Chip Foose used to work for Boyd Coddington (as did the legendary Jesse James) and Chip was the design genius behind Boyd's custom wheels and hot rods like the Boydster I and II. In the early '90s, Boyd was doing so well with his wheel business that hot rods came to account for only about 20% of his work. His company went public and everyone was living large. Then in the mid- to late '90s, a combination of things happened. The two biggest were that the custom wheel market began going soft while Boyd's was still cranking out the wheels and accumulating large inventories, and then a nationwide chain of speed shops (can't remember the name right now) that was Boyds Wheels largest customer - and holding large amounts of unpaid-for Boyds inventory - went bankrupt. Boyds Wheels stock price plummeted and (supposedly) in an effort to save the company, Boyd put Chip in as president. I am one of those who believes that Boyd was put Chip in as president to have someone to lay the blame on. Long story short, Boyds Wheels got taken over (mostly by creditors) and Boyd, having had most of his assets tied up in Boyds Wheels stock, lost a huge bundle and filed for bankruptcy protection. In losing the wheel company, he also lost the rights to the names "Boyds" and "Coddington's" as they relate to hot rod parts and wheels. This is why after legal wrangling, lawsuits and compromise, on the AHR shows you see the pinstriper painting "Boyd Coddington's Garage" on the hot rod creations. When Boyds closed down, Chip opened a design business and many of the Boyds employees followed him. Boyd pulled himself up, dusted himself off, got some backing, and went back into the hot rod building business.
Boyd Coddington appears to me to be the type of guy I could never have worked for while Chip Foose, on the other hand, seems like he would be very enjoyable to work for and more of a hands-on guy.
