Flathead Jack Customer Service Problem

[Iceberg]

Several weeks ago I ordered a set of red plug wires w/ Rajah clips and a set of stainless wire looms from Flathead Jack. These two items ran over $200 with shipping. Last weekend I noticed that one of the Rajah clips had come apart (male end with spring clip). I gave him a call and asked for a replacement clip. After he (Flathead Jack not one of his employees) got through pitching me a very large load of shit he sent me one. I received it today with a charge for $10 to my credit card! This guy acually came highly recommended by a buddy of mine who knew him when he was racing......go figure? He will never see another one of my hard earned dollars and hopefully you guys will think twice before sending him any of yours. I'm pretty sure that there are enough quality flathead parts vendors out there so that we don't have to deal with this guy. I should have bought them from Red Hamilton!

[RF]

It's a plug end...not like he sent you out-of-round pistons, warped heads, or an intake with no bolt holes. You really thought this was worth throwing on the Internet? I'm not sure why I replied, but I like Jack and think he's a pretty stand-up guy.

[katzenhammer]

I have never dealt with Flathead Jacks so I am not about to bad mouth him but if you paid 10 bucks a terminal you got ripped as is. Check out these guys.

http://www.brillman.com/

Got a full set of Rajas from these guys.

Good Luck.

Justin

[Tman]

Most of Jacks stuff is repackaged and higher priced than other vendors. He admitted it to a pal of mine who grew up with him! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[DrDano]

Iceberg, you dont stand alone here. My first orders from him went great, good customer service, got the parts on time and they worked just fine. Then, I ordered a polished offset generator bracket from him about a year ago. When I got the bracket it turned out that the polisher had gone crazy on the part of the bracket that mates up to the fan bracket on my 8BA flathead. The grooves that were on the generator bracket were so polished down that they no longer fit properly inside the fan bracket grooves, making it damn near impossible to properly tension the fan and bracket up without the generator bracket falling out of the grooves. I called Jack about it and spoke with him for a good 20 minutes. He informed me that the bracket he had sent was "the same casting used since the 50's and NOT ONE PERSON had EVER complained and that I obviously was installing it wrong". He was pretty unprofessional about it and would not even allow me to send it back for a better polished one that may have had better grooves on it, and didnt even want to see it at all. I run the bracket, but its a total hack job to keep it on the motor... have to use pieces of filed down square stock keys and aluminum foil to keep the damn thing in place. I know that he is in business to make money and does do good for the hobby with the flathead work he does, but I really was not impressed by how he handled the situation and has lost all of my future business because of it.

[sedan_dad]

I've been dealing with Dick Spadaro.(http://www.dickspadaro.com/)
Ordered a set of Offy heads. Showed up 2 days later.Two weeks after that I order some copper gaskets and studs.The next day Dick calls me on my cell to make sure he's sending the right legnth studs out.
That is class.

[noboD]

Katzenhammer is right about John Brillman. He's a good guy with good prices.

[slazzen]

i live in the next town to flathead jack i went to his shop one day I was really excited to go see the flathead guru he was there at his desk his greeting was what do you want in a low snarl he was a total A-hole since then everyone of the local area guys I have talked to says the same thing he is a jerk he only likes guys from Danville that have fat checks for him thats my experiance I wouldnt buy a thing from him there are plenty of venders that have respect for others

[FORDY 6]

Never bought anything from Flathead Jack, his catalog and parts are overpriced.

[DeadFast 33]

When he sits at his desk how come his nuts don't fall out of those too short , shorts he wears? Is the beard a new improved cock mop?


FLIP

[A32Flathead]

I wandered into the shop one day when I was up in Walnut Creek, spent 2 hours talking with him & listening to him tell stories of the old days, hell, he even told me to go look at the Merc out back & take pictures if I wanted!

Now he may have mistaken me for a tourist with my English accent, but I can honestly say, I had a very nice afternoon there....

Prices however are another thing.. I think a lot of people use him because he is 'Flathead Jack' and he's the most widely known flattie guru, as for the Danville Fat Checks.......Hell, theres more money up there than they can spend!!

Dave

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[fuel pump]

I've had real good results with Red's. A had a missing piston ring and in one order that they gladly shipped out the same day I called. The gals that answer the phone a pretty knowledgeable but also know their limits and will put Red on if you want. I like the way they do business and I'm gonna continue to buy from them.

