10 Of The Coolest Vehicles Ever Uncovered On American Pickers

For years, the team on History's "American Pickers" has traveled around the United States (and occasionally abroad) to see what valuable artifacts might be collecting dust in someone's shed. A typical episode will see Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz (before the duo had a falling out, resulting in Fritz getting dropped from the series) visit a few people's homes. They'll take a look around if they think they can score big, and a good haul can mean anything from finding vintage toys to old-school business signs. Of course, the thing that's always going to tickle the hosts is stumbling upon an old or eclectic vehicle you don't see on the street anymore. 

Much like how its sister show "Pawn Stars" has featured plenty of cool vehicles during its time on the air, "American Pickers" has proven to be a treasure trove of classic cars and motorcycles. Wolfe and Fritz haven't always managed to make a deal on the various vehicles that have cropped up, but it's nice for them and viewers alike to just lay eyes on some magnificent feats of engineering. They always go over some of the history of the vehicle in question, so at least in theory, audiences at home know what to look out for with their own collections. Across hundreds of episodes of "American Pickers," here are some of the coolest rides to be showcased. 

"American Pickers" isn't just about scrounging through people's garages to see what old toys they've kept hidden for decades. It's also about meeting and getting to know the individuals who hang onto important pieces of history and getting to know their stories a little bit. On Season 8, Episode 7 — "California Kustom" — Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz meet a true legend of the entertainment industry: George Barris created some of the coolest custom cars for movies and TV shows, including the Batmobile for the 1966 TV series. 

The pair swing by his shop, where all kinds of amazing vehicles from across film and TV are on display. Naturally, the one that catches their eyes the most is the iconic Batmobile, with both hosts getting a chance to live out their childhood dreams by sitting in the driver's seat. This is one car they don't even bother making an offer on because it would obviously be too rich for their blood. However, Barris did part with it eventually, selling this exact car at auction for a cool $4.6 million. 

This isn't just a Batmobile, as numerous imitations have been created over the years. This was the very first, which helped cement the car's status as a pop culture icon. Any Batman movie or TV series that followed needed its own spin on the Batmobile to stand out, but few would ever come close to matching the majesty of this sweet ride. 

One of the most astonishing aspects of "American Pickers" is seeing the kind of condition classic cars are left in for years. A 1954 Nash-Healey is incredibly rare to come by, especially considering only 90 were made in that particular year. It must have been pretty surprising for Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe to come across not one but two '54 Nash-Healeys in one spot for the Season 13 episode, "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall," even if one left something to be desired. 

There's a grey Nash-Healey that's been kept inside and has the original motor in it. That looks fine and dandy, but then they also find a red Nash-Healey that's been left outside, and its exterior shows it. When the pickers take a look at it, it's practically being consumed by weeds and branches, and it doesn't even have the right motor. Still, a Healey is a Healey, and the sellers want the same amount of money for both cars even though they're in drastically different conditions. Fritz manages to make a deal for $46,000 for both vehicles, which the sellers accept. 

They manage to extract the red Nash-Healey from the foliage, and it's clear it's going to be a massive restoration job to get it looking pristine again. But while it's unclear what happened to their picks, there's definitely a lot of money to be made in Nash-Healeys. In 2019, a '54 Nash-Healey Le Mans Coupe sold at auction for $93,500. Even if Wolfe had to put a chunk of cash into restoring the vehicle, he still could've turned a tidy profit. 

Some people featured on "American Pickers" do a lot more than merely collect various objects. Sometimes, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz meet genuine artists with many wonderful pieces that are hard to put prices on. A classic example of this is in Season 12 Episode 5 "Rocket Man," which lives up to its name when the pickers meet Baron Margo, who has a collection of metal-based art pieces. It's safe to say he has all of the essential tools a welder would need at his disposal, and the piece that gets the biggest reaction from Wolfe and Fritz is his custom-built rocket car. 

