If you’re a fan of the automotive industry, you’ll know that there’s no shortage of car shows today. So, no matter what your taste, you’ll find something that suits you. Car SOS, though, is a show that suits nearly all tastes. It’s a British automotive show that airs on National Geographic and Channel 4.
The show started in 2013, and is still on the air, having finished 7 seasons. Car SOS follows Tim Shaw and Fuzz Townshend across UK and Europe. The two hosts work with specialist car restoration teams to restore classic cars that are severely damaged.
What makes this show great is its surprise feature. Cars are nominated for restoration by the owners’ friends or family. The owners are usually unable to finance restoration themselves. The cars are restored, without the owner’s knowledge. Shaw and Townshend then surprise the owners with the finished car in a staged event!
We’re sure you have questions when it comes to a show as popular as this. So, here are all the questions you’ve ever wanted answered!
15 The Owner Was Aware Once
In a special feature, that spanned three episodes, the show restored a 1962 Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite with the owner’s knowledge. The car was special because it was once driven by Steve McQueen and Sir Stirling Moss. After restoration, the car was placed in the British Motor Museum for all car lovers to see.
14 Hidden Genius
Many people don’t know this, but Shaw was certified as a “creative genius” by the British Dyslexia Association at the age of 12. By 16, he designed numerous products such as a folding walking aid and rubberized ice cube trays. He even made fast flashing brake lights that shine when a car brakes heavily.
13 An Ex-Engineer
Based on his qualifications, Shaw’s an engineer. He received a scholarship to study Engineering from Oxford University, and he chose to study Mechanical Engineering and Product Design. Shaw was also named as one of the “Young Engineers of the Year,” not once, but twice – in 1992 and 1994. He also has a degree in Professional Broadcasting.
12 A Scorned Wife
During his career as a Radio DJ, Shaw once told English media personality Jodie Marsh that he would leave his wife and children for her. In retaliation, Shaw’s wife, Hayley, sold his Lotus Esprit. The car was worth £25,000 but his wife sold it within five minutes for just 50p.
11 Controversial Career
Shaw’s DJ career has been pretty controversial. He was suspended from his station after he broke into his program director, Andrew Jeffries, house during a live prank and ended up causing damage to property. He was also once investigated for pretending to do a live mercy dash to rescue a suicidal listener.
10 Musician In The Making
The show’s other host, Townshend, was a musician. His first single even made its way to the NME indie charts. He then joined the band ‘General Public,’ and toured the US with them. For the next four and a half years he was a drummer for ‘Pop Will Eat Itself.’
9 Solo Music
Townshend also released a lot of solo music. His first solo was titled “Hello Darlin” and was released in 1996, charting at number 51. His first solo album, Far In, was released in the UK and US, in 1999 and 2001 respectively. He released his second self-titled album in 2002.
8 Series Producer And Actor
The series producer of Car SOS, Stephen Taylor Woodrow, has had quite the acting career himself. He played ‘Norm’ in a series of famous Twix commercials. He also played the Cheese Ranger in the ITV series ‘What’s Up Doc?’, which aired every Saturday morning. Woodrow even narrated the BBC series ‘Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.’
7 Extra Hours
Shaw and Townshend have strict deadlines to meet, which means they work extra hours. On average, they have to fix 10 cars every 24 weeks. That means they get roughly 18 days for each car! The hosts said they aim to spend somewhere between 500 and 1000 man-hours on each car but often end up going over.
6 Shaw And Townshend Auditioned Together
The two hosts actually auditioned for the show together. Townshend said that he had received the call to audition for the show, and then called up Shaw to ask if he was also interested. The company screen-tested them together and offered them the parts before they’d even finished.
5 Clash Of Personalities
Townshend has gone on record to say that the two hosts have very different personalities and because of that many people didn’t expect them to get along! While Townshend is a bit more reserved, Shaw is more outgoing and eccentric. But Townshend says they get along and working with each other is great.
4 Bus Enthusiast
Not only does Townshend love cars, he loves buses as well! He did an apprenticeship with a local bus company, West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive. Townshend also worked on buses at the PTE’s Dudley Garage! He even credits his love for classic cars to originate from his passion or buses.
3 80 Cars
The show is currently airing its eighth season, by the end of which they’ll have restored 80 cars. During the 8 seasons, the two hosts have restored some amazing cars which include a 1984 Audi Quattro, a 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230SL Pagoda, an Aston Martin DB6, and even an iconic Volvo P1800.
2 Favorite Cars
Of course, after restoring so many different cars, the hosts must have their favorites too. Townshend’s favorite car is from season 4, an AC Aceca. He said the car was fantastically built at a great time in the automobile industry, right after WWII. Shaw’s favorite is the Porsche 356 that appeared in the current season.
1 Nervousness Never Fades
Shaw and Townshend have said that even after 8 seasons, they still get scared before the big reveal to the owners because they don’t know how the person is going to react. Cars have a special meaning to their owners, and every dent and scratch can hold a memory. Getting rid of these memories can be a risky thing.