The Truth Behind Counting Cars And American Chopper
What you see on TV isn't always reality, even if it's being marketed as reality TV. A lot has to change about the way an auto shop is actually run for it to translate well as a television show. That's why there are a lot of inconsistencies, untruths, and exaggerated storylines in both Counting Cars and American Chopper.
Keep reading to find out which parts of both shows are true, and which parts are totally staged. Some of these revelations might just surprise you.
The Garage Has More Money Than It Seems
The need to make money is one of the driving plot points in Counting Cars. The employees in the shop are always talking about how they need to flip cars to get some money in their pockets as fast as possible. The way they talk about it makes it seem like the garage could go out of business at any moment.
In reality, Count's Kustoms isn't even close to being in the red. The employees at the shop make a good amount of money from just being on the show.
Celebrities Stopping By
Every so often on an episode of Counting Cars, you might see a celebrity casually drop by for a chat. Some celebrities who have appeared on the show include country rock star Andy Ross and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.
Obviously, these are anything but casual stop-ins. As it turns out, the series openly invites celebrities to come on, usually for some promotional deal. These celebrities are usually getting paid to just "pop by" the shop.
Joseph "Doc" Duggan's Strange House Robbery
In 2015, Joseph "Doc" Duggan, the tech genius at Count's Kustoms, came home after a long night out to find his door unlocked. After he went inside, he saw that practically all of his belongings had been stolen. All that remained was a pile of clothing and some clean dishes.
Oddly enough, the robbers decided to run the dishes through the dishwasher before they left. The robbers did actually use the bathroom before they left as well, so there was lots of DNA evidence at the scene that eventually led to their arrest.
Shop Tours Aren't All That Exciting
After seeing Count's Kustoms on TV, fans were eager to get a chance to tour the shop in person. Unfortunately, fans were disappointed when they discovered that the shop isn't as amazing as it looks on television. It turns out that the tours of Count's Kustoms aren't all they're hyped up to be.
According to reviews, people who went to tour the shop were surprised by the poor customer service, pricey coffee, and the bad neighborhood the garage is located in.
Koker Doesn't Care About The Environment
Koker is all about cars. Basically, if it has a motor on it, he's into it. Naturally, environmental awareness doesn't exactly go hand in hand with his passion for fast and furious vehicles. A common theme in Counting Cars is Koker complaining about having to switch out a classic part for something that meets the modern regulations.
It is possible, however, that Koker is playing up his frustration with environmental politics to appeal to gearhead viewers.
A Wealth Of Knowledge
Koker and his team seem pretty knowledgeable about cars on the show. Every time they encounter a new car, Koker will speak in-depth about the car's backstory and history. When Koker and his team work on a car, they typically go into the vehicle's backstory. During one episode, they talked about how a horrible-looking Chevy was found abandoned.
After the episode aired, fans went to the internet, learning the truth about the car's actual origins, which were a little less interesting than the story Koker provided. Basically, the show likes to embellish things for dramatic effect.
Danny's "Humble" Beginnings
Danny Koker likes to portray himself as a down-to-earth car guy who comes from humble beginnings. He does this so that he's relatable to the many viewers who watch his show. Well, it turns out that his beginnings were anything but humble.
Growing up, his father, Danny Sr., played the piano for some of the greats, including Pat Boone and Johnny Cash. The money he made performing was enough to support his car-buying habit ten times over.
Gathering Parts
Having rare and custom parts on-site is a trick for many car shows, including Counting Cars. This means Count's Kustoms doesn't actually have all of the parts on hand. The fact is, the series tends to use rare parts that might take days or weeks to track down.
So, having them in the shop during filming isn't exactly plausible. But viewers can't wait around for weeks while Danny and his crew to get the parts, so the process is edited together, making it seem like everything is right there in the shop.
A Strict Budget
Known for arguing over prices with potential sellers and walking away from cars, Danny Koker's employees see him as a stickler with money. However, he's also known for putting a dent in the company's wallet with his wild and complex restorations.
So, is money important or not? The answer: not. While it might seem like Koker is on a budget, he's not. The show is willing to pay whatever the cost for those rare cars and their restorations.
