“Graveyard Carz” is an American automotive reality TV series filmed in Springfield, Oregon, which focuses on restoring Mopar muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s. Mark Worman created the show, which has been airing since June 2012 on Motor Trend, formerly known as Velocity. It has run for 14 seasons, attracting a massive audience of automotive lovers who enjoy the magic process of transforming seemingly deadbeat and unfixable cars into functional and dashing pieces. However, despite the show’s enormous popularity and demand, it has be en a subject of various controversies and debates over the years aimed at its authenticity.
Who is Mark Worman?
Also known as “Mopar Guru,” Mark Worman is a businessman, producer, and owner of the Welby’s Car Care shop featured on the “Graveyard Carz.” Mark developed an interest in cars at a young age, and continued nourishing this interest by reading and learning about old cars and how to repair them.
His father died of cancer when he was 12, and he was raised by his mother, who also battled some health issues. Hailing from Eugene, Oregon, Mark never showcased a desire to attend or engage in school and learning, explaining why he dropped out of Springfield Jr. High in ninth grade. When he was 16, he bought his first car, a 1980s Dodge Charger of Burnt Orange color and a 383 two-barrel engine. Dreaming of making it on his own, he found various employments to support himself, but later changed his mind, and obtained his high school diploma, attending a program at Lane Community College.
After completing his studies, Mark focused on harboring his love for cars, and started restoring old Mopar vehicles. Before launching his shop, he switched between various local garages in Springfield, rising through the ranks working as a pump jockey, and eventually becoming a mechanic of unmatched skill and reputation.
Having acquired enough knowledge and experience, in 1985, he established his automotive shop entitled Welby’s Car Care Centre. It initially had only three bays, but the shop expanded as the business grew.
How was “Graveyard Carz” created?
From the time he launched his shop, Mark had thoughts of making a show about restoring old cars, which seemed like an exciting topic for viewers, and he was right – automotive content has been very popular, especially among male audiences. At the time, other similar TV shows in the same lane managed to find success, which motivated Mark to go through with his idea. While working at his shop, he acquired a totaled 1971 orange painted Hemi Plymouth Barracuda, which needed some serious restoration if not “resuscitation.” Mark made a deal with the car’s owner, who wanted to see the process of restoration documented.
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Mark and his friend, Aaron Smith, successfully fixed the vehicle and presented the required evidence. After seeing the potential and the success of his documentation, he and Aaron began filming the restoration of other cars, which would later serve as a compilation for the TV pilot. In 2007, he founded the Division Productions company, and kick-started his reality show. Ultimately, the show was pitched to Velocity, and Mark made a deal with the network in which his production company would retain creative control, but depend on Velocity’s team for advice, ideas, and development in presenting the show to the viewing public.
If you’re wondering what happened with the Phantom Cuda, it was featured in the first five seasons, going through a gradual facelift and modifications. After being shipped to American Metal Direct (AMD) for additional work, it returned to the show looking as if it had recently come out of a factory.
Who is the cast of “Graveyard Carz”? Meet The Ghouls!
Mark Worman is the creator and the main cast member of the show. However, he doesn’t operate alone, and has a crew of skilled mechanics and old car lovers who share his passion for restoring Mopars. Mark’s right hand is definitely his daughter Allysa, who joined the show in the fifth season. Allysa spent s lot of her childhood in her father’s garage, where she clearly developed an interest in cars. She was married to one of her fellow cast members, Josh Rose, who was introduced in the first season. In addition to her status as a TV celebrity, Allysa is also an entrepreneur and sports anchor who worked for CBS Sports Radio. A multi-talented individual, she followed in her father’s footsteps, but also launched the digital marketing firm entitled “Likeable Media.”
Will Scott is another recurring member, a creative and highly skilled garage painter. A father of six, Will made a name for himself when it comes to painting cars, as he’s transformed the ugliest muscle cars into fresh and ready-for-a-spin machines.
He was introduced in the fifth season, and like other members, thoroughly enjoyed rebuilding cars. Another vital employee of Mark’s shop is Royal Yoakum, the muscle car expert. He is one of the original cast members who has been on the show since the beginning.
Who has exited the show?
Over the years, the show also numbered other members who left for various reasons: Daren Kirkpatrick, Dave Rhea, Holley Chedester, and Josh Rose.
Daren Kirkpatrick
Daren was one of the original cast members who made his debut in the show in 2012. As the lead technician, Daren, displayed his extensive knowledge and expertise. However, despite his skillfulness, he often seemed disinterested in the work and clashed with other cast members, particularly Josh Rose, which was documented on the show.
After a couple of seasons, he left “Graveyard Carz” in 2014, and has been under the radar ever since.
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Holly Chedester
If you are a die-hard fan of the show, then you must remember the blonde Holly Chedester, who was introduced in the second season. Holly seemed to play a vital role in the season by serving as a research assistant. Capable but humble and modest in her dealings, she quickly earned the nickname “Holly Equipped.” It seemed that Holly won the hearts of fans with her mild and pleasant personality. However, she was on the show for one season, then when the third season premiered, the fans were shocked to learn that Holly was no longer part of the crew. The reason for that remained undisclosed, though some viewers pointed out that constant verbal abuse from Daren might have played a role in her exiting the show. Now, she is working as a research assistant at the Oregon Influents Innovations.
Josh Rose
Josh Rose is a well-known crew member and Mark’s ex-son-in-law. He was on the show for four seasons before leaving in 2014.
Given that he was married to Mark’s daughter, they were often featured together on the show, and welcomed two daughters together. Josh left “Graveyard Carz” apparently due to payment issues, but he never officially confirmed it.
