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A team of professionals headed by expert mechanic Jesse James specialize in transform cars. The clock is ticking as they attempt to turn ordinary vehicles into 'monster machines' in just a week.
2003
1981 Kayot Pontoon / Shark Boat This is Discovery Channel after all, and in honor of Shark Week, Jesse and his Monster mechanics tackled the challenge of turning a 28-foot Kayot pontoon into the ultimate party/shark-observation boat, complete with cage. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Robert Fletcher, industrial designer, Lum Design Associates, Irvine, Calif. • Chris Gregor, yacht engineer, West Palm Beach, Fla. • Shannon Michaels, welder/fabricator and personal trainer, Newport Beach, Calif. • Eddie Paul, design engineer, E.P. Industries, El Segundo, Calif. • Dick Reynolds, truck customizer and bike builder, Lake Havasu City, Ariz. • Eric Simon, high-performance outboard builder, Simon Motorsports, Alpine, Calif.
Shopping Cart / Go-Cart & Rock Crawler In this special edition of Monster Garage, the crew goes on a road trip to see homemade monsters across the country. Shop Class Monster Build Crew: Martin Aguilar, Ernesto Cornejo, Jaime Rodriguez, Christian Ponce, Eric Cortes, Eddie Moreno, Elizabeth Garcia, Patrick Chung Suburban Monster - 1973 Ford Bronco, 1960s Ford GT 40 Look-alike Build Crew Bernardo Rodriguez, Marty Maler, Richard Weissensel, David Swingle, Steve Slump, Bryan Pearce, Dennis Steibel, Eric Weber In a side plot, the crew visits various Monster Cars across the country. Dobbertin Surface Orbiter - Pennellville, New York Shortfut High - Magnolia, Delaware Bad Taste Bar-B-Q - Houston, Texas Close Enough Cars - Seattle, Washington The Wheel - Walled Lake, Michigan Draka - Geriach, Nevada
1998 Ford Crown Victoria / Donut Shop This mostly all-cop team converted a squad car into a mobile doughnut shop complete with coffee maker and pastry display case. The most inspired build yet? Or a misguided (if not defamatory) one? ""It would be cool not to have to leave your cruiser to have a doughnut and a cup of coffee,"" said one wide-eyed visiting Long Beach officer. ""But it's still wrong."" • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Brian Armstrong, police helicopter pilot, Long Beach, Calif. • Alan Dively, food technologist, Dunkin' Donuts, Braintree, Mass. • Jay Hillebrandt, doughnut-equipment technician, Belshaw Bros. Inc., Seattle, Wash. • Jason Hulst, hot-rod and custom automotive designer, Pasadena, Calif. • Mike New, sheriff's deputy, Chesapeake County, Va. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • John Pytlovany, police chief, Scotia, N.Y. • Frank Torres, police officer, Long B
1971 Chevrolet El Camino Super Sport / Figure 8 Race Car What is figure 8 racing? It's racing around a track shaped like ... well, a figure 8. As you can imagine, the possibilities of collision (at speeds of 60 mph or more) at that center intersection are super high, so the cars, much like demolition-derby cars, are built to take a beating. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Bruce Berkey, animator and former Ford Motors designer, Pasadena, Calif. • Scott Burson, rental-equipment service and repairman, San Bernadino, Calif. • James Hollan, special-effects artist and mechanical fabricator, Tujunga, Calif. • Mark Nelson, manager, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Rod Proctor, restaurant owner, Riverside, Calif. • Jeremy Stets, pipe welder, Carlisle, Pa. • ""Barefoot"" Billy Ziemann, tow-truck driver, Bloomington, Calif.
1998 Mercedes ML320 / Handicap Car This time, Jesse and the team are tasked with transforming a Mercedes ML320 into the ultimate handicap-accessible vehicle. Their goal: Make the car accessible to anyone in a wheelchair via a ramp in the back and a passageway to the driver's seat. This is also the first episode where we're treated to the new Monster Garage and the new rules for Season 2. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Warren Chalker, welder and fabricator, Prime Engineering, Lancaster, Calif. • Scott Deacon, engineer and fabricator, Advanced Mobility, La Canada, Calif. • Stuart Klein, technical trainer, Mercedes-Benz USA, Southern Calif. • Mike Montenegro, automotive designer and owner, Montenegro Designs, Hesperia, Calif. • Ray Paprota, fabricator and race-car driver, Birmingham, Ala. • Ed Sandoz, mechanical engineer, Upton, Mass.
