Finish Line Issues?

[peterpjb]

Originally Posted by ACHiPo

I think Serbs sold Finish Line about a year ago to the guy that was managing it. They still share a website with the Serbs’s website specializing in parts for original cars. finishLine is in Concord. The Drews’s business is in Martinez.

but.... since about one year the cobra performance option occurs on the the finishline start site, before not...

[ACademic]

I just don't order from Finishline any longer. Problem solved. At least CobraRestorers will confirm and ship stuff. Enzo, you are surely missed. Drew, you have a broken business model...please fix it!

[cycleguy55]

FinishLine's Facebook page appears to be very quiet, with the last post from January 2018. Their Twitter account has nothing since 2014.

No guarantee you'll get a response, but here's their contact information from https://www.finishlineaccessories.com/t-contact.aspx

Finish Line Accessories
1300 Galaxy Way Suite 15
Concord CA. 94520
(925) 849-6331
sales@finishlineaccessories.com

For Technical Support,
please contact us at:
tech@finishlineaccessories.com

[snakeeyes]

I have to add my name to the list of folks who wasn’t aware of the difference between Finish Line and CSX Parts. As a longtime member of this forum who had kind of gotten away from the hobby for the last decade or so, I turned to my old sources for parts and accessories when I recently got sucked back in, LOL. As I mentioned earlier in this thread that was primarily Finish Line and Cobra Restorers, both of which were problematic (exorbitant and rigid shipping prices in one instance and lack of responsiveness in the other). Because of the way the Finish Line website is currently set up, with FL on one side of the landing page and Cobra Performance on the other, I didn’t snap to the fact that they were, in fact, separate companies.

About ten days ago I noticed the reference to The Cobra Experience and was curious as to what it was. In Googling it I realized it was what looked to be a very interesting collection of Shelby-related cars. Even better, it’s located in Martinez, California. Although I live about 1700 miles from there, as luck would have it I was working within two hours of Martinez all last week. I decided to try emailing Emily Lambert to see if I could view the collection, as it’s an appointment-only deal save for periodic open-to-the-public days.

I didn’t hold out much hope for a reply, at least not in time for me to see the cars, but Emily responded within minutes. Moreover, although she was out of state on what sounds like a fabulous annual road trip with over a dozen original Cobras, she was more than happy to set me up to see the collection last week. In fact, she arranged for me to meet with Sam, who she references in her post above.

Long story less long, last Friday I drove down to Martinez on my way to the Sacramento airport and spent an amazing two hours walking around The Cobra Experience. The place is incredible; I believe they have 13 or 14 original Cobras including two USRRC cars, CSX 3022, CSX 3009 (the ex-Ed Lowther, ex-Skip Scott Essex Wire 427 car, ‘66 SCCA AProd champ and 1973 ARRC champion with Sam Feinstein), one of two factory 289 Dragonsnake cars, Dan Gurney’s Lotus 19B “mechanical rabbit”, a McCluskey Daytona, a spectacular recreation of GT40 chassis J-1, a 289 modified years ago for autocrossing, several 427 street cars including one that ran 165 mph at Bonneville in the late 1960’s and still wears its paint (dents, dings, and all) from that era, the prototype Sunbeam Tiger, and several Shelby Mustangs. I thought I had heard of every car related to Carroll Shelby, so I was shocked to come across something called the Zoomer. According to the placard it was commissioned by Pete Lovely in 1962, uses the second of two 260 engines Ford sent to AC Cars in 1963, and took so long to complete that Lovely took delivery in 1967, raced it that year, then stored it until his death in 2013. The car looks like a cross between a Lotus 11 and a dune buggy, and must be even lighter than a 260 Cobra.

