Before the inception of American Chopper on the Discovery Channel at the turn of the century, the world of motorcycles was reserved for clubs, enthusiasts and Hollywood actors made to look even fiercer than they let on. Motorcycles in general were quite the prop and they were used extensively.
That was of course until Paul Teutul Sr. came along and pioneered a way of life that started as just simple hobby. He was a metal worker who opened a metal works business shortly after returning from service in the military. He had some baggage from his days in the army, and carried some of those problems with him, but he turned it around by finding his love of classic choppers again and lifting weights in his basement.
He went on to launch Orange County Choppers and at a time when the world needed it most, but the ins and outs of his business and the true story behind the show has been quite challenging for he and his family. Let's take a look at just what you may not have known was going on behind the scenes, as the action and bike building unfolded on screen.
The Foundations Of Their Partnership
At first, the bike building was supposed to have been minimal. In his own words, Teutul wanted to "build maybe five, ten bikes a year," as was also reported by Looper. But of course that turned to so much more as the demand increased. After all, he did have the Iron Works business to think about.
But soon, he put his son Daniel in charge of that company, as he branched out and started Orange County Choppers.
Teutul had four children in all, and other than Daniel, he had Michael, Christin, and of course Paul Jr.
It would be with his son Paul Jr., and subsequently, Michael, that Sr. would partner up with to launch the bike building company that is now a household name.
Relations Between Cast Members Were Always Very Low
But father and son were in fact a lot more alike than they let on, and it wouldn't be long before their respective tempers flared. Many thought that the fights that erupted on-screen were fixed and scripted. As it turns out, they weren't, but once producers of the show got wind of some of the arguments that lit up between father and son, they felt they'd found a draw for the show. They weren't wrong, and unfortunately, many viewers tuned in just to witness the fights that occurred between the father and son tandem.
Relations between the other cast members and the Teutuls were also at an all-time low as the show progressed shortly after its initial success on the network.
Before long, Paul Sr. would have a run in with just about anyone, including their trusted mechanic, Vincent DiMartino. He would eventually leave the show.
The Division Bell Heard Round The World
And sadly, DiMartino wouldn't be the only one who jumped ship. Before long, Jr. would be off and operating his own company called Paul Jr. Designs. But this wouldn't occur before one of the most intense and controversial arguments ever filmed for the successful show.
It was close to the end of the show's original run that the relationship between father and son finally imploded. Fed up with Jr.'s attitude towards work, he fired his son in a blaze of glory and the partnership ended just like that.
Of course lots of lawsuits were filed back and forth and even previous cast members filed suits as well, but that moment when father and son go their separate ways was definitely impactful and seemingly final. The scene on TV was so memorable, that it actually became one of the most shared memes on the internet!
Bankruptcy & A Tell-All Book
It made the evening news in many counties that Paul Teutul Sr. had to declare bankruptcy. His business was failing to earn the capital that it needed to. That doesn't mean that he lost the business, as it's still doing well, and when millionaires go bankrupt, it hardly ever means the same it does for those in a lower financial spectrum. But Sr. did have to sell his house during the worst of it.
And after a few meager attempts at solving the woes of their relationship, Sr. was delivered a severe blow, when he read what his son wrote about him in his tell-all book, entitled: The Build: Designing My Life of Choppers, Family, and Faith. In it, Jr. apparently called his father a monster, and it then seemed like there was no end in sight to the feud that had taken so much time away from them. Could they ever see eye to eye again?
An Implosion Of Wills & The Healing Hands Of Forgiveness
We know that as a society we like to see controversy unfold onscreen. But here, with this show and with this company, the controversy that unfolded onscreen was much too real. It led to a ten year estrangement for this family. And it sure had its toll on all of them.
Just recently, and in the last two years have they been able to come together again and make up for lost time. We wish them the best, and thank them for the sacrifices they made to bring us the quality bikes they did and rebuild an interest in choppers when the world needed it most.
Sources: Looper, DiscoveryUK, WorldNation