American Hot Rod Show Descriptions

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So, here it is: your guide to American Hot Rod episodes past.

Ah, but when will they re-air, you ask? Well. Just check out the TV schedule and see for yourself.

Episode 50: '40 Ford, Part 1
Boyd and Jo head to Sacramento to pick up their next build: a 1940 Ford. Asked to turn this beauty into a hot rod for John Sullivan's birthday present, Boyd learns of the tight deadline that they will be up against. Once back in the shop, Tony and Lee work on taking the car apart. The Coddington crew soon realizes that this car needs more work than expected, cutting into their already tight schedule. Boyd hires a new sheet metal guy, in an attempt to finally replace Roy, hoping this will help keep the guys on track. Tony pitches in, but ends up being more of a liability than a help to the guys.

Episode 51: '40 Ford, Part 2
The Coddington crew continues working on their latest build, a 1940 Ford. Already behind schedule, the guys slip even further behind. With Tony making more and more mistakes in the shop, he is transferred to the CNC Shop, in hopes of finding his niche. Duane and Bernt go on vacation, leaving Dan in charge. But when Dan and the Body Shop guys butt heads, the car gets even more off course. Duane returns to the shop, and tempers flare when he finds out that the car still isn't done.

Episode 52: '40 Ford, Part 3
Boyd and the guys race to finish their latest build, a 1940 Ford, on time. Duane is upset that they have gotten so far behind schedule. Fortunately, the Coddington crew pulls it together and finishes in time to reveal the car in Sacramento.

Episode 46: '61 Impala Bubbletop 1
Boyd and the Coddington crew get to work on their latest project — a 1961 Chevy Impala Bubbletop. While the car is being taken apart, Lee finds himself a new partner in crime in Tony. The two of them add some spice to the shop and cook up some chili for the crew. Scott and Chris take a trip to Mexico and decide to build a truck as a side project, but when it adds more work for crew, Duane's temper boils over.

Episode 47: '61 Impala Bubbletop 2
The guys continue working on their latest project, a '61 Chevy Impala Bubbletop, but they get behind schedule when they run into some problems. Boyd and Jo head to Denver to pick out the paint scheme with the car's owner. The mood in the shop turns sour as the deadline approaches. Scott's unhappiness with the shop continues to grow, and that is reinforced when Boyd returns and doesn't like some of the work that he did. Tony makes improvements as he spends time learning from the more experienced crew.

Episode 48: '61 Impala Bubbletop 3
With the '61 Chevy Impala Bubbletop way behind schedule, the body shop works overtime to try to get it back on track. Frustration builds in the shop when Brad doesn't show up for work, leading to an explosive confrontation. When Tony gets into a serious car accident, it means the shop is down another guy, leaving more work for everyone else. Tired of the tight deadlines, Scott decides that it is finally his time to say goodbye to Boyd and the Coddington crew.

Episode 49: '61 Impala Bubbletop 4
With the deadline quickly approaching for the '61 Chevy Impala Bubbletop, the Coddington crew kicks it into high gear. When Boyd questions the paint job, a crew member grows frustrated and threatens to walk out. Once the car is in final assembly, Scott packs up and says goodbye to the hot rod shop. When the wheel shop closes its doors, Diane has a hard time leaving it all behind.

Episode 41: '54 Corvette and '55 Chevy 2
As the shop struggles to find new employees, the work builds up as the small crew continues to work on three projects for SEMA. As deadlines get down to the wire, a major mistake slows the team even more.

Episode 42: '54 Corvette and '55 Chevy 3
The crew struggles to get all three projects done in time for SEMA; Thomas, however, comes back to the shop to help out the guys. Tension is high as the deadline approaches.

Episode 43: '56 Chevy Convertible 1
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.

Episode 44: '56 Chevy Convertible 2
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.

Episode 45: '56 Chevy Convertible 3
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.

