Cheaper isn't always the right way to go. I think a person has to look inside for what's right for them. It's your money, you worked hard to get it, do it your way. There are a lot of us following this project and watching every move just for the excitement and enjoyment of someone doing something different just as we have/did Alex's and others.

As far as the car, try to remember that it wasn't the car that did this, it was a person and directing that anger/disappointment in that direction is probably more constructive. So, let's (ok, so it's really only you) keep working on this until you get it the way you want.

It also saddens me that someone would take advantage of someone else. Makes you want to send cousin Vinny down to check out their knee caps (no disrespect intended to the Vinny on the forum here:) ). I know it would have been easy to keep all this to yourself and not put it on the forum, but I think that opens the door to many of us being taken advantage of, so for your honesty and helping all of us stay away from trouble, I do thank you. I only wish you didn't have to. Maybe if the entire forum wrote this guy a message, you would get a check in the mail with your money back and you could move on to a new vendor. I intend to write to him and give him at least one opinion and I encourage each of the rest of us to do the same. Let him know that we are all together and if he intends on selling anything for our cars, he has to treat us right. Those of you that feel as I do, please feel free to direct a PM to him as well. There is strength in numbers!

x3m reads these posts. He has already gotten the message loud and clear.

I'm really not trying to pile on here or create a "poor Steve" sceanario. I am a big boy and as such realize there are certain risks involved w/ any long distance transaction. I just feel that I have waited around enough and deserve a little better treatment as would anyone forking out for a product in good faith regardless of price. Public disclosure is a powerful thing. I got an email yesterday giving me the option of a refund or finishing the thing. I opted to finish with a deadline of 7-17. I will assume that the refund option was genuine (not in another 5-6 months). Hopefully the problems associated with my particular transaction are an anomaly and not a deliberate attempt at deceipt. I really dout the latter as West and I have had numerous talks, just no real results. The guy really does know what he is doing, at least as far as the mechanics. I understand problems, everyone has them to one degree or another, I also understand business. I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt at least for 2 more weeks. Hey it's already been over 5 months and the car will be getting bodywork until then anyway. There actually is no anger to be directed at anyone at this point, I am over that, eventually my wife will be also. I am kind of tired of hearing "how could you be so stupid?, what's in the box from UPS today bet it's not from Florida, etc". Anger does nothing but create a negative impact on more important issues. Frustrated, now that's a different story. I looked at the poor old girl / guy / whatever it is yesterday sitting in the garage w a dented rear quarter panel and an agonizingly slow motor and I am definately going to finish the project one way or another. It will come back rising like a Phoenix out of the ashes......maybe not, that is definately taking this whole thing too far, but it should be pretty cool when done.

Steve

I didn't take it as "poor Steve"...I took it as someone took on a job in good faith; took your money and didn't come through. Right is right and wrong is wrong. It's really that simple. I didn't know about the refund offer...must have missed that thread, so I guess that does help a bit, but even if you have problems, just stay in contact with the person and try to work through the problems...usually they will understand and if they want the product will wait patiently....if they don't wish to do that, then give them their money back until you can get it figured out....just good business.

Agreed. The refund offer only came yesterday after I went "public". Patience wears thin after 5 months of broken promisses and no results. My clients would have dumped me, probably sued me, and definately not sent me Christmas cards if they were treated in this manner. Any business is a house of cards that takes years of work to build and can come apart in a very short period of time if your client base is not treated properly. Such a niche product as this definately takes a referal base as there are not that many wackos out there willing to plop down that amount of cash for such a weird thing, I hope I can provide that referal in the end.

Enough negativity, how bout them Cardinals?

Steve

Did you say....how bout them Astros? :)

Did you get my PM's? Sorry they limit the size so I had to send more than one.

I got them, thanks. I will use them as a resource after I get over the initial pain and suffering of this go around.

Thanks again:

Steve

Oh yeah: I meant Astros, can't wait to see them win another world series. I lived in Conroe through high school and then went to UH (Cullen School of Engineering) so I am somewhat familiar with their exercise in futility.

"A normal person feels that if it ain't broke don't fix it, an engineer feels that if it ain't broke it ain't got enough features yet"

Ouch....could someone get that knife out of my back? I think it's getting blood all over my Astros shirt.

