American Restoration (2010–…): Season 2, Episode 20 - American Hero - full transcript
When a client flies in with a helicopter gunner helmet from the Vietnam war, Rick and his crew have to suit up for some restoration recon. And later, it's bottoms up for the guys when they pop the tab on a classic 1948 Coca-Cola vending machine makeover.
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- UP NEXT ON AMERICAN
RESTORATION...
- CAME DOWN TO SEE
IF RICK CAN RESTORE
MY HELICOPTER FLIGHT HELMET.
- THIS THING IS COOL.
- IT WAS ACTUALLY USED IN
VIETNAM BY MY GRANDFATHER.
HE HAD FOUGHT IN WORLD
WAR II, VIETNAM, AND KOREA.
IN FACT, HE WITNESSED THE
RAISING OF THE FLAG AT IWO JIMA.
- OH, MY GOD.
- I CAME DOWN TO RICK'S
RESTORATION TODAY
TO GET MY COKE MACHINE RESTORED.
IT HASN'T BEEN PLUGGED
IN FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
- I WANT TO LOOK INSIDE.
- I DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S LIVING IN THERE,
BUT YOU BE MY GUEST.
- OH, MY GOD.
- WELL, I DON'T WANT
TO PAINT THE MACHINE.
I WANT TO PAINT THE LETTERS.
- THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE
GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
- I CAN DO IT.
- REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY
WHEN THINGS WERE MADE BY HAND
AND PEOPLE TOOK
PRIDE IN THEIR WORK?
MY NAME'S RICK DALE,
AND I BRING THESE
THINGS BACK TO LIFE.
EVERY RESTORATION HAS
ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES.
THERE'S NO OWNER'S
MANUAL FOR WHAT WE DO,
BUT THERE'S NO JOB
WE CAN'T HANDLE.
- YOU MUST BE RICK.
- I AM RICK.
- I'M DAVID. NICE TO MEET YOU.
- GOOD TO MEET YOU, DAVID.
- I GOT SOMETHING I THINK
YOU'LL FIND INTERESTING.
- LET'S SEE.
OH, MAN. THAT IS AWESOME.
CAN I PUT THIS ON?
- YEAH, OF COURSE.
- THIS THING IS COOL.
- CAME DOWN TO RICK'S
RESTORATIONS TODAY
TO SEE IF RICK CAN RESTORE
MY HELICOPTER FLIGHT HELMET
THAT MY GRANDFATHER USED
DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
IT WAS ACTUALLY USED IN
VIETNAM BY MY GRANDFATHER.
HE WAS IN THE UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS.
HE WAS A DOOR GUNNER
IN HUEYS AND COBRAS.
HE ACTUALLY FOUGHT
IN WORLD WAR II,
VIETNAM, AND KOREA.
IN FACT, HE WITNESSED THE
RAISING OF THE FLAG AT IWO JIMA.
- OH, MY GOD. MAN,
HE'S BEEN AROUND.
- YEAH, HE'S... HE'S AN
AMERICAN HERO FOR SURE.
- AN AMERICAN
HERO, THAT'S RIGHT.
- HE'S DEFINITELY MY HERO.
- THAT'S AWESOME.
THIS THING IS AMAZING.
NOT ONLY WAS IT USED IN
COMBAT DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
IT WAS WORN BY A
TRUE AMERICAN HERO.
I'M GETTIN' GOOSE BUMPS ALREADY.
SO YOUR GRANDFATHER
GAVE THIS TO YOU.
IS HE STILL ALIVE?
- YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. HE'S 86.
I BROUGHT PHOTOS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE
OF MY GRANDFATHER IN 1969.
LOOKS LIKE A TOUGH GUY.
- AND THEN THIS IS
ACTUALLY A SHOT OF HIM
IN THE GUNNER
POSITION ON THE COBRA.
- COBRA, YEAH.
- IN 1969, THEIR UNIT CHANGED
FROM HUEYS TO COBRAS.
- I GUARANTEE A LOT OF CRAZY
STUFF WENT ON OVER THERE.
- OH, YEAH, IF THIS HELMET
COULD TALK, I'M SURE...
- THAT'S RIGHT.
- I ASKED HIM WHAT
THE ORIGINATIONS
OF THE LETTERING WAS,
AND HE SAID ONLY THE PILOTS
FLEW WITH THE SAME
HELMET EVERY SINGLE TIME.
- RIGHT.
- BUT THE DOOR GUNNERS,
THEY'D, YOU KNOW,
GRAB WHATEVER
HELMET WAS PREVALENT.
AND THIS IS JUST THE LAST
ONE HE ENDED UP WITH.
SO THIS COLLECTION OF STUFF
CAME FROM GUYS IN HIS UNIT.
- OH, YEAH, BUT DIFFERENT GUYS.
- BUT DIFFERENT GUYS.
HE SAID, "NO, US ENLISTED GUYS,
WE TOOK WHAT WAS AVAILABLE."
- RIGHT, RIGHT. WOW.
- IF YOU NOTICE, ONE OF THE
THINGS IT SAYS ON THE HELMET,
IT SAYS, "FLOWER POWER."
- YEAH, YEAH,
YEAH. TOTALLY '60s.
- DEFINITELY A SIGN
OF THE TIMES, RIGHT?
- SO WHAT ARE YOU
SEEING ME DO TO THIS?
- I'D LIKE TO BRING IT BACK
TO ITS FORMER GLORY,
AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE IT
BACK TO MY GRANDFATHER.
- OKAY.
- PUT A SMILE ON HIS FACE.
I'D LIKE TO RESTORE THE
LETTERING AND STUFF ON IT,
INCORPORATE THE
DECALS THAT ARE ON IT,
MAYBE IN PAINT OR HOWEVER.
THEN I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO ADD
THE SQUADRON EMBLEM, SCARFACE.
- SCARFACE, THAT'S COOL.
- YEAH, THE HMLA 367.
STANDS FOR "MARINE
LIGHT ATTACK HELICOPTER."
- THIS IS SUCH AN HONOR
TO GET MY HANDS ON
THIS HELMET TO RESTORE IT.
BUT THIS THING'S IN
REAL ROUGH SHAPE,
AND AS ALWAYS, IT'S
GOT TO BE DONE PERFECT.
BECAUSE IT'S NOTHING
I'VE EVER DONE,
I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE DO IT RIGHT.
IT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE A COUPLE HOURS
TEARING IT APART.
IT'LL PROBABLY
HAVE THE BODYWORK,
BUT IT'LL JUST BE SANDED.
WE'LL FIX ALL THE
CHIPS, STUFF LIKE THAT,
MAKE IT SMOOTH AGAIN,
PAINT IT THE GREEN,
AND THEN WE'LL PAINT THAT
ALL ON THERE, JUST LIKE THAT,
IN THAT SAME STYLE,
POLISH ALL THESE OUT.
- SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
FOR THE OVERALL
PRICE OF THE PROJECT?
- YOU'RE LOOKING BETWEEN, AH,
RIGHT AROUND 800,
900 BUCKS, PLUS PARTS.
- YEAH, HONESTLY,
FOR ME, I MEAN,
THE PRICE IS NOT AN ISSUE.
IT HAS A GREAT
SENTIMENTAL VALUE.
I'M REALLY LOOKING
FORWARD TO PRESENTING IT
TO MY GRANDFATHER...
GIVING IT TO HIM.
- YEAH, THIS IS
GONNA BE FUN DOING.
- I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S
WORTH, BUT, YOU KNOW,
IN SENTIMENTAL VALUE,
IT'S PRICELESS TO ME.
SO, QUITE HONESTLY, I
DON'T CARE WHAT IT COSTS.
I WANT TO GET IT RESTORED.
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED
TO GET IT RESTORED.
AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO SEEING THE FINISHED PRODUCT.
- THIS THING'S PRETTY
COOL, KOWBOY.
I'M READY TO TOP GUN IT, BUDDY.
- WE JUST GOT IN THIS
VIETNAM GUNNER'S HELMET,
AND NOW ME AND KYLE
ARE GONNA TEAR IT APART.
YOU GOT PICTURES?
- YES, SIR.
- GOT SOMETHING TO PUT THESE
LITTLE SCREWS IN, LIKE A BAGGIE?
- YES, SIR.
I'M GONNA "YES, SIR" YOUR
ASS RIGHT OUT THE DOOR.
- I GOT A CALL FROM A CUSTOMER
THAT HAS A COKE MACHINE
THAT HE'D LIKE TO GET RESTORED.
