Over the years, reality TV has gained traction on pretty much every major network. In order to attract an increasing amount of viewers, show producers have gone above and beyond. In the most popular car show (Top Gear), there have been some truly weird moments that have captivated the audience.
Junkyard Empire is another reality TV show that viewers seem to enjoy. The whole premise of the show is centered around restoring complete wrecks. However, similarly to other reality TV shows, some of it is completely fake. Despite the fakeness, Junkyard Empire is one of those car shows that people love to binge.
10 Andy And Bobby Cohen
Junkyard Empire was set up by a TV network. However, the Cohens' business existed before the creation of the show. Damascus Motors is the umbrella company that oversees several automotive businesses owned by the Cohens. Hearing about the extent of Bobby Cohen's work and dedication, a TV network decided to turn this family business into a show.
He retired gracefully a few years back, letting Andy take over Damascus Motors and all the companies under it. The Cohens, thanks to their successful businesses and TV deals, are sitting on a nice pile of cash.
9 1969 Camaro Pace Car
Restomodded Camaros are pretty common nowadays. From the more classic restoration to the outright modded classic Camaros, the oldies are undergoing all kinds of customizations. Understanding the trend that is currently taking over the market, the Cohens and their team built a Camaro Pace Car convertible.
Unlike the horrendous cars featured in West Coast Customs and Pimp My Ride, the beautiful classics featured in Junkyard Empire are a clear shot out to the past. It was equipped some of the most original parts available on the market. As a result, the Camaro Pace Car became one of Andy's favorite cars.
8 Classics
There are several TV shows about cars getting restored. However, each tuner seems to add its own touch to the projects. More often than not, the results are dubious, or simply horrible. In Junkyard Empire, restored classics often receive the right treatment.
The Cohens do not specialize in American muscle. They understand that each car is special and has potential. The work done on this Mini Cooper is very representative of the kind of work Damascus Motors would do.
7 Iconic Show
The Ford Gran Torino is not the best Ford car ever made. In comparison to the earlier Mustangs, the Gran Torino is an absolute failure. That being said, the Mustang 2 that was released around the same time as this Gran Torino is an absolute abomination. Despite the Gran Torino being a lukewarm Ford car, it was featured in several motion pictures.
Given Andy and Bobby's age, it is quite understandable that a Gran Torino would end up receiving the Starsky and Hutch treatment. As Andy was a young man and Bobby a family man when the show first came out, it logically left a huge mark on both of them and ended up being the best father and son project.
6 Gone
Reality TV is highly volatile. Characters are not always crucial and can either be replaced or canceled. In other cases, some cast members just do not feel like the company and the show align with their values.
Despite being among the car shows people love to binge, Danny Bowie, one of the mechanics, decided to leave the show. Maybe a better opportunity was offered to him. Maybe there were internal issues. We will never know. What we do know is that Danny is no longer part of the show.
5 Drifting
In the show Junkyard Empire, the cast is given some of the craziest cars to work on. In fact, they were given several classic muscle cars, some British monsters, and even an Audi R8. The best part about the Cohens is that they look at a vehicle, and want to give it a purpose that completely differs from the original one.
This tow-truck can definitely tow your car away if it is parked on a red curb. However, the truck is more comfortable drifting on the track. You read that correctly. In one episode, they even take the tow truck to a drag strip to see its quarter-mile time. This truck is far from your regular tow truck.
4 Unconventional
In today's reality TV shows centered around cars, viewers are either offered restored American muscle cars that cost over $200,000, or regular cars that are turned into the most abominable things car fans have ever seen. The best part about Junkyard Empire is that they restore vehicles that even you could use for your business.
Something that is even cooler is the fact that the Cohens and their team do their best to not be judgmental. The owner of the Yukon Denali seemed to have been caught straying too far from home. Thanks to the skills of Damascus Motors employee, this Yukon was fixed and the cheating episode will be a thing of the past. Well, maybe not for everyone involved.
3 Exotic
The Cohens indulge in modifying all kinds of vehicles. They built a Hot Rod Rolls-Royce and even restored an Audi R8. In one episode, they did what most other shows would never do: they almost built a car from the ground up and gave it a tasteful treatment.
Though Damascus Motors took part in the restoration effort, the company is not capable of fixing all the cars featured on the show from A to Z. As a result, they often contract others to perform some of the work. The only issue is that it is not always explicitly said in the show that the Cohens actually hired another company to finish up the work.
2 Real Junkyard
Could you imagine going from barn to barn, garage to garage, one-yard sale to another on a daily basis? Well, that is pretty much what members of the Damascus Motors team do. As it was previously stated, Damascus Motors existed before the show was created. It was not created by a TV network. The actual junkyard contains abandoned muscle cars that will hurt your soul.
The humongous junkyard showcased in the show was set up by the Cohens themselves. They did not require the financial help of any major broadcasting corporation to do so. This is why the team never runs out of cool projects and creativity. They acquire the wrecks and think about what to do depending on given client's requirements.
1 Landspeeder
The Landspeeder X-34 was Luke's very first vehicle when he acquired C3P0. It was also featured in the very first Star Wars movie when Andy was still a boy. As Star Wars mesmerized an entire generation of young people worldwide, it is quite understandable that Junkyard Empire featured one of Star Wars' most iconic vehicles in one of its episodes.
The Landspeeder X-34 is actually a fully functional hot rod. For most Star Wars fans, this is probably the most epic vehicle to pull up in at Comic-Con.