Whats the complaint? He brought the vehicle to you, we live in a ****ty economy and he brought the vehicle to you to fix! I'd pray for more ****ty built vehicles so you can repair them. That's how I would sleep at night.
This thread re***ures me that I'm right to do all of my own work. Aside from loving it, I'd have no one to blame except myself if something isn't right.
A lot of times I feel like its not only incompetence from what I've seen, but just downright lazieness that accounts for the build quality. Most of these buyers would save a lot h***le if they took these cars to a reputable car shop for a pre-sale inspection. When it comes to labor you get what you pay for. When I do work for a customer I show them what I did and how I did it. It all comes down to being pro-active.LB
I'm finding work like that in my '50 Chevy - but it was done years ago, the car hasn't been driven since like 1971. Just found one of the hood spring catches rotted at some point and was replaced with a piece of metal pop-riveted on. Amazed it hasn't ripped right out already - but they used 4 rivets instead of two, so... ...and this was after having to knock bondo off some spots to get a socket on the fender bolts. Which, I knew it had filler in it, but the front fenders must weigh a good 10 lbs more than the solid, no filler western fenders I picked up. I think it has close to a 1/4 inch coat on the entire fender. Even though the fenders only have rot in a couple of spots, judging by the backs of them. My biggest problem now is I went through and stripped stuff to do the engine swap, and figured I'd do the steering swap, but I want to cut the column and use a different one, so I need to set that up, which means I need to change the dash and figure out my seat placement... damn it, I need to do 50 more things just to get this other part done!
We have a 49 Ford in the shop in the same boat. More than 2 years and 2 shops, one a rather reputable local shop. We have re engineered many parts. The MC was connected with a 2' long piece of threaded rod that bent in the middle when you mashed the pedal. Not only stupid, but unsafe. They bled him dry, we have to fix on somewhat of a shoestring.
Hello, sleepy head, yes you, Mr Bodge Merchant who sold me my car. You did a great job, the cars a credit to you but one word, one word that let you down big time. Fasteners. You know, good old fashioned proper nuts, bolts and screws that are designed to do the intended job. How the hell do you think a car will hold up with some **** from the local DIY store. Go and buy a big bucket of the proper ones, that match and stop throwing **** fasteners into cars when they should be holding up a a fence!!!! FFS do it right or go and play with lego instead!!!! Sorry rant over!
We also get the joy of fixing more than we end up building. Some people just have to hit the track wall a few times before they come around. Currently we have a rather nice looking 56 Chevy in the shop. It was a clean car to start with taken to a local "painter" who now thinks he is a car builder. When you look closer the small amount of metal work done consists of panels not properly fit and MIG goobers. Nothing was ever aligned on the car before mudwork and paint so nothing closes correctly or is even close to consistant. Then on the left side the door is flat (not straight) but the fender and quarter both have a serious arc to them from the mud used to smooth out the body and the right side is the other way around. Still most people who stop in look at it like it's a top end car. The guy has $125,000 in it with that shop... for a hobbist build. We have it now because the owner ran the mild SBC car through gears one time with a small amount of authority which twisted the four bar crossmember, collapsed the randomly placed supports and main ch***is rails on the catalog 2x3 ch***is. How do they sleep? I'd guess rather well......
I know what your saying . The problem is they are still in business and people are still flocking to them.In a small town outside Omaha is a supposed race car shop,he has been in business for 25 years and is always busy. It would appear he doesn't own a tape measure and the engineering is laughable.He uses muffler tubing when he runs out of mild steel.But it takes all kinds to make the world go round.
The line "they're so incompetent they don't even realize how incompetent they are" is a beauty. I've learned the hard way that just because a shop owner says he can do wondrous things doesn't make it true. I had a local shop (owned by a Hamber with a million posts) tell me they could make my car right (floors, tail pan, etc) but he flat out butchered it. I don't trust anybody now without getting references from some of their satisfied customers. After getting my car back from the "experts" I took it to a real pro and he literally had to redo everything the first guy did. The initial work was so bad that the guy who fixed it thought I was lying to him about having it done by a "real" hot rod shop. He honestly thought I'd tried to do it myself and was too embarr***ed to admit it. Truth be told, I doubt I would have looked any more unskilled than they did.
Man, have seen some ****! How about a threaded eyelet to hold up the master cylinder rod so it wont fall out under a roadster? Or a 41 Ford the guy has a hundred grand in with the rear brake line cross threaded and has been driving it for 4 years with no back brakes? If I see another old car or truck on an S-10 ch***is I'm going to puke! We get a lot of "I spent all my money with the guy that screwed me, can you fix my car?" We get engines with rod bearings in backwards, "rebuilt engines" with the factory oil galley plugs still in them and oil galleys totally plugged with sludge, piston rings installed upside down, you name it. The bad thing is, we are honest and broke, and they are dishonest and loaded. At least my conscience is clear and I sleep very well at night. Also, see my tag line, rings very true. JW
Previous owners do share some of the blame to these kinds of riggings. it is also obvious that not many know what is right and what is wrong in restoring stuff. now customizing is a whole different approach. but still even that can be messy if not done right. restorations and customizations are best left to professionals. just like everything else. maybe the home owner can change his volvo diesel spark plugs once in a while. or maybe he cant.
This wouldn't happen so often if owners would take the time to do research and educate themselves. I might not be able to give a car a show quality paint job but I how one should be done. I might not be able to TIG (yet) but I can tell the difference between garbage and good welds. Point being if you don't know anything about old cars and do not want to take the time to learn, do yourself a favor and buy a new Vette!
The Jalopy Journal