1982 DeLorean DMC 12 / Hovercraft In this challenge, Jesse and the guys take on a 1982 DeLorean DMC 12 and transform it into a hovercraft. Or at least that was the idea... • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Rick Gendreau, electronic designer, Pembroke, N.H. • Mark Hannah, transportation designer and artist, Pasadena, Calif. • Casey Heller, auto mechanic, Manhattan Beach, Calif. • John Rago, air-bag suspension distributor, Highland, Calif. • Don Steger, De Lorean repair shop owner, Garden Grove, Calif. • Rich Weissensel, computer consultant and engineer, Lyons, Ill. The original design for the car called for the build team to just cut off the top of the old DeLorean and stick it on top of a fuctioning hovercraft. But Jesse came in and stopped the build altogether and changed the direction of the project. But Rick had problems with Jesse's taking charge, and walks off the build. Things look bad, short a day and a builde
1954 Cadillac Hearse / Grave Digger Almost exactly a year later, after the historical first failure of Monster Garage, The same team from the first Hearse show is back to resurrect themselves from Monster Garage Hell. They get a rare second chance to correct the mistakes from the previous build. Last time the project was supposed to end up being a car crusher, but this time around it became a grave digger. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • George Barris, custom-car designer, Barris Kustom Industries, North Hollywood, Calif. • Mike Desmond, custom-car designer, MAD Machines, Long Beach, Calif. • Tim Conder, mechanic and motorcycle customizer, Seattle, Wash. • Jose Gonzalez, heavy-equipment tech, Yale/Chase, Long Beach, Calif. • Bart Grande, software consultant, Carlsbad, Calif. • Doran Hirschkorn, Bobcat manufacturing engineer, Bismarck, N.D. • Steve ""Tombstone"" Sterle, horror-prop manufacturer, Hollywood Tombstones,
Project vehicle: 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV It's football season, and you know what that means — pre-game celebrations. Now imagine what Jesse and his crew could do with that concept: creating the ultimate tailgating vehicle. Design team: Kevin Kuenzie (m.a. audio supervisor), Todd Blandford (Freedom Motors hydraulics expert), Stacey Sunada (artist) Build team: Larry Webster, Car and Driver writer from Ann Arbor, Michigan Ed Federkeil, fireman and custom truck fabricator from Fort Lauderdale, Florida Danny Webb, hod rod builder and garage dude from Palm Springs, California Todd Blandford, hydraulics guru from Battle Creek, Michigan Kevin Kuenzie, audio wizard from Anaheim Hills, California
1999 Reynard Championship Car / Street Painter For anyone who's ever gotten stuck in traffic piling up behind a worktruck crawling along, may we present Jesse's latest attempt to create the fastest (fill-in-the-blank here) ever. Will he and the team be able to help countless commuters by turning a 1999 Champ Car into the world's swiftest street painter? Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. John Buttera, race-car builder and toymaker, Kenosha, Wis. Gavin Diehl, heavy-equipment mechanic, San Jose, Calif. Clyde Foss, streetline painter and owner, Four S, Long Beach, Calif. John Gregory, fabricator and owner, Gregory Racing Fabrications and Racetronics, Nazareth, Pa. Paul Gentilozzi, race-car driver and Champ Car team owner, Lansing, Mich. Tony Giaccone, welder and fabricator, California Hot Rod/MRL Industries, Jamestown, Calif. Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif.
[b]1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo / Remote Control Car[/b] Little kids love driving (and crashing) remote-control cars, but what about once they've grown up? What do they do then? Well, they convert out-of-commission figure-8 race cars into life-sized remote-control racers. Duh. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • John Clark, product-planning specialist, Radio Shack, Crowley, Texas • Shepherd Ginzburg, kindergarten teacher and top fuel racer, Thousand Oaks, Calif. • Fred MacGregor, head fabricator, National Tour Inc., Huntington Beach, Calif. • Chris Marsolais, student and waiter, Vista, Calif. • Ed Robinson, event promoter and robot builder, Las Vegas, Nev.
Project vehicle: 1972 Peterbilt Semi-truck Jesse's a master bike builder. But just how will he tackle the challenge of transforming a semi-truck of all things into a diesel-fueled three-wheeled chopper? • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Randy Grubb, glass artist, engineer and co-owner, Blastolene Brothers, Grant's Pass, Ore. • Michael Leeds, artist and co-owner, Blastolene Brothers, Santa Cruz, Calif. • Bernard Juckli, Jay Leno's chief mechanic and former aircraft mechanic, Los Angeles, Calif • Dan Owens, head machinist, Panavision, Wenatchee, Wash. • Robert Vaughan, maintenance engineer, Vanguard Plastics, Wylie, Texas
Project vehicle: 1986 Pontiac Firebird with 1991 Ferrari Testarossa body Christmas turned from nice to naughty when monster mechanics created an evil Santa float. Design team: Christopher Lowell (Discovery Channel decorator), Jocelyne Borys (art director), Dick Gillespie (float expert), Art Aguirre (sketcher) Build team: Michael Gillespie (as Mike Gillespie, Sr.), float builder and son of Dick Gillespie from San Gabriel, California Michael Gillespie, Jr. (as Mike Gillespie, Jr.), general automotives guy and float builder from Sierra Madre, California Ian Johnson, car engine and mechanical expert from Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada Jeff Covey, custom fabricator and race car builder from Middleville, Michigan Garth McCrohan, pro welder and Monster Garage fanatic from El Cajon, California Gary Twemlow, float sculptor from Duarte, California
Long Beach, CA Long Beach Polytechnic High School 1966 Volkswagon Bug / Dune Buggy If successful, each student gets a $700 tool kit and 2 Mac tool kits for the school's shop program. • Jayme Espinoza • Morley Pich • Chris Pheng • Antonio Perez • James Jacocks • Refugio Marquez • Brandon Overlin • Art Broadhurst (Mr. B) Monsters Across The Country Daytona, Florida - Ice Cream Truck From Hell Seattle Washington - Stiletto High Heel Shoe Car Los Buenos, California - Pharaoh's float Taylorsville, Georgia - Horn & Whistle Car Victorville, California - Monster Party Wagon Los Angeles, California - Cosmic Rocket Car San Jose, California - Guitar Motorcycle Houston, Texas - Sunflower Car
2003 Toyota Celica Jet Car To date, it's the fastest monster ever, topping speeds of more than 200 mph. And its engine? A Rolls Royce Viper MK22 that generates 6,300 pounds of thrust. Sweet. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Joe Ruggless, race-car driver, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Palmdale, Calif. • Marty Schwerter, Toyota Pro-Celebrity Celica project manager, Toyota Grand Prix, Huntington Beach, Calif. • Ralph Snider, jet-car builder and truck driver, Mcloud, Okla. • Jerry Segal, owner, Segal Motorsports, Las Vegas, Nev. • Ben Wood, fabricator and assistant manager, Monster Garage, San Jacinto, Calif.