More People In The Shop
A common stunt that car shows pull is making it look like only a dozen or so guys work in the shop, and Counting Cars is no different. During restoration projects, the series has only a few men working on the cars.
And they make it look as though only a handful of others are walking around the shop. In truth, there is a huge support staff that is never seen on camera, including other men who work in the shop.
Koker Isn't Exactly An Expert
Since he's the star in a reality show about cars, one would think Koker would know a thing or two about the series' main aspect. And even though he portrays himself as this know-it-all car expert, the truth is, he isn't.
While Koker is obviously very passionate about cars and knows more than the average person, it doesn't mean he knows everything. Fans have caught him stating more than one inaccurate fact on the show, for which he never corrects himself.
Visiting Random Car Owners
One of the main elements of Counting Cars is Koker riding around, spotting cars, and making deals pretty much on the spot with random people. The truth of the matter is that it isn't necessarily what happens.
The scouting process takes some time, and Koker and his team make sure to do their research before approaching a potential customer. They want cars that will make for great remodels and people who have a good "tough luck" story.
"Surprise" Enhancements
Like many car enthusiasts, Koker and his team enjoy restoring the cars that come into the shop and adding on special enhancements. They'll add some fancy rims or a new paint job, all at no cost and without the customer's knowledge.
The thing is, these "surprises" aren't surprises at all. Koker and his team discuss the enhancements at length before doing anything to a car, having the customer sign off before any changes are made. Their surprised face is all for show.
Danny Walking Around Like He Doesn't Own The Place
Oddly enough, Danny doesn't act or look like he's the boss at Count's Kustoms during Counting Cars. Instead, the series makes the shop manager, Kevin Mack, look like he's running the show, laying out budgets, and discussing various projects with Danny.
And while Danny acts as though he has little input, the truth is he owns then place and is a producer on the show. So, he's pretty much calling all the shots even if it doesn't look like it.
Crazy Crew Members
Reality TV is known for producing some crazy characters, and Counting Cars is no different. Koker's garage is full of nutty people, like Mike Henry, aka Horny Mike, an airbrush artist who wears intricate horns attached to his bandanas.
People who have visited the shop on a non-filming day have said that the characters shown on TV are just that, characters. The guys who work in the shop aren't nearly as crazy as they appear on the show.
Speeding Through Time
One aspect of reality TV viewers can rely on is drama. When it comes to Counting Cars, it's not necessarily day-to-day drama between people, but more so what happens to employees when they're given a ridiculous time limit on car restorations.
The fact of the matter is, the time limits presented on the show are only there to build up tension since it's impossible to make a car restoration in the matter of one or two afternoons -- they take much longer than that.
It Isn't So Hard For Danny To Sell Cars
To viewers, it's obvious how attached Koker is to some of his rare cars, whether it's because of how he wound up owning the car, its historical significance, or how much work he put into its restoration. Yet, Counting Cars make it seem as though he has a hard time selling them off.
Considering how rare Koker's assortment of cars is, plus his celebrity status, finding a collector to buy the car isn't nearly as hard as the series makes it out to be.
Scott Jones' Dramatic Departure
From season one through three, Scott Jones was a common face around Counting Cars. He was the shop's money manager, and therefore had an important part to play in pretty much everything. Then the third season happened, and Jones left on a strange note.
Rumors began floating around that he was embezzling money when in truth, he left to open his own garage. Apparently, Koker wanted to use the more dramatic narrative because it makes for better TV.
Scripted Conversations
Koker and his team have worked together for years, so it would make sense that their conversations would be easy, friendly, and unscripted. As it turns out, that is not the case. A majority of the conversations between castmates are scripted, including jokes and arguments.
Unfortunately, the editing of scripted bits makes the conversation way too clean, the cast insincere sounding, and the drama seemingly fake because it's been pieced together. Pretty much, little is ad-libbed.
Multiple Projects Going On At The Same Time
Counting Cars typically shows Koker and his team working on multiple projects at once, going into detail about each of the cars and giving them the same amount of care. For something that is portrayed as a one-day job, it's hard to believe.
Well, that's because it's fake. Each restoration project takes at least a week to complete, meaning the footage is edited together to give the illusion that each of the cars was completed in a day.