Episode 36: '59 Chevy Low Rider 4
The builds finally complete, Boyd unveils the new masterpieces at Camp Pendleton in Southern California to boost morale among Marines being deployed to Iraq.
premiere: July 29, 2005

Episode 37: Make-A-Wish Car 1
Boyd and the guys take on the nonprofit Coddington Foundation's first project: a '63 Dodge Polara designed by Max Cohen, a 17-year-old leukemia patient who will also help build it.
premiere: Oct. 3, 2005

Episode 38: Make-A-Wish Car 2
Work continues on the "Max Hemi."
premiere: Oct. 10, 2005

Episode 39: Make-A-Wish Car 3
Boyd and his crew complete the hot rod and unveil it at the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
premiere: Oct. 17, 2005

Episode 40: '54 Corvette and '55 Chevy 1
The crew kicks off three projects for SEMA. With tight deadlines to meet, the guys have to pull it together and work quickly.

Episode 31: Hildebrandt Car 2
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.
premiere: May 20, 2005

Episode 32: Hildebrandt Car 3
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.
premiere: June 3, 2005

Episode 33: '59 Chevy Low Rider 1
Boyd and the crew take on the challenge of rebuilding a 1959 Impala two-door coupe — nicknamed "Ghetto Princess" — and turning it into a classic lowrider with an extra-low stance, wide wheels and a Chevy big block.
premiere: July 8, 2005

Episode 34: '59 Chevy Low Rider 2
The garage continues to add speedster style to the Impala and to build a matching one-off motorcycle also requested by the client.
premiere: July 15, 2005

Episode 35: '59 Chevy Low Rider 3
The pressure to finish the 1959 Impala and matching motorcycle intensifies.
premiere: July 22, 2005

Episode 26: '63 Chevy Sting Ray Corvette 3
With only two weeks to go before the '63 Corvette's debut, Boyd faces a mutiny when some of his best guys walk out for an overdue day off. Meanwhile, a mystery painter steps into the booth to paint the car in Charley's absence. But with so little time before the deadline hits, the team must pull together and work around the clock to get the car completed. Boyd stalls the crowd until the car is finished, and when the Sting Ray finally rolls out in front of the anxious spectators, it's a huge success for Boyd and his loyal team.
premiere: Feb. 18, 2005

Episode 27: Bud Light Car 1
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.
premiere: April 1, 2005

Episode 28: Bud Light Car 2
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.
premiere: April 8, 2005

Episode 29: Bud Light Car 3
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.
premiere: April 15, 2005

Episode 30: Hildebrandt Car 1
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.
premiere: May 20, 2005

Episode 21: '42 Woodie 1
To boost morale, Boyd brings in a fun new project: a classic '42 Woodie. However, no one else in the shop seems excited by the build, especially when they find out they have less than eight weeks to complete the project before its debut at a car show in Hawaii. With a tight schedule and a less-than-teamwork attitude in the shop, this build might not make it out of the starting blocks.
premiere: Jan. 7, 2005

Episode 22: '42 Woodie 2
With a lot of work to do, and little time to do it, Duane's stress reaches the boiling point, leading Boyd to suggest he take a vacation while the car's being upholstered. Meanwhile, Charley confides to Beetle Bailey that he is considering a job offer from another shop. The tension can be cut with a knife as the Woodie finally heads into the body shop.
premiere: Jan. 14, 2005

Episode 23: '42 Woodie 3
To meet the Woodie's deadline, everyone pitches in, despite several hotheaded stand-offs. But at the last second, when the guys try to start the car, they discover a major leak, which takes hours to correct. In the end, the car makes it to its unveiling in Hawaii and is a huge success; however, Boyd and Charley remain at odds, and after a very emotional showdown, Charley quits to take a job with a rival shop. What will Boyd do without his heavy hitter?
premiere: Jan. 21, 2005

Episode 24: '63 Chevy Sting Ray Corvette 1
Still reeling from Charley's departure, the crew embarks its next endeavor: a '63 Corvette. But what sounds like a dream project turns into a nightmare when the owner requests that the 1,500-horsepower Corvette be a race car, show car and street car all in one; as a result Mike and the guys quickly lose interest in the difficult project. With Duane pulling double duty to fill in for Charley in the body shop, Scott is put in charge, and the search for Charley's replacement is on.
premiere: Feb. 4, 2005

