Hot Rods Last Refuge '29 RPU

"cry baby whiner" - me?.....shit that's funny! The only one crying is YOU NOB!
Lets face it, You SUCK!

How's that for a good description!

 

Wow, wanted this quoted so it can't be edited, and anyone searching can find it.

Norby, I've never bought your stuff. And regardless of quality or price never will.

Here's a little lesson in business......
When you fuckup the transaction, you have no right to call your customer unreasonable. You put the customer in that position with broken promises. Your internal shop problems are your problems. They're not your customer's problems.

When you "pose" as somebody else to gather information about the customers you pissed off.....It exposes a huge ethics problem. I cannot believe you actually came here and said that.

Ridiculing your customer was a nice touch too. Now when reasonable people buy from you, they're wondering....when my product is months late......and it causes me problems......will my complaints be met with ridicule? Apparently so.

The prayer request is a good one. Maybe somebody will be so blinded by your internal faith they'll overlook the external ethics.

Wow. Just Wow.

 

Well said!

 

Wow !!! Thanx guys!
I have been considiring buy 1 of Norbs bodys and bed set ups for about 6 months.
Brookville will get my order @ LARS.
Don't need to deal with a "POSER"
Let alone a bad businessman.

 

SWEEEEET!
Thankyou!

 

Rats...
I've been found out.

Anyway - no bondo in my body (the RPU that is...)

 

Lots of Hatred going on here, On our very first bodies skins were welded on at the corner and did have some bondo on welds, we have not built them that way for over a year. We now fold them over and shrink the lip. The way the rear quarter was fixed was ok but I would have gladly sent him a new one. I think its pretty weak to praise a guy when you want to sell his stuff then bash him when he tries to sell the same stuff. I admitted it was wrong to call him a whiner but I cant take it back. If its that big a deal to not give your name when inquiring about a for sale item then go ahead give me crap, I can take it.

 

Norby, don't think I come from hate. Disappointment is a better word. The hot rod community would be improved by having you as a reliable source. And I hope you're able to grow past all this someday. Good luck.

 

These Threads with personal experiences can be valueble Information.


Specially if the User who Posts it has a good reputation, and has shared good Tech and Info before.

D L D has 1 Post, prior to this Thread.
( Something about Gravy...)


I like his Username though.

It combines the names of 2 plastic Cars...

 

We are improving constantly, you cant survive without a good product and good customer relations, I have a bad temper some days and probably say things that shouldnt be said, and I know that we have sent some things out that should have never been sent. I am sure there are unresolved problems still out there and I try to solve them as they come up. I sent Allstarderrick a PM about refund, wasnt aware of a problem. I took myself off the Alliance list and boycotted the Hamb for about a year because I just felt overwhelmed. I just thought that the damage was done and the only way to proceed was to improve my product and let the HAMB alone. I was prepared to sell at swaps and shows if thats what it took, but we have had steady sales the whole time and I am thankfull for that. I believe that businesses self regulate to some extent. If you have a bad product you will go out of business, you will lose sales and have a lot of time to improve, then as your product gets better sales go up and you get a new life. Its kind of like piss in a swimming pool, lots of water but a little piss, probably safe but you still dont want to go in. I still give discounts to any Hamb member and should probably get back on Alliance.

 

Yes, I have only made one post before the thread on the RPU.
This is my first hot rod build, so I have had no reason to post before.
Nope, no gravy...

If I took the time to go over the resume, people would recognize me and know my reputation from a totally different part of the car market.

I'd rather just go by Devin LaDawri for now, thanks.
(my compliments on deciphering the name)

We'll start a thread on the build.
We are gathering up a pile of parts, at the moment.
When it starts to get stitched together, you'll see the progress.

Hopefully, that thread won't get hijacked by people with axes to grind.

I still dig the truck.

 

I was only doing what your so good at..........telling people you have a quality product for sale, but in reallity it's really a piece of SHIT!

LAST REFUGE HOT RODZ SUCK!

 

So, Norb---- What's your turn around time now/
REALalistic
And current pricing?

 

So you were lying to make a sale???

I figure if you want to buy something you don't have to put any sweat equity in you can buy a turn key RPU. If you want something that needs less work than a Last Refuge, buy a Brookville, if you don't want to pay as much as a Brookville and don't mind the work, buy a Last Refuge.
There's all kinds of choices, make yours after you do the research.
Larry T

 

Quality is in the eye of the beholder. The L.R.H. frame I sold would have worked to build my car, but in my eyes it was JUNK. The guy that I sold it to seems to like it, worked out fine for his project.

By the way, how come we haven't seen any pictures of L.R.H. frames on the HAMB? I've never seen anything he sells finished. WTF! - lets see some Last Refuge Hot Rod pictures......anybody?

 

Cover of Street Rodder Nov 2008 ?

