A hot rod lover from California looking for his first rat rod challenges Steve to transform a 1931 Ford Model A into a salt flats racing machine. Turning this pile of junk into a Welderup special will take every ounce of Steve's talent - and getting it done before his client returns to Vegas will take a miracle. When the driveline comes up short, the road to the finish line for this build takes him to a drag race against a female hot-rodder where Steve's got more than his pride on the line.
Steve digs back into his Montana roots to build his cowboy buddy J.R. the ultimate ranch truck by Frankensteining together a pair of vintage Dodges. Already struggling to get the truck done on J.R.'s ridiculous budget, Steve has to scramble to track down a vintage mini-bike for another client. With both jobs on the line, his crew goes on a black-ops mission that could solve both problems - or get them shot. It's a race to be done on time and on budget as Steve and the crew set out to prove that a truck can be a workhorse and look bad-ass.
When client Jonathan Mill brings Steve a 1928 Buick filled with rotten wood his excitement at rat rodding an original 'gangster' car soon fades when he learns his client wants it to be an electric car. The creator of the award winning electronic emergency brake, the E-Stopp, wants the car to promote his company at SEMA, the largest car show in the world. His crew doesn't want anything to do with it, so Steve takes the car to a new level that has nothing to do with green, and everything to do with creepy.
Guns and gators are on the menu when a Texan house mover brings Steve his family treasure: a 1938 Big Rig Mack Truck cab. Stuck with a cab one step from the grave, the crew has its work cut out for them and when Steve blows out the engine on Welderup's signature car, the D-Rod, his head's not in the game. As costs on the Mack build sky rocket, Steve has to put aside thoughts of fixing his baby and head to the gun range to try and win a bet that could either save the day - or put his business in a major hole.
Steve trades in his trademark rust for a shiny paintjob when he tackles a 1965 Lincoln Continental for a flashy bartender from L.A. Adding bling to a car that his whole crew hates isn't the only thing Steve has to worry about: his two sons are in town and showing they don't fall far from the tree by tearing the shop apart to build a "rat quad" go-kart. As the problems mount and Lincoln parts prove impossible to find, Steve is reminded why he'd take a rusty rat rod over a slick luxury car any day of the week.
Steve yanks a '49 Ford F1 out of a farmer's field and battles to transform it into an eye-popping promotional vehicle for a couple of his dad's old friends. Tensions mount with the Welderup crew as shop upholsterer Barber acts out after Steve outsources his job and money guy Dave's mistakes begin to pile up. As they barrel towards the delivery date with rapidly rising costs, Steve struggles to make sure everything's just right for his family friends - all while not completely losing his cool with his crew.
When a California fruit farmer with a taste for hot rods brings Steve a 1954 GMC COE truck he decides to take it over the top. With a 1200 horsepower engine mounted behind the cab in the flatbed the crew begin their love affair with the baddest truck ever made. Meanwhile Steve's buddy J.R. returns with a broken trailer he needs repaired. Steve gives the job to Twiggy and Barber, but first they will have to wrangle the cows that have escaped and are now running free in the shop yard.
Steve's younger brother Dusty has flown in from Montana. He's always wanted his own rat rod, and brings Steve a limited budget and a dream. Steve decides to take one of the Model A's from his yard and build a ground up creation. He brings in his buddy Kyle, a fellow custom builder and together they put together a car to rival Steve's beloved D-rod. She wears a custom Hemi engine, and her name is Quit your Bitchin... the only problem is, by the time she's done, Steve has sunk a major chunk of his own change into her, and is now madly in love with his brother's car.
The Welderup crew transforms a ’57 Chevy Wagon from a grocery grabber into one nasty ride. This Jekyll and Hyde creation aims to be badass to the eye, but comfortable enough for a weekend adventure.
Steve and his team overhaul a 1931 Model A Ford golden gem from another era by installing a Cummins 4BT diesel engine, cool cowboy bling on the interior and a paint job that would make Henry Ford blush.
A father and son team gets a badass hauler for their construction company. Steve's sons help with the build, making this rebuild of a classic '31 International Truck a family affair in more ways than one in Welderup's new shop.
The Welderup crew turn a Chevy C10 into a true monster with rivets, scars and a wicked-cool Cummins diesel engine.
Steve transforms a beloved 1932 Model B for an old-school client, turning this classic beauty into a roadworthy beast under the suspicious glare of a hotrod clan.
The Welderup crew pay tribute to the railroad that put the West on the map by building a rat rod with a train theme for a client from Telluride. It's all about locomotives, rivets, and even a train whistle for this road warrior.
The crew transform a Speedster into a tribute to Las Vegas for a flashy client keen on cruising the Strip. Steve hunts down rare casino memorabilia to incorporate into the vehicle, including slot machine parts and poker chips.
Steve transforms a 1955 Chevy truck into an apocalyptic vision of fire. Built for a demolitions expert, Steve wanted this pickup to reflect his client's profession. So it looks like it just emerged from hell, burned out and definitely badass.
Take one beat up sandrail, add a 1920's body, mix it up with Steve's creativity, and you get a road warrior sprung from the desert.Then, for the first time in the shop, the crew installs an alcohol-fueled engine.
