Ep 11. Pontiac Bonneville to Bonneville!

Roadkill Garage Season 1 Episode 11, titled "Pontiac Bonneville to Bonneville!", follows the hosts as they attempt to transform a beaten up 1963 Pontiac Bonneville into a car that can compete in the 2015 'Bonneville Speed Week' race.

The hosts, Mike Finnegan, and David Freiburger are seen inspecting the car which they describe as in very poor shape. They criticise the condition of the car, pointing out rusted body panels, damaged upholstery, and worn-out parts. Despite this, they decide to take up the challenge and transform it into a race car.

The first step in their project is replacing the car's original, undersized rear end with a Pontiac GTO rear axle. This involves measuring and cutting the frame, fitting the axle, and then making custom brackets and attaching them to the frame. The hosts decide to use a strange mix of parts for the engine. They opt for a Rocket Racing Vortech headed 467 cubic-inch Pontiac engine, and then mate this to the transmission of an old Ford truck engine. After several setbacks, they finally manage to get the engine and transmission working together, and the car roars to life for the first time.

The Roadkill Garage hosts next proceed to test-drive the car and find several issues that need fixing. They realise that there are alignment and steering issues, which they diagnose as being caused by faulty front control arms. This leads to the next stage in their modification: replacing the front suspension with a more modern, adjustable setup.

The hosts also mention that they will need to find better-sized wheels for the car as the current ones don’t do it justice. They source a set of 'Rocket Fuel' wheels that are specifically designed for the car and go ahead to customise them to suit the car.

In the next segment of the episode, the hosts take the car to a local shop where the upholstery is redone, and the car receives a fresh coat of paint. They upgrade the window openings and install new side glass on the car.

The last part of the show is the reveal of the transformed car to its previous owner, and they claim that it’s unrecognisable from the car they had left in the shop. The hosts show off the rebuilt car in all its glory, and it’s clear they have put in immense work, time, and effort.

The episode wraps up with the car being taken to the race area and the hosts attempting to dial in the new suspension and wheel setup. They take the car for test drives and are pleased to see that it drives much better than it did before.

Overall, this episode of Roadkill Garage showcases the hosts' expertise and attention to detail when it comes to transforming old cars in poor condition into race-ready vehicles. It’s a fun, interesting, and informative show for anyone interested in cars and the world of automobile modification.