Customer Satisfaction
In the show Counting Cars, customers are seen wearing smiles, laughing, and always enjoying their time in the shop. And the workers are always shown as professionals who get the job done in a timely manner. Well, don't believe everything on TV!
As it turns out, reviews have other things to say. A lot of customers have ranted about the poor service they experienced at the shop because their car wasn't featured on the show and they feel they were charged unfairly.
The Negotiation Game
Counting Cars shows Koker driving out of the shop, down the road, and stumbling across a car on the side of the road. He's then seen in negotiations with the owner, throwing out an incredibly low bid that is somehow accepted.
All of this is done with little to no negotiation, and it's all staged. The car and its owner were scouted prior to filming, and they've already made a deal on the car. Usually, the buying price is much higher than what is shown on TV.
A Stolen Trailer
When working around a shop full of rare cars and parts, it's best to take extra caution when closing up for the night. But sometimes it's not that easy, as shop detailer Roli Szabo can attest.
In early 2017, the detailer had his custom painted trailer stolen. Inside the trailer was thousands of dollars worth of high-end detailing equipment he used for his day-to-day projects as well as those on the Counting Cars.
Joseph Frontiera's Range Rover Situation
In 2016, former Counting Cars star and Count's Kustoms employee Joseph Frontiera was accused of using company funds for non-shop related expenses. Using a nice sum of money, Frontiera put a down payment on a Range Rover and bought a few personal airline tickets.
On top of those two purchases, he was also accused of not paying the shop's income taxes on time, something he was in charge of doing. Count's Kustoms was hit with a major fine.
So Much Footage
Filming a reality show is no easy matter; it takes time and a whole lot of footage. That means, for the staff at Count's Kustoms, their entire life is pretty much caught on tape; even though everything is edited, only a fraction of what's taped is aired.
During an interview, Koker said, "As far as production is concerned, they've gotta keep rolling on all this stuff, or they're going to miss something vital on an episode."
Success Can Cause Problems
With the success of Counting Cars, Koker's shop's business has been booming. It seems like fame and notoriety pay off! Or does it? According to Koker, now that people know his shop is successful and gets a nice payday from the reality show, it's becoming more difficult to negotiate with people.
Before, he was able to drive up to prospective clients and negotiate solid prices for cars. Now, people try to get every cent they can out of the celebrity, and it's making his job a bit more difficult.
Danny's Nickname
Before becoming the owner of Count's Kustoms and a reality television star, Danny Koker used to dress up as a vampire and host a cheesy horror show called Saturday Fright at the Movies.
His name on the show was "Count Cool Rider," and he would come on stage, wearing a cape and talking in an awful Transylvanian accent, introducing the movie for the evening. It looks like the name stuck since it's partially the name of the shop.
How Danny Sells His Personal Cars
It's no secret Danny Koker is a huge car lover, spending most of his life around a garage with his father and now as the owner of his own shop. So, it makes sense that he has a hard time selling some of his more prized cars from his personal collection.
During an interview, Koker relayed why it was hard for him, saying, "I feel like I put a piece of me in it."
Koker Could Have Bought His Dream Car
A lot of people have a "dream car" that they wouldn't hesitate to buy if money wasn't a factor. Well, as it turns out, Counting Cars star Danny Koker is no different, even though he spends his life around cool and rare cars.
His dream car: a 1972 Lamborghini Miura SV. Around 15 to 20 years ago, the shop owner almost saw his dream come true, too, but the deal eventually fell through. He's still on the lookout, though!
Koker And His Dad
One of the biggest influences in Danny Koker's life was his father. When he passed away, it became hard for Koker to look at his father's personal collection of cars, let alone work on them.
During an interview, Koker told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he's "just now starting to dig out a couple of the very personal vehicles that were my father's that now belong to me, that I haven't been able to think about, or look at, or touch for a long time."
A Million Dollar Law Suit
To get his son out of his life, Paul Sr. sued Paul Jr. for one million dollars. He figured his son would back down and let him have the family business...but Paul Jr. wasn't going to go down without a fight.
