I can't see things in the music industry being that bad that Stevie Wonder has to resort to building cars for a living?????
The really sad thing about all this is that it would have taken less effort to have done it right in the first place.
If this guys getting paid for that kind of crap I need to start building cars for other people. I don't consider myself a good welder but DAMN...my junk doesn't look like that! EEK!
Bloody hell, I work in the Military/Medical world, give me this shops name and I will out them!! In the Emergency Department you are more of a hero for stopping this shit! ..............But on the other hand........maybe I want a car built..............yeah thats right! I want a car built buy the same guy, yeah! Thats it. So give me the shops name and phone number/address in South Africa and I will send my car over there..........You believe me right? Yup, thats right, I wouldn't post those pics and the shops name everywhere, what gave you that idea?? Doc.
LOL Doc! But there may be a legal process happening and so I'm not sure that I should be putting names out there - not yet anyway. As for fixing, not really sure. This guy is wanting to emigrate to Australia soon - not sure if he could bring this one back to a level that would not see it being crushed on site when he gets there. He is hoping the 'builder' will take the truck and reimburse him what it owes him, since it is supposedly all okay and "everyone who has seen it loves it" The question for me is more about how do overall standards get raised when: - there are people out there who think it is okay to do this kind of thing and; - customers continue to give people work based on smoke and mirrors and a slick tongue, and without thoroughly investigating what they are likely to end up with. (I worked in the building trade for years and spent more than half my time fixing other's abortions there too....)
Hi all I am the guy that paid for the truck and just so we all clear,yes it was maybe stupid from my side to trust a "professional" but I was really pushed for time and was promised a timely and quality build by a guy with good references from the local rodding magazine.I have received a letter from his lawyer saying that I basically have 14 days to get the truck back to him or he won't be able to help.I need profesional opinions on safety and what the truck is worth now..,and if it is repairable.I am really worried.I just don't see how this chassis is repairable and can be fixed to a safe standard.I will send more pictures just to get opinions.Please advise.. dard.I will send more pictures just to get opinions.Please advise..
Being that it is steel, everything is "repairable", although maybe not as simply as starting over. There is nothing in these pictures that would lead me to believe that these guys have a clue as to what is wrong with what they did, much less have the ability to make it right. More than the "welding", basic geometry and strength design understanding is obviously not in their skill set. To mess it up so bad and then give you demands is ridiculous. I would try to get a full refund and another stock chassis from them in exchange for their pos back, (they can use it for advertising) and start over. Either way, I would not let them try to fix it. Good luck Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
First Openroadcustoms, sorry you are dealing with something as frustrating as this. I am not familiar with the laws in South Africa, but this is what I would do if I were in your position. I would not allow this "professional" to "fix" the damage he has already done. Clearly his skill level is no where near what is required to build a vehicle that is safe. He will only make a horrible situation worse. His attorney is only looking out for his client and not you, hense the "14 days" bull s**t. What has your attorney said? -At a minimum you need to get a full refund of your money. If not, take him to court, which of course is a pain in the ass. -If it goes to court, find a certified welder to testify on your behalf. A certified welder can explain to the court why the welds are inferior and unsafe. His certifications give him some authority to speak on this subject. Perhaps a local commumity college with a welding instructor. Any work this "professional" completed on the truck must be redone. Please, for your safety and that of others, don't drive this death trap. Wow, good luck man. Keep us updated.
The welding is just the canine fecal icing on the rotten fish-head cake. This outfit doesn't have a clue. Lots of cars seem to leave shops with the occasional WTF. Someone got a little too rushed and there's a hose rubbing on something, or not quite enough clearance somewhere. Maybe the customer wanted two inches of ground clearance and the builder grimaced, saw the checkbook and caved. But you don't want basic design stuff screwed up. No one who puts their shingle out to sell stuff to the public should be pushing something like that shock mount out the door.
