🔥💔 From Fame to Financial Ruin? The Untold Drama Behind Mike Hall’s Rust Empire and the Friends He Lost Along the Way 😢🚘

Hey guys, Mike here from Rust Brothers! As you probably know by now, my buddy Todd from EG Auctions has been instrumental in my journey from performing casual physical work to gracing TV screens around the world.

This transformation was fueled by a passion for classic cars that became everyone else’s passion too.

The production company Mayhem Entertainment found my story intriguing and eventually approached the History Channel, leading to the birth of “Rust Valley Restorers,” which debuted in 2018.

The series follows me, my friend Avery Shoaf, and occasionally my son Connor Charmin Hall, as we travel across the U.S. gathering cars so old and unusable they are often considered scrap.

The restoration process then gets underway at my shop, Rust Bros Restorations, turning these vehicles from scrap metal into rides that can compete with the market’s finest.

I am a well-known name in the world of classic car restorations, co-owning and serving as the head mechanic of Rust Valley Restorers, a business based in Tappen, British Columbia.

I’ve been restoring classic cars since the 1990s, earning regional and worldwide praise for my work.

The crux of our entertaining strategy is to spend some money and make a lot more, but these endeavors don’t always go as planned.

Finding a buyer for each restored car can be challenging, and sometimes the invested money is lost, which adds uncertainty to my day-to-day operations but makes for entertaining television.

The reality series has already won five awards and received nominations for five more.

It took home five Leo Awards in 2020 in various categories, including best screenwriting and best information lifestyle program.

My passion for classic cars is evident in all of my work; I believe in bringing these cars back to life using authentic techniques and parts rather than modern technology.

My team and I work hard to preserve the car’s history rather than just restoring it to look new, earning considerable praise from the classic car community.

Born in Saint Boniface, Manitoba, Canada, in 1956, I eventually moved to Kamloops, British Columbia, for my father’s job at CP Rail.

Following in my father’s footsteps, I developed an interest in all things mechanical, working on the family car and learning about machinery.

After moving out, I started a slope stabilization business called Chimera Springs Rock Works, which involved hanging from cliffs and restoring rock faces.

Despite my busy schedule, I dedicated weekends to my true passion: searching through old garages and junkyards for hidden gems to restore.

After several successful projects, I opened Rust Bros Restorations, which became a haven for muscle cars, often housing over 400 vehicles.

Initially, I had no intention of selling any of the cars; it was purely a passion project.

However, as I approached my 60s, I realized the need to think long-term about my collection.

In 2016, I decided it was time to part with everything I had worked for, offering my five-acre property for sale at $1.19 million, including all the cars and the shop.

After a year with no buyers, I increased the price to $1.45 million, which caught the attention of collectors and production houses looking to tell my story.

Eventually, Matt Schuchuk and Tyson Hepburn from Mayhem Entertainment secured a deal, propelling me into a new life I never expected, complete with worldwide recognition and a dedicated fan base.

However, not everything has been smooth sailing.

Financial issues have arisen frequently.

For instance, a restoration project for a 1966 Lincoln Continental that I initially estimated would cost $15,000 ended up costing significantly more.

The challenge lies in selling the car for enough to make a profit, which can be difficult depending on the model.

My son Connor often criticizes my spending habits, such as when I parted with $2,000 worth of metal forming brakes for that Lincoln.

Ultimately, we sold it for $10,000, far below my intended minimum of $25,000, just to keep the shop running.

Joining me in this journey is my longtime friend Avery Shoaf, who is a whiz at muscle car restoration.

I often refer to him as the muscle car guru.

Together, we work on various projects, including a 1941 Dodge Power Wagon featured in the series.

Avery owns his own restoration shop, which will be showcased in the upcoming fifth season of the show.

Typically, each episode features one restoration, though exceptions occur when certain vehicles take longer to finish.

The show usually alternates between my passion projects and customer orders, the latter being more challenging but ensuring a profit.

I’ve always had a preference for older American cars, as they remind me of my childhood days in the automotive world.

One question that often arises with reality TV is how much of it is real.

While the premise of “Rust Valley Restorers” is straightforward, Mike has revealed that not everything is as it seems.

He estimates that about 90% of the show is genuine, but some elements are dramatized or fabricated for entertainment purposes.

The frequent clashes between me, Avery, and Connor throughout the episodes might be exaggerated, given the high-pressure environment we operate in.

Despite the show’s success, the anxiety hasn’t diminished.

The greatest prize for me and my team is the satisfaction of a job well done and a happy customer, rather than the monetary rewards.

This sentiment resonates with many restoration shops across the U.S. and Canada, where the love for the craft often outweighs financial incentives.

Mike Hall keeps his work life separate from his family life.

His wife and their dog live on a 26-acre property, and I’m strictly forbidden from bringing any cars near it, whether they’re rusted junk or shiny collectibles.

Despite the success of the show, I am still searching for a wise investor to take over the business so I can retire and spend more time with my wife.

However, after six years of searching, that dream may take time to realize.

Until then, I remain hard at work, restoring classic and vintage cars alongside my son and best friend, Avery.

With Avery now running his own shop, a new sense of competition is likely to emerge as we head into 2023.