse. TIM SHAW The car's in trouble, and there's a line, there's a line where if cars cross how much trouble they're in, you have to have serious conversations about one thing, safety. KIM Yeah. TIM SHAW Okay, come with me a minute. Okay, and I want you to do me a favour, and keep your mind open. ROSTIE Okay. TIM SHAW What are you thinking? KIM It's a Pop. TIM SHAW It's solid, it's in better shape. So, I'm going to ask you this once, and I want you to give me your honest opinion. Is this an option? KIM Yes. TIM SHAW Okay. KIM Because that one's not safe. TIM SHAW No. FUZZ TOWNSHEND So, this chassis is much more substantial. There's still work that needs to be done to it, of course. But this is a much better starting platform. ROSTIE It's got a better suspension, better axles, and it's solid. TIM SHAW And it's still a Ford Pop. Come on, everybody through here, everyone. Come on. NARRATOR So, the verdict has been passed, the old car is going to be scrapped. And work will shift to this new part-finished project that Tim found online. It will still have Andy's old engine, the beating heart of any car, but the rest might come as a bit of a shock. Will he accept it as his, only time will tell. TIM SHAW Oh wow, wowzers. NARRATOR Tim and Fuzz are up to their eyeballs in a 1950s Ford Pop hot rod. They're hoping to surprise owner Andy, who was born with cerebral palsy, and he's unable to speak. The hot rod community being the only place where he feels accepted. So, getting this car right really will mean the world to him. KIM It's his social life, it's the only thing he does. Yeah, I just want him to be happy. NARRATOR The car the boys are working on is not the one they brought in. As that turned out to be beyond repair. Instead they found a replacement, but even that is not going to be plain sailing. FUZZ TOWNSHEND There's still loads and loads of work to do to this. Filling up these little extra holes that we don't need. New floors, transmission tunnel, everything. NARRATOR Yes, it might be rust free, but there's still a floor to fix, suspension to be checked out. Tim's new differential will need to be adapted. And somehow Andy's old engine squeezed in. But, the big challenge is to make it match the car Andy has in his head. So while the bodywork guys get their noses to the grindstone, Tim and Fuzz are off to the seaside, to meet a group of automotive eccentrics who might have a solution. TIM SHAW Morning hot rodders. HOT RODDERS Morning. TIM SHAW How you doing? Right, I'm going to be honest here, he won't say it, I will. We know nothing about hot rodding. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Exactly, we're total newbies. Because I mean look, each car looks different. Well this one's a ute for a start. TIM SHAW Chrome, yellow, bright blue, polished chrome, satin chrome, green, wings off cars. I mean Fuzz, right can I ask you, do you mind me picking on your, man. Talk us through the project. You know, you're leaning against your pride and joy here, I can tell from the paintwork, and it's absolutely immaculate, did you create the look? HOT ROD 1 Yeah, yeah, I created the look. TIM SHAW Tell us this, right, could we build this car for you, if you didn't know about it? HOT ROD 1 No. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right, okay. So, hold on, yeah... HOT ROD 1 If you're building something for someone, you could turn out something like this, and they want that. Very difficult. HOT ROD 2 Very difficult. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah, so each car is basically a reflection of it's owner and creator's personality? HOT ROD 2 Definitely, definitely. FUZZ TOWNSHEND And that's what it's all about. So, if you all swapped cars now, would you be happy? HOT ROD 2 Probably, but. FUZZ TOWNSHEND That's just like noway! It's like me changing clothes. HOT ROD 2 So we all started changing bits on them. HOT ROD 1 Yes. HOT ROD 2 To personalise them again. FUZZ TOWNSHEND That's right, so they'd end up exactly back as they were, but with... HOT ROD 2 A lot of people buy a second car on the market, and then they change it. TIM SHAW Can we, for those of us who will let me get in one, can we have a go in one of your cars, just to get the feel? HOT ROD 1 No [LAUGHS]. TIM SHAW Can we, dude, the yellow, the ute, that's a rare one. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah, yeah, I like that. TIM SHAW Please can we have, please can we have a go in your car. HOT ROD 3 Of course you can. TIM SHAW Right, okay, we didn't want to go in yours anyway [LAUGHS]. Come on Fuzz, let's get in. TIM SHAW Right Fuzzbot, we are now hot, we're leading the procession, we are hot rodders. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Exactly. Well, it's a great place to be actually. I can see people as we're going past them, they're sort of like looking at the cars and going "wow" and point at them, which is brilliant. I mean that is surely what it is all about. TIM SHAW It's about creating a visual spectacle isn't it? FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah. I'm looking in the rear view mirror, and I can see this line of beautiful custom Pops, and they just look amazing. TIM SHAW Yeah. FUZZ TOWNSHEND And this one sounds great as well. TIM SHAW But this is a 3.9 V8, out of a Range Rover, with an autobox on it as well, so it should be a relatively easy car to drive, overpowered actually. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah, it is massively overpowered. FUZZ TOWNSHEND The cars as clothes. So, you ended up with somebody else's wardrobe, you'd make it work for you. Change things, alter things. TIM SHAW Yes. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Make it fit. And then, you go out and feel comfortable. TIM SHAW Yes. FUZZ TOWNSHEND And that's what people have done with these cars. TIM SHAW So, if we get our car done, as we think Andy's going to like it, if there are bits that he would change, he will change them. FUZZ TOWNSHEND He will, yeah exactly. TIM SHAW And that's fine, so he creates his masterpiece with a little bit of help from us. FUZZ TOWNSHEND That's right. So, in fact we can't possibly get it right. TIM SHAW And we can't possibly get it wrong. FUZZ TOWNSHEND No. [LAUGHS] NARRATOR Ah, if only it were just a case of getting it right or wrong. Because the way things are going, back at the workshop, there's a growing concern that it might not get done, at all. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Here's our new front suspension. The way that it's set up at the moment means that the spring interferes with the chassis here. So, there is a solution to that. And that is, what we've done around the other side. So, here the chassis has been scalloped out here, with new metal let in, so that we've got clearance for the spring. But this is just one of the little modifications that we've got to make to this car. NARRATOR Yes, what came out of a Ford factory in the 1950s, might have been one of the most basic cars on the road. But since then this particular one has undergone so many modifications, it's ended up as one of the most complicated jobs Car SOS has ever taken on. Even getting it to sound right is a palava. As for a start, we know Andy likes it loud. TIM SHAW Right, come on then, what are we looking at? THE EXHAUST PLACE Right, let's have a look. THE EXHAUST PLACE We have one here. TIM SHAW Oh. TIM SHAW A manifold? THE EXHAUST PLACE Yeah. TIM SHAW Right, I recognise these bad boys. So, these are the ones that are actually off the car, aren't they? THE EXHAUST PLACE So, they were, yes, off your one. TIM SHAW I mean I've already spotted, I mean, unless it was made like that, which I doubt, what are we looking at here? THE EXHAUST PLACE Too much heat, it's bent it. Too much heat. Everything is fighting against each other, creating a big bottleneck of heat, strain and stress. TIM SHAW Okay. THE EXHAUST PLACE And the weight of the manifold has started to bend. If you imagine pouring water down each one of these. TIM SHAW Yes. THE EXHAUST PLACE You want the best balanced flow at the end of it possible. TIM SHAW Right. THE EXHAUST PLACE Which you wouldn't get with that, it would all stick in here, and trickle out. TIM SHAW So, these are bad? THE EXHAUST PLACE I'm not going to argue with that. TIM SHAW Right, let's see what else there is in the exhaust system. THE EXHAUST PLACE Yes. TIM SHAW So, this is the full system for one side? THE EXHAUST PLACE Yeah. TIM SHAW Right, we've got two banks of V and this is one of them. Now, this is an interesting, do you mind if I take this out? THE EXHAUST PLACE Carry on, yes, yes. TIM SHAW I mean I know this is just regular language to you, but for us this is something pretty special. So what have we got here, what are we looking at? THE EXHAUST PLACE That's a electronic by-pass cut off valve, basically. So, if one side's closed, I.e valve side, which would be straight pipe side, it uses a normal system, keeps it quiet. Flip the opposite way round, shut the system off, you then get an open header, loud. TIM SHAW So the exhaust gasses come down