I KNOW A LOT ABOUT ALL SORTS
OF VINTAGE VENDING MACHINES,
BUT COKE MACHINES
HAPPEN TO BE MY SPECIALTY.
- BROUGHT YOU THIS
OLD COKE MACHINE TODAY
TO SEE IF YOU GUYS
CAN DO ANYTHING WITH IT.
IT'S PRETTY BEAT-UP.
- OH, MAN.
- I CAME DOWN TO RICK'S
RESTORATION TODAY
TO GET MY 1949 VENDORLATOR
COKE MACHINE RESTORED.
IT HASN'T BEEN PLUGGED
IN FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
IT'S IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE.
- THIS IS A GEM. THIS
IS A GREAT COOLER.
WHERE THE HELL
DID YOU FIND THIS?
- FAMILY BOUGHT
IT AT A YARD SALE
BACK IN THE EARLY '70s.
MY MOM'S GOT AN
ATTACHMENT TO IT.
IT'S JUST SITTING OUT
THERE IN THE GARAGE,
SO I DECIDED TO DO
SOMETHING FOR HER
AND GET IT FIXED UP AND
SURPRISE HER WITH IT.
- AWESOME.
SO THIS MANUFACTURER
WAS CALLED VENDORLATOR.
AND THIS MACHINE
WAS CALLED A MODEL 27.
THE REASON WHY
THEY CALLED IT A 27 WAS,
THAT'S HOW MANY BOTTLES IT HELD.
THIS MACHINE IS EXTREMELY
RARE... VERY, VERY RARE.
ISN'T IT, TYLER?
- YEAH... RARE... IT'S... IT'S RARE.
- ONE OF THE REASONS
IS THAT IT'S SO SMALL.
IT'S THE LITTLEST COKE
MACHINE THEY EVER MADE.
IT SAT ON TOP OF A
BAR IN A RESTAURANT
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE BASE IS ON THE BOTTOM
BECAUSE IT WAS CAPABLE
OF BEING PUT OUT IN FRONT OF
A STORE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I KNOW COKE MACHINES, AND THIS
LITTLE ONE IS VERY HARD TO FIND,
ESPECIALLY WITH A BASE.
LET ME HEAR YOUR IDEAS
OF HOW YOU WANT IT.
- I'D LIKE TO PUT IT BACK
AS ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE.
- OKAY.
WE'LL DO THE LETTERING THE
SAME WAY THAT THEY DID IT.
THE VENDORLATOR COMPANY
NEVER RAISED THEIR LETTERS.
THEY WOULD SILK-SCREEN
ON THERE JUST "COCA-COLA,"
SO WE END UP USING A VINYL
MATERIAL OVER TOP OF THIS
TO GIVE IT THE EXACT SAME
LOOK THAT IT USED TO HAVE.
- SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA PAINT IT,
BUT IT WILL LOOK
LIKE IT DID BEFORE?
- EXACTLY LIKE IT USED TO.
- OKAY.
- EXACTLY LIKE IT USED TO.
HAND-PAINTING IT ON
THERE... TO GET SOMEBODY
TO HIT THAT THING
RIGHT ON THE HEAD...
IT'S GONNA LEAVE BRUSH
MARKS. IT DOESN'T LOOK AS GOOD.
SO THAT'S... THAT'S
THE WAY WE DO 'EM
AND THAT'S... IT LOOKS THE BEST.
I'VE TRIED EVERY SINGLE WAY.
- AS LONG AS IT LOOKS ORIGINAL.
THAT'S... THAT'S WHAT I'M
LOOKING FOR IS ORIGINAL.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S
SOME PARTS MISSING ON IT
AND IT'S IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE.
WHAT'S IT GONNA COST?
- TEARING IT DOWN, BLASTING
IT, DO THE BODYWORK, PAINTING,
AND THEN ASSEMBLING IT...
PROBABLY A TOTAL OF $5,800.
- WHOA, WHAT'S IT
GONNA... I MEAN, THAT'S A...
I'M ALMOST TEMPTED TO
GO BUY HER A CAN OF COKE.
WHAT'S... WHAT WOULD THIS BE
WORTH WHEN IT WAS FINISHED?
- PROBABLY RIGHT AROUND $7,800.
THAT'S WHAT I'D SELL ONE FOR.
- WELL, IT'S FOR MY MOM,
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S
GONNA MAKE HER HAPPY, I...
- GOOD GUY.
- YEAH, LET'S GO
AHEAD AND DO IT.
- ALL RIGHT, AWESOME, AWESOME.
TYLER'S GONNA
PUT THAT IN THE LINE,
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE
CARE OF SOME PAPERWORK.
- THE $5,800'S A LOT OF MONEY.
I'M HOPING THAT
RICK COMES THROUGH
AND MAKES THIS THING VERY
NICE SO I CAN GIVE IT TO MY MOTHER.
- I'M NOT JUST GONNA LET YOU
- TYLER, HOW WE GONNA
TEAR THIS THING APART?
- I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S ALREADY BENT.
- EARLIER, WE GOT IN A LATE-'40s
VENDORLATOR COKE MACHINE
FROM A CUSTOMER.
I GOT BRETTLY AND TYLER
TEARING THIS THING DOWN
SO WE CAN GET TO
BRINGING IT BACK TO LIFE.
- THERE'S NO RAISED
LETTERING ON THIS MACHINE.
- NO, IT'S JUST HAND-PAINTED
ON A FLAT SURFACE.
I BET I COULD DO IT.
IT'S NOT THAT HARD.
- REALLY?
- A LOT OF COKE MACHINES
HAVE RAISED LETTERS,
WHICH ARE EASIER TO
PAINT THAN A FLAT SURFACE.
BUT THIS COKE MACHINE
DOESN'T HAVE RAISED LETTERS,
SO IT MIGHT BE A SLIGHTLY
TRICKIER PAINT JOB,
BUT I KNOW I CAN DO IT.
IT'S JUST WHITE PAINT ON RED.
CAN'T BE THAT HARD, YOU KNOW?
I'M GONNA GO ASK MY DAD
ABOUT LETTERING THIS THING.
HEY, DAD, DAD.
- YEAH?
- I JUST FINISHED TEARING DOWN
THE VENDORLATOR WITH BRETTLY,
AND I WAS WANTING TO
KNOW IF I COULD PAINT IT.
- YEAH, BUT I DON'T
THINK IT'S READY YET.
- WELL, I DON'T WANT
TO PAINT THE MACHINE.
I WANT TO PAINT
THE LETTERS, LIKE...
THE "COKE."
- YOU WANT TO DO
THE LETTERING ON IT?
YOU'RE JUST GONNA JUMP IN
AND THINK YOU'RE GONNA DO IT?
- MY DAD'S ALWAYS BUGGING ME
ABOUT TAKING OVER
THE BUSINESS ONE DAY
AND HOW I NEED TO KNOW
HOW TO DO EVERYTHING.
SO I FIGURED SINCE I'M
KIND OF A STUD AT PAINTING,
I'D GIVE LETTERING THE
COKE MACHINE A TRY.
IF THE LETTERING ON THE
COKE MACHINE WAS RAISED,
I'D HAVE TED DO THE
JOB, BUT IT'S FLAT.
SO AS I DISCUSSED
WITH THE CUSTOMER,
WE'RE GONNA USE A VINYL DECAL.
I GUESS TYLER WASN'T
PAYING ATTENTION.
- IT'S NOT... IT
CAN'T BE THAT HARD.
IT'S NOT... I KNOW I CAN DO IT.
- HONESTLY, I SHOULD JUST
TELL TYLER THERE'S NO WAY
HE'S TOUCHING THIS
THING WITH A PAINTBRUSH.
BUT IF TYLER WANTS TO
SPEND TIME ON A NEW SKILL,
I'M NOT GONNA STOP HIM.
YOU KNOW WHAT? TED
WILL BE IN LATER TODAY.
- OKAY.
- AND I F HE'S WILLING
TO GIVE YOU A LESSON
TO TRY TO GET YOU TO...
YOU KNOW, TO FIGURE IT OUT...
I'M NOT JUST GONNA LET YOU
LETTER ON ONE OF MY
CUSTOMERS' MACHINES.
YOU GOT TO REALLY,
REALLY PRACTICE HARD.
AND THEN I NEED TO SEE IT
BEFORE YOU START
SCRIBBLING ON SOMETHING.
- ALL RIGHT.
- ALL RIGHT?
- HAVE FAITH.
- YOU REALLY GONNA
LET HIM DO THAT?
- NO, HE... NO, NO, NO.
