American Chopper toolboxes

[ZRX61]

There used to be a lot more hand made parts back then...

& most likely not actually made by OCC....

 

[comedyman809]

disagree...sure a lot of it is staged...but not scripted...of course there has to be a rundown of what will be done on any given day for planning purposes for the crews involved...

maybe not scripted like a movie is scripted, but each episode is planned out, what each person is going to do is planned out as well.

everything is ad libbed im sure, but its planned.

if it were all real on every reality show, there would be more working, and less drama.

i go to work every day, i dont talk to people like you see on these shows. nor does any one els, on occasion there some conflict, but its rare.

on tv they act like they alway living im Mammas house from mammas family

 

[sasquach]

. We gave them the beautiful workbay but really didn't get credit for it, just dissed !

You can come set me up with half of that and I will give you all the credit you want .You can even use it as a showroom . Hell I'll even buy the beer for the day.

 

[hguerrero]

sure, every and any tv show has to be planned out.
there's sets, lights, audio crews, camera crews, editors, producers, writers, grips, coordinators, etc....

most importantly, deadlines and budgets....

it's a cluster f*ck without a plan.

maybe not scripted like a movie is scripted, but each episode is planned out, what each person is going to do is planned out as well.

everything is ad libbed im sure, but its planned.

if it were all real on every reality show, there would be more working, and less drama.

i go to work every day, i dont talk to people like you see on these shows. nor does any one els, on occasion there some conflict, but its rare.

on tv they act like they alway living im Mammas house from mammas family

 

[Catamount]

Why........?

For the priceless advertising opportunity of course... except, they forgot to get some logos made.

 

[mrholeshot]

We gave them the beautiful workbay but really didn't get credit for it, just dissed for not buying a $125,000 bike (which is way out of our league)!

And just would that set up they have cost? I would think for a company like Lista 125K wouldnt be out of their league. Overall I think Lista sells more boxes than Snap-On and them babies don't come cheap

 

[Rickster]

For the priceless advertising opportunity of course... except, they forgot to get some logos made.

Yea, somebody dropped the ball big time. How do you NOT get your logo in plain view?? It's the reason you gave them the workbay.

 

[scooby074]

OCC etc. are the biggest bunch of sellouts. Theyll say X product is the best just because they happen to be the one giving them the handout this month. (ie: ESAB. ESAB's not a bad product just previously SR was true blue, only product he ever used/liked blah...blah... blah). Loyalty to the highest bidder.

Im also surprised that lista didnt get their name slapped all over those boxes, especially when the bike project fell thru. I mean, $200 at a local sign shop would = $$$$$ in free advertising.. Talk about a screwup

Really, how much fab do those guys do? (besides rick, who could likely hold his own with most out there) Cutting up somebody elses product, welding in some filler pieces and calling it your own?

Dont even get me started on several hundred thousand dollar flowjets , "web themes", and "close your eyes and squeeze" so called "welders". Several of these bikes have literally fell apart in their owners hands.

Shows played out. Jumped the shark a long time ago.Cant you tell im a fan???

 

[hpw]

Several of these bikes have literally fell apart in their owners hands.

Do you have any links?

 

[hguerrero]

it's a business. why would you bad mouth a client? if they're paying me, it's the best product ever made.

OCC etc. are the biggest bunch of sellouts. Theyll say X product is the best just because they happen to be the one giving them the handout this month. (ie: ESAB. ESAB's not a bad product just previously SR was true blue, only product he ever used/liked blah...blah... blah). Loyalty to the highest bidder.

Im also surprised that lista didnt get their name slapped all over those boxes, especially when the bike project fell thru. I mean, $200 at a local sign shop would = $$$$$ in free advertising.. Talk about a screwup

Really, how much fab do those guys do? (besides rick, who could likely hold his own with most out there) Cutting up somebody elses product, welding in some filler pieces and calling it your own?

Dont even get me started on several hundred thousand dollar flowjets , "web themes", and "close your eyes and squeeze" so called "welders". Several of these bikes have literally fell apart in their owners hands.

Shows played out. Jumped the shark a long time ago.Cant you tell im a fan???

