Truly a one of a kind show, Vegas Rat Rods features Steve Darnell and his team of WelderUp fixer-uppers who take apart cars and build them back up into works of art. The garage is located in Las Vegas at the outskirts of the Vegas strip and this is where the magic happens. To be able to take a car and envisage it as a Mad Max-inspired bizarre machine that looks weird and mean but runs like the wind requires a bit of serious magic.

And every build is not just a time, man-hour, and monetary investment. There are emotions involved in the making of these one-of-a-kind beauties, often with sweat and tears becoming heavily involved, as well. While the show is mostly aired in Canada, enough from the US is part of it and has made it air and do well in the domestic market.

And no detail is too small when it comes to making unique cars for unique customers, even if it means stripping down the gear and installing some wild piece of artistic imagination instead—or whittling away the pedals and getting horseshoe shaped ones for the ranch-loving owner. The quirky creations of Vegas Rat Rods come straight from the team’s hearts, hoping to give the owner some long-lasting pride.

Here are 20 things we just found out about this awesome show, Vegas Rat Rods.

20 Steve Darnell Has A Heart Of Gold

Via Pinterest

Steve Darnell is the honorable ringleader of the entire WelderUp crew. He’s an iron-willed doer who knows how to turn things around for the sake of the team. His friendship with fabrication and metal work started when he was in high school and it only grew stronger. His wrestling coach came to know about Steve’s gifted skills. The coach requested him to build a custom-made bicycle as he wanted to gift his daughter something special on Christmas. Steve joyfully did as asked and sent this bespoke bicycle to his coach. The bicycle was built so strong that it's in great shape even today and the coach’s daughter still has it in her garage.

19 Darnell Loves His Roots

Via Pinterest

Steve Darnell draws a lot of inspiration from his forefathers, especially his grandfather. His gramps was a World War II veteran who became a budding truck driver after his retirement. Steve's father, too, played a vital role in shaping up Steve’s life and career. He ran a steel factory in the 70s. This was the time when the entire business community was marred with a financial meltdown. However, he was a tough man and came through with flying colors. Steve's ancestors put in a lot of hard work all through their lives to realize their dreams. This is exactly the mantra of Steve’s life to date.

18 Father-Son Garage Bonding Is His Mantra

Via HollywoodMask

Taking a cue from his love for his roots, Steve follows the same work ethic in his daily life and work. He has inherited this ethos from his ancestors. The key to a prosperous life is hard work and family bonding, in his case. He and his crew—which also includes his two sons—are one strong family. His TV series is not just any other motoring show but something that reflects family values for the entire squad. The idea was to send a message to the audiences to help inspire fathers so that they would let their kids join them in their garages. At the end of the day, it’s the hard work and the family bonding that matter.

17 Once A Star, Always A Star

via Motor Trend On Demand

Steve is never afraid to try out out-of-the-box ideas. A TV career was never really on the top of his mind. But after the success of Vegas Rat Rods, he never looked back. He once even expressed his desire to create a couple of new shows. In 2017, in an exclusive interview with Monsters & Critics, he stated that in the near future, he would like to field for a new show and that he had already got three of them on the top of his mind. Perhaps, he is smitten by the television bug after a successful debut run. And, he is now ready to venture out in the TV world in a much bigger way.

16 Darnell Is A Big Softie

Via TheBillingsGazette

Steve Darnell is a softhearted soul. In many of his interviews, he is seen as a bit emotional while remembering and narrating certain life experiences. He even bawled a little a few times in a few of these interviews as the topics were pretty emotional and close to his heart. WelderUp’s General Manager, Joe Giamanco, had a two-year-old son who was fighting with pediatric cancer. In a characteristic WelderUp way, Steve gifted Joe a unique build for his ailing son: The “Rose” Rod. This shows that all the members of the WelderUp family are special and Steve shares a strong emotional bond with each one of them.

