Pratik Handore
‘Car Masters: Rust to Riches’ is a reality series about Mark Towle and his talented crew of automotive experts as they work on various car restoration/renovation projects before selling them for a profit. They, the Gotham Garage crew, have developed a large fan following thanks to the show’s success. However, it has also brought their talents under scrutiny. Viewers have regularly questioned the capabilities of the cast members and wondered how much of the events that we see on the show are real, if any at all. So, here’s everything you need to know!
Car Masters: Rust to Riches is Seemingly As Real As It Can Be
In ‘Car Masters: Rust to Riches,’ Mark Towle and his crew mostly work on the renovation of old cars and other vehicles that are rusted and badly bent out of shape. However, after the restoration process, the cars look better than new, and the crew members come off as miracle workers. It is certainly possible that with some money and a lot of time and effort, such wonderful results can be produced. However, the show does not really focus an awful lot on the restoration and customization process, which has fueled the fire of the show being fake.
It has made fans of the show wonder whether the crew actually does all the work by themselves and if they have the expertise to produce such results. Towle is known for customizing cars for various movie and television projects and seems to hold some pedigree as a mechanic, but many viewers have often raised questions about the expertise of cast member Constance Nunes. The crew’s only female member doesn’t pass off as an archetypical mechanic but rather appears as someone you might find on the cover of a fashion magazine.
Furthermore, a quick glance at Nunes’ social media profiles proves that she has a promising modeling career. Well, many might not know that Nunes has been a part of the automotive industry for many years. Apart from being a model for cars, she has also worked in the service departments of various motor companies like Ford, BMW, Audi, etc. Not just that, Nunes spent most of her early life working in the car shop of her father, Ernie Nunes, who is an expert mechanic and a former amateur race car driver. She followed in his footsteps.
On ‘Car Masters: Rust to Riches,’ Nunes has constantly proved that she possesses great knowledge of cars and their engines and rightfully deserves to be a part of the team. Fans of the mechanic and engine expert would be thrilled to know that Nunes is now a proud owner of her own shop – Cars by Constance – in Murrieta, California.
Meanwhile, cast member Shawn Pilot, who serves as the crew’s negotiator, has a few acting gigs on his resume. Therefore, it is hard not to wonder whether his “negotiations” are merely scripted dialog. While that could be the case, there is no evidence to prove it. Lastly, a few crew members of the show are credited as the Build Team, which hints that the cast doesn’t do all the work by themselves, which is understandable considering the scale of the projects.
In the second season, one of the cars Towle’s team is working on gets totaled, and the head honcho is visibly agitated. The camera crew hastily follows Towle as he heads towards the accident spot. Typically, such a sequence would be edited out of a reality show, but its presence suggests that there is some truth to the show after all. It has also been reported that the Gotham Garage crew members did actually donate a Plymouth XNR Replica to the Petersen Automobile Museum, as seen in the season 2 finale.
All things considered, there isn’t enough evidence to confirm whether the show is fake. However, there are indications that this original is authentic as it claims to be. Understandably, like any good reality show, Netflix’s ‘Car Masters: Rust to Riches’ likely has some elements that are either made up or enhanced for dramatic effect, but a majority of it is quite natural and comes across as genuine. However, there is no way to know for sure which aspects of the show are truly scripted, making it even more compelling to watch.
Read More: Where Is Car Masters Filmed? Where is Gotham Garage Located?
