Unique Performance scam

[WS6]

This is news to me as well. I have never really paid attention to them beyond what i saw in the magazines. I thought they had a good thing going. Guess not.

Hennesee and all the issues with that place I had no idea about until it become "common knowledge". I don't travel in the Viper world though. That's one company that I have no idea how it stayed alive or even gets respect now. Guess they took their cues from Slick Willy's political play book.



Can't they still be sued for any future earnings even though they have filed chapter 7? I'd imagine it would be easy to get around for the owners if that was possible. Just put the business in the wife's name. Before LLC's that what any business owner with a brain did.

[GT500KR_Vert]

it's old news on the Mustang boards:
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=723373

[z4me69]

i just hope the people who had deposits sue them for everything their worth but it dont look like much

[vintageracer]

they will take good trusting customers money and say sorry about your luck when they file for bankrupcy. the really bad thing about all this is they will move to the other side of the street change the name of the company and start all over again and get away with it again 7 yrs from now . how pathetic.

That's the way you do it in Texas. Many oilmen did just that in the early 80's when money was widely available for construction and there were lots of investors in wells. The laws governing wells in Texas actually encouraged it! Working in the corporate end of the oilfield at that time I saw a lot of guys start incorporated companies, pay themselves huge monthly management fees, spend lots of money until they ran out of money, file bankruptcy and then go do it all over again!

I still one guy quite frequently in my wife's Town & Country magazine galavating around Europe with his polo ponies. I personally know he did at least 3 different times in the 80's.

Apparently it's not hard to find new suckers with lots of money!

[Lowend]

... welcome to (one of the many reasons) I don't like Boyd Cottington
He did the same thing a few years ago with Body's Wheels

[trapin]

If someone tried to walk away with $90,000 dollars of my money....I'd get the last word, trust me. Bankruptcy or no bankruptcy. He'd either pay me back with money or pay me back with his brain matter all over my baseball bat.

....sorry, it's the Sicilian in me. I can't help it.

[Restomod]

Unique has already filed Chapter 7, whomever wrote the article doesn't know it yet. There will be no fixing of customer's cars by Unique. Chapter 7 dismisses all obligations, it's not a re-organization type of bankruptcy.

Jody

Would not keep me from takin my $100k "deposit" outta the dudes @ss that is IF I had been rich/dumb enough to give it to the theif to start with ........

[Damn True]

I wonder if the mags that leg-humped these guys will print an equally detailed report on the current state of affairs?

[Steve68]

I wonder if the mags that leg-humped these guys will print an equally detailed report on the current state of affairs?

Exactly, will the mags, Foose and Yr One, make statements to save thereselves, or will they let Unique drag them down, I hear the Unique name I think of Will Castro and and his band of getto builders,

[Scatpack]

Now which guy is this Hasty fellow? Is he the big latino guy that pimps out basketball players lambos and stuff or the smaller white guy? I'm just trying to put a face to the name.

[NOPANTS-68]

different Unique. That one's in NY. Wrong company- same type of clowns though. lol

These guys are just thieves plain and simple. John Hennessey is heading this direction quickly as well. punks.

[z4me69]

didn't one of you guys that went to sema say they had a booth there this year? wtf if so i guess looking for new victims so sad

[Steve1968LS2]

I wonder if the mags that leg-humped these guys will print an equally detailed report on the current state of affairs?

Huh?

Last time I checked we don't have a crystal ball laying around that tells if a company is going to go belly up at some point down the line.

Now, if we ran a story NOW, knowing the shady details, that would be an issue.

[GT500KR_Vert]

They are saying on LateralG and Stangnet that the place was raided by the FBI for stolen vehicles.

[got_hp?]

These guys are just thieves plain and simple. John Hennessey is heading this direction quickly as well. punks.

im surprised hennessey is still in business at all..........i remember reading many horror stories on the viper forums maybe 4-5 years ago about terrible business practices........but as long as he shows up for the high dollar magazine shootouts with a smile on his face he keeps selling cars.

the average wealthy customer with enough money to plop down $100+k on a viper probably doesnt spend much time reading internet car forums, and hence has no idea.

[TonyL]

A story on the perils of the situation like this one and hennesy might be good. you can never say "buyer beware" enough it seems. The slightest bit of research on these guys, or even watching them on Rides, would be enough to make me second guess buying anything from them.

[Steve1968LS2]

New tidbit:

Browne Woods & George Announces That Disney's Hollywood Pictures Has Entered into a New ``Quitclaim'' with Halicki Triggering a New Lawsuit against Carroll Shelby & Unique Performance

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Denice Halicki, The Original Gone in 60 Seconds, LLC and Halicki Films, LLC filed a new lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District armed with a new “Quitclaim Agreement” and famed trial attorney Allan Browne of Browne Woods & George LLP. Mr. Browne filed the action on behalf of Halicki and her companies against Carroll Shelby, Carroll Shelby International, Inc., Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc., Carroll Shelby Engineering, Inc., Carroll Shelby Motors, Inc., Carroll Shelby Distribution International, Inc., Carroll Hall Shelby Trust, Unique Performance, Unique Motorcars, Inc., and Sanderson Sales & Marketing for copyright and trademark infringement, Case No. CV-07-06859 SVW.

