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Simmons, star of the Kiss rock group, donated the sale proceeds, to the new Saskatchewan Children’s Hospital.
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Gene Simmons and his car
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Gene Simmons waved so long to “Snakebit “ his collector’s item Ford F-100 truck pickup truck with the proceeds promised to a very good cause, the new Saskatchewan Children’s Hospital.
Simmons and his wife Shannon Tweed, who was raised in the city of Saskatoon, where the new hospital is being built, were overwhelmed to see the bidding rise dramatically to twice what the auctioneers, Arizona based Barrett-Jackson expected, eventually settling at around $350, 000.
At that point Simmons stepped in and offered to gift a signed guitar to the lucky buyer, which saw the bidding stepped up again, eventually reaching an outstanding $450, 000 for the custom built collector’s item.
Eventually the successful winning bidder for the magnificent silver painted Ford was Gord Broda, a local businessman from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
After the bidding drew to an exciting close, Broda admitted that he had ended up bidding a little more than he had planned on for Snakebit, which was built in Saskatoon, although he had no regrets knowing that the money was going to the best possible cause.
Simmons and his wife Shannon Tweed were both present at the auction as was Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall.
Before the auction, Tweed addressed the crowd, explaining her passion for helping the children of Saskatchewan.
Ms. Tweed began by relating that her mother had worked in a Saskatchewan hospital, and she became aware that Saskatchewan is one of only two provinces in Canada that doesn’t have a children’s wanted evil hospital. “ We’re going to try and make it happen, with your help.” Summed up Shannon
Snakebit began its life in 1956 a simple workhorse Ford F-100 pickup truck that Simmons acquired and had updated with a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine, a six-speed manual gearbox and specially adapted Shelby Mustang styling.
The rebuilt and customized Snakebit evolved as a result of collaboration between Simmons, his wife Shannon Tweed, the Ford Motor Company and the Industrial Machine & Manufacturing Company of Saskatoon, whose president Tom Foster whose design concept was behind the idea for the custom truck, knowing that it would be auctioned off for a very worthwhile charity benefit, which he suggested to Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed be named the “Wheels of Dreams.”
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