Any good motorhead knows who Chip Foose is, from his successful MotorTrend’s show “Overhaulin’”. Chip’s top tier designing skills allows him to build the most game-changing cars, from the classics to the modern but elegant ones, surely leaving his blueprint as one of the most innovative artists in the automotive field.
While it would be fair to say Chip’s worldwide fame is owed mainly to his career on TV, his success off-camera includes working with many top car manufacturers in the world, and with his own brand. Obviously, his wide recognition has not only gained him a huge fortune but has also enabled him to become the owner of one largely impressive personal car collection.
So how many cars does Chip Foose own? How many cars were designed by him, and what others are from other creators? So how much is Chip’s collection actually worth? Keep with us to know it all!
Hemisfear
It’s almost impossible to count how many cars Chip Foose has designed throughout his decades long career, but it’s for certain that he keeps the best of the best for himself. One good example of that is the stunning Hemisfear, one of the first cars Chip ever designed back in his senior year at Art Center in the early 1990s.
The first model for the Hemisfear was a violet fiberglass 1/5th-scale model he built for Chrysler, which a couple of years later mass sold a very similar version of it named the Plymouth Prowler: ‘The original sketches of the car were based on the ’70 ‘Cuda side view and the plan view of a ’33 Plymouth’, as Chip told Hagerty in 2019.
Although the first the public knew about his original design was in a 1991 Hot Rod issue feature, it didn’t become a reality until 15 years later, when Chip teamed up with Metalcrafters to finally produce a full-size Hemisfear, the most loyal in design to his original concept to date. It was unveiled in 2006’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) exhibition, becoming so popular that five of them were produced with an impressive price of $298,000 each. The green-colored model which Chip keeps in his garage is undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching in his collection.
1932 P-32 Street Fighter
Chip is known for being an innovative designer, even while bringing to life classic-looking vehicles. Such is the case of the P-32 Street Fighter, a hot rod born from a 1932 Ford chassis on which is mounted the body of a Brookville Roadster.
Flying into the weekend ✈️ #P32 #foose #chipfoose #foosedesign #32ford pic.twitter.com/LDa7JPUiTp
— Chip Foose (@chipfoose) October 12, 2018
The Street Fighter was born from an idea which wouldn’t leave Chip alone, as his website states: ‘what if a pilot returned from the war and missed his plane so much that he built a hot rod to emulate his old aircraft?’. Other inspiration sources worth mentioning are the twin piston-engined P-38 Lightning fighter, and the 1932 Ford Highboy.
Taking direct inspiration from the long-range P-51 Mustang fighter, Chip used what little free time he had from filming “Overhaulin’” to create this car, using the aforementioned parts, and adding his own aircraft-style nose design. The car is powered by Lincoln’s V12 engines, plus brakes and other parts, without forgetting eye-catching details such as real B-17 seats.
Although Chip built the Street Fighter in the late 2000s, it wasn’t truly shown to the public until SEMA’s 2017 exhibition.
2006 Ford GT
In 2013 Chip Foose hit the 50-year-old mark, and to celebrate it, his wife Lynne wisely gifted him another car for his collection, one he had always dreamed of owning. Although the 2006 Ford GT was originally designed to look slick and daringly modern, Chip put it upon himself to enhance its best features with his personal style.
While some performance fixings were added to it, the most extreme changes were to its appearance, focusing on making its bumper almost unnoticeable, while adding other details such as decorated frame extensions, and his own Chip Foose-designed wheels, with aluminum alloys and orange-stripped. The vehicle’s dark silver colored exterior with white and orange details adds to this GT’s tasteful combination, of which Chip was undoubtedly so proud of that he exhibited during 2014’s SEMA event.
Although it’s unknown what Chip’s car is valued at, according to AutoTrader, the price of a common 2006 Ford GT is over $250,000. That being said, it’s doubtful that Chip would ever want to sell such a special gift.
1913 Ford Model T
Of course, owning a history-relevant car is every collector’s dream, and Chip Foose is no exception. Unlike most vehicles in his garage, this Model T’s design isn’t modified in the least, besides the paint job which keeps it looking as stunning as when it was released in 2013.
