Yes I did it real good today. Had a guy named Chris come by the shop today to talk about building him a high end turn key merc. So I showed him a few we have in the works for other customers. He was impresed and asked me to through out some numbers and time frames. So I did and it did not scare him away. Then he started to tell me how he wants his merc to look like. He mentions the Mercules the worlds most beatufuly custom 51 merc. Well I started telling him why that merc is not a custom merc in my eyes. It's a street rod trailer queen and the judges who voted for that title must of been on crack. Then he interrupts me to let me know he owns Mercules but is wanting another 51 merc that can really be driven on the street unlike his Mercules merc . Well I probally will not get this build for being honest and speaking my mind. If you know of the Mercules merc and want to weigh in on the street rod verses custom issue let here it. GB & Thanks, Rick of EXK
Good for you for saying what you feel. Fuck the PC bullshit. Bad for you for not asking the right questions and landing the job. The guy obviously spent a ton on a paperweight and wants a driver. First rule of sales, ask questions and listen to the answers.
yeah...there really is no way to recover from that one. at least he didnt punch you in the mouth while you rattled on about trailers and trophies. maybe he is in the same mind as you...be interesting to see if he comes back.
if you say what you feel, then you wont be sorry about it...but loosing a job for your opinion is a risk I would have taken as well. . .so good for you! and it is a trailer queen. thats why he now wants a real custom!
I hope you get the job. But you kind of spit in the mans face with out really knowing it at that moment. Trailer queens have a place in the world maybe not on the road but sometimes really nice to look at.
Oh well. What can you do? Funny as hell though. Mercules was a highend trailer queen and not something that I would consider really cool.
I'm good at doing the foot insertion bit. I didn't know anything about the Mercules so I had to Google it. http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6116338 Oops, I see pictures were posted as I was typing!
googled Mercules and you are right ,It's a street rod trailer queen alright..very nice car,except for the front and back and sides ..it will be never driven..not a custom anymore, more of a trailer rod
Well Rick, If putting both feet in your mouth means telling it like it is.....you put both feet in your mouth. However, if Chris doesn't want you to build his next Merc based on your opinion about what is truly an UGLY ride, then its his loss. I've seen that car, I think it is a STREET ROD TRAILER QUEEN. I think those judges were eating paint chips before the voted! I wouldn't put mercedes lights on anything that rolls out of your shop. He should run your rims and Cadillac caps instead of billet. Also there is a thread on Mercules, and peoples opinions toward it: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=242092
I think that Mercstrocity was built here in Oz....... UGH! Funny story though, I bet on the GAMB (Gold-Chain Arrogant Message Board) there is a thread, 'Stupid thing you hear at shows and shops', you know whats posted there now....... Funny as fuck though! Doc.
huh, the front end looks like a Chevy SSR, or whatever those funky little "trucks" were called. Definitely a show rod.
Several years back I landed myself in the same place. 4 Weeks later the same guy came back and had another go around with me and has been a grate Customer every since. I'm currently on his 3rd project here. He's a different Duck alright but a Grate customer and never try's to tell me how to do my Job. He knows He's only Book smart and he paid a high price on his first project. Here is wishing you the same outcome I've had. The Wizzard
Maybe you will get a chance to build him a real driver since thats what he wants now...from this end of the screen I think you guys do killer work!
Interesting... I've heard of collector Ferrari guys getting 250 GTO clones made from 240Z / SBC parts so they would at least have something to drive. In his case, why didn't he just have the guy who built Nr. 1 build the clone, too? LOL. Gary
Rick this guy came to you because he knows you do killer work. Wiether you insulted him or not doesn't change that fact. Hopefully he'll get over it and get the car he wanted to begin with. Wish someone could photoshop www's on that car. That would be the first step to loosing the Boyd look.
Yeah, just what I was thinking, someone spent a lot of money to make a Merc look just like Chevy's modern take on an AD pickup. Oh well, the guy wouldn't be in your shop looking to have another, less radical Merc built if you were wrong about his car. Maybe not the judges on crack part, but the rest anyhow. Maybe it will work out.
IMO I'd get rid of all the shit in the trunk to begin with WTF 2 TV screens to do what with ??as far as speakers etc to each his own........... there I feel better now
I saw one of those in Visalia last weekend it was painted bright green and the weirdest thing was, the owner stuck a Ford badge in the center of the tailgate! And it still had the bowtie on the front. What's that about? By the way...The only thing I like about Mercules is the reshaped front wheel wells.
If it doesn't drive to the show under its own power, what's the point? Somebody or a team of people obviously have some fabrication skills, but to me it doesn't look like a 50 merc anymore. The front end reminds me of a dodge neon for some reason! I don't know why, but that's the first thing I thought when I saw it. hahah!
Wow, I hope they didn't start with a nice Merc before they did that to it, nice workmanship, bad taste. JMO
That was built before the SSR's came along, I think it was just coincidence they look the same, its steel too (Makes it a bigger crime). Two TV screens? Well what else are you meant to do at shows sitting in your lawn chair? Watch American Hot Rod/Chopper! (Learn how to be a pseudo hard ass) Doc.
Looks like a New car.. eeewwww... I like the Old stuff.. old cars designed like new cars arent for me .. does he have a lawn chair to match the car?? Sorry Guys..
Yea I like to make customers deel insulted did you at least tell him his choice of colors must mean hes headrosexually challenged that would really get his business
that cars LAME. you would have just ended up building a car you hated. Better for your stress level that you dont have the job.
If he came to you for the quality of work- he may be back. On the foot deal- reminds me of a story. I'm showing my car at Thunderfest in Covina several years ago. Not the 32, another car. There's a woman walking around my car w/ a clip board. I might add- she's mid 40's single looking and smokin' hot. So- I go over and ask if I can answer any questions. She tells me she's picking the Mayor's pick for the show & narrowed it down to 2 cars. Ok, here's where I insert the foot. I then say........... Why the hell doesn't the Mayor come pick his own car instead of having his GF do it for him? She says.............. I'm the Mayor Of Covina. No trophy for me.
Tell it like it be. Maybe he'll come back maybe not. If he gets his panties in a bunch over your opinion on the style of that turd he'd be a real pain as a customer anyway.
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