'American Restoration' Stops by the Boardwalk for the next two Wednesdays

It's been a big winter for Santa Cruz on national television and the hits keep on coming. Chris Rene placed third in X Factor a few weeks ago, and last week the Food Network's Restaurant: Impossible staged one of its most dramatic episodes at the downtown restaurant, And now, American Restoration is gearing up to visit the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Wednesday at 10 p.m., president Charles Canfield will provide the drama in American Restoration's version of Pimp My Ride. It's not a car or amusement ride that's being pimped, but a 100-plus-year-old machine called a Mutoscope that was one of the first movie players.

The machines, which use black and white cards like a flip book, were popular in all kinds of amusement parks, including California's oldest surviving one, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, which was founded in 1907.

Las Vegas-based host Rick Dale, who before this show spent much of his time fixing up the most popular artifacts – old Coke machines and gas pumps – now takes on far more esoteric challenges.

Last season he fixed up an old Boardwalk baseball game. In the next two weeks he will work on the Boardwalk's Mutoscope and an ancient penny scale. 

"This is a fantasy for me," said Dale. "I love that stuff. I used to buy people like that out when they were going out of business and build it back from the ground up."

The Mutoscope was a big challenge. There are no manuals or lists of pieces. Once he takes it apart, Dale and his crew basically have to write the manual to get it back together.

"Amusement parks, they cannibalize that stuff to keep it running and make the dollar," said Dale. "They fix things with little gerry rigs here and there just to make sure it works. Then, it's so messed up you don't know what it should look like."

Dale's show spun off another hit History Channel show, Pawn Stars, where he had been a guest restoring items brought in there. His Las Vegas family-run business, Rick's Restoration, has taken off as a result of the show, growing from five to 20 employees.

Dale began his love for restoration as a boy when he fixed up a bicycle at age 9. Now, his show is one piece of a larger trend that some might call the age of TV bottom feeders. Dramas or looks at the rich and famous have been replaced by shows about pawn shops, storage locker buyers, coupon clippers and antique shoppers.

"It's a sign of a bad economy," said Dale. "People like to see they have the capability to make a dollar. You wouldn't believe it but 80 percent of our audience are kids. I'm teaching these kids how to make a living or a life from something someone has thrown out."

While the Boardwalk items were challenging, the toughest restoration he's done was on a machine that made dog tags in World War II.

"I love the challenges," said Dale. "I'm doing 100 different pieces a month. When the customer comes around the corner, their faces light up with emotion and joy. It's totally worth everything I did. I don't care how long it took. Every detail is important. I bring it back to life and make them so happy."

The Mutoscope almost didn't get back together. It was in 1,000 pieces, Dale said and took all kinds of engineering to reinvent it and make it what it was. But the look on Charles Canfield's face was worth it, he said.

"He's a kid too at heart," Dale said of Canfield, 72. "He grew up around these places and now he owns it."

Showing a guest his restored baseball game, Canfield lit up.

"I remember it as a child. I had a lot of fun playing it. It cost $9,000 to restore, but it's worth it, just for the history."

The restored relics will be displayed at the park this coming season, and Canfield says he has more coming next year.