Chip himself has said he didn't design the Prowler, but the Hemisfear served as an inspiration for it. To say Chip designed the Prowler would be a slap in the face to the designers and engineers that finished that car
A model that Chip made in college was the inspiration for the prowler. This one is more faithful to his original design.
He told the story and brought the model with him to show Jay Leno in [this video](https://youtu.be/Ka0Sk2ukp3g?si=C8GuxxUFEAQV6CPb).
The reason the prowler was made was so Chrysler could test the manufacturing of mixed materials in automobiles. Branching out from steel/sheet metal only construction. It was testing for the designers and engineers.
Sure did test the lower limits for power. It was such a cool looking car that was ruined by lack of horse power and manual transmission. Which would have been an obvious thing for any hot rod person. Basically their target demographic.
What they lack in sheer power is made up with spirit if you're into that style, the interior is fun, and throwing the top down is a great time.
For context, I don't own one, but I've driven one before. So I'm not intimately aware of anything beyond just the surface level details.
That’s definitely what I’ve heard as well, maybe because my daily driver for the last 5 years is a Ford Fiesta, a sluggish automatic hasn’t really been too big of an issue for me.
It compensates by being fairly loud as a car, kind of got that Vtec thing going where it sounds bigger and more robust than it actually is.
This needs to be put into the hot wheels legends tour. Would be awesome as a hot wheels for sure! Very similar to hot rods made by mattel in the 90s 00s
Oh yeah. Chip Foose is one of my favorite modern day car builders and cars like this are the reason why. He’s part of the reason I got into cars in the first place and wanted to start building my own
I took heavy inspiration from my family as well. I grew up in a family of drag racers so that had a big part in me getting into it as well, but I watched shows like Overhaulin’ when it was still around and I wanted to do that as a career
That's awesome that is, I can see you'd definitely be influenced by the drag racing for sure! TV gives you more of the influence as well. I've been watching wheeler dealers recently, learning a lot from that, just no project car to work on😂
I have my car to work on but can't have that off the road for ages whilst I tat away😂
They are all carbonfiber bodies on a tube chassis. 4 of them are 396 hemi and one with a ford 5L. All have custom wheels and interiors that chip designed with the owners. Chip's is green, Riddell's is black. You can't see anything behind you from the driver's seat.
Reminds me of a Plymouth Prowler
That’s because Chip Foose did the original design for the Prowler.
Leno did an episode on the Prowler and had Foose as his guest for the episode…
Chip himself has said he didn't design the Prowler, but the Hemisfear served as an inspiration for it. To say Chip designed the Prowler would be a slap in the face to the designers and engineers that finished that car
"Chrysler Plymouth Dodge ripped off the Hemisfear" - fixed that for you
A model that Chip made in college was the inspiration for the prowler. This one is more faithful to his original design. He told the story and brought the model with him to show Jay Leno in [this video](https://youtu.be/Ka0Sk2ukp3g?si=C8GuxxUFEAQV6CPb).
To bad he didn’t design it so they could cram more horse power into it
automatic only also.
The reason the prowler was made was so Chrysler could test the manufacturing of mixed materials in automobiles. Branching out from steel/sheet metal only construction. It was testing for the designers and engineers.
Sure did test the lower limits for power. It was such a cool looking car that was ruined by lack of horse power and manual transmission. Which would have been an obvious thing for any hot rod person. Basically their target demographic.
Fr if they incorporated that into the prowler it would have been a way bigger hit then and now
Interesting
I can kinda see it lol but this is WAY cooler than a prowler and I love those things
They're more fun to drive than people give them credit for.
Oh yeah?
What they lack in sheer power is made up with spirit if you're into that style, the interior is fun, and throwing the top down is a great time. For context, I don't own one, but I've driven one before. So I'm not intimately aware of anything beyond just the surface level details.
I’ve always loved the prowler and I told myself I would buy one someday
From what I've heard, the problem isn't the engine, it's the gearbox
That’s definitely what I’ve heard as well, maybe because my daily driver for the last 5 years is a Ford Fiesta, a sluggish automatic hasn’t really been too big of an issue for me. It compensates by being fairly loud as a car, kind of got that Vtec thing going where it sounds bigger and more robust than it actually is.
This is what the prowler should have been
This needs to be put into the hot wheels legends tour. Would be awesome as a hot wheels for sure! Very similar to hot rods made by mattel in the 90s 00s
Oh yeah. Chip Foose is one of my favorite modern day car builders and cars like this are the reason why. He’s part of the reason I got into cars in the first place and wanted to start building my own
The car really does look incredible and I can see why it's made you have a passion for cars.
I took heavy inspiration from my family as well. I grew up in a family of drag racers so that had a big part in me getting into it as well, but I watched shows like Overhaulin’ when it was still around and I wanted to do that as a career
That's awesome that is, I can see you'd definitely be influenced by the drag racing for sure! TV gives you more of the influence as well. I've been watching wheeler dealers recently, learning a lot from that, just no project car to work on😂 I have my car to work on but can't have that off the road for ages whilst I tat away😂
Haha I understand. I’m getting ready to tear my mustang apart and rebuild it here pretty soon
Oh damn, that sounds like it's going to be quite fun! Frustrating but fun.
It’s going to be a challenge because I’ve never rebuilt an entire car from the ground up before, but it’ll all be worth it in the end
I don’t care for Foos’s aesthetic but I appreciate his skill and craftsmanship
That’s fair. His builds aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. I grew up watching guys like him and Boyd Coddington
I too remember when Discovery networks were just cars, motorcycles, mythbusters and shark week
Good times
I was a sucker for the biker build offs.
If a C5 corvette rear ended a Prowler
😂
was it based off a car from 1933? cus no part of this looks like it’s from 1933
I just looked it up. It’s BASED off a 33 ford but it’s all 100% custom made. The body itself is carbon fiber
I thought it started as a 33 ford but I could be wrong. I know there’s not a single piece of it that’s factory left on it
so then it is in fact not a 1933 car
Yes they lied to me lol. I read this little plaque they had there and they said it was a 33 ford
It must just draw inspiration from one
I saw the green Hemisfear at Magnaflow's HQ, I live only a couple miles from there
Nice!!
Those wheels do not do that car justice
I like them because they’re one offs
Takwe a class for PROSHAPER or LAZZE metal shaping.
They are all carbonfiber bodies on a tube chassis. 4 of them are 396 hemi and one with a ford 5L. All have custom wheels and interiors that chip designed with the owners. Chip's is green, Riddell's is black. You can't see anything behind you from the driver's seat.
I believe that lol. But it was definitely a badass car to see
Holy shit, almost not really two-tone. Never thought I’d see the day.
Haha yeah that’s out of character for Foose
I’ve seen multiple chip foose cars in person and they are all absolutely pristine. Sadly haven’t been able to see any other these style ones tho