Richard Rawlings is one of the most iconic names in the American auto industry. The Texas native is famous for starring in the hit reality car show Fast N' Loud, where he travels around the US in search of derelict cars to breathe new life into by having his Gas Monkeys restore and customize them.
Rawlings bought his first car at the age of 14, and since then, he has bought countless more after earning a fortune from his business and TV shows. Although Rawlings sells most of the cars he buys and works on in his workshop, he likes to keep a few special ones for his collection. Let's explore ten fantastic cars that Rawlings has added to his private collection over the years.
9 1968 Shelby Mustang
Like many gearheads, Richard Rawlings believes that the Mustang is one of the greatest American cars ever produced. Rawlings has a deep love for Mustangs, particularly those built out of Ford's partnership with Carroll Shelby. He owns a fantastic 1968 Shelby Mustang that he and his team built for the first season of Fast N' Loud.
When customizing the Mustang, Rawlings drew inspiration from the car featured in Pierce Brosnan's film 'The Thomas Crown Affair.' It looks quite different from the normal 1968 Mustang, as it was lifted and equipped with fog lights and bigger off-road wheels. The stock 302cid motor was also replaced with a high-performance 347cid motor pushing 400 horsepower, making it twice as powerful as the base 1968 Shelby Mustang.
8 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
When Richard Rawlings was in high school, nothing about his appearance could get him into the 'cool' club, so he decided to get one of the coolest cars of the '70s — a 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Rawlings doesn't own the exact car he drove in his high school days, but he has a similar one that always reminds him of his teenage years whenever he gets behind the wheel.
The 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am had a cool design, and even though it came out during the worst era for American muscle cars, it still had more than 200 horsepower to play with.
7 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
When the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat first came out in 2015, every gearhead was impressed. It had a fire-breathing 707-horsepower Hellcat engine under the hood and could do 0-60 mph in just over 3 seconds.
Richard Rawlings was also impressed by the car — so much that he acquired the second one that rolled out of the factory. As usual, Rawlings made several changes to the car to make it his own and used it regularly until drug dealers stole it. Fortunately, Rawlings learned of its location almost a year later and stole it back.
6 1967 Pontiac Firebird
Although GM shut down its Pontiac division a decade ago, it will always be remembered for producing many iconic classic cars. One of Pontiac's best cars was the Firebird. Introduced in 1967, the Firebird was an instant hit, thanks to its gorgeous coke bottle styling and powerful engines.
Rawlings grew up as a fan of the Firebird, so when he got the chance to buy the first two ever built, he took it immediately. The Firebirds were in terrible shape, so Richard and his team gave them a full Concours restoration.
5 1951 Ford "Fordillac"
One of the oldest cars in Richard Rawlings' collection is this 1951 Ford, or Fordillac, as it was commonly referred to. This car was extremely popular after World War II, especially among hot rodders. In the 50s, Ford owners used to swap their engines out with more powerful Cadillac-sourced engines, which is where the "Fordillac" nickname originated from.
Rawlings' 1951 Ford has been elegantly restored and given a beautiful coat of blue paint. However, the thing he loves most about the car is that it has been in his neighborhood its entire life.
4 1970 Dodge Challenger
Richard Rawlings loves finding old classics and breathing new life into them. This 1970 Dodge Challenger is a perfect example of that. From the outside, the Challenger looks pretty much the same as the original model with a new paint job.
However, under the hood, it's a whole different story. Rawlings swapped the Challenger's original engine with a modern 707-horsepower supercharged Hellcat engine, making it super fast. He also equipped it with a Be Cool radiator, Wilwood brakes, RideTech coil-overs, and a Tremec six-speed transmission.
3 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition
When Richard Rawlings was growing up, one of the most popular poster cars at the time was the Lamborghini Countach. It had an eye-catching wedge-shaped design perfectly complemented by its scissors doors. It also had the power to match coming from a massive V12 sitting right behind the driver.
After years of waiting, Rawlings finally got the chance to buy a Countach. However, he had to install a bulkier bumper to meet strict American safety specifications. The move slightly ruined the original look of the car, but it was worth it.
2 Ferrari 599 GTB
Richard Rawlings doesn't own many European cars, but according to him, the Ferrari 599 GTB is his pride and joy. This is the first-ever Ferrari that Rawlings bought for himself, and he intends to keep it in his collection forever.
Introduced in 2006, the GTB is a gorgeous Pininfarina-styled sports car famous for being the first Ferrari GT car to use an aluminum chassis. On top of that, it was one of the most powerful Ferrari road cars when it came out, thanks to a 6.0-liter V12 engine cranking out 612 horsepower.
1 2021 Ram TRX
Richard Rawlings is a Texas native, which means that he loves beer, barbecues, and pickup trucks. Rawlings' pickup truck of choice, and one of the newest additions to his collection, is a brand new 2021 Ram TRX. Rawlings was one of the first few hundred people to receive the TRX, and he loves everything about it.
The Ram TRX is a crazy pickup truck. It is powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 engine cranking out a massive 702 horsepower, making it one of the fastest pickup trucks ever produced. Rawlings is satisfied with the power, but he plans to make a few aesthetic changes to make it look even more aggressive.