Builder Of The Decade Chip Foose's Personal Automotive Fleet Is Artistry On Wheels

Chip Foose hailing from Santa Barbara, California is an automobile designer and an artist, who became the youngest person to win the Hot Rod Hall of Fame. Foose likes to keep several cars for himself that are modified, either with their design elements or performance characteristics. Chip Foose Design's headquarters are located in Huntington Beach, California, where he keeps part of his private collection of cars. So, let's dive into the details of the cars owned by Chip.

Note: As most of Chip Foose's cars are customized, the exact specs of those cars are unavailable.

19. 1932 Ford Roadster “0032”

Chip Foose’s ‘0032’ Ford Roadster was first designed back in the late ‘90s when renowned builder Boyd Coddington hired Chip as a full-time car designer. The car received its final transformation after Foose started his own company “Foose Design” back in 1998. Before that, the car was known as the Boydster II.

The ‘0032’ Roadster secured the status as America’s Most Beautiful Roadster at the 2000 Grand National Roadster Show. Eventually, the car was sold to Petersons Museum which helped Chip to establish his Newport Beach Factory where the famous reality show “Overhaulin’” was shot.

18. 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe

The 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe aka STREET RODDER was a historical restoration that was revealed back at the 2017 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The car was previously owned by Jay Washburn and was brought back to California back in 1979. Chip returned the car to its formal glory along with his personal Hot Rod custom touches until the end of 2016.

Chip added numerous kits including from body kits to interior to engine parts and the LeBaron Bonney kit custom fitted by 714 Motorsports in Westminster, California is a stunner. In Chip’s own words, the car is a moment of an era itself. He said, “Imagine what a brand-new 1932 Ford coupe would look like only days after it rolled off the showroom floor and into a state-of-the-art, old-time speed shop…”

17. 1932 Ford Tudor “Barn Find”

Pete Eastwood, a Hot Rod fanatic from New Jersey once bought a ‘32 Ford Tudor and kept it all original. Pete was also Chip’s work friend and happened to visit his barn one day and found the vintage all-original ‘32 Ford in pristine condition. He bought the car from Pete back in April 2024 as he wanted to restore it without changing any parts.

Chip’s YouTube channel “Foose Design” uploaded the transformation video of the “Barn Find” Ford where our car designer personally washed and polished the car. However, the interior had to change as the seats were torn off and the engine had to be separated and cleaned to be ready for driving. Chip said, “...the car really doesn’t need anymore that, its just little tender loving care because its worth it…”

16. 1932 Ford Model 18 Deluxe Roadster

Back in the early ‘30s, Ford was going through a crisis and Henry Ford decided to force the company’s financial resources to be invested into a new project. The project had one command from Henry - “Double the cylinders, double the gas”. When the car hit the market, it was a banger as consumer reports were very satisfying.

The ‘32 Model 18 Delux Roadster is one of few in Foose’s collection that he still drives to this day. Chip explained in one of his interviews that it was the stunning body design and the revolutionary Flathead V8 engine of the car that opted him to buy and restore one.

15. 1933 Ford Model 40 Station Wagon “Woodie”

One of the most known and infamous cars in Chip Foose’s personal collection is the 1933 Ford Model 40 Station Wagon called “Woodie”. Customizing on a metal body is far more easy than a plastic body and what if it is wood? Foose’s ‘33 Ford 40 Station Wagon is still one of his most difficult projects to this day considering the amount of attention to detail and precision needed to finish the car.

The car was painted only once and before it went to Savoy Auto Museum, Chip only polished the car. The “Woodie” belonged to a woman who went to Edgecliff College situated in Cincinnati and the wagon has the “EDGECLIFF” lettering pasted on the outside of its door panel.

14. 1934 Ford Model 40 3-Window Coupe

The ‘34 Model 40 3-Window Coupe is one of Chip’s favorite cars and it is a part of Savoy Automotive Museum where the car was brought to the public for the very first time. At first glance, the most attention-seeking feature of the car is its stunning chrome-plated front grill that Chip detailed personally while the suicide doors work like a sidekick for the front look of the car.

