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Sad Tale with a Lesson

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Both at fault. The shop for taking advantage and the owner for not being involved in the process. Since it seems it was a local shop there's no excuse for not keeping regular tabs on the progress, weekly, every other week, something. Setup regular appointments and if they're suddenly closed during what should be business hours, or you're chased off, that's when to repossess.

Failure to get references to verify work, and quality, failing to track work and receive photo or video evidence of what's being found and fixed each week or two, these are the owner's fault and it seems to me led to this questionable shop taking advantage of the situation.

Bottom line, you have to do your due diligence for find a trustworthy shop/individual and track the project just like you would if you were building a home. It's no guarantee but if you don't watch out for yourself its little better than just leaving it out on the street and hoping for the best.
 
When I was rebuilding my car, I took my TR6 transmission to a shop that specialized in Brit car restorations. I was told it would be about 2-3 weeks for the rebuild. I waited the required time and then started calling to get an update, but only got the answering machine. I left multiple messages that were never returned.
I got in the car, drove to the shop, and just walked in and scooped up my tranny and threw it in the car and never returned.
 
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When I was getting my Spit put together, I did almost all of the work by myself. All went well until I got down to the small details like carb fine tuning, etc. I October I hauled the car to a local shop and told them that because the driving season was over to take their time. I decided one very snowy morning to stop by the shop and check on my car. There is a large open parking lot about a quarter of a mile from the shop that had something spinning in circles in the middle throwing up snow everywhere. I stopped to watch and realized with a start that the object in there spinning in the snow was my Spitfire! I quickly went to the shop and grabbed the owner and flew back to the parking lot. The owner ended up firing the two employees in the car and refunding much of my money, but I was not happy... Six months later the owner was arrested for running a chop shop...
 
I hate to say it but Ol' Chuck isn't the brightest bulb in the pack. Sending that kind of money and never checking is just really, really, really dumb.
 
OK, here's an update.

I had to get towed (again) with my XJS a couple days ago, so I had lots of time to talk to the tow truck operater. Turns out he works for the same wrecker that hauled off Chuck's mistake. It also turns out the owner of the wrecker was the "high" bid on all the tools and lifts. $800 for what would be $80k new tools. Chuck's lawyer had told him he would be given a date for the auction, and he could advertise it to make sure there were plenty there to bid. Next thing he knew the lawyer called and said it had already happened...and all he got was $800.

I don't know about you guys, but I gotta find out how to get in on these auctions. I am kinda thinkin it may be rigged, though!?!

John

PS, the driver says the "hulk" is still sitting in the back lot of the wrecker yard...
 
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