Chip Foose Custom! 1929 Ford Highboy Roadster
You’ll have to hurry up on this one if you want a deal. The seller claims this 1929 Ford Highboy custom is headed to Hemmings News next month, at a higher price, if it doesn’t sell here (not sure that I follow that logic). Regardless, this Ford is a Chip Foose custom project from twenty years ago and the seller would like to find it a new home. It is located in Dresden, Maine and is available, here on craigslist for $39,999. Thanks to Ikey H. for this tip!
Briefly, Chip Foose is a renowned Santa Barbara, California automobile customizer. Before striking out on his own, he worked, for a time, under another well-known custom designer named Boyd Coddington He and his skills make regular appearances on a Motor Trend TV series called Overhaulin’. The resemblance between this ’29 Ford Highboy street rod and an originally styled ’29 Model “A” would be slim to none. The transformation of this Ford, known as the “California Spyder” was documented in a series of articles in Street Rodder magazine back in 1999.
To cut to the chase, the seller claims, “THIS CAR STARTED LIFE AS A SKETCH BY CHIP FOOSE DONE AT HIS KITCHEN TABLE AND THEN EVERY ELEMENT AS IT CAME TO LIFE WAS COMPLETED BY THE BEST CALIFORNIA HOT RODDERS ALIVE. THIS CAR IS A ONE-OFF CUSTOM BUILT STREET ROD BUILT FROM A SKETCH FROM ONE OF THE TOP NAMES IN HOT RODDING IN THE WORLD, IT DOES NOT GET BETTER THAN THIS”. It has had extensive metal rework with an extended deck lid, reshaped cowl and a custom hood among some of the modifications. Straight up, I’m not a hot rodder and know very little about street rods and customization but this Ford does project a magnificent presence. The fact that the work was performed twenty-one years ago and still looks so fresh is a testament to the quality of the effort. The seller states that the Spyder has been driven less than 500 miles since it sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction twenty years ago for the princely sum of $83,600!
Surprising to see is the 285 HP Ford 5.0 liter V8 engine perched under its custom hood. So many of these street rods seem to have a Chevrolet small-block V8 motor providing the grunt that it is notable when a Ford engine actually turns up in a modified Ford. I’ve even seen a Mopar “LA” motor squeezed between the frame rails – that has to be a total affront to a Ford fan! The seller gives no indication as to any specific engine modifications or this Highboy’s running prowess but it is probably safe to assume that it motivates quite well via its stout looking Windsor engine and automatic transmission.
The interior is a work of art in minimalism. We are told by the seller that the tan leather interior is all hand-built and employes one-off gauges. It is as clean and simple an environment as you will ever find. Obviously 500 miles of use won’t cause any wear but the passage of time can – clearly this Ford has been stored properly.
The seller states early on, “PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS IS MY LOWEST POSSIBLE PRICE TO SELL NOT A STARTING PLACE TO DICKER. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE $40000 FOR SUCH A CAR OR THINK IT IS WORTH LESS I CAN NOT HELP YOU”. He then concludes with the parting words, “NO EMAILS, NO BROKERS, NO EMAILS, NO TRADES, NO EMAILS, NO DREAMERS, NO EMAILS, NO TEST PILOTS, NO EMAILS AND PLEASE NO PEOPLE WITH TIME TO WASTE AS I AM BUSY CARING FOR MY WIFE AND HER HEALTH ISSUES AND HAVE NO DESIRE TO WASTE MY TIME OR THAT OF OTHERS. SORRY, I DONT MEAN TO BE SEEM RUDE BUT I HAVE PRICED THIS CAR TO SELL AND THIS IS NOT A GAME. BUYERS, PLEASE CALL …, THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. If you are interested in this Foose custom street rod, I suggest that you do not email the seller…
So, what would one do with such a car? Driving it doesn’t seem like a viable option because of its fastidious condition – you could but it would adversely impact its pristine condition. You could trailer it to car shows but that would get old in a hurry and it’s a hassle. Or you could own it and just store it, catch an occasional glimpse and watch the value drop by half as it has supposedly done. Neat car, fantastic condition, impressive provenance but what do you do with it?
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Comments
Let me get this straight: if we’re interested, we email the guy and make him an offer?? The only thing that makes sense to me with this car is to buy it, drive it, and hopefully you get your money’s worth of enjoyment out of it.
You can’t email this jerk, his crais lis ad says……….
