Problem with DOUGHERTY cameshafts

FGA · 05:34 AM

Hello all !

Just a small feedback about John DOUGHERTY
In few words , In 4th December last year (2012 ) , I ordered 993 SS cameshafts and paid by paypal.

I sent mails regularly for news not doubting the seriousness of one minute John. Apart from two mails in mid-January to say he was delayed and then he had caught a bad cold ... Radio Silence!
A friend with whom I advised to order at Dougherty wrote him this week and had an answer soon. He forwarded his email and for which I send to my tour asking why he responds spontaneously to a request for a price but not my request very simple: when will I be delivered?
What do you think because I am despairing because my mechanic charge me a fee to keep my car in the garage, the engine waiting to be reassembled. Now it is more certain to have the availability to do it now.
Thank you for your testimonials and ideas recourse

philip j · 02-28-2013, 08:04 AM

I also had a problem this past Dec. I emailed John, who through repeated emails arranged for me to send him my SC cams for regrind. The tracking records show he received the cams, but thats when all correspondence from his end stopped. I called twice and left messages, and emailed many times. John has yet to respond to either. At least I have just lost my cores. Philip

SCHNELE · SCHNELE's Garage

Same experience as above, it was about four months longer than planned before Chris at TK got my cams back.

banda · banda's Garage

I also had John do some work for me last year and he was very slow to reply and very slow turn around time on my reground parts. He did come through at the end but it took about twice as long as expected and a lot of prodding to get it done. I think you will see your cams again but expect to have to bug him a lot and for it to take twice as long as expected. The silver lining is that he does do good work if you have the patience to deal with all the back and forth it takes to get him to move. It is a shame he does not value his customers more.

fraggle · 02-28-2013, 09:38 AM

Good work usually has a long queue. I wish these guys that DO good work would give realistic delivery dates. Waiting usually isn't a problem, not knowing is because of the storage or logistcs issues on the customer end. We usually also don't want to throw a ton of cash down an indeterminate timeline.

FGA · 02-28-2013, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fraggle

Good work usually has a long queue. I wish these guys that DO good work would give realistic delivery dates. Waiting usually isn't a problem, not knowing is because of the storage or logistcs issues on the customer end. We usually also don't want to throw a ton of cash down an indeterminate timeline.

Thank you for all your messages!

I think that beyond the dates are not respected, the worst is not to communicate even to say that the problems encountered.
As I already said, I do not doubt the quality of John's work, quite the contrary, but in terms of communication vis a vis its customers, this is pathetic! no respect for its customers, that is unacceptable and it is to mock of the world wide smile after cash money but ... nothing!
In the future, I'm not sure to recommend his company to my friends Porsche!

jwasbury · 02-28-2013, 02:23 PM

It's been a few years since I built my engine, but I used John for my cams at the recommendation of Chris at TK. John turned around my regrind pretty quickly. I remember that when I called him to introduce myself and get his info to ship my cores, I heard his dog barking in the background, and we chatted briefly about how cool it was that he could have his dog at work with him. I love dogs, so included some biscuits for his dog in the box I shipped to him with my cams...maybe I cut the line through the gesture

Ronnie's.930 · 03-01-2013, 08:13 PM

If you want to read the many horror stories regarding Dougherty/Camgrinder just do some searches in the 911 and Engine Rebuilding forums and you will have hours of reading on your hands (like the following thread) -

Dougherty racing camshafts

mamut · 03-02-2013, 06:00 AM

Yep, all those horror stories..... but at the end he is the BEST!

FGA · 03-05-2013, 06:21 AM

Yes, I hope that the story will end well: I just received a notice of shipment !!!
I cross my fingers that are the good cameshafts (I will control)

Thanks for all !!!

Matt Monson · 03-05-2013, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FGA

Yes, I hope that the story will end well: I just received a notice of shipment !!!
I cross my fingers that are the good cameshafts (I will control)

Thanks for all !!!

For all the stories of delays and lack of communication, I know of no stories from people who got bad cams from John. He is a one man show and seems to overbook himself fairly regularly. But in the end he delivers really good cams.

copbait73 · copbait73's Garage

I found John on eBay about nine years ago. I have a set of his cams and springs running in my sons car and have a set on the shelf for my 3.6 Turbo build. He is a hard working honest guy.
I know everyone here means well by posting their good and bad experiences however I have a grip.
John is an established member of our community. I don't know who FGA is but I see he joined Pelican just to air his issues with John. In other threads Wayne has stopped this type of activity on his site, I wish he had here also. When I see something like this in future I will not hesitate to call it to Wayne's attention.

Mark Henry · 03-06-2013, 08:27 AM

Man....I need a set of cams done, I was talking to Phillip today still no cams from DR and Elgin isn't doing much better at replying to him as well.
Who to use ????

mamut · 03-06-2013, 08:43 AM

Use WebCam if you are in a hurry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Man....I need a set of cams done, I was talking to Phillip today still no cams from DR and Elgin isn't doing much better at replying to him as well.
Who to use ????

JFairman · 03-06-2013, 08:49 AM

As far as I'm concerned there is only one place left to go if Elgin isn't up to the task.

Everyone I know has had fast and excellent results from them including myself.
The cams come back in a couple few weeks ground perfect to the grind profile you asked for and coated with a grey molybdenum dry coating ready to install.
Don't clean it off with brake clean, just put some motor oil on them or assembly lube as you install them and you know the rest.

Web Cam Inc. - Performance and Racing Camshafts

Mark Henry · 03-06-2013, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamut

Use WebCam if you are in a hurry.

Not in a hurry (IMO), but they have to be done June 1st. At least I'd like them to be done by then.

FGA · 03-19-2013, 01:58 AM

Good news! I finally received my camshafts, they passed through customs without a problem and after control, they are impeccable! very good job, do not doubt it!
Too bad there are no words ...

thank you all !

unclebilly · unclebilly's Garage

Edit your first post to reflect that you got your cams.

I am running a set of Dougherty cams in my GT2 car and they are awesome!