[Norm K]

I think it was a Portland news crew, some thirty years ago, that inconspicuously die-stamped a freshly built transmission then, after some "artificial weathering" of the case, and playing the part of an unknowing consumer, took the car to a local AAMCO . Customer was told the trans was shot and needed to be replaced with a fresh AAMCO unit.

They quoted the customer an astronomical amount for the replacement, but then gave them the good news: a sister shop had the correct transmission in stock, and would send it over the next morning. Because of this good fortune, the customer's car would be ready the next afternoon.

The next day, they paid the bill, picked up the car and drove it immediately to previous shop. The formerly dirty and greasy case was clean and, wonder of wonders, the die stamp was right where they thought they might find it.

No longer the unknowing customer, the reporter went back to the shop the next day. As I recall, it didn't go all that well for local AAMCO shops after that.

_