Orange County Choppers - The Complete History of OCC and American Chopper
Orange County Choppers changed what the world thought about custom motorcycles. Before OCC, building choppers was an underground thing. After OCC hit TV screens, millions of people who had never thrown a leg over a bike suddenly cared about rake angles, tank designs, and exhaust wraps.
This is the full story. The founding. The TV show. The family feuds. The lawsuits. The iconic builds. Every key person who walked through that shop. And where they all ended up.
If you rode through the 2000s with American Chopper on your screen every week, this one is for you.
How OCC Started: Rock Tavern, New York, 1999
Orange County Choppers did not start as a TV empire. It started as a father-son side project in a small shop in Rock Tavern, New York - a tiny hamlet in Orange County, about 60 miles north of New York City.
Paul Teutul Sr. had been running Orange County Ironworks, a steel fabrication business, since the early 1970s. The Ironworks shop handled railings, structural steel, and custom metalwork. It was honest, hard work - the kind of thing that builds calloused hands and a short temper.
But Paul Sr. had always been into motorcycles. He started riding in the 1970s and got deep into the custom bike scene through the years. By the late 1990s, he saw the growing demand for custom choppers and decided to make a move.
In 1999, Paul Sr. officially founded Orange County Choppers. His son Paul Teutul Jr. came on board as the lead designer and fabricator. The idea was simple: build wild custom choppers for paying customers. No catalog bikes. No cookie-cutter builds. Every bike would be a one-off.
The shop started small, operating out of a modest space in Rock Tavern. Word spread through the local riding community, and OCC built a reputation for aggressive, over-the-top designs that stood out at bike shows and rallies.
Nobody could have predicted what came next.
Paul Teutul Sr.: The Old Man Behind OCC
Paul John Teutul Sr. was born on May 1, 1949, in Yonkers, New York. He grew up in Pearl River, New York, in a working-class family. After high school, he served in the United States Merchant Marine during the Vietnam War era. Details about his exact service are limited, but the experience shaped the no-nonsense, blue-collar attitude he became known for.
After his service, Paul Sr. got into the steel fabrication business. He built Orange County Ironworks into a successful operation over nearly three decades. The work ethic was brutal - long hours, physical labor, zero tolerance for excuses. That same attitude carried straight into OCC.
Paul Sr. was never the technical builder at OCC. He was the boss. The visionary. The guy who decided what a bike should look like and then pushed everyone in the shop until it got done. His management style was loud, confrontational, and old-school. He ran the shop the way he ran the Ironworks - through sheer force of personality.
Outside of motorcycles, Paul Sr. dealt with serious personal struggles. He has been open about his past battles with alcohol addiction and credits his recovery with giving him a second chance at life. He married multiple times and had four children: Daniel, Paul Jr., Michael, and Christin.
His mustache became iconic. His temper became legendary. And his insistence on doing things his way - no matter what - became the driving force behind everything OCC ever built.
American Chopper: How a Reality Show Changed Everything
In 2002, a production company called Pilgrim Films approached OCC about filming a documentary. That documentary turned into a pilot. The pilot turned into American Chopper, which premiered on the Discovery Channel in 2003.
The show was built around a simple formula: watch the OCC crew build a themed custom chopper in a tight deadline, and watch Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. scream at each other along the way. It was part fabrication show, part family drama, and it was absolute gold for ratings.
American Chopper ran on Discovery Channel from 2003 to 2010, spanning six seasons and over 160 episodes. At its peak, the show pulled in over 3 million viewers per episode. It was the highest-rated show on Discovery Channel and turned OCC from a small-town custom shop into a global brand. For a full rundown of the best motorcycle TV shows that shaped how the public sees riding culture, American Chopper sits right at the top of the list alongside shows like Biker Build-Off and Sons of Anarchy.
The show made custom motorcycles cool for people who had never been to a bike rally. Suddenly, dentists and accountants were talking about stretch and rake. Guys who drove minivans were debating the merits of rigid frames versus softails. OCC brought chopper culture into the mainstream in a way nobody had done before.
After the original run ended in 2010, the show moved to TLC for a brief period. Paul Sr. launched a spinoff called Orange County Choppers on CMT in 2013, but it did not match the original’s ratings. In 2018, American Chopper returned on the Discovery Channel for a short revival season that focused on the Teutul family trying to rebuild their relationships while still building bikes.