Tom:

It's all good.

Steve

Yes, I agree. :)

Well I started the car again today for the first time in 2 weeks. I heard a distinct ratteling like belts against plastic when it first started. Guess that recomendation of checking it @ 1500 after replacing is no idle threat. Sure enough it's loose. Guess I need to go buy a 12 pack and head next door to borrow the tensioning tool.

Steve

Well I hope to see it work out for you Steve. When your car is back from the body shop I'll have to drive up there and we can shoot the breeze.

My car won't be perfect by then either, I got mis quoted for some body work from a local bodyshop and theres no way I'm going there to get it done (I think they were trying to run up the cost after seeing what kind of car it was... either that or they are steep)

Speaking up being up your way, I drove up the manchester in the P-car just this weekend. I might post a thread on that experience... (hot, traffic jam, ex girlfriend, 20 year old sports car... etc)

Definatelygive me a call next time you are coming up this way. You have my #. I live about a mile from Parktown Porsche / Audi. The car will be @ the shop from the 17th to the 25th. They put me off a week.
As far as the ex girlfriend, 20 YO car, no A/C, etc I've definately been there. My experience was with an old MG midget and then a Fiat 124. At least you have a real car.

Steve

I need your help Hugh
 

I have a weird problem with the car. When cold everything is great. With this latest run of hot weather in St Louis I have a problem I am not capable of solving. The car will run great then really cut out bad. It's more like losing spark than fuel. If I stop it will not restart until I get out and take the coil wire off and on a few times. It makes no sense and may be totally unrelated (maybe it is just taking a little time). All of a sudden it will light right off and most times run fine. Sometimes it will start the missing again. I did just replae the stock coil w/ an MSD blaster.

Help me:

Steve

If you only replaced the stock coil with a Blaster coil (the round can style), the following holds true if you did not also add an MSD ignition:

From personal experience you MUST use a ballast resitor when using a Blaster coil as a replacement to the stock coil. Black wire from ignition switch to ballast resistor; ballast resistor to (+) side of Blaster. Without the proper current limiting resistor, you will eventually kill the coil. Ask your FLAPS for an old Chrysler ballast resistor or get an official MSD 0.8 ohm ballast resistor.
ALSO, can style coils "should" be mounted on their side, if possible, so the oil fill can properly contact all the windings to limit overheating. Note the stock location's proximity to really hot things.

could be completely unrelated given that you taking the coil seems to do something...... but can you kill the car by wiggling the key? when my ignition switch was bad, it did what you describe a couple times.. and only on a HOT day..

I just stuck the stock coil back in to see what happens. It's 97 here today w/ about 60% humidity so it will definately get hot enough to simulate the problem. I did not know about the ballast resistor being required. I bought the coil through Pelican. I'm surprised that there was no mention of this. I called MSD and they confirmed the resistor being required. This forum is great as I could have fooled around with all kinds of stuff and never found that bit of information out.

Thanks:

Steve

there you go!
glad it was an easy fix..

Now if the rear quarter and the supercharger will just get done I might get to drive the thing before I have to put it away for the winter. I can't believe it is going to basicly take a year to complete something I should have had done in 3-4 months. I am already sourcing out an intercooler to install in that big ol Fiberwerks mouth. I will try 8PSI after the intercooler and probably lose it down to 7PSI through the heat transfer. I want 200RWHP and about the same torque which should be obtainable. With dropping 150 or so lbs and redoing the suspension I would think it will be a pretty good performing little car. Anybody got good ideas on the oil pan so that I can keep the oil from sloshing around? Has anyone done a dry sump system on one of these critters? I took it for a drive today even with the dent and it still felt good. I had two people ask me what the hell it was. I may have them take off the front emblem and repaint the nose while it's in the shop. I even had one of my clients who is 6'4"+ try it out for fitment. He has expressed interest in getting "one of those snazzy little cars like you drive". I offered to trade for his S500 Benz but it was a no go. I even offered to buy him one of those hats the old dudes wear when they drive a sports car and throw that in but still a no go. Guess I'll just keep it.

Steve

Get the body smoothed out and you can come down to eresener's and help us curse at his engine bay while trying to act like we have some sort of idea about how to fix it....