Thread: Enough is Enough ...........

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it` would`nt suprise me that someone there wanted you to tire of it and sell it to them ..that`s a super neat ride .

Been there, done that. I usually just show up with my trailer unannounced so they don't have a chance to "lose" any of my stuff or to not be there when I come. I've done that even to "friends" who I thought I could count on. Business is business.......period.

You are right, the work looks great, but it is intolerable for them to take that much time to get that far. What they are doing is putting you on the back burner and doing other work that gets them immediate money.....even if those jobs came in long after yours did. Pull the plug......pay them for what they did to date and find a shop that won't sleep at the switch.

The other fear is that if they are that lax you might show up one day to find they are out of business and your stuff is either gone or locked up in some bankruptcy or other legal mess. If they are that poor at the business end those are real possiblilities, especially in today's financial world.

Don

That's a shame John, but I'm with Pops on this.
There are good technicians, and there are good business operators...........not too often do they occupy the same body. These guys probably take a decent size deposit to start a job, which means they get faster cash flow by taking in new work than completing "old" work. Ken Fenical, who owns Posies, has a statement on his website something to the effect, "If a shop asks for a deposit to start work they can't afford to be in business!". While I can think of some exceptions to that "rule" it's generally accurate in it's intent. I consulted with a rod shop operator a few years ago who operated similarly to your guys. He did great work, but when I surveyed his previous customers nearly all of them said they wouldn't do work with him again because of the grief he caused them. At the root it could be attributed to poor communication, but the shop owner kept dilluding himself that the customers just didn't understand...............he had a business to run! He never got the concept that treating people badly doesn't help running his business.

The next issue could be finding someone willing to takeover the project. I hated it when someone brought something like that in. The first work I do on any part of the job I own the whole thing in the customer's eyes. Make sure for your sanity, and that of the new shop, that all potential issues are noted BEFORE work begins. If the new shop doesn't do a thorough inspection and discussion with you about things they see that might need redoing or revising you could be in for more grief, and greater expense, down the road.

The best piece of advice you have received is "..don't give them advance notice", and hope that no one at the shop is a member or guest here!! I like REGs approach - call from a block away, ask for an update, and then pull up to finish the conversation in person while loading. Keep everything friendly and professional, just cannot continue to wait for them to have time to work on your ride, it's been almost 4 years, and going to make a change.
Best of luck.

One hundred percent agree with several of the folks above. Bring your trailer, settle up any outstanding bill, then load up and go - forever. You have waited about 2.5 years longer then my patience could have handled and from what I can see, done it well - but none of us are getting younger and it would be nice to see it running.

My biggest worry would be that they really didn't like me, explaining why you can't get them to do anything maybe, and that they would be vindictive. I don't know you and please don't take this the wrong way but is there something perhaps you have done to bring this on? I assume you have the finances etc. to keep them busy, ie. lack of cash from you isn't holding them up? If you're on the up and up (again I mean no slight to you) I can't for the life of me understand how these clowns stay in business. I really hope you get this straightened out. That's a really cool ride there. Of course it would be much cooler if it were finished.

Originally Posted by idunnitnow!

My biggest worry would be that they really didn't like me, explaining why you can't get them to do anything maybe, and that they would be vindictive. I don't know you and please don't take this the wrong way but is there something perhaps you have done to bring this on? I assume you have the finances etc. to keep them busy, ie. lack of cash from you isn't holding them up? If you're on the up and up (again I mean no slight to you) I can't for the life of me understand how these clowns stay in business. I really hope you get this straightened out. That's a really cool ride there. Of course it would be much cooler if it were finished.

I have never had a single cross word with these guys ........... and I have never been late on a payment .......... I receive their invoice and I drive them a check the next day ............ don't want to risk it getting lost in the mail ........... the money is available to complete the job, and I have never asked them to wait for a moment for any reason

I believe there's a couple of issues here ......... this is a small, three man body shop run by some young guys ........... they take in insurance claims to keep the doors open and don't manage their workload very well ......... plus they're forever fixing some buddy's car or truck while the "project" cars sit idle

But, the biggest problem I believe is this ............. these guys are remarkable in body work and paint work when they can get replacement parts ......... their work is stunning ........... but there aren't any replacement parts for a '48 Thames ............everything has to be fabricated ............. and they don't seem to know how to do this .......... they farm out all the fabrication to other guys they know in the area ............ the bodywork is pretty much all done (their specialty} and now the difficult design, fabrication, and assembly work is left ............ and I think they're in way over their heads ............ so I'm moving the car to a small rod and custom shop ............ they do their own design, fabrication, painting, etc. ........... they do everything except interior work and I already have a custom interior shop lined up for that ............ and they are getting tired of waiting for it to arrive at their facility

Old Coyote -
A friend recently asked me to look at his 57? Fairlane. It had been in a shop for restoration for three years. He paid the guy 900.00 a month. After three years, the engine is untouched, the paint only done on three sides, the interior re-upholstered , but trim not done, no battery to start and run. Some suspension work done, but some not. He has no idea what the guy did? For three years. He never questioned or regularly checked in on it. He now wants to sell it for 2-3K. He has over 30k into it! I just cringed. He doesn't want to spend a penny more.
I hate these stories. I'm sorry you've met with a similar experience. I have to agree with everyone, show up tomorrow with a trailer, and load up. Keep it profession and polite, but don't accept excuses. Glad to hear you have another shop lined up. Here, some friends have a custom shop in Santa Rosa. It takes them a year to take a rusting carcus, and roll out a beautiful show car. The cost is phenomenal, but they fabricate anything and everything, and have a plan on every car. You might have to wait three years for your project to start, but they get it done in under a year. Hope the new guys have you riding down the hi-way soon!

I had a body shop manager that used to work for me running the body shop at our VW dealership. He left to open his own shop and I let him take my 40 Chevy PU to finish. We had chopped it and did alot of the work on it together so I thought it would make sense to have him finish it. Long story short is that after 16 months of getting very little done I went to his shop one day only to find the place empty and locked up. I walked around back and low and behold there was my 40 in the fenced in area but out in the elements in bare metal. I went to the hardware store and bought a bolt cutter and got a couple of my employees and a truck and got it back. I had to start over. But at least I got it back. That was the last hot rod I've built untill now. I sold the 40 in 1995, 12 years after the incident. I have this 29 Roadster that I've built over the last 18 months that is in need of paint and I have decided to give it a go myself this spring. I plan to post a thread on shop talk to get some advice from the more knowledgable people here. I cannot bring myself to let it out of my sight or should I say control. I don't have a Riddler contender so I think that with a little advice I'll be OK. Get your car back and hope that someone will take on an already started project, alot of guys will not. Good luck, it looks like a really nice project.