What is American Chopper Builder Cody Connelly Doing Now?

Last month, Discovery Channel teased us with the first episode of the revived American Chopper, a show that helped launch a whole new niche within the reality genre, following the family dynamic and close personal relationships that are built within a work environment, especially in the unique world of the automotive community. It’s not a stretch at all to say this show paved the way for shows like Street Outlaws, which also gives us a look at the close friendships and rivalries that form within the racing community as well as the racing itself. It’s not something you – the television viewing audience – even realizes you’re getting caught up in until you’re making comments on Facebook or Instagram about the friendships and rivalries more than you are the cars themselves, but I’d be willing to bet just about everybody reading this has done just that.

One of the most beloved members of the American Chopper cast was Cody Connelly. Much like Vinnie, whom we caught up with yesterday, Cody is a skilled fabricator and craftsman who helped Paul Sr. and Paulie Teutul’s Orange County Choppers become one of the most sought after custom chopper builders in the world. One of Cody’s personal builds, known simply as The Cody Project, was designed and built before the show started airing, and sold at Daytona Bike Week during the show’s first season. However, when Vinnie left the show to pursue his own venture, V Force Customs, Cody went with him to help establish the company and stayed on board for several years until Vinnie took the company in a new direction.

Cody briefly returned to the show, but as an employee for Paul Jr’s PJD custom shop instead of OCC. However, that was a short-lived tenure and Cody backed out of the world of bike building for a living, opting to go to work for the utility company, where he still works today. He does still do some custom work on the side out of his own garage, but isn’t doing that as his only job for the time being.