Paul Jr. was infuriated and hired his own legal team to fight back against his dad. At the end of the day, Paul Sr. lost the lawsuit and nearly lost his son.
Paul Sr. Missed His Son's Wedding
In 2010, Paul Jr. married Rachael Biester, his girlfriend of two years. The pair met while American Chopper was filming and fell in love instantly. Unfortunately, the wedding took place at the same time Paul Sr. was battling Paul Jr. in court.
Because of the timing of the wedding and emotions of the feud, Paul Sr. chose not to attend his son's wedding. Looking back on it, he probably regrets the decision, but there's nothing he can do about it now.
Generational Addiction Issues
Paul Sr. has one of the biggest personalities on the show American Chopper. However, he also has a pretty severe addiction issue. He actually spent 15 years addicted to alcohol before going to rehab. Paul didn't actually want to go to rehab, but he went through with it because his wife threatened to leave him if he didn't try to get sober.
Before going, Paul threw himself one last rager. By the time Paul cleaned himself up, he had passed his bad habits onto his sons. Paul Jr. entered rehab at 16-years-old.
A Controversial Contract Clause
After losing the lawsuit, the feud between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. grew so toxic that the father fired his son. TLC threatened to end the show if Paul Jr. wasn't re-hired. According to the network, their contracts called for both men to participate in the show.
When Paul Sr. refused, TLC filed a notice of default. It looked like a silly family feud was going to bring an end to American Chopper as the fans knew it.
Mikey's Top Secret Project"
Let's talk about Mikey. Mikey is Paul Sr.'s son who was featured on American Chopper. Mikey was hired by his dad to do maintenance work around the shop, but also found himself playing peacemaker a fair amount of the time. Fans absolutely loved his quirky personality.
After so many years of playing the middleman, Mikey got fed up and left the company. Viewers were understandably devestated. It turns out that Mikey has made amends with his family and is currently working on a "top-secret project."
Ending Their Working Relationship
To find peace with each other, Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. mutually agreed to part ways as business partners. The lawsuit was the straw that broke the camel's back. In order to keep the family together, Paul Jr. left the business and started his own design firm.
Surprisingly, the two worked this agreement out together. TLC agreed that Paul Jr. could leave the show's main cast so long as he appeared as an independent consultant for his father.
Paul Jr.'s Blizzard Business
Leaving his dad behind might have been the best decision Paul Jr. ever made. His new custom chopper shop found instant success when he opened it. One of his current clients is video game giant Blizzard, who contracted him to design several World of Warcraft-themed bikes.
He's also been hired to work on big-budget films in need of motorcycle expertise. Stepping out of the shadow of his father and into the spotlight has paid dividends for the Southern California native.
A Happy Family Again
Paul Jr. and Paul Sr. may have parted ways on amicable terms, but their relationship wasn't magically fixed. Paul Jr. found it difficult to let his over-powering father back into his life. When Paul Jr. had his first child in 2015, though, a picture surfaced online of Paul Sr. meeting his grandchild.
Paul Jr. and Rachael named their baby boy Hudson, but have not said how young he will be when he rides his first motorcycle. Choppers run in the family's blood, so it will probably happen sooner rather than later.
Paul Sr. Attempted A Hostile Takeover
A fight broke out between Paul Sr. and his son that threatened the whole American Chopper operation. In fact, Paul Sr. was so intent on never working with his son again that he found a loophole in his contract with TLC and attempted to get Paul Jr. kicked off of the show.
Not only did Paul Sr. realize he could kick Paul Jr. off American Chopper, but he also figured out a way to buy out his son's stake in Orange County Choppers.
Orange County Choppers' Demise
After all the drama, the show finally came to an end in 2012. Country Music Television aired a spinoff of the show, but it wasn't a hit. Rumors began to circulate that Orange County Choppers was losing money and the shop was getting ready to close for good.
Those rumors were greatly exaggerated. During a radio interview, Paul Sr. announced the shop wasn't closing, just moving to a new location. It was later announced that American Chopper was coming out with new episodes in 2018.
The Reboot Almost Didn't Happen
When a revival of American Chopper was revealed, fans couldn't have been more excited. Little did they know the reboot almost didn't get off the ground. The family was on good terms with everyone except the producer.