HE... YOU KNOW, HE WAS THERE
WHEN THE CUSTOMER
DROPPED OFF THE MACHINE.
THE MACHINE IS A FLAT MACHINE.
IT'S NOT RAISED LETTERING.
I TOLD THE CUSTOMER THAT
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT
THE VINYL LETTER ON THERE,
AND HE JUST DOESN'T LISTEN EVER.
SO HE...
- SO HE THINKS HE'S GONNA DO IT?
HE'S GONNA BE PISSED.
- YEAH, BUT HE NEEDS
TO LEARN A LESSON.
EARLIER, WE GOT
A GUNNER'S HELMET
FROM VIETNAM INTO THE SHOP.
I'M HAVING TED
TRACE THE LETTERING,
WHICH LATER WE'LL RE-CREATE.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE AN
IDEA OF ALL THE ORIGINAL ART,
KOWBOY WILL BE ABLE TO STRIP OFF
ALL THE ORIGINAL PAINT
IN THE BEAD BLASTER.
- SWEET.
- EARLIER, AFTER I TORE
DOWN THE COKE MACHINE,
I ASKED MY DAD
ABOUT LETTERING IT.
I KNOW I CAN JUST WING IT,
BUT HE SAID I NEED A
LESSON FROM TED, OUR ARTIST.
HE JUST FINISHED TRACING THE
ARTWORK ON THE VIETNAM HELMET,
SO I'M GONNA TRY AND GRAB
HIM BEFORE HE TAKES OFF.
HEY, TED, HOW'S IT GOING?
- HEY, TYLER.
- MY DAD SAID YOU COULD
TEACH ME ALL ABOUT THIS.
HOW MUCH TIME YOU GOT?
- NOT ENOUGH.
- OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE CAN
USE THIS TO PRACTICE ON.
- OKAY.
- SO LET'S DO SOMETHING
TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
SCOTCH TAPE, I'VE FOUND, WORKS
BETTER THAN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.
GIVES YOU A NICE
RAZOR-SHARP EDGE,
AND IT'S... IT'S THE
LEAST INTRUSIVE
AS FAR AS AFFECTING
HOW YOUR BRUSH
IS GONNA BE MOVING OVER
WHATEVER YOU'RE PAINTING.
WE WANT TO LOAD
THE BRUSH WITH PAINT.
YOU DON'T WANT IT DRIPPING,
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S
GONNA MAKE A MESS.
AND YOU GET YOUR BRUSH
RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT IT,
AND THEN I'M GONNA
WORK IT RIGHT UP THERE
ON THE EDGE OF THE TAPE.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO
LOOK AT WHERE YOU'RE AT.
YOU WANT TO LOOK
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE
SO YOU CAN PLAN ON
MOVING THE BRUSH,
AND IT'LL HELP SMOOTH
THINGS OUT FOR YOU AS WELL.
YOU READY?
- SURE.
THIS ACTUALLY DOESN'T
LOOK THAT HARD.
YOU DRAW A LINE AND
MAKE IT STRAIGHT... DONE.
- YOU HOLD THE CUP IN YOUR HAND
AND THEN USE YOUR WRIST
AND KIND OF LEAVE YOUR FINGERS
HOLDING THE BRUSH THE SAME WAY.
HEY, NOT BAD.
WHEW, IT'S SO INTENSE.
THAT WAS SO CROOKED.
ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT
DO YOU THINK, TED?
- UH... YOU'LL BE
READY... ABOUT THE TIME
I'M READY TO RETIRE,
IT'LL BE YOUR TURN.
- SWEET.
- EARLIER, WE GOT
A GUNNER'S HELMET
FROM VIETNAM INTO THE SHOP.
WITH THE BODYWORK
ALL FINISHED UP,
I GOT TO GET THIS THING PAINTED
STANDARD-ISSUE ARMY GREEN.
THEN TED, WHO'S BEEN AROUND
THE SHOP MOST OF THE DAY,
IS GONNA RE-CREATE
ALL THE FORMER WRITING
THAT THE SOLDIERS IN
VIETNAM PUT ON THIS HELMET.
THIS THING IS SO COOL, AND
THE ARTWORK ON THE HELMET
IS REALLY GONNA TELL THE
STORY OF THE LIFE THIS ONCE SAW.
- VINCENT VAN GOGH
COULDN'T LETTER LIKE ME.
HUH, HANUKKAH?
MY DAD AND UNCLE RON DON'T
THINK I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES
TO DO THE LETTERING
ON THE COKE MACHINE.
I THINK THEY'LL BE PLEASANTLY
SURPRISED WITH MY PROGRESS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? YEAH,
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
- WE JUST GOT THE REST OF THE
PARTS FOR THE VIETNAM HELMET.
THE COST OF THESE PARTS
ARE REALLY STARTING TO ADD UP.
SO BEFORE WE START
PIECING THIS TOGETHER,
I'M GONNA HAVE TO CALL THE
CUSTOMER AND MAKE SURE
HE'S OKAY WITH THE RISING
COST OF THIS RESTORATION.
THIS IS DAVID.
- HI, DAVID, THIS IS RICK
WITH RICK'S RESTORATIONS.
HOW ARE YOU?
- GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?
- GOOD, GOOD. I FOUND
THE MASK FOR THE HELMET.
AND I CAN'T BELIEVE
I ACTUALLY DID.
AND THEN I ALSO
FOUND TWO SHIELDS.
- OKAY, GREAT.
- AND THE ONLY PROBLEM IS,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PRICE
IS GONNA BE ON ALL THESE PARTS,
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S
GONNA BE JUST ABOUT AS MUCH
AS THE FULL RESTORATION.
ARE YOU UP FOR THAT?
- WOW, THAT'S PRICEY.
UM...
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO
WITH IT. THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
- OKAY, AWESOME, AWESOME. GREAT.
I THINK YOU'LL LOVE IT.
- GREAT.
I'M EXPECTING GREATNESS.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT.
- ALL RIGHT.
THANKS A LOT, DAVID.
APPRECIATE IT.
- THANKS, RICK.
- OKAY, BYE-BYE.
- BYE-BYE.
- NOW THAT WE GOT
THE GREEN LIGHT,
I'M GONNA HAVE KYLE AND KOWBOY
BUTTON UP THIS RESTORATION.
- THAT LOOKS PRETTY COOL, HUH?
- SNAP, CRACKLE, POP.
- THE CUSTOMER TRUSTED US WITH
THIS AWESOME VIETNAM HELMET.
WE REALLY GOT TO RESTORE
THE LEGACY OF HIS GRANDFATHER.
I JUST HOPE HE'S AS
AMAZED WITH IT AS I WAS
WHEN HE DROPPED IT
OFF A FEW WEEKS AGO.
HOW YOU DOING?
- GOOD. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- I CAME DOWN TO
RICK'S TODAY TO PICK UP
MY VIETNAM-ERA
HELICOPTER FLIGHT HELMET.
- SO YOU READY
TO SEE THIS THING?
- I'M READY.
- OH, MAN.
- I'M EXCITED.
- YEAH, I'M PRETTY EXCITED.
THIS THING CAME OUT AWESOME.
- IT WAS A TREASURE
WHEN I WAS A KID, AS A TOY,
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE
IT RETURNED TO ITS GLORY.
- WELL, YOU DON'T
NEED TO WAIT ANYMORE.
TODAY'S THE DAY, ALL RIGHT?
- GREAT.
- HEY, KELLY! I NEED YOU
TO BRING THE HELMET!
- WOW. WOW.
OH, THAT CAME OUT PHENOMENAL.
WOW, THAT IS SO COOL-LOOKING.
I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS,
KNOWING THAT RICK
HADN'T REALLY DONE
SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE,
BUT, BOY, AM I HAPPY.
I MEAN, HE JUST DID
A PHENOMENAL JOB.
IT LOOKS BETTER THAN I
THOUGHT IT WOULD LOOK.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- COOL. THANKS, DAVID.
- I THINK IT LOOKS
PHENOMENAL. IT LOOKS GREAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S
READY FOR ACTION TODAY.
FEELS SO MUCH MORE
SOLID THAN IT FELT BEFORE.
- THE PADS WERE GONE,
THE EARS WERE GONE,
AND A LOT OF THE
COMMS WERE GONE,
AND, OF COURSE,
THE MASK WAS GONE.
SO WE FOUND SOME ORIGINAL PARTS.
EVERYTHING IN THERE'S
ORIGINAL. THERE'S NOTHING MADE.
SO WE REDID ALL
THAT INSIDE THERE.
YOU KNOW, THE
OXYGEN UNIT'S ALL THERE.