The famous D-Rod is reborn as The Destroyer when Steve and crew give their iconic rat rod a badly needed badass makeover. Steve gets nostalgic as he rebuilds his D-Rod with even more torque and turbo just in time for the race.
An enthusiastic cowboy is looking for a rat rod to lift the spirits of his small town; Steve gets the idea of making a death-defying carnival ride on wheels.
A trucking company owner comes to Darnell looking for a vintage ride that celebrates the roots of his business; Darnell faces an uphill battle meeting his demands for a 1930s era cab.
Darnell and the Welder Up crew have their work cut out for them when a couple commissions a build to celebrate their impending wedding anniversary; a pair of body guards are looking for a rat rod that truly reflects their rebellious streak.
An electrical lineman from Texas tasks Steve and the Welderup crew with customizing his company's first work truck, a trusty old early 1970s Ford pickup.
To appease a demanding new client, Steve aims to make a big rig rat rod out of a 1979 Peterbilt that he once drove for his father's steel company.
A family man with a need for speed brings a battered 50's era pickup to Steve looking for a bad ass rat rod the whole family can enjoy. To meet their client's demands the crew need to find a way to add glitz and gloss to a smoke belching monster.
A family man with a need for speed brings a battered 50's era pickup to Steve looking for a bad ass rat rod the whole family can enjoy. To meet their client's demands the crew need to find a way to add glitz and gloss to a smoke belching monster.
When a couple of local hot rod builders challenge Steve to compete in a race that features only period correct post-war restorations, he can't say no; his plan to make a race-ready 1931 Ford in just a week and a half has the team on edge.
Restoring a 1930's era fuel delivery truck proves a big challenge when the crew discovers a warped frame. Steve ups the anti and insists that the resurrected tanker feature 21st century technology, hydraulic brakes, and run only on bio fuels.
When Joe, Welderup's general manager, discovers that his 2-year-old son has cancer, Steve enlists the crew to build a custom vehicle that he hopes will give inspiration to anyone who is battling the disease.
After Steve pens an ode to his working class roots in the steel industry called ``Blue Collar Man,'' he sets out to transform a rare but crumbling 1970s era Charger body into the ultimate blue-collar vehicle to star in the song's music video.
A client comes to Steve with a pristinely restored 1954 Tin Woody Wagon, which Steve plans to burn in order to achieve the cool look he is after.
The crew transforms a 1958 Chevy Apache into a bad-ass Vintage Dirt Bike Hauler; Steve jumps at the chance to bring Evel Knievel's Formula 1 Dragster back to life.
With the delivery date for the ultimate Vintage Dirt Bike Hauler imminent, Steve pushes his crew to complete his vision; Welder Up's reputation for building the meanest and fastest rat rods is challenged.
Steve is asked to build a scary villain rat rod in three weeks and a vintage-inspired charity bike for military veterans in two weeks; Steve worries when the villain car frame takes longer than expected and the Vet Bike won't start.
Steve and the crew commit to meeting the original Superhero build time and delivering the Villain Rat Rod in three weeks; with no sign of a transmission, it doesn't look as though the crew will escape the clutches of this perilous deadline.
Steve takes on one of his funkiest projects ever when he agrees to build a crazy 70's-era gasser racecar for a Navy Vet. Also, Steve tries to make money by restoring and flipping a Prohibition-era bootlegger Model A truck to a Vegas police captain.
The Welder Up crew scramble to finish the 70's gasser, but they run into several problems while testing the car out. Also, Merlon plans a surprise gift for Steve to replace a bike he loved as a kid but lost.
When Steve is commissioned to build a spooky car, he digs up a haunted '55 Chevy and Justin and Travis battle to modify the cursed car; Steve and Merlon flip a Depression era Plymouth.
The Haunted Rod is cursed. The suspension and the engine don't fit, triggering major body work; and when the engine doesn't fire they miss the deadline. Steve flips a 1920 Old Wayne Gas Pump to off-set extra labor costs on the Haunted Rod.
Steve and the Welderup crew have to get creative when they're tasked with building an iron-worker themed rat rod that doubles as a work truck. Justin makes a big mistake and Steve then tries to flip a beat up '67 Coronet that he finds in a junkyard
With only two weeks left to go, the Welder Up crew still has to build an engine for Tyrone's Iron Rod truck and install it and then re-cut the frame to add shocks.
Steve faces his toughest challenge yet while designing a tour bus that represents Welder Up and meets the high standards of his sisters, Donnalee and Stacy; Justin drifts into unfamiliar territory with his 1962 Lark.
The WelderUp tour bus receives an interior steampunk makeover, while Merlon converts a Cummins diesel engine to run on vegetable oil and Travis installs triple turbos. In addition, Steve stands to make his largest profit yet off of an unusual flip.
Driven by his love of Steve's Diesel Rat Rod, a heavy equipment operator commissions a version for himself; instead, Steve delivers a "go anywhere" rat rod that can climb mountains as easily as it whips down the highway at 100 mph.
Steve gets ready for epic new year of Vegas Rat Rods while paying tribute to all that got him here: his dad, his crew, his city and his most bitchin' builds.
