Senior Vs. Junior Episode 1, Season 2
As I watched the season 2 premier of Discovery Channel’s American Choppers: Junior Vs. Senior, it was satisfying that the show was introduced with custom bikes rather than the drama between Paul Teutul Sr. (Orange County Choppers) and Paul Teutul Jr. (Paul Jr. Designs).
When the American Chopper began Monday evening, Paul Jr. Design received a video from Jared Allen, the founder of Homes for Wounded Warriors. As its name states, the organization builds homes for wounded soldiers that return home from war with special needs.
The only instruction Allen gave Paul Junior is that he wants a “cool” custom bike. This motorcycle build will be the first charity bike build in season two of American Chopper: Senior Vs. Junior.
In collaboration with Allen, Paul Jr. Designs decided on a military-themed bike. First, Paul Teutul Jr. and his staff decided on a rounded, military-style tank to give it a modern/classic feel. Then to expose the military feel, the PJD team designed a rear fender made of custom mesh with stars, which allows the tire to be shown.
The drama was intensified in American Chopper when a stranger arrived and offered a life-altering lesson. The man was Paul Kinser, who is a fan of both PJD and OCC.
Kinser stopped by both Paul Jr. Designs and Orange County Choppers with his son Richard to tell the Teutuls that this was his last road trip; Kinser has been battling cancer for the last year and was recently given months to live.
Kinser’s tearful message asked one major thing: for Paul Junior and Paul Senior to forgive each other and start having a relationship because life is too short.
He tells both Teutuls that he and his son had a riff for years but made up three years ago. Even though the Kinser duo reconciled, he knows first hand how much time has been lost and doesn’t want Paul Junior and Senior to waste precious time.
Paul Junior takes in the advice, agreeing with Kinser. However, at Orange County Choppers, Senior speaks his mind. The older Teutul tells Kinser that he has reached out only to be shot down. He doesn’t feel that he can keep trying.
Before exiting Kinser tells Senior that he knows he tried and that Jr. is thick headed too, but both need to get past the problem of who owns 97-percent of the company.
The drama then shifted to the custom-bike side of things at Orange County Choppers. The OCC team is building a chopper for Supernatural Cymbals, a company that designs custom cymbals for drums.
The owners of Supernatural Cymbals pointed out that OCC was the perfect fit because they designed custom motorcycles that would fit the beat of their drum business.
Some specification for the bike was to make the wheels out of cymbals. Taking it a step forward, OCC cast bronze into the turn signals the put bronze accent pieces on the gas tank and also used the Supernatural Cymbals logo.
One thing that Rick learned from working with bronze is that it breaks easily if the temperature is too high. One of the coolest parts of the bike build was the sand casting of the turn signals; it was the first sand casting at OCC, and the team hopes to do some in the future.
The Supernatural Cymbals bike unveiling took place at Namm. Senior picked newcomer on the show, Christian, to complete the unveiling because he felt it would be a better fit since cymbals were in Christians list of passion (Christian also received a full set of cymbals from the music company).
This is the first unveiling that Paul Sr. didn’t attend. The owners of Supernatural Cymbals said that the uniting of these two companies was a “marriage made in metal.”
Back to the drama…the first episode highlights yet another lawsuit. This one refers back to the one mentioned at the end of the previous season.
Orange County Choppers is now suing Paul Jr. Designs, but not Joe who is employed at PJD but once worked at OCC. Paul Junior’s lawyer advises to not worry about the lawsuit, and rather focus on bike builds.
Mikey announces that he is opening his own art gallery/studio and is hosting an opening in about two weeks. Woflgang Gallery in Montgomery is supposed to showcase 30 of his paintings.
Mikey reaches out to Vinny and Paul Jr. asking them to attend and support him. After Paul Jr. leaves, Mike and Vinny discuss who is going to be invited to the art show. The big question is will Paul Sr. be invited.
Mikey decides not to invite the father. The younger Teutul is super nervous and is afraid that no one will like his art so he decides inviting his Dad will make him more nervous than he already was.
Mickey, Paul Jr. and Rachael Teutel go on the radio to promote the gallery opening. Even though the radio appearance is supposed to be focused on Mike the DJ mentions that OCC is in foreclosure and new lawsuits are on the table he also mentions that Paul and Rachael got married. (Senior was invited to the wedding but declined the invite).
The next scene shows Paul Sr. being questioned by his wife about the gallery opening. Senior tells his wife he didn’t know about it and he wasn’t invited. He says that he would like to visit the museum when Mike is not there. Paul Jr. visited the gallery with Vinny, Joe, Rachael and Mike’s mom, Paula; Junior said he was very impressed with the show.
American Chopper: Senior Vs. Junior returns at 9 p.m. (EST) May 2; Discovery teases the episode, saying “senior announces his reconciliation with estranged son Dan.”
Will this be the spark that helps build the Paul Junior/Senior relationship?
