History Main / GearheadShow

A show centered around the construction, customization, or restoration of a unique vehicle, or modifying an ordinary vehicle to be more unique. Ranges from the down-to-earth how-to programs, to outlandish workplace reality dramas.

** ''Series/MonsterGarage'': May have started the current trend. It was originally centered around converting street vehicles into souped-up power equipment, that would then challenge the real deal; i.e., converting an SUV into a trash truck. Focus began to shift as they ran low on ideas.

Contrast HomeAndGarden.

** ''Series/CarAndTrack'': Perhaps the [[UrExample earliest example]] of the video road test and racing footage format. The network shows segments occasionally as a form of UnintentionalPeriodPiece with a disclaimer mentioning how dated the reviews are.

* ''WebVideo/{{Roadkill}}'': Any given episode can be summed up as GearheadShow going on a road trip using TheAllegedCar on some sort of ZanyScheme. Cue lots of duct tape, roadside repairs, and just technically legal shenanigans as the hosts drive across the country. Their spinoff ''Hot Rod Garage'' started as a straight-up educational show, but they gradually started goofing off during their work as well.

** ''Series/{{Overhaulin}}[='=]'': It's centered around classic American car restoration. Much lighter on the customization than most other gearhead shows. Dips into {{melodrama}} and {{littlest cancer patient}} moments often.

* ''Series/CarAndTrack'': Perhaps the [[UrExample earliest example]] of the video road test and racing footage format. Speed shows segments occasionally as a form of UnintentionalPeriodPiece with a disclaimer mentioning how dated the reviews are.

* Speed! Network: Everything on the channel that isn't a race event. Most of them are ''This Old House''-style instructional project shows, loaded with ProductPlacement, and devoted to a particular vehicle type, i.e. trucks, low riders, muscle cars, or import tuners.

* ''Series/{{Trucks}}!'': Stacey David's show was the ratings leader for the segment during its run, in large part because he did most of the work himself. His follow-up show ''GearZ'' moved between Speed and ESPN2.

* ''Series/PimpMyRide'': On MTV, Rapper Music/{{Xzibit}} and the crew at GAS (earlier, West Coast Customs) take the most trashy, beat-down cars their viewers can show them, and convert them into luxury custom machines. Gets more outrageous with each episode, usually including video and audio equipment that quintuples (at ''least'') the value of the car.
* ''Series/TrickMyTruck'', on CMT. A countrified version of the above, revolving around the customization of semi-trucks. It suffers in that everything appears to be obviously scripted, even the trucker's reaction shots.
* ''Series/AmericanChopper'', on Discovery. A reality show following the Teutuls, who operate the family business of building elaborate customized motorcycles.
* ''Series/MonsterGarage'', on Discovery. May have started the current trend. It was originally centered around converting street vehicles into souped-up power equipment, that would then challenge the real-deal; i.e., converting an SUV into a trash truck. Focus began to shift as they ran low on ideas.
* ''Overhaulin[='=]'' is another show on Discovery, centered around classic American car restoration. Much lighter on the customization than most other gearhead shows. Dips into {{melodrama}} and {{littlest cancer patient}} moments often.
* ''Series/ScrapheapChallenge'' and its US equivalent, ''Junkyard Wars'', wherein teams compete to produce a machine for Task X using random scrap and some expert advice. A giant catapult, say, or a train.
* Everything on the Speed! Network that isn't a race event. Most of them are ''This Old House''-style instructional project shows, loaded with ProductPlacement, and devoted to a particular vehicle type, i.e. trucks, low riders, muscle cars, or import tuners.
* ''Series/TopGearUK'', and its Channel 5 competitor, ''Fifth Gear''.
** Let's face it, there should probably be a picture of ''Series/TopGearUK'''s Jeremy Clarkson in the dictionary next to "petrolhead".
** Of course, this includes every other version of ''Top Gear'' as well including ''Series/TopGearUS''.
* ''Series/TheGrandTour'', the SpiritualSuccessor of Clarkson, Hammond and May's run on ''Top Gear''.
* Creator/SpikeTV has its weekend morning "[=PowerBlock=]" (premiers Saturday morning, reruns the following Sunday morning) which typically closely follows the more traditional setup of down to earth how-to programs. Doesn't stop the hosts from being zany, though. Oh, and the host for the programming block itself is professional driver/professional model [[MsFanservice Courtney Hanson]].

A show centered around the construction, customization, or restoration of a unique vehicle, or modifying an ordinary vehicle to be more unique. Ranges from the down-to-earth how-to programs, to outlandish workplace reality dramas. (Also referred to as a "petrolhead show" outside of North America.)

