The Untold Truth About American Chopper

American Chopper was one of America’s most popular reality TV series. Millions of fans were devastated when the show came to an end in 2010. But with so much going behind-the-scenes drama it’s no wonder the show was unexpectedly cancelled…

American Chopper

Over its jam-packed six seasons, American Chopper gained millions of fans. 4 Million people tuned in to watch the final episode of the reality program. The show followed Paul Teutal Senior and his son, Paul Jr, as they revamped some truly incredible motorcycles.  

Their crazy life

Viewers got a glimpse into the crazy life of Paul and his son where they would go to some pretty extreme lengths in order to customize choppers. The family provided fans with hours of entertainment, showing off their killer engineering skills and giving audiences into their hilarious antics. There were incidents which got heated but that was all part of the beloved drama of the show. Some of those tense minutes even lead to a few spin-offs shows.

One of the first reality shows

Reality TV might be popular these days but back in 2003 American Chopper was still a novelty. The show was one of a few of its kind. Fans were fascinated with the technical side of the job as well as the show’s big personalities. Soon after first airing, the series became an unrivalled success.

Real life drama

Fans loved the unscripted moments and authenticity of the series. American Chopper provided us with all of the best of reality TV, there were bust-ups, unexpected surprises and real-life drama. Sometimes shocking, the intense language, arguments and family tension had millions captivated.

Fired his son

Before the show got canceled, there were moments when the series almost came to an end. At one very dramatic point in the show, Paul Senior fired Paul Junior and told him to leave, and it seemed to really mean it. For the show to continue ruining, both of them had to appear on the show, as their contract with TLC stated.

Contract with TLC

There were a few legal problems the show encountered. Paul Senior did not want to cooperate with TLC and wouldn’t fulfil the terms of his agreed-upon contract, namely working with his son. Given no choice, TLC filed a lawsuit and cancelled the show. Worried that his success would soon dwindle, Paul Senior made amends with his son, took him on as a contractor and they began filming once again.

New contract

Not long after, it became apparent that the father and son’s relationship was unsalvageable. When rejoining the show as a contractor, Paul Junior had a new detailed contract drawn up. With the bitter feud developing and continually causing a rift to widen between the pair, a huge loophole in the new contract was found.

He could buy him out

In all the commotion, Paul Senior and his lawyers discovered that he could buy his son out of Orange County Choppers. By buying out Paul Junior, it would mean that the younger man would lose all his rights to the show and would have to walk away without receiving any compensation from his father or from the TLC channel.

Father Vs Son

Paul Senior had little remorse for his deceptive actions. Taking advantage of the discovered loophole, he unexpectedly took over the company. The father then did what he could to get his son out of the business and subsequently attempted to sue him for a staggering $1 million. True to his tough chracter, Paul Junior would not be bullied by his hot-blooded father.

He decided to leave

Following a lengthy and expensive process, Paul Junior ended up winning the legal battle and the lawsuit was done away with. That, however, didn’t mean the feud between the heated pair was over. The father, son team soon agreed that they could no longer work together. To the shock of millions, Paul Junior chose to walk away.

Moving on

Not too long after, Paul Junior opened his own shop, determined to give his father a run for his money. Amidst all the chaos, the young man fell in love. While on the American Chopper set, a model called Rachel Biester  acted as one of the McCuff girls. Rachel and Paul Jr hit it off and after dating for two years, decided to marry in August 2010. Paul Senior, although he was invited, couldn’t let his grudge go and sadly missed his son’s big day.

Stealing someones idea

During one of the Orange County Choppers episodes, the team worked with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation to build a handicapped-accessible motorbike. That particular show hit our screens and not long after the episode aired, it seemed the crew had got themselves into some hot water. They were later sued by Christ Tavantzis who claimed he had actually created and told them about the design two years earlier.

What about Mikey?

Amidst all the family drama, it is easy to forget that there was another brother who also appeared on the show. Paul Senior took on his son Mikey as the odd-job man around the shop. Mikey would do small jobs, keep the place clean and answer the telephone. Though his role was minor it wasn’t long before he had a huge fan base. The constant drama and family animosity got too much for him and he left the show.

Another lawsuit

Another bout of drama soon erupted between Cody Connelly and the Teutuls. At the start of the show, Cody was considered part of the family, but it wasn’t long until things took a dark turn. During the days Cody was a valued member of the team, the crew built him a motorcycle in secret but then they refused to hand it over. Paul Senior faced yet another lawsuit which he settled out of court.

Money worries

Soon after, fans feared the show would be canceled due to the company’s financial worries and wild rumors plagued the show. The headquarters and main show had a ‘For Sale’ sign outside. Fans were later set at ease when they announced that there were no issues and in fact they were actually just relocating premises.

A bad rumor

In another bizarre happening, news reached the media that Paul Senior had passed away after he was involved in a motorbike accident in Louisiana. Social media platforms exploded with fans sending their heartfelt condolences. The story was taken to be truth by news outlets. Paul Senior shocked fans with a statement on Facebook that it was fake news.

