Junkyard Wars Wants You!

Dan Messinger writes "Bring On The Junk! Junkyard Wars is looking for new contestants to compete on the 2003 series. Teams of contestants are given ten hours to build a machine to solve a specific challenge using parts they salvage from a junkyard. In contrast to previous seasons, this year we are looking for individual applicants who are skilled at putting together sophisticated machinery and not afraid of getting their hands dirty. Successful candidates will possess a strong background in engineering, fabrication and a good mechanical 'know how.' Junkyard Wars wants applications from people of all ages, races, creeds, colors, sexes, religions, and sexual orientations, as well as people with physical disabilities. We are especially interested in applications from women and/or people of color, as previous crops of contenders have been underrepresented among these groups. Lots of kids watch Junkyard Wars and we want to show them that anyone can grow up to be the world's greatest mechanic or engineer! If you think you match the description or you know of someone who does - please log onto our website and apply: you will find the application forms as well as all of the information that you need regarding applying. Application deadline is February 28, 2003."

Comments

Re:Underrepresentation?

[gowen]

Those groups are "underrepresented" among engineers!

You're right, they are. But most of that is cultural[0]: women were told they couldn't be engineers, so they didn't become engineers. Positive discrimination, as the call for contestants says, can help change those perceptions. This is good. Diversity is a good thing. Monocultures are boring.

Also, more hot chicks wear I work would be great (*damn* did I say that out loud?)

[0] Unless you believe that only white males are genetically predisposed to becoming capable engineers, in which case, well ... you're a moron.

Come on now

[RedWolves2]

This is a show that does some great engineering out of nothing. But their application process is to download a word document, fill it out, print it out and send it via snail mail to the studio.

Can't they come up with a better solution then this? At the very least make the application an interactive PDF and at most make it a Web Form.

But because they are using word they have to post an e-mail address stating that if you can not open word to e-mail someone about it.

Not very technically saavy they seem.

Re:Come on now

[Anonymous Coward]

Here is the application in plain text format:
JUNKYARD WARS 2003 APPLICATION FORM
Welcome future Junkyard Warriors!

Please fill in all of the fields below. When complete, please print out a copy of your completed application. Mail your application, a current photo, and your application video to the address at the bottom. Good luck!

Personal Information:
Use the "tab" key on your keyboard to move between fields.
Name:
Nickname:
Street Address:
Apt.:
City:
State or Province:
Zip Code:
Country:
Home Phone:
Work Phone:
Cell Phone:
Fax:
e-mail:
Occupation:
Age years
Date of Birth 19 Height feetinches Weight lbs Gender Skills

Please rank yourself in the following areas:

No Experience Novice Experienced Expert
Welding
Metal Cutting
Engines
Electrics
Woodwork
General Mechanics

Tell us something amazing about yourself.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Who is your favorite team member, judge, or expert from any past episode of Junkyard Wars and why?

What would be your ultimate challenge on Junkyard Wars?

Video

Please record a video no longer than 5 minutes. (Videos must be submitted as VHS, VHS-c, or mini-DV. Please do not send in Hi-8 as we cannot view it)

In your video, please include the following:

1)Your name, your age, where you live, and your occupation.
2)Tell us about / demonstrate your favorite machine or tool and help us understand why you love it.
3)Tell us about an incident on junkyard wars you have particularly loved or loathed and why?
4)What makes you a Junkyard superstar?
5)You have one minute to impress us with your mechanical, engineering or bodging skills. Go!

Please label both your video and your application very clearly in case they get separated. We would suggest name and phone number on both at the very least.

When complete, please print your application and mail it along with the video and photo to:

Junkyard Wars Applications
3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #107
Studio City, CA 91604
USA

Good Luck and best wishes from the Junkyard Wars applications team! We will endeavor to notify you either way once we have received and viewed all the applications.

Deadline
APPLICATIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY FEBRUARY 28th 2003

Pedantic explanation of Scrapheap/Junkyard

[threeturn]

To clarify all this:
There are basically two programmes:

• Scrapheap Challenge (mostly UK teams made for UK TV), and
  
• Junkyard Wars (mostly US teams made for US TV)
  

Just to confuse things though, when Discovery Channel in Europe shows the programmes the use Scrapheap Challenge as the title regardless of which version the programme originally came from.

Both SHC and JW are filmed in the same place. Last series this was in the US. This series its moved back to the UK. As you say, "foreign" rubbish is imported if necessary to make people feel at home.

Am I the saddest man on /. for knowing all this?

Re:Pedantic explanation of Scrapheap/Junkyard

[idontgno]

Just to confuse things though, when Discovery Channel in Europe shows the programmes the use Scrapheap Challenge as the title regardless of which version the programme originally came from.

And, conversely, it's all "Junkyard Wars" on the US version of Discovery Channel, regardless of the original program.

Am I the saddest man on /. for knowing all this?

No, just a true /.er.

Re:Never Fails

[sheetsda]

See the Cathy Rogers interview, first question.

Re:TV Magic!

[Zathrus]

You don't watch the show much...

A lot of teams finish with spare time on their hands... not a lot of spare time, but I've seen at least 30 minutes before. They usually lose.

The majority do finish in the "nick of time"... or don't actually finish at all and are welding/constructing during the hour of tinker time on competition day.

A rather large number of the machines don't work at all, or fail during the tests... I wonder if they'll ever do hydroplanes again since they've yet to have a single one work out of two competitions (or maybe more... don't recall - most of them floated and moved, but none actually hydroplaned).

Read the forums though... the ones where the teams actually participate in them. There isn't any behind the scenes help in construction. Sorry to burst your cynical bubble.

Re:Research Triangle Team

[gimple]

From the application:

"Unlike previous seasons, competitors will be chosen this year as individuals, not as complete teams." (Their emphasis, not mine)

I think I liked the team concept better.

Re:Which show with Henry Rollins??

[Shadwhawk]

The show is called Full Metal Challenge.

The premise is basically that a couple dozen teams from around the world (there were teams from Argentina, Germany, China, Chile...) get $3000 and 30 days to build a do-anything vehicle. Then they're all shipped to a decomissioned nuclear power plant where they compete in different games, including steep hill climbs, swamp racing, a 'roller coaster' with see-saw platforms and steeply banked turns, bowling, and something loosely based on soccer (football).
Each episode has 3 teams competing against each other, and the two teams with the highest number of points at the end of the episode get to Sumo wrestle each other with the ground covered in tires, soapy water, barb wire, and caltrops.

The winner of the first season was a British beast of a machine with 8 wheels and two engines. They beat out a Quebec team with a good tracked design (they nearly got second place in the soccer game with a thrown track!), which seemed to have mechanical problems in the final Sumo match.

It's not as good as Junkyard Wars, but with what they learned in the first season, any second season should be better.