How to dominate the car building business (RANT)

These guys are a little off topic but there is a shop in Colorado that I think is totally inspirational. Go to kustomcoachwerks.com. They have 24 hour webcams in their restoration shop with updates every thursday and a build thread about your car on their forum. These guys are very well respected in their circle, too bad its not a hot rod related shop. I have no affiliation with them at all by the way.

 

A few years ago I dropped off two T bucket bodies at the shop of a friend who I used to work with. We discussed the price for prepping and painting them, and the fact that I needed them back as fast as possible because Turkey Run was coming up soon and we still had a lot to do. No problem he said, would take two weeks.

I didn't bug him because I didn't want to be "that" guy, but when I went by 3 weeks later they were sitting in the same spot, untouched, with body dust an inch thick on them. I quietly went back to the shop, got the trailer, came back and loaded them up. He gave some lame excuses about getting slammed, but I wasn't looking for a special price, I just wanted a good job and to have them done on time.

I took them to another shop who knocked themselves out and got them done in 10 days. The first guy and I no longer speak. All I want is for someone to keep their word.

Don

 

I had a good buddy who had a 40 Chevy coupe at 3 different shops wasted 4 yrs car was running and driven to 1st shop. Each guy tore it further apart only to requested more money and parts. One guy actually sold some stuff off the car ! It probably had alot to do with his divorce and he actually stayed away from old cars for several years afterwards . I could tell he was depressed and unhappy without cars in his life. Now he has a few old cars again but if we cant do it or have buddies help IT DOES'NT GET DONE !

 

G'day,

Took my car to a "specialty shop" to have the interior done and some minor body work. The shop owner was a "friend" and said he would get right on it as soon as he finished a couple of quick jobs. Well, one of the quick jobs ended up being a full restoration on a car that was the same year as mine. My "friend" used my new parts to do the restoration on the other person's car.

It took a lot of pushing just to get my car back less all the parts that had disappeared. My former friend took me for $10k and didn't care. He gave me a check for $3500 to cover my losses. Only thing was that the check was no good and is still hanging on my refridgerator 4 years later. I guess I should have taken legal action but I am just too trusting.

ms

 

UPDATE: exactly 8 weeks after dropping off my car (for a "couple days" job), I got it back with a headliner installed. It looks...okay. They guy was apologetic and knocked $100 off the price but I would rather have had it sooner and/or looking better.
(It looks less than perfect because he had to rush like hell to get it done this week because I told him I was taking the car back if I didn't have it by today.)
The car is filthy because it sat in the street in front of his shop for the first 6 weeks, but at least I have it back.