Cars from Overhaulin's Past

[John McIntire]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Charger-CHARGER-1967-CHARGER-FOOSE-BUILT-OVERHAULIN-2005-SEMA-SHOW-CAR_W0QQitemZ130221388144QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item1 30221388144&

I always wondered what the people that have had their cars overhauled are doing with them now. I think it would be cool if they did an episode at the end of the season and maybe re-capped the cars of the past season. Do they still own them? What kind of condition they're in etc.

This Mopar was alright, I'm more of a Chevy guy myself. My favorite part of the car when they built it was the tires that they had a custom tread cut into with the the Mopar logo. Very cool! I can't imagine what that would cost!

What are your guys feelings?

[Restomod]

Well I for one dont care who built it or what it cost I dont want any car or bike that I cant use. Shame they only put 300 miles on it in 3 years.....all they could do was say "Foose built it on Overhaulin but we never have fun with it" .

[Memphis]

I've seen a few cars that were on there come up on ebay that famous dude that got his camaro done over, dodge magnum, the one you posted and a truck too. I don't know about ya'll but I think its a bit douchey of them to be selling off the cars, I mean in a way its a present from their families and friends. They (overhaulin peeps) did what they did for these people because they loved their ride and deserved it them doing that is like saying "Thanks for busting your ass but I'd rather have the cash mmm k".

[Restomod]

Yep I agree with that to!!!!!

[bobbaganoosh]

I've seen a few cars that were on there come up on ebay that famous dude that got his camaro done over, dodge magnum, the one you posted and a truck too. I don't know about ya'll but I think its a bit douchey of them to be selling off the cars, I mean in a way its a present from their families and friends. They (overhaulin peeps) did what they did for these people because they loved their ride and deserved it them doing that is like saying "Thanks for busting your ass but I'd rather have the cash mmm k".
I've also seen the '70 Mustang and the '05 Mustang for sale too. I wonder what the taxes are on something like that, if any. If there are, maybe the people didn't realize it & they couldn't afford to pay them.

[bwhinnen]

We asked at Foose Design (well my wife did) when we were there what they thought of the cars being sold...

Apparently Chip was a bit upset at first but came to the thought that if it helped out the family to sell the car then that was still in the feeling of him giving his time to build it.

I'd never part with one of them, I'd rather sell other things first! But sometimes there isn't a choice...

[HILROD]

A few of the first few seasons cars had problems, that's why all the cars get crate engines now. Also the taxes are based on all the hours of labor and all donated parts cost, it's a lot! I hope that's changed on the newer shows. Imagine if you can't afford to fix your car but have to pay taxes on an extra 100,000-150,000!

[blown9746]

I don't know the people's situations, but feel that it is bs that someone would sell those cars after all the work they had put into them. Usually the people say how the car is like a member of the family and how much it means to them. As far as the taxes I believe it is just on the hard parts not labor. I wouldn't part with one if I had absolutely no choice. I'm sure greed gets the better of some people.

[Young Gun]

that gets me steamed... they have gorgeous cars built by a top builder...and they cant savor it...they need to go and make a quick buck off it... jerks

[Steve68]

I'm sorry I couldn't sell that car, I'd have to drive it!

[bigvegan]

I don't know. I'm sure owning a Foose rebuilt show car might be a little intimidating for a lot of people.

Having a car you'd always hoped to get running better some day suddenly become a 6-figure vehicle could be a little much. It would probably be incredible for a few months, but after a while, I can see how being able to cover your kids' education / bolster your retirement funds / etc. might be a better option than owning and insuring a car that's too nice for the average guy to drive regularly, even if it was his dream car at one point.

Foose sure builds some pretty cars.

[6fastback7]

this is far from the first ive seen on Ebay...ive seen a truck, dodge magnum, Tv star from 90210`s Camaro, Belair roadster (built for that tech school) and 2 others that escape my memory for the exact model...but how many others might of sold that we havent seen on ebay.
The sad thing about this Charger is that i remember the episode at SEMA and this car was handed down and stayed in the family since brand new...now its been transformed into a Foose work of art and this kid sells it...should hope he has a really good reason...cause i know i would never part in a million years. But if you remember this owner was a pretty young kid..probably around 20 years old..and i believe his mother or grandma owned it before him.
And as far as those tires...they were factory blanks with no treads and they were carved by hand with a rotary tool and a stencil..not sure if they were DOT approved but they did the same treatment at SEMA the previous year with a 1970 Mustang "the gambler" and Foose gave him a 2nd set of regular BFG tires and same style rims for the road.

[CRCRFT78]

Isn't that the car where the kids father past away and thats what he had from him or something like that? Its a shame to see these cars get sold when they "supposedly" mean so much to them.

Oops just saw post above. Either way its a shame.

[TonyL]

oddly enough the SEMA mustang was also sold on ebay. Within a few months of the guy getting it back.

[Ricter]

There's certainly more than one way to look at this.
To alternate from everyone else's opinions, here's what I think:

Owning a Foose built car would be incredibly awesome. However, the moment that some else (Chip Foose or the local mechanic down the road) takes my car and completely rebuilds it, it stops being my car. Everything that made that car special and sentimental to me, is gone. This wouldn't apply if there wasn't an attachment to my car, but I've owned my Bird for 15 years. I've rebuilt it twice with my Father, and will probably rebuild it at least once or twice more with my son before the car sees the grave.

