As a kid growing up as part of the first MTV generation, one of my first elements of exposure to the world of hot rods came courtesy of ZZ TOP’s ELIMINATOR and it’s sorta-sequel, AFTERBURNER (Hot Rod Space Shuttle!). Both albums and their accompanying videos featured an iconic red 1933 Ford Coupe that would become instantly identifiable with the band. That car was owned by Billy Gibbons, the band’s vocalist and guitarist, and this Monday, his love of hot rods is taking center stage when Discovery airs a new pilot called ROCKIN’ ROADSTERS at 10pm ET/PT. Check out a couple of preview clips below…
From the Pilot Announcement: Hot rodding is not just about the cars, it’s a lifestyle. In the pilot episode, Billy reaches out to one of the top hot rod builders in the business – Jimmy Shine. Billy has known Jimmy for more than 20 years and during that time, they’ve built dozens of award-winning hot rods. When they get together, you never know what kind of car will come to life. Billy acts as the creative director, driving the vision and finding the hidden gem vehicles while Jimmy executes and makes sure it all comes together. But it’s a partnership that’s often easier said than done.
“They call Billy the Howard Hughes of the blues because he’s eccentric,” Jimmy said. “Billy has his vision and I have mine. And sometimes it can be a bumpy ride getting to the finish line.”
Together Billy and Jimmy hit the open road in an impromptu search of the perfect fixer-upper. If there is one thing Billy loves, it’s a bargain especially when it comes to cars. After an exhaustive journey into the California desert, Billy finds the unlikely car behind his vision – a rusted and dinged up 1984 El Camino. With a rock star client like Billy Gibbons, you need to be ready for anything— even when asked to build a part car/part truck roadster for a big Hollywood event just three weeks away. It’s a tight timeline, but if Jimmy can pull it off, there just might be a bigger-than-normal payoff for this master builder.
With Jimmy and his opinionated team of mechanics, it’s all hands on deck as the team scrambles to make deadline and incorporate unconventional parts Billy has collected along the way – including an old bass drum pedal. And of course, no hot rod is complete without a hidden “Billy-ism” built into the car.
With so many moving parts, will Jimmy and his crew be able to make Billy’s tight deadline and cash-in on the ambitious build? Or have they reached the end of the road with their celebrity rock star client?
Tun into Discovery on Monday, February 29 at 10pm ET/PT to see the ROCKIN’ ROADSTERS premiere.
