Yes a hundred times. This is caused by undrained water sitting in the longitudinal and swelling the joint where the floor pan joins that longitudial We simply repair the long. after removing the floor pan in the area.

How about a one time buy it today or forget it deal to clubmembers on the flares? 30 sounds like overstock to me!

George,
On the windshield seal.

If you have the three parts made (prototyped)
three being the top piece, the corner piece, and the A-pillar piece.
Why not, instead of vulcanizing, make a male/female joint between the corner piece and the other two.
Provide these pieces, along with a can of special glue to the customer.

I would be quite fine with that, provided the rubber was the proper shape.

Rich

Of course this is a very good and logical idea from a thinker, but the reason we are not is because we want a piece identical to the factory one that we can sell to Porsche and to other aftermarket dealers. It is our experience that to get into the door with these people, the seal would have to be dead on identical, and that is what we have achieved.
As you know the originals in the final years were splitting at the same place. We have been pulling apart samples now up at Red's place and are not going to stop until they will not pull apart and then we will have it. the vulcanizing process CAN work to cement these parts together BETTER than the factory piece, and with the length increased to the original factory length, we WILL have a winner.

sure no problem! If I get thirty club members who will buy them today, we will sell all thirty sets for 650. a set. NO PROBLEM! Round them up and I will hire a temp to pack and ship all by the middle of next week! Let's do it!

I would commit to a set at that price.

Yeah, even though I feel like I just got "Jake Raby-ed", I'd commit too.

Please please please do not get me wrong. I HAVE to hold the price for our wholesalers!!!!!!!!!!!! (Dave at GPR would kill me if I reduced our price for anyone one at a time!!!!) I am not the type of guy who shoots from the hip. I would rather not break the price at all except to our wholesalers, really and they will sell you a set cheaper than we would or could! (again to protect them) so PLEASE understand that.

As much as I would love a set of steel flares for $650, I don't see 30 people with cash in hand ready to buy on short notice anyway.

Whats the current price on them and whats the best price you can do?

My good friend Dave at GPR has several sets in stock and would be more than happy to give any individual club member a deal including reduced shipping because he is right there in California!!!
Dave really tries hard to please everyone (except he just has a hard time pleasing his TWO ex wives) and will always go out of his way for ANY customer. Bottom line: In my opinion he is a good kid!

we will be posting a series of repair photos late next week for anyone interested. Any questions after reviewing the pics will certainly be addressed.

I won't go int detail but I also was mistreated as a customer.On the other hand George has a very extensive knowledge of 914's and his Tec tips 700 is a must have as a companion to a Haynes manuel.I used to believe that George was the 914 GOD, now I think that SATAN has entered the building.Be careful, It would take a lot more than some free tech advice for me to do business with AA again.However it took some balls to make an apperance here and I respect that.Here's to ya George and

I am here to address all issues openly and honestly. Please let me have it!

I'd say that you're getting a relatively gentle go of it here George. Some vitriol is coming out in this thread, but nothing like what I thought would.

I'm happy you're on the forum here, and I think we'll all benefit from your knowledge and experience. I can't say that I'm a happy or satisfied AA customer though. I've had some not so good customer service from AA in the past. And there are many people with much more heated opinions about AA than myself.

That being said, I'm glad you're here, and I hope only good things come of it.


-Josh2

[quote name='jhadler' date='Jan 5 2007, 02:36 PM' post='843302']
[/quote]
I am here to address all issues openly and honestly. Please let me have it!
[/quote]

I'd say that you're getting a relatively gentle go of it here George. Some vitriol is coming out in this thread, but nothing like what I thought would.

I'm happy you're on the forum here, and I think we'll all benefit from your knowledge and experience. I can't say that I'm a happy or satisfied AA customer though. I've had some not so good customer service from AA in the past. And there are many people with much more heated opinions about AA than myself.

That being said, I'm glad you're here, and I hope only good things come of it.


