America Chopper

PineRidge · Feb 4, 2004

I appreciate the work involved with making a custom bike. Having chopped a 1957 Panhead in 1970 I know first hand that these boys earn their money. Most folks watching the series really don't know what goes on behind the scenes to get one of those monster bikes finished. I have attached two pictures of my undertaking way back then.

picture 1
picture 2

Keep in mind that a lot of years have passed. I no longer own or ride motorcycles. I have seen too many friends hurt or killed on the machines but I say to each, his own. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MikePA · Feb 4, 2004

I have attached two pictures of my undertaking way back then. 
Groovy. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

wroughtn_harv · Feb 4, 2004

Good morning Bill,

( Granted the bike turned out real nice. I would not want one...not my style. I turn the set off wondering who really built it...as the show ended.)

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If they were making more than one of anything they couldn't operate that way. But........they're making one of each and those special pieces so necessary come out of whatever's available and will work with a little adjustment. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Most of these custom bikes are made more for looks than for daily use. There are those built for show and go but most of them aren't true one offs but assembled from existing parts. The parts are custom to that customizer or like in the case of West Coast Choppers, fenders and such are made for other customizers, like OCC. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

One of my buds has a Borgette. It's a work of art, truly gorgeous. But he also bought a Road King for his daily ride.

I suspect American Chopper came about because a producer was exposed to Paul and recognized his personality as something most of can identify with. We've all known the gruff bear that's a softy at heart, all bark and no bite. Then someone came up with the theme bike concept to spotlight Paulie's creativity.

I think they, the producers, decided the audience was more enamored with the tension between the father and son than the projects and the creative process. But that's the nature of a producer I suspect. They see success as parts of a formula and never really understand that the sum is more important than the parts.

I also wonder if they ran out of ideas for concept bikes and resorted to personality clashes for filler. If you notice the only concept bike not in their inventory I believe is the one made for the NASCAR team. The rest of them seem to have been made exclusively for Discovery and company.

MikePA · Feb 4, 2004

aren't true one offs but assembled from existing parts. 
The NY Jets bike they built this past Monday night is a perfect example. The frame, fenders, handlebars, front fork, etc. all came out of their parts inventory. The engine was purchased from an outfit like Revtech or S&S. I don't mean to minimize what they do for their theme bikes where Paulie designs the bike from scratch. They've been the subject of a number of magazine articles and they've won awards, but for the 'regular' customer bikes, most of the pieces are off the shelf, add in the engine, pipes and paint the customer wants, then they put it all together.

Durbob · Feb 4, 2004

I believe i saw somewhere that their "standard" bike is $39,000.00. WAY to rich for my blood. I do think the show is awesome and another poster on another forum met OCC last week and said they were a super bunch of guys. Sr. had just got done ripping some of the employees off camera when they showed up and he apologized for it. I think it is all the different personalities that make it work, plus they show any mistakes they make too. I would love to see some of Norms outtakes. He doesn't show any mistakes on his show.

KubotaSteve · Feb 4, 2004

I saw an episode of Southern Chopper (I think was the name) and they built the bike from scratch. I believe the name of the shop was Milaukee Iron. They normally make parts for other shops but were getting into bike building. They made the gas tank and oil tank from sheet metal, the handle bars and exhaust from pipe that they bent and welded. It was pretty interesting.
OCC has gotten very old with the bickering but I like watching all of the little things they do for the theme bikes. Justin, the guy that does their painting, is awesome. A kid that young with that kind of talent is unbelievable.
The new show, Rides, (narrated by the kid from Beverly Hills 90210) has some good episodes and some ok episodes. I like the fact that it is not centered on one shop which keeps it interesting.
And finally, I like Norm as he actually does the work and can build practically anything (even if I had all his tools and supplies, the only thing I could come close to making that he does is sawdust!!!). I can't stand Bob Villa because the only thing he does his screw stuff up and get in the way. I heard a bunch of the houses he did fell apart and he was getting sued (don't know if its true or not).

shoppintractors · Feb 4, 2004

I like Norm as he actually does the work and can build practically anything 

.....in 30 minutes or less. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Don

fenneran · Feb 4, 2004

I just found a site to the superbowl ads that has three from these guys (for AOL). They really captured the sense of the show in the commercials, right down to Paul smacking someone.
iFilm - Superbowl Ads
Look at the ones for AOL.
-Frank

TCowner · Feb 4, 2004

I like the show. To me its refreshing to see a workplace where the primary goal is to build a quality product on time worrying less about being political correct. I realize the 3 main "employees" are family but it is a business none the less.

Sure, there is some entertainment going on here but I like Paul Sr. and his willlingness to kick some tail when necessary. Many of us on this discussion board piss and moan when wheel bolts come lose or when transmissions fail with 25 hours on them. Maybe, just maybe, if John Deere, New Holland and Kubota hired a few more supervisors like Paul Sr. for the assembly line we would have fewer mistakes.

I suppose I sound like some old guy (I'm 48) but where I work the soft and loving management results in some employees who could care less and have little reason to fear losing their job. I'm not suggesting a return to the workplace of the 30s but maybe a little balance here.

Someone like Paul Sr. cracking the whip once in a while is good for the work place and its good for the consumer. I'm not saying I would like to work for Paul Sr. but I would like to purchase a product where Paul Sr. was responsible.

wroughtn_harv · Feb 4, 2004

( And finally, I like Norm as he actually does the work and can build practically anything (even if I had all his tools and supplies, the only thing I could come close to making that he does is sawdust!!!). I can't stand Bob Villa )

Around the house here somewhere is the first book to accompany the New Yankee Workshop series. I believe it was last century, 87-88 or so. In it there's an explanation of how Norm came to be such a hero to so many of us.

The producer of This Old House had a friend who had this unbelievable carpenter building a cottage at the beach. He just raved about the work ethic of this carpenter. He also was blown away by his skills.

Producer came over for a visit and the first thing he noticed was the scrap pile, how small it was, miniscule even. After talking to Norm and looking at the work he was as big a fan as his friend.

He then had Norm do a remodel on a garage, built an apartment above it if I recall correctly. Norm showed up to work early in the morning no matter what the weather, worked by himself and turned the job in on time and budget.

It's not mentioned but one only has to remember back to the last century to recall that men with a toolbox and a toolshed (tummy) weren't considered television material. Norm's work opened the door for lots of us. I'm sure more than once someone's looked at my full figure and took a chance because they'd seen Norm and seen that skinny people aren't the only ones that work hard and do good work too.

So Norm might appear to do only perfect work, what a character flaw. And he isn't the one that makes sure the glamorous stages of a project are deleted for clarity. You have to keep in mind the folks who figure we're too stupid for real reality television probably are the ones that came up with the concept that a man with a toolbox and a tool shed doing his thing wouldn't appeal to us.

Bob Villa is what you get when a producer becomes a star and then decides to become a builder. His carpenter on his latest series is one sharp fella, probably the sharpest guy in any six counties in any state of this great nation of ours.