Continue reading Shelby okays production of "continuation" cars for former Unique Performance customers

Shelby okays production of "continuation" cars for former Unique Performance customers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Thanks for the tip, Cameron!

Gallery: Unique Performance auction

Round Two: Second Unique Performance auction set for June originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 May 2008 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Very Unique VIN plates

Prosecutors opt not to prosecute Unique Performance execs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Carroll Shelby sued by Unique Performance customers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Unique Performance auction hauls in $1 million+, not enough originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the market for something Unique? Check out their auction online originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just two days ago, we reported that Unique Performance was in hot water. They had miserably failed to deliver hand-crafted continuation Shelby 427 GT500 "Super Snake" Mustangs to customers who had put up $7 million worth of deposits. Frustration grew to boiling anger when customers heard that the "skilled labor" had been supplemented by hardened criminals, and imperfections in each vehicle were being covered by nearly 13 gallons of Bondo body filler.

It has been a rough year for the management team at Unique Performance. Following a fallout with Carroll Shelby and a police raid, we're now learning that 25 felony cases have been prepared against company executives. Details haven't emerged, but we do know that investigators believe some of the inmates were illegally removing VIN numbers from the cars. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that hiring cons to do criminal acts can land you in the slammer too. Unique, and ironic.

[Source: 67MustangBlog]

Round 4: Unique Performance execs face 25 felony charges originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This just keeps getting more interesting by the day. Back in 2002, Carroll Shelby partnered with Unique Performance to produce continuation Shelby 427 GT500 "Super Snake" models. Only one "Super Snake" was built in 1967, so each of these "new" cars, built on a vintage 60's Mustang platform with a registered Shelby VIN, was sure to be one hot collectible. Unique Performance would build 75 of these 575-hp monsters, each with a base price of $214,000. Investors, and speculators, quickly placed their deposits.

As the months went by, the cars weren't coming out of the Texas warehouse in a timely manner. Customers began to ask questions. As things often go from bad to worse, the relationship between Shelby and Unique Performance went down the drain and it wasn't long before the police came knocking on the door. Unique Performance was reportedly sitting on $7 million in deposits, yet customers weren't getting their muscle cars. Other companies, such as Foose Design, quickly severed their relationship just as the police moved in to confiscate 61 incomplete body shells.

Case closed? Not even close. Now we have word that Unique Performance utilized hard-core Texas prison inmates to help build the cars, and each of the hand-built Mustangs contained over 13 gallons of Bondo body filler. VIN numbers were illegally removed, and some parts of this re-built American classic were coming from Taiwan. If there ever were a hot demand for continuation "Super Snake" Shelbys, we're betting the secondary market for this particular model is drying up rather quickly. Thanks for the tip, Cameron!

[Source: 67MustangBlog]

Unique Performance used prisons and buckets of Bondo to build Mustangs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The effects of the recent collapse of Unique Performance continue to grow, and this time it's the employees who claim they are owed thousands of dollars in unpaid wages. According to CBS 11 News in Dallas, many of the employees were asked to stay on to complete several Foose Stallions that needed to be finished even after the company was raided by police on November 1. Foose, as well as Shelby have since severed official ties with Unique. The employees have yet to be paid for the work, and are owed more than $40,000 in back pay. Mike Luzader, former program manager for Unique Performance, claims that the funds simply need to be cleared and that the wages will be paid on December 26th. We wouldn't hold our breath.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the story is why employees stayed on despite the obvious signs that the end was near. Many of the workers cited their passion and loyalty for the cars, as well as how personal they took their jobs. While we love to see this passion in the automotive industry, it's also sad to see it taken advantage of. We hope for a positive resolution for all involved and will continue to track the story's progress.

[Source: CBS 11 News]

Slighted Unique Performance workers demand wages originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Foose Design and the man for which the company is named, Chip Foose, announced last Friday that it is severing all ties with Unique Performance. The Dallas-based company had agreements with Foose to produce the Foose Mustang Stallion (pictured), Foose Camaro, Foose Challenger and Foose Motorcycle, as well as handle the sales and marketing for the Hemisfear. The break up comes after Shelby ended its relationship with the Unique last month, and a police raided Unique's facility last week for suspected title washing. Foose Design wants to let its customers know that it now has no affiliation whatsoever with Unique Performance, and that Unique does not have any rights to anything regarding Foose for any project. Follow the jump for the official press release from Foose Design.

[Source: Foose Design]

Continue reading We're out too! Foose Design also cuts ties with Unique Performance

We're out too! Foose Design also cuts ties with Unique Performance originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Unique Performance raided by local police originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We reported earlier that Shelby was severing ties with Unique Performance, builder of the Shelby GT350 SR and GT500 E continuation series Mustangs. Shelby claims that some customers who put down deposits up to two years ago have not received their cars. Unique has taken approximately $7 million in deposits and has around 50 to 60 orders that they have yet to complete. At least ten customers have also filed suit against Unique, and several of those have also included Shelby Automobiles in their suits as well. Carroll decided that enough was enough and announced he would no longer do business with the Dallas-based company.

Now Doug Hasty, CEO of Unique Performance has fired back. He claims that the production delays were due to faulty engines provided by Shelby. "Twenty-eight of the 42 Shelby Super Snakes produced prior to August 2006 experienced engine issues that led to overheating and/or mechanical failure," said Hasty. "Resources required for addressing the Shelby engine issues led to production delays to all vintage models." Carroll Shelby denies that Unique had informed him of engine problems and says that he only recently learned of the issue a few weeks ago. He also stated that the engine problems have nothing to do with Unique's delayed production of cars.

Hasty claims that the engine issues have been resolved and that the deposit money taken from customers is being used to complete the cars on order. Thirteen cars are scheduled for delivery by the end of this year. As for the ten law suits against Unique Performance, Hasty says that three have already been settled and that the others are being addressed.

[Source: Automotive News - sub required]

Round 2: Unique Performance fires back at Shelby originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Carroll Shelby's licensing arm is taking steps to end its relationship with Unique Performance, the Texas tuner that created and still updates muscle cars for both Shelby and Chip Foose. Unique has apparently been the subject of an increasing number of complaints and lawsuits from folks who have paid for cars and not received them.

Unique's issues with Shelby seem to revolve around the Shelby GT350 SR and GT500 E, which sell for upwards of $100,000 apiece. The Foose vehicle in question is the Foose Stallion. The Foose is produced by two companies, Unique and Tecstar, so it's possible that Tecstar could continue to produce it without Unique. Chip Foose's licensing arm is still working with Unique and their customers to resolve complaints.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Shelby severing ties with Unique Performance originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Foose Coupe

Continue reading What's in a name? "Hemisfear" becomes Foose Coupe as production nears

What's in a name? "Hemisfear" becomes Foose Coupe as production nears originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Foose Stallions galloping into a Ford dealer near you

Foose Stallions galloping into a Ford dealer near you originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.