Shaquille O’Neal

As one of the NBA’s most popular icons, Shaquille O’Neal is widely known in the US and beyond. The basketball player made it known that he had always dreamt of owning a motorcycle, but due to his size, it had never been possible as no models were manufactured to accommodate for his height and weight. The American Chopper team took on the challenge and custom built him his very own, size-suitable chopper.

More reality TV

As with most reality stars, the people involved tend to move on from one show to another, this proved to be the case for Paul Junior. Following his proposal to girlfriend Rachel Biester, TLC arrange for them to appear on two wedding-themed programs, Cake Boss and Say Yes To The Dress.

Rachel’s business

Paul Junior has now been married to Rachel for 7 years and following in her husband footsteps, she has also opened her very own business. In 2014, she opened a woman’s clothing and accessory store called Olivia Anne. The store can be found in Montgomery, New York and is a popular spot amongst local shoppers.

Mikey the artist

After Mikey chose to abruptly leave the show, a lot of the fans missed his signature sense of humor. Unbeknown to the many viewers, Mikey had his yet another hidden skill; the petrolhead was also an avid painter. Once he left the show, he opened his own art gallery, successfully selling his own art.

Making amends

In 2015, the Teutal family drama seemed to be winding down. After refusing to come to his wedding, a picture made its rounds on the internet featuring Paul Senior at his son’s, Paul Junior’s, home. The picture showed Paul Senior cradling his newborn grandson, Hudson, at just 3 weeks old.

No worries from Paul Jr

Many believed that Paul Junior had taken a serious personal and financial knock when his dad bought him out of his contract at American Chopper, but it doesn’t look like Paul Junior’s success has been effected. His professional life is soaring after being asked to create a World of Warcraft bike as well as being asked to make several choppers used in numerous high profile movies.

Then there was Vincent

Only working for the OCC for one month, Vincent was soon asked to join the show. Of course, he said yes and he then stayed with American Chopper for a few seasons. Once he had decided to open his own business, he left and opened a garage called V-Force customs. Even though he left, he maintained his strong bond with Paul Junior.

Spin-off show

Vincent went on to appear in many other programs and was subsequently approached by Paul Junior to join him on a new spin-off show. Vincent enthusiastically agreed and soon became a member of Paul Junior’s team on the show, American Chopper: Senior Vs Junior. He impressively managed to keep his own garage running while simultaneously working on the show.

Mikey The Chef

It seems Mikey is indeed a man of many talents. As well as being hilarious and an accomplished artist, he has also made a venture into the world of cooking. He opened a new business, where he marketed his very own homemade gourmet pasta sauce. Calling the company FarQueue Products, Mikey makes all of the sauces in his own kitchen.

Paul Seniors career

Paul Senior went on to appear on several other shows including My Name Is Earl. He did a voiceover for his character on King Of The Hill and also featured in one of rock band’s Nickleback’s music videos, Rock Star.

What’s my name again?

Despite his current success, Paul Senior had a rough upbringing. Shockingly, growing up, he did not even know his full name. It was only once he turned 30 that he found out he had a middle name and that he was named after his father, another Paul.

Who is the best?

Orange County Choppers, Paul Junior and the legendary Jesse James went head to head in a competition to build a customized and kitted-out bike. They had to use inspiration from a famous WWII plane, the historical T-15 Mustang. The three teams battled it out, each determined to outdo the other. The competition ended with Jesse James in first place, followed by Paul Junior and finished with Paul Senior taking bronze.

Final proof

Not willing to take the loss lying down, there was a re-match and once again, they fiercely competed for the spot of top dog. this time around, Paul Senior kept himself out of the competition. Instead, Paul Junior, Gas Monkey Garage and Jesse James went battled it out. The challenge this time was to create a bike inspired by muscle cars. Paul Jr smashed the competition, winning with a bike that was built using a grill from a 1939 Chevrolet.

A job that travels

American Chopper aired beyond the borders of America. It seemed everyone wanted to watch it, including those in far-flung countries. The Teutul family have since gained worldwide fans. Their popularity has allowed them to travel the world and build bikes for some famous faces.

Charity work

Once Paul Junior found fame and financial success, he decided he wanted to give back. His love for dogs saw him adopt two needy strays for himself, he also set out to build a community dog park in his home time, Montgomery. $50,000 Was donated by Paul in order to complete the passion project.

Another business venture

Paul Junior’s soon decided to try his hand in another area of business. Having a flair and life-long love for design, he created Paul Junior Studios, which is a graphic design and marketing consultancy business.

Paul Senior Net worth

Both father and son have come along way since their early days on the show. Growing up without privilege and financial stability, Paul Senior is particularly grateful for his success From struggling through an impoverished childhood, Paul Senior now has a NET worth of around $15 million.

Paul Junior net worth

But it seems that, to his smug happiness, Paul Junior has managed to outdo his dad. going on. Paul Junior is now worth a reported $17 million.