Paul Teutul Jr.: The Designer Who Built His Own Path
Paul John Teutul Jr. was born on October 2, 1974. He grew up working in his father’s Ironworks shop, learning metalwork and fabrication from a young age. When OCC launched in 1999, Paul Jr. became the creative engine of the operation.
While Paul Sr. was the face and the voice, Paul Jr. was the hands. He designed and fabricated the majority of OCC’s most famous builds during the show’s run. His style leaned toward clean lines, aggressive angles, and theme bikes that told a story. He had a natural eye for design that went beyond what most custom builders were doing at the time.
But the relationship between father and son was volatile from the start. On camera and off, they fought constantly. Paul Sr. accused Paul Jr. of being lazy and showing up late. Paul Jr. pushed back against his father’s micromanagement and old-school approach. The arguments were real - not scripted - and they got worse every season.
In 2009, the situation reached a breaking point. Paul Sr. fired Paul Jr. from OCC during a particularly explosive argument. It was not a stunt for the cameras. Paul Jr. was out.
After leaving OCC, Paul Jr. founded Paul Jr. Designs (PJD) in Montgomery, New York. He continued building custom motorcycles and expanded into broader design work, including furniture, home goods, and brand collaborations. PJD became its own entity, separate from anything OCC-related.
Paul Jr. appeared on the 2018 revival of American Chopper, which partly focused on the tension between PJD and OCC. The revival showed both shops competing on builds, with the father-son dynamic still very much unresolved.
Today, Paul Jr. continues to run PJD and takes on design projects across multiple industries. He has proven he can stand on his own, outside his father’s shadow.
The Father-Son Feud and the Lawsuit
The Teutul family feud was not just TV drama. It was real, it was ugly, and it ended up in court.
After Paul Jr. was fired in 2009, the split turned legal. Paul Jr. filed a lawsuit against his father and OCC, claiming he was owed money and that his departure was not handled fairly. Paul Sr. countered with his own claims.
The lawsuit dragged through the courts and became a public spectacle. Both sides aired grievances in depositions and media interviews. The fight was about money, respect, control, and years of built-up resentment between a father who could not let go and a son who needed to break free.
They eventually reached a settlement, but the relationship remained strained for years. The 2018 revival of American Chopper was partly an attempt to bridge the gap, showing Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. working near each other again - though not exactly together.
The feud is a reminder that building something great with family can come at a steep cost. For riders who have worked on bikes with their own fathers or sons, the Teutul story hits close to home.
Michael “Mikey” Teutul: The Younger Brother
Michael “Mikey” Teutul was born on November 26, 1978. On American Chopper, Mikey was the comic relief. He was not a builder. He was not a fabricator. He was Paul Sr.’s younger son who hung around the shop, cracked jokes, pulled pranks, and occasionally got yelled at for not contributing enough.
Fans loved Mikey because he was the most relatable person in the shop. He was the guy who would rather eat pizza than grind welds. He balanced out the intense arguments between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. with humor and a laid-back attitude.
After the original show ended, Mikey stepped away from the spotlight. He dealt with personal challenges, including weight and health issues, which he addressed publicly. He committed to getting healthier and dropped significant weight through diet and exercise changes.
Mikey has largely stayed out of the public eye in recent years. He made some appearances during the 2018 revival but has not pursued a career in custom motorcycles or television. He occasionally posts on social media, showing a quieter life far removed from the chaos of the OCC shop floor.
Vinnie DiMartino: The Quiet Craftsman
Vincent “Vinnie” DiMartino was one of the most skilled fabricators ever to work at OCC. He joined the shop early in its history and became a core part of the American Chopper cast. While the Teutuls got the headlines, Vinnie got the work done.
Vinnie was the guy who could take Paul Jr.’s designs and actually make them real. He was a talented welder, fabricator, and mechanic who understood how to turn a sketch on paper into a rolling motorcycle. His work ethic was steady and reliable - the exact opposite of the explosive personalities around him.
On the show, Vinnie was known for his calm demeanor and dry sense of humor. He rarely got pulled into the Teutul family drama, preferring to keep his head down and focus on the build.