As the previous posters have stated, all the evidence so far points to the fact that he doesn't have the skills or knowledge to repair the work that he originally charged you for. If he did have the skills, then why did he produce this crap in the first place? As far as value goes, the vehicle is worthless in your hands, as you cannot possibly sell it in it's current state. He needs to refund you for what you originally paid for the truck, as well as what you paid him for the 'work' he did. The 'offer' by his lawyer is simply a legal ploy to cover his clients ass, should this go to court. They can say that that offered to rectify the work that you were unhappy with. You need to take this to a lawyer if you haven't already. I doubt that opinions off a forum will be considered as authoritative, so you need to take the car to a local chassis expert and get a written statement/report on the the structural & mechanical integrity of the work. I know three of them in the area, if you are interested, then pm me. Good luck! Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
Please don't post anymore pics as we aren't allowed to discuss rat rods on this forum. You need to get the truck to a few other shops and get their professional advise, you'll get every tom dick and harry giving their .02c it won't mean shit if it aint written down and signed. Scotty
I think our problem - in so far as it is one - is that the Internet has opened the hot rod world to a new generation, who are getting into the Rattus norvegicus thing without the benefit of an established tradition. We went from the prior "zef" culture directly into a 'net-driven rockabilly pastiche with nothing in between. So, the guys with the walrus moustaches have the technical know-how, but more often or not they've got it wrong, have done all along. Theirs is after all a culture that does not reward fine observation, and is moreover impervious to criticism. Hence pink '34 Chevy four-doors with a foot let into the width of the fenders, 11"-wide tyres on the front, and unmodified Jag suspension summarily bolted to the underside of the frame. Gorra have Jag suspension; gorra have fat tackies, even on the front. How can it be a modified car and not have fat tackies? And if one points out that it looks like a lecherous tom-cat riding two overweight dachshunds at once like a circus equestrian, one is told, how dare you? I don't go about expressing well-reasoned opinions about your car ... Remember the guy up in Pretoria who was selling repro '34 bodies as '32s simply because you got a Deuce shell instead of a '34 grille with the package? You'd "WTF" at your peril. Now we're getting guys like our young mutual friend, who have a sense for stuff. Who do they have to turn to? Thanks Barry. Keep up the good work!
Cheers Dawie! I only wish a few more over here had your insight. And Patrick will be just fine - he has a good eye and capable hands and can see the bullshit for the trees. He is welcome in my shop anytime. Jacques (OpenRoad), I surely hope you've gotten lawyer'd up and will give them both barrels.
Whatever you do dont send it back for a fix.What you get back will be a double layer of snot.Start over.
Barry I am definately lawyer'd up and this is definitely far from over.I am just really left feeling frustrated as i was suppose to ship this "dream" with me to Australia in 7 days and now have to deal with this.If anybody knows of experts that can do reports for me that will help.I am still so gutted about this whole thing as every morning I go out of my door,I'm reminded of it ,as it is standing in my driveway with flat wheels unable to move...
This is a problem everywhere.. I was in Salt Lake City 2 days ago fueling my truck when a dually pulling a car trailer parks next to me. On it was his 30 something Dodge sedan he just picked up from a local rod shop. For $25,000 he received a chopped roof reattached with pop rivets and a stick welder, and what really struck me had a monkey wrench (aka pipe wrench) for a pitman arm welded on the sector shaft. I asked him if I could take some pictures but I think my laughing insulted him and he left before I could get my camera.
Blindly handing money to a builder and not keeping tabs on the build then bitching when its all over sounds irresponsible to me. Trust no one! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
What I don't get is every time I see a thread about poor, unsafe or incorrectly performed work no one has the cajoles to identify the perp. Why is this? Seems to me that would be one of the more prevalent issues to be discussed...
If the link is on FB some of us still do not use FB. Hard to believe I know, but true. If not please redirect me to where I can find the name of the company. Thanks in advance...
I get the whole not being on FB, but I'll leave it to Openroadcustoms to put it out there on full blast
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