Project vehicle: 2004 Picklefork Ultra boat The world of motorsports is turned upside down when the monster mechanics combine parts from land, sea, and air vehicles into a racing machine. Design team: Mike Desmond (Mitsubishi Motors automotive designer) John West (school bus pontoon builder, picklefork jet boat builder and donor) Build team: Howard Murray, helicopter mechanic from Inisfil, Ontario, Canada Tim McNees, chassis champ from Salt Lake City, Utah Brandon Smisek, fibre glass fabricator from Santa Ana, California Pippa Garner, inventor and artist from Santa Fe, New Mexico Mike Desmond, design wizard from Long Beach, California John West, super custom boat builder from El Cajon, California
Project vehicle: 1988 U-Haul International 16 Series Well, here's something you don't see every day: a hydraulic-powered wrestling ring/U-Haul box truck. Right? I mean, when you think U-Haul, do you think WrestleMania or RAW? Design team: Bill Goldberg (as Goldberg) (professional wrestler), Ellis Edwards (stuntman) Build team: Mark N. Carpenter Sr. (as Mark Carpenter), professional wrestling ring constructor from Bridgeport, Connecticut Angel Figueroa, welder/fabricator from Long Beach, California Mike Dilgard, U-Haul guru from Phoenix, Arizona Ron Powers, Hydraulics expert from San Jose, Carlifornia Marty Coronel, welder/bartender from Valencia, Carlifornia
Project vehicle: 1954 Chevrolet 2-door sedan A team of senior car customizing legends were summoned to transform an old school car into a modern chariot worthy of the Caesar of mechanics. With 393 years of experience under one roof, will they make history for the Monster Garage, or will they just become history? Design team: Bill Hines (as Bill 'the Lead Slinger' Hines) (83) (lead slinger) Dick Dean (automotive artist) Gene Winfield (body specialist) Fat Jack (custom chassis fabricator) John Robinson, Jr. (as John Robinson) (crane mechanic) Norm Grabowski (as Norm 'El Polacko' Grabowski) (hod rodder, actor/car enthusiast, sculpter) Tom Taylor (hod rod illustrator) Build team: Bill Hines (as Bill 'the Lead Slinger' Hines) (83), custom-car builder from Garden Grove, California Dick Dean, custom-car builder from San Jacinto, California Gene Winfield, custom-car builder of Gene Winfield's Rod and Custom from Mojave, California Fat Jack, custom-car builder from Lake E
Project vehicles: Scion XB (red), Scion XA (blue). In this season finale, two teams turn cars into Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robots. The winning team will receive Jesse James custom Mac Tools toolbox worth $6000. In this episode, build days 1 to 4 are shown. Red Rocker designers: Mike Desmond, Eric Tscherne (Hot Wheels designer), Wink Eller. Blue Bomber designers: Jonathan Bedford (Mattel designer), The Pizz (lowbrow artist), Eric Scarlett. Red Rocker builders - previous work John Babek (as Jon Babek) - NASCAR street sweeper Lisa Legohn - Fire fighting limousine Mike Stapleton - Mazda RX-7 sandrail Cindy Regimbald - 'Black Widow' demolition derby car Dwaine Jungen - Toyota Tundrinator Wink Eller (Captain) - Fire fighting limousine Blue Bomber builders - previous work Eric Scarlett (Captain) - Porsche Golf ball collector Steve ""Tombstone"" Sterle (as Tombstone) - Cadillac Hearse Grim Ripper, Cadillac Hearse Grave Digger Jason Jessee (as Jason Jesse) - Mobile Half pipe ska
In the second installment of this two-part episode, teams finish transforming XA & XB Scions, into deadly Monsters and pit them against each other.
2004
Project vehicle: 1981 Cadillac Fleetwood This time, build team not only has to convert a car into a drag racing machine, but the team only had 4 days to complete the job. Design team: Lamar 'Ceemack' Jasper (as Ceemack) (Cadillac Fleetwood donor), Jim ? (chief of Jesse's top fuel dragster), Feng Zhu (concept designer from Los Angeles, California) Build team: Rex Buxton, hod rod builder from Laguna Hills, California Kurt Forqueran (as Kurt 'Wookie' Forqueran), custom car fabricator from Phoenix, Arizona Bret Hankins, drag racer and custom bike builder from Sonora, California Paul Dowing, hot ron fabricator from Fresno, California Todd Simmon, journeyman machinist from Brea, California Lamar 'Ceemack' Jasper (as Ceemack), Jesse's pal
The gang tries to convert a Miata convertible into a personal watercraft.
The team of builders turns a pickup truck into a gorilla transport for Koko, a gorilla that understood over 2000 words and communicate with sign language.
A Dodge Magnum RT is turned into a speeding train.
Project vehicle: 1988 Chevrolet Blazer A truck was converted into a racing vehicle to climb Pikes Peak. Design Team: Larry Ragland (Pike's Peak racing record champion), Patrick Janicke (vehicle artist), Randy Ruyle (Pikes Peak International Hill Climb director of competition) Build Team Randy Ruyle, Pikes Peak local from Cascade, Colorado Rhys Millen, Racer/Pikes Peak champion, from Huntington Beach, California Sarah Grenier, Engineer/mechanical specialist from Manchester, New Hampshire Doug Evans, Mechanic and hot rod builder from San Marco, Texas Mike Cook, West Coast Choppers special project director from Huntington Beach, California
Build Team: * Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. * Lee Chase, head brewer, Stone Brewing Co., San Diego, Calif. * Ron Krol, wine- and brewery-tank manufacturer, AAA Metal Fabrication, The Dalles, Ore. * John Legnard, brew master, Sandlot Brewery, Denver, Colo. * Otto Petersen, welder and fire truck mechanic (retired), Jackson Heights, N.Y. * George Plumlee, firefighter and fabricator, Marshall, Texas
A 1969 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow that symbolizes high class luxury was reassigned to do the lowest line of work ever done by an automobile: cleaning portable toilets. Can the classy Rolls-Royce survive a work day too low down dirty even for common folks?