[MBL]

I had a similar situation occur to me. When you deal with anything mailed, you have no other recourse but to tell others when your not satisfied. Its not like he didn't call first and ask if he could exchange the piece. If he had done that the post would be:"Great Service From Jack"....I can tell you it will cost Jack more than $10.00 in business that he delt with it that way. Sometimes its better to eat the cost of something that small to have a customer for life. In addition, it is likely that he could have returned the item to the supplier as a defect and got another one sent which would have cost nothing anyone. That would have taken maybe more effort than he was willing to deal with. I have worked in the service and retail industry for a while. I have seen many a defect go back to the supplier. I'm not saying that this guy is a bad guy do to business with and maybe it was just a bad day to catch him, but in that type of business word travels fast. In many cases all it takes is a little doubt for someone not to purchase. Just my thoughts.
Tim
MBL

[slazzen]

Aflathead I am glad you posted because it proves my point he treats people differantly and that sucks my money is just as good as yours and customer service is about just what it says. I have heard a few good things about him on the HAMB but in the local circle we have a get together every friday about 150 cars the majority speaks a differant tune I even know guys that have worked for him I am not gonna speak for them but you get the idea

[Ichoptop]

hell, I cant afford the catalog let alone anything in the catalog.

[Smokin Joe]

Wanna have fun? Get him on the phone and tell him you need an alternator bracket for your flathead. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I bought a new polished Offy 3 deuces manifold from him.
Only took me about 4 hours with the drill and dremel to get all the places that 8th grade shop class or whatever he uses as a polisher missed. Anything that couldn't be easily hit with the big buffer wheel got skipped. In his defense I'll say that he did actually have it and sent it promptly. I've had others who said they had something in stock then sat with it on backorder for months. I won't mention any names here (Tanks Inc., Mooneyes, Brookville) http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As for Danville, they are afterall the "Danville Dukes!"

[SamIyam]

That's what I hear...
Sam.

[Pigiron]

I send my hard earned moola to Speedway Moters. Great customer service and no BS. Orders are never back ordered and I usually have my stuff 2-3 days after ordering.

[trey]

[ QUOTE ]

I send my hard earned moola to Speedway Moters. Great customer service and no BS. Orders are never back ordered and I usually have my stuff 2-3 days after ordering.

[/ QUOTE ]

same here. i dont know how much flathead stuff they have, i know they have some, but those guys are good in my book. two days and the part is here, no bs. my only complaint so far, is that their catalogs are on backorder!

trey

[ESnacky6]

Flathead Jack is a COCKSUCKER with a big mouth...

he should change his name to Dickhead Jack...

FUCK that guy...!!

[slazzen]

reminder bump we dont forget hambers beware

[dirthawker1313]

ive never order shit from this guy but ill tell you this much...from all ive hard here i wont.!!

[Chopped50Ford]

I ordered an adapter from him that cost twice as much as the one from Speedway...flatty to T-5 adapter.

He is very expensive and hardly gets back to you.

its a shame...

I dont think I'll purchase from him either in the future.

Speedway is top notch and I have never had any problems...when I did, I got the replacement part right away...without a charge.

Oh, to charge your Credit Card without tell you...is legal theft in my opinion....sort of like the additional charge to use your ATM...they charge it like its normal and dont tell ya. You dont find out until you look at the recipet.

[rat bastad]

Guys as someone else said....Reds headers is the way to go. Ive also used Speedway with no issue at all.

I one had an adjustable lifter crack - Red and Marilyn sent me replacement at NO CHARGE asap, bo buts, no ifs and no dramas..

That friends is customer service....esp when you consider I live Down Under. Ive stayed away from FJ because of the shit I hear about him here.....dont these vendors realise the power of the Internet ?

Rat

[Psychobilly Boi]

It's a plug end...not like he sent you out-of-round pistons, warped heads, or an intake with no bolt holes. You really thought this was worth throwing on the Internet? I'm not sure why I replied, but I like Jack and think he's a pretty stand-up guy.

A tenner is a tenner and being ripped of is being ripped off. Maybe that speaks more about FJ's business practises that this guy is lucky he didnt get the out-of-round pistons, warped heads, or an intake with no bolt holes he ships to other suckers.

Danny

[b29chevy]

It's a plug end...not like he sent you out-of-rou..........I'm not sure why I replied, but I like Jack and think he's a pretty stand-up guy.

It's no skin off my ass, I don't even have a flathead, but your reply reeked of, I-don't-know-what-all. Are you suggesting that a "pretty stand-up guy" would charge for what seems to be a "warranty item"? And the shipping on a clip would be a padded envelope, like $1.80?

Shit fire to save Matches! even KANTER sent me two hydraulic lifters, when I squaked about them leaking down, free, shipping and alll.

[famous59]

Call him back and ask why the charge when it should be a warranty, if still an ass, place a call to the credit card company and dispute the charge. It may be only 10 bucks but to me it is the principle.

[bardahl1]

Flathead Jack is a COCKSUCKER with a big mouth...

he should change his name to Dickhead Jack...

FUCK that guy...!!

Let's hear your story......

[kornbinder]

Check this link http://www.restorationstuff.com/
They are very good to deal with.

[sodbuster]

This post is over two years old.........just an FYI......in case someone does not read thru and check the dates.

Oh yea, they could still suck. But, it has been two years and even "Moon" flew to England to make a two year issue correct.

[cruzr]

I buy stuff from him all the time, he always ships promptly, is available to me on the phone if i need advice, throw rocks at me if ya want but in my book he's a stand-up guy.