It may be an art piece, but it's a genuine vehicle that the team takes on the road. It definitely gets more points for style than practicality. Wolfe comments how the suspension is really rocky. At one point, the rocket car even stalls while they're trying to go up a steep hill, but they manage to get back to Margo's place. While Margo would be willing to part with the vehicle for $50,000, it doesn't really seem as though the crew's interested in making an offer, as they're ultimately about reselling at the end of the day. 

While the pickers may not be interested in buying the rocket car, they can at least appreciate the craftsmanship that went into making it. It has a retro-futuristic vibe like how science-fiction writers in the 1950s would envision vehicles in the far-off future would look. 

The show may be called "American Pickers," but hoarding objects in a cramped space isn't only limited to the United States. Sometimes, the crew branches out into other countries, such as the beginning of Season 10 when Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe travel to Italy to see what wares they can salvage across the pond. This leads Wolfe into getting into contact with an old buddy who has all kinds of cool things hanging around his property, including one of the most iconic military motorcycles of all time — the Zündapp KS 750, complete with sidecar. 

The German-made motorcycle is notable for being a World War II-era vehicle with some highly useful capabilities. For starters, one soldier would maneuver the motorcycle while another would be in the sidecar with a firearm of some sort to take on any enemy combatants. Even after the war, these bikes still saw plenty of use, and now, they've become quite the hot collector's item, even in the United States. That's why Wolfe and Fritz are so eager to get their hands on it. 

After some back-and-forth and consideration of the shipping it would require to get the motorcycle back to the States, they settle on what's roughly the equivalent of $10,500. Wolfe and Fritz's Italian journey spanned three episodes of Season 10, and things got started on the right foot with this score. 

On many "American Pickers" episodes, the team comes across cars that have been left in a state of disrepair. They look like they'd need a lot of love and care to be viable once more, but fortunately, that's not the case on Season 12's "Big Boy Toys." Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz come across a beautiful 1950s BMW Isetta 300. It may look a little silly, but this tiny car made a big impact — the Isetta actually saved BMW from bankruptcy. 

BMW needed a cost-efficient vehicle to make some serious money quick, and the simple, single-cylinder engine design of the Isetta was precisely what it needed. In fact, the Isetta featured on "American Pickers" looks just as pristine as it probably would've been in the '50s, and the couple trying to sell it clearly know what they have. Wolfe ends up settling for $13,000 for the car without much in the way of negotiation because the sellers grease the wheels a bit by offering a t-shirt and hula girl. They're natural salespeople. 

The Isetta might be small, but it packs plenty of personality. A lot of people may only associate the car with Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) on "Family Matters," but it's price point is definitely no laughing matter. 

A common occurrence of "Antiques Roadshow" and many similar series (including "American Pickers") is when someone thinks they have something valuable, only for it to be worth a fraction of what they expected. This is what happens on Season 12, Episode 9 — "Auburned Out." When visiting a couple, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz locate a 1935 Auburn Phaeton 653, which was an exceptionally high-end vehicle back in the '30s. Of course, it's seen better days, as it's tucked away pretty securely with all kinds of dust and spotty areas on it. 

The husband, Jan, wants $80,000, and his wife, Sandy, clearly just wants to get rid of the thing. Unfortunately for Jan, Wolfe knows an expert when it comes to Auburns, and his assessment is that the vehicle in the condition its in is really only worth about a third of what he wanted. With great reluctance, Jan agrees to sell the Auburn to the pickers for $26,500. 

Wolfe clearly knows what this kind of car means to a person, so he offers to restore it and bring it back so that Jan can take a ride in it finally. Sadly, that day never came to pass. While Wolfe did restore the car eventually, Jan passed away before they managed to come back. In a genuinely emotional and heart-wrenching moment, Wolfe takes Sandy, holding a picture of her late husband, for a ride, proving the couple made the right choice in selling the Auburn to someone who would truly look after it. 

Holding onto and collecting old items isn't just a matter of keeping stuff because it's neat — it's a way of preserving history. Mike Wolfe was unavailable for one particular trip to Florida for Season 11's "Enter the Negotiator" to check out a 1914 Merz Cycle Car, so Frank Fritz went with Dave Ohrt to check it out. 

