IN case you missed it, here's the skinny: they visited Unique Performance, the same place that builds the Eleanor cars. Now they have apparently run out of decent fastback Mustangs, so they're expanding. They're building Foose-designed '69 Camaros, supposedly 500 of them. Not only that, but they are building some Eleanor convertibles and sold the prototype at Barret-Jackson for (better sit down) $550,000! Are people insane? I'd like to know how someone stupid enough to blow that kind of money on a "continuation" car (i.e.- CLONE) could be smart enough to make that kind of money in the first place. I consider myself to be smart enough to know the difference between a real collectable car (Shelby Mustang, RS/SS Camaro, Hemi 'Cuda, etc.) and a car that cannot possibly hold it's value, such as the Eleanor cars. For instance, we all wish we'd bought a real Shelby when they were affordable, right? But they aren't affordable now and never will be again, so deal with it, you missed out. That's what makes them collecters cars, their history and mystique that goes with owning "one of the few that are left". You can't say that about the Eleanors because they're still cranking them out! I see GT500E's on ebay periodically for half what they sold for originally. Don't the idiots buying them do any research at all? I'm going to make a prediction here and now: the Unique cars will see a horrendous drop in value soon. They are not handcrafted supercars, but rather bondo-packed parts cars built not by craftsmen and artisans, but by average (at best) bodymen who may well have been working at a Maaco or Earl Schiebs last month. Bet on it.
Let's face it, these guys found a market and struck while the iron was hot. If their target demographic is only 1/2 a percent of the US population that seemingly small number is still over 1 million potential customers. So lets just say that only 0.5% of the population would blow that kind of money on an Eleanor while the other 99.5% of us forego that six pack of beer so we'll be able to make the monthly payment on our wife's Aerostar.
I saw it, And was hoping for somethine alittle more from Foose. Just what is needed another Pro Jocks Car. The few who can afford them.
personally i like a lot of the things that foose designed into the camaro, but it was unique that built it, not foose. he also said they had to do some tweaking before it was right. as for the E-vert, i would consider that car a high end custom. is it worth 550k? no to me but it apparently was to the guy who bought it. of all the E cars i'd have to say it was my favorite. i thought it was kind of funny when he was talking about the build of the camaro. he said they were trying to do a car that wasn't a clone of a movie car. i thought that was funny since he was the one who designed the movie car in the first place. that had me laughing for a while
You know what I find wierd? Foose ( a guy I really respect and admire) is always credited with designing Eleanor. I think he helped CVS with the construction, but Steve Stanford was the guy who actually designed the movie car. His name is misspelled in the credits as "Steve Stamford" but nonetheless, Stanford designed the car. One of the things that get me about the Unique cars is the horrifying amounts of body filler used. Look at the brake scoops, for instance. First the use a body epoxy to glue them on the body. Then, to "blend" them in, they slap on the bondo. I would bet money the filler is at LEAST 1/2" thick on the scoops as well as the flares. But hey, if they found buyers, why not? All the over-paid atheletes buying them (there's one on ebay right now owned by some hockey goon) wouldn't know quality anyway, and they'll most likely only own them until the "next big fad" comes along anyway.
i forgot about Steve Stanford. IIRC he came up with the inital ideas and he and foose tweaked them into the finished product, i don't think any one person was responsible for the finished product.