Episode 25: '63 Chevy Sting Ray Corvette 2
As the shop struggles to turn the car into both a race car and a hot rod before the rapidly approaching deadline, Boyd asks everyone to work extra hours ... including semi-retired Roy. And it's the ever-grumpy Roy who faces the biggest challenge: dealing with his new (and very talkative) assistant. Faced with the unfamiliar demands of building a race car, and unforeseen complications at every turn, the team falls way behind on the Corvette.
premiere: Feb. 11, 2005

Episode 16: '65 Mustang 3
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.
premiere: Oct. 15, 2004

Episode 17: Rat Rod Build-Off 1
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.
premiere: Nov. 26, 2004

Episode 18: Rat Rod Build-Off 2
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.
premiere: Dec. 3, 2004

Episode 19: Rat Rod Build-Off 3
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.
premiere: Dec. 10, 2004

Episode 20: Rat Rod Build-Off 4
With the build-off finally over, the race across the country will determine the winning hot rod. Through desert, forest and mountains the teams race their cars while facing every possible tragedy and triumph. Finally, a winner is crowned, but a huge surprise awaits at the finish line in Kentucky.
premiere: Dec. 17, 2004

Episode 11: '32 Hi-Boy Roadster 2
When the '32 Roadster hits a major speed bump with parts missing and the shop in an uproar, Duane reaches his breaking point. His shop on its way to a full-blown disaster, Boyd makes a shocking decision to change the build that will either make or break the roadster.
premiere: May 21, 2004

Episode 12: '32 Hi-Boy Roadster 3
Falling dangerously behind on the prize '32 Roadster, the Coddington crew is forced to make radical moves in their bid to bring their beast under control. As the deadline fast approaches, the two Coddington shops find themselves fighting over the roadster and control of the car's destiny.
premiere: June 4, 2004

Episode 13: '32 Hi-Boy Roadster 4
With only two days left to assemble the entire '32 roadster, Boyd's team bears down to fight its way to the finish line. But when Mike refuses to work over the weekend and a boxful of crucial parts fails to come back from the chrome-plater, Boyd faces the possibility of heading to his hot-rod event with nothing to show.
premiere: June 11, 2004

Episode 14: '65 Mustang 1
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.
premiere: Oct. 1, 2004

Episode 15: '65 Mustang 2
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?
premiere: Oct. 8, 2004

Episode 6: Alumatub 2
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.
premiere: March 5, 2004

Episode 7: Alumatub 3
When the Alumatub's body comes back from Marcel's one week ahead of schedule, Boyd and the gang are thrilled. Not only is the workmanship top-notch, but the extra seven days offer much-needed breathing room on the project. However, when Mike discovers that the water pump won't fit under the svelte aluminum body, the whole 'tub nearly goes down the drain.
premiere: March 12, 2004

Episode 8: Alumatub 4
With the finish line on the horizon, the crew bears down to complete their unique aluminum roadster. The pressure mounts when their momentum is stymied by a freak snowboarding accident. Bitter disputes break out, culminating in an all-out paintball war that throws the shop into turmoil.
premiere: March 19, 2004

Episode 9: Alumatub 5
With only two weeks to go, the crew throws things into fifth gear, even avoiding a few last-minute potholes — like a too-small manifold that won't fit on the custom-built engine. But when the 'tub suddenly loses all oil pressure on the morning of its big debut, Boyd nearly blows a gasket. With everything on the line, the guys will have to push themselves like never before to get the Alumatub to the finish line.
premiere: March 26, 2004

Episode 10: '32 Hi-Boy Roadster 1
This time around, Boyd Coddington and his crew set out to create a rebuilt 1932 Hi-Boy Roadster. Traditional touches abound, including a front-mounted moon tank, a louvered deck lid and conventional wing-style gauges. But the real trick will be shoehorning a 21st-century 400-horsepower Chevy motor into this old-school beauty. It's going to take maximum effort from everyone involved to get this Boy on the road.
premiere: May 14, 2004

Episode 1: Junkyard Dog 1
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.
premiere: Jan. 13, 2004

Episode 2: Junkyard Dog 2
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.
premiere: Jan. 20, 2004

Episode 3: Junkyard Dog 3
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.
premiere: Feb. 6, 2004

Episode 4: Junkyard Dog 4
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?
premiere: Feb. 13, 2004

Episode 5: Alumatub 1
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.
premiere: Feb. 27, 2004

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