Unique Performance is gone

[Bill Kesner]

We can only hope that there is some resolvement for the customers. Sounds like Unique Performance had very poor planning, and poor managment. What a shame!

- Bill -

[Joe Wicked]

I know a guy who used to work out there. He used to claim all the time that they were pulling VIN plates off of cars that were rusted beyond repair and using those on salvage cars. Everyone kept saying that it was just sour grapes and he was full of crap. I haven't talked with him in a while, but I am sure he is feeling vindicated now.

[TerrysSPF]

I came close to buying one of their GT350SR's a couple years ago through a Unique dealer called Trent Performance. I met the guys at a car show in Amelia Island and I gotta say, I was very impressed with the car they had at the show (GT350), and their suspension (own design) was also impressive. I simply couldn't pull the trigger on the price, which I thought was too high for the car (no matter how impressive it seemed, it was still a re-production), and they weren't willing to negotiate at all. I always thought the "Eleanor cars" were a bit of a streatch for Shelby to try and capitalize on though (and WAAAAY overpriced), and why they are in the Shelby registry is beyond me. It appears CS is facing a lawsuit over the car now by Halicki's wife (from Gone in 60 seconds).
I still have a picture they were handing out of the guys at Unique (Bobby Mikus, Chris Layne, Richard Kearby and Doug Hasty) standing arm-n-arm with Shelby and his side-kick Brent Fenimore (what ever happened to THAT guy?). CS was supposed to have been there to sign autographs (probably those pictures) but cancelled at the last minute due to "health reasons" (which was sad for me because I drug my cars glovebox all the way from Chicago!).

[Excaliber]

I thought Brent F. was employed with Unique since leaving Shelby?

If so, not exactly a brilliant career move...

[Bill Kesner]

Hey Terry,

Could you post the pic for us?

- Bill -

[TerrysSPF]

Bill- I wish I could, but I don't know how I would do that. Perhaps with a scanner, but I don't have one.

The picture looks like it was taken at an airport because they are all standing in front of a jet (you can see a jet engine over Shelby's left shoulder), and what looks to be a small hanger or fueling station over Brent F's left shoulder.
BTW: Fenimore is wearing the same black and white "Unique" shirt as the guys from Unique are wearing, so you may be right Ernie.

[damdfw]

I met Brent Fenimore at Unique Performance a couple of months ago. I have his business card in front of me. His title was Vice President/General Manager of Unique Performance.

David

[Excaliber]

Wow, with Brent F. in that position the link between Shelby and Unique is fairly solid. I would guess it went beyond a mere 'licensing' arrangement in reality.

[TerrysSPF]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Wow, with Brent F. in that position the link between Shelby and Unique is fairly solid. I would guess it went beyond a mere 'licensing' arrangement in reality.

That's not what Shelby wants people to hear. I'm sure CS would rather people forgot about ALL ties between his name and Unique Performance because there are sure to be several law suits over this mess.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

That's not what Shelby wants people to hear. I'm sure CS would rather people forgot about ALL ties between his name and Unique Performance because there are sure to be several law suits over this mess.

Probably about 7 million dollars worth of lawsuits,that was the last count of deposits taken without any cars being built/delivered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David

[Excaliber]

Shelby has enough lawyers to fight off Unique and still sue SAAC.

[TerrysSPF]

Ernie: Don't forget about the Halicki lawsuit. CS might have the tri-fecta going here pretty soon! Plus, isn't he about due to sue another replica company? Heck, maybe he should hire Brent F. back on the legal team.....................or would that be a conflict of interest?

[Don]

As published by the New York Times on Sunday Nov 25th:



" A Cloud Over Reborn Shelby Mustangs "

By ROB SASS

"FIVE years ago, amid a sharp rise in prices of vintage muscle cars, Carroll Shelby licensed his name to a Texas company to construct replicas of the 1967 Shelby GT500E used in the 2000 remake of the drive-in classic “Gone in 60 Seconds.”

Mr. Shelby, the racing legend who had built Shelby Mustangs and the Cobra sports car in the 1960s, correctly perceived an eager market for the movie car, known as Eleanor. The cars were to be built by Unique Performance in Farmers Branch, a Dallas suburb.

But this month, after a public dispute between Mr. Shelby and Unique Peformance, and following lawsuits against Unique from customers who say they put down large deposits but never received their cars, the story took a new twist. Farmers Branch police and Texas state officials raided Unique and seized 61 cars in varying states of completion at five sites.

Restored and modernized cars like the Eleanor replicas have become known in the collector car industry as resto-mods, and they are intended to combine the best of old and new.

Original ’60s-era muscle cars, while fierce in a straight line, were often not pleasant to drive. Most had slippery and uncomfortable vinyl seats, vague steering and dubious handling, their tires squealing at the first suggestion of a kink in the road. And, oddly for cars with such performance, they usually came with ineffective brakes that faded away after hard use.

Resto-mods generally combine original frames and body shells with modern brakes, suspensions and tires, along with upgraded powertrains and better interiors to address the shortcomings of the original cars.

But when old cars become so heavily altered in the process of becoming resto-mods, issues involving titles and serial numbers can become cloudy.

In a telephone interview, Cpl. Chad Taylor of the Farmers Branch police department said Unique’s cars were seized because authorities had learned that the company might have altered the V.I.N., or vehicle identification numbers. He said the matter had been referred to the Dallas County prosecutor, but as of Wednesday no charges had been filed.

Authorities had also suggested that Unique engaged in a practice known as “title washing,” in which salvage titles are cleansed of salvage status by

retitling the cars in another state. Customers might be unaware that the donor car for their GT500 Eleanor had been declared a total loss previously.

Both Mr. Shelby and Chip Foose, the prominent custom car designer who had also licensed Unique to build cars from his designs, have severed their ties with Unique Performance.

Attempts to reach Unique Performance executives for comment were unsuccessful last week. The company’s phone number has been disconnected and its Web site is no longer operating.

Fans of unaltered original muscle cars like Colin Comer, a Milwaukee dealer and collector who wrote “Million Dollar Muscle Cars” (Motorbooks, 2007) said he thought that those who paid $200,000 and more for resto-mods like the Shelby GT500E would probably never recoup their investments, especially with a cloud over Unique.

Unlike original muscle cars, most resto-mods have no pedigree or provenance. Indeed, they may have started out as a run-of-the-mill 6-cylinder car before being altered to look like a rare high-performance model. So resto-mods may share more with today’s cars than just modern mechanicals. They may depreciate like them as well. "

[427sharpe]

As of 11/30:

Unique Performance in bankruptcy
No assets and millions owed
By BOB GRITZINGER

Texas-based specialty-car maker Unique Performance appears to be calling it quits. The company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Nov. 12, just 10 days after authorities raided the firm's operations in the Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch, Texas.

In that raid, local authorities and federal investigators seized 61 vintage cars that allegedly had improper or illegible Vehicle Identification Numbers.

Under Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Unique Performance seeks to end its business operations. In the filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas in Dallas, the company listed no assets. A Dallas legal publication listed Unique Performance's debts at $1 million to $100 million, but did not indicate who the major creditors were.

Besides customers, many of whom had placed substantial deposits on cars with list prices ranging from $100,000 to $250,000, creditors no doubt include Carroll Shelby Licensing and Foose Design.

Shelby Licensing was working with Unique Performance to produce continuation Shelby GT350SRs and GT500E "Eleanors." The cars, which are refurbished versions of the original cars with updated powertrains, chassis and safety components, carry price tags of $100,000 to $200,000.

Foose had licensed the company to produce the Foose Mustang Stallion, the Foose Camaro, the Foose Challenger and the Foose Motorcycle. Both companies severed those licensing agreements in the past two months.

No arrests have been made in the case, and authorities are still investigating whether charges will be brought against Unique Performance owner Doug Hasty or other company employees.

In an earlier statement to AutoWeek, Hasty said his company had delivered 119 vehicles since 2003 and had invested all the money from deposits into parts and production of 106 more vehicles.


'Tis the season to get yer' tail sued off!

[JRoss]

Posted on CBS 11 Website:

cbs11tv.com - DA To Decide Fate Of Unique Performance Executives

DA To Decide Fate Of Unique Performance Executives
Charges Imminent

FARMERS BRANCH (CBS 11 News) ―
Local and state police have wrapped up their investigation into a North Texas car company and CBS 11 has learned the Farmer's Branch Police Department has prepared 25 felony cases against the executives of Unique Performance.

The company refurbished cars, which they marketed to wealthy business people and celebrities for prices upwards of $200,000 each. Police confiscated the cars in November. Investigators say the company used inmates in the Texas prison system to build the cars.



As CBS 11 first reported on Jan. 31, inmates in two Texas units were employed by Unique Performance under a contract the company had with the prison system. Investigators believe inmates were illegally removing vehicle identification numbers from cars. Police say they don't anticipate filing criminal charges against inmates, instead they're focusing their investigation on who within the company gave the inmates orders to tamper with the VINS.

It will now be up to the Dallas County District Attorney's Office to take those cases to the grand jury.

"It's a complicated case, so once they go over all the cases that were presented to them, then they'll decide the appropriate charges to file," explains Cpl. Chad Taylor with the Farmers Branch Police Department.

CBS 11 made several requests to interview inmates who were hired by Unique Performance. Administrators with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) have repeatedly denied requests, despite written letters from multiple inmates who say they are willing to talk to us.


TDCJ officials say the inmates may become part of a future internal administrative investigation by the Office of Inspector General and therefore should not be allowed speak to the media.


Regardless, CBS 11 continues to receive letters from inmates inside prison. One inmate says he was hired by Unique Performance and describes how the private company ran an "illegal chop shop" supported by taxpayers. The inmate claims "corruption behind prison walls." In a December interview with CBS 11, prison spokesman, Jason Clark, denied there was a "chop shop" operating inside the prison system and said TDCJ will let local investigators do their work to determine what happened inside the prison units.


Local and state investigators have completed their investigation and tell CBS 11 they have no opposition to inmates speaking to reporters.


Gov. Rick Perry says he is aware of the Farmers Branch investigation and changes may be needed in the prison work program.



Officials with the North Texas branch of the U. S. Secret Service Office also said they have identified three suspects in its own investigation into Unique Performance.

Federal investigators have presented their case to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which may pursue federal criminal charges.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

[mpanten]

Well that puts a damper on my dream to open one of these shops. If they cant make it with 200k price tags and prison labor I sure as hell wont be able to either.

[Joe Wicked]

Originally Posted by mpanten

Well that puts a damper on my dream to open one of these shops. If they cant make it with 200k price tags and prison labor I sure as hell wont be able to either.

Yea, too much legal crap to deal with in these times. I was born 1 generation too late. My only dream now is to be able to do it for myself. I hope that one day I will be able to.

[scales]

I'd be happy with just one 200K job. I'd be set. Then again,most of us would.
Marty.

[Ed Csoltko]

I was watching "RIDES" last night and it was about Unique Performance. I'm surprised that they re-aired the video.

[Madmiles442]

Well that puts a damper on working on Mustang supercars while serving 4-6 for driving 150 on public roads....