Although the performance of Chip’s Ford T is unknown, having this car in his garage is probably more a matter of sentimentalism, given how crucial the development of this particular roadster is for the industry in general, being the first attempt from Ford to mass produce an affordable car, that is, on an assembly line.
A century later, there aren’t many T Models in existence, and very few look as well preserved as the one in Chip’s collection.
2015 Ford Mustang GTs
Sometimes collectors have unique pieces in their collections, but other times they can have two different versions of the same vehicle as well. That’s the case of the two 2015 Ford Mustangs in Chip Foose’s collection, which are actually quite different, despite being almost the same vintage model.
His Ford Mustang GT was built in collaboration with Modern Muscle Design in 2015, before being introduced to the general public in that year’s Mustang Show held in Pennsylvania. While this particular car was leveled-up in power thanks to additional 2.9 liter superchargers, added to its custom designed wheels by Foose. When it comes to appearances, certain enhanced details such as the ‘front chin spoiler, hood scoop, rocker panels, side scoops, quarter-window louvers, and rear spoiler’ give an ‘aggressive’ look to it, as MotorTrend reports.
His other 2015 Ford is a Mustang GT Convertible, also designed and assembled by Chip and Modern Muscle Design, but this time to commemorate first model’s 50th anniversary. Once again, this specific model was enhanced both in power and looks to convey the special occasion through Chip’s vision, but without losing the car’s essence.
1935 Cadillac-Inspired Madam X
If we have to mention one special car in Chip’s collection, that’s definitely the Madam X. This convertible sedan was directly inspired by the works of Harley Earl and Art Ross of General Motors, from the 1930s to the 1950s. Even ‘the Madam X’ name comes from one of Earl’s early designs for the company, later becoming a trademark title for the most special vehicles built in his division.
Madam X will be on display at BASF @RefinishNews booth #20367 #SEMA pic.twitter.com/pYQhunz7XY
— Chip Foose (@chipfoose) October 31, 2016
Under the commission of Wes and Vivian Rydell, Chip took a 1939 Cadillac 60 Special 4-door, and transformed it into a two-door convertible, in remembrance to the designs done by General Motors during the 1950s, but powered fitting to the current modern times: ‘It’s highly, highly modified, but the greatest thing about that car is that it looks like a production car. I didn’t want it to look like a custom’, as Chip commented to Hagerty.
Although the Madam X is a commission design, it’s exhibited as part of Chip’s collection.
1971 De Tomaso Pantera
The Pantera is quite a unique car in itself. Initially, only 7,000 of these were produced by the Italian manufacturer De Tomaso for two decades, but its importation to the US stopped in 1975, making it quite rare to find one these days.
The 1971 Pantera supercar is surely a sight to behold, which surely is one of the reasons Chip didn’t heavily modify it. Its slick red paint looks as if it has just been got out of stock, going harmoniously well with the original chrome details of the interior and the black leather seats he added. The most extreme changes done to the Pantera belong under the hood, where Chip powered up with a 351 Ford Cleveland engine and new gearbox, in an effort to evoque 1980’s sport cars. according to MotorTrend.
Chip’s 1971 Pantera gained huge praise at the 2015 SEMA exhibition, but it’s unclear how much it’s valued at.
1965 Chevy Impalas
Chip Foose owns two 1965 Chevy Impalas, though they’re not equally as famous. First we have The Impostor, named for being built from a 2009 Corvette’s chassis and hood, including the mechanical aspects. Despite that, The Impostor preserves the essence of an original Chevy Impala, minus the several inches removed from its body and roof per the request of Don Voth, who bought the car in his teens, and gifted the rebuilt version to his wife Elma.
The Imposter is not a common-looking car, which it’s why it won a Ridler award in 2015. Given its unusualness and significance, Elma Voth told Detroit News she was doubtful about driving the car on a daily basis: ‘I was going to get groceries in it. When Chip showed this to me, I said, ‘We’re going to be on a very strict diet’, she admitted, which explains why the car is nowadays exhibited at Chip’s garage.