Project vehicle: 2004 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Last time, Jesse made motorcycle from a truck; this time, he goes back to his roots by customizing a motorcycle. Sounds too easy? Not if Jesse wanted to prove himself to a build team of motorcycle legends that had help started Jesse's bike building career. Design team: Mark Rowe (motorcycle frame builder) Don Hotop (custom bike builder) Carl Morrow (engine specialist) John Reed (motorcyle pioneer) Keith Ball (motorcycle builder and journalist) Jamie Seymour (sketcher) Build team: Mark Rowe, motorcycle frame builder from Seabrook, New Hampshire Don Hotop, Don's Speed and Custom Cycle owner and custom bike builder from Fort Madison, Iowa Carl Morrow, engine specialist from Daytona Beach, Florida John Reed, motorcyle pioneer from Morgan Hill, California Keith Ball, motorcycle builder and journalist from Wilmington, California
Combining the talents from Monster Garage and Monster House, 6 items from a home owner's house were taken to the Monster Garage for monsterization. Design team: Jarri Schwartz (Monster House decorator), Gadget (Monster House/BIG! builder), Big Schwag (Monster Garage commentator), The Pizz (artist) House owner: Miles Build team: Michael Gump (Previous work: Fright house (door frame)), artist Dan Danknick (Previous work: Geo Tracker balloon), electrical genius Nikki Giovacchini (as Nik Giovacchini) (Previous work: Mobster house), monster veteran Chuck Mignacco (Previous work: Geo Tracker balloon), welder Mike Massingill (Previous work: Fire house), carpenter/firefighter Mac Sufuentes (Previous work: Low bull rider), lowering expert Ian Roussell (Previous work: Mad scientist house (mad scientist bar)), welder/fabricator Ed Robinson (Previous work: Remote control car), circus performer/mechanical expert
Project vehicle: 1975 Chevrolet Camaro Design team: Michelle Christensen (auto artist), Sherri Heckenast (race car driver and dirt track owner), Kathy Pierson (dirt racer) Build team: Candice Burris (23), auto body technician from Prunedale, California Carolyn Coquillette, mechanic extrodinaire from Oakland, California Emily Ericksen, welder and mechanic from Lake in the Hills, Illinois Tiffany Wesson, parts specialist and Camaro queen from Rancho Palos Verdes, California Sherri Heckenast, dirt track owner and race car driver from Frankfort, Illinois
Project Vehicle: 1964 Lincoln Continental A luxury cruiser was converted into a race vehicle to run in open road. Design team: Dave Golder (expert open road race car designer), Craig Jull (race car builder and fabricator), John Caswell (automotive designer) Build team: Matt Goodsell, race car fabricator from Orange, California Brian Haynes, hot rod builder from Jamesville, California Craig Jull, fabricator from Bellflower, California Dave Golder, open road race driver and mechanic from Highland, California Pat McElreath, race car designer and old timer from Portland, Oregon
Project vehicle: Phantom F-4 fuel tank Jesse James competes in the fastest challenge ever by building a vehicle from a fuel tank. Will the transmission fail him this time? Design team: Bill Burke (world's first lakester builder), Al Teague (fastest lakester speed record holder), Jason Wilbur (artist) Build team: Robert ""Stainless"" Steele (as Stainless), Boeing technical support specialist from Wichita, Kansas John Gowestski, retired air force machine builder and fabricator from Littleton, Colorado Charlie Hamilton, lakester expert, mechanic and fabricator from Lake Tahoe, California James Iiams, welder and fabricator from Cypress, California Tim McNees, race car fabricator and builder from Salt Lake City, Utah Al Teague, the king of speed from Brea, California
Jesse and his builders convert a 1929 Ford Model-A into a hot-rod in New York City.
The team builds a Chopper Kit with six high-school students. Derrick Butler - auto-shop teacher, Ballou Senior High School, Washington, D.C. Mark Hargrove - student, Ballou Senior High School, Washington, D.C. Andre Lee - student, Ballou Senior High School, Washington, D.C. Chris Merriweather - student, Ballou Senior High School, Washington, D.C. Genieva Robertson - student, Ballou Senior High School, Washington, D.C. Charles Stotts - student, Ballou Senior High School, Washington, D.C. Timothy Williams - student, Ballou Senior High School, Washington, D.C. Duane French - assistant auto-shop teacher, Ballou Senior High School, Washington, D.C
A 1964 Peel Trident is rebuilt with a go-cart frame and four-cylinder engine.
For this build it was "goodbye, crash helmet" and "hello, wool cap," as Jesse and the crew created a log splitter out of a 1982 powder-blue Zimmer Golden Spirit, a car made famous in the early '80s for an over-the-top, pimped-out luxury style. The plan: to cut the Zimmer in half, extending the car; after a log was dropped in, the car would come back together via a couple of hydraulic cylinders and thus split the log.
Jesse James and crew transform an RV into a mobile fun house.
Monster Garage has always been known for its tight deadlines, sure, but this is the first time its builders couldn't leave the set ... literally. Because in this episode, a select group of Folsom State Prison inmates � many of whom learned their mechanical skills while behind bars � joined Jesse in transforming a rusty 1969 Chevy Impala into the ultimate low-rider.
