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Las Vegas pop-culture icon gives a big boost to LA charity show

Updated February 4, 2025 - 10:48 am

Danny Koker has a big personality with a heart to match. The Las Vegas pop-culture figure assisted the Janie’s Fund gala in Los Angeles in a big-bad way on Sunday night.

The rocking, vintage-car icon donated his 1978 Lincoln Continental, 14,000 original miles and fully restored by Koker’s crew at Count’s Kustoms. The star of “Counting Cars” said the car is divinely driven, with a purpose to do some good. It sold for $300,000, the highest bid of any live-auction item.

“This car came to me about years ago, as a factory original with only 14,000 original miles on it,” Koker said. “It was absolutely shot. Oh my lord, we went to work on it. This was one of my personal cars for about the past five years.”

The charity show, boosted by the return of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, was held in conjunction with the Grammys.

Longtime Vegas entertainment professional and Janie’s Fund volunteer Ken Ciancimino called Koker on Tyler’s behalf. Koker then floored it, for real, donating the car to the charity.

For vintage-car geeks out there, this beast was restored with custom paint and interior, a C6 auto transmission; power steering, disc brakes, windows and sun roof; factory A/C and heat; tilt steering wheel; atomic eye headlights (auto dim); updated stereo with Alpine radio DLS speakers and amps.

The car has been lowered, with 17-inch custom wheels and a matching spare. It gleams with satin-black paint with a gloss-black, spider-web pinstripe. Variegated gold leaf accent the body lines. The gold-and-copper-leaf matches the caramel-leather interior, accentuated by black-and-old paisley on the headliner, sail panels and door insert.

Las Vegas was further repped by rock-music broadcast great Eddie Trunk, and Dollar Loan Center founder Chuck Brennan.

Koker himself is a rocker, proprietor of Count’s Vamp’d on West Sahara, and founder and front man of the hard-rock outfit Count’s 77.

Prior to the auction, Tyler stopped by Koker’s seat and said hello, taking a look at the Lincoln in the program. The rock star’s eyes widened at the photos.

Koker, naturally was thrilled. “I’ve always felt that this car is preserved for a reason, and this is it.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.

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