Richard Rawlings auctioned most of his car collection in September 2022, but the available reports do not establish that the sale brought in more than $1 million—or that he sold every car he owned. The event was a no-reserve online auction through Bring a Trailer, with bidding scheduled to close at Gas Monkey Garage.
What happened to Richard Rawlings’ car collection?
Gas Monkey Garage announced on August 15, 2022, that Rawlings planned to start over with his collection, which included pre-war cars, automotive icons, muscle cars and trucks. The announcement introduced the sale as a major change in direction, not a confirmed sale of every vehicle he owned.
On September 2, a Gas Monkey Garage and Bring a Trailer announcement said the no-reserve auction would begin September 7, with lots closing from September 14 and a livestream planned from the garage. D Magazine reported that individual listings would close sequentially on September 14.
What was included in the auction?
The published counts differ, so they should be treated as separate descriptions rather than combined into a single total. The September 2 announcement described more than 25 vehicles; D Magazine’s September 7 report listed 23 cars, two motorcycles, a chassis and a Gas Monkey Garage tour.
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Examples named in the coverage included a 1962 Chevrolet Corvette, a 1986 Zimmer Quicksilver, a 2022 Ford Bronco and the “King T” Ford Model T. The auction announcement described King T as a custom car built by Gene Winfield. It had won the 1964 Oakland Roadster Show’s Most Beautiful Roadster award and was later represented as a Hot Wheels car and an MPC model kit.
Why did Rawlings sell most of the collection?
Rawlings described the sale as a chance to change the focus of his collection and reinvest in cars with strong pedigrees. He named rare American cars from the 1980s and 1990s, along with classic Mercedes, Ferraris and Lamborghinis. “I want to reinvest in hotrods with super big pedigrees. I want Mercedes, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and more,” he said in the auction announcement.
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D Magazine quoted Rawlings saying, “These cars will sell for what they’re worth.” CultureMap Dallas also quoted him describing a desire to collect things he had not previously been able to achieve. The contemporaneous coverage presents a collecting change as his reason; it does not establish a financial motive.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did the cars sell for more than $1 million?
The cited announcements and reports establish the auction’s timing, format and scope, but they do not report a final aggregate sale total. As a result, the claim that Rawlings’ collection sold for more than $1 million is unverified in these sources. The individual lots were offered without reserves, but that fact alone does not establish their final prices or the auction’s total proceeds.
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Likewise, the reporting describes Rawlings selling “most” or “almost all” of his collection, not literally every car he owned. Without an authoritative final-results record, neither a precise gross total nor a claim that the entire collection changed hands can be confirmed.
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