Inside The Garage Of “Fast N’ Loud’s” Richard Rawlings (Fans Weren’t Expecting What Was Inside)
Fast N' Loud is unarguably one of the best TV shows for petrolheads. It revolves around crazy project cars built by Gas Monkey Garage, a Dallas-based shop owned by Richard Rawlings.
In addition to having a world-renowned shop, Richard Rawlings is also the proud owner of his impressive private car collection. The owner of Gas Monkey Garage owns everything from prestigious modern supercars all the way to crazy hot rods from the 30s, vintage race cars, and even precious one-offs.
Lamborghini Aventador Huber Era
This insane Lamborghini Aventador is one of the latest additions to Richard Rawlings' impressive garage. A quick peek is enough to understand that this isn't a regular Aventador. It's rather special, to say the least.
The base-level LP700-4 may have gotten a little outdated by now, hence Rawlings' unit was fitted with a carbon fiber body kit from Huber Era. This 770-horsepower monstrosity is a truly bespoke, one-of-a-kind supercar.
Ford GT
Ford unveiled the GT, a sleek sports car inspired by the legendary Ford GT40 race car from the 60s, back in 2004. Production was limited to just 4038 examples worldwide, and Rawlings is among the lucky owners.
Naturally, the unit owned by Richard Rawlings is unlike any other GT out there. The previous owner crashed the car and ended up damaging its front end. While fixing it up, Rawlings decided to upgrade its powerplant by adding a 4.0L supercharger and performance camshafts.
Ram TRX
Fans of Fast N' Loud will probably remember a 2015 Ram 2500 that was Richard Rawlings' daily driver. Earlier this year, the owner of Gas Monkey Garage decided it was high time for an upgrade. The Insane Ram TRX proved to be the perfect pick.
The 2021 Ram TRX is an insane 702-horsepower pickup truck that's built for crazy off-roading action. Rawlings' blacked-out unit ideally matches the aggressive styling of the truck.
1932 Ford Roadster
Richard Rawlings keeps emphasizing, that his '32 Roadster is one of his favorite hot rods to date. Believe it or not, one of Rawlings' favorite cars is not actually a product of Gas Monkey Garage! Instead, it was built by the Flat Out Speed Shop.
This gorgeous street rod packs a small-block Chevrolet V8 under the hood, mated with an automatic transmission. It's easily one of the cleanest and sleekest-looking rods owned by Richard Rawlings.
1932 Ford 3 Window
By now, it should be pretty apparent that Richard Rawlings is a big fan of hot rods based on vintage automobiles from the 30s. After all, some of the most notable projects built by Gas Monkey Garage are incredible, over-the-top rat rods. It would only make sense for Rawlings to keep a few of them in his private collection, too.
Rawlings' 1932 Ford 3 Window is unlike any other rat rod, though. It's loaded with modern comfort features, such as A/C and a Bluetooth radio. Its loud V8 motor packs a punch, too.
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
A sweet Challenger SRT Demon is yet another powerful car owned by Richard Rawlings. At the time of its debut, it was the fastest production car in the world. Its 840-horsepower supercharged V8 can crank it up to 60 miles per hour in as little as 2.3 seconds.
Walking into a Dodge dealership and purchasing a brand new Demon would have been too simple for the owner of Gas Monkey Garage. Instead, he built his dream SRT Demon from three different units. The car lacks a VIN number as a result, hence it can never be homologated. It makes for an astounding race car, though.
Pontiac Trans Am
The fact that Richard Rawlings is a massive fan of Smokey and The Bandit is no secret. A part of his workshop is even dedicated solely to the famous movie starring Burt Reynolds. It would only make sense for Rawlings to own a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am.
Despite his love for Smokey and The Bandit, Rawlings' Firebird is not an exact replica. Instead, the star of Fast N' Loud owns a shiny red '77 Trans Am.
1932 Ford 5-Window
A Ford 5-Window is yet another vehicle from the 1930s that's owned by Richard Rawlings. Naturally, it's a custom hot rod. Interestingly, this hot rod was not built in-house by Gas Monkey Garage. Instead, the project was completed by a friend of Rawlings.
This particular 5-Window was very sought-after and nearly impossible to get a hold of, but Richard Rawlings eventually managed to purchase it. It proudly sits as a part of his impressive car collection.
Rolls Royce Corniche
While modern luxury cars are indeed spectacular, nothing can beat a vintage Rolls Royce or Bentley. The owner of Gas Monkey Garage must think the same, as he happens to own a sleek Rolls Royce Corniche, a two-door luxury drop-top from the mid-80s.
The unit owned by Richard Rawlings is from 1986. Despite being over 3 decades old, his Corniche remains in pristine condition both inside and out. It's a real jewel in his enormous automobile collection.
Ford GT
A brand new Ford GT is yet another modern supercar owned by the star of Fast N' Loud. The previously mentioned first-gen unit must have not been enough, hence Rawlings decided to add a second-gen to his private collection as well.
