The BEST episodes of Junkyard Wars

Every episode of Junkyard Wars ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Junkyard Wars!

This engineering challenge started off some years ago in the UK and has now made it over to TLC. In 2001 they filmed two seasons' worth of programs with a whole series of extreme Junkyard machines being built by teams of bikers, high-tech engineers, school teachers, and even hillbillies!

Last Updated: 3/24/2024Network: TLCStatus: Ended
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Steam-Powered Car
star
9.90
31 votes

#1 - Steam-Powered Car

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/29/2000

Challenge to build a steam powered vehicle that can carry all 4 team members the fastest around a track. Contestants Team Green: The Beach Boys Team captain Mike Richard Ian Expert Adrian Grimmett Team Red: The NERDS Team captain Crash Neo Jeff Expert Richard Gibbon

Deep Sea Dive
star
9.90
31 votes

#2 - Deep Sea Dive

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/17/2001

Challenge to build to open locked treasure boxes 20 feet underwater. They have to send down an aquanaut in a diver suit and pump air to his helmet. Contestants Team Green: Art Attacks Team captain Ken June Wayne Expert Greg Brian Team Blue: The Young Guns Team captain Stan Brighton Jeus Beltran Brian Michem Expert Bob Kirby

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Walking Machines
star
9.90
31 votes

#3 - Walking Machines

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/17/1999

Challenge to build a vehicle that could navigate a course the fastest. The catch it can't use wheels. Contestants Team Orange The Megalomaniacs Team captain Nosher Kevin Dax Expert Jerry King Team Pink The Bodgers Team captain Bowser Munson Anne Saunders Learch Expert Dr James Brighton

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Powerboats
star
9.76
33 votes

#4 - Powerboats

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/4/1998

Challenge to build a powerboat to save their team mates one by one that are stranded on an island. Contestants Team Yellow Team captain Richard Strawbridge Keli Monroe Dave Price Expert Lawrence Newing Team Orange Team captain Anne Saunders Richard Munson Shen Chiu Expert Richard Yemm

Car Dozer
star
8.00
3 votes

#5 - Car Dozer

Season 10 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/26/2003

The ultimate way to deal with traffic jams would be to push the offending cars out of the way and go through. Well, for the High Flyers and Big Shots, that dream is about to come true. The will be building a machine that will power it's way through a gauntlet of cars. A bunch of cars have been strewn down a track. The team that has the fastest total time after 3 runs (and a different driver each time) through the cars will advance. However, if they go outside of the yellow boundaries on the sides of the track, they incur a ten second penalty. So it isn't just speed...it's precision as well. For the High Flyers, it's all about the traction. Using a monsterous truck for a base, they will add a second axle to the rear and wrap the two tires with tank treads. Combine a big engine and those massive footprints and put a big plow on the front and you have a bulldozer...in essence. However, adding a second axel isn't exactly a walk in the park. Neither will finding a big, reliable engine? This machine will have to be just plain tough! The Big Shots are going for power. A big truck chassis and a big engine will give them lots of power and strength to withstand any major collisions. However, their plow is going to resemble a cow catcher (like you used to see on old time locomotives). The trick is that they will put their blade at the rear and drive in reverse. This will protect the engine and give them some low-range power. Again, finding a good engine might be the problem.

Power Pullers
star
7.67
3 votes

#6 - Power Pullers

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/20/1998

Challenge to build vehicles to compete in a power tug of war. Contestants Team Yellow Team captain Richard Strawbridge Keli Monroe Dave Price Expert John Kilgour Team Orange Team captain Anne Saunders Richard Munson Shen Chiu Expert Mark Pacey

Junkyard Mega Wars: Frozen Tundra
star
7.67
3 votes

#7 - Junkyard Mega Wars: Frozen Tundra

Season 13 - Episode 8 - Aired 6/13/2004

Siege
star
7.50
2 votes

#8 - Siege

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/13/1998

Challenge to attack a "castle" with turnips. Contestants Team Yellow Team captain Richard Strawbridge Keli Monroe Dave Price Expert Don Mansfield Team Orange Team captain Anne Saunders Richard Munson Shen Chiu Expert Paul Harrington

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Sub-Aqua
star
7.25
4 votes

#9 - Sub-Aqua

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/27/1998

Challenge to build a diving apparatus to retrieve an underwater treasure. Contestants Team Yellow Team captain Richard Strawbridge Keli Monroe Dave Price Expert Russel Mitchell Team Orange Team captain Anne Saunders Richard Munson Shen Chiu Expert Harvey Porrett

Destroyers
star
7.00
1 votes

#10 - Destroyers

Season 9 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/15/2003

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Off-Road Golf
star
7.00
31 votes