 

[scooby074]

Do you have any links?

http://forums.dragbike.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3956


http://www.cyrilhuzeblog.com/2009/06/14/justin-barnes-sues-occ-discovery-channel-activision-over-american-chopper-designs/
"even Leno supposedly sued OCC over the bike they built him & the wiring problems)"'

http://glocktalk.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-276658.html
My issue with them is quality control. The Jay Leno bike they did died on the road with Jay. After he hauled it to a nearbye shop they found that the starter was on the same circuit as the tailight. The tail lamp went out and Jay wound up pushing it up the blvd.

http://www.hdforums.com/forum/general-harley-davidson-chat/100287-orange-county-choppers-whats-the-problem.html

did some work on one of there bikes it was a brand new one. I don't know who put this one together but when it came to the wiring it was about the worst piece of **** Ive ever seen. This bike had less then a 100 miles on it and the guy that owned it couldn't get more then about 6 or 8 miles with out blowing a fuse. We pulled one section of wire out of it that had 5 or 6 taped up splices in it in a 2 foot piece of wire and there were strands of wire sticking out of connectors all over inside the headlight shell and shorting out.The rest of the bike wasn't to bad and it did ride goodbut a $40,000+ motorcycle with that poor of workmanship is Bull Sh-t. For less then half the money and some time you could build a lot better bike and really have some thing to be proud of.

There is an OCC bike in my local Indy shop all the time. I mean ALL THE TIME. The main reason is exacly what JB said. The electrical is terrible. The shop ended up rewiring the whole thing from scratch. Most of the other things on the bike work well, but they are bolt-on parts. The motor is a pre-built S&S, the brakes are good quality PMproducts, the transmissionis aBaker 6 speed. So they use quality parts, but when it comes down to actually "constructing" things, I am not impressed. The welds sucked almost as bad as the wiring.


and on and on.... couldnt find the article about the web bike gas tank being full of slag and mig "BB"'s and leaking, but its out there.

 

[Boost Creep]

There was never a deal for a bike. They made it sound like we were giving them hope, but we basically said no to the custom bike from the word go. We gave them the beautiful workbay but really didn't get credit for it, just dissed for not buying a $125,000 bike (which is way out of our league)!

thats one thing i really hate about spoiled famous people. they get hooked up with bad *** stuff and instead of being grateful, they ***** cause they didn't get more. i'd love to have a set up like that and would consider myself lucky if i did

 

[ZRX61]

For the priceless advertising opportunity of course... except, they forgot to get some logos made.

But the fact is the clowns from OCC are a laughing stock, anyone who gives them freebies are just as ******** stupid as they are.

 

[juiced10]

Clowns that are way further ahead than me. Say what you want but they don't have to please everybody just enough people to put millions in their pockets.

 

[hguerrero]

really? cause product placement in tv shows and movies has been around for decades...

But the fact is the clowns from OCC are a laughing stock, anyone who gives them freebies are just as ******** stupid as they are.

 

[ZRX61]

http://www.cyrilhuzeblog.com/2009/0...nel-activision-over-american-chopper-designs/
"even Leno supposedly sued OCC over the bike they built him & the wiring problems)"'

http://glocktalk.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-276658.html
My issue with them is quality control. The Jay Leno bike they did died on the road with Jay. After he hauled it to a nearbye shop they found that the starter was on the same circuit as the tailight. The tail lamp went out and Jay wound up pushing it up the blvd.

That's not quite correct.. the issue with that bike is that the taillight filament was basically the *fuse* for the ENTIRE electrical system.

really? cause product placement in tv shows and movies has been around for decades...

And that can work for you..... or against you...

 

[Brunsi]

It must really **** when your toolbox looks nicer than the "custom" bike you just built.

 

[hguerrero]

when has product placement worked against a company/business?

That's not quite correct.. the issue with that bike is that the taillight filament was basically the *fuse* for the ENTIRE electrical system.



And that can work for you..... or against you...

 

[scooby074]

That's not quite correct.. the issue with that bike is that the taillight filament was basically the *fuse* for the ENTIRE electrical system.

LOL. Thats not any better prob worse. Blow the brake light and loose EVERYTHING Bottom line is bad design and poor workmanship.

Imagine giving a bike like that to Leno of all people???

 

[ZRX61]

when has product placement worked against a company/business?

Happens all the time, I don't buy anything from companies I see on that show & a couple of others.

 

[Garage_Mahal]

when has product placement worked against a company/business?

google "unbranding" plus "jersey shore"

Besides the OCC bikes are hideous pieces of **** from a design perspective. Cartoonish proportions and "How many more theme items can I attach before we have to wrap up filming?"

 

[hguerrero]

"unbranding" is amusing at best.

sombody's buying the OCC bikes and paying top dollar to be on the show.

kind of hard to argue with success.

google "unbranding" plus "jersey shore"

Besides the OCC bikes are hideous pieces of **** from a design perspective. Cartoonish proportions and "How many more theme items can I attach before we have to wrap up filming?"

 

[ZRX61]

I managed get to the part in last weeks show when Snr showed up at Sturgis.. at which point I dozed off...

 

[Garage_Mahal]

sombody's buying the OCC bikes and paying top dollar to be on the show.

kind of hard to argue with success.

But delightfully easy to argue with poor design, financially successful or not.

 

[allinon72]

Notice that whenever they go riding, they always ride bikes from several years ago, the ones Paul Jr. was involved with? They never ride their newer bikes, which is ironic since they are so adamant about their "innovation."