Hollywood Pictures Company (HPC), a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company and producer of the 2000 remake of “Gone in 60 Seconds,” entered into the Quitclaim Agreement with Halicki to clear up and forever set the record straight over Halicki’s rights to the starring character “Eleanor” from the movie “Gone in 60 Seconds,” which also featured Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie. The Quitclaim Agreement absolutely confirms that Halicki, and not any other person or entity, owns the right, title and interest in and to all merchandising for “Eleanor,” the instantly-recognizable, and iconic “souped up” 1967 Fastback Ford Mustang, which is the “signature” of the movie “Gone in 60 Seconds” 2000 (www.gonein60seconds.com).

The complaint alleges that, without the authority, consent or knowledge of Halicki, the defendants, led by Carroll Shelby, entered into an improper and malicious scheme and conspiracy to manufacture, market and sell “knock offs” of “Eleanor” to the public, billing the car as authentic “Eleanors” from “Gone in 60 Seconds.” In doing so, the complaint alleges that the defendants knowingly and deliberately sought to capitalize on and exploit “Eleanor’s” fame from the movie, even though the defendants had no association with, participation in, or connection with the creation or development of the movie or “Eleanor.” Indeed, the movie and “Eleanor” are the brainchild of Halicki’s late husband, H.B. “Toby” Halicki, known to all in the movie and automobile circles as “The Car Crash King.”

The complaint further alleges that, despite their lack of any right or interest in the character of “Eleanor” or the movie, the defendants, in particular Carroll Shelby, sought to mislead the public into thinking that they had created “Eleanor,” they owned a right to “Eleanor” and that they had the permission and authority of Halicki to produce and sell the “knock off” vehicles. The complaint alleges that Shelby went so far as to falsely claim that he “shares the rights with Disney for the Eleanor name.” Moreover, even though the defendants knew that Halicki owned the rights to “Eleanor” and “Gone in 60 Seconds,” the defendants intentionally took no action to obtain a license from Halicki to merchandise the cars. Instead, as alleged in the complaint, Steve Sanderson, the principal of defendant Sanderson Sales & Marketing, met with defendant Carroll Shelby and officers of defendant Shelby companies, including Neil Cummings and John Luft, and Douglas Hasty, Chris Layne and Richard Kearby, the founders of the Unique defendants to discuss obtaining permission from Halicki and HPC to produce the “Eleanor” cars.

According to Sanderson, when asked directly about contacting Halicki and HPC, Carroll Shelby reportedly replied, “If they sue me, I’ll sue them right back.”

[Damn True]

Huh?

Last time I checked we don't have a crystal ball laying around that tells if a company is going to go belly up at some point down the line.

Now, if we ran a story NOW, knowing the shady details, that would be an issue.

No way you could have known. It's not like they'd have told you that they were as crooked as a dogs hind leg.

My question was would the mags (not just you guys) would be as eager to cover the bad stuff as they were to cover the good. IMO, a far more intersting story, and one that would benefit the readership.

Despite the legions of people ripped off by Hennesy, I don't recall reading anything negative about him in the C&D, R&T type mags. They sure as heck let him send cars to drive though.

[Steve1968LS2]

No way you could have known. It's not like they'd have told you that they were as crooked as a dogs hind leg.

My question was would the mags (not just you guys) would be as eager to cover the bad stuff as they were to cover the good. IMO, a far more intersting story, and one that would benefit the readership.

Despite the legions of people ripped off by Hennesy, I don't recall reading anything negative about him in the C&D, R&T type mags. They sure as heck let him send cars to drive though.

It should be a news story, but it HAS to be based on facts and not rumor. If we print rumor as fact then it's called Liable.. lol

Now the new account of the raid would constitute true news. I have passed it along.

What a mess...

[Damn True]

It should be a news story, but it HAS to be based on facts and not rumor. If we print rumor as fact then it's called Liable.. lol

Now the new account of the raid would constitute true news. I have passed it along.

What a mess...

1li·bel Pronunciation: \ˈlī-bəl\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, written declaration, from Anglo-French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book Date: 14th century 1 a: a written statement in which a plaintiff in certain courts sets forth the cause of action or the relief sought barchaic : a handbill especially attacking or defaming someone2 a: a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression b (1): a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt (2): defamation of a person by written or representational means (3): the publication of blasphemous, treasonable, seditious, or obscene writings or pictures (4): the act, tort, or crime of publishing such a libel

It would be libel if you printed "Those guys are crooks who have ripped people off." It would not be libel to print quotes from people who claim to have been ripped off and to print a summation from a lawsuit that is a matter of public record.