#11 - Off-Road Golf

Season 10 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/30/2003

In this episode, each team has to build a car which has to be able to hit a ball with precision. Then, the cars will be tested in a very strange competition which consists in getting the lowest score in a giant-sized 3-hole short golf match. Contestants "Jet Doctors" vs. "High Flyers"

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Car Flinger
star
7.00
1 votes

#12 - Car Flinger

Season 9 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/22/2003

Flight of the Century Part 1
star
7.00
1 votes

#13 - Flight of the Century Part 1

Season 9 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/9/2003

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Flight of the Century Part 2
star
7.00
1 votes

#14 - Flight of the Century Part 2

Season 9 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/9/2003

To celebrate 100th anniversary of the first flight by Wright brothers, teams from U.S., U.K. and France built flying machines capable of stop exactly at the red line located in the middle of a dry lakebed in California's Mojave Desert - using materials and tools in 1900s. In addition to 20 hours build time, each team had 2 hours of decoration time, 2 test flights, and a modern FAA-approved engine to power the vehicles.

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Dune Buggies
star
7.00
1 votes

#15 - Dune Buggies

Season 10 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/19/2003

In this episode, each team has to build a "Dune Buggie" which has to be able to withstand the hard conditions of the desert. Then, the vehicles will be taken to the desert to test them in a competition. Contestants 'Junkyard Hogs' vs. 'Superchargers'

Jet Trikes
star
7.00
1 votes

#16 - Jet Trikes

Season 10 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/2/2003

It will be a hot time in the junkyard this episode as the Auto Amigos take on the Dirty Drivers in a fast and furious challenge to build a trike powered by a jet-engine. The race will consist of three trips down a one-eighth mile track...one at a time. The team that records the fastest time in any of their three trips will advance to the semi-finals. The Dirty Drivers are building a true jet engine on a lightweight frame. A propane tank will provide the gas and a spark plug will act as the ignition source. The key ingredient will be a turbo-charger from a truck. The turbo charger has two fans that turn in opposite directions. One fan will suck the propane into a combustion tank while the other will suck the heated air out and through a nozzle. If there's time, they also want to build an afterburner which should increase their speed. An afterburner ignites any remaining gasses in the chamber for added thrust. Time is NOT on their side. The Auto Amigos, on the other hand, are going for a thermo-jet engine. A car engine will be attached to a large fan. The fan will suck air into a large tube which will be funneled out the back. Around the back side of the fan are a series of nozzles which will spray a mist of gasoline into the tube. A spark plug will ignite the propane causing a jet of hot air (and flames) to shoot out the back. This is going to be heavy so a big, beefy, sturdy frame will be necessary. The weight might slow them down and cost valuable seconds.

Power Pullers
star
7.00
1 votes

#17 - Power Pullers

Season 10 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/9/2003

In this episode, each team has to build a sled-puller tractor which has to be under 2000 lbs. Then, the tractors will be tested in a competition which consists in pulling a medium-sized sled through a simple course. The team that pulls the sled further wins. Contestants "Jet Doctors" vs. "Missile Masters"

Laundry Launchers
star
7.00
1 votes

#18 - Laundry Launchers

Season 10 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/16/2003

In this episode, each team has to build a machine which has to be able to launch heavy objects. It doesn't matter if they build a catapult, a giant robot, etc... Then, the machines will be tested in a competition which consists in launching a 150 lb washing machine as far as possible without destroying it until it crashes into the floor. Contestants "High Flyers" vs. "Superchargers"

Beach Rescue Racers
star
7.00
31 votes

#19 - Beach Rescue Racers

Season 10 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/23/2003

In this episode, each team has to build an amphibious vehicle which has to resist sea water. Then, the buggies will be tested in a competition which consists in "saving" a mannequin from an island - passing through the beach and the sea - in the less time possible. Contestants "Jet Doctors" vs. "Auto Amigos"

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Railroad Racers
star
7.00
1 votes

#20 - Railroad Racers

Season 8 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/9/2002

In this episode, each team has to build a "Railroad Racer", a vehicle which is able to race through the train rails. Then, the vehicles will be tested in a competition which consists in dropping a load in a section of tracks before reaching a barrier. Contestants: "Kentucky Fried Family" vs. "Brooklyn Benders"

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Diggers
star
7.00
1 votes

#21 - Diggers

Season 9 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/8/2003

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Tugs of War
star
7.00
1 votes

#22 - Tugs of War

Season 9 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/18/2002

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Monowheels
star
7.00
1 votes

#23 - Monowheels

Season 9 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/11/2002

Smooth Riders
star
7.00
1 votes

#24 - Smooth Riders

Season 9 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/4/2002

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Clockwork Cars
star
7.00
1 votes

#25 - Clockwork Cars

Season 9 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/27/2002