10 Coolest Cars Owned By The Cast Of “Fast N’ Loud”

 

“Fast N’ Loud” is a well-known television show on Discovery Channel, that focuses on the lives of the employees of the famous Gas Monkey Garage based in Dallas, Texas. The series is most popular for its fast cars, intense drama, and interesting characters. Over the years, the cast members of the show have owned and created some of the coolest cars on the planet. In this article, we’ll take a look at 10 of them owned by the cast of “Fast N’ Loud”. Stay tuned!

How it began

Richard Rawlings worked a lot of odd jobs before his big break. He was a fireman, a delivery guy, a cop, and even started a printing business called Lincoln Press. The printing business was quite a success, but he always had conflicts with management, and in 2000 he bought out his co-founder. By 2004, business was slow and facing closure, which is when he got the idea of offering a brand new Lamborghini to the first client to spend above $1 million. While it did earn him a couple of millions, he instead opened up a repair shop, and named it ‘Gas Monkey Garage’ (GMG). He started with Aaron Kaufman, but barely made enough money to survive. Rawlings wanted his garage to be depicted, and tried for eight years to get any network to produce the show. Finally, Discovery agreed and that became the beginning of “Fast N’ Loud”. The show focused on Richard, Aaron and their crew who ‘find’ vintage vehicles and conveniently restore them, then flip them for a profit.

A list of the coolest cars on “Fast N’ Loud”

1. Richard Rawlings’ 1968 Shelby Mustang GT350

The owner of Gas Monkey Garage is known for his love of classic cars. One of his most prized possessions is his 1968 Shelby Mustang GT350, which he shared with his then-wife. During a tough time, he sold the car to create some capital, inciting a conflict with his wife. He promised to get another one once he’d made enough money, and he eventually did. When the couple divorced a few years later, she let him keep it.

He restored the car himself, making an exact replica seen in the 1999 movie “The Thomas Crown Affair”. He worked with mechanic Chase Fillion to create and install brand new wiring, engine, brakes, transmission, the rear end and even the paint. He didn’t hold back any expense in running the project, which is evident in the result: an exact replica, in the original Lime Gold color, featuring a 302 cubic inch v8 engine.

2. Aaron Kaufman’s 1963 Ford Falcon:

Aaron Kaufman, the former lead mechanic at GMG is next on this list. One of his favorites is his 1963 Ford Falcon, which he’s modified with a turbocharged engine and a custom suspension system. It has a 363ci Ford Boss v8 engine under its hood, and a shiny white paint job, extending to the role cage within the car. The car has been built for road racing, and Aaron even raced it at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2015, setting a time of 12.53.89. In 2017, he auctioned the car, before listing it on Ebay in 2018. Eventually, he sold it to a lucky customer for only $65,000.

3. Dennis Collins’ s-code Mustang:

Dennis Collins, a friend of Richard’s and a frequent guest on the show, is a well-known car collector. He happened to rescue the car from a collection, and brought it to the garage to salvage it. It was painted black and received much of the restoration on the front end and suspension. The Mustang is an original S-code fastback GT with a four speed manual gearbox and a 390 cubic-inch V-8. He didn’t hold anything back when repairing the classic; it was determined that it could sell for upwards of $70,000. Interestingly, Richard wasn’t planning on reselling the car – he just wanted to drive across Europe in it.

4. Midas Monkey Chevrolet Corvette:

This is the first car that GMG and Hot Wheels collaborated on, with the agreement being that GMG would restore it while the latter would make it a model in its own range. It was black, had a 427ci engine and four speed manual gearbox, already in a pretty good condition. The crew ripped it apart and transformed it into a super fast car with an exceptional build. It now features a chrome supercharger under the hood, side pipes, and gold flake paint. It was appropriately named Midas Monkey after the unique build. After completion, the car was sold to a collection, before being bought back by Richard soon afterwards. He then sold it to Hot Wheels, who put the car into their museum’s permanent collection.

5. The 1952 Chevrolet Fleetline

Everyone has their firsts that often remain close to their hearts; the GMG crew are no different. The very first car built by the team, —way before they were being filmed for a TV show— was a 1952 Chevrolet Fleetline. The car was sold and repurchased in California from Bart Barton. It went to the back of the garage, where it remained as a museum piece for years. For the garage’s 20-year anniversary, the crew decided to bring out the Fleetline and restore it. The crew worked on it for a week and a half, restoring everything under the hood and the interior, with only the exterior remaining the same. They then held an event, Tacos N’ Tires, to showcase the newly restored car, as well as others in the collection.

6. Tom Smith’s 1967 Cadillac DeVille:

Tom Smith, another former employee at GMG, is known for his love of luxury cars. He owns a 1967 Cadillac DeVille that he’s restored to its original condition, complete with a 429 cubic inch V8 engine. It was originally built for Todd Graves from “Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers”. The interior, engine and suspension were fully restored, plus a glossy red paint job, paired with huge red wheels. It was renamed the ‘Big Red Caddy’, appropriate for its head-turning, unique design.

7. 1975 Datsun 280Z:

This is the first imported car that the GMG crew worked on. They invited JDM Engines’ Big Mike to help design and build the car. They began work on the car, aiming for a mix of JDM culture and the unique style of GMG, ultimately achieving it. The final result was an improved 280Z with green paint, huge bronze rims, wing mirrors on both sides of the hood and much more. It was a fan favorite and one of the most impressive ones at the garage. Unfortunately, the trailer that was transporting the car and six other cars caught fire, completely destroying all the hard work on the vehicles.

8. KC Mathieu’s 1968 Ford F100:

KC Mathieu, is the extremely talented painter at GMG. In one of the episodes, the crew found and began restoring a heavily rusted 1968 Ford F100 model. He was so impressed with the work done on it that he decided to purchase it for himself. It was named ‘Frankenstein’ due to its metal green color; it includes a Ford Racing Aluminator crate engine, as well as an Eaton Truetrac diff. The paint job was so outstanding that KC claimed it to be his best work to date.

9. 1934 Ford Five Window:

The crew at GMG purchased this classic car from its second owner. Apparently, it had been in storage since 1964, and only came out once they purchased it. The crew brought the car back to the garage and began heavy work on it. Luckily for them, the car was stored in such a good condition that they didn’t have to replace most of the components. It’s quite unbelievable that the 331 Hemi under the hood, the frame and front wishbone are all the car’s original parts.

We checked in on our ’34 Ford its still looking 🔥 and enjoying it’s new life up north. Seems like it has some great company in that collection too! pic.twitter.com/zu5xkgRb3o

— Gas Monkey Garage (@GasMonkeyGarage) July 15, 2020

10. Dennis Collins’ 2013 Lamborghini Super Trofeo:

The close friend of Richard obtained one of the rarest Lamborghini models, with only 110 ever produced. Fortunately, he was successful in obtaining one after bank financing failed to purchase it – he only had to part with $400,000. He had to make additional investments though, as the car was not yet legal for the street. He recalls, ‘We took the car back, did a major service on it,… put street tires on it, added a passenger seat… added rear view mirrors and made it so that it could be realistically driven on the street’. Eventually, he transformed the car, and could flaunt the rare model on the streets.

Some interesting and unknown facts:

• While the chemistry between the GMG crew can’t be replicated, it’s become obvious that some parts are scripted, as any other reality show. As the series progressed, scriptwriters were brought in to enhance the drama.
• Christie Brimberry—the only female crew member on GMG— has an interesting story behind her job. Coincidentally, her husband was Richard’s hairdresser, who asked him to hire his wife; Richard agreed after seeing her skills, immediately hiring her.
• After decades of working together, Aaron Kaufman decided to leave the show and garage in search of his own path. He broke the news to Richard in one of the episodes in 2017. A devastated Richard almost begged his long-time partner to stay, before ultimately giving him his blessing.
• Richard and Aaron were invited to a motorcycle build off against Orange County Choppers— the established bike manufacturers Paul Jr. Designs—a former crew of Orange County Choppers and Jesse James, a renowned motorcycle enthusiast. In the end, Paul Jr. came in first, followed by the GMG duo, and James in last place.
• While watching the show, viewers are under the impression that the garage has a few workers, who also work on the major jobs. It seems as if the small crew drop everything as soon as a new car comes in. However, the truth is that the garage has many employees, each with their own function. In the show’s credits, this invisible crew is listed as ‘support staff’.
• In 2020, Richard announced that the famed “Fast N’ Loud” was coming to an end, shocking loyal fans of the show. From its first episode in June, 2012 to its final episode in June, 2020, the show had run for close to a decade. Richard cited the reason to be his desire to expand and grow his business.

Summary

When Richard Rawlings opened his garage, he had no idea that it would lead to one of the most popular car shows on TV. The result of his hard work was a large fan following all over the world, multiple awards and memorable experiences for the crew and viewers alike. The cast of “Fast N’ Loud” were known for their love of fast cars, with many of them having their own impressive collections of classic and exotic cars. Over the years, viewers have been entertained with a unique variety of cars, all with their own back story. From Richard Rawlings’ 1968 Shelby Mustang GT350 to Aaron Kaufman’s 1963 Ford Falcon, each car is a reflection of its owner’s personality and passion for cars. Whether it’s custom engines, paint jobs, or suspension systems, the cast and crew of “Fast N’ Loud” knew how to make their cars truly unique.

Conclusion

The long-time cast of “Fast N’ Loud” were not only car enthusiasts, but also skilled mechanics and builders; their passion for cars has led them to ow n some of the coolest cars on the planet. It’s no wonder that the show was so popular, as viewers couldn’t get enough of the cars, drama, and characters that made up “Fast N’ Loud”. Even though the show has since ended, the near decade of more than 300 episodes serve as a testament to the passion and dedication of the crew in building unique cars. Despite going their separate ways, most of the crew are still involved in the world of fast cars, some having their own websites, stores, YouTube channels and even shows! We wish all the best in each of their endeavors.