Can’t say as I’ve developed an opinion of someone based on their cars, I don’t love his style but respect the talent he has.
Chip was in town visiting his Mom and wandered into the coffee shop we were hanging out in. Asked if we minded if he joined us... turns out he's a hell of a nice guy!
Have a similar story. Two friends and I were looking for an open table to sit down and eat our breakfast at in the lobby of Cobo Hall before the Autorama in 2007(?). All the tables were taken except one where one guy was reading the paper with 3 empty seats. I tapped him on the shoulder and asked if he minded if we joined him. When he put the paper down I realized it was Foose. He immediately said, "Of course, please sit down!" and we sat and had our breakfast, chatted, took a couple pics... just an absolute beauty of a guy. Sorry to highjack the thread with anecdotes of Foose being cool. I may have felt that "us vs the world" feeling years ago when the traditional rodders were rebelling against the billet street rod crew, but game recognizes game and now 20 years later, I feel like it's all of us against late models, EVs, and whatever else it is trying to kill this hobby.
Not to highjack this thread. Even if you don't like his build style, his character shouldn't be based on it. My wife and I were at the Make A Wish Car Show at Fontana Speedway in the early 2000's. Chip Foose and Christopher Titus had a bay displaying some cars that Christopher owned and Foose built. My wife was looking at Christopher's 56 Chevy Roadster. Foose and Christopher saw her looking at and came by and started talking to my wife and telling her all about it and opened up the door and let her sit in it a and took her over to Christophers 56 wagon and did the same thing. My wife thought it was so cool since I watched Titus and Foose on tv. Couldn't of met 2 nicer guys.
I'll add my 2 cents. Some years ago the old lady and I were antiquing in old town Orange. We were crossing the street and Chip was crossing the other direction. Since I'm not a shy guy..I said, hey Chip! He couldn't have been friendlier, he stopped and we chatted about cars and Overhaulin'. My son's baseball coach's car was done on the show. He is a super nice guy and we are lucky he is a part of our hobby. He is a great ambassador of this crazy pastime of ours.
I don't know Chip but I'm thinking the sellers of that Kustom are very fortunate that he has offered to help them get it to auction. I believe the sellers are the sons of the twins and don't seem to have a real grasp of the old car market. Having Chip lend his name and credibility to the sale is a huge win for the family. Sure the thing might not go for all that much, but he is giving them a real shot at getting what it is worth today. Probably far more than had Chip not stepped in. Imagine if a flipper had camped out in their driveway and wasn't going to leave without it. Oy!
Chip is the real deal he is an artist/designer at his core I think. He uses many “old school” methods to build his designs and knows how to do just about anything he wants. He is one of my hot rod hero’s.
A few years back Chip was a guest at our yearly swap. An elderly couple had waited to chat while he was on a break. Eventually they had to leave. As they were leaving Chip was returning to his station and the elderly woman saw him and commented they they had waited a long time but had to leave. Chip stopped over the protests of his handler and chatted with the couple for a number of minutes and they took the obligatory pic. Overheard later he said he stopped to chat as they had waited a long time and if they waited for him the least he could do was to stop and chat as they were leaving. The kid was raised right!
Kinda makes me itchy seeing that on a two post lift..... from personal experience old olds convertibles don't like being lifted from the middle lol. I do find it wild despite everything done to the car it technically wasn't decked. Everytime I watch a vid of it and they open the Continental kit and I see the olds emblems it kinda catches me off guard. Finally I normally hate "patina" with a passion and aside from a few exceptions few it as rat rid crap. This car right here is the epitome of the few exceptions. Could not be more of an exception to my personal worth nothing to anyone else opinion lol.
Being a Kustom fan and watching all of the videos Chip is doing on this car, it is refreshing how honest he is in keeping the “art” of the car all original. Chip could have easily “restored” this car but he was taught by his “car guy” father how to respect others art work. Watch the videos and you can see his sincerity is preserving original Kustom artwork and this car is a prime example of one.
Ya know, it is, for lack of a better word, fitting that Foose has this custom. It’s no secret that he has built some, how shall I say, interesting cars over the years but I like the fact that he’s taking care to preserve the history.
I've been a big fan of Chip's dad Sam Foose since I was a teenager. Chip's dad built a Gold 41 Ford Convert. (I think) that was pretty much a custom car. If I remember right from watching Overhaulin & these videos Chip started working in his dad's garage helping his dad from about the age of 10. Now Chip is teaching his son the business. 3 generations of car builders isn't bad. Chip states in the videos of the car that he just wants to preserve the history of the car, & help the owners sell it.
Love it...glad it's getting a second chance at daylight...well deserved. Thanks for sharing it @MCjim.
I was working on an engine, prepping it to drop into my 60's car and I had YouTube playing in the b/g. That vidya came up and I turned on the volume. Sure it's a long vidya, Chip talks all through it, but if you don't care, or if you have a bit of patience to just let it run you get something pretty solid from it. The dude cares. He slowly, patiently, thoughtfully is getting it roadworthy and with a very light touch, getting it to look like it was well maintained since it was parked. Nothing more. Polishing aluminum and stainless, claybar cleaning the paint, super labor intensive, hand labor. Mad respect for his commitment to the hobby (profession for him.)
I have never really followed Foose until watching these videos on this car since I am not into the sort of cars he typically builds. However, I have heard lots of positive comments about the kind of guy he is. And, that seems to be showing through in his respect and care of this car. Even though I rarely watch videos of any kind, I can sure relate to bringing a car like this back to life and preserving it's history. Even though my 56 isn't anywhere near the pedigree of this car, I have somewhat taken the same approach trying to keep the essence of it's history while only making period correct changes as needed.
That car would look good in my garage, the car has history and that takes it to the next level in my book.. HRP
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