here, and if the valve there is, oh so if that valve's open? THE EXHAUST PLACE It uses the system, yes. TIM SHAW Yes, through the silencer. THE EXHAUST PLACE Through the silencer, making it quiet, and then out the tailpipe. TIM SHAW Clue's in the name, the silencer. However, if you're thinking, hang on a minute I want to turn a few heads here. THE EXHAUST PLACE Yes. TIM SHAW Presses a button, that closes that valve. THE EXHAUST PLACE And it opens the open header up. TIM SHAW Yes, lots of noise. THE EXHAUST PLACE Lots of noise, yeah. TIM SHAW Hooligan, hooligan. NARRATOR So, Andy's car is not just going to catch the eye when it's finished, but the flick of a switch is going to assault the ear. NARRATOR Back at the workshop, and the rest of the car is at last starting to progress. The panels are getting filled and flatted. The spray guns are out for the first coat of primer. Even the shell has come off, to get into every nook and cranny. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right, the Pop chassis is all painted and ready to start being built up. So, we'll make it into a rolling chassis, then we'll drop the engine and gear box in. And that will give us the first bit of the build before we actually place the body on top. NARRATOR And as with all hot rods, it's got to look right for it's owner. The only blueprint we have to go on is the one that's tattooed on Andy's arm. We certainly don't want this bit to go down in flames, or do we? TIM SHAW Basically this the painted section here, so this will be yellow here, and then go up to a lovely shiny red tip. NARRATOR Yes, Andy's car is going to be no shrinking violet, especially with all that purple paint that's going on it. Of course one advantage of the shell and chassis being separate is that both can be worked on at the same time. So, over at the chassis, that fully refurbished V8 engine can be lowered into place. FUZZ TOWNSHEND There we go, engine and gearbox in situ. NARRATOR And back at the shell, a set of rear lights can be fitted. At the rear of the car, that state of the art differential is now popped into a Mustang back axle and bolted home. And at the front, Tim's new exhaust manifold is connected into place. And so it goes on into the night. Front, back, left, right and centre, it's quite a jolly game. Until that it is, the whole thing has to be reunited. Is it going to fit? FUZZ TOWNSHEND Right, well I hope that the bloke holding that camera got that, because that's not coming back off again. NARRATOR Yes, don't worry we got it. Although sadly the difficulties with this Frankencar, don't end there. FUZZ TOWNSHEND This car is causing an awful lot of head-scratching. The front wishbones here have been changed over to these shorter versions. So now, that has brought the wheel in, but we still have limited movement at the moment. The disc hits on to the wishbone tubes. We find that we've solved one problem, and then gained another one. NARRATOR Oh dear, one step forward and two steps back. With just 48 hours to go, we've even had to recruit the help of owner Andy's mate, Rostie. No stranger to the complexities of building a hot rod. TIM SHAW This has been probably in my mind, the most head-scratching vehicle that we've ever had since the beginning. All these guys had a full head of hair. We're missing seats, we're missing headliner, we're missing steering column, we're missing dash, top controls. The Centre console here hasn't even been welded in yet. And then round the back, that lot gives you an idea of what we're contending with. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Got a brake master cylinder here, and that is going to fit on to this Cortina peddle set up here. All of it is bespoke. NARRATOR So many different parts, from so many different vehicles. Why, we're even going to chuck in a few mods of our own, to help make it fit for Andy to drive. TIM SHAW We've tried to overcome some of the major issues Andy had when he come to driving his old Pop. You see, to me, the main one was the fact that the indicator was on the dashboard. He only really has the use of his, of his left hand. The other one can steady the wheel and what have you. But this one, he couldn't let go of the steering wheel to operate the indicators. So, what we've actually done, I mean it's fairly simple, but it's an indicator stall. But he has more controls, headlights and indicators all on one. And also, the other thing as well Kim was saying, was that he easily knocked the car off with his knee, fairly tall chap, knee against the controls on the dashboard, small cockpit. So, up high, where Kim suggested they should sit, we've got a kill switch, engine start and everything's out of the way of accidentally driving along and knocking it off. So, we're trying to get this car so he can enjoy driving it by himself. NARRATOR And with safety features added, it's time for the final push. The radiator goes in, the hoses are all connected, the wheels are tightened on. It's starting to look like Andy's dream is coming true. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Careful, careful. Made for it. TIM SHAW This is the moment Fuzz, this is the bit where everyone sees this happen goes "okay, I wasn't sure about it before, but now I want one." FUZZ TOWNSHEND That's true. NARRATOR Yes, it's looking good. But what if that might V8 engine won't start? FUZZ TOWNSHEND I reckon it's time. TIM SHAW Come on then, spark up the V8 baby. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Okay, you ready guys? TIM SHAW Here it is. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Come on then. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yes! Hey! TIM SHAW Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, calm everyone, calm. The party trick, delete the silencers now! FUZZ TOWNSHEND I know what's happened there. TIM SHAW That's more than an underpants change. FUZZ TOWNSHEND I know what you need. TIM SHAW That's trousers and socks as well. FUZZ TOWNSHEND There we go. TIM SHAW Thank you very much. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Those are sharp for you. TIM SHAW I'll put those on shortly. So look, anyway, looking at what we have achieved, awesome. But there's still a lot more to go, isn't there? FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yeah. TIM SHAW So, I reckon. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Stacks. TIM SHAW All spanners on deck, let's get this done, get it back to Andy. And let's find out whether or not we're hot rodders. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Okay, cool. TIM SHAW Right, come on, back on your heads. Come on then. NARRATOR Santa Pod Raceway in Bedfordshire is not just Britain's but Europe's foremost drag racing strip. Here you can witness the fastest and loudest motor sports on earth. It's also where the National Street Rod Association hold their hot rod drag weekends. This particular weekend though, there's one car that will take the shine off all the others. TIM SHAW Welcome to Santa Pod Fuzz, and look at that! FUZZ TOWNSHEND I know, doesn't it look absolutely amazing. TIM SHAW This car does the speaking, doesn't it? FUZZ TOWNSHEND Yes. TIM SHAW It's absolutely stunning. FUZZ TOWNSHEND It does. Come on then Tim, what's happening today. TIM SHAW Absolute classic Car SOS Fuzzbot this one. Dead simple. Right, Andy's coming down here for a day, into the pits, to have a look around. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Fabulous. TIM SHAW And guess who's filming another television show in the background. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Me? TIM SHAW Yours truly. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Oh you. TIM SHAW I'm down here with the cameras. He's going to come over, maybe have a few photos and then, a bit of this, bit of that, give him his car back. FUZZ TOWNSHEND Simple, what could go wrong? TIM SHAW Well, plenty actually, but let's go and find out. FUZZ TOWNSHEND [LAUGHS] okay, come on. NARRATOR Yes, the plan is pretty straight forward. Owner Andy thinks he's coming here with wife Kim to soak up the vibe, look at some pretty cool cars. Maybe even get a glimpse of one of his favourite TV presenters, putting the pedal to the metal. TIM SHAW Right, so this is the thing that Andy's going to believe I'm going to be driving down the strip. NARRATOR What is not on the official programme though, is the appearance of his very own, fully restored hot rod. But, before that, his nearest and dearest are here to witness his surprise. TIM SHAW Do you like it? KIM It's so shiny. He's going to love it. TIM SHAW Come on then, hide, hide, everybody hide. Hide, come on. NARRATOR Yes, a polite round of applause for Andy's motor. And with that it's time for operation wheels on fire to go into action. Friends and family go into hiding, the car and Fuzz are hidden in a covered trailer. And Tim does what Tim does best, a lot of talking. TIM SHAW 2,000 break horsepower, V8. What is it, it's a big block isn't it? SANTA POD MAN Yeah, it's a big Chevrolet 540 one. TIM SHAW Was it that, about nine litre [UNIT