Robert Clifton "Rabbit" Pitts (July 27, 1979 – August 25, 2024) was an American businessman, television personality, and

classic car A classic car is typically described as an automobile 25 years or older, although a car's age is not the only requirement it must meet before being considered a "classic." However, a standard criteria for recognizing cars as classics does not ex ...

enthusiast. He was best known for co-starring in the

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

series ''Tex-Mex Motors'', and his storytelling on the

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

channel '' VINwiki''. He died at the age of 45 after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Early life

Rob Pitts was born in

Greenville, South Carolina Greenville ( ; ) is a city in Greenville County, South Carolina, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, sixth-most pop ...

. His father was a

stock car racer Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing run on oval tracks and road courses. It originally used production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifically built for racing. It originated in the souther ...

and car salesman. Pitts grew up in a

trailer park A trailer park, caravan park, mobile home park, mobile home community or manufactured home community is a temporary or permanent area for mobile homes and travel trailers. Advantages include low cost compared to other housing, and quick and e ...

and attended Wade Hampton High School. From an early age, he developed a passion for vintage cars, particularly

classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...

trucks and

muscle car A muscle car is an American-made two-door sports coupe with a powerful engine, marketed for its performance. In 1949, General Motors introduced its 88 with the company's OHV Rocket V8 engine, which was previously available only in its lux ...

s. In a story he recounted on '' VINwiki'', Pitts explained how his nickname "Rabbit" was given to him by the owner of a car dealership when he sold more cars in one day than most other salesmen sold in a month.

Career

Pitts first gained prominence on the

channel ''VINwiki'', where he became known for his storytelling about his experiences in the automotive world. His contributions focused on finding and restoring vintage cars, with a particular interest in classic

pickup truck A pickup truck or pickup is a Truck_classification#Table_of_US_GVWR_classifications, light or medium duty truck that has an enclosed cabin (truck), cabin, and a back end made up of a cargo bed that is enclosed by three low walls with no roof (th ...

s and muscle cars. In 2018, Pitts launched his own YouTube channel, where he continued to share stories and content related to the restoration of vintage vehicles. Alongside his media career, Pitts served as the CEO of Pitts Truck Service, a family business established in 1968 that specializes in truck and trailer repair services, and Rabbits Used Cars, both in

Seneca, South Carolina Seneca is a city in Oconee County, South Carolina, Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 8,102 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Seneca Micropolitan Statistical Area (popul ...

. In 2023, Pitts co-starred with Marcos "Scooter" Carrera in the

series ''Tex-Mex Motors'', which featured the duo searching for vintage cars in Mexico to restore and resell. Notable vehicles featured in the show included a 1969

Opel Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Gr ...

, a 1965 Volkswagen Bug, and a 1963 Chevrolet Carryall. The first season premiered in June 2023. Pitts was in the process of filming the second season when he was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Personal life and death

Pitts was a resident of Seneca, South Carolina. During the SEMA show in November 2023, Pitts began not feeling well and experiencing symptoms, including weight loss and

acid reflux Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a chronic upper gastrointestinal disease in which stomach content persistently and regularly flows up into the esophagus, resulting in symptoms and/or ...

. He sought medical treatment for his symptoms, but did not receive a diagnosis of stage-four stomach cancer until March 2024. Shortly after his diagnosis, Pitts married his long-time girlfriend, Dr. Randi Foraker. He continued working on ''Tex-Mex Motors'' during his treatment, and completed the filming of season two before his condition worsened. Pitts announced his diagnosis publicly in a YouTube video, in which he reflected on his life and accomplishments. He died in

hospice Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life b ...

care on August 25, 2024, at the age of 45. Pitts' funeral, which was preceded by a two-hour

car show An auto show, also known as a motor show or car show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is attended by automotive industry representatives, dealers, auto journalists a ...

, was held at Rock Springs Baptist Church in

Easley, South Carolina Easley is a city in Pickens County (with parts extending into Anderson County) in the U.S. state of South Carolina. Most of the city lies in Pickens County, with a small portion of the city in Anderson County. In 2001, Easley hosted the Big ...

, which has a capacity of 3,500 people.

Ed Bolian Ed Bolian is an American auto enthusiast and YouTuber. In 2013, he broke the Cannonball Run Challenge record, with co-driver Dave Black and spotter Dan Huang, for a time of 28 hours and 50 minutes. In 2019 his record was broken, with a team hav ...

delivered the eulogy. A tribute video was produced that featured an overview of his life and work.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pitts, Rob 1979 births 2024 deaths 21st-century American businesspeople American automobile salespeople Businesspeople from South Carolina People from Greenville, South Carolina People from Seneca, South Carolina American YouTubers Participants in American reality television series