Labeled a “sleeper hit”, the Discovery Channel’s Vegas Rat Rods has become a tremendous success. In its third season, Vegas Rat Rods continues to follow the work of Steve Darnell’s custom automotive shop Welders Up in Las Vegas Nevada. The reality series was picked up in 2014. It opens the world up to the world of creating rat rods. Rat Rods are custom built period cars created with an artistic touch. These “Mad Max” style autos come from classic unrestored structures and period parts found in junk yards, farm fields and swap meets.
Most cars are vintage 50s, 60s and 70s parts and some are from earlier decades. Welders Up has become a successful business and the artisans and welders are considered the “Picassos” of the automotive world. Some of the cars built by Welders Up have values of 6 and 7 figures.
Here are 5 things you didn’t know about “Vegas Rat Rods”.
1. Steve was inspired by his wrestling coach
Steve Darnell grew up in on a Billings, Montana farm. He was a wrestler at Skyview High School and his wrestling coach, Rich Malia, saw his talent for automotive work. In fact, Malia asked Steve to build a bike for his daughter and was impressed with the results. Malia encouraged Steve to enter an automotive trades program. When Steve started his custom automotive business Welders Up, he was living as a rancher in Montana.
His business repaired heavy machinery and agricultural equipment. Steve’s first project was when he put a 5.9 liter Cummin diesel engine from a Dodge pickup truck into a 1933 Dodge sedan. The result was a twin turbo charged rod. The car got attention at car shows and was featured in Hot Rod magazine. Soon, Welders Up was getting custom requests and moved to Las Vegas.
2. Steve’s 2 favorite projects
Steve’s favorite project was The Destroyer. He built it in honor of his grandfather who served on a destroyer for the United States Army in World War II and in honor of World War II veterans. The Destroyer has a 1200 horsepower Cummin diesel engine with a 130 pound boost. It also has 4 bottles of nitrous for extra power.
Steve’s second favorite project is the “Quit Your Bitchin'”. It’s a frightening looking Ford Model A. It has a stark interior and a large exposed motor.
3. Vegas Rat Rods is a part of Discovery’s Canadian channel
Discovery’s Canadian channel approached Welders Up with the idea for the reality series “Vegas Rat Rods”. The show received high ratings and was labeled a “sleeper hit”. The show also aired in the United States. Because it is a Canadian program, however, “Vegas Rat Rods” has to have a certain amount of Canadian content. This is one of the reasons why Twiggy Tallant was brought on the show. Twiggy is a Canadian who worked as a stripper and a car show model. As a car show model, she was intrigued by a Rat Rod. She decided to take an automotive technology class and did her apprenticeship at Welders Up and was featured on “Vegas Rat Rod”. Know as the “nerdy stripper”, Twiggy is happy to be working in the custom automotive business.
4. Dave is a barber
Dave is the beloved welder and artisan at Welders Up. He also happens to be a barber and owns a barber shop in Utah. Other Welders Up employees featured on “Vegas Rat Rods” include the star welder Justin, the diesel expert Merlon and Travis, a welder fabricator and artisan.
5. Chase and Kash are the heirs
Steve’s sons Chase and Kash have been brought on the show. The two sons are learning the welding trade and the artistry of creating custom rat rods. Steve hopes they will take over the shop some day. They are learning the trade from the best.
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