Wheeler Dealers is a British car show that takes older vehicles and breathes new life into them. The show reminds viewers how much work it takes to restore a car to its former glory.
There are valuable skills on display throughout every stage of the process. It starts with finding the right car for the right price, then putting the work in to make it run and look better, taking it for a test drive to determine its value and then selling it. The show’s hosts do a remarkable job of transforming older automobiles that look like they’re on their last legs, and turning them into remarkable machines.
The lead host is Mike Brewer, whose love for cars is apparent by the way he talks about cars and how happy he looks when he’s behind the wheel of one. The co-host on today’s series is Ant Anstead, who works on fixing up the cars before they go to sale. Fans seem to like the show better though when Edd China was still on. During the many series, Mike has managed to find all sorts of cars.
We look back at the series and the cars Mike Brewer came across. This list contains a mix of two different cars he came across—the first being rarer finds, the second being stranger ones different from the norm. It’s hard not to be jealous of the lucky jobs they had for all those years when one sees the cars they got to drive and experience firsthand.
25 Rare: Ford Mustang Mach 1
Mike wore a huge grin on his face as he got behind the wheel of this Ford Mustang Mach 1. As per a YouTube clip by Motor Trend Network, Mike details the 1973 model, noting some small flaws during his drive. The steering wheel shook at times, which led Mike to speculate on the issue, which he thought could be about the suspension and wheel balance.
The brakes also raised some alarm for Mike after giving them a test, but he seemed overall pleased with the test drive.
24 Rare: Toyota Celica Supra
In series 14, the team got a hold of a Toyota Celica Supra. According to Mike, as per the Dailymotion upload by nathanielgrierul3gril4, these cars aren’t really easy to come by. Part of that is due to tuners commonly modifying them. They ended up finding a 1982 P-type. The only problem was that it required a lot of work.
The real challenge for Mike and Ant was finding a way to restore the Supra without putting exorbitant amounts of money into it.
23 Rare: Lamborghini Urraco P250S
It’s hard to take one’s eyes off this Lamborghini Urraco. According to the blog Honest John Classics, the car made an appearance in series ten. At that point in the show, it was the costliest purchase they had made, coming in at about $27,500. That was just the starting price too, as it still needed some work.
The same source notes that a loose timing belt prevented the car from starting. It has a distinct and eye-catching look that makes it hard not to covet.
22 Unusual: Ford F1
It was a huge departure from what they usually flip when Edd rolled down the road in a rat rod truck. “I call it basically sandstorm in a desert,” remarked Edd, running his hand along the corroded exterior, as per Wheeler Dealers’ YouTube channel. Even the aged look of the truck can look appealing.
What brought it all together though was the text painted along the door: “Mike & Edd: Wheelin’ and Dealin’ since ‘03.” Mike even appreciated the “WD” logo planted in the corner of a rear window.
21 Rare: Ferrari 348 TB
Here was a car that caught Mike’s attention, not just for the iconic red exterior but its interior as well. The inside had beige leather that still looked good, as per a YouTube clip by user Quest TV.
According to the owner, who went by Mauro, it had only about 78,000 kilometers on it at the time, which translates to about 48,000 miles. Mike took the Ferrari for a drive and it thrilled instantly, thanks to the 3.4-liter V8 engine.
20 Unusual: Caterham 7
No matter how many episodes of Wheeler Dealers blend together, we can’t get enough. If we’re being honest though, a lot of the episodes are quite similar. Mike or Edd found a car, buys it, brings it back for restoration, it ends up being a tougher job than expected, then they sell it.
As IMDB notes, the Caterham SV was in bad shape initially. It took Edd’s hard work to make it into an eye-appealing car and the bright green paint helped bring it to life.
19 Rare: Datsun 510
There’s a lot that goes into the front end of what the show’s hosts do. First, they have to track down a car worth their time and energy. Secondly, it needs to be in decent shape. Although Mike and Ant managed to find a rare 1972 Datsun 510, it needed a lot of work.
As per a Dailymotion clip from the show uploaded by nathanielgrierul3gril4, interior seats appeared ripped up and the paint job was shoddy. “I just can’t believe somebody’s done that to a car,” Mike lamented.
18 Unusual: DeLorean
Even the DeLorean happened to be one of the many cars to go through Wheeler Dealers. Mike went after this car, according to IMDB, in large part due to its resurgence in popularity (since Back to the Future). “Roads? Where we’re going,” Mike said, quoting a famous line from the movie, as per Discovery UK’s YouTube channel. “We don’t need roads.”
It looks like they had fun making this episode. Without a doubt though, it’s one of the oddest cars ever and certainly one of the weirdest on the show.
17 Rare: Ford Fiesta XR2
When Mike gets excited about a car, he doesn’t shy away from showing it. The cameras could be rolling or not, he’d still enthuse over cars that interest him. The Ford Fiesta XR2 was one such vehicle, as the YouTube clip from Wheeler Dealers proves.
“This is the stuff of my dreams, Edd, I got to tell you,” said Mike. Edd didn’t share the same enthusiasm for it though, leading Mike to stare wide-eyed with his jaw falling to the floor.
16 Unusual: Opel GT 1900
The Opel GT 1900 is a rad car, but one of the more unusual entries to make it on the show. What didn’t help the car’s case was all its problems on the front end. Despite all of its issues though, Mike and Ant decided to take it on regardless.
Motor Trend reports that the issues included damage to the body, engine troubles and brakes in bad shape. In the end, it’s a stylish ride that has enough power to boot.
15 Rare: Bond Bug
Mike had to take a long drive through the countryside to take a look at this odd but endearing Bond Bug. A YouTube clip by Motor Trend Network shows the car housed in a barn-like building on a picturesque farm. Mike said it best after he pulled the cover off it to reveal the car, saying,
“It’s a great big blob of orange joy!” Although some find Mike’s antics to be a bit much, one can’t deny his sincere enthusiasm for automobiles.
14 Unusual: Maserati BiTurbo
This car is liable to raise eyebrows. On the surface, it’s an appealing Maserati. Underneath though, it’s electric. Although this car doesn’t have the best reputation, it shows that Mike and Edd were willing to push the limits of how they could make this an attractive car.
According to Motor1, they put a Curtis Dual AC-34 engine into it that’s able to pump out about 125 hp. They estimated that the battery pack could go about 120 miles before needing a charge.
13 Rare: Porsche 912E
While cruising around one day, Mike scouted out the usual dealerships, including one that has classic Porsches. As per a clip on the Discovery UK channel via YouTube, Mike put his negotiating skills to the test in locking down a rare Porsche 912E. As with most cars they come across, it needed some work, but the interior was in great shape.
Mike ended up taking it off the dealer’s hands for about $26,000, although there still remained a lot of work ahead.
12 Unusual: Panda 4x4
Not only was this off-roader a strange vehicle for Wheeler Dealers, but an odd one in general. They saw the quirkiness beforehand and decided to up the weirdness even more.
As Piston Heads points out, some of the oddball choices they went with were the crackle-paint and orange wheels. Both of those features don’t just stand out, they scream. The craziest aspect of all though has to be the snorkel piping that sticks out the side, which looks impractical and goofy at the same time.
11 Rare: Cadillac Type 13
Edd China got excited about this one, calling it a “beauty.” As per a clip on YouTube via the Wheeler Dealers channel, Edd is drooling over this Cadillac Type 13, which he dubs, “a bucket list car.” Considering it’s one of the first production V8s, as Edd notes with a beaming face, that makes this one rare find for the Wheeler Dealers.
It also looked as if it was in good condition to begin with, at least on the outside. Taking a closer look, the engine wasn’t even in the car at the moment. Mike was dubious about buying the car, to say the least.
10 Unusual: AMC Pacer
This AMC Pacer got a big reveal in what looked like the middle of nowhere. Mike and Edd pulled the cover off to reveal its odd exterior. A lot of work also had to go into making the car what it is today.
According to Daily Turismo, the bumpers got updated, they put in new headlights and a reflective vinyl wrap. The desert background looks appropriate, considering it’s a car that looks like it could belong in Area 51.
9 Rare: Volvo Pv544
The Volvo Pv544 appeared in series 13 of the show. In a YouTube clip by Discovery UK, the owner talks to Mike about when he got the car and confirms its model year was 1963. The owner said he got it in 1968. “Do you remember how much you paid for it back then?” Mike asked. “I think about $850,” the owner said. Popping the hood, Mike examined everything underneath including the twin carburetors.
It was just another rare car that Mike encountered.
8 Rare: Mercury Capri MK2
Even without Edd—much to fans’ chagrin—the show soldiered on. Taking Edd’s place was Ant Anstead, filling the role as the show’s mechanic and sidekick. Resuming in 2019, when the next series premieres, Mike and Ant are still buying and fixing up rare cars.
Motoring Box reports that in the next series, they find a 1976 Mercury Capri MK2. What makes this special is the 2.8-liter V6 engine inside, upping its value and status in the process. It’s no wonder it caught their interest.
7 Unusual: Austin Mini
This is the Austin Mini. It may not look like much, but it’s a fun little car—at least according to Wheeler Dealers. Mike enthused about it on the website MikeBrewer.tv, admitting that it was fun to drive. Even more, it’s a perfect car for restoring. “If you want a small classic that’ll be easy to work on, this is definitely the car for you,” Mike said, as per the same source.
On top of that, it looks akin to the MINI cars used in the latest Italian Job movie.
6 Rare: Ford Escort Mark 1
No amount of distance—and in some cases, money—can separate Mike from that cars that he wants. According to Discovery UK, this Ford Escort Mark 1 caught Mike’s attention, which forced him to drive a whopping 300 miles just to go get a look at it close up. When Mike arrived, the news was grim.
With mud on the bottom of the car, it was plain what the car had been up to. The owner was using the Mark 1 to learn how to drive in a nearby field!