According to sources, there are no major changes done to the car, however, it's the little details and personal touches of Chip on the interior and body panel that only a person with keen eyes can get a hold of.

13. 1956 Ford Club Sedan

Ford’s ‘55 and ‘56 4-door sedans were a little different from the other model years as the configuration on the hard tops was revised for those model years. Foose’s ‘56 Club Sedan features different turn signals while the hood ornament is newly installed as the original was missing when he bought the car.

The most significant detail that Chip worked on is the chrome strip on the body panel that runs through from the rear to the top of the headlamps. Also, He repainted the car with a custom glossy black color which highlights the chrome detailing even more.

12. 1956 Ford F-100 Pickup Custom

The next car in the collection is a 1956 Ford F-100 Pickup that originally belonged to Chip’s father - the legendary car designer Sam Foose. After the car was handed over to Chip, he started working on it right away and turned it into a masterpiece Ford pickup.

Foose design reshaped the top of the front hood with more curves while the width of the front bumper was shortened about a foot giving it a more sleek and muscular look. Also, there are two parallel pinstripes that run from the door handle to the front of the hood on both sides.

11. 1967 Chevrolet C-100 Truck (C28)

Foose’s ‘67 Chevy “C-28” project was one of his most coveted considering the truck was a barn find. Chip started the project inspired by an original ‘67 Camaro Z/28 motor that he found years ago. At the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Chip revealed his 1967 Chevrolet C-28 project for the first time.

The C-10 includes different ingredients that set it apart from the original ones. Foose added a custom C/28 badge to make it look like a factory-issued car while the inclusion of a rear chrome bumper caught many eyes at the 2018 SEMA Show. He even gave his view on the details and especially said, “...there’s always one little detail that stands out to you. My favorite little detail on this whole project is the badge on the fender…”

10. 1968 330 Ferrari GTC

One of the most expensive and coveted cars in Chip’s personal car collection is his 1968 330 Ferrari GTC. There are rumors about the car as if it was a gift from Enzo Ferrari to one of his close friends and had little details on the car which proves those rumors to be trustworthy.

The emblem on the back of the car has two separate color codes which back in the day was not common unless it was a custom model prepared for someone important. The “Ferrari” emblem features the normal chrome coating while the “330” part is covered in sterling silver and has a “925” numbering on it making it a rare find among other Ferrari 330 models.

9. 1972 Dia Kosa Pantera By Sam Foose

Sam Foose’s 1972 De Tomaso Pantera aka “Dia Kosa” (Meaning 200 in Greek) Pantera was one the most coveted and talked about custom cars back in the ‘70s. Chip’s father Sam Foose received a project from a Greek customer who wanted a badass custom ‘72 Pantera and wanted it to be a one-of-a-kind roadster on the streets. The car left Sam’s shop back in 1975 and was auctioned after 47 years in the 2017 Palm Beach Barret-Jack auction.

Recently a month ago, Gas Monkey Garage owner and Chip’s good friend Richard Rawlings bought Sam’s De Kosa Pantera and informed Chip about it. Chip bought the next flight ticket in the morning and went to see his father’s creation after over 48 years. Foose traded his 1941 Zephyr for his dad’s car and surprised Sam with the car. Chip was asked why he bought the Dia Kosa to which the car designer answered, “My father is my hero, I want to own anything that my father did”.

8. 2023 Meyers Manx “356”

Meyers Manx vehicles have been taking over the buggy industry for the past 2 decades and Chip didn’t let his car collection incomplete without his Meyers Manx “356”. Unlike the classic MM body, Foose’s MM 356 is a ‘Remastered’ Classic MM body that was built, assembled, and painted at the main MM workshop.

Chip’s Meyers Manx “356” was unveiled at the 2023 SEMA Show in Las Vegas and became a hot potato in many magazines. 

