Overhaulin' - Aufgemotzt und abgefahrn

I love watching shows where people work on cars. The show was more like reality TV. Way too much focus on the hosts and not enough on the car itself. However, it is a great showcase for the genius of Chip Foose. The guy is a wizard.

I gotta admit, I am a sucker for car shows. Yes, there are lots of them out there and I can sit through most of them admiring how the final product works out. Sadly this show seems to have lost its way. The shows premise is that supposedly a car in desperate need of restoration/repair and beloved by someone, is recommended to the show by another family member or friend. The car is taken away under some false story and then with the help of the other family members and legendary car builder Chip Foose, the car is brought back to its former glory....but a bit different. Here are the good things... 1. The show has Chip Foose. This guy is a genius and I love how he has great ideas and puts them into one of a kind masterpieces. 2. Hey, its a car show. Gotta love'em.

The Bad: 1. Sorry but humor by Chris the host is...well...not funny. More than that its annoying and takes away from the show. Sometimes after about 20 min. of his endless parade of one liners and gags...I change channels...and don't come back. However when he plays it straight..I could listen to him for hours. 2. As some other commenters have said mentioned so many of the people who have their car worked on JUST want it brought back to its ORIGINAL condition. You can see that they are not that thrilled with it being "Foosed". Yeah, of course I get it...that's the premise of the show right? Then why not make it a show where people WANT to get their car done by him! I'd love to watch that! 3. Not a whole lot of facts and figures about the cars. Sometimes I really want to know more info about the car. Yeah, I know..that's not the purpose of the show. Still, a bit more would keep my interest! 4. The car being "borrowed" under false pretenses and then returned is a Cliché. Its been done and the 10 min. of extra silly drama grates on my nerves. Seriously...the first 15 min of the show should hook me to make me want to watch more. More often than not I shake my head at their poorly acted goofy antics ...and change channels.

I'd love to see more folks..but Foose the heck out of this show or overhaul it. This formula ain't working...

Foose's show exhibits every dumb trick that makes these shows so irritating--faked up scenarios involving "theft", "accidentally towed" vehicles, hyper presenters who are constantly jazzed over every development, major "issues" with the modifications that cause lots of fake consternation and make every job a battle with the clock.

But such is the nature of all these reality shows that seek to create conflict and make the various characters zany and eccentric, which is what passes for compelling TV these days. Add in a zingy rock beat over every scene and bump and you have the makings of a truly irritating program.

Foose does good work, but all the contrivances detract from, rather than add to the finished product.

THE '56 CHEVY NOTED ABOVE WAS NOT COMPLETED IN A MANNER THAT THE OWNER DIDN'T WANT. IT WAS NEGOTIATED - NOT IMPOSED! THE OWNER DID IN FACT SELL THE CAR - LONG AFTER IT WAS RETURNED TO HIM AND WITH THE BLESSING OF FOOSE. Jesus H. KERIST FOLKS - FOOSE DOES NOT DESTROY VEHICLES - YES HE MAKES CHANGES THAT MIGHT NOT BE EXACTLY AS THE OWNER WOULD HAVE DONE. WHY SO??? BECAUSE THE OWNER DID NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY NOR RESOURCES. ALL THESE HORROR STORIES AND CREATED OUT OF JEALOUSY! JEALOUS PEOPLE CAN ALWAYS FINE ISSUE WITH ANY GIVEN PROJECT! THE KIDS TODAY TELL THESE PEOPLE TO "STFU"! IT IS APPLICABLE IN SPADES!

THE REVIEW ABOVE STATING THE TOP WAS REMOVED AGAINST THE OWNERS WISHES IS FALSE! AGAIN ---- MAJOR ALTERATIONS ARE DONE WITH THE OWNERS PERMISSION! FOOSE IS NO FOOL .... QUIT PAINTING THE PICTURE DEPICTING HIM AS ONE! YOUR JEALOUSY IS ALL TO EASY TO DETECT!

THE DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED WHEN VEHICLE WAS PUT UP FOR AUCTION:

This one-of-a-kind 1956 Bel Air was featured on Season One, Episode 106 of the popular TV show Overhaulin' with Chip Foose. Arguably one of the most significant projects ever completed on the show, this classic Chevy roadster was designed and overhauled by Chip Foose in collaboration with 33 top builders at famed automotive academy Wyotech.

These pros turned this original 4-door sedan into a 2- door speedster. The team leaders of this build are a "who's who" list including Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy, Levi Green who is an ace fabricator, and Bryan Fuller of Fuller Hot Rods. In the published book, "The Cars of Overhaulin'" this car appears on Page 7 and it is the first car cited by Chip himself as his favorite and it is later referred to in the book as the "A-Team's finest hour."

The over-the-top collaboration of the famed builders and the aggressive transformation of the car to a 2-door speedster are what make the final result so special. This car is an absolute show-stopper and it marks a very rare opportunity to own a vehicle that will never be duplicated.

Chip Foose is a very creative and sensitive artist. I've watched many dozens of these shows. I saw the one in which Chip's own truck project was "Foose'd" with his father in charge.

The problem is that Chip Foose is at times a rather self-indulgent and self-impressed artist, taking great liberty with his creativity. In at least 3 episodes I've seen his gleaming smiling face beam as he decides to chop off the body top (roof, uprights, windows) of a vehicle. They exist for a purpose, Chip-- rain! And I'm sure some of the people don't live in houses with garages, either.

In one episode the "victim" expressly stated that his hope and plans for the vehicle was "I just want to restore it to how it originally looked." Chip, however, decided to chop the top off that 1956 Chevy Bel Air 4-door. If it had been me, I'd be screaming and demanding, "Where the Foose is my roof?!?!?!?" I probably would sue Chip Foose, the show and everyone involved in this self-indulgent liberty of creativity after (illegally) stealing my vehicle. It doesn't matter who was the set-up person-- spouse, child, parent, best friend-- they don't have legal rights to MY vehicle.

On the positive side, it's cool to see that these people get all sorts of goodies and candy in the work that's done-- the sup ed-up engines, the incredible sound systems (despite the fact that they frequently waste all the trunk storage space with massive speaker systems), air conditioning in vehicles that predated that invention, and many other bonuses. But if I were the owner and had my heart set on restoring my PERSONAL PROPERTY to my OWN SPECIFICATIONS, I'd be screaming mad.

At times Chip Foose is highly creative. At times Chip's extravagant and self-indulgent "artistic liberties" give us a new phrase, "I was Foosed over."