American Hot Rod

Boyd and his crew attempt to resurrect a forgotten classic — a scruffy 1956 two-door Chevy salvaged from the junkyard — only to find that integrating classic hot-rod looks with 21st-century technology isn't as easy as it sounds.

Three weeks into the project, the team finds itself running several days behind an already tight schedule. Problems arise when the doors won't fit properly on the body, but after some after-hours hammering sessions, the boys manage to tame their junkyard dog — until a snafu with the gas tank nearly blows up in their faces.

With most of the major body work completed, the team moves on to the next phase. Six layers of custom Boyd Red paint later, things seem to be on schedule ... until the boys discover that the specially made motor doesn't quite fit in the front end, forcing them to come up with a quick fix.

With only days to go until the big show in Las Vegas, Boyd and his crew feel the heat, and taking a break to barbecue in the shop only creates more tension. Without Charley, last-minute changes and costly delays put a ratchet in the works. Will the crew have the car ready in time for Boyd to test-drive before the unveiling?

The metal starts flying when the Coddington crew sets out to create a one-of-a-kind signature roadster — the all-aluminum Alumatub — from scratch in just 16 weeks. And when the tension between shop rivals Jimmy and Bluebear reaches a fever pitch, Boyd sets up an impromptu boxing match to work out their differences, the results of which may knock out Boyd's most ambitious project yet.

A Swedish intern joins the team, his fumbling nearly setting off an international incident in the shop. Already days behind schedule on the chassis, the crew hits another snag when Kevin falls asleep at the wheel-making machine. But with Duane barking out orders, the pieces finally come together, and the chassis gets shipped out to Marcel's Custom Metal, where the 'tub begins to take shape.

Boyd's next mission starts with the unlikely discovery of a '65 Ford Mustang in an old barn. But as the team begins to tear apart this ailing American classic, full of holes and rusted metal parts, they discover they must complete the rebuild in a record seven weeks. Then, just as the crew is getting started, a feud emerges between Bluebear and a newcomer that turns into all-out warfare in the hot-rod shop. With morale plummeting, Boyd and Duane decide enough is enough and one of the crew is fired ... a change nobody saw coming.

The Coddington team find themselves knee-deep in controversy over the '65 Mustang. With the shop tearing itself apart, Boyd decides to use a little positive reinforcement to boost morale by taking some of his hardworking crew to judge a different kind of contest. But when the same old problems return, Boyd introduces the crew to his own version of positive reinforcement: a military boot camp to get everyone into shape. Then, as the Mustang nears a crucial deadline, Charley realizes that he's low on a crucial element. Will Boyd let Charley take the heat for all the delays, or will he send another shop member to the firing squad?

With only seven days left to finish the '65 Mustang, Duane cracks under the pressure with fewer crew members to complete the job and key parts still missing. Just when Boyd's crew reaches their deadline in time for the car to head to upholstery, Charley is put to the test again when the engine's paint job cracks, leaving him to pull another all-nighter for his team. Will this American beauty reach the finish line after its most severe crisis yet? The Mustang project must come to an end — whether or not the car is completed in time for the surprise reveal at Indy.

After months of disagreements over what constitutes a classic hot rod, Boyd puts Bluebear's "theories" to the test and challenges him to a build-off — one that will end with a race from L.A. to Louisville, Ky. But the chance to be in charge quickly goes to Bluebear's head, and he refuses to heed Boyd's advice, even on important safety issues.

The tension between Boyd and Bluebear rises to a dangerous level as the young, headstrong builder goes against the master's orders. As the crisis grows, Bluebear begins to alienate members of his own team, and the entire competition threatens to unravel.

As the build-off between Boyd and Bluebear grows more tense, Boyd desperately tries to lighten the mood. But his attempts fall by the wayside as Bluebear's stiff resistance to Boyd's suggestions only hardens Boyd's resolve that the issue must come to a head. In a shocking confrontation, the two men lay it all out on the table. As emotions reach a fever pitch, Bluebear's future in the shop will finally be determined.

