It took three seasons for Mike Hall to finally catch an episode of his hit reality TV show Rust Valley Restorers.
B次元官网网址淎s a matter of fact, I watched the first episode,B次元官网网址� laughed Hall, noting itB次元官网网址檚 been 25 years since he owned a television. B次元官网网址淣ormally I donB次元官网网址檛 watched it but Connor showed me. It actually had me laughingB次元官网网址次元官网网址�
Based in Tappen, B.C. B次元官网网址� the heart of Rust Valley B次元官网网址� the show follows Hall and his crew, including son Connor Hall, Avery Shoaf, Cassidy Mceown, Greg Preece, Rick Hamerston, Sarah Ward and a host of guests as they attempt to restore MikeB次元官网网址檚 beloved collection of rust heaps into slick retro rides, and make some money in the process.
From the film crewB次元官网网址檚 sound booth at his shop, Mike explained in a Feb. 11 interview that filming was nearly done for season 3, set premiere on Thursday, Feb. 18 on the History Channel.
B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檝e done some of the best builds weB次元官网网址檝e ever done and some of the best stories,B次元官网网址� said Mike.
For those whoB次元官网网址檝e been looking forward to return to Rust Valley, Mike explained more than 250 filming days have gone into this latest season and, with COVID-19, there were various delays.
Unable to go into detail about whatB次元官网网址檚 in store, Mike did answer questions about his experience so far.
Q: B次元官网网址淲hat is sweeter music to your ears: AveryB次元官网网址檚 laugh or a buyer telling you youB次元官网网址檝e got a deal?
Mike: (Laughs) A buyer telling me IB次元官网网址檝e got a deal.
Q: In which episode can we view your moves from the 2019 Dancing with the Shuswap Stars? Would you ever do that again?
Mike: I think it was one of the first ones - ItB次元官网网址檚 all a blur. (Season 2, Episode 11) It was for a good cause and I donB次元官网网址檛 mind publicly embarrassing myself as long as itB次元官网网址檚 for a good cause. What really irritated me was Avery beat me.
Q: What is Rust Valley, where is it and how far does it extend?
Mike: Rust Valley, where we actually are, itB次元官网网址檚 located in beautiful downtown Tappen, B.C.B次元官网网址� But for Rust Valley, the TV show, basically if you draw a line a couple of hundred miles and make a circle, thatB次元官网网址檚 what we call it. We go down and visit JF (Launier) in Osoyoos, Donny (Kleinfelder) out in Barriere, weB次元官网网址檝e got friends down at the coast, weB次元官网网址檝e got friends in Kamloops. We go out to Revelstoke for shows, soB次元官网网址� as we say on the show, somewhere between the desert and the Rocky Mountains.
Q: After three seasons, has the number of vehicles on your property increased, decreased or stayed it about the same?
Mike: I think itB次元官网网址檚 up about 100 but IB次元官网网址檓 afraid to count.
Q: What is the marmot to car ratio on your property (as seen in season 2 episode 3)
Mike: ItB次元官网网址檚 got to be about eight to 1. If I wasnB次元官网网址檛 such an environmentally friendly guy IB次元官网网址檇 go shoot em but I canB次元官网网址檛. So we just kind of put up with them. They are cute, but sometimes when you see them sitting on top of your car taking a big dump, it makes your blood boil. Whatever. They were there first, itB次元官网网址檚 their property, IB次元官网网址檓 just an uninvited guest, youB次元官网网址檝e got to go with it.
Q: Who among the Rust Valley Restorers crew do you think would be best suited for a spin-off series?
Mike: That would have to be Avery. (Laughs) thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot to work with there, pardon the pun.
Q: What has been your most rewarding vehicle restoration. The most expensive?
Mike: TheyB次元官网网址檙e all more expensive than what you think. When we did just a (1967 Mercury) Cougar for the man that lost his daughter (Season 2, Episode 6) and theyB次元官网网址檇 been looking at the car for almost (14) years. That was a pretty satisfyingB次元官网网址� Basically, every build that weB次元官网网址檝e done has been a good story and has been very satisfying to finish and actually help some people realize their dreams.
Read more:
Read more:
Read more:
Read more:
Q: If you were to find a buyer for your collection, is there one vehicle you absolutely wouldnB次元官网网址檛 part with?
Mike: If I actually did find a buyer, there would be about 20 I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 part with. It would be tough.
Q: ItB次元官网网址檚 been said that 90 per cent of what you see is real. Is that accurate?
Mike: We try and maintain a high ratio of truth to fiction but it is a television show. We do have a story producer and every now and then they drag us down the slippery slopeB次元官网网址�
I donB次元官网网址檛 think being in front of a camera has really changed me. ItB次元官网网址檚 not like you wake up at 62 years old and say, B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to be a TV star. I spent 40 years doing what I do, rock scaling and collecting cars, and I basically said to myself, no matter what happens, IB次元官网网址檓 going to maintain who I am, what I am and where I came from.
Q: Do you receive correspondence from fans, and if so, is there anything that stands out you can share?
Mike: We had one person reach out to us from England when we did the episode, well, if you havenB次元官网网址檛 seen it, my mom passes away at the end of an episode last year. He said IB次元官网网址檇 really like to do a portrait of your mom. So we sent him a picture and he did an amazing digital photoB次元官网网址� It moved me to tears.
Just recently some mother from the states said my son is four years old, he loves your show. Could you please do a birthday shout out for him? IB次元官网网址檒l pay you. Well, I went out into the back field, did a little five second video, and said hey, Happy Birthday from Mike and all of usB次元官网网址� His mom sent me back a video of him saying thank you so much Mike, can you build a car and come down and pick us up and bring us to Rust Valley? Stuff like that is pretty special.
After three seasons of being on TV, Mike has become accustomed to taking selfies with fans (a challenge during the pandemic). He stressed the Mike Hall you see on TV is the same Mike Hall you might bump into in Rust Valley.
B次元官网网址淭he biggest compliment I get is when people come and the meet me and they say, B次元官网网址榟oly man, youB次元官网网址檙e just like you are on TV,B次元官网网址� said Mike.
Asked if he has a season 4 in him, Mike said if the fans and the network want it, B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 pretty sure weB次元官网网址檇 deliver it to them.B次元官网网址�
In addition to the History Channel, seasons 1 and 2 of Rust Valley Restorers is available on Netflix Canada. The show will also air on AmazonB次元官网网址檚 Stack TV.
lachlan@saobserver.net
Like us on and follow us on