- THAT LOOKS GREAT, THOUGH.
- YEAH, YEAH.
- 'CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE
THAT PIECE BEFORE.
- THE VISORS WERE PROBABLY
THE TOUGHEST PART FOR ME TO GET.
ONE OPERATES THE
CLEARS, OF COURSE.
AND THEN YOU CAN LOCK 'EM DOWN.
- RIGHT.
- AND THEN THE OTHER
OPERATES THE TINTED.
- WOW.
- THE FUN PART WAS
PAINTING IT, YOU KNOW.
- NO, I LOVE THE WAY YOU
RE-CREATED THE WRITING
THAT WAS ON THERE FROM THE ERA.
THAT IS SO COOL.
- IF YOU REMEMBER, IT
WAS REALLY, REALLY FADED.
I MEAN, SOME OF THIS STUFF,
I COULDN'T EVEN
TELL WHAT IT WAS.
SO TED TRACED IT
ALL AND MATCHED IT,
PUT IT IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT.
- YOU FOUND THE RIGHT
EMBLEM TO PUT ON THE FRONT.
THAT'S GREAT.
THAT'S ACTUALLY MY
GRANDFATHER'S SQUADRON IN VIETNAM.
I'M GLAD HE WAS
ABLE TO RE-CREATE
ALL THE STENCILING
AND THE ARTWORK.
IT HAS THE CHARACTER
THAT IT CERTAINLY HAD
WHEN MY GRANDFATHER
WORE IT IN VIETNAM.
NOW DOWN TO THE BUSINESS.
HOW MUCH IS THIS
GONNA SET ME BACK?
- YEAH, WELL, I
QUOTED $750 TO $900.
AND PLUS THE PARTS, AS
FAR AS WHERE WE'RE AT
ON THE RESTORATION
COSTS WITHOUT THE PARTS,
UM... I'M RIGHT AT 900 BUCKS.
OKAY?
- OKAY, FANTASTIC.
- THE THING IS,
IS ALL THE PARTS,
THEY WERE ACTUALLY $900 ALSO.
SO THE TOTAL
RESTORATION'S $1,800.
- OOH, OKAY.
- YEAH, YEAH.
THOSE ARE EXPENSIVE PARTS.
- WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
WORTH EVERY PENNY.
- I'M GLAD YOU LIKE IT. I WAS
STARTING TO SWEAT THERE.
- YOU GUYS DID A PHENOMENAL
JOB, SO I'M AS HAPPY AS CAN BE.
- ALL RIGHT, AWESOME.
ME TOO, THEN.
THAT'S GOOD.
- THIS IS GONNA BE A SURPRISE
GIFT TO MY GRANDFATHER.
I THINK HE'S GONNA BE
ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY.
I THINK IT'LL PUT A
SMILE ON HIS FACE.
- WHAT YOU DOING?
- LETTERING.
- I'VE BEEN PRACTICING
MY LETTERING
SO I CAN PAINT THE
VENDORLATOR COKE MACHINE.
I'M TOTALLY
STARTING TO GET THIS,
SO I KNOW I'LL BE GOOD WHEN
IT'S TIME FOR PINSTRIPING.
- WHAT YOU DOING?
- LETTERING.
- MY BOY IS REALLY TRYING
HARD ON THIS LETTERING THING.
I ALMOST FEEL BAD, BECAUSE
I NEVER REALLY PLANNED
ON USING HIM ON THIS THING.
BUT MAYBE HE'LL LEARN TO LISTEN.
AND A LITTLE PRACTICE
NEVER HURT ANYONE.
TED'S GONNA BE DOING THAT.
- WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
- HE'S ACTUALLY GONNA
PUT A DECAL ON IT.
I MEAN, DIDN'T YOU
HEAR THE CONVERSATION
WE HAD WITH THE CUSTOMER?
- SO THEN THERE'S NO LETTERING.
- UH-UH.
- SO THEN WHAT... WHAT
AM I DOING THIS FOR?
- YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION
WHEN THE CUSTOMER'S TALKING,
AND, SON, I LOVE YOU, BUT
YOUR LETTERING SUCKS.
IT REALLY SUCKS.
- THANKS. I TRY.
- STICK 'EM. THEY'RE
LINED UP PERFECT.
- ALL THE PIECES FOR THE
COKE MACHINE ARE READY.
NOW ALL WE GOT TO
DO IS PUT IT TOGETHER.
WHEN WE GOT IT,
THE BASE WAS INTACT,
BUT THE INTERIOR WAS GUTTED.
WE MINED THE
BONEYARD, AND LUCKILY
WE GOT WHAT WE NEEDED
TO FINISH THE PROJECT.
THAT LOOKS GOOD, TED, REAL GOOD.
- HEY, KEN.
- HEY, RICK.
- WHAT'S GOING ON?
- GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- I CAME TO RICK'S
RESTORATIONS TODAY TO PICK UP
MY 1949 VENDORLATOR
COKE MACHINE.
- IT'S OVER HERE. COME ON.
- I HOPE THAT RICK
WAS ABLE TO RESTORE IT
TO NEW CONDITION, BUT
IT WAS PRETTY ROUGH.
- I DON'T HAVE THE KEY TO
THIS. TYLER MUST HAVE IT.
TYLER!
- WHAT?
- YOU GOT THE KEY TO THE GARAGE?
- YEAH.
OH, MAN.
- THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.
THAT'S REALLY NICE.
THIS IS... I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS
GONNA TURN OUT THIS NICE.
WHEN I FIRST SAW
THE COKE MACHINE,
IT TOOK ME BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD,
AND I WAS THINKING OF AN
ICE-COLD COKE RIGHT THEN.
WOW.
DID A LOT OF BODYWORK.
WE GOT THAT THING
JUST SMOOTH AS GLASS.
THE PAINT JOB LAID ON IT...
I MEAN, IT TURNED OUT
REALLY, REALLY NICE.
WE WERE MISSING
THIS DOOR RIGHT HERE,
SO WE FOUND YOU A DOOR.
WE POLISHED THIS
OUT... IF YOU REMEMBER,
IT WAS ALL OXIDIZED
AND EVERYTHING.
SAME WITH THE HANDLE.
- IT'S GOT A MIRROR FINISH.
I MEAN, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I WAS KIND OF WORRIED ABOUT
PUTTING THE STICKER ON THERE
RATHER THAN PAINTING IT...
- RIGHT.
- AND IT LOOKS AS
GOOD AS THE ORIGINAL.
- YOU READY TO SEE THE INSIDE?
- YES, I SURE WANT
TO SEE THE INSIDE.
OH-H, IT'S EVEN GOT THE
COKES IN IT, ALL RIGHT.
- THIS WAS A PRETTY CRAZY
MECHANISM IN HOW IT WORKED.
THIS DRUM IS PUT IN
THERE WITH FOUR WHEELS,
AND THEN WHEN YOU CRANK
THE HANDLE OUT FRONT,
THIS WOULD TURN,
AND IT BRINGS THIS ONE
TO DROP THIS BOTTLE OUT.
YOU WOULD HAVE EXTRA BOTTLES.
YOU CAN JUST PUT 'EM IN HERE.
YOU GOT A NICKEL?
- RIGHT THERE.
- A NICE COLD SODA RIGHT
NOW WOULD BE NICE, HUH?
- OH, YEAH.
ALL RIGHT.
- POP HER OPEN.
- THAT'S HOW I REMEMBER IT.
- YEAH?
- THIS IS... YOU HIT IT...
THE NAIL RIGHT ON
THE HEAD ON THIS.
THIS IS IT.
- LITTLE COKE AND A SMILE, HUH?
- OH, YEAH.
I KNOW MY MOM IS GONNA
BE MORE EXCITED THAN ME
WHEN I SHOW IT TO HER.
HAVING THIS IN MY
FAMILY... MY GRANDKIDS...
I CAN SEE THEM PUTTING
A NICKEL IN THERE
AND GETTING A COKE
OUT FOR YEARS TO COME.
- CHEERS.
- CHEERS, GUYS.
- WHOO.
- AAAHHH.
COME ON, LET'S
GO INTO THE OFFICE.
TYLER, YOU STILL
GOT TO MOVE THAT
AND GET THAT THING LOADED, MAN.
WE GOT TO LOAD.
- WHAT AM I SUPPOSED
TO DO WITH IT?
- YOU GOT TO WRAP
IT AND GET IT READY.
- CAN'T BRETTLY DO THIS?
WHO DO THEY THINK THEY
ARE, TELLING ME I CAN'T DO THIS?
- UGH.