Monster Garage is known for accomplishing unbelievable tasks in five days. To build a flying car, Jesse and his nine-man team go all-out, converting a $100,000 Panoz Esperante sports car into a flying mobile.
The goal is to match the distance of the Wright Brother's first flight. The elite car's interior includes a used propeller engine mounted in the trunk, a 15-foot fuselage secured rear tail, and 36-foot handmade wings mounted in the center of the car.
2005
Jesse and five builders take a beat-up, 1959 Chevy Apache milk truck and transform it into the world's first mobile milking parlor. The truck is gutted to make room for a milking machine, a custom pasteurizer, a cow stall, and a 1,400-pound dairy cow!
Jesse and a team of legendary Volkswagen racers and customizers set their sights on turning a rare, 1951, split-window ragtop. They attempt to turn this car, which had been left to rot in a swamp, into a nine-second quarter mile dragster.
The Team tries to turning an armored truck into a mobile dunk tank.
A team of experts joins Jesse in his dream quest to harness the awesome power of steam, by converting an 18-foot, 1964 Chris Craft wooden boat into a steam-powered monster.
Jesse makes a Crop Circle Maker out of an old, beat-up farmer's tractor. He wants to do what the aliens do; visit a field of wheat, and leave behind a pattern that can only be explained as a visit from another world.
Jesse leaves behind the monster garage and searches for Backyard Monsters.
Jesse and the all-female Monster Garage team tries to build a dirt-track racer.
Jesse leaves behind the monster garage and searches for Backyard Monsters.
Jesse and his team of mechanics try to transform a 1959 British Anglia Coupe into a high-speed drag racer.
Jesse builds a car with students from the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin.
Jesse James
Self
2005
Jesse leaves the monster garage and travels to Robert Groves High School Career Academy. Jesse and the students take the frame and body of a junior dragster and turn it into a dialed-in, super-sleek racing machine.
2021
Sure, people have strapped rockets to cars before, but no one has attempted to propel a 1965 Jaguar with a 12-foot pulse jet. What's a pulse jet? You have to see it to believe it. They only have five days to build and can spend no more than $5,500 on parts.
Jesse attempts to transform a 1994 Case International farm combine into a drag racing machine. They only have five days to pull off this daring project.
Jesse and his all-Italian-American team of builders try to make a Ferrari make pasta from scratch.
Jesse and his "little" team build a mini truck.
Jesse and team of maverick mechanics transform a 1977 Chevy ice-cream delivery truck into a truck that can take icy corners at 100 mph and also still serve ice cream.
Jesse and team of electric vehicle experts try to turn a 1962 Bel Air into an battery powered car that can do 100 mph in a quarter mile.
Jesse and his team rebuild a 1951 Cadillac. They wanted to drop, chop and section the car as well as install new front end and drivetrain.
Jesse takes a team of the top 10 off road builders to help make a trophy truck capable of running the Baja 1000.
As Jesse competes in the Baja 1000, he must drive for 24 straight hours with hopes of making it out alive.
Jesse and his all star team from the previous four years, turn an old station wagon into a Monster magnificence. They come back for one final build in the Monster Garage for the series finale!
Jesse and the gang plan to transform a slow sailboat into a secret speed demon. Can they build a racer to shock yacht club yuppies?
Jesse James and team are building a corvette that is powered by fire.
Jesse and the team want to transform a 1947 Ford Coupe into a speakeasy on wheels. They plan to add a fully functional whiskey distillery.
The crew try to transform a Chevrolet pickup truck into a mobile shingle mill. Can they attach two gigantic circular saws and create a wood-cutting monster?
Jesse James takes another shot at one of the builds from the original series that has been haunting him: The Hovercraft DeLorean – and it will either be a complete failure or one of the garage’s most insane redemption stories.
The crew try to take an extinct Dodge Rampage and transform it into a 200mph car. Jesse calls in the best of his team to work on this ambition build.
2002
1994 Ford Explorer (Eddie Bauer Edition) / Garbage Collector Jesse and his crew are challenged to transform a Ford Explorer into an actual, functioning garbage truck. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, Long Beach, Calif. • Brent Davis, bike builder, Brentwood, Calif. • Nick De Avila, offroad truck mechanic and racer, Hermosa Beach, Calif. • Jay LaRosa, customizer, Carson, Calif. • Ivan Sanchez, graphic artist and ""parts guru,"" Long Beach, Calif. • J.P. Schoenbeck, tattoo artist, Highlands Ranch, Colo. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Thom Taylor, hot-rod designer, Laguna Niguel, Calif. • Gregorio Urueta, mechanic and sanitation-truck engineer, Harbor City, Calif.
1996 Lincoln Town Car Limousine / Fire Truck Jesse and his team of designers, welders, fabricators, and mechanics transform a Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine into a fire truck • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, Long Beach, Calif. • Vini Bergman, custom-limo builder, California • Ed Blanford, car designer, Southern Calif. • Steve Dennish, hot-rod creator, La Mirada, Calif. • Wink Eller, custom-bike builder, Wink's Performance and Machine, Orange, Calif. • Rick Goodell, fire-engine engineer, Wisconsin • Paul Johnson, mechanic, Artesia, Calif. • Lisa Legohn, welding instructor, Los Angeles Trade Technical College and Compton Community College, Los Angeles, Calif. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Michael Shrout, fireman, Long Beach, Calif.
2000 Volkswagen Beetle / Swamp Boat Before he started work on this VW Bug, Jesse happened across a TV show on how to survive if your car plunges underwater. Lucky coincidence ... or totally irrelevant? • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, Long Beach, Calif. • Ricky Hsu, car designer, Gardena, Calif. • Brian Jendro, car customizer, Temecula, Calif. • John Krawczyk, welder and sculptor, Malibu, Calif. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • J.D. Streett, special-effects supervisor, Shadow Hills, Calif. • Christy Sumner, special-effects technician, Los Angeles, Calif. • Ronnie Thibodaux, boat designer/builder, Centerville, La. • John Uribe, auto-mechanics instructor, Reseda, Calif.
