Most people think the countless number of vintage vehicles rusting in overgrown fields, abandoned back lots, and musty garages across America are just junk. But for automotive mastermind Richard Rawlings and mechanical prodigy Aaron Kaufman, these cars – from ’57 Chevys to ’73 Trans Ams – are goldmines. A new six-part series premiering Thursday July 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery Channel, FAST N’ LOUD follows the Texan pair as they return these derelict rides to their former glory and get them back on the road – but not without putting their own spin on them first.
Rawlings, a Fort Worth native and owner of the Dallas-based Gas Monkey Garage, has always had an extreme passion for cars. He owned three hot rods by the time he graduated from high school, and even took a bullet in the early 1990s fighting off a carjacker who tried to steal his ’65 Mustang 2+2 Fastback. Kaufmann, a restoration visionary, is entirely self-taught. A naturally talented mechanic determined to make things his own way, it was easy for him to fall into hot rod work – and his sharp skills and eye for design landed him a job at Gas Monkey Garage.
Rawlings and Kaufmann need big projects – and big profits – to keep Gas Monkey’s doors open. Together, they travel the back roads of Texas, scouring barns, swap meets and open fields in search of rare rides to restore. Once Rawlings wheels and deals for a good price, the real work begins back at the garage, where the guys race against the clock to finish the job in time for auction. Time is money at Gas Monkey Garage – and Rawlings and Kaufmann can’t afford to lose either.
From Pilgrim Studios and Executive Producer Craig Piligian (AMERICAN CHOPPER, DIRTY JOBS), highlights from the first episodes of FAST N’ LOUD include:
FAST N’ LOUD: “Model-A Madness”
Thursday July 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Rawlings and Kaufmann travel to the wilds of Carrollton, Missouri, to buy the antique hot rod of their dreams: a rust-free 1931 Model-A from the “Bonnie and Clyde” era. They plan to do a major restoration and sell it for big money at a Texas swap meet, but reality soon intrudes: the car hasn’t been driven in more than 50 years, and Kaufmann’s ambitious plans for a big wheel, 1940s-style hot rod could break Rawlings’s budget. As the renovation costs pile up, Rawlings looks to make some fast cash with a couple quick flips. He buys a ’53 Chevy 210, only to discover it may not be as sought after as he hoped. Finally, he pins his hopes on a classic movie car, a bullet-riddled ’64 Buick Riviera driven by Nicolas Cage in Drive Angry. But when the Riviera turns out to be more wrecked than first realized, Richard has to salvage both the car and his plans.
FAST N’ LOUD: “Awesome Aussies and Olds”
Thursday July 19 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Combing the back roads of Texas, Rawlings and Kaufmann find an ultra-cool muscle car they know will bring big money: a 1950 Oldsmobile Coupe Rocket 88, perfectly preserved in a garage for more than 50 years. A buyer has expressed interest, but when Kaufmann discovers a major problem with the engine, Rawlings’s dreams for a big payday hit the skids. Meanwhile, Rawlings and Kaufmann have 48 hours to fix up a broken-down ’73 Caddy convertible that’s been sent to them from a couple of Aussies looking to take a road trip on Route 66. As the car’s problems mount, Rawlings and Kaufmann resort to outrageous measures to entertain the Aussies, Texas-style. And after he buys a ’55 Chevy Bel Air from a collector, Rawlings’s attempts to sell it hit a snag when the buyer rejects his price. But no one knows how to close a deal like Richard Rawlings, and he’s got one last trick up his sleeve.
JUNE 6TH UPDATE: Please note that the premiere date for FAST N’ LOUD has changed. The series will now launch Thursday, July 12 (not Monday, July 9 as previously announced). The program will remain in the same 10 p.m. ET/PT timeslot.
