American Hot Rod takes a close up view of one of the world's most celebrated hot rod builders – the legendary Boyd Coddington. Follow Boyd and his team – Roy, the shop supervisor; Charley, the lead fabricator; and Duane, who oversees each rod's internals – for all of the drama, comedy and tension as they conceive and construct some of the finest classic cruisers.

Alumatub 1
The metal starts flying when the Coddington crew sets out to create a one-of-a-kind, signature roadster from scratch – the all-aluminum "Alumatub" – in just 16 weeks. But, when the tension between shop rivals Jimmy and Blue Bear reaches a fever pitch, Boyd sets up an impromptu boxing match to work out their differences – and the results may TKO Boyd's most ambitious project yet.

Alumatub 2
When a Swedish intern joins the team, his fumbling and bumbling nearly sets off an international incident in the shop. Already days behind schedule on the chassis, the crew hits another snag when Kevin falls asleep at the wheel-making machine. But with Duane barking out orders, the pieces finally come together, and the chassis gets shipped out to Marcel's Custom Metal – where the 'tub begins to take shape.

Alumatub 3
When the Alumatub's body comes back from Marcel's one week ahead of schedule, Boyd and the gang are thrilled. Not only is the workmanship top-notch, but the extra seven days offer much-needed breathing room on the suffocating project. However, when Mike discovers that the water pump won't fit under the svelte aluminum body, the whole 'tub nearly goes down the drain.

Alumatub 4
With the finish line on the horizon, the crew bears down to complete their unique aluminum roadster. But when their momentum is stymied by a freak snowboarding accident, the pressure piles on. Bitter disputes break out, culminating in an all-out paintball war that throws the shop into turmoil.

Alumatub 5
With only two weeks to go, the crew throws it into 5th gear in the race to finally finish the Alumatub. After avoiding a few last-minute potholes – like a too-small manifold that won't fit on the custom-built engine – the road ahead seems like smooth sailing. But when the 'tub suddenly loses all oil pressure on the morning of its big debut, Boyd nearly blows a gasket. With everything on the line, the guys will have to push themselves like never before to get the Alumatub to the finish line.