Lee Chapman, a car enthusiast based in the United Kingdom, paid $140,000 in 2021 to have Jarit Johnson, the brother of NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, restore his 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle Coupe. Johnson’s team advertised deep expertise in motorsports, a claim that persuaded Chapman to entrust the project to them.
The restoration quickly fell behind schedule. Over the course of five years Chapman sent numerous messages that were either ignored or met with promises that the work would be finished soon, while his frustration mounted.
In May 2025 Johnson finally replied, saying that a worker was "digging on it" and that the car would be ready in about 60 days. A final demand for completion was served on Dec. 19, 2025, but the work remained unfinished.
Missing Parts and Questionable Workmanship
When the car and its components were finally retrieved on June 9, an inventory revealed that Chapman had been billed for at least $37,000 in parts that were never ordered or were missing, and the work that had been completed was of poor quality and would require extensive rework.
The lawsuit, filed in North Carolina, seeks at least $175,000 in damages and requests that a jury triple the award, though no court date has been scheduled. Attempts to reach Jarit Johnson or the second restorer named as a defendant have been fruitless; their phone numbers are out of service and their Facebook pages do not accept messages.
The case underscores the risks of relying on celebrity connections for high‑value automotive projects and highlights the challenges faced by consumers when promised expertise fails to materialize.