A typical Meyers Manx starts out with a Volkswagen donor car but in Foose’s MM, the donor car has all the details of a 356 Porsche making it a one-of-a-kind in the industry. Chip even enclosed his vision on his Meyers Manx stating, “...typically a Meyers Manx starts out with a Volkswagen as a donor car and I had the idea of what if that donor car was a 356 you know Porsche, so all the little details are 356 Porsche…”

1957 Ford Country Square Station Wagon

Not only does Chip take projects of vintage Ford models for SEMA and Riddler shows, but he also takes a few of them as his personal venture and interest just like his 1957 Ford Country Square Station Wagon. The car is not complete as he talked about little detailings and modifications to be done ASAP.

In an exclusive walkthrough YouTube video on the “Foose Design” channel, Chip showed off his Country Square mentioning fitting a 312 Y-Block engine, custom wheels, and tires, redoing the wood grain, etc. He said, “...it’s just a really cool, fun, period piece that I’ll be able to just enjoy on the weekends.”

1956 Ford F-100 Pickup “Stock Model By Dunkan Brothers”

As fascinating as Sam Foose’s 1956 Ford F-100 Custom, Chip got hold of an original ‘56 F100 pickup which was restored by “Duncan Brothers Customs” when they closed their retail shop from the 55 Freeway.

In the walkthrough video Chip stated, “I love these trucks and I really wanted to have a stock one that I could park next to my black one so you could really see the differences…” The legendary car designer has no intention of customizing the stock model as he wishes to have them both featured together one day.

1931 Ford Model A

Chip is always looking for vintage American models to add to his collection and make them unique with his personal touches. Back in December 2023, Foose was in his friend’s shop and came across a 1931 Ford Model A that belonged to his friend’s father. The car was for sale and Chip bought the car.

Foose’s Ford Model A received a ton of modifications from new batteries to a Chevy engine and a customized exhaust system from, Magnaflow. He even added custom ‘Foose Headlights’ for the Model A and all these restorations took around 4 months till the car was ready for road use.  

1948 Ford Delux Custom

The 1948 Ford Delux Custom is Sam Foose’s dream car that he bought back in 1975 and fully customized according to his vision of a 1953 hot rod. Repainted with the original ‘'85-’86 circa paint and patina, the car boasts beautiful maroon mohair with white leather. The Foose’s Ford was even covered in 16 different magazines within a year making it a masterpiece in Chip’s collection.

The car was sold back in the late ‘70s but Chip eventually bought it back and left it as it is. According to sources, Chip has no intention of changing anything to the car as it is a reminder of his dad’s work. The car was even featured in the Savoy Auto Museum for exhibition back in 2023-24.

1971 De Tomaso Pantera “Foose Pantera”

Chip Foose was always fascinated with Pantera models especially, the push-button models from the ‘70s. Hence, the “Foose Design” owner revealed his “Foose Pantera” at the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas with his ‘Overhaulin’’ co-host Chris Jacobs.

The stunning red ‘71 Foose Pantera features a rebuilt 351 Cleveland engine, and a low-slung body compared to its counterparts while the custom “Foose wheels” and Magnaflow exhaust raise its appearance standard to new heights. Jacobs even praised the car to the audience stating, “This is typical Foose work…”

7. 1932 P-32 Street Fighter

Chip Foose designed the P-32 to celebrate the WWII bomber, the P-51 Mustang, and rat rods. In its original form, it was a 1932 Ford with a Brookville body but is now powered by a flat-head Lincoln V-12 with exposed exhaust manifold tips that resemble the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.

The celebrated car designer even got a call from Tom Cruise's management team and they asked him to give his P-32 Street Fighter as a birthday gift for Tom for a good price. Mr. Foose gave an offer to Tom that if Tom can trade his P-51 then he would giveaway his Street Fighter gladly. In Fosse's official YouTube video, the car designer expressed his thoughts addressing Tom saying, “…and uh that offer, still holds Tom.”