1990 Ford Mustang GT / Lawnmower In Switchblade, Jesse and his team are challenged to turn a 1990 Mustang GT convertible into a fiber-slashing, awe-inspiring monster mower • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, Long Beach, Calif. • George Beers, ""parts guru,"" Stuart, Fla. • Bob Cleveland, lawn-mower engineer and racer, Locust Grove, Ga. • Mike Contreras, oil-rig mechanic, Long Beach, Calif. • Mike Desmond, custom-car designer, MAD Machines, southern California • Bill Dodge, custom-bike builder, Long Beach, Calif. • Carol Hodge, TV commercial director, Seattle, Wash. • Billy Lane, custom-bike builder, Melbourne, Fla. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif.
1996 Chevy Impala Supersport / Zamboni In 1996 it was born a Chevy Impala Supersport clone. In 2002 (July 2002, to be more exact) it mutated into a monster capable of smoothing out the roughest of frozen surfaces. Welcome to the story of Freezer Burn. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Bob Van Der Brink, retired high-school shop teacher, Chino Hills, Calif. • Stuart Fuller, hot-rod designer, Downey, Calif. • Ken Hoffman, self-employed fabricator and welder, Simi Valley, Calif. • Renee Newell, sculptor, Santa Monica, Calif. • Dan Padilla, artist • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Tad Yenowine, set-builder, Los Angeles, Calif. • Richard Zamboni, president, Frank J. Zamboni & Co. Inc., Paramount, Calif.
1984 Porsche 944 / Golf-Ball Collector Golfers beware! This is no ordinary range-picker. It's a 1984 Porsche 944 that Jesse and company transformed into a player-harassing, ball-snagging monster back in August 2002. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Alex Anderson, custom-car builder, Temecula, Calif. • Mac Gillum, former drag racer and range-picker builder, Different Designs, Stanton, Calif. • Pete Pepe, creative designer, Disney Animation • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Eric Scarlett, custom-car builder/shop owner and former U.S. Navy SEAL technician, Ventura, Calif. • Wendy Schmidt, animatronics specialist, Los Angeles, Calif. • Jay Skwarlo, bicycle mechanic/builder and hot-rodder, Long Beach, Calif.
1973 Miller Meteor Cadillac Hearse / Car Crusher-Destroyer Death was certainly the theme of this mission: the transformation of a 1973 Miller Meteor Cadillac hearse into a formidable car-crushing beast. Because it marked the first failure — and destruction — of a Monster vehicle. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • George Barris, custom-car designer (including the Batmobile, Kitt from Knightrider, the Munsters' Koach, and the DeLorean from Back to the Future) • Tim Conder, mechanic and motorcycle customizer, Seattle, Wash. • Jose Gonzalez, motorcycle customizer and forklift repairman, Yale/Chase, Long Beach, Calif. • Bart Grande, dyno shop owner and racer, GodSpeed Dyno Works, Oceanside, Calif. • Doran Hirschkorn, Bobcat manufacturing engineer, Bismarck, N.D. • Steve ""Tombstone"" Sterle, horror-prop manufacturer, Hollywood Tombstones, San Fernando Valley, Calif.
1989 Ford 20-Passenger School Bus / Pontoon Imagine — It's August 2002, and you've acquired a 1989 Ford 20-passenger school bus. What to do. Well, why not turn it into a pontoon party boat? Ah, if only Gilligan had had Jesse James and his team of monster mechanics around. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Charlie Conn Jr., bus technician, A to Z Bus Sales, Riverside, Calif. • Jim Day, metal fabricator/sculptor, Inglewood, Calif. • Steve Furnish, fabricator, Wolff's Customs, Long Beach, Calif. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Darren Shurig, engineering fabricator, Fountain Valley, Calif. • John West, owner/designer, Ultraboats, San Diego, Calif.
1998 Chevy Mac Tool Truck / Ultimate Delivery Truck In September 2002, Jesse James and the Monster crew set out to turn a 1998 Mac Tool truck into the ""ultimate"" delivery truck. Now, you might be thinking that's pretty ho-hum for this garage ... but have we mentioned that the transition involves a crossbow, cannon and catapult? Let's just say that you do not want Jesse James delivering your new 19-inch TV. The truck was equiped with the following: dual air cannons, a single 6-inch barrel air cannon, a ballista, & a trebuchet • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Paul Campbell, surgical nurse for Stanley Frileck M.D., Santa Monica, Calif. • Jim Farley, truck mechanic and hot-rodder, Reno, Nev. • Dais Nagao, artist /motorcycle designer, Honda, Pasadena, Calif. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • David Norris, owner, Sky Signs, Phoenixville, Pa. • Ron Toms, entrepreneur and medieval wea
1995 Geo Tracker / Hot-Air Balloon In October 2002, Jesse and his team hunkered down to see if they could redefine ""off-road"" ... literally. And in the process, they learned that you're not supposed to throw certain items — such as bowling balls — out of hot-air balloons. Bummer • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Chris Brown, custom-car designer, Brown Auto Design, Fullerton, Calif. • Chopper Dave, motorcycle builder, West Coast Choppers • Dan Danknick, software engineer, Orange, Calif. • Martin Harms, designer, Aerostar, Sioux Falls, S.D. • Chuck Mignacco, welder, Oakland, Calif. • Dave Park, attorney and motorcycle builder, San Diego, Calif. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Jerry Schell, balloonist, Tucson, Ariz.
