I went to the World of Wheels car show for exactly one reason: I wanted to meet legendary builder Chip Foose and I almost pulled it off.
In the end I was a victim of the massive crowds that had the same game plan and the fact that Chip is one of the nicest car guys in the business.
It was a two hour and change wait in a huge lineup to get a chance to meet with Chip and it provided a little insight into the guy. Chip spent time with every fan that lined up to meet him, particularly the little kids in the crowd.
Chip signed stuff, drew sketches, and posed for photo shoots with the endless lineup of people who wanted to spend a little time with a classy builder who has never lost touch with his fans. He even went into overtime as long as he could before he simply had to leave for the airport.
The sign said “If you are behind this sign you may not get an autograph”, but Chip did his level best to keep his end of the bargain.
Things got really hairy when a Bigfoot truck demonstration at the adjoining hockey arena ended and thousands of Bigfoot fans funneled through a small entry port right beside the Chip Foose crowd. The ensuing chaos fell short of South American soccer riot standards; unfortunately it was a very bad place to be for agoraphobics and probably claustrophobics.
Obviously I had no interest in the Bigfoot show. Why break that long-standing policy of complete indifference about the truck? Absolutely zero interest in it has served me so well up to this point in my life.
But I wanted to meet Chip Foose. Actually I wanted to interview Chip Foose because I thoroughly enjoyed an interview that I did with the legendary George Barris a few years ago for our website. A new school customizer legend like Foose’s view on all things custom would make for an interesting comparison to the King of the Kustomizers’ philosophy.
However time ran out for Chip before I could connect with him. I had also planned to update him on my nephew’s 1966 Coronet tribute car project, a topic from a conversation my nephew had with Chip at his shop a few years ago.
My firefighter nephew was quite certain that Chip would not remember him, but I was willing to bet that my nephew was wrong about that prediction. At this point neither one of us has been proven right or wrong.
So now my mission is to connect with one of the best-liked guys in the custom car business and do an interview with him- and not simply to win a bet with my nephew.
I have little faith that the car club security guy actually passed along my business card and badly scribbled request- for- an- interview- note to Chip. The guy who took the note fell well short in the enthusiasm department, so I want to put out an all-points bulletin to Chip Foose and anybody that can get me in touch with him.
We need to talk buddy.
I can be reached at https://www.mystarcollectorcar.com/ -let’s prove my nephew was wrong and also talk about the Foose philosophy.
Jim Sutherland