NO EMAILS , NO BROKERS , NO EMAILS , NO TRADES , NO EMAILS , NO DREAMERS , NO EMAILS , NO TEST PILOTS , NO EMAILS AND PLEASE NO PEOPLE WITH TIME TO WASTE AS I AM BUSY CARING FOR MY WIFE AND HER HEALTH ISSUES
It reads “if you are interested don’t e-mail”. The whole skit doesn’t sound like anything that would make me excited about buying the car. Love the car, the rest stinks.
Something sounds shady about this listing…and it ain’t slim
There is a lot of information missing from the ad. When you start with, “sketched by” and finish with “final assembly by,” It seems like the car was built by committee. Which is never a good thing.
The color palette is dated, which is understandable based on when it was built, it’s hard to say what it’s worth. It all depends on the quality of the build.
Steve R
While others may think the owner’s approach is off base, I side with him.
His wife is ill and who knows, maybe he’s in need of the cash. Regardless, do you have any idea how many Clist clowns are going to be contacting him who will want to trade an XBox, stereo and motorcycle for it? Let alone how many will just want to drive it with no intention of buying it?
There is a $10k Foose contest Ford Flex on Clist, or at least there was last week.
Dollars to donuts, the owner has gotten the usual ridiculous “what’s the lowest you’ll go” emails.
The owner of this rod should have gone the higher end Bring a Trailer route. The car is a steal for the money, so a no haggle, look it up for yourself attitude is understandable IMO.
Mark, 63Comet unfortunately BAT doesn’t have a very good history with streetrods. Very few have brought the reserve. Porsche and other foreign cars seem to do well over there.
I’m not quite sure why, but Foose customs in general do not seem to hold their value very well compared to some other custom shops. Recently I’ve seen other Foose creations with similar price declines. Perhaps it’s the sheer number of them he’s produced? I don’t know the answer.
His wasn’t built by Foose, he only did the sketch
Steve R
Steve R is right, but Chip’s illustration also incorporated his most important design element contribution: the gentle “S” shape of the windshield post into the body line.
Whatever the reason for the sale price, here’s how I look at it:
1) Store it and look at it = slowly drops in value
2) Drive it on weekends and in the summer = slowly drops in value
Why wouldn’t you drive it, again?
As for the ad, yeah, it’s overkill but if his back is truly against the wall, I guess this is his way of trying to get serious buyers only. Personally, I agree with the BAT suggestion. That’s what he should do. I like the car a lot but for me it falls into the “like it a lot but no desire to buy it” category. I do hope a dedicated Ford hot rodder (or Ford afficianato) gets ahold of it though.
Hey, NO EMAIL, so I won’t
Isn’t the tall guy standing on the right side of the photo the guy who used to do the painting for Boyd Coddington? I remember when he left to open his own business closer to home so he could spend more time with his family. Boyd was like Mafia; he took it personally. He was basically like “you are dead to me”. Ask Chip.
The tall guy is Bill Gathings, the metalman who fabricated all of the car’s special features, made the hood, extended the decklid, etc.
This car was built as a feature artical in Street Rodder Magazine and if I remember right the person behind it was Eric Gisert (excuse spelling). So if you think this seller, is being rude get over it. If you research the car you can see the total build from start to finish in the SRM articles.
I am going off my memory , so l might be off a little ,but Foose may have drawn the concept, but he didn’t build it. I think there were a whole lot of talented craftsman that contributed to the project.
The car is dated in relation to the era it was built and especially because it was featured in one of the most popular Hot Rod Magazine of the era. Therefore it was done as a state of the art car, for that time. So what should be done with this car? It may sound crazy, but it should just be kept exactly as it is, because it is an icon to the type builds that were being done by Foose, Buttera and Cottington then. This was the cutting edge and now enough time has gone by that you can actually tell what decade, a car was built.
The price 40k is morethan fair if you are buying it as a piece of automotive history and you are the caretaker, not the owner. If you want to own it or change it , spend your money on something else.
nothing remarkable in my opinion
Nice car. A bit dated, but nice. I wonder why the doors weren’t fitted to close flush? I think I’ll email him to find out why.
Because he wanted to retain some of the Model A’s original design. The dash was left Model A, too.
No air-conditioning I’m out 😂😂😂
Nice car, windshield stations don’t appear to be correct, was this originally a coupe?
Windshield stanchions were fabricated to follow the Foose design to lower the top of the windshield and get rid of the bolt-on look. FYI: the body is original ’29 Ford steel.
Not enough CAPS!