Craig Piligian had issues with the Teutuls in the past and was not happy about helping run the show, " It wasn't very much fun, and a lot of bad blood was spilled at the beginning of it all. And now everything's great."
Paul Sr Was Sued For Fraud
The show might be over, the Paul Teutul's legal woes won't go away. In 2018, he was sued for fraud. The report alleged the Thomas Derbyshire, "Teutul tried to change their 51/49 percent ownership deal (benefiting Derbyshire) to a 50/50 deal. Derbyshire had agreed to fund the project up to $3 million at that time."
Paul's legal team responded, "Mr. Derbyshire's interpretation of said events is without merit and with the timing of Orange County Choppers much-anticipated return to television tomorrow night the timing is very suspect of once again untrue allegations."
Paul Went Bankrupt
One month after being sued for fraud, Paul Teutul filed for bankruptcy. He owed millions of dollars, including one million left on his mortgage. While filing, Teutel stated that he earns $15,070 a month and spends nearly all of it.
Teutul reportedly did a terrible job organizing his finances, which ended up hurting him in the long run, "Teutul filed paperwork claiming that he owes close to 50 creditors $1,070,893.44 and that he was only worth $1,801,729."
Even More Lawsuits
If you haven't caught onto it yet, the American Chopper team got sued a lot. Cody Connelly sued them a few seasons into the show after he quit, but the company and producers continued to use his likeness to sell their product.
Like so many lawsuits before this one, Cody didn't win. It's not easy to win a quarter million dollars in court. But Cody didn't lose either. He settled with the show's producers out of court for an undisclosed amount of money.
Unoriginal Ideas
When Orange County Chopper team up with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation to create a wheelchair accessible chopper, it seemed like a match made in heaven. That is until they were sued by Chris Tavantzsis.
Tavantzis, who suffered from polio, claimed he gave the American Chopper crew the same idea two years before. He said he pitched the idea at a trade show in 2008. The episode aired in 2010. In 2014, the lawsuit was thrown out of court.
Shaq's Custom Chopper
Shaquille O'Neal got into the American Chopper business in 2014. The show came back for a one-night special event where they built the NBA legend his own custom chopper. The hardest part about making the chopper was making it big enough to support Shaq's massive frame.
Shaq was happy with his new toy, claiming he'd always wanted a motorcycle but never found a big enough one. Paul Jr. was not apart of the special, but Mikey returned for the episode and was even listed as Vice President of the garage.
Mikey's Passion For Art
When Mikey got fed up with his family and left American Chopper, he was able to pursue art. He had always had a passion for art and knew how to run a business from his experience and Orange County Choppers and decided to open an art gallery.
Mikey didn't just run his own art gallery, however. He also contributed and sold his own art! In 2014, he closed his gallery, choosing to simplify his life further. He also wanted to work on repairing his relationship with his family.
Vincent DiMartino's Subsequent Success
Vincent DiMartino had been working at Orange County Choppers for one month when he found out the garage was being turned into a reality show. After becoming a minor celebrity, Vincent left the garage to start one of his own called V-Force Customs.
He may have left the shop, but he never forgot his roots. During the final seasons of the show, Vincent would appear to ask Paul Jr. for advice. Paul Jr. was always willing to tell his good friend anything.
Vincent Is Back On American Chopper
Running a successful garage was a dream come true for Vincent, but he never forgot where he came from. When American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior premiered, Vincent came back to help Paul Jr. in his garage. The new show ran for two seasons before Discovery Channel was forced to cancel it.
Helping Paul Jr. out didn't stop DiMartino from continuing to run V-Force Customs, which had turned into a successful operation. Who needs sleep? Definitely not Vincent DiMartino!
The Show Wasn't Supposed To Focus On Orange County Choppers
When Discovery Channel was coming up with American Chopper, they had no interest in focusing the show on Teutel family and their shop. According to the show's producer, the decision to focus on a motorcycle shop was made the night before shooting.
The decision was so last minute, Discovery Channel had no idea until it was too late, " I changed all the tickets, changed the crew, and on Thursday we were shooting the pilot for American Chopper. We didn't initially tell Discovery about the switch. It was just a gut feeling."
