Summary
- Gas Monkey Garage is preparing two 1-of-1 Ferrari builds, which is unusual because Ferrari is sensitive to customization.
- Richard Rawlings bought five Testarossa sports cars from Ireland, despite their abuse in a failed film, and plans to convert one into an electric vehicle.
- Rawlings also purchased a white Ferrari 812 Superfast and spent more than expected on its restoration, and it will be showcased at the SEMA Show after undergoing changes.
Richard Rawlings of Gas Monkey Garage wasn't just a TV show celebrity from Fast N' Loud, but is also a car collector. But aside from collecting cars, Rawlings also loves tinkering with them, sometimes in a way that fans of that subject model would disagree with. Right now, Gas Monkey Garage is busy preparing not just one but two 1-of-1 Ferrari builds, which could be questionable but definitely worth a look.
The Gas Monkey Garage builds are very unusual, because they shouldn’t have involved cars from Ferrari, which has built a reputation of being sensitive to how vehicle owners customize their drives. Moreover, one of the Ferrari sports cars that will undergo heavy modification is a Testarossa, which people now see as an iconic vehicle.
Gas Monkey Garage Buys Five Testarossa From Ireland
Rawlings travelled to Mallusk, Ireland, to take a closer look at an unusual Ferrari collection – five identical red Testarossa sports cars. Interestingly, these Ferraris have fake bullet holes in them, as they featured as stunt vehicles in the 2021 action film Infinite, which stars Mark Wahlberg. The film production filled these Testarossas with fake bullet holes, cracked windshields, and several dents. Sadly, the movie flopped and J&F Group acquired the five Testarossa sports cars.
Despite the sports cars not receiving any restoration from the abuse they got, Rawlings remained interested in purchasing them. He personally visited the J&F Group showroom in Ireland and negotiated with the group. He purchased the five Testarossas and arranged for their shipment to the United States. At the time, Rawlings still had no inkling what he would do next.
One Of Five Testarossa Set To Become An EV
Rawlings eventually came to the realization that he had too many Ferrari Testarossas. Perhaps he thought that he had five newly delivered Testarossa, and being the owner of the sports cars, he has every right to decide on what to do with them. Thus, Rawlings came to a decision to convert one of the Testarossas into something exciting – an electric vehicle.
Converting a classic vehicle into an EV requires ample knowledge about the process. So, Rawlings approached Legacy EV for the possibility of an electro-mod conversion. Doing so would be a meticulous process, but Legacy EV showed off its works to impress Rawlings. One of the five red Testarossa sports cars is now in the care of the Legacy EV, following a personal delivery from Rawlings.
Once the Testarossa completes its EV conversion, Gas Monkey Garage will baptize it anew with a new name – The Testa.
A Totaled Ferrari 812 That Gas Monkey Restored To Life
Earlier this year, a white Ferrari 812 Superfast caught the attention of Rawlings. It was for sale on an auction site, but was completely drivable. There were a number of sections that might have sustained irreversible damage. It was a considerable gamble since the Ferrari was expensive and yet there was no guarantee that Rawlings could repair and restore the sports car.
After purchasing the 812 Superfast, Rawlings immediately went into action to bring it back to life. He originally intended to just spend up to $40,000 on the build, but ended up shelling out around $200,000. The 812 Superfast came back to life, and now runs and handles well, but Rawlings got into a deficit with its total costs.
Ferrari 812 Will Be Gas Monkey Garage’s Showcase At SEMA
The Ferrari 812 Superfast is now one of Monkey Gas Garage’s more prized possessions. But just like the Testarossa, it is now undergoing some changes. Around a month ago, Rawlings had the 812 Superfast delivered to Creative Bespoke, which will give the sports car a carbon fiber facelift. It looks like Creative Bespoke has already crafted the carbon fiber body kit for the 812 Superfast and is now getting ready to stick them to the sports car.
According to Rawlings, these two 1-on-1 creations will find their way to this year’s edition of the SEMA Show. Both are now becoming heavily distinct Testarossa and 812 Superfast sports cars that Rawlings hopes would turn heads at the upcoming SEMA Show. For now, Gas Monkey Garage has to wait for Legacy EV and Bespoke Creations to complete their jobs.
Source: Gas Monkey Garage