Having ol' Shel and Foose on your side is today's greatest marketing asset. Having them both pissed at you is likewise the worst-case scenario. It was bound to happen sooner or later -- that's an awfully big elephant to feed based on a fad car from a movie that's seven years old now. http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071006/FREE/71006002/1506/FREE&rssfeed=rss01
It was a good idea, but i knew that they wouldn't have the time or man power to fill all those orders. Talk about biting off more than you can chew. Upper management doesn't think like the people that are actually building the cars
The only people I feel sorry for are those who've paid up front and got nothing. Was it W.C. Fields? "A sucker and his money are soon parted."
I read another story about it today that detailed one of the lawsuits. Some dude put down a 50% deposit on a $189,000 Super Snake (50%=94,500!) in May 2005. They then collected 50% of the balance from him (another $47,250) a year later in May 2006. Now it's almost 2-1/2 years after he first placed his order and still no car, and they refuse to return his money (probably because it's long ago been spent). Apparently there are many, many similar stories...
Found another little tidbit: Carroll Shelby Licensing Commences Termination Proceedings Against Unique Motorcars 10/5/2007 Carroll Shelby International Inc. confronted with concerned customers and litigation involving failure to deliver the 1960s Continuation Shelby GT-350SR and GT-500E Eleanor vehicles being manufactured by its licensee, has commenced termination proceedings relating to its license agreements with Unique Motorcars Inc. CSL has placed Unique on notice of termination unless and until Unique, among other things, satisfies existing customer complaints, delivers the vehicles previously promised to its customers and develops a feasible financial plan. Carroll Shelby Licensing has had no choice but to give Unique notice that its license agreements with Shelby are subject to termination.
And that, boys and girls, is why my personal "Mid-Life Crisis Machine" is going to be some innocuous little (a little '73???) coupe. It's a "Mustang's cousin"; but it could have just as well been a '67 hardtop Mustang; but probably never even a fastback. Not valued by collectors or even "collectors"; not subject to the marketing vagaries of corporations that are cashing in on real or fabricated "legends". A car on which I haven't begun to really spend money; and it's already practically cost me low NADA book. "Worthless" to everybody but me. And when it's done, it's mine. I'll have paid for it, and I'll be driving it.
I'm not losing any sleep either. I never liked the idea of Shel calling them real either. That was the part that really made me lose respect for anything connected with the cars. The only Real Shelby is a Shelby built from 1963 through 1969. Period.
Last night on the Discovery Channel here in Euroland, "Rides" featured Unique Performance and the Chip Foose designed Stallion Mustang. Regarding those people who paid up front, well....... I never advise it. Better to have an escrow agreement in place.
I am not surprised, the quality was never really there for a car in that price range. After owning one, it just takes time to notice the craftsmanship and attention to detail is dreadfully lacking.
The "he said/she said" is heating up... http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071022/ANA03/710220345/1176
Huh. I didn't need a subscription before and now it won't let me back on to copy it. Oh well. The gist of it is that Unique is blaming the whole thing on faulty 427FEs and Shelby says that's BS. Apparently there are at least 10 lawsuits and like $7 million in deposits taken with no cars delivered.
I found these yesterday http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...:SS:MOTORS:1123 his website...... http://www.uniqueperformancescam.com/ http://www.fixeleanor.com/
