The Life & Cars Of Chip Foose
Chip Foose isn’t just a name in the custom car world—he’s practically the name. When someone wants to turn an ordinary ride into something unforgettable, his shop is usually at the top of the list. Whether he’s breathing new life into vintage American classics or putting his own spin on high-end Ferraris and Lamborghinis, Foose has tackled just about everything with four wheels. Now in his sixties and still going full throttle, it’s the perfect time to take a look back at some of his most incredible builds.
Erica Munson, Wikimedia Commons
A Brief Biography Of Chip Foose
Douglas "Chip" Sam Foose was born in Santa Barbara, California, in 1953 to Sam and Terry Foose. You might say that car design was in Foose's blood, as his father, Sam, owned his own custom car design company, Project Design. Foose began working there at the age of seven.
Inside Chip Foose's Car Collection, Quick Shift
His First Paint Job
Having already had five years of helping his father at the shop, Foose would paint his first car at only 12 years old. We're not talking about some straight-lined Mustang or boxy Ford Escort. No, Foose's first car that he painted? A gorgeous Porsche 356 in 1965.
Jiří Sedláček, CC BY-SA 4.0,Wikimedia Commons
Chip Foose Meets Alex Tremulis
Although Chip Foose's father, Sam, greatly influenced his career path, he met Ford and Preston Tucker designer Alex Tremulis. Tremulis had decades of design experience with Ford Motor Company, Duesenberg, and others. In 1982, Foose attended the Arts Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
The Enthusiast Network, Getty Images
Chip Drops Out
Despite attending the Arts Center College of Design with extensive experience and huge potential, Foose struggled financially. After two years, he dropped out of college and began working at Clénet Coachworks, a custom Neoclassical automobile design company based in Santa Barbara. He worked there for four years before the company filed for bankruptcy, and he went back to school.
Chip Foose Experience - BEST of SEMA 2021 - Chip Foose Day, Foose Design
A Rising Automotive Design Star While In College
Foose honed his craft in college, becoming a Staff Designer and Fabricator for the Asha Corporation in 1986 and the Director of Design in 1989. 10 years later, long after Foose had departed, Asha Corp was absorbed by the McLaren Automotive Group—crafters of the land-speed record-breaking McLaren F1.
Foose Design Shop Tour, Foose Design
Working Under Boyd Coddington
Because Foose made connections throughout his college days and working life, he became a designer under Boyd Coddington, one of California's premiere automobile designers. This invaluable work experience proved pivotal as Foose would go out independently, starting Foose Design in 1984.
Jeremiah Sholtis, Wikimedia Commons
Famous Designs Under Boyd Coddington
While working under Boyd Coddington, Chip Foose quickly made his mark behind the scenes, designing cars that would go on to become icons in the custom world. His fingerprints were all over standout builds like the Boyd Air, a reimagined 1957 Chevy Bel Air, the sleek Boydster 1, based on a 1932 Ford Roadster, and the striking 1934 Ford Roadster known as the Sportstar. Even early on, it was clear Foose had an eye for designs people wouldn’t forget.
The Origins Of Foose Design
Chip Foose began Foose Design in 1984 while still in college and working at other automobile manufacturers. Starting small, he soon overhauled many vehicles, provided his stellar design services to other manufacturers, and even built cars for films and TV.
Foose Design Shop Tour, Foose Design
Chip Foose Graduates College
In 1990, Foose finished his college degree, majoring in (you guessed it) Automotive Product Design, graduating with honors. But his successful automotive career had already begun. His other positions included Chief Designer for Baker Sportronics, an electric vehicle manufacturer.
Foose Design Shop Tour, Foose Design
Chip Foose's Most Famous Designs
Now that you have a background in automotive design, let's explore some of his greatest designs, from the outlandish to the spectacular, as well as those you've probably seen in a movie or two.
Foose Design Shop Tour, Foose Design
His First Award-Winning Design
Not long after moving Foose Designs to Huntington Beach, California, in 1999, Chip Foose would win his first award in 2002: the prestigious Ridler Memorial Award for redesigning a 1935 Chevy Master. He completely redesigned the car's frame and fitted it with his custom-designed wheels, known as Foose Wheels.
Boydster II Wins America's Most Beautiful Roadster Design
While Chip Foose was President at Hot Rods By Boyd, he would design a Boydster II in yellow, a redesign of his earlier Boydster. This would win best in class and be named America's Most Beautiful Roadster in 1996. The sleek, powerful lines incorporated into the design would be called the "Boyd Look," and Foose would gain international acclaim.
Inside Chip Foose's Car Collection, Quick Shift
Chip Foose Wins America's Most Beautiful Roadster—Again
In 2000, Chip Foose redesigned the Boydster III in all-black with a brown leather interior and a removable top, which was a brand new rethink of his Boydster II design. Commissioned by Chuck Svatos, the Boydster III would win Foose Designs the title of America's Most Beautiful Roadster in 2000.
adolf martinez soler, Shutterstock
The Youngest Inductee Into The Hot Rod Hall Of Fame
Chip Foose was inducted into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame in 1997 at the age of 31, making him the youngest inductee ever. This further cemented Foose's already legendary status in the industry. It was then that he began to turn his attention to designing cars for movies and TV.
Inside Chip Foose's Car Collection, Quick Shift
His Movie & TV Designs
Chip Foose has even taken his talents to Hollywood, lending his design skills to the world of film and television. One of his more surprising credits ties back to Blade Runner (1982), where he helped bring the film’s futuristic taxi to life, working from an original concept by legendary artist Syd Mead. It’s a perfect example of how Foose’s creativity isn’t limited to real-world roads—his designs can just as easily shape entire cinematic worlds.
