Only Hardcore Counting Cars Fans Know These Facts About Ryan Evans
Followers of the hit reality show "Counting Cars" know Ryan Evans as a genius progenitor of custom automotive graphics and artwork that define the Count's Kustoms brand. Since the show's debut in 2012 as a spinoff of the famous "Pawn Stars" and "American Restoration" on the History Channel, "Counting Cars" has grown a massive fanbase and has a higher demand than 94.7% of all U.S. TV reality shows.
No matter what happens, head painter and graphic artist Ryan Evans will forever be intertwined with Count's Kustoms and shop owner Danny "The Count" Koker. Fans know The Count as a hardcore car collector and self-taught mechanic who started Count's Kustoms as a hobby. But something happened in 2000 that set the ball rolling for the much-loved car show that fans worldwide still crave despite last airing two years ago.
The bike shop manager discovered Ryan Evans
Born on January 3, 1974, in Frankfurt, Germany, Ryan Evans began his passion for motorcycles at a young age. That passion transitioned into art, as he now looks at bikes as "canvasses on two wheels" and "works of art." He began airbrushing in college and transitioned from bikes to cars, a larger canvas to express his creativity.
Impressed by Evans' rolling artworks loitering around Vegas, the bike shop manager and lead builder of Count's Kustoms, Hawaiian-native Shannon Aikau, introduced Evans to big boss Danny Koker in 2000, and the rest is history. Koker showed Evans his car collection (now over 100 vehicles and counting), and the two immediately hit it off with their shared passion for color, flair, and period-correct aesthetics.
However, Evans started working at the Count's Kustoms bike shop as a painter and graphic artist before getting promoted by The Count as the head customization artist. Some consider Ryan Evans as Danny Koker's right-hand man in the shop. Still, that prestige officially belongs to Kevin Mack, the suave yet hard-swinging business manager of Count's Kustoms.
Evans' top three cars deserve special mention
Ryan Evans has appeared in over 100 episodes of Counting Cars since debuting in 2012. There's no exact number of how many cars and bikes Evans has built and customized over the years, but it's fair to say he has painted some truly memorable designs. Of all he has painted for Count's Kustoms, his top three are proof of Evans' willingness to extend the boundaries of creativity while thinking outside the box.
First is Koker's red 1981 Chevy C10 van, a delicious retro people carrier with custom Cadillac-style taillights, mudder-style fender flares, bubble porthole windows, and a small block V8 breathing through eight handmade, snake-like side exhaust tips. Meanwhile, the vampire-themed paint job by Evans features stellar vampire murals, hand-turned genuine silver leafing, flame-type side graphics, and silver skulls. Koker has owned the van since 1982 and has undergone many design iterations before settling for the red beauty that Evans painted to perfection.
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Next is the 1971 Superfly Cadillac from Season 3. Designed to be the penultimate "pimp mobile" that pays homage to the laidback 70s, the Cadillac stuns with its gold paint, gold flakes, silver & gold leaves, pinstriping, and luscious wheels. Rounding up Evan's top three is a gorgeous 1973 Buick Riviera Boattail with a split-window rear end, a custom front grille, and an insane paint job with water droppings, pinstriping, graphics, silver leafing, and the whole shebang.
Ryan Evans is a family man
Despite his popularity in "Counting Cars," Ryan Evans keeps his personal life private and rarely mentions his kids or family on TV and in interviews. However, Evans is married to Dana Pauley and shares her son Logan. Moreover, Evans has two kids from a previous relationship.
As a master graphics artist and TV personality, Evans' $1 million net worth is nowhere near his boss' $15 million fortune. But his low-key style and otherworldly artistry have made him one of the most popular crew members of Count's Kustoms and "Counting Cars." But unlike Koker and his unbelievable auto collection, Evans has a single custom 1969 Cadillac Coupe to drive around town.
The eleventh season of "Counting Cars" remains a mystery, and no official news outlets have confirmed if the show was canceled or renewed for a new season. "Counting Cars" ended its tenth season in 2021, and fans have been clamoring for its return, partly due to what Evans will come up with next.