To not describe the setting for those cars would be to overlook more than half of what makes the place so amazing. Seemingly every nook and cranny around the cars is stuffed full of engines, sculptures, a display of all of the different wheels that were used on Cobras, hundreds of scale and die cast models, racing programs and all kinds of other print materials including a complete Shelby-related library, chassis for 289/427 Cobras and a GT40 hung on the walls, a 1957 AC Ace bare chassis, and on and on. To me, the most amazing thing is the very back corner of the museum, where a huge assortment of tools and equipment from Shelby American resides. This includes the engine hoist used in the Shelby shop on all of the Cobras, GT40s, and Mustangs (there’s a huge blow up of the shop on the wall, with the hoist visible in it), tool boxes, dyno equipment, etc. etc. The coolest thing (IMHO) is the original block of wood used as the pattern for the “FIA suitcase” for the 289 Cobra FIA and GT40 cars. As the sign on it says, it was later used as a step stool in the shop.

I’m hardly scratching the surface of all of the neat stuff The Cobra Experience has packed into its amazing space in Northern California. A fully-stocked gift shop naturally led to me spending a whole bunch of money on my way out. Sam, who as Emily mentioned works for Cobra Performance (downstairs from the museum) is a car nut and was very knowledgeable about the stories behind the cars.

Bottom line? If you’re anywhere near Martinez, make it a point to call or email the museum ahead of time and plan to spend as much time there as they’ll let you. Beyond that, add Cobra Performance/CSXparts.com to your short list of parts sources, as they are in it for the long run and are very, very responsive to calls and emails.

Hi, Emily!

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by snakeeyes

I thought I had heard of every car related to Carroll Shelby, so I was shocked to come across something called the Zoomer. According to the placard it was commissioned by Pete Lovely in 1962, uses the second of two 260 engines Ford sent to AC Cars in 1963, and took so long to complete that Lovely took delivery in 1967, raced it that year, then stored it until his death in 2013. The car looks like a cross between a Lotus 11 and a dune buggy, and must be even lighter than a 260 Cobra.

Thanks for the comments.

Pete Lovely's Zoomer:

[Alfa02]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

Thanks for the comments.

Pete Lovely's Zoomer:

I know this car & it's (Only) second owner (I was allowed to sit in it), I also knew Pete.. It's known as the "Lovely" with a badge on the front. If you want the whole story on this one of a kind car. I can contact the owner, as he was a very good friend with Pete, and worked for him for years. I was shown the car, in the last 5-years, and never knew it existed, till then. I was at Pete's estate sale, and was allowed to buy many of his memorabilia, his racing history, is a great one. First winner at Laguna Seca, last Privateer F-1 team. on & on. Cheers Tom.

[snakeeyes]

That’s the one! Interesting car.

I meant Lotus 7, not 11, BTW. LOL.

[lomdel]

Order placed and paid on 29 September. Still no communication, order show as not shipped yet. Doesn't answer my calls (from South Africa). That is no way to run a business... If anyone on here manage to speak to Taylor, please, please request the status of order nr 116789. lomdel@mweb.co.za

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by lomdel

Order placed and paid on 29 September. Still no communication, order show as not shipped yet. Doesn't answer my calls (from South Africa). That is no way to run a business... If anyone on here manage to speak to Taylor, please, please request the status of order nr 116789. lomdel@mweb.co.za

Really? You posted on this thread on September 7th, so you knew all the complaints and what has been taking place over the last year or so, yet you went ahead and ordered on September 29th anyhow. Now you are whining about not getting a reply and not receiving your order?

Suck it up. You will probably get your stuff sooner or later.

[Lou1119]

Originally Posted by lomdel

Order placed and paid on 29 September. Still no communication, order show as not shipped yet. Doesn't answer my calls (from South Africa). That is no way to run a business... If anyone on here manage to speak to Taylor, please, please request the status of order nr 116789. lomdel@mweb.co.za

I placed an order on October 15 and received t on October 18. I have never had problems with them.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by lomdel

Order placed and paid on 29 September. Still no communication, order show as not shipped yet. Doesn't answer my calls (from South Africa). That is no way to run a business... If anyone on here manage to speak to Taylor, please, please request the status of order nr 116789. lomdel@mweb.co.za

Assuming you used a credit card and the rules in South Africa are the same as the US (which they may not be) you'd be well advised to start to dispute the charges now...