-Josh2
[/quote]

thanks Josh for the straight foward honesty. Good things will come this year to all 914 owners. We plan on another great 914 magazine article this year.

Anyone running an international business or even an around the corner, neighborhood business, will have complaints and customer's who are never happy no matter the efforts asserted by those running that business.

Some people will never quit complaining how bad the products, service and customer relations are. Generally the business and a bona fide customer will try to work something out that satisfy both their sides.
After a while, like the unhappy customer that has ran out of patience, the business will tend to give up trying to be that customer's best friend and start to ignore. Becomes a battle no one wants.

There of course is a solution. If you don't like the products, service or customer relations, shop somewhere else. Businesses don't have that option because they are in business to sell products, not be blackballing the customer.
In my 914 early years, I spent money at AA when I needed parts which wasn't often as the 914 was a good car. There was no internet where people complained.

Those I knew locally bought parts from AA too. We were happy with the products, the customer service we received and AA grew. If it was the demon some make it to be, the business would be gone long ago and not still growing 30 years later.

I have heard all the vendor's be blasted by a few at one time or another.
Want to bitch and have a reason, get a Yugo.
Real name too. I am a real man and not afraid to tell anyone who I am.
Mike Cooley

PS. Some will be angry at me for telling the truth about how I feel about AA and may stop being a friend. If they do, they were never a friend to start with if what I had to say, had to be approved by them in order to be a friend.

And that's what a lot of people have done, Mike, gone somewhere else and warned their friends. Which is the entire reason for this discussion, no?

And I for one Mike am angry that you have not come down to see us recently, especially living so close. SHAME on you!

!!!!!,!!!!!,!!,!!!!!

Warned? Sounds like blackballing another person to me. Most people move on. I have nothing to gain by saying what I did in my post. My 914 is for sale. $914 so I won't be buying anything from anyone since I am past 70 and just an onlooker.
Best regards,
Mike Cooley.

And I warn you Paul. I have a wealth of knowlege here to share with all!!!!! Beware of the information overload!!!!!

When I got my 914 I didn't know anything about VWs, Porsches, air-cooled engines, or any vehicle other than a Chevy. In other words I was completely lost when trying to work on a 914. In those days there was no internet, no google or other easy way to get info. Like others have said there was the Haynes manual and there was AA.
I don't remember how I found Automobile Atlanta, but I do know I would have been a very short term 914 owner without them. I never talked to George directly, but I could call and ask countless stupid questions and get helpful advice from anyone I talked to in their service department. They never steered me wrong.
As for bad experiences, I would suspect every business has problems with customer service at some point. I have gone out of my way to patronize some vendors that have come highly recommended, only to be disappointed with bad service. I have been tempted to go online and blast them but chose not to. Some people are just more vocal and vendetta oriented than others, I guess.

Anyway, I just wanted to say , George!

I look at it like this, I have only ordered 1 thing from AA about 3 years ago and it was the wrong part. After hearing of all the bad experiences people have had I just chalked it up as a bad investment and didn't bother hasseling over it ($12.00 worth of seals).

BUT, I do know that AA could not stay in business as long as it has if even 10% of the customers had problems (small community and word travels fast).

I'll pick the Dr's brain for technical info and will even add AA to my vendors list as long as things don't go sideways...

Stupid isn't it. We called them on this and they said that the mold casting was bad and that is all we get take it or leave it! Our darn chinese flaps are better than this! I had a good one saved until about four months ago when I swapped the defective new factory one we installed on the Motor Trend car with the perfect one. I am afraid like many you will have to suffer, because the flaw is better that a rechrome and fake rivit. I am sure however that someone will have one new and for sale on e bay sometime soon. Of course the left ones are in the white box and perfect but the flap curve is opposite from the right side. Sorry. (I find myself apologizing for Porsche every day)

You can call me personally any time you have a tech question and I will give you the best answer I know.

welcome aboard George!!! Will stop by soon, need some parts for the other porsche!!

thank you Gary and thank you for keeping the 914 faith all of these years!!!