15 Deeter Is More Than Just A Car Guy

Via AussieCelebs

Travis Deeter literally was born out of the Las Vegas strip—the drag strip, that is. He started his automobile journey at an early age. First, it was toying around with drag bikes and cars. Then it was all things automotive. Today, he’s known as an accomplished fabricator and a gifted artist who has carved a niche for himself in the auto world. And he’s a proud member of the WelderUp family too. His mastery is evident as all of his creations that are a perfect balance of car and art. According to Aussie Celebs, he’s one-of-a-kind designer who can turn ideas and imaginations into reality.

14 The Show Is Big On Sponsor Lists

Via Portacool

Vegas Rat Rods earned a fortune on the sponsorship money. FASS Diesel Fuel Systems, Portacool, XDP Diesel Power, NX Nitrous Express, and Edwards Iron Works were some of the brands that found its target audience in this popular show. All of these sponsors were happy with the show as they could showcase their products in real-life situations. And they did gain a lot of mileage out of the sponsorship because they could also reach out to a broader spectrum of businesses within the automobile industry. The stage was phenomenal for these sponsors and, in turn, earned plenty of moolah for the WelderUp family.

13 Season 4 Is All About Blue Collar

Via CarReviews

Season 4 of Vegas Rat Rods was full of extreme builds. It was loaded with tons of fun elements that all the viewers enjoyed all through the entire season. It got two slots a week and new episodes were aired on Monday nights at 10 and Tuesday nights at 9. The best part of this season was the fact that it was dedicated to all the hardworking, blue-collar ironworkers on the planet. According to Automobile Magazine, Steve grew up playing with Evel Knievel toys as a kid and he resurrected Knievel's Formula 1 dragster in the very first episode to prove it.

12 Johnson Got Hooked At Age 7

Via Discovery

Merlon Johnson was a whiz kid who is now known for his wizard-like expertise in the shop. In fact, he successfully armed a go-kart with a 175cc engine when he was just seven. Johnson brings along a deft 40 years of know-how to the WelderUp family and he’s a key member of the crew. He specializes in turbo-diesel motors, especially the 12-valve Cummins. He’s a true gearhead who can inspire the younger generations of auto fanatics. According to him, he bumped into Steve at a car show and this rendezvous changed his life forever, so it was serendipity at play. His love and passion for extreme machines took wings.

11 Darnell’s Creativity Is Unrestricted

Via TopsImages

Darnell is known to be a creative soul who loves to get his hands into numerous tasks that grab his attention and settles his passion. In 2013, FFDP recreated the magic of a 1964 classic with their take on a song made famous by The Animals. The music video was dubbed "House of the Rising Sun" and had a host of radical hot-rod machinery in it. It was shot in the middle of the desert the way, just it was portrayed in Mad Max. According to Autoevolution, Steve provided these Los Angeles metallers with a multitude of props and cars for the entire shoot.

10 WelderUp Was A Realized Dream

Via Pinterest

The WelderUp family has its roots in the ranching life on the high plains of Montana. Steve was originally a rancher before he embarked on his automotive career. He started a garage that catered to the needs of his fellow ranchers, mostly fixing their heavy machinery and agricultural equipment. Until 2008, he didn’t lay his hands on the rat rods. But when he did customize his first one for a local car event, the praise was phenomenal. It became an overnight star and was featured in Hot Rod Magazine. The dream was realized as it gained unprecedented fame in the hot-rod community.

9 The Customizations Don’t Come Cheap

via Bendpak

For each and every member of the WelderUp family, the custom rat rods are a work of art and not just a modified automobile. All of them are passionate about their line of work and have decades of experience behind them. Each project is handled with a lot of attention so that the end result is a one-of-its-kind. They take great pride in what they do as their builds are exceptional. It’s like a designer model, like no other out there in the auto bazaar. That’s why their builds cost upwards of $100,000. They are supremely creative and the absolute best when it comes to build quality.

8 It Started Slow, Like Any Cool Sleeper

Via Pinterest

Steve Darell never intended to be on a television show, for both good and bad reasons. He was passionate about motors and machines. WelderUp was his original childhood dream until he was approached by a production company based out of Canada to create a television show. The show was for the Discovery Channel in Canada. Initially, the show was low in the ratings but it garnered more viewers gradually. Steve’s fortune took a new direction as the show bit by bit turned into a huge draw for the Discovery Channel. From Canada, it reached the US TV network, and now, the TV series is four seasons old.

