Ep 4. Star Wreck

American Restoration season 5 episode 4, "Star Wreck," follows Rick Dale and his team at their Las Vegas-based restoration shop as they work to revive a piece of sci-fi history. The episode begins with Rick receiving an unusual request from a customer who owns a model of the Starship Enterprise from the original Star Trek series. The client wants the crew at Rick's shop to restore the model to its former glory and make it display-ready once again.

As soon as the team gets to work, they notice just how much work there is to be done. The once-pristine model has taken a beating over the years, and the paint has chipped away in many places, revealing the gray resin underneath. The model was in such bad shape that Rick and his team had to break it down into individual pieces to assess the damage. With the help of a specialist, they began to clean the resin, remove any paint residue, and fix any damage to the body of the model.

Once the cleaning process was complete, the team had to fix the internal mechanics of the model. They brought in a specialist to help with this, too, and the team began rewiring the light system and replacing all of the burnt-out bulbs. The model had an intricate system of lights, and restoring it to its former glory took a lot of expertise. However, the rewards were worth it. When they finally finished the task, their Starship Enterprise was bathed in a warm orange glow, ready for display like it was on screen.

As the episode progresses, the team continues to work on the Starship Enterprise and makes steady progress towards the ultimate goal of having it look as good as new.

Aside from the Starship Enterprise restoration, the episode also includes several other smaller projects to keep viewers entertained. In one such project, Rick and his team work on an old vintage gas pump restoration. While the pump is not as elaborate as the Enterprise model, the team still has to be very careful to ensure the finished product would look great.

In another project, Rick meets a local artist specializing in creating unique, antique-inspired sculptures. The artist had a collection of sculptures he had made that he hoped to sell at shows or in galleries. However, one of his sculptures, a vintage car with a body made entirely of copper, had fallen on its side and was damaged. Rick's team worked with the artist to fix up the sculpture, bringing it back to its original glory.

Towards the end of the episode, Rick and his team finally put the finishing touches on the Starship Enterprise restoration. They assembled the model and fitted all of the lighting fixtures, making sure that everything was in working order before the final reveal. In the end, the client was thrilled with the finished product. The once-battered and damaged model had been transformed into a stunning and realistic replica of the iconic starship.

Overall, the "Star Wreck" episode of American Restoration season 5 is both entertaining and informative. Viewers who enjoy seeing the restoration of vintage and iconic items will love the entire series, and this episode in particular. The team at Rick's shop exemplifies what it takes to bring life back to objects that have lost their lustre, and the audience is treated to a glimpse of a bygone era of Americana.