- I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'M AWESOME.
- NOT SWEET.
- I THINK THEY SHOULD
MAKE THIS THE NEW LOGO.
MAN, HE'S GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO.
---
- UP NEXT ON AMERICAN
RESTORATION...
- CAME DOWN TO SEE
IF RICK CAN RESTORE
MY HELICOPTER FLIGHT HELMET.
- THIS THING IS COOL.
- IT WAS ACTUALLY USED IN
VIETNAM BY MY GRANDFATHER.
HE HAD FOUGHT IN WORLD
WAR II, VIETNAM, AND KOREA.
IN FACT, HE WITNESSED THE
RAISING OF THE FLAG AT IWO JIMA.
- OH, MY GOD.
- I CAME DOWN TO RICK'S
RESTORATION TODAY
TO GET MY COKE MACHINE RESTORED.
IT HASN'T BEEN PLUGGED
IN FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
- I WANT TO LOOK INSIDE.
- I DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S LIVING IN THERE,
BUT YOU BE MY GUEST.
- OH, MY GOD.
- WELL, I DON'T WANT
TO PAINT THE MACHINE.
I WANT TO PAINT THE LETTERS.
- THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE
GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
- I CAN DO IT.
- REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY
WHEN THINGS WERE MADE BY HAND
AND PEOPLE TOOK
PRIDE IN THEIR WORK?
MY NAME'S RICK DALE,
AND I BRING THESE
THINGS BACK TO LIFE.
EVERY RESTORATION HAS
ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES.
THERE'S NO OWNER'S
MANUAL FOR WHAT WE DO,
BUT THERE'S NO JOB
WE CAN'T HANDLE.
- YOU MUST BE RICK.
- I AM RICK.
- I'M DAVID. NICE TO MEET YOU.
- GOOD TO MEET YOU, DAVID.
- I GOT SOMETHING I THINK
YOU'LL FIND INTERESTING.
- LET'S SEE.
OH, MAN. THAT IS AWESOME.
CAN I PUT THIS ON?
- YEAH, OF COURSE.
- THIS THING IS COOL.
- CAME DOWN TO RICK'S
RESTORATIONS TODAY
TO SEE IF RICK CAN RESTORE
MY HELICOPTER FLIGHT HELMET
THAT MY GRANDFATHER USED
DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
IT WAS ACTUALLY USED IN
VIETNAM BY MY GRANDFATHER.
HE WAS IN THE UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS.
HE WAS A DOOR GUNNER
IN HUEYS AND COBRAS.
HE ACTUALLY FOUGHT
IN WORLD WAR II,
VIETNAM, AND KOREA.
IN FACT, HE WITNESSED THE
RAISING OF THE FLAG AT IWO JIMA.
- OH, MY GOD. MAN,
HE'S BEEN AROUND.
- YEAH, HE'S... HE'S AN
AMERICAN HERO FOR SURE.
- AN AMERICAN
HERO, THAT'S RIGHT.
- HE'S DEFINITELY MY HERO.
- THAT'S AWESOME.
THIS THING IS AMAZING.
NOT ONLY WAS IT USED IN
COMBAT DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
IT WAS WORN BY A
TRUE AMERICAN HERO.
I'M GETTIN' GOOSE BUMPS ALREADY.
SO YOUR GRANDFATHER
GAVE THIS TO YOU.
IS HE STILL ALIVE?
- YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. HE'S 86.
I BROUGHT PHOTOS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE
OF MY GRANDFATHER IN 1969.
LOOKS LIKE A TOUGH GUY.
- AND THEN THIS IS
ACTUALLY A SHOT OF HIM
IN THE GUNNER
POSITION ON THE COBRA.
- COBRA, YEAH.
- IN 1969, THEIR UNIT CHANGED
FROM HUEYS TO COBRAS.
- I GUARANTEE A LOT OF CRAZY
STUFF WENT ON OVER THERE.
- OH, YEAH, IF THIS HELMET
COULD TALK, I'M SURE...
- THAT'S RIGHT.
- I ASKED HIM WHAT
THE ORIGINATIONS
OF THE LETTERING WAS,
AND HE SAID ONLY THE PILOTS
FLEW WITH THE SAME
HELMET EVERY SINGLE TIME.
- RIGHT.
- BUT THE DOOR GUNNERS,
THEY'D, YOU KNOW,
GRAB WHATEVER
HELMET WAS PREVALENT.
AND THIS IS JUST THE LAST
ONE HE ENDED UP WITH.
SO THIS COLLECTION OF STUFF
CAME FROM GUYS IN HIS UNIT.
- OH, YEAH, BUT DIFFERENT GUYS.
- BUT DIFFERENT GUYS.
HE SAID, "NO, US ENLISTED GUYS,
WE TOOK WHAT WAS AVAILABLE."
- RIGHT, RIGHT. WOW.
- IF YOU NOTICE, ONE OF THE
THINGS IT SAYS ON THE HELMET,
IT SAYS, "FLOWER POWER."
- YEAH, YEAH,
YEAH. TOTALLY '60s.
- DEFINITELY A SIGN
OF THE TIMES, RIGHT?
- SO WHAT ARE YOU
SEEING ME DO TO THIS?
- I'D LIKE TO BRING IT BACK
TO ITS FORMER GLORY,
AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE IT
BACK TO MY GRANDFATHER.
- OKAY.
- PUT A SMILE ON HIS FACE.
I'D LIKE TO RESTORE THE
LETTERING AND STUFF ON IT,
INCORPORATE THE
DECALS THAT ARE ON IT,
MAYBE IN PAINT OR HOWEVER.
THEN I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO ADD
THE SQUADRON EMBLEM, SCARFACE.
- SCARFACE, THAT'S COOL.
- YEAH, THE HMLA 367.
STANDS FOR "MARINE
LIGHT ATTACK HELICOPTER."
- THIS IS SUCH AN HONOR
TO GET MY HANDS ON
THIS HELMET TO RESTORE IT.
BUT THIS THING'S IN
REAL ROUGH SHAPE,
AND AS ALWAYS, IT'S
GOT TO BE DONE PERFECT.
BECAUSE IT'S NOTHING
I'VE EVER DONE,
I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE DO IT RIGHT.
IT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE A COUPLE HOURS
TEARING IT APART.
IT'LL PROBABLY
HAVE THE BODYWORK,
BUT IT'LL JUST BE SANDED.
WE'LL FIX ALL THE
CHIPS, STUFF LIKE THAT,
MAKE IT SMOOTH AGAIN,
PAINT IT THE GREEN,
AND THEN WE'LL PAINT THAT
ALL ON THERE, JUST LIKE THAT,
IN THAT SAME STYLE,
POLISH ALL THESE OUT.
- SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
FOR THE OVERALL
PRICE OF THE PROJECT?
- YOU'RE LOOKING BETWEEN, AH,
RIGHT AROUND 800,
900 BUCKS, PLUS PARTS.
- YEAH, HONESTLY,
FOR ME, I MEAN,
THE PRICE IS NOT AN ISSUE.
IT HAS A GREAT
SENTIMENTAL VALUE.
I'M REALLY LOOKING
FORWARD TO PRESENTING IT
TO MY GRANDFATHER...
GIVING IT TO HIM.
- YEAH, THIS IS
GONNA BE FUN DOING.
- I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S
WORTH, BUT, YOU KNOW,
IN SENTIMENTAL VALUE,
IT'S PRICELESS TO ME.
SO, QUITE HONESTLY, I
DON'T CARE WHAT IT COSTS.
I WANT TO GET IT RESTORED.
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED
TO GET IT RESTORED.
AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO SEEING THE FINISHED PRODUCT.
- THIS THING'S PRETTY
COOL, KOWBOY.
I'M READY TO TOP GUN IT, BUDDY.
- WE JUST GOT IN THIS
VIETNAM GUNNER'S HELMET,
AND NOW ME AND KYLE
ARE GONNA TEAR IT APART.
YOU GOT PICTURES?
- YES, SIR.
- GOT SOMETHING TO PUT THESE
LITTLE SCREWS IN, LIKE A BAGGIE?
- YES, SIR.
I'M GONNA "YES, SIR" YOUR
ASS RIGHT OUT THE DOOR.
- I GOT A CALL FROM A CUSTOMER
THAT HAS A COKE MACHINE
THAT HE'D LIKE TO GET RESTORED.
I KNOW A LOT ABOUT ALL SORTS
OF VINTAGE VENDING MACHINES,
BUT COKE MACHINES
HAPPEN TO BE MY SPECIALTY.