 

The Street Rodder cover is not a LR frame. The body tub is, but the bed and frame are not.

 

Post some pictures Norbert !
Lets see your work - you gotta have somethinng to show for.

BTT BABY!

 

My only thought is.........you have to R&D your product before you sell it as gold. If you sell the stuff your not happy with and gift wrap it to look gold, you can only expect that when it gets in the hands of the owner and gets unwrapped as this one did.....KABOOM....SHIT STORM! It is easier to refine the product in the privacy of your own shop and then sell the real deal product....costs a little more upfront but makes a lot more on the tail end.

Im sure you knew this prior.... I did buy a box, it was ok, the wait was killer ..... but i was new in Model a stuff and to stupid to ask questions....

I understand new business pains as well as customer conserns....there has to be balance and im afraid there is not.... to me it is like going to a tattoo shop expecting a great job and having a newbie start working on you..... in good tattoo shops newbies are forced to tattoo themselfs and perfect their work before selling it... sounds like a lesson could be learned from this

 

Moving violation, I think you nailed it, if I had to do it over again I would have been more cautious. Hind sight being what it is I would never have placed the ad in Street rodder without selling a few cars first, We went to market way too early. We struggled early on with delivery, quality etc and then the refunds...killer. I never consider quitting, out of the question, so I just got with it and tried to fix it as best as possible ( still working on that) So now here we are, building 2 cars per week, 300 plus beds per year and about 200 frames per year, getting ready to release a 32 roadster steel body. We went from my buddys garage and a borrowed bead roller to a 5000 sq ft then to a 130,000 sq ft factory on 20 acres in less than 2 years.,with plenty of room to grow, I dont think it will ever be easy but I have learned a few things from the HAMB that I try every day not to repeat, for this I am thankful, I have had no choice but to get better, new complaints are way down but we still get hammered for delivery time. All I can say is we are very close to getting caught up and establishing some inventory, which I think is the key in this business. And last but not least I have some very patient understanding customers who offer encouragement when it is needed on some very rough days.

 

Limey kid, The bed was first modified by old speed then we custom made the width to Old Speeds specifications, We made 3 beds after that and have parts to make more if anyone is interested. I think there is a lot to appreciate in that car, great fabrication, good ideas, some not so good like the axle over the rails but I am very proud of that car. My priorities have been trying to catch up and I have not had much time or money to work on builds. I could post some fabrication techniques that I have learned over the years . I think that would be more helpful than showing off a car right now.

 

I ordered a rpu package from Norb with an additional 4" stretch and I'm supposed to get it middle of July?? So far my expirience with LRHR has been great. I've been in constant comunication with Norb and he seems like a straight up guy. When I get what I paid for I'll be sure to post pix and start a thread on my build. The plan is to jump on it right away, I'm like everyone else I want shit fast but I'm trying to be patient, it's hard to be patient when I have a garage full of everything that I need to build the rpu except the RPU..........Norb It's cool with me if you want to post pix of my rpu being put together.

This is what I ordered from LRHR:
29 body with additional 4" stretch
Z'd-pinched 32 boxed frame with tubular cross member/tranny mount
motor mounts
steel fire wall and floor with tranny tunnel
windsheild
winters quickchange
triangulated 4 link rear
complete front end with hairpins and dropped and drilled chrome axle, monoleaf, willwood disc
and I'm sure that I missed some thing but you get the point. Like I said Norb has been great so far. If I would have gone with Brookville there is no way that I could afford to go with some of these higher end parts and accesories.

This is my first model A build, I've always had 1st series chevy pickups and muscle cars.
Norb, I hope that you prove all the haters wrong and prove that all is well and improved at Last Refuge.........can't wait. (but I will)

 

LR sells winters quick changes with their packages?? Sorry if im mistaken but I was just on there looking at the catalog and didnt see anything about any rearends being sold with their packages. Your first post to, hmm. I smell fish and it aint the good kind...

 

I would like to see some pics of these rpu!!

 

Do a search here for Last Refuge. There are more folks that have been screwed by this guy than those with good stories. I would steer VERY clear of this clown.

 

I haven't heard to many good things. i'd say no.

 

Last refuge hot rods suck!

 

Norb called me last week and gave me the sales pitch and we were supposed to get together @ LARS and discuss a package --, Ran into a buddy of mine from Oklahoma, who bought 1 last year and he is havin a hell of a time with the "Junk" as he called it.
My buddy has been @ this game for 30 plus years, my self for over 40.
Didn't even waste my time talkin to Norb, went to Brookville and did the deal, if I would have had my truck, instead of my roadster, with me I could have brought it home with me.
Sorry Norb, another lost sale, because of your poor marketing, quality and PPBM. (piss poor business management)

 

Da34guy, Sorry but it is you who lost out!!!

 

Norb--- I think ya need to get off the puter and get out in the shop and do some quality control !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then ya might have a decent product.