Contrary to popular belief the customer is not always right. There are a lot of us that do what we do because we have a passion for it. Just so ya know I turn down business all the time. If it doesn't fit what we do or I'm not into it I send it down the road. So please get over yourself already. We're busier than we've ever been.
Well jeeze don't you just hate it when the op asks for opinions in a thread then wacks a poster for giving an opinion that is contrary to the one expected. You should find a shop near yours that will build what your ideologically rejected customers wanted and make a deal with the less ideologically pure owner. Send the rejected customers to him on your recommendation and I'm sure he will be happy to get your rejected customers and money and would probably make a deal to shoot you a referring fee for you sending them to him. Win/Win you stay pure to your ideals and he makes more money good for both. You could possibly do a deal with the IRS and get your status changed from business into the Hobbyist taxpayer category if you are not actively trying to make money from your passion.
Chances are pretty good he's read this thread and won't be back. He's been a member here for almost a year with 430+ posts. He's "51_Mercules"
Good for you.... I wouldn't want to be obligated to build anything for someone with such bad taste...
My rejected customers use the Yellow Pages. " I would imagine anyway....really never thought about it." Carl Hagan
Hi Guy`s I did some of the metal work on Mercules ...ummm yes i did the twin headlights but only after argueing with the owner for 2 weeks , guess who won . I would like to say thanks for the comments ( good or bad ) i spent 2 1/2 years part time . All i had was some cheap hammers and dolly`s and an engine stand with a round bar on top to form shapes on ( yes im a back yardie . I designed and built the interior ( except for the speaker surrounds ) . thanks again John Gilbert
Right from the start this thread sucks- it's an exercise in indiscretion - I'd be a little miffed... BTW I admire the go- get style of the Westralian. The Negative Joes are gonna cause no cool cats to quit- ya talkin' loud, & sayin nothing. Most beautiful Merc ? Maybe in the right light struttin' a fine landscape( I like full show cars when seen on the street). Sam B's or Hiro/h's or Alcorn's or Dick Dean Mercs look great in print. Who says given the right time & place that Mercules isn't the koolest Merc around ?
You can't compare "Sniper" to a trailer queen. Troy drove it on the Power Tour, and got a ticket in either Nevada or Montana for curising at 140 in it! It did the power tour under its own power. It may be in a museum now, but it was not a trailer queen. My other observation from the eariest pages of this thread is the natural assumption of some people here that someone would get angry and want to punch someone for giving an honest personal opinion of someone else's ride, or that it would effect their willinigness to do business with them. That is small minded and shortsighted. Not everyone thinks that way, not everyone is so ignorant, or so easily offended over such a small thing, to have an emotional spasm like a teenage girl, and hit someone over something so trivial. I'll take that a little further and say successful people, like the guy who could afford to build Murcules to begin with, are the kind of people who think things through, are not easily offended, and would just as likely do busiiness with the guy because of his honesty. I've built complete chassis, chopped tops, done custom paint work, etc. Now I don't, because my business takes up too much of my time to do those things myself. I have someone else do it because I still love cars (all kinds of cars) and want to enjoy the incredable tapestry that is the people with this love of cars. So cut the guy some slack.
Bottom line; The customer is always right. If you don't need him as a patron, your competetors will be thrilled.
IF I'm paying the bill, you are going to give me what I want, not what you think it should be. Always, ALWAYS, another shop, or store, or restaurant, or .......
Yup,be open to ideas and suggestions,but surely as the guy laying down the green,you gotta have the final say.However,it makes sense to check that you and the builder are singing from a similar hymn sheet before you give 'em the work
Here's a simple example... A guy comes in my shop and wants yellow numbers on a white race car. I try to educate him explaining that it will be hard to read the numbers because they don't contrast, but if I put a BOLD black drop shadow around the number it will be easily read. He gets his yellow numbers. Sometimes you have to keep the customer from making a mistake. If I would have given him exactly what he asked for, he would not have been happy. Why? Because his fans would have told him the numbers are hard to read. Who would he have blamed? Of course the sign painter. You know your business better than the customer, sometimes you need to lead them along and educate them. In the end you will both be pleased with the outcome. But then what do I know I'm just a FNG!
that car reminds me of the bridges of madison county. the right tools were there, but they didn't use them for what their used for.
When I was running my own bussiness, one of the most Glorious days I had was when an asshat I had been dealing with called in with some new demands. I fired him. As a customer. I said Your not a customer anymore, you are an asshole, and I don't want your business. GO AWAY. He called me twice after that to see if I would reconsider. Both times made my day. You gotta do what feels good or you might as well go work for someone else.
HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Man thats like askin a woman if she is pregnant! Well we have all done the foot in mouth things before but yea I agree while I can see the work and craftsmanship in the mercules car its just not my style and I couldn't believe that it was voted most beautiful custom. Not because the work isnt there its just not my idea of beauty. I think its an OT car for sure but would fit right in at a street trucks/good guys type show. Shows I also enjoy but just wouldn't build a car for personally.
In my opinion, truth needs always to be seasoned with a degree of kindness. Blatant, in your face, harsh opinion speaks of the inability to express yourself with no concern for the hearer. I believe you can express yourself without undue damage and still make your point. Centurion9
I was looking at those images trying to find something nice to say about the car ... until I saw the image of the trunk ... with the 2 TVs ... in the trunk. That's when I gave up and just started shaking my head in bewilderment. Is it just me or does it seem a bit silly to any of the rest of you to spend like 6 figures to build a car and then haul it around in an enclosed trailer just so you can play DVDs and console video games in a parking lot?
Building and working on stuff that I don't "approve" of it the only thing that is paying my bills and keeping me fed these days. I'd love to have a build thread to show one of these days.
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