** Stacey David's ''Trucks!'' was the ratings leader for the segment during its run, in large part because he did most of the work himself. His follow-up show ''GearZ'' moved between Speed and ESPN2.
* ''Series/CarAndTrack'', perhaps the [[UrExample earliest example]] of the video road test and racing footage format. Speed shows segments occasionally as a form of UnintentionalPeriodPiece with a disclaimer mentioning how dated the reviews are.
* ''Series/AXIsBorn'', in which each series centers around the building of or restoration of one class of vehicle: cars, motorcycles, planes, and helicopters. Interspersed with interviews with people involved in the associated hobby.
* Any given episode of ''WebVideo/{{Roadkill}}'' can be summed up as GearheadShow going on a road trip using TheAllegedCar on some sort of ZanyScheme. Cue lots of duct tape, roadside repairs, and just-technically-legal shenanigans as the hosts drive across the country. Their spinoff ''Hot Rod Garage'' started as a straight-up educational show, but they gradually started goofing off during their work as well.

* ''Series/PimpMyRide'', on MTV. Rapper Music/{{Xzibit}} and the crew at GAS (earlier, West Coast Customs) take the most trashy, beat-down cars their viewers can show them, and convert them into luxury custom machines. Gets more outrageous with each episode, usually including video and audio equipment that quintuples (at ''least'') the value of the car.
* ''Series/TrickMyTruck'', on CMT. A countrified version of the above, revolving around the customization of semi trucks.
** Trick My Truck suffers in that everything appears to be obviously scripted, even the trucker's reaction shots.

* ''Series/MonsterGarage'', on Discovery. May have started the current trend, was originally centered around converting street vehicles into souped-up power equipment, that would then challenge the real-deal; i.e., converting an SUV into a trash truck. Focus began to shift as they ran low on ideas.

* ''Magazine/MotorWeek''
* ''A X is Born'', in which each series centers around the building of or restoration of one class of vehicle: cars, motorcycles, planes, and helicopters. Interspersed with interviews with people involved in the associated hobby.

* ''Series/PimpMyRide'', on MTV. Rapper Xzibit and the crew at GAS (earlier, West Coast Customs) take the most trashy, beat-down cars their viewers can show them, and convert them into luxury custom machines. Gets more outrageous with each episode, usually including video and audio equipment that quintuples (at ''least'') the value of the car.

* ''Series/TheGrandTour'', the SpiritualSuccessor of Clarkson's run on ''Top Gear''.

** Of course, this includes every other version of ''Top Gear'' as well.

* ''Series/TopGear'', and its Channel 5 competitor, ''Fifth Gear''.
** Let's face it, there should probably be a picture of TopGear's Jeremy Clarkson in the dictionary next to "petrolhead".

* Any given episode of ''WebVideo/Roadkill'' can be summed up as GearheadShow going on a road trip using TheAllegedCar on some sort of ZanyScheme. Cue lots of duct tape, roadside repairs, and just-technically-legal shenanigans as the hosts drive across the country. Their spinoff ''Hot Rod Garage'' started as a straight-up educational show, but they gradually started goofing off during their work as well.

* ''PimpMyRide'', on MTV. Rapper Xzibit and the crew at GAS (earlier, West Coast Customs) take the most trashy, beat-down cars their viewers can show them, and convert them into luxury custom machines. Gets more outrageous with each episode, usually including video and audio equipment that quintuples (at ''least'') the value of the car.
* ''TrickMyTruck'', on CMT. A countrified version of the above, revolving around the customization of semi trucks.

* ''MonsterGarage'', on Discovery. May have started the current trend, was originally centered around converting street vehicles into souped-up power equipment, that would then challenge the real-deal; i.e., converting an SUV into a trash truck. Focus began to shift as they ran low on ideas.

* ''TopGear'', and its Channel 5 competitor, ''Fifth Gear''.

* SpikeTV has its weekend morning "[=PowerBlock=]" (premiers Saturday morning, reruns the following Sunday morning) which typically closely follows the more traditional setup of down to earth how-to programs. Doesn't stop the hosts from being zany, though. Oh, and the host for the programming block itself is professional driver/professional model [[MsFanservice Courtney Hanson]].

** Of course, this includes the [[Series/TopGearUS American version]] of ''Top Gear'' as well.

* ''ScrapheapChallenge'' and its US equivalent, ''JunkyardWars'', wherein teams compete to produce a machine for Task X using random scrap and some expert advice. A giant catapult, say, or a train.

* ''CarAndTrack'', perhaps the [[UrExample earliest example]] of the video road test and racing footage format. Speed shows segments occasionally as a form of UnintentionalPeriodPiece with a disclaimer mentioning how dated the reviews are.

* ''MotorWeek''