Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA, Chrysler, LLC.
Foose to unveil Hemisfear at 2006 SEMA show
We here at Autoblog normally aren't huge fans of mega-buck custom vehicles, but Chip Foose's upcoming Hemisfear coupe has such a cool name that we just couldn't resist giving it a bit of virtual ink. In the picture above, he appears to be explaining just how fast it will accelerate, "as if a huge set of hands are pushing it." Or something like that. Apparently, project cars now require sponsorship, which in this case is being provided by toy company RC2 Brands. Look for a die-cast model later this summer, and the actual car will be publicly shown in November at the 2006 SEMA show.
If you just can't get enough of the star of TLC's Overhaulin', Sport Truck has posted an interview with Foose.
[Source: Street Rodder]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Barry 1:32PM (4/08/2006)
The car in that picture looks like the Volvo T6 Roadster Concept
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Noah 2:16PM (4/08/2006)
New cars can't legaly have open wheels in most places, I assume this will never see a public road.
--Noah
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Adam Singer 3:29PM (4/08/2006)
Re: Noah
I'm not sure that such a law exists. What about the Chysler Prowler, for example?
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Stefano Scalia 5:09PM (4/08/2006)
What the hell is the deal with this guy? His designs are gaudy and unispired.
Why do we pay attention? What made him famous?
I never understood it... he exemplifies what's wrong with American design.
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franke 5:25PM (4/08/2006)
These kind of cars lot a lot alike sometimes but I also immediately thought of the Volvo T6 roadster! Looks a LOT like that.
http://news.auto.cz/img/art/460_4369c99f7eda9.jpg
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Jaymez 5:50PM (4/08/2006)
Looks like a Prowler knockoff to me.
I can't stand Foose. His show, Overhaulin', made me lose any respect I may have had for him. Unethical bastard.
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nono 5:57PM (4/08/2006)
Prowler has fenders over the tires... they are just big enought to cover the tires
I don't think it's a federal law, but here in California, open wheel cars are illegal back to 66 (?) there is a grandfather clause though, so most hot rodders don't get bothered.
Even a "new" hot rod made from a kit would legally require fenders, but the law is not enforeced.
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thomas 6:12PM (4/08/2006)
Acutally, a design like this that was made by Foose when he was at a Design school was sent to Chrysler. They used it to come up with the Prowler.
If was in that interview...
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Vinny 6:36PM (4/08/2006)
Jaymez:
Would you please explain why Foose is an "unethical bastard". Why does his show make you lose respect for him? Just curious.
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apollo322 10:19PM (4/08/2006)
"What the hell is the deal with this guy? His designs are gaudy and unispired.
Why do we pay attention? What made him famous?
I never understood it... he exemplifies what's wrong with American design."
I agree with stefano. Most of the time he seems to slap on big gaudy rims, plow a huge engine into ANY car and Presto! There are a lot more interesting car designers than this guy.
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Rene Curry 9:24AM (4/09/2006)
I think Foose designs reflect American automotive culture at it's best. It mixes the heritage designs with modern technology. His designs always look clean.
In the interview it states that they can recondition & modify a car in 7 days for the show. To do that 3 times a month a little redundancy is bound to occur. I don't think many car designers could live up to those demands and say everything is a one-off 100% original design.
I was lucky to see the car where he was awarded the Ritler award at the Detroit Autorama a few years back. A piece of automotive art.
It would be really kool to get him & Jay Leno to do something together. They both have a good eye for clean designs.
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Jaymez 3:07PM (4/09/2006)
Jaymez:
Would you please explain why Foose is an "unethical bastard". Why does his show make you lose respect for him? Just curious.
The premise of the show is to somehow trick the owner into giving up his car and then doing "something" with it, without their permission. That's why Foose is an unethical bastard. Any true car guy knows that you NEVER mess with another guy's ride without having permission from the owner. If Foose ever did that to one of my cars, I'd be fighting to have him imprisioned for Grand Theft, if not more. You **never** mess with another man's woman, his dog, or his ride.
There's no way he'd ever rebuild my Nova the way *I* want it done (origional). He'd toss my 6 cylinder in favor of some gigantic crate motor in a heartbeat. I want to rebuild my car so it looks *exactly* the way it looked when it rolled off the line back in '71.
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Steve Parker 1:56AM (4/10/2006)
Just saw the Foose exhibit at THE PETERSEN AUTO MUSEUM in Los Angeles when we took 65 CAR NUTS there by bus from Palm Springs --- and almost EVERYTHING Foose has done looks like a Prowler! I guess that was cool 10 years ago wqhen Foose was designing for Coddington, but the guy needs to come up with SOMETHING new!
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technicalpatience 8:58AM (4/10/2006)
Speaking of 'Mega buck' vehicles, I wouldn't mind seeing more posts of the kind here at Autoblog. I enjoy the vast variety of coverage there is and I think that angle can only enhance the site. Excellent job guys... keep up the good work!
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Kit Cars 10:00AM (4/10/2006)
Great looking car but seems to look familiar and i would have to say is it ok to have wheels that are on show, i mean tires that are open can cause trouble surely.
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Tim Leonard 11:10AM (4/22/2006)
foose designed th prowler if he wants to make a car that looks like it then he can do so. he was still working on the hemisfear around the same time so it doesn't surprise me they look somewhat simular... not really.
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Chris M. 3:09AM (4/25/2006)
Dear Jaymez
Foose has MORE talent in the tip of his left pinky toe than you'll probably ever have. It's real easy to sit at home on your couch and point your sarcastic fingers.
Try designing world class cars for demanding individuals, corporations and regular joes 24/7 all while balancing a multi-million dollar business. Do this, all before your 40 and then maybe you can talk.
As for "your" vehicle for someone, such as a loved one, to care enough to solicit the services of Foose and Brutsman to choose your car and spend time not to mention probably 50 to 80 thousand plus renovating it only for you to complain that they replaced your old stinky car mats because they were "origional" sounds like bitter envy to me.
Oh yeah, by the way, you should probably learn how to spell original before you go around using it in sentences.
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Chris M. 3:11AM (4/25/2006)
Dear Jaymez
Foose has MORE talent in the tip of his left pinky toe than you'll probably ever have. It's real easy to sit at home on your couch and point your sarcastic fingers.
Try designing world class cars for demanding individuals, corporations and regular joes 24/7 all while balancing a multi-million dollar business. Do this, all before your 40 and then maybe you can talk.
As for "your" vehicle for someone, such as a loved one, to care enough to solicit the services of Foose and Brutsman to choose your car and spend time not to mention probably 50 to 80 thousand plus renovating it only for you to complain that they replaced your old stinky car mats because they were "origional" sounds like bitter envy to me.
Oh yeah, by the way you, need to learn how to spell original before you go around using it in sentences.
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dale dawson 2:21PM (5/21/2006)
just got through watching an older episode of overhaulin', the "a-team" indulged their way to a perverse customization of a '71 challenger. from the typical over-the-top foose paint job, to the silly looking 21" rims this build was just
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