Shipping F/U on my 3.0, (twice) what to do?, It's also F/U my plans...so what to do? Options

[Mark Henry]

The drama continues on the shipping of my 3.0/6

I need some advice on this, I also need an impartial view.

I bought a 3.0 disassembled core engine and a set of Malhe pistons off of a guy on the bird, guy has many posts and part sales, etc. Everything when well on the sale, I asked the right questions, etc...then it started to get F/Ued.

First he screwed up on the shipping quote and it cost him more than he expected, but I was tapped out so I told him if he needed more shipping coin he would have to refund the piston coin, upon that suggestion the parcels were shipped right away.

He did a lousy job of packing the NIB pistons and some minor damage happened and a ring was broke. On top of that the crank was not as described and would require a grind and ultra expensive OS bearings.
I worked with the guy on this and he shipped me a new ring (drop shipped from Pelican) and a std/std crank (USPS).
I wasn't 100% happy but I felt he did do his best to fix the issue, short of a refund.

I never got the package (tube) with the crank, it split open (in the USA, never even made it to the border) and now the crank is MIA and most likely damaged anyways.
He sent it in some kind of tube with a pressed in metal end, one end popped off and the crank is missing.
He has a claim in, (but he under insured it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) I didn't ask for this) I don't think it's intentional, just packing stupidity. first the pistons (that he did get me a new goetz ring) now he's (USPS) lost the crank.

I don't know what to say, none of this is my fault, how long is this going to take?
Don't know if he'd give me some crank coin back, or how much to ask....

I didn't really want to deal with this on the open forum as I doubt if there would be a winner, but as JP said to me "I don't think it could get much worse". It could/can and I have to say I have been very good at being polite. He's crying that he's now losing about $1k on the deal...but what about me???? I paid good coin for this mess....

The real shitty part is I bet I won't get the car done this year, I'd have a better chance to get my '67 bug done and for that I have to assemble the whole car and the engine, plus rebuild the tranny.....
So I might be jack standing the 914 for another year or more if I go ahead on the bug.

Sorry to spew (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

P. S. for Dr. Evil, I guess I finally pooped out those horseshoes.