It is believed that Josh and Allysa divorced in 2014, the same year he exited the show, so many took this as the reason he stopped appearing in the show. Allegedly, even before they separated, their marriage was on the rocks, but they have remained very tight-lipped regarding their relationship. After his exit, he has kept his professional and personal life away from the public eyes. However, judging from his social media, he spends a lot of time in the gym working out, and seems to be in perfect shape.
Dave Rhea
Assembly technician Dave Rhea appeared in season five of the show. Looking like a very laid-back person, he fixed every issue that he was given. If anyone needed to get a car, Dave knew where to get it, how to improve, and when to fix it.
After starring in 21 episodes of the fifth season, he exited the show, much to the fan’s surprise. The reason Dave left was never addressed, and he has never commented. However, now he owns and runs his own Mopar shop entitled DB Restoration LLC in Cresswell, Oregon. Similar to Mark’s Welby’s Car Care, Dave’s shop deals in classical muscle car restoration.
Is “Graveyard Carz “real or fake?
Since it began airing on TV, the show has faced criticism and allegations from fans that it is heavily edited or fake, especially the clashes and drama among cast members. Furthermore, some believe that their car restoration process is not truthfully displayed and authentic. As every reality show has its share of make-believe, this is not that unique to “Graveyard Carz.” Previously, the production team admitted that they had edited some scenes for dramatic effect and scripted some of the scenes and scenarios to condense events and to comply with time constraints. Different factors go into how the film crew shoots, edits, and portrays it on camera when filming these reality series.
For example, sorting and organizing excess footage and deciding what will become the final product takes time. Reportedly, the crew films over 100 hours of material for a season consisting of 13 episodes, which means there might be several hours of footage behind a shown scene on TV that lasts only a couple of minutes. It’s implied that the production crew would include the most exciting and possibly drama-filled situations, with other instances relevant to the episode’s main plot.
According to the production team, a reality series story is 80% of editing, and while shooting, they never know exactly what the end product would be before they edited it. Therefore, the production team focuses on acquiring as much footage as possible out of a minimal number of complex restoration jobs. However, they also want to display the cast members ‘ personalities and interactions in the shop.
Eliminate road noise with Second Skin! 🤫🛣🚘 @GYC_Mark @Officialmopar @motortrendtv @Seconskinusa #GYC #SecondSkin #CarInsulation #Noisedeadening #MoparApproved pic.twitter.com/L6uV1UzPVD
— Graveyard Carz (@graveyardcarz) April 19, 2022
The producers disclosed that only authentic characters without embellishment would be shown on the show, although sometimes, they push them into a particular situation where they might act dramatically or unpredictably, which benefits the show’s ratings.
When you think about it, it’s a no brainer that some scenes are a compilation of carefully placed edits, and most are genuine. Additionally, when you are tasked with taking and restoring the same types of vehicles week after week, the content can become a bit dry, dull and repetitive. At some point, there was so much criticism that the production team had to admit that some things were being doctored. They defended their position by saying that they were filming a type of reality series.
For example, there is always a cast member who is quick to react, so the production team will arrange a situation where they inform every one of the staged event except that one person.
By executing this, the team creates a scene where the ignorant member reacts genuinely to what is transpiring. So in that way, the show is partially reality series, but the production crew insists that the reactions are truthful.
Drama between Josh and Daren
According to Mark when speaking of real situations, every clash between Josh and Darren was authentic and not staged. In the early seasons of the show, the two often clashed, and Mark even had a name for the two, calling them the “Clinker Twins.” When Dave and Josh left the show, Mark revealed that he felt less stressed without witnessing the two going at each other every day. Talking to a media outlet, Mark said: ‘Daren and Josh made me miserable, and that was reflected in everything I did. They were complete lunatics. None of the arguing you saw on the show was a shtick. It was very real bickering and daily negativity. ‘Mark added that their disputes disrupted the working climate in the shop and overall activities also related to the show.
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Lawsuits and Scandals
Since its first episode, the show became synonymous with drama on TV, and behind the scenes. Reportedly, Mark had several issues with the law over the years. According to the reports, a lawsuit was filed against the show, Mark, and other producers, as they allegedly owed money to various cast members for their appearances on the show. These include Derrick, Josh Rose and Daren. Apparently, they were fired via text messages, and weren’t allowed to return to the shop and gather their tools, which was unfair and highly illegal.
Furthermore, Mark was accused of stealing car parts from his customers, and later using them for other cars. The general opinion is that Mark does not treat his employees well, which was why most of them have left both the show and his shop.
How much does “Graveyard Carz” charge?
One of the most frequently asked questions regarding the show is the restoration price. If you’ve watched the show, you must have seen the amount of work behind fixing a totaled and rare car.
The price depends on various factors such as the car’s condition, the availability of the needed parts, and other materials. You might have guessed it, but restoring an old Mopar car is not relatively cheap or even affordable for some. Usually, dedicated collectors and well-to-do individuals call for these restorations, and given that Mark has been working for over four decades, h’as acquired his loyal clientele. Generally, it’s believed that the restoration process costs between $20,000 to $50,000, sometimes even more, depending on the type of muscle car. In one episode, Mark disclosed these cars cost around $50,000 before they were totaled.
What is Mark Worman’s net worth?
According to sources, his estimated net worth is around $2 million as of mid-2022, which he has acquired working in his shop, starring in his show, and through his production company.
Does Mark have a wife?
Given that Mark has a daughter, many fans wonder whether he’s married and why his wife is not on the show: the truth is, no one knows. He has been very secretive regarding his romantic life, and hasn’t disclosed any information. However, it’s said that he is married and that his wife prefers to stay out of the spotlight. Additionally, it remains a mystery whether Allysa is his only child, but no others have been introduced.
