scrapheap challenge 2001

The Ending
My tour of duty with the Army paid off. Like the military, show business requires much waiting. A brief flurry of activity. Much more waiting. And finally a decision. Such was the on-snow challenge.

The teams were allowed to warm-up their vehicles and make certain that they would move over snow. But, only while the camera crews were filming. Since this is a television production, most of the preparations went into setting up positions for cameras, set-ups with the on-camera personalities, and union-mandated breaks. It was all very disconcerting to the contestants who had assumed that you build the vehicles, haul them to a test spot and have at it. The "have at it" is the least of the show's concerns.

Since Mammoth Mountain is a ski resort and quite bright with sun reflecting off snow at high noon, the production dilly-dallied until later in the afternoon. But not too late because the crew had to be back in Los Angeles later that evening or it would add extra costs.

Test day at 10,000 plus feet in the keys to winning the challenge.

A simple ski suspension setup proved difficult to get working. A lack of adequate dampers caused the team to re-evaluate the original A-arm front suspension design. Since the scrapheap was in California and not Minnesota, the likelihood of finding old snowmobile parts was non-existent. A-arms and suspension parts were not readily available.

Nor were rear suspension components for the bulky snow bike being built by the Scots. Because their bike was shaft drive, they would have to offset the rear track and drive. The single front ski was taken from something very heavy. In fact, on a pound-per-pound basis, the Scots were clear win-ners. Heck, it appeared that when the final head-to-head race between the two vehicles was due, the only chance mountains was perfect with no clouds in the sky and temperatures in the 70s.

The snow was wet but hard packed. The original idea was for the three team members to run individual heats over a semi-oval track. The best run would be the winning time. But the day wore on with a lack of action as the vehicles experienced technical difficulties.

The drive sprocket on the Londoners lightweight machine broke off, requiring a rewelding job. The Clan's Kawasaki 750cc broke the drive chain causing a long delay while a crewmember set off to find a suitable replacement chain. The snow bike track drive train worked. The tires actually provided enough friction on the inner side of the track to move the beast. Still, the clear favorite remained the Ellivators and their snow trike.

With the replacement chain readied and the trike's drive sprocket welded into place, the finale got underway.
By this time, the producers told the teams that they had one shot at making a success. They would be allowed to stop and start three times and would be timed and distance measured after the vehicle stopped on its third try.

This showdown is where the Scrapheap Challenge proves that luck and grit mean more than practical design. Based on design and logic the Londoners would win. Based on the results the Scots advanced to the next challenge.

The Clan's vehicle took just over 10 minutes to move just under 300 yards. The Ellivator's machine moved three stops in under 10 minutes but traveled only 94 feet from the starting line. The dirt bike kept shifting out of gear due to a broken weld.

As judge, it was my duty to disappoint the Londoners and allow the Clan to advance. But based on what I learned from my behind the scenes view of the show, the contestants are far and away the hardest workers. And regardless of the show's on-air outcome, both teams and their experts are winners in my mind. But one team moves on, because that's… show biz.