After Paul Jr. left OCC, Vinnie followed him to Paul Jr. Designs. He continued fabricating custom builds at PJD and remained a key part of Paul Jr.’s operation. Vinnie also appeared on the 2018 revival of American Chopper as part of the PJD team.
Vinnie has also pursued his own ventures over the years, including involvement in his own shop projects. He remains active in the custom motorcycle world and is respected as one of the best fabricators to come out of the OCC era.
Cody Connelly: OCC’s Right Hand
Cody Connelly joined Orange County Choppers as a young fabricator and quickly became one of the most important people in the shop. After Paul Jr. and Vinnie left, Cody stepped up as the lead builder at OCC and took on a much bigger role in the later seasons of American Chopper.
Cody was reliable, hardworking, and talented with metal. He did not have Paul Jr.’s flair for design, but he was a rock-solid fabricator who could execute complex builds under pressure. Paul Sr. leaned heavily on Cody to keep the shop running after the split.
On camera, Cody was likable and easygoing. He got along with Paul Sr. better than most people could, which says a lot about his patience and people skills.
After the show’s original run ended, Cody continued working at OCC. He was part of the 2018 revival and remained loyal to Paul Sr. and the OCC brand. In more recent years, Cody has kept a lower profile. He has stayed connected to the motorcycle and fabrication world but has not sought the spotlight the way some reality TV personalities do.
For fans who watched the later seasons, Cody was the glue that held OCC together when everything else was falling apart.
Iconic OCC Builds That Made History
OCC was not just about drama. The shop produced some of the most memorable custom motorcycles ever built. Here are the builds that defined the brand.
The Fire Bike
One of the earliest and most famous OCC builds. The Fire Bike was built as a tribute to firefighters and featured a fire engine red paint scheme with working emergency lights. It became one of the most recognizable choppers in the world and set the template for OCC’s themed build approach.
The Liberty Bike
Built as a tribute to American freedom, the Liberty Bike featured patriotic colors, stars, and a Statue of Liberty theme worked into the bodywork. It became a symbol of post-9/11 pride and was one of the most emotionally charged builds the shop ever produced.
The Statue of Liberty Bike
A separate build from the Liberty Bike, this chopper leaned even harder into the NYC tribute theme. It featured detailed metalwork depicting the Statue of Liberty and was built for a charity event. The level of fabrication detail set new standards for what a theme bike could be.
The Black Widow Bike
A sinister, all-black build with spider web detailing and aggressive lines. The Black Widow was one of the bikes that showed OCC could do dark and menacing just as well as patriotic and flashy.
The POW/MIA Bike
Built to honor prisoners of war and those missing in action. This build carried deep personal meaning for Paul Sr. given his military background. The bike featured military-themed details and was donated to support veterans’ causes.
The Jet Bike
One of the more extreme OCC builds, featuring a turbine engine mounted to the frame. It was more art piece than street machine, but it showed the shop’s willingness to push boundaries beyond what anyone else was doing.
Corporate Theme Bikes
OCC built dozens of themed bikes for major corporations, including Caterpillar, Snap-on Tools, Lincoln Electric, the New York Yankees, and many others. These corporate builds became a major revenue stream and gave each episode a unique creative challenge. Some fans loved them. Others thought they moved too far from the raw chopper roots. Either way, they paid the bills and kept the shop running.
If you dig builds from other legendary shops, check out our pieces on Detroit Choppers’ best builds and the best Harley bobber builds of all time.
The OCC Chopper Bicycle: Schwinn Partnership
In the mid-2000s, at the height of American Chopper mania, OCC partnered with Schwinn to produce a line of OCC-branded chopper bicycles. These were not motorized - they were pedal bikes styled to look like stretched choppers with ape hanger handlebars, elongated frames, and custom paint.
The OCC Schwinn Stingray chopper bicycle became a massive seller. It was marketed to kids and adults who wanted a piece of the OCC brand without dropping tens of thousands on a custom motorcycle. You could find them at Walmart, Target, and bike shops across the country.
The bikes featured the OCC logo, flame graphics, and the stretched chopper silhouette that the shop was known for. They came in multiple colors and sizes. For a while, they were one of the hottest holiday gifts in America.
The chopper bicycle line was a smart business move. It expanded OCC’s reach far beyond the motorcycle world and introduced the brand to a younger audience. Even riders who thought the bikes were goofy had to respect the business play.
Today, vintage OCC Schwinn choppers have become collector items. Clean, unridden examples in original boxes sell for several hundred dollars on the secondary market - way more than their original retail price.
The OCC Cafe in Newburgh, New York
In the years following the peak of American Chopper, Paul Sr. expanded the OCC brand beyond just building bikes. One of the biggest moves was opening the OCC Cafe (also called the OCC Road House and Cafe) in Newburgh, New York.
The cafe was designed as a biker-themed restaurant and event space. It featured OCC memorabilia on the walls, custom bikes on display, a full menu, and a gift shop selling OCC-branded merchandise. The idea was to give fans a destination - a place where they could eat, look at bikes, and experience the OCC world in person.
The location in Newburgh put it close to the OCC headquarters and within driving distance of New York City, making it accessible for tourists and local riders alike. The cafe hosted events, bike nights, and live music.
However, the restaurant business is brutal, and the cafe faced challenges over the years. Operating costs, fluctuating tourism, and the natural decline in American Chopper hype all took their toll. The cafe went through periods of closure and reopening.
As of the most recent updates, the cafe’s status has been uncertain. The Newburgh location has seen changes in operation, and fans should check current status before making a trip. Regardless of its future, the OCC Cafe represented Paul Sr.’s ambition to build OCC into something bigger than just a custom shop.
OCC’s New York Headquarters
Orange County Choppers’ main headquarters became a destination in itself. Located in Newburgh, New York, the massive facility was a far cry from the original small shop in Rock Tavern.
The headquarters featured a sprawling showroom, the fabrication shop where bikes were built, office space, and areas for fan tours. During the show’s peak, fans would drive from across the country to visit OCC headquarters, take photos with the bikes on display, and hopefully catch a glimpse of the Teutuls.
The building itself became part of the show’s identity. The exterior shots of the OCC headquarters were as recognizable to fans as the bikes themselves. The facility represented the growth of OCC from a small custom shop to a full-blown enterprise.
Over the years, as the show’s popularity declined and the business evolved, the headquarters went through changes. The scale of operations at the Newburgh location has shifted to match the current reality of the OCC brand.
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The Rise, Fall, and Legacy of American Chopper
The arc of American Chopper follows a pattern that a lot of riders understand. You build something from nothing. It gets bigger than you ever imagined. Then the success starts tearing apart the very relationships that built it.
The Peak (2003-2007)
During its first four seasons, American Chopper was unstoppable. Ratings climbed every season. OCC was booking corporate builds months in advance. Merchandise was selling out. Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. were household names. The shop went from a handful of employees to a full operation with dozens of staff.
The show inspired a wave of custom motorcycle shops across the country. Guys who had been tinkering in their garages suddenly thought they could turn pro. Some did. Most did not. But the enthusiasm was real, and OCC was the spark.
The Decline (2008-2010)
By the later seasons, the cracks were impossible to ignore. The fights between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. stopped being entertaining and started feeling uncomfortable. The 2008 financial crisis hit the custom motorcycle market hard. People were not spending $80,000 on themed choppers anymore.
Paul Jr.’s firing in 2009 was the turning point. Without the father-son dynamic at its core, the show lost its engine. The final seasons limped along, and Discovery Channel pulled the plug in 2010.
The Aftermath (2010-2017)
After the show ended, OCC continued operating but at a fraction of its former glory. Paul Sr. tried to keep the brand alive through the cafe, merchandise, and smaller-scale builds. Paul Jr. built PJD into a viable business. The rest of the cast scattered.
The custom chopper market itself cooled significantly. The bubble that American Chopper helped inflate had popped. Builders who had opened shops during the boom were closing them. The industry returned to its roots - smaller shops, tighter budgets, riders building for themselves rather than for show.
The Revival (2018)
The 2018 return of American Chopper on Discovery Channel was a brief spark. The show focused on Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. attempting to reconnect while both running their separate shops. It was more subdued than the original run - less screaming, more reflection.
The revival lasted one season. It gave fans some closure but did not reignite the phenomenon. By 2018, the reality TV landscape had changed, and audiences had moved on to other things.
Where Is Everyone Now?
Paul Teutul Sr. continues to be associated with the OCC brand. He has dealt with financial difficulties in recent years, including issues with the OCC property. He remains a figure in the motorcycle world but operates at a much smaller scale than the show’s peak. He is in his mid-70s now.
Paul Teutul Jr. runs Paul Jr. Designs and continues to take on custom build and design projects. He has built a stable career outside of OCC and maintains a social media presence showcasing his work.
Michael “Mikey” Teutul lives a quieter life away from television. He has focused on personal health and stays mostly out of the public eye.
Vinnie DiMartino remains active in the custom fabrication world. He has worked with PJD and on his own projects, staying true to the craft that made him a fan favorite.
Cody Connelly has maintained a lower profile since the show ended. He stays connected to fabrication work but has not pursued further TV appearances.
The Legacy: What OCC Meant for Custom Motorcycles
Love them or hate them, Orange County Choppers did something nobody else had done. They took the chopper and custom motorcycle culture that had existed underground since the 1960s and put it on prime-time television for millions of people to see.
Before OCC, most people thought of choppers as something from Easy Rider or outlaw biker movies. After OCC, regular people understood that building a custom bike was a craft - a form of art that required skill, creativity, and a whole lot of patience.
The show also proved that the motorcycle community is bigger than any one shop or any one family. Shops like Detroit Choppers and builders working on Harley Ironhead choppers were doing incredible work long before OCC existed, and they continue to do it today.
OCC’s themed builds might not be everyone’s cup of coffee. Some riders prefer the stripped-down, raw approach of a classic bobber build. But you cannot deny the impact. OCC brought millions of new eyes to motorcycle culture, and some of those viewers went on to become riders themselves.
That is a legacy worth respecting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Orange County Choppers?
Paul Teutul Sr. founded Orange County Choppers in 1999 in Rock Tavern, New York. He previously ran Orange County Ironworks, a steel fabrication business, before transitioning into custom motorcycle building.
When did American Chopper air?
American Chopper premiered on the Discovery Channel in 2003 and ran through 2010. The show returned for a revival season on Discovery Channel in 2018.
Why was Paul Jr. fired from OCC?
Paul Jr. was fired from OCC in 2009 after escalating conflicts with his father, Paul Sr. The disagreements were about work ethic, creative control, and personal issues. After leaving, Paul Jr. founded his own company, Paul Jr. Designs.
What happened to Mikey from American Chopper?
Michael “Mikey” Teutul stepped away from television after the show ended. He has focused on personal health and lives a quieter life. He made brief appearances during the 2018 revival season.
Who is Vinnie from American Chopper?
Vincent “Vinnie” DiMartino was a lead fabricator at OCC and one of the most skilled builders on the show. After Paul Jr. left OCC, Vinnie followed him to Paul Jr. Designs, where he continued building custom motorcycles.
What is Cody Connelly doing now?
Cody Connelly was a key fabricator at OCC who stepped up as lead builder after Paul Jr. and Vinnie departed. He remained loyal to OCC through the later seasons and the 2018 revival. He has since maintained a lower profile in the fabrication world.
Is the OCC Cafe still open?
The OCC Cafe (Road House and Cafe) in Newburgh, New York has gone through periods of closure and reopening. Its current operating status is uncertain, so check before visiting.
Where is Orange County Choppers located?
OCC’s headquarters was located in Newburgh, New York. The facility included a showroom, fabrication shop, and fan tour areas. Operations have scaled down from the show’s peak years.
What was the OCC chopper bicycle?
OCC partnered with Schwinn to produce a line of chopper-style pedal bicycles in the mid-2000s. The OCC Schwinn Stingray featured stretched frames and ape hanger handlebars. They became massive sellers and are now collector items.
Did Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. ever make up?
The 2018 revival of American Chopper showed Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. working toward reconciliation. While their relationship has improved from the worst of the feud years, the dynamic remains complicated. They operate separate businesses.
Sources
- American Chopper - Wikipedia - Series history, episode counts, and broadcast details
- Orange County Choppers - Wikipedia - Company founding, location history, and key milestones
- Paul Teutul Sr. - IMDb Biography - Biographical details and career timeline
- Paul Teutul Jr. - Wikipedia - Birth date, career history, and Paul Jr. Designs
- The History of Orange County Choppers - ChopperExchange - Founding story and early OCC builds
- American Chopper - Pilgrim Media Group - Production company details
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