1997 F-150 Ford Pickup Truck / Tree-Shaker No, this machine shakes nuts (and fruit) from trees. Using a hydraulically powered clamp and rotating mass device, this harvesting device latches onto a tree, shakes vigorously, then collects the falling nuts in an umbrella — all without damaging the tree. Able to shake up to three trees a minute, this machine has revolutionized the agricultural industry. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Russ Angold, agricultural engineer, San Luis Obispo, Calif. • Tim Beghoefer, hydraulics technician/ journeyman mechanic, Milwaukee, Wis. • Mike Pittinger, mechanical engineer/underwater welder, Baltimore, Md. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Dan Robinson, farm equipment repairman/welder, Omaha, Neb. • Ralph Westerhoff, service manager, Orchard Machinery Corporation, Tulare, Calif.
2002 Dodge Intrepid / Street Sweeper Race-car driver Kyle Petty helps to transform a stock car into a street sweeper and to test it at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Anyone who's seen Jesse behind the wheel knows how much driving at extreme speeds bums him out. Not! • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Kyle Petty, CEO, Petty Enterprises, and driver, Sprint Dodge car, Level Cross, N.C. • Jon Babek, R&D engineering specialist, Petty Enterprises, Level Cross, N.C. • James ""Bobby"" Brock, engineer, TYMCO, Waco, Texas • David Jones, industrial artist and custom fabricator, New Design Customz, Walker, La. • Laura Parker, art teacher and welder, Sacramento, Calif. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Jim Reeves, vice president of operations, FAA repair station, Carollton, Texas • Albert Yu, artist, designer and teacher, Pasadena Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, Calif. Honorary Team Mem
1983 Ford E-350 XL Chassis, Type II / Wheelie Car This is all we need to say about this episode's transformation: Built in November 2002, it is Jesse's favorite monster so far. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Josh Brown, graphic designer and custom-car fabricator, Hemet, Calif. • Mike Desmond, custom-car designer, MAD Machines, Southern California • David Dyson, paramedic and custom-parts maker, Fremont, Calif. • Darrell Ferguson, cell-phone company field engineer and builder/driver of the ""world's fastest muscle car,"" El Sobrante, Calif. • Richard Pauza, fabricator and custom-hot rod builder, Gilberts, Ill. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Richard Schroeder, wheelstander (wheelie-car) expert, Diamond Bar, Calif.
2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser / Wood Chipper If Jesse was truly psyched about the Wheelie Car monster, his reaction to the Wood Chipper was .. less than enthusiastic. As in, ""This is like someone coming to my shop and asking me to build a moped."" • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Johan Bakker, mechanical design engineer, Unisys, Brighton, Mich. • Pete Finlan, custom painter, car builder and artist, Vista, Calif. • Mick Gifford, tree-chipper expert, Morbark, Inc., Winn, Mich. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Erich Woodall, certified and master welder, fabricator and street racer, Edgewater, Md. • Matt Zabas, artist, engineer and fabricator, 13 Choppers, Cardiff, Calif.
Project Vehicle: 2003 MINI Cooper Richard Petty challenged Jesse for a race in snowy mountains of Wyoming. Can Jesse overcome his lack of experience on ice, or the challenge is just too hot for him to handle? Design team: Rick Soles (MINI USA paint and body training manager, car customizer), Matt Lube (Polaris Snowmobiles product manager, 2 time snowmobile hill climbing champion), Raphael Zammitt (General Motors senior car designer) Build team: Jack Nickerson, welder and hot rod builder from Upland, California Hector Orlandi, master technician from Saginaw, Michigan Brady Cambern, Tison Snowmobiles head mechanic from Tacoma, Washington Rick Soles, MINI expert from Wallkrill, New York Matt Lube, snowmobile expert from Buffalo, Minnesota
1994 Chevrolet Suburban C2500 / Wedding Chapel Here's a wedding you wouldn't want to miss. This build even had a dash of mutiny that resulted in some interesting moments. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Donald Burnes, minister, Southern California • Tonna Carlo, hot-rod painter, fabricator and Discovery.com bulletin-board regular, Olympia, Wash. • John Frye, designer, Honda, Torrance, Calif. • Tony Gentile, custom hot-rod builder, Tujunga, Calif. • Steve Hosking, certified electrical, mechanical and computer engineer, Santa Cruz, Calif. • Charles Kegg, pipe-organ builder, Cleveland, Ohio • Ray Kent, technical director, Laguna Playhouse, Aliso Viejo, Calif. • Jim Morrison, industrial contractor, hot-rod builder and Discovery.com bulletin-board regular, Salem, Ohio • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif.
1990 Mazda RX7 / Sandrail The name of this Mazda RX7-turned-sand rail? Doom Buggy. Yup. That sounds about right. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Lil' John Buttera, hot-rod designer and builder, Lil' John's Place, Los Alamitos, Calif. • Jason Conant, car builder, Mazda Recycling, Elk Grove, Calif. • Mike Ferguson, sand-rail builder/racer and owner, Big Chicken Bar Stools, Tempe, Ariz. • Cole Foster, car and bike customizer, Salinas Boys Customs, Salinas, Calif. • Anthony Luera, graphic artist and bike builder, West Coast Choppers, Glendora, Calif. • Jim McKenna, technology services manager, Morrison & Foerster LLP, Alameda, Calif. • Art Osborne, designer, Honda Acura, Pasadena, Calif. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif.
