I agree now that Barrie is gone going to be interesting to see how it all pans out.. Based on what I've seen not sure how there going to sell that line up!!! Pitiful!!!!

I think Doug Smith should have bought them and kept it all in Bucyrus...Just Sayin!!!!

OK, I just think you guys are trying to make me and all the other ex-Baja employees in Ohio feel better! Thank you.

XT

I agree that the Aztec is one ugly car BUT everyone I know that owns one just love them...In fact, one couple I know actually own two of them! Point being, maybe the new Baja is ugly but if its innovative and usable maybe it will have a following.

The graphics make it worse then it really is. But yes, Baja needs to call XT for advice! LOL!

The boats have some potential IF the price is right, they make some connections with financing, and fix the graphics!

They did a very nice job with the lines of the boats, very modern looking. Wait, that was done in Ohio! My Bad.

I know this is a dumb question but I'm going to still ask it. If the value of Baja goes down is there any chance that you ex Baja employees could go together and buy it and bring it back to Ohio? I know that would be a big challenge and is asking a lot out of a group of people. I know you guys care and believe in Baja that was built in Ohio. Like I said I know it's a dumb question to ask but it would be great if it could happen.

Another option for someone with serious money, or access to it like a venture capitalist, would be to hire all the key players involved in the original design and manufacturing of Baja and "re open" as Baja, or another company if there are trademark/licensing issues.

A rose by any other name is a Rose

If the creative minds and craftsman who built those classic Bajas of yesteryear where to be given the resources to build an affordable and good looking boat then I am sure they would be successful, sadly, until the economy turns around I can't see anyone committing the kind of money necessary to get the project up and running.

+1

When I go into the local Sears, or True Value store here in Bucyrus I am usually greeted by an ex Baja employee, so I don't think anyone is in the position to have saved money to invest in the purchase of Baja. The closest thing we have is that Doug Smith purchased Checkmate in 2007 here in town. Approx. half the employees at Checkmate are from Baja, but Doug was smart enough to keep many of the key Checkmate personnel like Kip & Mike Combs (sons of the former owner) in place. XT-Innovations is a group of five ex-Baja employees that caters to all boat brands including Checkmate, but we have a great advantage knowing the older Baja models when it comes to our abilities. I think the long time rivalry between Baja and Checkmate employees is long over (maybe not between the brand owners) but I like what I see in the new models like the 26 Convincer.

I was just paid the ultimate compliment from a 272 owner that brought his Baja from Virginia for XT-Innovations to redo the cockpit interior. She point at me and said "You should take over Baja" They posted there story on BoatfreaksDOTorg http://forums.boatfreaks.org/showthread.php?t=24882

We had a good idea back in 2008 that the history of Baja was going to be too badly destroyed and this was the main reason we started what we did then. I think I am more impressed when a customer of ours and his 1984 Formula can call the factory and they actually wanted to talk with him and tell him all about the boat, or that the owner of Sunsation puts his cell phone number stamped on a plack near the dash of every boat. Call Mike Combs at Checkmate and he probably has the part you need on your 80's boat. I think Checkmate is now 50 years old this model year.

In the mean time I will just keep doing what I can for the 99.9% of the older Baja models that were forgotten.

XT

Well said XT!

XT, I am curious, as in I always have connections to funds for such things. How much, rough guess, do you think it would take to get it back? I can figure out the rest as in capitol to start up building ect.
Then maybe they can go off and get Donzi back going again as well.