The 2020 Ford GT makes anywhere between 647 and 700 horsepower from its 3.5L EcoBoost V6 motor, depending on the version. Production is strictly limited to just 250 units annually. It has been on the market since 2016 and remains one of the hottest modern supercars money can buy.
Zimmer Quicksilver
This may just be the rarest vehicle owned by the star of Fast N' Loud, except for his custom hot rods of course. In fact, there is a great chance that you have never even heard of this quirky model built by Zimmer.
The Quicksilver is essentially a heavily modified Pontiac Fiero. Though it features a unique body, there are subtle design cues that are a dead giveaway that the Quicksilver is indeed based on a Fiero. Less than 200 units were built between 1984 and 1988, and coming across one today is next to impossible.
Ferrari 488 Spider
Although Richard Rawlings is undoubtedly a huge fan of hot rods and vintage vehicles, he could not resist purchasing at least a couple of flawless, modern supercars. A jaw-dropping Ferrari 488 Spider is just one of them.
This Italian supercar packs a 661-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 mounted behind the driver. The retractable roof is ideal for those hot summer days, too. His custom "Rawkstar" license plate surely makes his unit stand out from the rest.
1951 Ford "Fordillac"
Vintage American car enthusiasts are probably well aware of what a "Fordillac" is. Back in the 50s, car owners would take Cadillac's powerful 331-cubic inch V8 motor and install it in Ford vehicles. That's how the first Fordillacs were born.
Richard Rawlings' Fordillac has spent all of its time in just one neighborhood in Dallas. According to Rawlings, the unit was always owned by someone who lived within a mile of the Gas Monkey Garage in Texas.
1963 King T
Richard Rawlings' '63 King T is easily one of the most unique automobiles in his collection. In fact, the owner of Gas Monkey Garage himself persistently claims that this is indeed his favorite car of all time. This prized possession was built by Don Tognotti, a pioneer of the hot rod movement.
One of the most significant features of the King T is its independent rear suspension. It was taken from a Chevy Corvette from the same year, as '63 was the first year that saw this innovative type of suspension fitted on the sports car.
Ferrari 599 GTB
Richard Rawlings is clearly a fan of the Prancing Horse. This should come as no surprise, as Ferrari automobiles are often considered to be the finest supercars in the world. Though the 599 GTB may not be the latest or the quickest Ferrari of all time, it still is an absolute show-stopper even 15 years after its initial debut.
This supercar saw a short production run limited to just 3500 units worldwide. This stunning grand tourer packs a 6.0L V12 rated at a whopping 612 horsepower.
1965 Ford Mustang
Let's be honest, who wouldn't want to own a pristine first-gen Ford Mustang? The one owned by Richard Rawlings looks as if it had just left the assembly line. It's in ideal condition both inside and out.
Rawlings couldn't just have a regular '65 Mustang, though. His example is a rare K-code variant, fitted with the 289-cubic inch V8 which was more powerful than the base model. In addition, the powerplant was modified to make more power and mated to a 5-speed transmission, as opposed to the stock 4-speed.
Polaris Slingshot
The Slingshot may not be the most expensive automobile on the planet, though it may just be the one that provides the most smiles per gallon. It's also just as unique as a custom hot rod, despite being mass-produced.
As a matter of fact, its unique structure does make the Slingshot difficult to categorize, though most experts do consider it to be a three-wheeled motorcycle. Whatever the legal classification is, there is no doubt that it must be an absolute blast to drive.
1959 Chevrolet Corvette
A prime example of America's first-ever sports car, the original first-generation Chevrolet Corvette, simply had to join Richard Rawlings' private car collection.
Rawlings was lucky enough to get a hold of this precious sports car a few years back. The star purchased it for just $17,000 after he had seen it listed on Craigslist. It did not run at the time, but he quickly restored it back to its former glory. What a lucky find!
1931 Ford Model A
Remember the first-ever episode of Fast N' Loud? This '31 Ford Model A may look quite familiar. That's because it was the first-ever vehicle that Gas Monkey Garage built on tape. As it holds enormous sentimental value to Richard Rawlings, he decided to keep it in his private car collection.
This beautiful hot rod was built in under a month. It was inspired by vintage hot rods of the 30s, hence it looks rather toned-down as opposed to some of the crazier rides built by Gas Monkey Garage. It's powered by a 4-cylinder motor.
1965 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
The '65 Mustang Shelby GT350 is perhaps the most meaningful vehicle owned by Richard Rawlings. The car once belonged to his father who is suffering from Alzheimer's. According to Rawlings, this vehicle has too much sentimental value to ever leave his collection.
The vehicle remains unrestored, as Rawlings prefers to keep it in exactly the same shape as he had found it in his father's garage. Despite what Rawlings' father believed, this unit is not a genuine GT350. Instead, it left the assembly line as a regular 6-cylinder Fastback, and received a cosmetic makeover as well as a 289-cubic inch V8 a couple of years later.