[CJ428CJ]

Really? You posted on this thread on September 7th, so you knew all the complaints and what has been taking place over the last year or so, yet you went ahead and ordered on September 29th anyhow. Now you are whining about not getting a reply and not receiving your order?

Suck it up. You will probably get your stuff sooner or later.

This thread has been a mixed bag. Some people have experienced problems and others have not. He obviously decided to roll the dice and take a chance and now he regrets it. In this day and age of next day shipping and near instant gratification from so many on-line companies, going on 30 days without any communication is completely unacceptable. Accusing him of whining and telling him to "suck it up" and that he'll "probably get his stuff sooner or later" really isn't warranted.

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by CJ428CJ

This thread has been a mixed bag. Some people have experienced problems and others have not. He obviously decided to roll the dice and take a chance and now he regrets it. In this day and age of next day shipping and near instant gratification from so many on-line companies, going on 30 days without any communication is completely unacceptable. Accusing him of whining and telling him to "suck it up" and that he'll "probably get his stuff sooner or later" really isn't warranted.

If you want to take the chance after reading all the posts, have at it, but don't sit there and whine about it especially after you made a post in the thread. Really, the very first post and the whole theme of this thread has been how bad their service has become. As of now, I do not know anybody that has been ripped off by FL as everyone either got their product or cancelled from the wait and got their money back.

[eschaider]

+1^


Ed

[lomdel]

Comments noted. Having no joy out of FL, I ordered the parts from CobraRestorers yesterday. Two hours later BOTH CobraRestorers AND Finishline sent me shipping notifications!

[CJ428CJ]

If you want to take the chance after reading all the posts, have at it, but don't sit there and whine about it especially after you made a post in the thread.

Complaining that his calls go unanswered and asking others to check on the status of his order should they be lucky enough to get a hold of someone at FL isn't what I'd call whining. If you want to see whining, just follow Trump on Twitter. Lol

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by CJ428CJ

Complaining that his calls go unanswered and asking others to check on the status of his order should they be lucky enough to get a hold of someone at FL isn't what I'd call whining. If you want to see whining, just follow Trump on Twitter. Lol

I will agree. Trump on Twitter is whining!

[Michael C Henry]

So I've gone to Finishline's website. Nothing new or recent. Not active? I'm looking for the door ferrules for the side curtains, a cover or pad and limit straps for the door hinges , door latch pull straps for an older EM fiberglass replica And another wind shield. Where to go now? I've been kind of out to lunch and not buying Cobra stuff. That is changing.

[snakeeyes]

Originally Posted by Michael C Henry

So I've gone to Finishline's website. Nothing new or recent. Not active? I'm looking for the door ferrules for the side curtains, a cover or pad and limit straps for the door hinges , door latch pull straps for an older EM fiberglass replica And another wind shield. Where to go now? I've been kind of out to lunch and not buying Cobra stuff. That is changing.

Per Emily Lambert's post at the top of this page, I would try Sam at csxparts.com. I've met her and she's really sharp and into Cobras. if she can't help, I'd go to Cobra Restorers. I've ordered several things from them recently and they usually ship right away, but they aren't exactly buyer-friendly with their pricing or their shipping costs. I wanted to buy one decal and they were going to charge me more to "ship" it than it cost, so I sent an email asking if they could maybe charge me the cost of the stamp instead. Never heard a word back.

[Michael C Henry]

I've looked at CSX, didn't see anything about door or body ferrules let alone stuff for a fiberglass replicas. I have ferrules I bought around 2001., from Everett Morrison when they were in Florida and still sold kits and parts. The ferrules I now have are round polished heads that are at least 3/16" high above the mounted surface and squared sides not like original car ferrules that are only slightly higher than mounting surface and taper to almost blend into the doors mounting surface.. The EM ferrules I have look as if they would be uncomfortable if you laid an arm on them. Why do you think EM made them like that? I have tried to contact Finnish Line to ask for a better picture of the ferrules the show online, with no response.