Tom Amon Rocks.

[gerard vaglio]

If you have an opinion about mechanics, and if your reading this BBS you probably do, you may have to revise that opinion because of a gentleman named Tom Amon.

For those of you unfamiliar with Tom heÕs a veteran Porsche mechanic who had his own shop for twenty plus years, so, anything that has to be done to your car, Tom has most likely done it once before. But todayÕs front suspension rebuild was a little different because Tom came over to my house to do it.

ThatÕs right, he came over to my house. On a day we both agreed on, on time, and with all the tools and expertise of a shop but for about half the hourly rate of shop.

TomÕs business model is unique as far as I know. His truck is loaded with just about every tool imaginable including a compressor to power serious impact tools like air ratchets and torches to turn bolts that, in my case, havenÕt turned in 26 years. He plugs his compressor into my wall socket and SHAZAUM, instant Porsche repair shop! Before he starts in he lays down a tarp to protect my exquisite cement floor, sets up his radio and reviews the parts IÕve already purchased for my beloved.

I collected A-arms, ball joints, torsion bars, and all new fasteners and hardware. While in the area Tom looks at my bearings, repacks um, and finishes rebuilding my front suspension in what may be record time.

But get this, since he finished faster then expected he went to the rear suspension and removed the spring plates because the bushings had flowed to the point where the metal was almost touching. He swapped the two spring plates so that the weight of the car now rests on the thick end of the bushings, giving me another 100,000 miles of sqweek free driving. He then reindexes the rear suspension, twice, because he wasnÕt satisfied with the way the car sat and then adjusted the ride height as close as possible so the car is driveable until I get a four wheel alignment and corner balance.

There was barely a charge for the work done to the rear suspension because Tom wanted to charge me by the hour and there was enough time left over when he finished the front suspension?

Huh? Um, yea right, IÕm use to mechanics doing that all the time.

To put this new experience into perspective, IÕm the kind of guy who adjusts his own valves because I want to do it myself. But this mobile service makes doing jobs youÕve never done before so much easier itÕs hard to communicate the difference. Oddly enough, it offers almost the same satisfaction as doing it yourself because your in there doing stuff, only thereÕs no frustration because you have to stop to get another tool at Sears. Or because you canÕt get some rusted frozen inaccessible crazyboltfromhell off the car because itÕs a fuc@#&ing so*&$%#%peiceof%$#*&!!!

You still get to collect your parts, new and used, and you still get to spray everything with BP Blaster for a week too. Ah, the smell of BP Blaster. I also got my hands dirty cleaning parts that were going to be reinstalled and Tom even tolerated my ÒexpertÓ opinions on things I knew little about. What a guy.

If you do decide to work with a mechanic I have to say this is the most satisfying way to do it that IÕve experienced so far. ItÕs a new option I thought you might enjoy hearing about. Fun too.

[Zeke]

Well written. (I don't understand the apostophe thingy) You nailed the philosophy of such things. I've heard good things about TA here before.

[Moses]

Tom did great work for me, too.

But I might have to steal his trailer hitch fan.

[gerard vaglio]

Thanks Milt, after today IÕm so impressed with Tom IÕm letting him rebuild my transmission.

The way Tom wants to do it is heÕs going to locate a 915 on his own and rebuild it at his house, heÕs adding a 7:31 ring and pinion for slightly better performance. When heÕs finished heÕll show up at my house and swap the trans. out in three hours.

HeÕs less expensive then local shops.

He works with care and precision, very patient, very nice guy to talk to.

Someone at your skill level doesnÕt need him but for someone like me heÕs a great option and IÕm learning as I watch him work.

Oh, his trailer hitch is a red eleven blade fan off a 911, keeps his rear bumper from overheating in traffic.