Greg my man! My suburu man! Tomorrow should be a very nice day. Will look forward to seeing thebestsalesmenintheworldwhopaysmoreinincometaxthatIearnallyear!

just because this thread is so kookie!

What is even kookier is that we have here is six number 9142430240 with a factory installed 911s 2.4 litre engine!!!!! Just like yours!

Thanks for the reply on the door handles, no one else could answer my question on the notched new ones, and many hadn't even noticed. It seems the chrome plating and the
quality on the new parts is very poor. The new mirrors are sub par also.

"Chalk one up for the Dr."!

Funny you mention that. I'm picking up a 73.5 2.4 911T 7R long block tomorrow morning. I don't know what I'm gonna do with it, but I'm gettin' it.

Sweet Jason!
I've been looking for one of those
if you ever decide to get rid of it keep me in mind

brant

I'll definitely let you know. I'm getting it and I'm either going to shelf it for the future or, I'm gonna off it.

If you do decide to off it, make sure you shoot me an email at:
brant914@hotmail.com

I'm going to be building a new 2.0/6 for the vintage car and just started looking for a 73.5 core motor to make it out of.
brant

(SORRY, I just GOTTA)
Could it be that AA is HERE, because B is NO longer HERE????


Ok, back to Welcoming George & sharing your Frustrations with George!

I gotta prep my car for bodywork this weekend...

There was an allusion to that in the middle of one of George's posts that I wonderd if anyone else picked up on

Gentlemen... please.

Welcome George... or post a concern... or whatever.

But don't hijack this thread. I don't want to close it, but I will if if members sidetrack it.

..Gee Lawrence,
is that a message from OUR club?

I thought - nah Forget that, I was JOKING by implying with the SORRY
and the HIDING behind the couch.

ScottyB was partially right, although I'm Not sure IF George was referring to B or not. Makes NO difference to me actually.
George/AA has decided to join us here, while others have decided to go their own way. Kind of a Freedom of Speech thing, eh?

Not me, said Mike Cooley.
Brad is a 914 owner and a most time friend same as all that allow us to type back at em on our keyboards. Brad gives more than 98% of those whose real names and not real names send across my computer screen.

Brad only needs to get the site log in factor worked out. Can't post without site sending you back to the front door to log in again... and again...Most all 914 users will jump in and out of these 914 places. I would be a dummy not to read all post and make an effort to add some content when there is one to add.

Right now, the biggest issue is the mystery in 914 land is Betty Perrine finishing her adventure of "yard of the month" exclusive on 914World.

Mike Cooley

We're a non-Club... and proud of it.

Hi George, I'll be needing a pair soon!
Mine have daylight showing between the red and amber...

Funny, been busy all week, (long story short, dropped a valve Monday on the '71...) so not checking in here, but yesterday I found my AA t-shirt at the top of the drawer, so wore it all day. (Along with the outline hat I just got from Z.) Today I check in and find George is here! Welcome to the club, hope to see some 914 knowledge flying about.

Actually, I am glad you are here Doc...

Back when I first met Betty, I started working on her 914 with her. Coming from a hotrod background (69 Firebird), I really didn't have much of an idea on what I was doing with a 914. Your catalog was a godsend. I used it to figure out how things were supposed to fit together, and to learn about the car.


That was back in 1985-1986. Betty bought a set of sway bars from you, and I installed them. They are still on the car to this day (along with my crappy welding job). I still remember your address at the time... 504 Clay Street. (I wonder why? )

In the last 20 years of fooling with these cars, I have learned a whole lot. But I still have that old catalog around for a reference. The pictures on a computer are good, but a computer is not very easy to carry around in the trunk in case of emergencies. And your catalog never has a dead battery.

I have some bad experiences with your parts guys since, but my overall experience with AA was positive.


