Man I see these threads every 6 months or so. Somebody has taken their stuff or their car to some guy that has not done what he's said he was gonna do, or hasn't done anything at all. You thought he was your buddy, and now that has changed. I've been there, on both sides of the experience. I worked for a guy that was that guy, I've taken my car to places where that guy worked/owned.
You think I do all this stuff myself because I'm cheap? No,...id just as soon not have to do every single thing myself, but there's no way in hell I'd put my car in somebody else's hands ever again.
All of these shop experiences turned out poorly for me:
The first custom paint job that I contracted someone to do for me was in 1977. It was supposed to take 6 weeks, it took 6 months. I ended up getting a paint job that failed within 6 months after. The paint job cost me 1100.00 in 1977, and it sounds like I got a bargain. But If you consider inflation, and take that into consideration....I paid about 4600.00 for that paint job.
In 1978, I took my FMX to a friends friend who was supposed to be a transmission guy. It took him 6 months or weekly calls. I got a transmission that blew up when I tried to drive it. I had to drive it back in low gear 10 miles to get the car back home. It took another month to find somebody to rebuild the transmission that the other guy threw together.
In 1977, My first 9" rear gear set was installed by a shop that didn't know what they were doing. They didn't know that an aftermarket 4:11 ring and pinion set was thicker than the stock gears, and to make them fit, you have to grind the front pinion bearing support enough to get the ring gear to pass w/o hitting. After having me chase all over town trying to find a thinner gear set, ( which there wasn't) I had to find out for them that you had to clearance the area. BUT,....Instead of grinding just enough so that the ring gear would pass by w/o contact, those monkeys cut an entire 90 degree chunk out of the front pinion bearing support of a Nodular iron center section ( designated with a big assed N casting...very rare)
The gear set failed immediately after beating on the car. It took weeks to get them to replace the gears, I had to have them source a new center. It ended up NOT being the superior Nodular piece that I had before. I had to pay somebody else to set up the gears.
The first serious effort engine build I ever took on, started in June of 1990. I took a disassembled complete 69 351 engine to the shop. I finally got the engine finished and back in my hands in July of 1991.
In 97, The blue and white Zephyr that I posted pics of a while back. Took a "Buddy" the car, he used 2/3rd of my paint on on other car, I get what was left.while he had the car, he was seen out beating it on the street. The hood flew up, broke the hell out of it, and dented the cowl..he had to fix it, but...
The last red 89 Notch that I built here on this forum. Another buddy deal...I was supposed to be able to assist the painter at the shop where the car was. The plan being that I could do all of the grunt work to insure that no corners were cut. I had the painters car where I had to do a full race car rewire, add double rail SF connectors, mount his junk assed BBC engine, and a few various other things. The very first time I show up at the shop to assist, I'm told that the shop's insurance won't cover me and I'm not allowed inside to do anything except check on progress. Consequently I get the car back with one side so wavy I'm embarrassed to let people see it, and the "hot rod blacked" out hood fades within a few months.
The moral of this story is that I've been there....numerous times. And I'll NEVER put my car, or my car stuff in the hands of anybody else if there's anyway for me to do it myself. That said, I realize that not everybody will, or can do that. So here is my .03 if you have to do it.
Have a strong upfront agreement. Make sure both sides understand that failure to perform will either result in a forfeit of the agreement, and either you'll be there to get your stuff, or conversely, your stuff will be sitting outside waiting on you to come get it. Go further to detail the cutoff points so that the guy that has your car will not try to claim you owe him more money than what you expect to pay if he fails to complete. I.e. Phase 1/2/3....if you have to pick up the car for whatever reason, whether it's his or your fault for not being able to complete, if you have clearly defined progress points, there'll be a clear break away point that neither can contest. Ask for 5 of the last project references and call these guys. If this guy can't provide satisfied customer references quickly, you are best to leave this dude hanging.
DO NOT give the shop any money up front. This is the number one reason everybody gets fcked. The shop will take your money, spend it, and move on to the next guy that gives them his money, because your deal just became one that he isn't making any money in his mind, and now your project will move more and more to the rear of the shop. As stated above, have a strong conversation of what's expected, and have a deadline. The less money out of your pocket up front, the more of an incentive it will be for the shop to get finished with yours. Most of the chassis shops have guys that are skilled fabricators, but SUCK as businessmen.
Buddy deals never work. Either you'll get screwed, or he'll think you screwed him. Every buddy deal I've ever entered into has either cost me time or money, or both. And in almost every instance save for a couple, the end result was less than I expected.
