The restoration of cars can be a rewarding business, especially if you turn out to be so good at it, that you become part of a major Netflix series. This is precisely what happened to one specialist customization company – Gotham Garage, when they became stars of Car Masters: Rust to Riches. The aim of the team at Gotham Garage is to restore unusual cars with the aim of flipping them for serious cash. Led by Mark Towle, owner of Gotham Garage, the team believe that “If you can dream it, we can build it,” showing how determined they are in their expertise.

Updated in October 2022: If you are a fan of Gotham Garage and Car Masters: Rust to Riches, we have updated this article to reflect where the series is now from when it started.

As the main stage for our favorite TV series Car Masters: Rust To Riches, Gotham Garage is where movie-car builder and world-renowned car designer, Mark Towle, and his crew do all the car restoration magic you see on the screen. Car Masters features the custom vehicles the crew builds, the customers, and the history behind the cars that they have purchased and brought into the shop.

However, despite having a loyal fan base and producing awe-inspiring renovations from the crew, some behind-the-scenes facts tell us that Gotham Garage had some dark stuff happen in the past. Let’s see what Car Masters: From Rust To Riches and Gotham Garage has tried to keep a secret.

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The Lowdown On Gotham Garage Owner, Mark Towle

Mark Towle - Gotham Garage
Via: Instagram Gotham Garage

Viewers of the popular Gotham Garage might not know that Car Masters isn’t Mark’s first TV ride. He has appeared on America’s Most Wanted and The Today Show, something that has made some of the show's audience question whether Mark is just on the show for fame and recognition, or for his automobile prowess. The show doesn't address his proclivity for starring in TV shows. Although he appeared to have been TV and fame-hungry in the past, the show depicts him as an entrepreneur, mechanic, and business owner – not an actor. And let's not forget that Mark has a highly rated reputation thanks to his skills as an automotive mechanic, which get showcased in Car Masters.

It hasn't always been an easy road however for Mark, and life was particularly dark in 2011, when he was subsequently taken to court by DC Comics and its parent company Warner Bros. for copyright infringement and for violating trademarks. He essentially had created replicas of the Batmobile and the Batcycle without permission, which were then apparently sold for around $90,000 each.

When Mark Towle was taken to court, he objected, saying that if they stopped reproduction of the famous car, it would have “a significant impact on automobile makers and manufacturers,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Unfortunately for Towle, the judge didn’t side with the automobile manufacturers and ruled that “it is clear that the Batmobile is a copyrighted character.”

Warner Bros. won the lawsuit against Mark, resulting in him having to pay $20,000 in damages. On the show, the ironically called, Gotham Garage, only revealed the conversion of the car into the 'Batmobile', and excluded anything regarding the court hearing.

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From Garage To Reality TV Fame

Gotham Garage - 1940s Lincoln Zephyr, front
Via: Instagram - Gotham Garage

The team at Gotham Garage joined Netflix in the American TV show, Car Masters: Rust to Riches, where they could put their imagination and skill to great use. The show started in 2018 and is currently on Season 4 and flying high with a great following and fan base thanks to the crazy customizations they get their hands on and then flip for huge amounts of money. There has been some mention that the show may be a little fake due to some processes involved in overhauling such restoration projects, but these concerns are currently unsupported. The lack of coverage during some parts of the restoration may simply be down to the amount of time allowed for each episode and wanting to keep the series as real and authentic as possible.

What Is Next For Gotham Garage?

Car Masters: Rust to Riches and Gotham Garage are keeping themselves busy and recently took part in the Canyon Lake Classic Car Show. If you take a look at their Instagram page, you can keep an eye on all their activities and there might even be a teaser alert on Season 5 if we're lucky.

Although areas of concern remain surrounding Gotham Garage and Mark Towle, making us wonder if they are hiding anything, their commitment to the cause remains when they say, “Here at #GothamGarage, we build custom automotive creations from movies, TV, and your imagination!”