FYI.. I have an 2.4L MFI powered 914 /6 conversion, and I just traded the 76 930 engine I had for all the parts to build up a new 2.4L S motor for my car. SO... I have experience with MFI, and I would love to trade a tune up on your 916 for the chance to test drive it.


Welcome Doc.

We could probably make an event our of the 916 resurrection, getting the car driveable, cleaning it to concours perfection and then having the chosen test drive it on a closed course! Glad to see that the passion has inspired you all of these years. Thanks for keeping the faith.

\
Thank you very much for the kind words Mike. I sure wish we could make those tee shirts again! With Porsche right here in Atlanta and them very strict about copyright trademark infringement and them CLAIMING the 914 image as their own, if we even THINK about using an image for our own purposes, what ever it may be, they are on us like a fly on it. It is really terrible the way they kill the enthusiasm!!!!!!

I'm glad AA is making all the reproduction parts they do. George is without a doubt a fantastic resource of information regarding these cars we love so much. I'm sure that he will provide a wealth of information and technical advice to this community.

OK, since we are "free" to air dirty laundry....

I remember getting my first AA catalog way back in the early 80's. I couldn't guess at how many hours I spent over the years pouring over that, and other AA catalogs. For many years it was my secret fantasy to pack up, move to Marietta and secure employment at 914 world headquarters.

I had used AA nearly exclusively for repair and maintenenc parts, and purchasing numerous parts for an extensive restoration of my daily driver (and only car) in '84 and '85. Not all transactions were problem free, and any correspondence from me regarding any difficulties, were left with no reply.

In the fall of '92 I had the itch to get a better 914, so I took a trip to visit AA. I've got to say that from my time there at his facility, and during the day and a half I spent there. I was made to feel at home, and George was as friendly and gregarious as a long lost friend. Then I spent (what was it $14,000?) some money getting a car from AA. The car being one they had wrecked and rebuilt, put on steel flairs, cheapo taiwaniese Fuchs knock offs, poorly done five lug conversion (re-drilled four cylinder front rotors with screw in studs, and 911T front calipers that STILL HAD THE SPACERS FOR VENTED ROTORS!!), a poorly done rear five lug conversion, sold to me as an "real" 2.0 when in fact it left the factory as a 1.7, and lets not forget the 3" x 8" hole (in the area now known as the "hell hole") despite the fact that the battery tray and stand had been replaced and new paint, and some nice swiss cheese in the firewall. This was one of the cars in George's special showcase. At the time I'm thinking: This is World 914 Headquarters right? If George has put a high dollar value on this car, it must be worth it right?

Without making any more of a chapter book post. The bottom line is I got a bad deal and AA had no intent of any sort of resolution. They offered to repair the car "at cost", but two subsequent appointments for repairs were cancelled by them.

I would love to be able to purchase parts from AA, however my own concience dictates otherwise. IE: Cheat me once shame on you, cheat me twice shame on me.

After a period of time I thought, well if they sell it on eBay, and I get a fair price, what the hell. I did win three of AA's eBay auctions. The first two transactions went off fine without a hitch, and they even left positive feedback for me. However the third auction they returned my PayPal payment twice, refused to complete the transaction and threatened negative feedback for me if I left it for them, even though I had done all expected. How do you explain this?

I would love to resolve this all and bury the hatchet. How is this possible?