A Crowdsourced TV Show
When American Chopper went off the air, the Teutul family still felt like they had unfinished business. Not having enough money to produce a new show, the family turn to Patreon to try and crowdsource a new TV show.
They claimed they were having financial hardships and would offers fans the chance to be interviewed on the show. They also said making their own show would give them more creative freedom to make something more in line with what they're really like.
The Teutuls Love Animals
In 2009, Paul Teutul revealed an adorable secret. He absolutely loves animals. Speaking with People Magazine, he revealed he has, "two dogs, Marty and Gus ... plus, 5 miniature horses, 2 miniature donkeys, 2 alpacas, 2 baby doll sheep, 5 goats, and 2 highlander cows."
Teutul knows how to spread the love too, opening his home to neighborhood kids so they can play with the fluff monsters, "They love the animals. We all do." He's not wrong, folks.
A New Genre Of Reality Television
Before American Chopper debuted, few reality shows followed the day-to-day lives of average people. The concept helped the show stand out from its competition. The amount of drama, rough language, and fighting that happened became must-see TV.
And for how much the family seemed to disagree, none of it was scripted. Everything that was happening to the family on film was happening to them in real life. Countless networks have tried to mimic American Chopper since, but none have been able to catch the same magic.
An Unusual Kind of Thank You
When Paul Junior was fired from Orange County Choppers it gave him the chance to start his own business. According to the reality TV star, it ended up being one of the best things that could ever to him.
Paul was understandably angry when the firing happened. He even sued his dad and won. Looking back now he says, "And that turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened to me at the time. It just took a while to realize that."
How Paul Junior Is Connected To Ninja Turtles
One of the biggest projects Paul Junior got to work on after being fired was the movie Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. Michael Bay, the producer, hired Junior to design one bike. He was so impressed with the work he ended up asking for a second bike.
What's most impressive about the story is that Paul Junior waited until the last minute to design the bikes. He didn't come up with a single design until he started working. It was the first time Michael Bay let an artist work without a concept already designed.
No Made-Up Drama
These days it's nearly impossible to watch a reality television show and know what drama is real and what drama is fake. American Chopper was full of drama and it was all real. The family didn't get along and didn't care about fighting and abusing each other while the cameras were rolling.
If you still don't believe that none of the drama was made up, just look at all the lawsuits that the Teutuls have filed against each other. Few reality TV have had such easy jobs as the ones on American Chopper.
The Teutuls' Failed Restaurant
Around 2011, Paul Sr had the brilliant idea to get into the restaurant industry. Along with his business partner, Carlos Urbaneja, Paul pitched his idea to several investors. Only one restaurant opened and it's still in business today despite a 2.7 star Google rating.
One of the most scathing reviews says, "Place is a joke, needs new management clearly. Just seems like they are not concerned with making money or customer appreciation what's so ever. Food is basic and unappetizing, beer lines are dirty, everything just needs an update."
223 Episodes In Total
During its original run, American Chopper was a huge success. Over the course of its ten-year run, 223 episodes aired. At its peak, it pulled in nearly four million viewers weekly. In comparison, most shows on Discovery Channel struggle to pull in more than one million.
One critical component to the shows sustained success was the endless drama of the Teutul family. At the end of every drama-filled episode, there would be a teaser for the next one, making sure drama junkies would come back for more.
An American Chopper Video Game
You know you're popular with the youth when your show gets a video game adaptation. In the early 2000s, Activision released American Chopper on all the major gaming platforms. Later, a second game was released called Americ Chopper 2: Full Throttle.
We don't know how many copies the games sold, or what the plot of the video games was, but it's impressive they were made nonetheless. Maybe a third entry in the series will be released with the show's revival!
Selling The Farm
Paul Teutul Sr is having a really rough 2018. He's been sued for fraud, filed for bankruptcy, had a home foreclosed on, and is now selling his 70-acre farm. Hopefully, the reboot of the show will relieve some of the pressure he's faced in recent months.
The attempted sale of the farm should help with his financial burden. He originally listed it for $2.89 million, although recently had to drop the price to $2.49 million. Let's hope the price doesn't go any lower!
