Unique Performance looks like it's going belly up.
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Unique Performance looks like it's going belly up.
Posted: November 05 2007 12:36 AM
 
Rick Ashford (aka awsum34) [ View ] [ awsum34@everestkc.net ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ]
Overland Park, Kansas
 
Unique Performance and Shelby


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"Shelby threatens to end licensing deal with performance car maker


Kathy Jackson

Automotive News

October 5, 2007 - 5:17 pm ET



LOS ANGELES -- Unique Performance Inc. will lose its license from Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc. to produce high-performance cars if Unique does not satisfy customer complaints.


Shelby Licensing says Unique has a backlog of 50 to 60 vehicles.


Since 2002, Unique, headquartered near Dallas, has partnered with former race car driver Carroll Shelby to refurbish and re-engineer vintage Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s. The cars include the GT500E Eleanor and the GT350SR, which sell from about $100,000 to more than $200,000.


But in a letter to Unique CEO Douglas Hasty, Shelby Licensing threatens to end the license agreement. Shelby Licensing says Unique has failed to deliver vehicles and return deposits totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.


Hasty declined to comment.


Customers have filed lawsuits against Unique. For instance, in a Sept. 4 lawsuit filed in federal court in Texas, Robert Garner contends he signed an agreement with Unique in May 2005 for the purchase of a $189,000 GT500E Super Snake with a deposit of $94,500. In May 2006, he made another deposit of $47,250.


To date, Garner has no car and says Unique has refused to return his deposits.


Another federal suit, filed Sept. 18 in Texas by Alan Cummins, alleges that he bought a defective Super Snake in August 2004 from Unique for $188,300 and that Unique has neither repaired the vehicle nor returned the plaintiff's money.


Cummins' lawsuit says it may add Carroll Shelby as a defendant because Shelby endorses the vehicles made by Unique.


In a press release, Shelby Licensing President John Luft said: "Carroll Shelby Licensing has had no choice but to give Unique notice that its license agreements with Shelby are subject to termination. We, as the licensor, must carry the burden of protecting the good will associated with the Shelby brand."


Besides the Shelby vehicles, Unique also manufactures vehicles designed by car customizer Chip Foose -- including a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 1970 Dodge Challenger and the Foose Stallion, based on the current Mustang."


Actually the proceedings on behalf of Shelby to sever ties have been filed as of 10/6/07.
 
 
Comments
 
Posted by jimmothershead  -  11/05/2007 01:27 PM
Hey, Rick......is that the same Unique we have watched on Direct TV ? Has murals and neat painting all over the shop walls? If so, a few weeks ago he said he was having trouble making payroll.

If John Luft's statement is a matter of written record, he just opened the Shelby bank account. You can't get blood out of a turnip. Even if any paintiff wins a suit, you can bet there will be no assets by the time judgement is rendered.....go after "deep pockets".

Cheers, Jim
Jim [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Huntingtown, Maryland
 
Posted by 1carguy  -  11/06/2007 04:24 AM
I'll bet Foose isn't too happy having his name tied to this company either, even if only asssociated indirectly.
1carguy [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Pleasanton, California
 
Posted by Rods & Customs by Leon  -  11/06/2007 12:36 PM
Large Overhead, and paying for licencing, Thats a good formula for loosing money, add a big payrole to it, who would'nt see that coming.

Im sure they wasn't out to just rip people off and do crappy work, But when you have those kind of excpences It'll just drain the cash flow and then they start cutting corners and can't afford to take care of customers.

We've had dozens of shops in the Houston area who start out with great intentions but they go out and buy all of the latest equipment, Lease high dollar space and hire 3rd rate employees, Pay them top dollar thinking thier going to make a fortune. They take in big deposits and then when the problems start coming up they can't afford to to catch up.

I learned that there isn't to many employees that you can count on in this buisness and when you do find one that can do a few things they think they should be making 25-30 bucks an hour. But when the break something or screw something up, They want you to pay them to fix it to.


I've downsized my operation and I'll keep doing everything myself, Low overhead and no headaches..........Like they say "K.I.S.S."
Rods & Customs by Leon [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Highlands, Texas Charter Member since May 2004
 
Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  11/06/2007 01:00 PM
smart move leon. you'll make more money and be a hell of a lot happier than putting up with bozo's that only want to show up friday for the check. the problems with unique are not in the shop but rather up in the office. those guys have wasted way too much on play time and toys. only proves they belong on the time card not in charge.
dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003
 
Posted by thads31  -  11/06/2007 03:00 PM
Police Raided them today.
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/06/unique-performance-raided-by-local-police/
thads31 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] St. Paul, Minnesota
 
Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  11/06/2007 03:08 PM
wait until the numbers come out. we've been hearing about this place down here for a long time. more gossip in texas than steers
dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003
 
Posted by awsum34  -  11/06/2007 09:15 PM
CBS 11 News) DALLAS Imagine spending six figures on an exotic car and never receiving the vehicle.


That's what Farmers Branch police said happened to customers who bought from a company called Unique Performance.


The company restored Shelby Mustangs, a limited-edition muscle car, for a price of $200,000 per car.


Monday, police confiscated all 61 vintage cars from the company.


Many of the cars could be worthless because the vehicle identification number has been removed. Steel plates with illegitimate numbers covered up the scratched areas.


Police believe the company was involved in title-washing.
awsum34 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Overland Park, Kansas
 
Posted by arai59  -  11/07/2007 01:33 AM
Most unfortunate.
arai59 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Dallas, Texas
 
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