Just when you thought there were no barn finds left, the Travel Channel has cooked up another car-based reality show.
Backroad Gold follows the alliteratively-named Corky Coker as he drives around rural America looking for hidden treasure in the form of vintage cars and other motoring paraphernalia. He uses his negotiating skills to get the goods back to his shop, where these piles of rust are restored to their former glory.
Anyone familiar with the restoration scene may recognize Coker from his eponymous Coker Group, which includes the Coker Tire Company, one of the main sources of reproduction tires for older cars.
Coker may have his credentials in order, but Backroad Gold sounds like several existing reality shows--such as the Discovery Channel's Fast N' Loud and the History Channel's Counting Cars--that focus on finding, buying, and restoring old cars.
At least those cars look pretty interesting. A Pontiac GTO Judge and a Ford Galaxie 500 were among the models highlighted in the show's trailer.
With so many television crews combing the country's garages and backyards, it's surprising there are any cars made before 1989 that are still unaccounted for. How long before an AMC-Renault Alliance becomes the project of the week?
There also promises to be a bit of family drama to make everything easier to relate to. The supporting cast includes Coker's father, daughter, and son-in-law. Everyone has a down-home, country-fied personality, because while most classic American cars were built in Detroit, the majority seem to have ended up in the South.
Regardless, Backroad Gold should be decently entertaining for gearheads who fantasize about that ultimate barn find. It airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. Eastern beginning February 5, on the Travel Channel.
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