Counting Car's Danny Koker: 'I cried when they drove it away!' (2024)

Counting Cars begins on History Channel on Thursday evening and we caught up with car-lover and serial car-modifier Danny 'The Count' Koker to talk about his new series, his first car and the craziest request that a customer has ever made..

Do you feel like you're bringing cars back to life on this series?

I'm the luckiest man in the world because I'm doing something I Iove doing for TV! I do have a passion for restoring cars but also for modifying them, which is why our garage is called Count's Kustoms. For me it's all about putting my own flavour on cars..

Everything that comes out of your workshop is unique?

Pretty much. Occasionally we'll come across a vehicle that should not be modified because it would be dangerous, but for the most part we like to customize things.

You must have owned hundreds of cars ion your life. Can you remember your first?

Absolutely, my first car was a 1979 Z28 Camaro and I actually still have her! I got her when I was 15 and I've been fortunate enough to be able to hold on to her ever since. I'm hoping that next year I'll get the opportunity to restore her.

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Would you ever sell her?

God willing, it's a car that I'll never have to sell.

What's the worst thing you can do when modifying a classic car?

That's a really good question. You've got to have an eye for the car and know how to compliment the vehicle in the best way, how to take the car's existing characteristics and make it the best it can be. The tragic thing is that a lot of people don't see what the best way of complimenting a car is, they just do something to it because it might be the trend. But that might not necessarily work on the car. A common mistake that I see all the time is something as simple as the tyres. This craze of adding huge tyres is crazy. Sometimes is looks good, but often people just shove on a big set of wheels and it looks horrible.

Have you ever given up on a car in your time?

I've never really written off a car. I'm a car nerd so I'll find something to love about any car..

You wait until you see my car!

What have you got?

A Fiat Punto...

Well maybe one car (laughs) I'm just joking! I guarantee that if you brought that thing round to my place we could do something with it!

What's the worst car you've ever modified? Has anyone ever brought in a Volvo?

No one's brought a Volvo in yet, but if they did I'd be up for the challenge. I think it would be fun to do a car like that. In this series we got an old Ford Falcon Ranchero which we had to do up - that was quite a job!

What's the weirdest request you've ever had from a customer?

Not too long ago I had a girl come in who wanted me to make her Chopper motorcycle look like a horse! It's not something that we couldn't do, but it's something that I wouldn't do. I respectfully turned her down. She had a good budget and she was ready to spend the money, but that's just not what we do!

Was there a project in the series where you feared that you'd bitten off more than you could chew?

Yeah you'll see that nearly happens a couple of times! What's interesting about the series is the fact that the producers and the directors let us do what we wanted. Count's Kustoms has been around for over 15 years and I've been doing it longer than that as a hobby so they're allowing us to do what we normally do. The show is very very real. You'll see quite a few times where we take on challenges that maybe we shouldn't have. The biggest challenge is the fact that I fall in love with vehicles and I want to make them the best that they can be. There's a competition between my vision versus budget! I'm a left-side of the brain guy and I'm all about creativity, so I need people around who will hold me back and count the beans, which is where my team come in. Sometimes the car wins, but we don't necessarily win money-wise!

Was there a car that you really didn't want to sell after you finished it?

Almost every one! One that I sold that I wish I hadn't was a 1973 Plymouth Satellite Seabring, which was like a Roadrunner of the 1970s. That car was absolutely gorgeous and I was just in love with her. When I got her my intention was to sell her. I had a buyer for her and when it fell through it didn't break my heart, I decided that it was fine and I would keep her. Then some very nice folks from Texas came along and they were not going to leave my shop until they purchased it and eventually we cut a deal. It still haunts me - I wish I hadn't sold that car. There was a tear in my eye when they drove it off!

Counting Cars starts with a double-bill on Thursday February 21 at 9pm on History Channel.

Counting Car's Danny Koker: 'I cried when they drove it away!' (2024)

FAQs

Why does Danny from Counting Cars wear a bandana? ›

Why does Danny the Count Koker wear a headband? Fans believe he wears bandanas to hide his receding hairline. Meanwhile, the star is yet to respond to these assumptions. Nevertheless, it might be his trademark or signature appearance.

How fake is Counting Cars? ›

It is definitely staged the reason for this is due to the fact that some people would not even consider selling their car. No reality tv is reality TV especially TV show's which buy and sell cars. It is all scripted and they 100% meet with the buyer before hand and discuss the shot and scene before going air.

How much does Danny make per episode on Counting Cars? ›

While being an expert on cars for the show "Pawn Stars" producers immediately perceived his magnetic personality and made him a proposition to have his own show called "Counting Cars", it has been airing since 2012, it is reported that Koker receives a salary of $100,000 per episode and has an average of about 16 ...

Why is Scott no longer on Counting Cars? ›

Scott left between the second and third seasons and is only mentioned briefly in the third-season premiere (having moved to Tennessee after the birth of his son).

Who owns Counting Cars? ›

The owner and king of Count's Kustoms, Danny is the creative force behind each project. He's is a self-taught mechanic who grew up in Cleveland and Detroit and whose family worked for Ford. Danny's been successfully running his business for over 20 years and is a car—and bike–buying machine.

Does Danny the Count have a wife? ›

Does Count's Kustoms still exist? ›

The Count's Kustoms crew is ready to tackle your next project, old or new! Whether it's a classic Corvette or new Camaro, paint job or full kustom build—we do it all right here at Count's Kustoms! Email samantha@countskustoms.com to get started today!

What did Danny do before Counting Cars? ›

Prior to rising to fame with his Pawn Stars and Counting Cars appearances, he appeared as a character called Count Cool Rider on a local Vegas television channel that was owned by his family.

Why did Danny from Counting Cars go to jail? ›

Despite rumors and speculations, it was confirmed that Coker did not serve jail time. Instead, he encountered a different kind of setback. a lawsuit regarding his company, counts customs. The lawsuit, which emerged shortly after the debut of counting cars, involved a.

Why did Scott leave Counting Cars? ›

Scott left between the second and third seasons and is only mentioned briefly in the third-season premiere (having moved to Tennessee after the birth of his son).

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