The car is a lot more that metal and mechanics. The time and the bonding that goes into is what makes it special, when that's gone it isn't the same car anymore. I'd probably enjoy driving the car for a few months after getting it back from Foose, but then I wouldn't think twice about selling it. The core of "my" car is long gone by that point.

[streetk14]

This really bothers me as well for some reason. Most of these people appear to feel so thankful for what their friends/families have done for them by having the car "Overhauled". These are also supposed to be people who either cannot afford to have the car done themselves or something along those lines.

I guess most of the people on the show aren't really true car guys or enthusiasts. I think if they were, the car would already be in the process of being built (like most of us here at P-T.com) , not sitting in a yard or storage. I remember watching a show where the "mark" had no idea what a Posi-traction rearend was. I couldn't stop thinking that this guy really cannot appreciate what really went into the car other than the nice paint and thumping stereo, and that he has never picked up a wrench in his life.

And I can see how going from having a beater parked in the backyard to owning a 6-figure show car would be a big change, especially when you didn't work for it yourself. I mean, some of these people probably don't even have a garage to park the car in and shouldn't be owning a car of that caliber. In that case, selling it to someone who will take care of it and appreciate it may be the wiser choice. It still saddens me to see these cars being sold.

FWIW, the high school I went to (Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, Ca) owns one of Chip's first creations. It's a VW bug that has been transformed into a giant blue football helmet on wheels. I think it was built in the 80's sometime in memory of his sister, Amy Foose, who died of a rare disease that accelerates aging at a young age. Of course, Chip and Amy both went to Dos Pueblos and I think Sam still lives somewhere in town. I remember sitting in that car during auto shop class, at the time not knowing the significance of that car.

Andy

[72Z/28]

Oh yeah, the owner's girlfriend or whatever starts making up bull**** stories and telling Foose how much her boyfriend loves the car, and he always dreams of rebuilding it and put all the goodies in the car (that's when she tells Foose the paint color her idiot boyfriend likes or interior, etc). All of a suden, the car is up for sale on ebay, that's really aggravating. Imagine how much time and effort was put into turning this junk into a 6 figure car. Like some of you guys have mentioned, those people don't know crap about cars..

[71dusterdan]

and then some of us here would give a testicle to afford to have Foose do our cars. although i do see the point of view that i would rather build my own car. heck i would just like the extra dough to have Foose do a rendering, and then i could build it off that. just my .02 Dan

[indyjps]

Kinda off topic but I know what you mean about not building it yourself. I bought an 11 sec street strip car a few years ago, the car was built well but I just couldnt get the feel for it and never did take it to the track, sold it a year later.
I didnt build it, I didnt want to race it.

It sux that people are selling off the overhauling cars, but they could be very intimidating to own for a non "car guy"

[41565 chevelle]

Hey guys,
Last night I had a call of someone trying to steal an El Camino off the street here in Huntington Beach. The owner confronted the guy while he was getting out of the car. The guy came at the owner and the owner cracked him in the head with a baseball bat! Not saying it was the right or wrong thing to do, the point I am getting at is he has two El Caminos parked in the street for sale. In the garage is the El Camino, "Surfer kid" from the first season of Overhauin'.

The owner has it garaged and covered and is kind of affraid to drive it due to it being worth so much. I convinced him to at least head to the Donut Derilicts right down the street from him on Saturday mornings. I have seen the 63 Corvette there and recently the orange Olds 442 has been there. These cars are at least being driven.

As for Foose and the Overhaulin' crew; I was fortunate enough to get to know a lot of them and have become good friends with a few of them, including Foose and Mitch Lanzini. These guys would truely give you the shirt off their back and the last $20 spot in their wallet if you needed it. Humble people doing the work because they love it and they are down to earth individuals. I know Foose has had to part with some of his cars in the past to continue the dream, design school, business, etc. He understands the reason some of the cars are sold I'm sure. Yes, we are car people here and we wouldn't sell a car to save an arm but that is why we are here. We can't second guess why they are sold or what the motivation is, only pray it goes to a car guy who will drive it and enjoy someone elses work.

[BonzoHansen]

IIRC the value of the services & parts is taxed as regular income (not even cap gains), and I think it hammers unsuspecting people. They have that issue with the show that rebuilds houses on ABC. Oprah did too when she tried to give away cars - some people gave them back.

Imagine if your employer never took out taxes then next April you found out you had to pay all your taxes. Kind of like that.

I can imagine that has happened more then once. But certainly not all circunstances. Just saying in some cases there may be a reason.

I'd just refinace the car & pay it down then drive the wheels off it.

[protour73]

^^^^I agree with Scott........the prize tax or whatever term they give it....definately blindsides the recipients of these vehicles.

and a random observation.....is it just me, or does Foose NEVER paint a car a single color. I've seen Overhaulin do some masterful and simply beautiful builds and kill it for me with a strange two-tone paint job. Kind of like the ugly side of those Home remodeling shows, where they bring the homeowner back to the house, and they look at it and go, "What the hell did you do to my house"..............:hah: