[A Snake]

Rick,

I truly sympathize with the difficulties you had. It's interesting that you are just like I am in how you deal with it.

I had a so callled "expert" start the work on building my Contemporary. He was the dealer in this area and talked a hell of a good line. "exact to original" was one of his favorite phrases.

Turns out that the guy had done his own car and figured he could do it for other people. Only thing was he figured his customer should pay for his learning curve at going shop rates.

This joker got $20K of my money and most of what he did I had to have repaired or replaced. This guy also went on parts runs for more than one customer at a time and billed each of them full price for labor. I finally got a belly full of the BS and excuses and pulled the car out. Went back for my refund of a cash advance I'd given him and found that he'd managed to find enough to bill nearly all of it out. I felt like putting his lights out right then and there, but settled for calling him an effing amature and left.

You're right, shame on me for letting him get me that way. That's what you sometimes get for giving people the benefit of the doubt.

Since then I've given him enough bad press that he's basically out of business. He didn't realize how many car people I know around here. Every time someone would ask about the car and where they could get one, I let him have it with both barrels.

To give you an idea of this guy's character, when he got a divorce, his wife was entitled to half of the Cobra. What's this guy do? Gets on television giving his wife $25K in quarters! I know some of you will think that's really funny, but think about it.....would you do that? I wouldn't. I'd be embarrassed enough kowing I couldn't make it work, let alone tell the world and show them I'm a jerk too!

This was his attitude toward working on people's cars too.....including mine.

So......I do understand Rick.

Oh BTW for all Portland area prospective Cobra builders.....Stay away from "The Guy" in Aurora, OR

Al