6. 1971 De Tomaso Pantera

Most of the De Tomaso Pantera remains untouched by the Chip Foose. However, the designer did modify it with his own set of custom wheels. He further added a two-spoke steering wheel and rebuilt the powertrain, the ZF transaxle. He also said Ford performance engine valve covers. 

Foose's De Tomaso Pantera gathered more and more audience in the Magnaflow booth back at the 2015 SEMA show in Las Vegas while his overhaulin' co-host Mr. Chris Jacbos came up with a short speech while presenting the car at the show. Just after the SEMA show, Mr. Foose took his X account and posted several pictures of his De Tomaso announcing his latest creation to his fans. 

5. 2015 Ford Mustang GT

The next car on this list is the 2015 Ford Mustang GT. Modern Muscle Design (MMD) and Foose have collaborated to develop the 2015 Ford Mustang GT, the most powerful version of the car. It also gets Vogtland Sport Suspension and a Magnaflow Competition cat-back exhaust. 

This one-of-one MMD/Foose Mustang GT was given away back in the 2015 Mustang Show in Pennsylvania where the entrance fees were donated to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Just after finishing the Mustang, Chip was asked about how the car turned out to which the designer guru replied, “I feel good, we've got all the parts on the car. We've got all the graphics on the car. Now, this is a fun car to drive.”

4. 2015 Ford Mustang GT Convertible

Chip Foose claims that Ford stopped the entire assembly line for his 2015 Ford Mustang GT Convertible, and hand-built the car for the 2014 SEMA Show.

After this, he partnered with Modern Muscle Design to customize the Mustang GT, and together they presented and prototyped the convertible. 

According to Foose himself, Ford awarded Chip and his MMD team with the “Best To Stand Design” for the 2015 Ford Mustang GT Convertible during the SEMA show. When Justin who is an “AmericanMuscle Mustang” representative asked Chip about the design of the car, Foose had only one thing to say - “…this, to me, just says Mustang.” 

3. 2006 Ford GT

Chip Foose’s wife gifted him the Ford GT in the year 2006. In his refinement of the design, he removed the bumper and cut back the frame extensions to flush with the body, adding stripes on the exterior body and an orange outline to enhance the rear end. 

A small-time vlogger named Surf City Dano came across a brand-new Ford GT at the Dukes of HB. Dano posted a video on his YouTube channel as he continued giving information on the car. He said, “…and the guy who's going to be surprised owning this car is Chip Foose for his 50th birthday gift from his staff, his wife, his family as I've been told…”

2. Hemisfear

The 2006 Daimler Chrysler, was first displayed as part of the new HEMI 392-engine introduction. Due to its unique artistic flair, Chip's 1:5 scale model of the Hemisfear was featured in an issue of HOT ROD magazine. It also served as inspiration for the Plymouth Prowler. 

Most of the car was designed and built by Chip at Metalcrafters, including the curved glass. However, Hotchkis Performance designed the suspension and Mopar Performance built the engine for the Hemisfear. The car was even featured on an episode of CarCast hosted by Adam Corolla and Sandy Ganz where Chip unveiled that the design of the car was finished back in 1990 when he was still a student at Art Center. 

1. 1935 Cadillac inspired Madam X

The next car on this list is the 1935 Cadillac-inspired Madam X. Originally, Madam X was manufactured with the 1939 Cadillac Four-Door 60 Special. Chip Foose has customized the two-door model with his styling elements. His personalized Madam X is shorter and is also lowered making it one of a kind. The reported price for the limited edition 4x4 vehicle is $1.8 million.

A renowned designer Mr. R. Ross prepared a sketch design for a concept convertible back in 1935 which was brought to life by Chip and his crew and unveiled at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Foose continued, “…the whole theme of the car was to stay true to our Ross's original sketch and build a car that looked like a conceptual Cadillac concept car.”