Though much of his private life is clouded in secrecy, every fan of Fast N' Loud knows very well who Kaufman is. He was born in Crowly, Texas on January 26, 1982, and for 14 years leading up to 2017, Kaufman amassed an enormous fan base while working for the famous Gas Monkey Garage. Meanwhile, Aaron remains a dedicated self-driven personality who taught himself everything mechanical that he knows today.

If asked to pick his favorite car model, Kaufman would scream "AC COBRA" almost instantaneously. Today, thanks to his success in showbiz, Kaufman doubles as an entrepreneur and a media personality. But, there's much more to mister Kaufman than most fans are aware of, and here are some facts about him not everyone knows.

13 His Humble Beginnings

Aaron's father was an ardent car guy, and lending a hand to his dad perhaps triggered Kaufman's long-term passion and love for everything cars. And though he absconded high school midway, he was definitely A-grade material.

He could take apart stuff like toys, bicycles, and later his first car (a Jeep Cherokee) only to reassemble it back with astounding precision. Doing this repeatedly earned him the confidence that has catapulted him to his current status.

12 How He Chose His Career Path

Kaufman journeyed to college where he specialized in fabrication works. Incidentally, Richard Rawlings discovered Kaufman’s rare talent while visiting a local garage where he worked. By then, Kaufman was a proficient hot rodder, mechanic, and fabricator. The duo then moved on together to nurture Rawlings’s Gas Monkey Garage that was still in its infancy stage.

11  How He Acquired The Skills

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Renovating your car to “fit in” an industry-standard genre is akin to fitting a square peg into a round hole. Kaufman calls it adaptive reuse which not only requires self-will but creativity and expertise. And for now, he’s passionately focused on auto rebuilds that would have otherwise been headed for the damp hill. And that’s the road he’s traveled while amassing a tremendous wealth of experience.

10 His First Rebuilt Car

Via motor Trend

At age 16, Kaufman acquired his first-ever Jeep Cherokee, though it was not his dream car of choice. Without formal training on auto mechanics, Kaufman relied heavily on his inherent desire to excel in what he does. And with the Cherokee at his disposal, he seemed to have gotten a specimen to tinker and experiment with all the time. He delights in dismembering the entire car and re-assembling it back to its original state or better.

9 What Was His Original Dream Career?

gasmonkeygarage.com

We have highlighted Kaufman’s interest in cars since his childhood days. However, Kaufman also had a deep love for wildlife, so much so that he actually looked forward to becoming a park ranger. As becoming a mechanic was not in his mind he could only imagine driving a truck in the off-road terrains in the wild kingdom. Passion changed all that.

8 Kaufman’s Stint At The Gas Monkey Garage

Gas Monkey Garage

While working under Rawlings at Gas Monkey Garage, Kaufman had to endure intense pressure from his boss who was equally ambitious. For instance, he was assigned to deliver 12 rebuilds within a span of 24 weeks. This only meant Kaufman had to dedicate more than 110 hours per week to achieve that target. All the while, he desired to do things differently-at his own speed and appealing to his audience.

RELATED: 13 Surprising Facts About Gas Monkey Garage's Richard Rawlings

7  From Hospital Bed To Filming Sessions

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Given his workaholic nature, it was no wonder to see Kaufman take part in a filming session only three days after undergoing a surgical operation in the hospital. It is not often custom for him to share personal experiences, so neither the film director nor the rest of the cast knew what Kaufman was going through. Apart from shifting from Fast N’ Loud to his own show Shifting Gears, Kaufman also distributes Ford’s F-100 parts at his own shop.

6 His Net Worth

via Hot Rod Network

Kaufman's net worth is now estimated at $6 million, whereas his ability to multi-task, doubling as both a proficient mechanic and a media personality sets him apart from other mechanics. According to comparilist.com, Kaufman made a respectable sum of $50,000 per each episode.

5 He Sold His Famous 1963 Ford Falcon Race Car

via Pinterest

Built by Aaron Kaufman himself during season 4 of Fast N' Loud, many fans will instantly recognize this custom 1963 Ford Falcon race car. It was also the car Kaufman used to race in Pikes Peek 2016. Well, in 2017, Aaron listed the car for sale on Ebay, before finally selling it to a lucky buyer for $65,000. The car is fully custom-made with a 363-ci Ford Boss V8 producing over 500 hp under the hood!

4 Aaron's Romantic Life

Though not married yet, Kaufman has been dating Lauren Moore for a while now, and going by the snaps posted on their Instagram, news of their engagement could be in the offing.

3 Planning A Comeback To Reality-TV

Did you know that Kaufman wanted to retreat away from the limelight after ditching Fast N’ Loud? Had he not been approached by execs from Discovery Channel, perhaps Kaufman would have faded into oblivion. However, after intense discussions, Kaufman changed his mind, agreeing to return to the fold, this time staring in his own Shifting Gears With Aaron Kaufman.

RELATED: 15 Surprising Facts About The US Air Force Dodge Challenger Vapor

2 Enduring The Pressure Of Being The Boss

Via Instagram

While at Gas Monkey Garage under Rawlings, Kaufman had wanted to break away from the shadow of his demanding boss. And that “want” was born out of being pressured to work extremely hard doing things contrary to his dreams. However, Kaufman is now finding himself reloaded with a different set of obligations; that of his new show and from his private shop. Because he’s the boss now.

1 His Fashion And Vision For Arclight

Think about it: why invest in a “good enough” show on premiere TV when he can sit and sell Ford F-100 parts in his own shop? Kaufman’s plans for his Arch Light Fabrication likely depend on the Shifting Gears venture's success.

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