The Coddington crew travels to St. Louis, Mo., to visit the Anheuser-Busch headquarters in preparation for their newest hot rod. But Bud Light challenges Boyd, choosing the hard-to-find '33 roadster for their build. Unable to find anything but a '36 coupe, the gang is forced to turn it into a roadster, a big metalwork job that falls on the semi-retired Roy and his assistant Lee. And to make matters worse, Al drops the bombshell that he's leaving Boyd Coddington's shop.

Master car builder and mentor Al resigns from the shop, and leaves Boyd and Duane with one less pair of hands to tackle the difficult challenge of turning a '36 coupe into a roadster. With no one in the body shop and a car that's going to require a lot of body work, Duane is forced to find some outside help. As the shop falls further and further behind, Duane's frustration increases, and Boyd and Thomas butt heads over the workday hours.

The garage's new guy, Bernt, feels the pressure as time runs out to finish the hot rod for Bud Light. Tensions run high as everyone scrambles to meet the deadline.

Vern Hildebrandt brings his dad's '34 roadster into Boyd's shop to be restored to the condition it was in back in 1956. The crew is challenged, as they must find parts ranging from 1934 to 1956 to use on the car.

Boyd's and Mike's creative differences on style and paint — Mike prefers to preserve the roadster's authentic style, while Boyd wants to update the look — generate tension as Boyd undermines Mike's authority during the restoration.

As the NHRA opening looms, Boyd and the crew get off track with the completion of Vern Hildebrandt's '34 roadster when the engine builders have a difficult time finding the old parts to finish their work.

Another SEMA build is underway and the tension is still thick in the shop. Who will get mad and walk out?

The shop is short staffed and the ones that are left are making costly mistakes. Will the builds be completed or will replacing the crew be the next priority?

With the SEMA show deadline upon them, tension mounts as they race to complete 3 projects.

The latest project for Boyd and the Coddington crew is to add a new twist to a '56 Chevy convertible. With a shrinking staff, Boyd is forced to hire some new guys to help out with the build. But when the new team members add more problems than anything else, the usual crew has to pick up the slack before this hot rod build stalls out.

The guys continue working on their latest build, a '56 Chevy convertible. Having lost some of the recent hires in the shop, Mike steps up to work on the taillights and has some trouble adjusting to working side by side with Lee. A new crew member has a hard time fitting in at the shop and is let go. And when Duane heads to Nashville for some drag racing, things fall behind in the shop and the build gets off course.

Running out of time to finish their latest build, a '56 Chevy convertible, the guys in the body shop are forced to work over the holidays. Duane and Boyd decide to give Tony another chance, and bring him back to the shop as an unpaid intern. As the team works together to finish the car, Scott's frustration hits an all-time high. The car is revealed at Autorama in Sacramento, Calif.

Boyd visits Hershey to get a brief on a car they want built - as a tribute to Elvis Presley. Boyd and Jo tour the factory to meet the people then head off to Graceland to get some idea's for the car. The final choice is a 57 Caddilac and Boyd gets to work.

Work continues on the Elvis tribute car. Duane does not like the colour and tries to get Boyd to change his mind. Boyd and Duane take a pink dare. Jo and Robert visit the USAF Thunderbirds and get to go up in the air for a spin.

The Elvis car starts coming together and to everyones suprise the colour looks really good. Chris doesn't like the wheels though but Boyd won't change his mind. Gabe is pleased to be working with white leather for a change. The car is unveiled at the Reese's store in New York city.

Sobe ask Boyd to build a promotional hot rod based on a 1960 Mercury wagon. Meanwhile the construction company are back with a special build - a wheelbarrow - in time for a convention.

Work on the Mercury continues but is going very slowly as everyone is waiting for things to happen.

As the deadline looms, the stress starts to affect Dwayne and the countdown clock is not helping. Everything starts coming together and the car gets into shape, including some custom surfboards. With the car complete, Boyd heads off to unveil the car at a surf event in Florida.