- BROUGHT YOU THIS
OLD COKE MACHINE TODAY
TO SEE IF YOU GUYS
CAN DO ANYTHING WITH IT.
IT'S PRETTY BEAT-UP.
- OH, MAN.
- I CAME DOWN TO RICK'S
RESTORATION TODAY
TO GET MY 1949 VENDORLATOR
COKE MACHINE RESTORED.
IT HASN'T BEEN PLUGGED
IN FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
IT'S IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE.
- THIS IS A GEM. THIS
IS A GREAT COOLER.
WHERE THE HELL
DID YOU FIND THIS?
- FAMILY BOUGHT
IT AT A YARD SALE
BACK IN THE EARLY '70s.
MY MOM'S GOT AN
ATTACHMENT TO IT.
IT'S JUST SITTING OUT
THERE IN THE GARAGE,
SO I DECIDED TO DO
SOMETHING FOR HER
AND GET IT FIXED UP AND
SURPRISE HER WITH IT.
- AWESOME.
SO THIS MANUFACTURER
WAS CALLED VENDORLATOR.
AND THIS MACHINE
WAS CALLED A MODEL 27.
THE REASON WHY
THEY CALLED IT A 27 WAS,
THAT'S HOW MANY BOTTLES IT HELD.
THIS MACHINE IS EXTREMELY
RARE... VERY, VERY RARE.
ISN'T IT, TYLER?
- YEAH... RARE... IT'S... IT'S RARE.
- ONE OF THE REASONS
IS THAT IT'S SO SMALL.
IT'S THE LITTLEST COKE
MACHINE THEY EVER MADE.
IT SAT ON TOP OF A
BAR IN A RESTAURANT
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE BASE IS ON THE BOTTOM
BECAUSE IT WAS CAPABLE
OF BEING PUT OUT IN FRONT OF
A STORE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I KNOW COKE MACHINES, AND THIS
LITTLE ONE IS VERY HARD TO FIND,
ESPECIALLY WITH A BASE.
LET ME HEAR YOUR IDEAS
OF HOW YOU WANT IT.
- I'D LIKE TO PUT IT BACK
AS ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE.
- OKAY.
WE'LL DO THE LETTERING THE
SAME WAY THAT THEY DID IT.
THE VENDORLATOR COMPANY
NEVER RAISED THEIR LETTERS.
THEY WOULD SILK-SCREEN
ON THERE JUST "COCA-COLA,"
SO WE END UP USING A VINYL
MATERIAL OVER TOP OF THIS
TO GIVE IT THE EXACT SAME
LOOK THAT IT USED TO HAVE.
- SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA PAINT IT,
BUT IT WILL LOOK
LIKE IT DID BEFORE?
- EXACTLY LIKE IT USED TO.
- OKAY.
- EXACTLY LIKE IT USED TO.
HAND-PAINTING IT ON
THERE... TO GET SOMEBODY
TO HIT THAT THING
RIGHT ON THE HEAD...
IT'S GONNA LEAVE BRUSH
MARKS. IT DOESN'T LOOK AS GOOD.
SO THAT'S... THAT'S
THE WAY WE DO 'EM
AND THAT'S... IT LOOKS THE BEST.
I'VE TRIED EVERY SINGLE WAY.
- AS LONG AS IT LOOKS ORIGINAL.
THAT'S... THAT'S WHAT I'M
LOOKING FOR IS ORIGINAL.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S
SOME PARTS MISSING ON IT
AND IT'S IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE.
WHAT'S IT GONNA COST?
- TEARING IT DOWN, BLASTING
IT, DO THE BODYWORK, PAINTING,
AND THEN ASSEMBLING IT...
PROBABLY A TOTAL OF $5,800.
- WHOA, WHAT'S IT
GONNA... I MEAN, THAT'S A...
I'M ALMOST TEMPTED TO
GO BUY HER A CAN OF COKE.
WHAT'S... WHAT WOULD THIS BE
WORTH WHEN IT WAS FINISHED?
- PROBABLY RIGHT AROUND $7,800.
THAT'S WHAT I'D SELL ONE FOR.
- WELL, IT'S FOR MY MOM,
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S
GONNA MAKE HER HAPPY, I...
- GOOD GUY.
- YEAH, LET'S GO
AHEAD AND DO IT.
- ALL RIGHT, AWESOME, AWESOME.
TYLER'S GONNA
PUT THAT IN THE LINE,
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE
CARE OF SOME PAPERWORK.
- THE $5,800'S A LOT OF MONEY.
I'M HOPING THAT
RICK COMES THROUGH
AND MAKES THIS THING VERY
NICE SO I CAN GIVE IT TO MY MOTHER.
- I'M NOT JUST GONNA LET YOU
- TYLER, HOW WE GONNA
TEAR THIS THING APART?
- I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S ALREADY BENT.
- EARLIER, WE GOT IN A LATE-'40s
VENDORLATOR COKE MACHINE
FROM A CUSTOMER.
I GOT BRETTLY AND TYLER
TEARING THIS THING DOWN
SO WE CAN GET TO
BRINGING IT BACK TO LIFE.
- THERE'S NO RAISED
LETTERING ON THIS MACHINE.
- NO, IT'S JUST HAND-PAINTED
ON A FLAT SURFACE.
I BET I COULD DO IT.
IT'S NOT THAT HARD.
- REALLY?
- A LOT OF COKE MACHINES
HAVE RAISED LETTERS,
WHICH ARE EASIER TO
PAINT THAN A FLAT SURFACE.
BUT THIS COKE MACHINE
DOESN'T HAVE RAISED LETTERS,
SO IT MIGHT BE A SLIGHTLY
TRICKIER PAINT JOB,
BUT I KNOW I CAN DO IT.
IT'S JUST WHITE PAINT ON RED.
CAN'T BE THAT HARD, YOU KNOW?
I'M GONNA GO ASK MY DAD
ABOUT LETTERING THIS THING.
HEY, DAD, DAD.
- YEAH?
- I JUST FINISHED TEARING DOWN
THE VENDORLATOR WITH BRETTLY,
AND I WAS WANTING TO
KNOW IF I COULD PAINT IT.
- YEAH, BUT I DON'T
THINK IT'S READY YET.
- WELL, I DON'T WANT
TO PAINT THE MACHINE.
I WANT TO PAINT
THE LETTERS, LIKE...
THE "COKE."
- YOU WANT TO DO
THE LETTERING ON IT?
YOU'RE JUST GONNA JUMP IN
AND THINK YOU'RE GONNA DO IT?
- MY DAD'S ALWAYS BUGGING ME
ABOUT TAKING OVER
THE BUSINESS ONE DAY
AND HOW I NEED TO KNOW
HOW TO DO EVERYTHING.
SO I FIGURED SINCE I'M
KIND OF A STUD AT PAINTING,
I'D GIVE LETTERING THE
COKE MACHINE A TRY.
IF THE LETTERING ON THE
COKE MACHINE WAS RAISED,
I'D HAVE TED DO THE
JOB, BUT IT'S FLAT.
SO AS I DISCUSSED
WITH THE CUSTOMER,
WE'RE GONNA USE A VINYL DECAL.
I GUESS TYLER WASN'T
PAYING ATTENTION.
- IT'S NOT... IT
CAN'T BE THAT HARD.
IT'S NOT... I KNOW I CAN DO IT.
- HONESTLY, I SHOULD JUST
TELL TYLER THERE'S NO WAY
HE'S TOUCHING THIS
THING WITH A PAINTBRUSH.
BUT IF TYLER WANTS TO
SPEND TIME ON A NEW SKILL,
I'M NOT GONNA STOP HIM.
YOU KNOW WHAT? TED
WILL BE IN LATER TODAY.
- OKAY.
- AND I F HE'S WILLING
TO GIVE YOU A LESSON
TO TRY TO GET YOU TO...
YOU KNOW, TO FIGURE IT OUT...
I'M NOT JUST GONNA LET YOU
LETTER ON ONE OF MY
CUSTOMERS' MACHINES.
YOU GOT TO REALLY,
REALLY PRACTICE HARD.
AND THEN I NEED TO SEE IT
BEFORE YOU START
SCRIBBLING ON SOMETHING.
- ALL RIGHT.
- ALL RIGHT?
- HAVE FAITH.
- YOU REALLY GONNA
LET HIM DO THAT?
- NO, HE... NO, NO, NO.
HE... YOU KNOW, HE WAS THERE
WHEN THE CUSTOMER
DROPPED OFF THE MACHINE.
THE MACHINE IS A FLAT MACHINE.
IT'S NOT RAISED LETTERING.
