Going Postal in Vegas The Filming of the Sucking Amps Discovery Channel TV Series Pilot

Sunday, January 25, 2004

Just got back from the Las Vegas races. It was great!

Gone Postal is neat to just look at, even when motionless. I love the high speed eagle on the side, with a letter in his beak. With the covers closed, you'd would not guess it is electric -- it is very well done. Synopsis for it:

I arrive about 10 a.m. Crew is busily wrenching on it. Discovery Channel is busily filming.

First Run: 17.something, just a warmup I was sure.

The Gone Postal crew wrenches on it some more.

Second run: 15.something, big improvement!

The Gone Postal crew wrenches on it some more.

Third run: I hear something, and Gone Postal crawls off the track.
Not good!

The Gone Postal crew wrenches on it some more. They are going to weld the axles that broke! I'm impressed with that kind of on-the-spot repair!

Fourth run: Launch and weeeheeeeeeeeeee goes something! Something is dragging from the back!

Gone Postal gets a standing ovation upon its return (well, at least from the
die hard EVers that were still at the track). Someone holds up a fuzzy
broken belt.

I'm sure the Gone Postal team was discouraged from the breakdowns, but at least it will make for some good TV footage. Also, I was most impressed to see the axle shearing, belt breaking torque! That much torque was even more beautiful than the great paint job.

I apologize for not knowing the names, but the two motorcycles that raced I thought did quite well. Awesome burnout by the one with the skull and cross bones, and times near 13 flat.

CA POP E ran near 14 flat. It is most impressive it still has most of its front and rear trunks! Amazing how that thing can hide 20 batteries!

It looks like Current Eliminator was running steady 12.somethings, apparently he was bracket racing.

I liked the production look of the 2 RX7s. The Fiero wasn't the fastest car there, but I think you might be able to pick up its battery pack with one hand! Well, that's maybe a slight stretch, but the pack is tiny, made of little lantern sized batteries. (Fieros are near and dear to me as I used to
own one.)

Most impressive underhood display: The Silver 280ZX with its three motors. Are they supposed to be twisted a bit, or was that some metalwork courtesy of massive torque?

The leaning three wheelers were neat to watch, and had impressive factory level workmanship.

There was a small sea of electric scooters in the pits.

Hopefully that touched on all the vehicles, my apologies for not knowing names, or if any vehicle got left out.

My thanks to all the racers that came, it made for a great show. My 7 and 8 year old kids had a great time, too.

(Gone Postal Crew Chief & Pilot: Rod Wilde, owner of EV Parts in Port Townsend, WA, pictured below, wearing the team shirt, for sale exclusively on his website.)

More...
photos, movies & coverage of the Sucking Amps filming and Going Postal saga
on the
NEDRA
&
Voltage Forum
websites

Producers:
Judy Plavnick - Elise Duran
Executive Producer: Craig Piligian

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