Got ripped off AGAIN in Crestview, FL! (or "Don't buy from this guy!!")

I totally agree with FoMoCo.

But you still got a engine for $500. E7 heads can be made to rip or get a set of y-303's t bolt on and run.
Yeah 500 hp small block 302 ...ironhead..yeah. I built one of those back in the day. 12..5:1 compression and twin 4's on a huge tunnel ram. Not a street able motor for the weak at heart. It cost a whole more north of 10k
A forged stroker kit is $799 to $2100 depending on the internals. Then assembly etc.
Honestly the only time I have ever gotten a good deal was when I was educated on the piece I was about to buy.
Just remember KARMA IS A BITCH!

 

You went and looked at it............. and yet you still gave him the money............................



Exactly what is it you're mad about? That you couldn't tell it was a tired old 302 just by looking? You're not going to get any money out of the court deal. You went and looked at the engine, it's not like this is a case of fraud. It's a case of you should have come better prepared to identify what's in front of you before handing over cash. By the way, the only money you can show the court you paid is that $300 check. The $200 cash is your word against his.

I've also bought and sold a lot of SBF performance parts and I will tell you that market is full of the most mis-informed bunch of jackasses on the planet. I don't think anyone sells a 302 as a 302 anymore, it's always some "stroker" or "GT-40 headed monster" or some crap. When you show up to look at it, it's a flat tappet truck engine. Exactly what is a "titanium" T5 anyway?

Don't get mad, get smarter...

 

When I buy something from someone I don't know it has to meet 3 criteria.

1) can I see and hear it run? If not, step 2

2) can I inspect it internally - in this case, pull the pan, the rocker covers and know what I am looking at.. If not, step 3

3) does the deal obviously come with parts that are worth the asking price and the gamble that the item is junk? Ex - $200 SBC w/headers, Holley DP and MSD dis. You could sell the parts and recover most if not all your money.

A recent one - I went to look at a 46 Studebaker truck, it came with enough extra body parts for two more trucks, two extra engines, two tranny's and two full size pickup loads of parts some NOS and some rare parts. A parts book and an assy manual. While looking at all this stuff I ask the guy about a clean looking woodstove next to all these boxes. He tells me he'll throw it in if I buy the truck then. I said "deal" - gave him his $500. asking price and loaded started loading. Took the woodstove home in the first load, put it on CL and sold it for $450.

I learned the hard way a long time ago, if the deal seems too good to be true and the guy selling it smells fishy - don't walk away - RUN!!!!

 

Yes, WE should know better..In my case it was an older, respected member of the local drag racing community. He was representing the engine as something that it wasn't..HE was knowlegable enough to inspect the engine himself (had the shop and tools,I didn't) to make sure it was what he said it was. He was passing it off as an engine that he had bought and was basing his price on what the previous owner had told him. If he was going to stick with that high price He should have made sure it was what it was represented as..I trusted him and bought a piece of junk that the supposed premier engine builder had never touched...Him closing down his shop and selling off a bunch of stuff should have a clue I guess..

 

I am assuming that you work at EAB If so go over to NAVSCOLEOD and get one of the instructors to pay him a visit LOL

 

thanks for the heads up on this I am over in milton so crestview is a stones throw away. I dealt with a guy like that in Jacksonville a few years ago 2.02 heads my ass when took the apart and dialed them stock valves. I was mad but took them over to a buddy at a speed shop he machined them to the 2.02 for me. it sucks you can not trust people anymore.

 

Don't get mad, get even. You know where the guy lives, and his contact information. File a small claims suit. It's like $25 to file (at least in NJ), you don't need an attorney. That'll make the guy explain it to the judge. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. I don't know how it is in FLA, but recently NJ extended the Consumer Fraud Act to cover eBay transactions, and Craigslist would be no different. Use the law as a tool to get your money back.

You will have a helluva time winning though, since you did go to look at the motor and you don't mention that the guy would have stopped you from pulling the oil pan to check for the stroker crank, or that he would have stopped you from trying to ID the heads. Caveat emptor. My point is simply that if you want to try to stick it to him and possibly get your $ back if you win, filing a suit will waste a day of his time if nothing else

 

Gee dude, everyone knows that you should run a Chevy in and old Ford! What were you thinking? Ha Ha And to think---I could have had a V-8. Randy PS deal with your friends, or at least take them along with ya when you do these things. The school of hard knocks suck.

Caveat emptor

 

If you're contemplating going the court route you'll probably need to leave that engine alone until things get sorted out. If the court forces him to give you your money back you might have to return the parts (I'm not a lawyer so it's just a guess). Don't spend money on something you may have to return to the jerk.

 

I totally agree. Stock 289's become 289 hipo's just with a sticker and a 4 barrel.

 

BTW....$300 fraud is a misdemeanor,$500 is a felony. You can only prove $300 of it.

 

REMEMBER ,,,
I'm not being a dick.

(Advertisement: I have a Chevy 383 stroker for sale BUT it's $2500.oo.)

WoW,,it's like you wanted a dream engine and he sold you a dream engine,,,,until you woke up.
woke up screaming!

I hate to sound like a dikcheese but you were a little greedy in wanting something for nothing,,and he saw you coming from a mile away.
You're both at fault and two dumbies met but he did lie and misrepresent the engine and there's proof in the Ad's description.So you would win!

The only problem is that a Civil Lawyer's "Retaining Fee" to get started will cost at least $500.oo.
Sorry chalk it up to Karma both ways,, and maybe after dark just take with you a sling shot and ground up sparkplug ceramics and visit his glass,it's so quiet.

 

Seems to be a lot of that going around. Over 2 months ago I sent a fellow HAMBer a check for a dash insert. Check cashed and as of this posting still no insert. He said he threw away my address when he got the check, but it was ready to ship anytime. I pmed him the address. I suppose the next story will be I shipped it but it must have gotten lost! yea right. Probably not the right spot for this but I just needed to say something.

 

Once upon a time, if some HAMBer ever did that he would have been exposed and run off the board. Used to be a real honor system here but all the FNGs fucked that up.

 

Small Claims Court