Warner Bros., Blade Runner (1982)
Robocop Needs A Robocar
In 1987, Foose designed the 6000 SUX vehicle seen in Robocop (1987), based on an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme from 1977. Apparently, the car's name was intended as a dig at the Pontiac 6000: "6000 Sucks".
Orion Pictures, RoboCop (1987)
Designing Cars For Destruction
In the late 1990s, Chip Foose designed 12 cars for Gone In 60 Seconds (2000). Each car was a 1967 Ford Mustang named "Eleanor". Five were destroyed during production. We can only hope that Chip was well compensated for his efforts.
Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Chip Foose's Disney Oil Paintings
Chip Foose doesn't just design cars from sketches. He's also partnered with Disney to create a series of limited edition original oil paintings of American classic cars. In addition, he's behind the design of Lightning McQueen for the movie Cars (2006), building a 1.18 scale model for Disney in the mid-2000s before Cars was released.
zombieite, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Overhaulin' Begins
In 2004, Chip Foose was the star of the TLC show, Overhaulin', which was a documentary-style reality show detailing Foose's designs at the time. The show lasted for 10 seasons, featuring many of Foose's most famous designs. Let's explore some of Foose's greatest overhauls on Overhaulin'.
Brentwood Communications, Overhaulin'
Cadillac Eldorado
The gorgeous deep blue Cadillac Eldorado was the first car that Foose designed for Boyd Coddington, fabricated with front bumpers from a 1956 Chevy Nomad, with one-of-a-kind wheels designed by Mike Curtis Design. Additionally, there's an expanded chrome dash and a fine leather interior, custom tail lights, and rear tailfins.
Eleanor
The previously-mentioned GT500 Ford Mustang is legendary in the car world. But did you know that it only took Foose seven weeks to design and build? Because that's all the time he had before the film was due to start shooting.
Karolis Kavolelis, Shutterstock
Chevy "Imposter" Impala
The 1965 Chevy Impala that isn't an Impala at all. While the body may be that of a Chevy Impala, under the hood is all Corvette. Specifically, a 2009 Corvette, with the interior electronics also being borrowed from the '09 'Vette, but the Impala's body had to lose 14 inches to fit over the Corvette's frame.
Ford P-32 Roadster
Most people look at a P-51 WWII fighter plane and see history. Chip Foose looked at one and saw his next build. Enter the Ford P-32 Roadster, a car that feels like it could take off at any moment. Starting with a 1932 Ford Roadster, Foose’s team trimmed two inches off the quarter panels, then gave it a bold, aircraft-inspired nose, smaller wheels, and sleek aluminum paneling that mirrors the look of the legendary P-51 Mustang. It’s the kind of creation that blurs the line between runway and roadway.
Ford Mustang Mach Foose
While Foose didn't break the sound barrier with his Ford Mustang Mach Foose, he certainly did break purist hearts. Taking the chassis of a 2010 Ford Mustang GT, Foose and company customized it by extending the wheelbase by three inches, adding Plymouth Barracuda lower headlights on the front grille and custom-making the side mirrors.
1971 Mustang MachFoose SEMA Unveil, Foose Design
1957 Mercedes 300SL
It's not just American classics that Foose redesigns. He'll take on anything, including a gorgeous 1957 Mercedes 300SL. It might look standard at a distance, but get up close and you'll notice the Gullwing doors, custom front and rear bumpers, custom bulges above the front and rear wheels, and custom side trim. It's a beauty.
The redesigned BASF Mercedes 300SL Gullwing - 2011, BASF Refinish
Plymouth Terracuda
The Plymouth Terracuda screams "custom". It's got a custom paint job: "Terracuda Brown", sort of a gold-ish brown color. It's also got custom gold wheels that sit under a front-end that's been heavily modified to give them more clearance, a custom floor made out of steel, and a 6.4L Hemi engine.
Foose Design Shop Tour, Foose Design
Jaguar E-Type Roadster
Another incredible feat of design and engineering that'll make purists cry is Chip Foose's Jaguar E-type Roadster. It's a one-of-a-kind Jag that took Foose and company two and a half years to complete. The headlights have brass rings around the assembly, there's an additional hood scoop and custom grilles and bumpers. Under the hood, the Jag E-Type Roadster sports a General Motors LS3 V8 engine, replacing the 5.3L V12.
Chip Foose's Ford F-100
We mentioned that Foose's father was a car designer himself? Well, he owned this Ford F-100 that was purchased by Foose at just 13 years old (remember, the man has been helping design cars since he was seven). After using it as a daily driver, it went into storage as Foose became busier than he'd ever imagined.
Dad Completes The Re-Design
Chip Foose's father "stole" Foose's Ford F-100 out of his storage unit and decided to complete the redesign himself, before giving the truck back to his son. Almost every square inch of that F-100 was reformed, with the nice addition of a NASCAR-supplied Rousch Racing V8 engine. A roundabout way of passing the proverbial torch.
Madam X
Madam X was originally a 1930s concept car, created by legendary designer Art Ross. It never saw the road, but Foose spotted the Madam X at a show and decided he'd have a go at making one of his own. Combining a 1939 Cadillac Sedan and a 1940 Cadillac Sedan, Foose entirely redesigned the body of Madam X. Afterwards, he focused on the underneath, fitting a Corvette C6 suspension and a Corvette LT1 engine.
Foose & Coddington's Falling Out
It's no secret that there's plenty of competition in the art and design world, but with that can come legitimate grievances. In the case of Chip Foose and Boyd Coddington, it's said that when Foose started Foose Designs, he took a number of Coddington's design team with him—beginning a rift between the two. According to Foose, this relationship still hasn't been repaired.
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Inside Chip Foose's Car Collection, Quick Shift
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