Here's What Danny Koker Did Before Counting Cars (2024)

Danny Koker is a name that no doubt most gearheads will be familiar with, especially those who love to indulge in some automotive TV. Not only is Danny responsible for some of the wildest and wackiest custom car and motorcycle builds to come out of Las Vegas in the last decade or so, but he's also the face and brains behind Counting Cars.

Counting Cars is a hit TV show by the History Channel, which enjoyed no fewer than 10 full seasons, so there is no denying the success of Danny's TV career. However, Danny Koker's life did not start and end with Counting Cars, so throughout this article, we will explore where he started, how he ended up being the figurehead of his own TV series, and then round up with a quick look at what Danny gets up to now.

A Brief Background To 'The Count'

Fast Facts

• Danny Koker was born on January 5, 1964
• He was born and raised in Ohio, but now famously resides in Nevada
• Danny's TV career-long pre-dates Counting Cars

Just take a look at when Danny Koker was born, 1964. That alone should give us a hint as to just why he ended up so fascinated with classic American muscle cars, and, of course, cool chopper bikes too. The 1960s is often regarded as the golden age of motoring, especially for anyone who has a hankering for American muscle.

The familiar face was born and raised in Ohio, but famously made his name in Nevada, thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit and unique character. Danny did not just walk into Las Vegas as a famous man though, his fame was achieved through hard work, and eventually huge success came his way when Counting Cars launched on the History Channel in 2012. The show might have ended, but Count's Kustoms remains open today, churning out cool hotrods and custom choppers.

Danny Koker's Family Introduced Him To Television Acting

Like so many stars in the world of television, it was actually Danny's parents who first engaged him in television work. The Koker family owned a local Vegas television station, Channel 33, and used to host horror movies on their show, Saturday Fright At The Movies. Not only did this gig provide Danny with no doubt invaluable knowledge and useful contacts in the TV world, but it also provided him with something else useful – a gift that he still carries around with him today.

During the very late 1980s and early 1990s, when Danny was working as the host of this horror movie show on Channel 33, he gained his time-tested nickname, 'The Count'. The character was developed especially for his role in this show, and was dubbed 'Count Cool Rider', and it's something that has stuck with Danny ever since.

Over on the Count's Kustoms Network YouTube channel, Danny Koker describes in detail how he gained the nickname and explains how, at the time of hosting this show, he was already working in the background on his cars. At this point, it was just a hobby, but when the time came to launch the business, Danny and his team knew that incorporating his nickname into the business would be a smart move.

Here's How Danny Koker Learned To Work On Cars

Danny also has his family to thank for this gift too. His love of cars can be traced decades back, to when he was just a young boy, and clearly influenced heavily by older members of his family. His father, along with other family members and close friends of the Koker family, used to work for Ford.

It was from here that Danny's interest in cars grew, and it wouldn't be long before he was toying around with cars himself. Taking apart old cars and learning to make things work again became a hobby of his, and thus many of the valuable skills he based his business on in later life, were developed from an early age.

Danny Koker Starred In Other Popular TV Shows Before Counting Cars

Previous TV Appearances

• Pawn Stars
• Saturday Fright At The Movies

Danny Koker Was A Regular Guest On Hit TV Show, Pawn Stars

Fans of Rick Harrison on the show Pawn Stars will be aware that, whenever Rick is feeling a touch overwhelmed by a particular item and has trouble valuing or authenticating an item, he calls in an expert from that field.

More often than not, when a customer brought in a classic car, hotrod, or chopper, it would be Danny Koker that Rick would call. Clearly, the two developed a healthy working relationship, as Danny would be called in multiple times to provide Rick with useful insights. Despite Danny and Rick's best efforts, the Pawn Stars crew didn't always end up winning when it came to selling those cool old cars. Potentially, this is also where Danny formed the necessary relationships with members of the History Channel crew, which would pave the way for him to launch his own show, Counting Cars.

Here's What Danny Koker Gets Up To Now

Fast-forward to today and Danny Koker is just as busy as ever. The difference now, though, is that Danny is currently indulging other passions, alongside his work on custom cars and bikes. His most recent passion project is his band, Count's 77, which performs regularly in and around Las Vegas. One particularly popular venue for them is the Count's Vamp'd Rock Bar, which is owned and managed by his wife, Korie.

Fans of the show will be pleased to hear that Count's Kustoms is still open and operating, and you can even book tours around the famous shop, which is open daily. Here, visitors can view some of the more memorable builds from Counting Cars, in addition to purchasing merchandise.

Sources: Count's Kustoms