I TOLD THE CUSTOMER THAT
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT
THE VINYL LETTER ON THERE,
AND HE JUST DOESN'T LISTEN EVER.
SO HE...
- SO HE THINKS HE'S GONNA DO IT?
HE'S GONNA BE PISSED.
- YEAH, BUT HE NEEDS
TO LEARN A LESSON.
EARLIER, WE GOT
A GUNNER'S HELMET
FROM VIETNAM INTO THE SHOP.
I'M HAVING TED
TRACE THE LETTERING,
WHICH LATER WE'LL RE-CREATE.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE AN
IDEA OF ALL THE ORIGINAL ART,
KOWBOY WILL BE ABLE TO STRIP OFF
ALL THE ORIGINAL PAINT
IN THE BEAD BLASTER.
- SWEET.
- EARLIER, AFTER I TORE
DOWN THE COKE MACHINE,
I ASKED MY DAD
ABOUT LETTERING IT.
I KNOW I CAN JUST WING IT,
BUT HE SAID I NEED A
LESSON FROM TED, OUR ARTIST.
HE JUST FINISHED TRACING THE
ARTWORK ON THE VIETNAM HELMET,
SO I'M GONNA TRY AND GRAB
HIM BEFORE HE TAKES OFF.
HEY, TED, HOW'S IT GOING?
- HEY, TYLER.
- MY DAD SAID YOU COULD
TEACH ME ALL ABOUT THIS.
HOW MUCH TIME YOU GOT?
- NOT ENOUGH.
- OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE CAN
USE THIS TO PRACTICE ON.
- OKAY.
- SO LET'S DO SOMETHING
TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
SCOTCH TAPE, I'VE FOUND, WORKS
BETTER THAN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.
GIVES YOU A NICE
RAZOR-SHARP EDGE,
AND IT'S... IT'S THE
LEAST INTRUSIVE
AS FAR AS AFFECTING
HOW YOUR BRUSH
IS GONNA BE MOVING OVER
WHATEVER YOU'RE PAINTING.
WE WANT TO LOAD
THE BRUSH WITH PAINT.
YOU DON'T WANT IT DRIPPING,
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S
GONNA MAKE A MESS.
AND YOU GET YOUR BRUSH
RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT IT,
AND THEN I'M GONNA
WORK IT RIGHT UP THERE
ON THE EDGE OF THE TAPE.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO
LOOK AT WHERE YOU'RE AT.
YOU WANT TO LOOK
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE
SO YOU CAN PLAN ON
MOVING THE BRUSH,
AND IT'LL HELP SMOOTH
THINGS OUT FOR YOU AS WELL.
YOU READY?
- SURE.
THIS ACTUALLY DOESN'T
LOOK THAT HARD.
YOU DRAW A LINE AND
MAKE IT STRAIGHT... DONE.
- YOU HOLD THE CUP IN YOUR HAND
AND THEN USE YOUR WRIST
AND KIND OF LEAVE YOUR FINGERS
HOLDING THE BRUSH THE SAME WAY.
HEY, NOT BAD.
WHEW, IT'S SO INTENSE.
THAT WAS SO CROOKED.
ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT
DO YOU THINK, TED?
- UH... YOU'LL BE
READY... ABOUT THE TIME
I'M READY TO RETIRE,
IT'LL BE YOUR TURN.
- SWEET.
- EARLIER, WE GOT
A GUNNER'S HELMET
FROM VIETNAM INTO THE SHOP.
WITH THE BODYWORK
ALL FINISHED UP,
I GOT TO GET THIS THING PAINTED
STANDARD-ISSUE ARMY GREEN.
THEN TED, WHO'S BEEN AROUND
THE SHOP MOST OF THE DAY,
IS GONNA RE-CREATE
ALL THE FORMER WRITING
THAT THE SOLDIERS IN
VIETNAM PUT ON THIS HELMET.
THIS THING IS SO COOL, AND
THE ARTWORK ON THE HELMET
IS REALLY GONNA TELL THE
STORY OF THE LIFE THIS ONCE SAW.
- VINCENT VAN GOGH
COULDN'T LETTER LIKE ME.
HUH, HANUKKAH?
MY DAD AND UNCLE RON DON'T
THINK I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES
TO DO THE LETTERING
ON THE COKE MACHINE.
I THINK THEY'LL BE PLEASANTLY
SURPRISED WITH MY PROGRESS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? YEAH,
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
- WE JUST GOT THE REST OF THE
PARTS FOR THE VIETNAM HELMET.
THE COST OF THESE PARTS
ARE REALLY STARTING TO ADD UP.
SO BEFORE WE START
PIECING THIS TOGETHER,
I'M GONNA HAVE TO CALL THE
CUSTOMER AND MAKE SURE
HE'S OKAY WITH THE RISING
COST OF THIS RESTORATION.
THIS IS DAVID.
- HI, DAVID, THIS IS RICK
WITH RICK'S RESTORATIONS.
HOW ARE YOU?
- GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?
- GOOD, GOOD. I FOUND
THE MASK FOR THE HELMET.
AND I CAN'T BELIEVE
I ACTUALLY DID.
AND THEN I ALSO
FOUND TWO SHIELDS.
- OKAY, GREAT.
- AND THE ONLY PROBLEM IS,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PRICE
IS GONNA BE ON ALL THESE PARTS,
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S
GONNA BE JUST ABOUT AS MUCH
AS THE FULL RESTORATION.
ARE YOU UP FOR THAT?
- WOW, THAT'S PRICEY.
UM...
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO
WITH IT. THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
- OKAY, AWESOME, AWESOME. GREAT.
I THINK YOU'LL LOVE IT.
- GREAT.
I'M EXPECTING GREATNESS.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT.
- ALL RIGHT.
THANKS A LOT, DAVID.
APPRECIATE IT.
- THANKS, RICK.
- OKAY, BYE-BYE.
- BYE-BYE.
- NOW THAT WE GOT
THE GREEN LIGHT,
I'M GONNA HAVE KYLE AND KOWBOY
BUTTON UP THIS RESTORATION.
- THAT LOOKS PRETTY COOL, HUH?
- SNAP, CRACKLE, POP.
- THE CUSTOMER TRUSTED US WITH
THIS AWESOME VIETNAM HELMET.
WE REALLY GOT TO RESTORE
THE LEGACY OF HIS GRANDFATHER.
I JUST HOPE HE'S AS
AMAZED WITH IT AS I WAS
WHEN HE DROPPED IT
OFF A FEW WEEKS AGO.
HOW YOU DOING?
- GOOD. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- I CAME DOWN TO
RICK'S TODAY TO PICK UP
MY VIETNAM-ERA
HELICOPTER FLIGHT HELMET.
- SO YOU READY
TO SEE THIS THING?
- I'M READY.
- OH, MAN.
- I'M EXCITED.
- YEAH, I'M PRETTY EXCITED.
THIS THING CAME OUT AWESOME.
- IT WAS A TREASURE
WHEN I WAS A KID, AS A TOY,
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE
IT RETURNED TO ITS GLORY.
- WELL, YOU DON'T
NEED TO WAIT ANYMORE.
TODAY'S THE DAY, ALL RIGHT?
- GREAT.
- HEY, KELLY! I NEED YOU
TO BRING THE HELMET!
- WOW. WOW.
OH, THAT CAME OUT PHENOMENAL.
WOW, THAT IS SO COOL-LOOKING.
I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS,
KNOWING THAT RICK
HADN'T REALLY DONE
SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE,
BUT, BOY, AM I HAPPY.
I MEAN, HE JUST DID
A PHENOMENAL JOB.
IT LOOKS BETTER THAN I
THOUGHT IT WOULD LOOK.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- COOL. THANKS, DAVID.
- I THINK IT LOOKS
PHENOMENAL. IT LOOKS GREAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S
READY FOR ACTION TODAY.
FEELS SO MUCH MORE
SOLID THAN IT FELT BEFORE.
- THE PADS WERE GONE,
THE EARS WERE GONE,
AND A LOT OF THE
COMMS WERE GONE,
AND, OF COURSE,
THE MASK WAS GONE.
SO WE FOUND SOME ORIGINAL PARTS.
EVERYTHING IN THERE'S
ORIGINAL. THERE'S NOTHING MADE.
SO WE REDID ALL
THAT INSIDE THERE.
YOU KNOW, THE
OXYGEN UNIT'S ALL THERE.
- THAT LOOKS GREAT, THOUGH.
- YEAH, YEAH.
- 'CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE
THAT PIECE BEFORE.
