Cover Story
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Cheyenne Ruether on the set of Vegas Rat Rods, the shop at Welder Up in Las Vegas. Ruether built a reputation in collision and custom work before joining the cast in the show’s third season.
Yes, She Can! Canadian Cheyenne Ruether puts her skills under the spotlight on Vegas Rat Rods By Mike Davey
C
heyenne Ruether may have become a TV star when she joined the third season of Discovery Channel’s Vegas Rat Rods, but she’s still a body tech at heart. Ruether is a graduate of the autobody program at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). She served her apprenticeship at a bodyshop in Fort Saskatchewan doing collision work before she began working in custom and restoration shops in the area. Her reputation in Alberta’s custom car scene grew and soon drew the attention of the producers of Vegas Rat Rods.
The show follows the crew at Welder Up, a custom shop owned and operated by Steve Darnell, as they turn ordinary cars into extraordinary rat rods. Rat rods are a particular type of hot rod that push the envelope on styling, frequently exaggerating the styles seen on classic hot rods of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Rat rods are peculiar beasts and Darnell has his own way of doing things. Ruether says working on the show involved some adjustment, as her body tech training insists on doing things by the book.
august 2017 bodyworx professional
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