Plot

People trick unsuspecting car owners into thinking their car was towed and instead fix them up.

Overhaulin' was an American automotive reality television series that ran for five seasons between 2004 and 2008 on TLC. Then had a four-year hiatus, returning the sixth season on October 2, 2012 on Velocity and Discovery with the final episode airing November 2015. Nine total seasons.

The show's hosts varied slightly with the most consistent were automobile designer Chip Foose and his co-host Chris Jacobs. Courtney Hansen was the co-host of the show until 2005, when she left the show to pursue other interests. She was replaced by the shows Executive Producer Brutsman's wife Adrienne Janic ("AJ"). Then Season 6 , Jessi Combs, one of the early A-Team mechanics, returned and co-hosted as well as participated in the the actual projects. Then Combs moved on to All Girls Garage, where Combs left soon after there as well. Arianny Celeste replaced Combs.

The show started out with a fun premise where they Overhaulin Staff would seek out an unknowing "victim" - that they called the mark. The "Mark," is one selected of literally thousands of applications/submissions nominated to be "Overhauled" by his or her family or friends, they call them the "Insiders". The Marks's car, usually an old in need of restoration classic car, is obtained through some ruse. In example the car being "stolen" by Chris and Chip, a car being misplaced or lost at a mechanic's shop, or the car being towed away by "police." In the beginning and for most of the shows run the Host and co-host play tricks on the unsuspecting mark, sometimes acting in roles of insurance adjusters or law enforcement agents, other times helping the insider, while Chip Foose and a team of mechanics - dubbed "The A-Team" have taken the vehicle to Chip Fooses Southern California restoration garage and partner facilities. They then with a staff of up to 60 master automotive repair engineers restore the car to better than-new custom condition in about 8 days. Each show ends with the surprise reuniting of owner and newly made-over car who in the early episodes of the show actually felt he or she had lost their car.

Later seasons and last shows went with a much simpler procedure and without the unknowing victim just went to the producers deemed worthy candidates and let them know they had been selected for an Overhaulin of there favorite car. This made the program more accessible within the over structure of the show and the quick turn around and delivery of a restored vehicle to its owner. Typical cost to do this kind of a quick transformation would be north of $150,000 per vehicle, an absolutely free no charge restoration for the "Mark."

The show was a pioneer in thought, idea and implementation of TV Automotive reality shows. The late Boyd Coddington had an unknown influence where he was a real early TV reality show with his shop activities. Chip Foose had actually been employed by him there before his break away and his own reality show. The quality of Chip Foose as a designer, illustrator, restoration and unique creations expert has earned him an impressive portfolio of automotive works that is difficult to rival. Few automotive shops have the professionalism, quality of work and completion rate of his talents. Although Overhaulin is now a past Reality TV show Chip Foose can still be seen in many other venues. Whether SEMA in Las Vegas or numerous guest appearances at other notable events by this reality likable TV star. Overhaulin is an important foot note in the history of the now very crowed and popular television Automotive reality shows seen on many channels, History, Discovery and Motor Trend to name a few. - Martin Snytsheuvel