- THE VISORS WERE PROBABLY
THE TOUGHEST PART FOR ME TO GET.
ONE OPERATES THE
CLEARS, OF COURSE.
AND THEN YOU CAN LOCK 'EM DOWN.
- RIGHT.
- AND THEN THE OTHER
OPERATES THE TINTED.
- WOW.
- THE FUN PART WAS
PAINTING IT, YOU KNOW.
- NO, I LOVE THE WAY YOU
RE-CREATED THE WRITING
THAT WAS ON THERE FROM THE ERA.
THAT IS SO COOL.
- IF YOU REMEMBER, IT
WAS REALLY, REALLY FADED.
I MEAN, SOME OF THIS STUFF,
I COULDN'T EVEN
TELL WHAT IT WAS.
SO TED TRACED IT
ALL AND MATCHED IT,
PUT IT IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT.
- YOU FOUND THE RIGHT
EMBLEM TO PUT ON THE FRONT.
THAT'S GREAT.
THAT'S ACTUALLY MY
GRANDFATHER'S SQUADRON IN VIETNAM.
I'M GLAD HE WAS
ABLE TO RE-CREATE
ALL THE STENCILING
AND THE ARTWORK.
IT HAS THE CHARACTER
THAT IT CERTAINLY HAD
WHEN MY GRANDFATHER
WORE IT IN VIETNAM.
NOW DOWN TO THE BUSINESS.
HOW MUCH IS THIS
GONNA SET ME BACK?
- YEAH, WELL, I
QUOTED $750 TO $900.
AND PLUS THE PARTS, AS
FAR AS WHERE WE'RE AT
ON THE RESTORATION
COSTS WITHOUT THE PARTS,
UM... I'M RIGHT AT 900 BUCKS.
OKAY?
- OKAY, FANTASTIC.
- THE THING IS,
IS ALL THE PARTS,
THEY WERE ACTUALLY $900 ALSO.
SO THE TOTAL
RESTORATION'S $1,800.
- OOH, OKAY.
- YEAH, YEAH.
THOSE ARE EXPENSIVE PARTS.
- WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
WORTH EVERY PENNY.
- I'M GLAD YOU LIKE IT. I WAS
STARTING TO SWEAT THERE.
- YOU GUYS DID A PHENOMENAL
JOB, SO I'M AS HAPPY AS CAN BE.
- ALL RIGHT, AWESOME.
ME TOO, THEN.
THAT'S GOOD.
- THIS IS GONNA BE A SURPRISE
GIFT TO MY GRANDFATHER.
I THINK HE'S GONNA BE
ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY.
I THINK IT'LL PUT A
SMILE ON HIS FACE.
- WHAT YOU DOING?
- LETTERING.
- I'VE BEEN PRACTICING
MY LETTERING
SO I CAN PAINT THE
VENDORLATOR COKE MACHINE.
I'M TOTALLY
STARTING TO GET THIS,
SO I KNOW I'LL BE GOOD WHEN
IT'S TIME FOR PINSTRIPING.
- WHAT YOU DOING?
- LETTERING.
- MY BOY IS REALLY TRYING
HARD ON THIS LETTERING THING.
I ALMOST FEEL BAD, BECAUSE
I NEVER REALLY PLANNED
ON USING HIM ON THIS THING.
BUT MAYBE HE'LL LEARN TO LISTEN.
AND A LITTLE PRACTICE
NEVER HURT ANYONE.
TED'S GONNA BE DOING THAT.
- WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
- HE'S ACTUALLY GONNA
PUT A DECAL ON IT.
I MEAN, DIDN'T YOU
HEAR THE CONVERSATION
WE HAD WITH THE CUSTOMER?
- SO THEN THERE'S NO LETTERING.
- UH-UH.
- SO THEN WHAT... WHAT
AM I DOING THIS FOR?
- YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION
WHEN THE CUSTOMER'S TALKING,
AND, SON, I LOVE YOU, BUT
YOUR LETTERING SUCKS.
IT REALLY SUCKS.
- THANKS. I TRY.
- STICK 'EM. THEY'RE
LINED UP PERFECT.
- ALL THE PIECES FOR THE
COKE MACHINE ARE READY.
NOW ALL WE GOT TO
DO IS PUT IT TOGETHER.
WHEN WE GOT IT,
THE BASE WAS INTACT,
BUT THE INTERIOR WAS GUTTED.
WE MINED THE
BONEYARD, AND LUCKILY
WE GOT WHAT WE NEEDED
TO FINISH THE PROJECT.
THAT LOOKS GOOD, TED, REAL GOOD.
- HEY, KEN.
- HEY, RICK.
- WHAT'S GOING ON?
- GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- I CAME TO RICK'S
RESTORATIONS TODAY TO PICK UP
MY 1949 VENDORLATOR
COKE MACHINE.
- IT'S OVER HERE. COME ON.
- I HOPE THAT RICK
WAS ABLE TO RESTORE IT
TO NEW CONDITION, BUT
IT WAS PRETTY ROUGH.
- I DON'T HAVE THE KEY TO
THIS. TYLER MUST HAVE IT.
TYLER!
- WHAT?
- YOU GOT THE KEY TO THE GARAGE?
- YEAH.
OH, MAN.
- THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.
THAT'S REALLY NICE.
THIS IS... I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS
GONNA TURN OUT THIS NICE.
WHEN I FIRST SAW
THE COKE MACHINE,
IT TOOK ME BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD,
AND I WAS THINKING OF AN
ICE-COLD COKE RIGHT THEN.
WOW.
DID A LOT OF BODYWORK.
WE GOT THAT THING
JUST SMOOTH AS GLASS.
THE PAINT JOB LAID ON IT...
I MEAN, IT TURNED OUT
REALLY, REALLY NICE.
WE WERE MISSING
THIS DOOR RIGHT HERE,
SO WE FOUND YOU A DOOR.
WE POLISHED THIS
OUT... IF YOU REMEMBER,
IT WAS ALL OXIDIZED
AND EVERYTHING.
SAME WITH THE HANDLE.
- IT'S GOT A MIRROR FINISH.
I MEAN, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I WAS KIND OF WORRIED ABOUT
PUTTING THE STICKER ON THERE
RATHER THAN PAINTING IT...
- RIGHT.
- AND IT LOOKS AS
GOOD AS THE ORIGINAL.
- YOU READY TO SEE THE INSIDE?
- YES, I SURE WANT
TO SEE THE INSIDE.
OH-H, IT'S EVEN GOT THE
COKES IN IT, ALL RIGHT.
- THIS WAS A PRETTY CRAZY
MECHANISM IN HOW IT WORKED.
THIS DRUM IS PUT IN
THERE WITH FOUR WHEELS,
AND THEN WHEN YOU CRANK
THE HANDLE OUT FRONT,
THIS WOULD TURN,
AND IT BRINGS THIS ONE
TO DROP THIS BOTTLE OUT.
YOU WOULD HAVE EXTRA BOTTLES.
YOU CAN JUST PUT 'EM IN HERE.
YOU GOT A NICKEL?
- RIGHT THERE.
- A NICE COLD SODA RIGHT
NOW WOULD BE NICE, HUH?
- OH, YEAH.
ALL RIGHT.
- POP HER OPEN.
- THAT'S HOW I REMEMBER IT.
- YEAH?
- THIS IS... YOU HIT IT...
THE NAIL RIGHT ON
THE HEAD ON THIS.
THIS IS IT.
- LITTLE COKE AND A SMILE, HUH?
- OH, YEAH.
I KNOW MY MOM IS GONNA
BE MORE EXCITED THAN ME
WHEN I SHOW IT TO HER.
HAVING THIS IN MY
FAMILY... MY GRANDKIDS...
I CAN SEE THEM PUTTING
A NICKEL IN THERE
AND GETTING A COKE
OUT FOR YEARS TO COME.
- CHEERS.
- CHEERS, GUYS.
- WHOO.
- AAAHHH.
COME ON, LET'S
GO INTO THE OFFICE.
TYLER, YOU STILL
GOT TO MOVE THAT
AND GET THAT THING LOADED, MAN.
WE GOT TO LOAD.
- WHAT AM I SUPPOSED
TO DO WITH IT?
- YOU GOT TO WRAP
IT AND GET IT READY.
- CAN'T BRETTLY DO THIS?
WHO DO THEY THINK THEY
ARE, TELLING ME I CAN'T DO THIS?
- UGH.
- I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'M AWESOME.
- NOT SWEET.
- I THINK THEY SHOULD
MAKE THIS THE NEW LOGO.
MAN, HE'S GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO.