The BEST episodes of American Restoration

Every episode of American Restoration ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of American Restoration!

AMERICAN RESTORATION features Rick Dale and his crew of loose screws at Rick's Restorations in Las Vegas, Nevada, as they take rusty, beat-up items and restore them to their original glory. Whether it's a giant gas pump from the 1940s or a Hopalong Cassidy bicycle from the 1950s, every restoration is a high-stakes business project where worthless rust is transformed into a valuable collectible. However, these restorations aren't easy. Every project presents unique challenges for Rick and his team, who develop inventive processes to finish each job flawlessly and on time. From old gas carts to timeless slot machines, the items Rick restores are part of the fabric that makes up American culture. Things just aren't made like they used to be, but at Rick's Restorations, old becomes new again.

Last Updated: 1/7/2024Network: HistoryStatus: Ended
Share:
George Clinton: Funky Yeah!
star
8.01
104 votes

#1 - George Clinton: Funky Yeah!

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/5/2014

When music legend George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic arrives with a funked up 1920s Chickering Baby Grand Piano, the team preps for a pitch-perfect project. Can Rick hit the right notes on this classic instrument, or will the project fall flat? Then, when word gets out that P-Funk will put on a concert for the big reveal, Brettly and Tyler try to take charge of the planning. Can they pull off a spectacular show, or will it be a funky flop?

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pumped Up
star
7.78
166 votes

#2 - Pumped Up

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 4/22/2011

A 1920s visible gas pump is auctioned; and salvage yard is explored.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Apples and X-Rays
star
7.76
100 votes

#3 - Apples and X-Rays

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 5/27/2011

An apple corer and peeler from the 1880s; and a department-store X-ray machine from the 1940s used to fit shoes.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Knockout
star
7.75
223 votes

#4 - Knockout

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/15/2011

A 1900s punching-bag game; and an antique railroad strongbox.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Space Kowboy
star
7.70
157 votes

#5 - Space Kowboy

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 4/29/2011

A NASA helmet from the Gemini missions of the 1960s; and a rusty gas cart.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Big Bang
star
7.70
142 votes

#6 - The Big Bang

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/8/2012

Rick and the guys aim to please when an 1800s cannon rolls into the shop. Can they hit their transformation target or will this banged up blaster backfire? And later, a client brings in a 1960s slot machine from the old Silver Slipper Hotel & Casino. Can the shop hit the jackpot on this 10-cent contraption, or will they lose big on this gaming gamble?

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
American Hero
star
7.68
92 votes

#7 - American Hero

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 9/16/2011

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. Can they get clearance to polish up this American heroes heli-hat, or will they have to call in some air-support? And later, it's bottoms up for the guys when they pop the tab on a classic 1948 Coca-Cola vending machine makeover. Can the guys quickly quench their thirst on this fizzy fix-up, or will this carbonated contraption explode in their faces?

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Three Wheeled Thunder
star
7.68
56 votes

#8 - Three Wheeled Thunder

Season 7 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/12/2016

Bodie restores a very rare 1948 Davis Divan for the grand reopening of the Petersen Automotive Museum; Monkey Business works on turning a '50s carnival tank into a go-cart for a motorcycle group; and Bob's garage takes on a '70s gas-powered toy.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pony Up
star
7.63
72 votes

#9 - Pony Up

Season 7 - Episode 13 - Aired 4/1/2016

Bodie does a custom restoration on a 1967 Ford "Eleanor" Mustang, for Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds. Meanwhile, Dale has his hands full trying to get a rare 1936 Crocker motorcycle to run and Steve restores a 1924 Isotta Fraschini Type 8A for a long time friend and customer.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Riders of the Storm
star
7.61
80 votes

#10 - Riders of the Storm

Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/25/2014

When an New Jersey amusement park owner brings a Hurricane Sandy damaged 1920s Haunted House Car to the shop, the pressure is on to restore a piece of history for a recovering community. With the help of Ted and new painter Niko, Rick hopes to help this wreck-on-wheels once again take some spooky spins.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Mr. Lucky
star
7.61
51 votes

#11 - Mr. Lucky

Season 7 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/19/2016

Andy works on a bizarre kit car that's part VW bug, part DeLorean and part motorcycle; Bodie deals with an early 1900s electric car charger; Dale builds a custom Harley for a customer looking to connect to his past.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Cooler Kings
star
7.59
306 votes

#12 - Cooler Kings

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/16/2011

A 1950s Coke cooler is converted into a "Hot Dog Cooler Grill." Also: an antique barber's pole.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Here Comes The Judge
star
7.58
52 votes

#13 - Here Comes The Judge

Season 7 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/26/2016

Bodie is tasked to restore a very rare 1970 GTO Judge in one month's time for the SEMA car show; Andy modernizes a spark plug cleaner into a stereo; Steve makes a plan to transform a beat up 64 Ford Falcon into a work of art.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pitch Perfect
star
7.57
113 votes

#14 - Pitch Perfect

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/28/2014

When a 1960s Electric Mini-Car arrives for a car show quality upgrade, the crew's got the challenge of making this sparky little roadster into a fast and safe ride for the open road. Will this pint-size put-put prove to be a full-size headache? Then, Rick feels the heat when he's asked to throw the first pitch in a LA Dodger's game. Ron tries coaching his big bro, but will Rick's pitch on the mound be a ball or a strike?

