This car may be evil. The Hope diamond of 914’s?? Is #666 available for WCC?

Let me apologize in advance for the long winded post. I’m too cheap to pay for therapy, and have gotten great advice here.

Ebay ad said car had a 383” V8 with 300 miles on rebuild, a higher geared transmission, dual radiators, yada yada. Actually had a 305 that needed rebuilding, stock gears, and a leaky radiator. Steering box was loose (no bolts). Have posted this part before, and gotten advice on that part of the deal, so that is just to set the stage.

Otto checked the car and did the Porsche stuff, but we both knew engine was in trouble. 1 qt per 100 miles, etc. but he’s not a V8 guy.

Took car to local wrench. Place looked good, owner Steve races small block sprint cars. Steve gave me an estimate of $3000 to (I thought) remove, rebuild and replace the engine and make all right. Showed me his racer and said, “This is the kind of work I do.” Cool! Gave him a $1000 credit card deposit.

Went by the shop the next day. Car was torn down, and all looked pretty good. It was a fresh engine, but apparently was never run much. Cylinders glazed, rings had never seated, valve guides and springs suspect as cam had ground down flat spots. Metal in oil, and bearings scored. Pretty much as expected, and he had ordered the parts.

3 days later I get a call from a mechanic at the shop with bad news. The owner’s 22 year old son died at home, and the shop would be closed for a while. No details, but kinda have the feeling it was suicide, or drug related, or both.

About a week later, I went by the shop. Owner was there, and I expressed my condolences. He responded by asking for another $800 to buy the parts needed for the rebuild. Knew this was not a good time or place to argue, and said I would get back to him. Found GM offered a brand new stock 350 for $1199. Posted here, and most agreed that was the way to go. Told Steve all this, he said OK, bought engine and had it delivered to his shop. Then the shit hit the fan. He called, said I must come in and sign a revised estimate for $4000, not including the engine or any other parts needed. If I did not, he would remove all the parts and push car out of his garage.

Hmm. The guy had to be psycho after the loss of his son, so as they say, resistance is futile. I had already bought the engine. Installation had begun, so couldn’t return it. Car was held hostage. So I signed the revised estimate, and just figured to take him to small claims, or Auto repair bureau, or stop credit card to get $$ back. Car was completed (?) Tuesday. I went by to get. Asked him to start car, he said not until I had paid him. So I hand him the credit card. “Nope!, I want cash.” Not surprisingly, I didn’t have that much on me.

Next day I arrive with $$. Same BS. Signed revised bill that now additionally states ‘no warranty parts or labor’. Ask him if car is roadworthy. “I don’t know, I haven’t driven it.” At this point I just want to get my car out of there before one of us dies. Some of the stuff was almost funny. When he showed me the box of parts from the removed 305, there were only 7 pistons. Had to argue for #8!!

Well, car is home. Runs like shit, gas smell, and a few dings in the paint. Then this: Zero clearance at right rear tire, and rubbing against fender. Left rear has about 1.5” clear. What could cause this? Is something coming apart? Money is one thing, but safety another. Pics and short version on separate post.

End rant. At least I didn't ask for advice on how to handle women.

damm, that sucks! big time ...

don't know what else to say.
Andy

I think that might have been easier to answer...

Sorry to hear the saga got worse. Sounds like a small claims court issue. Take the car to HPH and get a professional evaluation of the damages for evidence. I hope you had detailed pictures pre-molestation.

-Rusty

document all that happened, sue him, contact Better Bussiness Buerro, state auto repair , and all the local newspapers. Post his name, and his shops name on this website, and anyother car related websites, and any local sprint car sites, notify any sprint car sanctioning bodies. You appear to be too nice with this wacked out crook. Dead family member or not, no excuse for his crimminal bussiness practice.

hope you get all your money back, so you can have an honest shop fix your car right.

By the way the state auto repair agency did my nieghbor some good. Local Midas shop repaired my 80 year old nieghbors clutch in his 66 bug. it cost over $1000. he asked me to look at the bill, and diagnois why the car made a horrible noise after repair (car has 60k original miles on it!) Midas (Redwood City CA) ripped him off. most shop qoute less than $400 for a bug clutch. They also claimed to have fixxed the cooling system by replacing oil cooler, for several $100, uhm, I tuned his car the week before, and I can tell you it never over heated, and did not leak a drop of oil for the day i had it. They also replaced his spark coil for $100, wait a minute, I just did a tune up, no problem with the $20 coil the week before.
At any rate i wrote the state a letter on what happened, and he got most of his money back.

Let me state here what you should state on every web site you can about the crook that ripped you off.

MIDAS MUFFLER IN REDWOOD CITY CA IS RAN BY CROOKS THAT TRIED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY NIEGHBOR. THEY ARE CROOKED, AND FRANKLY SHOULD HAVE GONE TO JAIL, NO DIFFERENT THAN STEALING $1000 OUT OF YOUR WALLET.

NEVER PATRONIZE MIDAS MUFFLER. I HOPE THEY GO BELLY UP, THEY DESERVE NO LESS.

good luck

Guys, thanks. Not really trying to solve a legal issue here, just want to find out if car was sabotaged or something. Please take a look at my transaxle post. Rusty: Be Safe! And did you have to put the club sticker on something rusted?
Dmenche: We have a great Midas shop here. Go figure. Are the indpendents?

Howard You need to get your car to someone that has some knowledge of V8 installation on the 914. I can't tell you who that is, you might even want to try getting the car to a friends home or shop so you can look for yourself and see what was or wasn't done.
I think that the previous shop may be good with SBC but not when it came to customer service. ANd definetly not when it comes to 914s. They have got one of the motor mounts misaligned. Or they may not even have some of the mounts secured properly if at all.
Sorry to read about the ongoing fuckfest that this has turned into. I hope it ends soon.
CCLINDAMPCAMP

Howard,

I'm betting one of the springs is not sitting in its perch correctly (from being on a lift).

I hope it is something easy. Sorry about the mess. I can barely keep shit together myself.


B

James, you have to be kidding

If skline is still willing to haul the beast up there, I'll let the pros (that's you, Brad) look at it. Hopefully it's an easy fix.

Not a problem Howard, I can take a look at it too when we get up there. I will bring some tools and if you think you may need any parts, let me know as well, I have tons of parts for these cars, V8's included.

I believe Midas shops are all independent, although the nation wide customer service phone represetative was no help, he just said take it back for the horrible noise, and did nothing to address the "extra work' that was needlessly done. basically the why I see it (and as did the state auto repair buero) they just tried to rip off an old man, and thought they could get away with it.

My rant on Midas applies specifically to the Redwood City franchise, I am sure some other Midas shops are honest, this one is not. The way it goes how ever is I will never patronize any Midas because of the way this one midas operates. May not seem fair, but that's the way it goes.

Just like I will never again buy AAA auto insurance, one agent was rude, and acussed my of lying that the 61 Bug I owned was never before in an accident, even though I told them my Dad owned it since new until i got it in high school, they said "how do we know it was a clean never hit car", basically accused me of lying. I dropped them and will never again use them.

thats the way the bussiness world works, they have to be very careful how all their employees treat the public, one bad experience, and that customer may never ever come back. Piss me off, and hell to pay I say. Saying that, I do understand that sometimes mistake are made, but if the store or shop does not try to fix the issue, or acts rude, i say forget them, never go back, spread the word, and hope and pray they go belly up, so a better person can take their place and offer better service, or in the case of REDWOOD CITY MIDAS, not be crimminal and steal an old mans money. (WWII veteren, that risked his life fighting for all of us) They treated him horrible, and knew darn well what they were doing. total fraud, rip off etc... (there i go again)

anyway hope your 914 problems are straightened out (as stated HPH should be able to treat you right, Rich and the gang there has never failed me, they have a good customer oriented honest bussiness), and you can recover your money.

It really sounds to me that you've had some money stolen from you.

If I were you I would flat bed that thing to Otto and have him inspect the damage. He's not a V8 Guy but he knows what is supposed to be and what isn't in general. He's widely regarded as the know it all on 914's - there's no argument about that.

Have him tell you exactly what isn't right around the engine and then contact and attorney to get some assistance with reclaiming what this poor mechanic has taken from you.

Granted, he could be upset about his son and I do feel bad for him but that is still no excuse for taking it out on his customers.

Just reading the episode brought back painful expensive memories that occured before 914world.com.

Probably the greatest service surrounding this board is that we can ask which shops to use. It is truly a wonderful thing to ask the question and have lots of people, with specific experience, respond.

I know I've recommended HPH, TC Design and others to lots of people that have brought their cars from distant places to get the work done. And what's the big deal about a road trip if you know your car is going to be done right.

This might sound like overreaction, but there is something about non-stock cars that requires additional effort before the work is done. In other words, as with all "contracting" it is so important to make sure your expectations are outlined (in writing) and accepted by the shop before the works starts. In simple terms, if you can't agree up front what specifically is going to be accomplished and how - you are the one taking the risk.

Also the part about an up front deposit concerns me. There are clear exceptions (see the following paragraph) but that part makes me worry. Is that normal in LA?

Of course if you're into a long term project it is only fair that progress payments, tied to specific deliverables, get made. I kind of like this mechanism as both parties are protected.

I thought the deposit was wierd too, Randal, but this here Ventura county is kinda provincial. Some good news, that was on my Citibank, so disputed that yesterday (after I picked up the car, duh).

So Scott, see you with the trailer. All the rest of the support group, see you on the roof Thursday. Bring expertise and tools, I'll bring the blender.

I feel better already

Howard; I know nothing about V8 conversions and only a little about 914's in general but I'm willing to crawl under your car and help decide if it's something obvious. Sorry to hear about your local shop problems. Maybe over a beer I'll tell you about my two year and counting engine rebuild of my Ferrari. I can make grown men cry with my tale. Email me if you want me to come out this weekend and I'll give you a cell #.

Hey Howard, I just thought of something, did you see him actually pull the engine out or put it back in the car? I am thinking he may have removed your rear trailing arms to get the axles out of the way. If he did, he may not have installed them correctly or not enough shims or something like that. Let me know if you need I can bring some shims with me. We can get it close enough to drive it without rubbing. Jack up the back and see if you can move the rear wheels side to side or front to back, they should be solid and not move in any direction.

I was sure mine was Satan incarnate until I reached about the 10,000 Dollar mark, and I still wonder everytime I drive it where it will leave me. It has not since the re-build, but I think it will wait for the WCC, at the farthest possible distance from my home, then Shit the Bed. Like I said before, 60 914's in the same area, but put AAA on Red Alert!

Howard,
Can't be a 666 car till it glows and drives over people by itself...lol!

Take a break, have fun at the WCC then go back and sic the lawyers on that shop owner. Death in the family is NO excuse to screw someone. Sic em on the lyin eBay seller too. Almost any car can be resurrected, ask Brad about my car .

Felix

Howard, I'll loan ya my member #