7 Kramer Taught Himself Welding At Age 13

Via Pinterest

Justin Kramer is another pillar in the WelderUp crew. He is known as a welder extraordinaire in his crew as he is armed with skills beyond belief. He can weld every type of metal into anything. So it goes that he can design and build the suspension and chassis for any kind of vehicle from the scratch. That’s why "Don't talk about it, be about it" is his motto in life. It all started when he was just thirteen. He pounced upon his grandma’s welder in the barn and out of curiosity, tried to learn the skills. He ended up taking down the entire barn in the process but the welding bug has been firmly entrenched in his system since then.

6 Like Father, Like Son(s)

Via Pinterest

Like their father, Kash and Chase Darnell are passionate about welding and mechanics. Both his sons are learning the tricks of the trade and are committed to continuing the WelderUp family legacy. They are the newest members of the team and have the best of the best with them as mentors. The way Steve Darnell created a régime on his own, both his sons too aspire to take the things to a whole new level. The siblings do seem like the chip off the old block and seem to be ready to be the future fabricators of the WelderUp family, considering they firmly share their father’s vision.

5 From Model To Car Gal

Via Twitter

According to TVOM, Twiggy Tallant was in the team as the producers had to have a person from Canada on the show and she was one of the three that fit the bill. It was indeed a pretty interesting entry in the Vegas Rat Rods because the show really tested her mettle when they let her become a full member of the garage. She never expected to be a TV star and was a budding model before she took the plunge into the world of television. She was hired for a car show that featured rat rods and that was that. She changed her career goals and registered for an automotive technology course to become an apprentice. She calls it a "love at first sight" moment.

4 Barber Dave Was Actually A Barber Once

Via Pinterest

He is legendarily known as Barber Dave more for his witty persona than being the owner of a barbershop. But he was actually a barber and Barber Dave is also the name of his barbershop. He’s incredibly passionate about cars and has an amazing sense of humor. This Las Vegas native is also an artisan by trade who love the art of straight razors and guardless clippers when he’s not in the garage. Dave Lefler has been on the show from day one and can be seen in his barbershop when the cameras aren’t rolling. He believes that when you find your barber and your shop, it becomes your sanctuary.

3 Following In Their Dad’s Footsteps

Via TVOvermind

Steve Darnell wants his sons to carry the family legacy forward. He is inculcating in them the same family values that his forefathers instilled in him. Steve got all his inspiration and perseverance from his father and forefathers. They were hardworking people with a "ever say never" approach towards life. They all went through the hardships of life and always strived to be the best come what may. In the same manner, Steve is grooming his sons. He started teaching his kids the tricks of the trade when they were young so that in future they continue in his footsteps and share a special bond with their father.

2 Many Celebs And Stars Want In

Via ReelGood

When you are a popular family, everyone wants to rub shoulders with you. They want to share the limelight in every possible way and ride on your success. This is exactly what happens with Vegas Rat Rods, too. There are a bunch of reality TV shows available on air that have a massive fan following. The WelderUp crew’s presence on any other TV show can certainly add a lot of value to the show. Todd Hoffman of Gold Rush, Wild Bill of Deadliest Catch, Thomas Weeks of Misfit Garage, and Mike Henry of Counting Cars were some of the celebs who wanted to co-brand with WelderUp and have the crew on their show. When that will happen is anybody's guess.

1 Airs In The US, Has Stars From Canada

Via Youtube

Vegas Rat Rods was being aired in Canada initially, so it needed to have a certain number of characters from that country on the show. It was inevitable that the Discovery Channel wanted to connect with the local audiences on a more personal level. Later on, with growing popularity, it found a wider audience and reached the United States. Cheyenne Ruether, Grant Schwartz, and Twiggy Tallant were the lucky few brought on to be the part of the WelderUp family. Now, when the show is transferred over to the US network, a balance of US and Canada-based cast members is a way of life for the show.

Sources: Monsters & Critics, Aussie Celebs, Automobile Magazine, Autoevolution, and TVOM.