The pair meet up with Pat Regis, who had appeared on the reality show previously. As it turns out, the Merz he has tucked away is one of only two left in existence. And it's in fairly good condition, save for a few modifications that aren't quite right, like having the wrong-sized tires. Ultimately, it's a crucial piece of automotive history, as these Merz Cycle Cars were designed to be lighter vehicles — essentially a sort of cross between a motorcycle and a regular car. At the end, Regis sells it for $35,000. 

A vehicle like this deserves to see the light of day and not get tucked away. After the episode aired, Wolfe posted on Facebook a picture of the vehicle in his shop, Antique Archaeology, writing, "I knew if it was this rare, it was going to cost some serious cash. Proud to own it and share it with you all!!!" From there, it seems to have gone to the National Motorcycle Museum where even more people can witness it in all of its glory.

Indian Motorcycles has produced some exceptionally fast vehicles over the decades and collectors like Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz will take any opportunity they can get to see these vital pieces of American automotive history. Season 11's "Legend of the Lost Indian" was a real treat for them, as the sellers didn't just have one Indian motorcycle in a garage somewhere. They had a whole fleet of bikes, and Wolfe wanted to go away with one in particular — the 1939 Indian Four, also known as the Indian Aristocrat. 

Any of these bikes would be worth a pretty penny, and the interesting thing Wolfe does in the episode is that he doesn't even take it for a test drive. The sellers seem like truthful guys, but even without going for a spin, Wolfe notes some things wrong with it. At the end, he purchases the 1939 Indian Aristocrat for $30,000 (as well as another bike for an extra $10,000). 

That's a lot of dough to throw down for a couple of motorcycles, as legendary as they may be. However, Indian motorcycles are hot commodities, with a 1939 Indian Four selling at auction in 2022 for $80,000. Even with the additional work the bike on "American Pickers" would need, there's a lot of room to turn a profit. 

Season 12's "Rocket Man" is a must-watch installment of "American Pickers" for any car enthusiast. In addition to the aforementioned custom-built rocket car, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz also pay a visit to "Low Ball" Lou, who has all sorts of vehicles on his property. There's some cool stuff to check out, but the thing that mainly catches Fritz's eye is a Dodge A100 hot rod truck. With a bright orange exterior and the chop top, this thing makes an impression down any road it travels down. Without the chop top, this thing would've practically been a real-life Mystery Machine from "Scooby-Doo," and Fritz is the one who test drives, as Wolfe is a bit too tall to fit inside. 

Fritz has some quibbles about the truck (as the pickers usually do), and after some negotiation, Lou decides to sell it for $11,000. It's a unique ride, but even vehicles like this deserve a good home. Perhaps someone will want to follow in the footsteps of Bill "The Maverick" Golden, who helped make the A100 chop-top truck an icon with his legendary performances, including doing wheelies. Of course, after spending this kind of money, it may be best to keep all four wheels on the ground to ensure it doesn't get damaged too badly. 

Before Pat Regis sold the pickers the Merz Cycle Car, he was featured on Season 9, Episode 1 — "The Royal Risk." He instantly earned his title as one of the most vital sellers Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz ever had to deal with because he had the most expensive thing purchased on the show up until that point. 

When the pickers show up to his house, Wolfe is astounded to find the frame for a 1910 Royal Pioneer motorcycle. They don't make a deal right away, as they're just too far apart on price. Regis wanted $55,000 for it, which might seem like a lot for just a frame, but this isn't any old bike. Fewer than 500 of these motorcycles were ever produced, so even just the frame is worth a lot of money. The team walks away initially, but Wolfe can't get the Pioneer out of his head, and after some careful financial maneuvering, he and Fritz return to Regis' home to play ball once again. Regis doesn't go any lower than $55,000, though, so Wolfe forks over that amount to take it with him. 

Across hundreds of episodes, numerous vehicles have been shown on "American Pickers." These 10 really stand out, but there are plenty of others that car and motorcycle fans would love. Simply seeing that some of these models still exist is a treat enough for the pickers and audiences at home.