VENDORS: The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY.....

[Rockfish39]

My wife came up with a great idea this weekend. She suggested the I start a new thread that details the various automotive vendors that I have dealt with, and what my experience with them has been. AS is often the case, and since I dont have every tool known to man, I have to farm out certain jobs. WE ALL DO... Some vendors have been truly exceptional, some have been bad, and some others were downright UGLY !!!! I think that this can be an EXTREMELY USEFUL THREAD if you all do the same, lets pool our knowledge and experiences ...That way we can go to the GOOD and stay away from the BAD for the jobs that we need to have done.

Rockfish :cool:

#1 The Carb Shop: Costa Mesa, CA
Downright UGLY!!! This shop will steal your money!!! STAY AWAY!

For a "blueprinting job" all I got was my 4GC spray painted gold and kitted. A high-schooler would have done a better job...
None of the mating surfaces got remachined, as they said they would do, and the vacuum port for the ignition was screwed up afterwards to boot. Refused to refund my money. THIEF!

#2 Daytona Parts Company
1191 Turnbull Bay Rd
New Smyrna Beach, FL
(386) 427-7108

If you need Rochester work and parts, THIS is the place to go !!
These people know what they are doing and send the right parts!!!

#3 TriSheild Performance: Jim Weise (763) 422-8685
1056 McKinley St.
Anoka, MN 55303

THIS GUY IS GREAT!!!!!!!
Any and everything you need done to a TH400 He is your guy!!
Reasonable Pricing...TOP QUALITY WORK!!!!!!!!

[dq409]

I`ve had good experences and bad.

GOOD ONES !!

Top of the list would be :

Bruneau Performance
Daves Small Body HEI
CH,,, Curt Harvey
Scorpion Roller rockers
Smith Bros. Push Rods
Summit and Jegs,,,, Although I like to buy from the small indi venders

BTW,,,Looking forward to dealing with Phil !!

BAD ONES. Most of you might remember,,,

ShowCars,,,,

Shipped wrong dipstick twice,,,Claimed it was my fault,,,
Show cars is also advertising Scorpion Roller rockers with a part number ,,,,but what they send you are Angus !
Reciept states Scorpion part number.
I didn`t find this out untill I broke one and needed a replacement!
Scorpion was very helpfull as they replaced the whole set at their expense!
Show Cars doesn`t even buy from them !
Deceitful to say the least !!

Hottires,,,,,,,,

False advertizing,,,,, Owner didn`t care,,,NO REFUND !!
Advertises Drag Racing Slicks and sends you Nascar tires !!

Read the links to read more on the problems I had with these two venders,,,,,,dq

Hottires thread link:
http://www.chevytalk.org/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=466841&page=5&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

ShowCars thread link:
http://www.chevytalk.org/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=496331&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

[1958 impala]

THANKS GUYS
ITS GOOD TO LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THESE RIP OFFS BEFORE BECOMING THE NEXT VICTIM. EBAY IS THE WORST ON MY LIST MOST STUFF IS A LOT WORSE THAN ADVERTISED MUCH OF IT IS WORTHLESS NOT TO MENTION THAT ITS GETTING SO PRICEY ITS ALL ABOUT LOOKING ANYMORE.
OK GOT MY 2CENTS OUT.:cheers

[Impalaguru]

Top of my list has got to be Phil Reeds Classic Motor in Kasas City
816-587-1109
Phil and Brad are no doubt experts on what they sell and all my parts arrived very, very fast!

Willimasons is also a great place to get your tachs and various other gauges restored
www.williamsons.com

If you like Hurst shifters and need some parts check out Pete Serio at www.precisionpontiac.com
Pete knows it all when it comes to the Hurst

Thats just a few

Ross

[IgnitionMan]

When I was a dealer mechanic at the Kawasaki store in Costa Mesa, many, many years ago, the Carb Shop was just on the next block. I did a tune and service on a Z1-900 for a guy that worked there one day, and visited the shop. Those guys were just plain lost about carbs, didn't matter what make or model, even way back then, including the guy I did the tune for.

[SS425HP]

I have dealt with Harmon's, and Restoration World, both satisfactorily. Gary Harmon opened Harmon's, had some problems, and sold it ( well, sort of ) and started Restoration World, which is up near Dayton in Huber Heights. When I was starting on my car, or really just thinking about doing a restoration, I went to Harmon's in Indiana. Gary was there that day. He had a 63 409 that he raced. Took us back in his shop where the car was. It had a lot of glass parts on it. Looked really nice. He fired it up, and the walls shook. The roof moved. The ground quaked. The eyes teared up. The heart pounded. The mind went blank, then went back 30 years. I closed my eyes and could see a 63 Mopar on my right. The flag man between us. The flag came up, the clutch came out, the car lunged hard ahead, the tach hitting 6500 so fast, 2nd gear and 6500, 3rd gear and 6500, 4th looking at the finish line and just barely seeing the Mopar in the corner of my eye back at the right rear window. The finish line and he was whupped. Just then somebody said something and killed the dream.
That got the juices flowing. Started restoring this 63 shortly after. Can't go after the Mopars any more, but the 5 liters are food for the soule. They can be a Mopar or a 406 or 427 Ford with the eyes closed.
You know, I was just thinking. In my dreams, I can't ever remember being beaten. That is nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not true, but nice.
Back to the question at hand. LGC has been good. Only bad I had was up North. Wasn't exactly me, but a friend that had trouble with Show Cars. I can't believe they do all as bad or they wouldn't survive. Every one can make a mistake, and it is often forgiven if acknowledged.
I have never really dealt with Phil, but I would in a heartbeat if needing parts again. I have now met him and he is one fine fellow. Just not real good on picking football teams! HAD TO DO THAT, PHIL:rolleyes:

Fred

[dq409]

O YEAH !!
ZIPPO Lighters ,,,,, Last of the GREAT American Companies !!
Stll has a life time guarantee !! NO QUESTIONS ASKED !!
NEVER a charge,,, Sent my broken lighter ,,,less then two weeks later it came back fixed !!
Just need car part companies like this !!,,,dq

[Rockfish39]

WOW, Im sure glad that I read your post Bob... I was just about 1 phone call away from ordering a radiator from them. Im going to re-think that decision......THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

:cool:

[IgnitionMan]

It is hard enough these days, for a small business to survive in most venues. What makes it even harder is when the owner/employee(s) just don't seem to be knowledgeable, reasonable, and/or care, about anything they do.

I am a one person business, so I get to design, prototype, revise, handle the orders, tech and all other functions in my work. This makes me responsible for every facet of my operations. I HAVE to supply the best quality service I can, or I won't be doing this long. Competition in my line of work is fairly stiff, but if I didn't make an effort in it, I'd just fade into the breeze and my ideas/products would just plain die away.

Now, I don't have a fancy showroom, nor a large facility, it's just 22x18 feet in size (hopefully, when I get out of California, I'll have a less cramped place to do this work), and there is no extra money for high-zoot full page advertizing in the many magazines (but, I wouldn't go that route anyway), I rely on references from satisfied customers/users. I'd rather get one to one with a user/customer, help in every facet I can, than have more work than I can handle from some over-hyped ad in some dubious magazine. I consider it an honor to be refered to another person, by a satisfied user of my products (without my provocation or suggestion), it is just that important to me it is done that way.

I consider those products I do to be my adopted children, and if one of them misbehaves, I'd better be available to get it fixed, ASAP. People pay good, hard earned money for my services and conversions, they deserve the very best I can give in follow up and long time help, info, without concessions. I NEVER want to get bigger than to be able to take the time to speak with a peerson directly, help, just say HI, do whatever it takes to get their issues addressed, be they need a conversion, have a problem with one of mine (rare) or questions about other systems.

If you care about what you do and offer as a business owner/employee, then, you go the extra foot, mile, etc., to make it work for your customers, Just plain common sense and courtesy to your customers has never gone out of style.

Big business has an arrogant attitude about the customer, they figure you either need what they offer, or just don't care because they have so many other customers, they feel they can afford to lose you/me as a customer and not have it impact them. That really isn't the way it should be done, no way at all.

Now, if Earthlink could get my e/mail fixed, I'd be happier, they stink in customer service and tech help. They signed me up for their "spaminator" service, unknown to me, and now, they hold all the correct, non-spam e/mails, send through all the spam and junk e/mails. I just logged on a few minutes ago, and from overnight, I had 53 new messages, only one was NOT spam.

[Tom Kochtanek]

Dave:

I hope that one "non-spam" Email was mine!

I sent you one recently with some specs and a question or two. Look forward to doing business with you :)

Best,
TomK

[Bungy]

The good: Design Concepts - Norma, NJ OK they sell F*rd parts (Christmas present for my oddball brother) Jawed with the owner for about half an hour about cars and such. Guy put me in touch with salvage yards that had parts no longer produced. Super, Super nice guy. Jegs - always have parts on hand and last order showed up next day! CH Enterprises - enough said.
The bad: Southern Rods and Parts - Greer, SC Ordered seat belts for my 53 Chevy. Sent seat belts for a bucket seat application. Returned at my expense and was charged a 15% restocking fee! So now I have no seat belts and I'm out about $40 :evil Showcars - New Ulm, MN Placed an order ONCE was very rude and the other times I have called asking about parts also very rude like I'm bothering them. Sorry Showcars, but don't worry I will never bother you again.
The ugly: My old roomate's girlfriend. :p

[wrench]

I will personally remove links from my web site on material I glean from this thread. I don't want anyone to click a link on my site and get thier clock cleaned thinking that I support such a site.

Please post more stories. I ain't got none cuz I'm poor (grin) as ya'll will see if'n I get to come to KC next year.

:cool:

[tripowerguy]

I have bought a lot of parts over the last years and since almost all have been mail order here are my thoughts. Paw, always nice and helpful. Summit, helpful and gave me some of my money back over a bad torque converter. Jegs, fast and helpful. Wilson headers, absolutely outstanding. Auto City Classic, very good I haven't ever had a problem.
The only really bad experience is B and M torque converter. You know you lay under a car, pull the transmission, oil runs down your arm into your arm pits and them you struggle to put the thing back in. Stock torque converter 1400 stall rpm, new B and M torque converter 1400 rpm. I believe that I paid double the price for another stock converter. Summit gave me back part of my money so I think that they were trying to be a good vendor. I'll never buy another B and M product though.:( Roy

[tmracing62]

The Good:

Fatman Fabrications: Every time has been great and they really went the extra 20 miles on my a-arms when one of the lowers was a little off. No hassle, no accusing and they trusted me to send the old ones back. Plus no tech grease down. They have always been straight with me and everyone I know. Nice guys.

Lamar Walden: He and Rob did exactly what they said and the engine does exactly what Lamar promised. The parts are first class. They always kept me informed. I owe him some prints so I am the one hanging him up.

Phil Reed: Provided he tells me the prices I asked for in my email. :p

Jeg's and Summit: But not all the people necessarily know enough about a certain product to say what's best for you. But every person can't be expected to know everything either. Fast shipping, good prices and never a mistake.

Meziere water pumps, Ron Davis Radiators, XRP fittings, Classic Performance Products, Master Power Brakes, Jerry Bickel, Magnaflow fuel pumps, Momar Injection (Dave Cimbura), Fuel Injection Engineering (that's Hilborn - but what did you expect from me?).

The Bad:

Heidt's Hot Rod Shop: Good parts, but if Mike the Tech Nazi answers, HANG UP! RUDE, untruthful and arrogant. The astonishingly worst experience I've ever had with a vendor hands down. I know so many people that refuse to buy there because of him. Kevin (or maybe it's Keith) is cool though.

What's interesting is pretty much what IgnitionMan said. It comes down to treatment and the willingness to be stand up that separates the good from the bad.

The Ugly: See "Introduce Yourself" thread.:eek: :)