Be honest, tell the guy what your expectations are and be sure to live up to his.
You think I do all this stuff myself because I'm cheap? No,...id just as soon not have to do every single thing myself, but there's no way in hell I'd put my car in somebody else's hands ever again.
All of these shop experiences turned out poorly for me:
The first custom paint job that I contracted someone to do for me was in 1977. It was supposed to take 6 weeks, it took 6 months. I ended up getting a paint job that failed within 6 months after. The paint job cost me 1100.00 in 1977, and it sounds like I got a bargain. But If you consider inflation, and take that into consideration....I paid about 4600.00 for that paint job.
In 1978, I took my FMX to a friends friend who was supposed to be a transmission guy. It took him 6 months or weekly calls. I got a transmission that blew up when I tried to drive it. I had to drive it back in low gear 10 miles to get the car back home. It took another month to find somebody to rebuild the transmission that the other guy threw together.
In 1977, My first 9" rear gear set was installed by a shop that didn't know what they were doing. They didn't know that an aftermarket 4:11 ring and pinion set was thicker than the stock gears, and to make them fit, you have to grind the front pinion bearing support enough to get the ring gear to pass w/o hitting. After having me chase all over town trying to find a thinner gear set, ( which there wasn't) I had to find out for them that you had to clearance the area. BUT,....Instead of grinding just enough so that the ring gear would pass by w/o contact, those monkeys cut an entire 90 degree chunk out of the front pinion bearing support of a Nodular iron center section ( designated with a big assed N casting...very rare)
The gear set failed immediately after beating on the car. It took weeks to get them to replace the gears, I had to have them source a new center. It ended up NOT being the superior Nodular piece that I had before. I had to pay somebody else to set up the gears.
The first serious effort engine build I ever took on, started in June of 1990. I took a disassembled complete 69 351 engine to the shop. I finally got the engine finished and back in my hands in July of 1991.
In 97, The blue and white Zephyr that I posted pics of a while back. Took a "Buddy" the car, he used 2/3rd of my paint on on other car, I get what was left.while he had the car, he was seen out beating it on the street. The hood flew up, broke the hell out of it, and dented the cowl..he had to fix it, but...
The last red 89 Notch that I built here on this forum. Another buddy deal...I was supposed to be able to assist the painter at the shop where the car was. The plan being that I could do all of the grunt work to insure that no corners were cut. I had the painters car where I had to do a full race car rewire, add double rail SF connectors, mount his junk assed BBC engine, and a few various other things. The very first time I show up at the shop to assist, I'm told that the shop's insurance won't cover me and I'm not allowed inside to do anything except check on progress. Consequently I get the car back with one side so wavy I'm embarrassed to let people see it, and the "hot rod blacked" out hood fades within a few months.
The moral of this story is that I've been there....numerous times. And I'll NEVER put my car, or my car stuff in the hands of anybody else if there's anyway for me to do it myself. That said, I realize that not everybody will, or can do that. So here is my .03 if you have to do it.
Have a strong upfront agreement. Make sure both sides understand that failure to perform will either result in a forfeit of the agreement, and either you'll be there to get your stuff, or conversely, your stuff will be sitting outside waiting on you to come get it. Go further to detail the cutoff points so that the guy that has your car will not try to claim you owe him more money than what you expect to pay if he fails to complete. I.e. Phase 1/2/3....if you have to pick up the car for whatever reason, whether it's his or your fault for not being able to complete, if you have clearly defined progress points, there'll be a clear break away point that neither can contest. Ask for 5 of the last project references and call these guys. If this guy can't provide satisfied customer references quickly, you are best to leave this dude hanging.
DO NOT give the shop any money up front. This is the number one reason everybody gets fcked. The shop will take your money, spend it, and move on to the next guy that gives them his money, because your deal just became one that he isn't making any money in his mind, and now your project will move more and more to the rear of the shop. As stated above, have a strong conversation of what's expected, and have a deadline. The less money out of your pocket up front, the more of an incentive it will be for the shop to get finished with yours. Most of the chassis shops have guys that are skilled fabricators, but SUCK as businessmen.
Buddy deals never work. Either you'll get screwed, or he'll think you screwed him. Every buddy deal I've ever entered into has either cost me time or money, or both. And in almost every instance save for a couple, the end result was less than I expected.
Be honest, tell the guy what your expectations are and be sure to live up to his.