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Special Delivery
star
7.56
156 votes

#15 - Special Delivery

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 7/22/2011

Rick shifts into high gear when a 1967 Harley motors in for a surprise overhaul. Can he comfortably cruise on this road hog refurbishment, or will this retro joy ride skid out of control? And later, a 1940s U.S. mailbox arrives at the shop. Can the crew swiftly sort through a postal patch up, or will this bulky box be a correspondence catastrophe?

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Ice Cold
star
7.56
190 votes

#16 - Ice Cold

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/25/2010

Rick’s team attempts to restore an antique Hershey’s dispenser from the 1940′s; the team tries to fix up a 1950′s Kelvinator Fridge.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Anchors Away
star
7.56
156 votes

#17 - Anchors Away

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/15/2011

Rick and his crew get their feet wet when a 1952 powerboat ride splashes into the shop. Will this wave rider be an easy-breezy endeavor, or will it be man overboard in rough restoration waters? And later, Rick rolls up his sleeves to tackle a 1940s child's tricycle for a Las Vegas museum. Can he pedal merrily along on this tattered three-wheeler, or will this ankle-biter bike get a flat tire?

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pegasus on a Pedestal
star
7.54
125 votes

#18 - Pegasus on a Pedestal

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/7/2014

Rick and his crew see a big challenge after a rare 1940s Mobil Pegasus sign rolls into the shop. And when the client asks for it to spin on top of a pole, the hunt is on to make this restoration fly. But the team gets more than they bargained for when they meet Leonard, a self-proclaimed picking-nerd, who hopes to score a job at the shop.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Let the Good Times Roll
star
7.54
50 votes

#19 - Let the Good Times Roll

Season 7 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/4/2016

Steve works on a unique roller-skate car from the 1970s. In addition, Dale tries to restore a 1929 Harley Davidson for a magazine owner, and Bodie puts the focus on a 1930s penny scale for a soda shop.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Duck and Cover
star
7.52
227 votes

#20 - Duck and Cover

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/22/2011

A 1957 air-raid siren; and a nickel-plated cash register.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Suds and Duds
star
7.50
127 votes

#21 - Suds and Duds

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 9/2/2011

Rick and his crew change gears when a 1967 Honda Scrambler motorcycle swerves into the shop. Can they win the race on this dirt road restoration, or will they run out of gas before the finish line?

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Rusted and Busted
star
7.49
130 votes

#22 - Rusted and Busted

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 7/29/2011

Rick and his crew drive full speed ahead when a 1960s coin-operated motorcycle roars into the shop. Can they burn restoration rubber with this kiddie contraption, or will this rapid refurbishment suddenly hit the skids? And later, a client brings in a crumbling 1950s bumper car. Will Rick decide to buckle up and steer this challenging overhaul, or will this retro amusement park ride be more trouble than its worth?

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Taking the Reins
star
7.49
57 votes

#23 - Taking the Reins

Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/25/2016

Steve gets cooking on transforming a rusted-out 1956 Willys truck into a BBQ kitchen-on-wheels. Meanwhile, Bodie and his son turn a mini-Divco "milk truck" kiddie car from the 1960s into a souped-up go-kart and Bob is chomping at the bit to restore a 1952 Bally's coin operated horse ride.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Order Up
star
7.49
45 votes

#24 - Order Up

Season 7 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/18/2016

Bodie takes on the juicy restoration of a 1941 Plymouth Special Deluxe for the CEO of Carl's Jr. Meanwhile, Dale is in a rush to build a bike in time for his museum's annual motorcycle raffle and Andy restores a 1952 Shuffle Bowler game that may or may not have ties to the mafia.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Search Part-y
star
7.48
113 votes

#25 - Search Part-y

Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/28/2014

When Rick is tasked to repurpose a retro Cigarette Dispenser into a Bike Tool Vending Machine, the wheels are set in motion for a pedal-to-the-metal project. Then, Tyler steps in for Rick to bid on rare 1950s Pedal Bulldozer project. Can they rise to the challenge and give this pile of parts a pick-me-up?

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV