Full Custom Garage is located in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. Mojave Desert is the hometown of the show’s host Ian Roussel.
Full Custom Garage is an automotive reality TV series featuring car builder Ian Roussel as he challenges his unique fabrication with wild projects to create custom one-of-a-kind vehicles for his clients.
He uses his distinctive ability to transform discarded objects into customized cars. With the skills and knowledge of a master fabricator, he builds from scratch using his creativity.
In each episode, the master car builder takes an old car/motorcycle/truck and creates a cool custom. With years of experience and expertise, he makes it look effortless and worth watching.
The beloved series returned for its eighth season on December 8, 2022. The final episode (E11) aired on May 16, 2023.
The show stands out from traditional car restoration shows, such as Dave Kindigs’ Kindig It Design or Chip Fooses’ Overhaulin.
It takes a more grassroots approach, focusing on a single man, a single car, and a modest garage setting.
Where Is Full Custom Garage Filmed?
Full Custom Garage is filmed in Roussel’s hometown in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. There he makes car lovers’ dreams come true.
The desert lies in the rain shadow of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains and Transverse Ranges in the Southwestern United States. It occupies a significant portion of Southern California.
Based in Southern California, Roussel began his television career as a shop foreman on the Discovery series Monster Nation.
Later, he went on to join the team of “All-Star” Build Team on Speed Channel’s Car Warriors.
Born and brought up in Southern California, his passion for cars began at a young age. Roussel embodies that local world-recognized custom car culture.
After years of working in the field and accumulating expertise, he established his custom car-building garage, which subsequently resulted in his TV show, “Full Custom Garage,” in 2014.
He often shares exciting pictures and photo shoots related to the show’s filming on his Instagram account.
His pictures feature the Mojave Desert’s typical basin and range topography. It displays a series of beautiful parallel mountain ranges and valleys. It is also the site of ‘Death Valley.
Meet The Cast of Full Custom Garage
Full Custom Garage cast includes Ian Roussel, Victor Cacho, Gene Winfield, Tom Flores, Bill Ferrell, and more.
Renowned television host David Letterman has also appeared in the show.
Ian Roussel
Roussel is the man behind the MAVTV popular automotive reality TV show. He is a television personality and master car builder.
Ian is renowned in the car-manufacturing industry for his talent in crafting distinctive custom cars tailored to his client’s preferences. He is widely regarded as one of the top custom car builders.
Roussel’s talent has seen him send customized vehicles to different parts of the world. But as much as the builder loves making distinctive automobiles, he rarely keeps any in his garage.
During an interview, he mentioned his addiction to building cars rather than owning them.
Always looking for the next challenge, Roussel has established himself as a world-class builder with a knack for innovative ideas and the skills to execute them successfully.
Ian Roussel Military Service Background
Ian Roussel wife Jamie Roussel was in the US Army. After retiring from military service, she became a health and holistic coach.
On November 12, 2021, Mrs. Roussel took to her Instagram to share an old picture of herself while she was in the military. “Honored to call myself a Veteran,” she wrote in the caption.
“I never witnessed battle, but I understand the dedication and love for our amazing America. Military life at such a young age molded me into the woman I am today,” she concluded.
Victor Cacho
Cacho is a client seen on Full Custom Garage. He is the creative force behind many of Roussel’s builds.
The master car builder said Cacho is the most challenging of all his clients. On the show, we see him bringing custom-build ideas to Roussel.
The builds can range from fabricating a complete supercar body and ripping the skin off a Porsche to blowing a new unusual multi-bubble top for a futuristic Thunderbird.
This team of Cacho and Roussell are the kings of fully functional custom cars. Both are fans of the custom cars from the 60s and 70s that shine under the auditorium lights.
Even though Victor appears on TV, he doesn’t give any interviews. However, he made an exception and agreed to speak with Wisconsin Hot Rod Radio in January 2021.
Gene Winfield
Gene Winfield is an American automotive customizer and fabricator. Born in Springfield, Missouri, in 1927, he is 96.
In the mid-1960s, his design caught the attention of the film industry, resulting in his work appearing on screen, including in the iconic 1982 science fiction film Blade Runner.
Winfield was a frequently recurring guest star of Full Custom Garage Season 6.
In the Season 6 Episode titled “Funky Junk,” it was known that Gene maintained his Original Series room in his home, with an accurate replica of the series’ captain’s chair.
In 1966, Aluminum Model Toys (AMT) hired him to manage a new Speed and Custom Division Shop, which created full-scale cars as promotional motor vehicles, including the Star Trek: The Original Series.
Full Custom Garage Cars For Sale
Some of Ian’s creations have been bought and sent to Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan. People from around the world see the show and want particular types of cars.
In 2021, ahead of Season 8 premiere, Roussel attended the fifth annual Spokane Speed and Custom Show at the Spoken County Fair and Expo Center.
“I’ve never been to Spokane. We’ll have some merchandise for sale. I’ll be signing autographs,” he said before attending the event.
Ian found himself surrounded by a variety of classic and contemporary cars at the expo. He and the other attendees had the opportunity to experience numerous exotic automobiles in Spokane.
The car builder uses a dune buggy to wander around the desert.
In Season 8 Episode 1, Roussel and hot rod artist Johnny Jalopy created a crazy creation on the fly. The next episode saw them make a street machine inspired by the wild trikes and the show cars of the 60s.
The series shows how the builder uses his skills to deal with his most unconventional clients and his attempt to blend their choices into a one-of-a-kind show car.