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View Full Version : Unique Performance 'Eleanor' - Done!



y5e06
11-06-2007, 12:43 AM
http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_309192500.html
http://jalopnik.com/cars/breaking-news/oh-no-eleanor-unique-performance-accused-of-title-washing-319267.php?autoplay=true
http://www.uniqueperformancescam.com/


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."

marshall_mosty
11-06-2007, 06:19 AM
I saw that on the news last night... crazy.

Nick
11-06-2007, 06:53 AM
Autoweek has had a few articles about them:
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071016/FREE/71016004&SearchID=73298624730860

AllZWay
11-06-2007, 08:40 AM
I read about that a couple of weeks ago.

AI#97
11-06-2007, 09:16 AM
federal agents cleaned the place out last week...confiscated EVERYTHING and there is nothing but crickets left in the buildings.

Rumors are they made off with about $6M in deposits....?

mitchntx
11-06-2007, 10:01 AM
Hennessey revisited?

AllZWay
11-06-2007, 10:45 AM
Hennessey revisited?

Definitely what it sounded like to me.

jeffburch
11-06-2007, 11:16 AM
LOL! Carrol Shelby.
He endorses ZMAX in the advertisements.
The FTC has them in their sights.
http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/legal/zmaxcomp.html
Colored mineral oil supposedly.


jb

Todd Covini
11-06-2007, 11:44 AM
Hmmmm....maybe I did sell that old Fastback at the height of the market! :shock: :lol:

donovan
11-06-2007, 12:17 PM
I kind of saw this one coming... I heard from a friend that they were in trouble about 12 months ago...

http://jalopnik.com/cars/breaking-news/oh-no-eleanor-unique-performance-accused-of-title-washing-319267.php

AllZWay
11-06-2007, 12:50 PM
LOL! Carrol Shelby.
He endorses ZMAX in the advertisements.
The FTC has them in their sights.
http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/legal/zmaxcomp.html
Colored mineral oil supposedly.


jb

And Zmax is owned by Speedway Motors...which is owned by Bruton Smith who owns several Nascar tracks including Texas and Bristol.

AI#97
11-06-2007, 04:54 PM
I think this is true...would need to do more research...but.

One of the owners who also owns a badass alchy funny car did a stupid burnout in Kentucky or Mississippi several months back and ended up killing a couple 15 year old spectators. If he was an Owner, I am sure those lawsuits are figuring into this mess as well. Either way, if they are guilty of it all, slam the door shut on them. :evil:

Todd Covini
11-06-2007, 05:06 PM
One of the Unique owners did that fatal burnout? :shock: serious?

y5e06
11-06-2007, 05:10 PM
this one? I don't think its the same
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/06/18/1182018967140.html

Waco Racer
11-06-2007, 05:10 PM
I thought that way Troy Critchley in a Pro Mod.

Todd Covini
11-06-2007, 05:15 PM
Now we just need some Jeff Burch "Smoking Gun" background checks to see if Troy Crichley is on the board of directors at Unique.

Man would that be some super sleuthing.

(I doubt there's a connection...but man that would be sumpin."

AI#97
11-06-2007, 06:41 PM
One of the Unique owners did that fatal burnout? :shock: serious?

That was the story on DFWstangs forums which could easily be wrong. They were putting two and two together because that pro mod car was in the Unique shop all the time with the rest of the cars in the Owner's "Museum"... I can't confirm or deny any of it but that was a major part of the rumor....and where there is smoke, there is usually fire of some sort...??? :?

AI#97
11-06-2007, 06:59 PM
Ok, think I figured some of it out... AMS is the sponsor that runs the Pro Mod series. There are 4 or 5 cars that look nearly the same as the car in that wreck...probably where the confusion is coming from??? Like I said, just rumors...

jeffburch
11-06-2007, 08:07 PM
:lol: :lol: :lol:

jb