I have always thought you a really great and nice person and that is my opinion of you from the last time I saw you in person. (your ex wife who called me and talked at length does not think so though!!!!!) (I cannot count all of the ex girlfriends who think the same of me though, especially one hall at Sweetbriar!!!!)
Anyway, our most successful ads were featured the car you purchased "should this car be saved" showing the terrible wreck.
Well yes we saved this totalled 914 with a clip and a quick paint job showing everyone that one could repair a car on a budget and enjoy it, but not concours the car. In fact we used the car at Road Atlanta for all of the drivers events because it was not any where near perfect and with flares was perfect to run around the track in the beginners and novice catagories.
You of course saw all of the high color glossies of the disaster wreck that our own Sean perpetrated, and the final result, as well as every other 914 owner who subcribed to the old vw porsche 914 magazine. We had this car parked in our show room because it was one featured in the magazine not one of our concours cars. (in fact we would love to display the 914-6 prototype "as is" in our show room just for what it is!!!!!)
You had the choice of some pristine narrow bodied cars or the fat fendered rebuilt wreck, and being the sporting type you were are? in our opinion, opted for the car that you could run around the track. We all went out to dinner that night and you left a happy man I am sure. The car was sold to you as is, you saw every one of the rebuild pictures, and how far down we took the car to do the work. We have NOTHING ever to hide here.
Well you were still a great customer really loving the car from your own admissions to us for a year and a half, when the fateful call came: George, I removed the back pad and insulator and have found rust holes in the back wall! What are you going to do about it? It was all down hill from there.
Our offer to repair the car at cost was way beyond what any registered state of Georgia used car dealer would do or was even obgligated to do, and the fact that you saw all of the pictures of the totaled 914, knew what we had repaired, personally inspected the car before purchase, and then only called a year and a half later, all lend to a fair deal and fair treatment of you our customer. You also knew my personal opinion and that was that YOU Perry Kiel, needed to purchase a pristine original 914 not a flared rebuilt wreck. (of course the flared cars do look "tough" and our one side of the showroom has four of them in it, so I certainly understood your decision)
You then decided to "take it out on us" anyway way you could when we politely said that we would not repair the backwall rust for free, and for all of these years have tried to do anything to disparage us, including starting a 914 gusiness of your own. (more power to you Perry!) I heard that you sold that car for a lot of money several years later?)
Perry I bear you no hard feelings at all, even though I have read countless disparaging remarks you have published about us, and me!, and know that you are a kind and gentle person. Please get back to the old Perry I knew and we can speak as friends again.
My main fault is my overwhelming trust of EVERYONE, to where I take a man at his word, and have been really abused by some bad employees, and some very bad vendors. But "that is life" and I keep an optimistic attitude. Perry I welcome you back as my friend and hope to hear from you soon. You may e mail me or call at any time.

Thanks for the reply George! You seem to forget the hole in the longitudinal and the rusty inner wheelhouse. These issues were brought to you within a couple months of purchasing the car, and you said you'd fix them, but somehow you couldn't keep the apointments, and my supposition was you had no intent to make good. Yes the firewall problem wasn't discovered for over a year, but the hole in the longitudinal and the rusty wheelhouse were brought to you attention within a reasonable time frame.

I haven't changed who I am or the manner in which I treat anyone.

Disparaging remarks? If you consider factual, truthful information as disparaging, then so be it. I have taken great care to insure that any information I set forth regarding you and AA, to be factual. Please enlighten me and anyone else who may be interested as to any comments I have made in print or otherwise that were not factual.

Stick to the facts George, and the details. I don't care about your relations with employees and vendors, or any conversations you may have had with anyone's ex spouse. I provided specific factual information, and you have spoken in broad generalites with no regard for the specifics.

Immagine my surprise when after a couple thousand miles the front brakes started making really bad sounds, and I find that the front brake calipers still had the spacers for vented rotors? The reason it was making a noise is the one of the caliper pistons had extended so far that the boot for the snap ring came off!

You yourself told me that car was a '73 2.0, when in fact it was a 1.7 that you had swapped for a 2.0.
I trusted that if "Dr. 914" was selling a four cylinder 914 for the amount of money I paid, that it would be put together correctly, and would not have a hole in the longitudinal that you could drop a rachet into. Ask me how I found the hole in the first place?

Yes Perry my friend. The facts are the facts and I will defer to you to have the last post in this exchange. Please call or e mail or come and see me at any time. I will take you out for a drink and we can personally rehash!! You can even hit me if you like!!