Regarding his other Chevy Impala, apparently it’s still untouched since it entered Chip’s garage, but it probably won’t stay that way forever.
1967 Chevy C/28
Although Chip Foose’ Chevy C/28 might look like an usual truck, this specific car is the biggest proof of his ability to successfully blend what decades ago was thought impossible. Back in the 1960s, high performance muscle cars were a priority for most manufacturers, making it understandable why so many non-muscle models from that time aren’t as speed-focused as expected, as AutoEvolution.com reports.
While trucks such as the 1967 Chevrolet C-10 did well sales-wise, its potential for mechanical improvement is vast, and that’s something Chip knows well. After installing a 1967 Camaro Z/28, he couldn’t help but keep adding muscle car features to his C-10, such as bumpers and a Hotchkis suspension kit, added to Foose Design wheels.
We just unveiled the C/28 in the @3mauto @3mfilms booth, my personal 1967 Chevy C-10 with Camaro Z/28 performance.
It’s here all week at the @semashow, booth #12145
What do you think?head to our YouTube page as we upload the complete build video in an eight part series! pic.twitter.com/1nvMILoLHd
— Chip Foose (@chipfoose) October 30, 2018
Even though the C/28 isn’t exactly favored by those afraid of risks, this creation gained huge praise at the 2018 SEMA’s event, and is now one of Chip’s everyday drives.
2002 Ford Thunderbird
While Chip Foose’s love for rebuilding cars from past eras is evident, he has never been afraid to transform modern cars too. Back in 2002, his business Foose Design was pretty new, and though he had recently won the trophy for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster for his 0032 rebuild, he still needed to give his company a big push.
The right opportunity came that year, when Ford Motors provided him with a Thunderbird, and expected it to be exhibited at the SEMA Show, in addition to featuring the build during an episode of TLC’s “Rides” show. Accepting both challenges, Chip designed the slick silver-painted Speedbird, taking some parts from the Volkswagen Beetle, and from other Ford models, achieving a look which perfectly mixes classic and modern in one car.
Beside the praise the Speedbird gained at SEMA, his popularity with his “Rides” episode gained Chip his own show “Overhaulin’” a couple of years later.
Though in 2021 the Speedbird was spotted on sale online for almost $50,000, to date the car is still listed on Chip’s website as his property.
1932 Ford 5-Window
While rebuilding a personal drive is sometimes risky, considering the lack of limitations often set by customers, the truth is that Chip Foose’s vast talent and tasteful aesthete makes him unable to deliver ugly-looking creations. His silky black 1932 Ford 5 Window coupe proves his ability to bring vehicles back to life, without losing their essence.
The 5-Window had previously belonged to a friend of Chip, who’d preserved it for decades untouched, but despite knowing the infinite potential this blank canvas of a car had, Chip didn’t do much to it except for redesigning its flathead, applying a layer of paint, and slightly changing its mechanics.
His original concept of a car which would look like being out of a 1932 SEMA’s show was achieved, but it was also a mission accomplished by him personally: ‘One of my father’s friends had a five-window coupe, and I thought it would be so cool to have one, one day; and today’s that day’, he told MotorTrend in 2017.
1956 Ford F-100
Last but not least, Chip’s 1956 Ford F-100 is undoubtedly one of the most important cars he ever built for its personal significance. Bought from his father’s garage at 13 years of age, Chip spent years working on it before finally able to drive it legally. Despite leaving it unused in his garage for years, he never stopped thinking of many ways he could rebuild it.
The @RevellUSA model kit of my 1956 Ford FD-100 pickup is now available for purchase. The truck was laser scanned to create all new tooling! pic.twitter.com/jeVWbNGLf6
— Chip Foose (@chipfoose) June 22, 2017
Unbeknownst to Chip, in 2005 the car was ‘stolen’ with his father’s help, and rebuilt through “Overhaulin’”. Chip saw his beloved car again at that year’s SEMA, an emotional event he’ll surely remember as one of the most significant in his career and personal life, making evident where the core of his passion for cars truly lies.