1987 Winnebago Itasca/Suncruiser / Skate Ramp Will Jesse and his team — which includes pro skater Tony Hawk — successfully turn a 1987 Winnebago Itasca/Suncruiser into a skate ramp? • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Chris ""Body Drop"" Artiaga, skate-boarder and fabricator, San Luis Obispo, Calif. • Nigel Benjamin, former lead vocalist for a British glam band turned music studio designer, Toluca Lake, Calif. • Steve Cadena, creative consultant, Gaylord's Kustom Trucks, Long Beach, Calif. • Tony Hawk, pro skater, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. • Jason Jessee, pro skater and motorcycle fabricator, Santa Cruz, Calif. • Jeff King, skate rail and ramp builder, San Diego, Calif. • Joe ""Leaf Eater"" McCluskey, custom-car builder, Hemet, Calif. • Mike McIntyre, skate ramp engineer and builder, SITE Design Group, Tempe, Ariz. • Rick Thorne, professional BMX freestyler, Santa Ana, Calif.
Hot Dog Vending Stand / Dragster Jesse and his crew of New Yorkers take a NYC Hot Dog Cart and transform it into a 1,000 horsepower dragster. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Tom Betar, senior master tech, Ford Dealership, West Nyack, N.Y. • Steve Bonge, classic customizer, New York, N.Y. • Mike Desmond, custom-car designer, MAD Machines, Southern California • Louis Di Raimondo, hot-dog cart manufacturer and owner, All American Hot Dog Carts, Miami, Fla. • Dan Ferrazzano, mechanic, Ferrazzano Service Center, Philadelphia, Pa. • Indian Larry, motorcycle builder, New York, N.Y. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Dave Tucci Jr., street-rod fabricator, Tucci Engineering, Marcy, N.Y.
1968 Ford Bronco / Rock Climber After it's voted on by viewers, the producers of Monster Garage put into motion a Ford Bronco to be turned into a Rock Climber • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Mike Allen, editor, Popular Mechanics, New York, N.Y. • Mike Duncan, owner, FourXDoctor, Burbank, Calif. • Brandon ""The Knife"" Gillen, owner, Anarchy Offroad, Sandy, Utah • Ryan ""Lindy"" Lindberg, owner, Strictly Broncos, Los Angeles, Calif. • Andy McCloskey, attorney, San Diego, Calif. • Steve Rumore, owner, Avalanche Engineering and Avalanche Ranch, Bayfield, Colo.
1970 Pink Cadillac Coupe Deville / Demolition-Derby Car When you think of a Cadillac Deville, what do you think of? Resevoir Dogs? Mary Kay Cosmetics? Aretha Franklin tunes? Try a butt-kicking demolition-derby car designed, built and driven by an all-chick (well, except for Jesse) team. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Maria Alvarado, welder, Wilmington, Calif. • Erin Enderle, metal sculptor, Westminister, Colo. • Lt. Mustardseed, welder/fabricator, Los Angeles, Calif. • Juanita Myers, welder/fabricator, Los Angeles, Calif. • Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif. • Cindy Regimbald, demolition-derby racer and service adviser, Jeep/Isuzu, Rutland, Vt. • Crystal Stern, bartender and drag racer, Clearlake, Calif.
2003 Toyota Tundra / Terminator 3 Integration In Terminator 3, machines battle mankind. Well, as you know, in Monster Garage, that happens as well (remember the The Grim Ripper?). This time, Jesse uses the movie's motif as inspiration for a stealthy motorcycle launcher, born from a garden variety Toyota Tundra pick-up truck. But will the monster win its fight against its human creators? • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Tom Conard, car-maintenance adviser, Toyota, Redondo Beach, Calif. • Sean Gibbs, welder/pipe fitter, Middletown, Calif. • Dwaine Jungen, rock-crawler builder, Tucson, Ariz. • Jeff Mann, production designer, Terminator 3, Swordfish, etc., Los Angeles, Calif. • Paul Moore, custom race-car builder, Seaside, Calif. • Eric Roy Ortega, fabricator, California Street Rods, Cypress, Calif. • Monte Rex Perlin, stunt double, Terminator 3, etc., Los Angeles, Calif.
1970 Ford Ranchero / Mechanical Bull Oh yeah. This 4,300-pound low ridin', high buckin' bull started out as a 1970 Ford Ranchero before Jesse and his crew fed it a week's diet of 12 batteries, eight solenoids and four hydraulic pumps and cylinders. Not to mention a mean set of 6-foot steer horns as a hood ornament. Is anyone crazy enough to actually ride this thing? • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • Chad Denton, bull rider, Oroville, Calif • Eric Jones, hydraulics expert, Pro Hopper Inc., Van Nuys, Calif. • Quinter Pittillo, custom-car builder, Sacramento, Calif. • Edgar Sifuentes, hydraulics expert, Pro Hopper Inc., Van Nuys, Calif. • Rob Smets, bull fighter, Shamrock, Texas
1973 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray / Mud Bogger Hey, if Jesse and his team are going to create a souped-up, mud-spitting off-road dragster, they're going to start it off right: with a 1973 Corvette whose engine is nothing other than a 454 Chevy big block. • Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif. • John Best, Corvette mechanic, Brea, Calif. • Dave Collier, electrician/desert racer, San Marcos, Calif. • Chuck Courty Jr., national mud-bogging champ, Pittsburgh, Pa. • Dick Guldstrand, race-car racer/builder/designer and Corvette expert, Guldstrand Engineering, Burbank, Calif. • Bobby McCurdy, fabricator, Henderson, Nev. • Mike Stapleton, head mechanic, Wilson Motor Sports, Bellflower, Calif. • Don Vierstra, freelance artist, Buena Park, Calif.
The Cast and Crew reflect back on the previous 24 episodes of Monster Garage. Segment 1) The Idea to Make the Show Segment 2) How an episode is made Segment 3) Picking the crew Segment 4) The Worst moments on Monster Garage Segment 5) And on the 7th day...
