Our Story
Chris Ashton, the founder of Ruffian Cars has been wrenching on autos for 35 years and racing for the last 25. Now teamed with a small crew in Southern California, Chris combines a long career in art and video games with his love of muscle cars and vintage racing to create fire-breathing, heart-pounding, emotional works of meant-to-be-driven art with unrivaled curb appeal.
The Ruffian name
When Chris built the OG '70 Mustang, it was meant to be a street legal race car. To find a name, it seemed fitting to look back at legendary race horses of the 70's. One name stuck out - "Ruffian". Not only was this one of the most impressive race horses of all time, the word Ruffian means "troublemaker". Given that Chris had cut up and widebodied one of the most beloved classic Mustangs AND installed a Chevy motor, it seemed an especially good fit. Two years later the widebody Ruffian 40 cemented the name as a brand and the rest is history!