CONVERSION 1.98 gallons]? SANTA POD MAN Yes. TIM SHAW Nine litres NARRATOR And with the event in full flow, Andy and Kim, who is in on the scam, show up. There's plenty of distractions to catch Andy's eye. But as a fan of Car SOS, will the sight of Tim arose any suspicion? TIM SHAW Hello mate, how are you doing, nice to meet you. So, hello, nice to meet you. NARRATOR Remember, because of his cerebral palsy Andy is unable to speak. TIM SHAW I mean, do you know what, for me personally I'm a petrol head, I'm mad about cars. But what they've just offered me there is next level, I don't want to do, I mean I'd love to be the bloke that achieved it, but it's too... KIM Go on! TIM SHAW No way, what? CAMERAMAN Do you want to see the car? TIM SHAW Yeah, so, what have you got for me? CAMERAMAN It's a little bit small than that. TIM SHAW Smaller than that? Something safe? CAMERAMAN You guys, give your opinions on it as well. TIM SHAW What do you reckon, do you think I should be going down the strip. KIM Yes. TIM SHAW Yes? Look, come in here. TIM SHAW Let's have a wander over here. So, what do we think of that, is that good? ANDY Yes. TIM SHAW We like, we like that? Do you know what, hang on a minute, it's Andy isn't it? And Kim? KIM Yes. TIM SHAW Are you Andy, have you got a tattoo on your arm? Of a purple Pop, with red flames on the front. TIM SHAW Andy, this is your car, mate. This is your car. You might recognise this man in here as well. So, what's happening here is about one thing, it's about you. You know Car SOS [LAUGHS]. Alright? Kim, give him a cuddle, come on. We know Kim well, we know Kim well. KIM Sorry. TIM SHAW But we had to do it for you, it was an opportunity. Kim wrote to us and said that you had, are you alright, do you want that? Are you alright? This is your car, and here's Fuzz, look. FUZZ TOWNSHEND How you doing, Andy? How's it going? TIM SHAW Are you alright? NARRATOR The last time Andy saw his Ford Pop it was more than just a mess. Rust had taken hold of every part of the car, and turned it into a death trap on wheels fit only for the crusher. Now however, Andy has a new car, one that's not just safe on the road, but also one to make him very proud. The very definition of what a hot rod should be, a proper head turner. His old car might not have survived the ordeal, but it's mighty 3.5 litre [UNIT CONVERSION 0.77 gallon] Rover engine lives on to roar another day. Thanks to that state of the art differential, all that V8 power will be directed straight to the wheels and not to skidding all over the road. The car's interior is now clean and tidy and fit for purpose. And the paintwork, well that just speaks for itself. No longer is Andy's dream confined to a tattoo on his arm. It's now very much a reality. A very special car for a very special owner. TIM SHAW Kim, when we first met, you told me there was a look that you wanted to see on Andy's face. KIM Yes. And when this came off the trailer, he got the look. Even though he didn't know it was his car. TIM SHAW Is it the look that Andy's got on his face now? KIM Yeah. TIM SHAW brilliant. KIM We've waited a long time for this. Five years. TIM SHAW I know it's a lot to take on, Andy, I know you've had a real tough time. We've, we've talked to her and got to know Kim well. And she's told us the tough journey that you've been on. But we know the importance of this car. Can we see the tattoo again. Look there it is, the purple Pop with the red flames. That car, that's been on your arm for all those years has now become a reality, you're sitting in it. Well there is one thing that you haven't heard yet, Andy. And we know what that is, right? The engine. Do you want to hear it? Kim told us that you would want the starting controls up there. Did we get that right? Okay, great. Right Andy, there's the key, a new keyring and key. You've been, been Car SOS'd. Here we go. Open the switch, flick the switch, press the button. ANDY Oh! TIM SHAW How's that? If we press these buttons. TIM SHAW How's that? Is that good? KIM We haven't heard it for five years. TIM SHAW Andy, it's been an absolute honour to Car SOS you. Now get out on the road, and enjoy your car, man. KIM You've got your car! You're just happy. Yeah! There's no stopping us now. Let's go! ROSTIE Yeah, I had a bit of a lump in my throat when I saw his face. Good friends, love him to bits. So it's worth every bit of it. It's great to see. KIM He, he loved it. It's everything he's wanted. The, the grin on his face is what means everything to me. And, he's got his dream car.