 

[Sterff]

I think that its funny how Paul Sr. said he has no interest in what Jr. is building yet he continued to drive by the shop. I still think that Rick, Nick, and Christain are the only sane ones left at OCC.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Do the guys in the shop, the techs, not family get paid anything extra for being filmed? Or do you think Paul Sr. just tells them, this is part of your job take it leave it?

TheGrooveking

 

[scooby074]

Do the guys in the shop, the techs, not family get paid anything extra for being filmed? Or do you think Paul Sr. just tells them, this is part of your job take it leave it?

TheGrooveking

My guess is the staff doesnt get any extra. Sr and Jr are suing each other over money. I dont think Sr would want to share with his employees if he'd go so far as to sue his own son.

 

[hguerrero]

chances are they do get a fee to be on air...unless they signed a waiver....or unless they are under contract to occ and it's a part of their job description.

Do the guys in the shop, the techs, not family get paid anything extra for being filmed? Or do you think Paul Sr. just tells them, this is part of your job take it leave it?

TheGrooveking

 

[harryhood]

I watch american choppers on my tivo so I skip all the bs and just watch the actaul fabrication. Needless to say I get through a hour show in about 15 minutes.

 

[mikemolzahn]

I watch american choppers on my tivo so I skip all the bs and just watch the actaul fabrication. Needless to say I get through a hour show in about 15 minutes.

Lately I don't even think there is that much time alotted for fabrication..... I miss the days when you actually saw the building and fabrication of the bikes.

Join in and Be Heard,
Mike

 

[scott37300]

It was nice when they first started in the small shop that was like a basement with a welder and a 26" craftsman toolbox.

 

[lipadj46]

I watched some episodes for the first time in years, pretty pathetic. Jr is just going through the motions (barely) and Sr, is a miserable dry drunk. Computers take care of the rest.

Also with that new monstrosity of a building wonder how long until they are bankrupt?

 

[Sterff]

In the one episode Paul Sr. said they almost went bankrupt. Im suprised they made it this far to be honest. All they do is build bikes for companies in return for something for their shop such as welders, cabinets, speakers, etc.

 

[scooby074]

I watched some episodes for the first time in years, pretty pathetic. Jr is just going through the motions (barely) and Sr, is a miserable dry drunk. Computers take care of the rest.

Also with that new monstrosity of a building wonder how long until they are bankrupt?

Well.... if you keep finding ways to keep shafting your creditors you can stay afloat a long time.,,,,, Wasnt the argument with Jr about Sr 's position that the company was essentially worthless?

That monster building (Taj Mahal) of Sr is a prime example of pride getting in the way of common sense. All that Sq footage and i bet they arent even using 50% of it. At least it looks that way on the show. Lots of empty areas.

At least Jr has a more reasonable (but still too large IMHO) building.

 

[walrus]

In the one episode Paul Sr. said they almost went bankrupt. Im suprised they made it this far to be honest. All they do is build bikes for companies in return for something for their shop such as welders, cabinets, speakers, etc.

?
Sr. must have built alot of bikes for home builders as his house is a mansion, he has a shop full of muscle cars and the new building that that holds OCC must have cost 10 million or so

 

[harryhood]

I've heard occ makes all their profit on selling hats and shirts. You couldn't pay me to wear any of their gear.

 

[ADaughen]

In the one episode Paul Sr. said they almost went bankrupt. Im suprised they made it this far to be honest. All they do is build bikes for companies in return for something for their shop such as welders, cabinets, speakers, etc.

They make "normal" bikes for customers. The prices were ridiculous and if one of the guys from the show sweat on it, the price nearly doubled.

 

[allinon72]

?
Sr. must have built alot of bikes for home builders as his house is a mansion, he has a shop full of muscle cars and the new building that that holds OCC must have cost 10 million or so

No doubt OCC was popular and profitable in their prime, which was well before these economic times. They WERE once selling bikes for $$$. They got arrogant and big-headed, built that huge shop, the economy took a dive and now they are in serious trouble. They have to be.

I'd like to see how much of their total revenue comes from actual bike building. My guess is that the majority comes from the show and the merchandise sales.

Besides that, you can't tell the success and financial health of a company by the size of the owners' house or how many cars he has. A company can be on the brink of bankruptcy while the owner is flying in private jets. And if you've been following the show since the beginning, you'll already know that Sr. is completely CLUELESS when it comes to the finance aspect. I wouldn't doubt that company is now operating "paycheck to paycheck."

 

[american lockpicker]

google "unbranding" plus "jersey shore"

Besides the OCC bikes are hideous pieces of **** from a design perspective. Cartoonish proportions and "How many more theme items can I attach before we have to wrap up filming?"

Interesting...