Good Morning Guys,
It's been a while since I've been on here but something came up this week I thought the American classic car restoration community would appreciate hearing about. So some dude from Pilgrim Studios/Discovery Channel reached out to me. They're going to do a car restoration reality show in Cuba and put out a casting call (request for applications).
He asked if I could help get the word out so I wrote up a blog about Cuba and the opportunity. You can see the details here -
In reply to Isaiah:
As a Canuck we can go to Cuba legally and I've been taking winter holidays there for the past 18 yrs and am booked to go again for a couple of weeks in March. I've spent a lot of time looking at old cars there. True pristine classics are there but not near as common as the jury rigged cars that are still running. You have to admire these guys for keeping these cars running all these years. They make their own parts, etc. And lots of Soviet era Ladas, etc are still running which is an interesting world to itself.
You don't want to look too close at the Cuban classics. There is a lot of clever but questionable engineering that goes into keeping those cars on the road.
I talked to them today. You would have to go for 5-6 months. They would prefer a team of 3-5 restorers who have great TV personalities and that already knows each other. They are paying the help and putting them up. You might only get to fly home once or twice in that time period.
I don't want to see Classics from Cuba restored to their original glory, or worse yet, restomodded. I prefer to appreciate them as they are, a work of love by an owner who has kept them alive via whatever means possible during a dark and desparate trade embargo. The history of the vehicles is far more impressive and interesting with the cars as they are opposed to restored. I wish that Discovery wasn't blind to that fact and chose to highlight it rather than exploit the region, it's people, culture and their vehicles.
I sent pictures of Tommy and I working on cars and got a call back. Not sure what the deal is, but figured it would be interesting to at least audition.
Are you allowed to have sleeves on your shirts?
Maybe Foose will make a guest appearance with his Butt Boy, Chris Jacobs; bring the rep from Year One and that ugly cow from Edelbrock with a pile or parts, show 'em all how it's really done . . .
I actually got a call back and am interviewing on Tuesday. Not sure I want to, or can go to Cuba for 5-6 months, but figured I would at least learn more.
Margie, David, and JG can hold the fort in your absence. You and Tom and either Rennie or Gary would be the dream team for this gig!
I agree with AngryCorvair. We might actually get an interesting Discovery "reality show" out the deal if you are there Tim.
Thanks guys, I did audition today. Not sure where it will go.
Hadn't put a resume together in over 35 years. Bragging a little, but from a car restoration standpoint I have developed a hell of a resume. My references aren't bad either.
They asked if Tom was qualified with old cars and I sent them to the Model A updates, where he was driving that stupid thing every day.
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