Aaron Grote - Cerro Gordo, IL, USA (original builder)

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Faulkner
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Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2004 6:59 pm
Location: Upper Darby, PA
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Re: Aaron Grote - Cerro Gordo, IL, USA (original builder)

Post by Faulkner »

Back to Hemmings:
Dan Stoner wrote:In the end, the car went across the ramp at a Barrett-Jackson auction. Enter the mighty gamer brand, Microsoft Studios: Ten years later, the designers of its heavy driving game, Forza Motorsport 7, developed its Barrett-Jackson Pack–a collection of seven cars that were sold at Barrett-Jackson auctions over the past several years. As they were looking for unique machines, they stumbled across the Punk. “I got a call out of the blue one day asking if I would be okay with them using the car for the video game,” Aaron continues. “Somehow, they tracked me down at my real job at the fertilizer company (United Prairie–shameless plug) where I have been employed for the past 23 years. They were hooked up with Barrett-Jackson and were looking at past sales for interesting cars to use. I guess I should thank Richard Rawlings at Gas Monkey, because he was the one who sold it there, not me. This was way back in 2011, before he had the TV show.”

Was Aaron hoodwinked on a street corner and spirited away to an underground bunker where he masterminded the digital incarnation of his bubbletop? “I wasn’t involved at all. I have no idea how they created it, although I did send them a link to the YouTube video of me driving it around after work one day. I guess we will see how loud it is in the game!”
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Barrett-Jackson Seven Car Pack
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Atomic Punk in Forza Motorsport 7

Dan Stoner wrote:While the Atomic Punk is digitally immortalized, where is it, these days? “As far as I know, Ernie Moody from VideoPoker.com still has it out in Vegas. He also bought Robosaurus at one of the Barrett-Jackson auctions. I thought it would be cool if he got a wild hair and fed the Punk to Robosaurus out in the desert somewhere. I’m going to be out in Vegas soon and am trying to see if I can pay the car a visit.” And what’s next for the guy who has a penchant for naming his cars after Van Halen songs? “Currently, I have a 1934 Ford three-window coupe that is about 75 percent done sitting in the corner, while I have focused my efforts on a 1937 Lincoln Zephyr three-window coupe. I don’t seem to hit it as hard as I used to, so it takes me a little longer to finish my projects now.” Sheesh.
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Some pix from Rod and Custom...
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"If it's new, Plymouth's got it!"
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