Brand Name Parts

[computerworks]

I think both sides on this issue have had their say.

I would rather see the forum interchange here result in an equitable resolution, rather than be a bar scuffle that has rolled out into the street.

Try to work this out with a phone call.

thanks
ron
ClubCobra Moderator

[dscott]

JAC, I'm back in town so I will give my final response to this matter. I would like you to tell me what I have not helped you with. The headers and sidepipes are an issue that I was trying to address in the 1 day you gave me before posting. I answered your e-mail the day I received it. I asked you specific questions for a reason. There are several factors that will effect the alignment of the sidepipes. If you think about the effect that 1 or 2 degrees variation at the header will change at the rear of the pipe to a much larger degree then maybe you can see the other factors involved. If the motor mounts are not the ones we recommend that can change the header angle. If you have the trans mount a slight amount to the left or right that will change the angle. I asked you the question about motor mounts and your reply was basically don't ask me such stupid questions, I know what I'm doing. Well I don't know what you are doing. Isn't it fair that before I send out over $1000 worth of parts without receiving the old ones first that I have the opportunity to resolve the problem and not just take your word for it. We are a small company and I can't afford to do business that way. I have done everything I can to help you and never refused to give you anything you asked for.

If you want a Flaming River rack send me the one you have and I'll exchange it. I will also point out that in your contract you will find a line that states I can change specs or prices when necessary. That's not unreasonable, if something isn't available when I need it I sometimes substitute. Normally it costs me more money to do that because I don't have wholesale buying at all places. I sometimes buy from Jegs or Summit. The side louvers are bought at either Finishline or Shell Valley. I don't make them. I'm sorry their quality isn't up to you specs.

I have sold hundreds of racks both Flaming River and other brands. Why are you the only one that has a problem? I think you are trying to find problems because your mindset is telling you everything we provide is wrong.

So stay on your soapbox and keep badmouthing us or give me a call to resolve this.

Don

[HI Cobra]

Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. I got my CR in 1999, and the motor and
tranny was provided by Don. The build wasn't completed until late 2000.
During the build Don ended up answering a lot of our questions and was a
big help in the build process, even though he didn't own CR yet.

Since Don took over CR (now CR II) he has always provided information,
diagrams, suggestions, and, if he had them, sold me parts I needed which
did the job, or recommended what I needed and where I could find them.
This has been a big help to me because Hawaii is a long ways off from the
real world. In a nut shell - I couldn't ask for better service.

[entropy]

I just ran across this thread, and I am compelled to add my 3 cents worth. Don and Pete have been enormously generous with their time when I have asked for help. Don, in particular, has gone well above and beyond what any reasonable person would expect for technical assistance. Anytime that I have phoned for help, he has given me expert advice. If he is was not available, I would leave my phone number, and he called me back within a few hours.

While one might say that all of this is to be expected when you purchase a kit from a company, but I bought my Classic Roadster from an individual! It was only partially completed. Since I did not purchase from Don, he was under no obligation to give me any assistance. Yet he treated me like one of the family. Lastly, because I purchase it partially completed from an individual, it was missing a number of parts. Some were minor, but others were major. Don gave me (i.e. no charge) all of the parts that I needed.

I could not ask or even dream of better service.
Howard

[dscott]

JAC and Hamster, I'm sitting here trying my best not to release my anger on you guys but you have some explaining to do. Yesterday Mr. Craven (JAC) brought us back the rack that he claims was not a Flaming River but some off brand put in a Flaming River box. He raised some serious questions regarding my honesty and our level of customer support on this site. I have told him all along I will help him any way I can. He was not satisfied with the rack or the u-joint we sent him. He immediately posted on this site that we would not help which was a lie. After some discussion I ordered him a new Flaming River rack that I have not received yet. He traded his fuel tank for a carpet set and we did that exchange yesterday when he also dropped off the rack.

I do have a different brand of racks I use when I can't get the Flaming River in a timely manner. This rack he brought back was not the other brand and looked to be the same as a Flaming River. The reason it came in a Flaming River box was because IT IS A FLAMING RIVER RACK. If you look at the attached picture you can see where the name label has been ground off. The only problem I can see is that the rack was cut too short! We call for removal of 3/4" from each inner tie rod end and this one has been cut 1 1/4" from each end. Interesting, they make a mistake by cutting the rack too short and decide to grind off the name and then go after me and my company for selling inferior parts and claiming we don't support what we sell. We measured the pinion shaft and it's the proper size and I personally took 10 of my u-joints off the shelf and they all fit. The one he brought back is not the right joint but he told us he tried it on his friends Flaming River rack and it fit. That's impossible because the one he brought back yesterday isn't even close to fitting a manual rack. It's a joint I've never seen before and isn't for anything we sell. I did exchange it.

Am I just supposed to sit back and let you guys blast me and my company? What the hell! You question my honesty and integrity and then this is what you pull. Are you out to just make me look bad for some reason? I don't get it. I have told you guys over and over that I will support you before, during, and after the build. The same way we support over 9,000 other customers since 1978. After seeing what you guys are doing you can come and get your Flaming River rack. Don't call my number anymore, don't e-mail me, don't let your friends try and get anything from me. I don't need your business and I certainly don't want to associate with your type! You can say anything you want about this company or me but I think the people on this site will understand where you are coming from.

So tell me how you explain this? Tell me why you decided to blame us for something you guys did? Why did you attack me and my company knowing you were telling lies? I'm a reasonable man but this is over the top!
Don

[dscott]

We just noticed that there was another area on this rack that was ground off. According to Mr. Craven, Flaming River puts a serial number on each rack. If that's true, and I don't know if it is, then that number has been ground off as well. Whoever ground off the name badge used the same grinder on the other side. The more I look into this the more upset I get. Mr. Craven just called me and of course he knows nothing about the rack being ground off. So I must assume that this is a ploy on my part to make him look bad. I took a perfectly good, new in the box Flaming River rack, cut the inner tie rods too short, ground off the name badge, ground off the serial number, sent it to Mr. Craven in a Flaming River box just so I could at a point later in time accuse him of badmouthing and telling lies. I also sent him a u-joint that doesn't fit anything just so I could send him the correct one at a later time.

WOW, I'm glad I got that off my chest! I do this all the time because I have so much money to throw away and then I can get my jollys off by making my customers mad. That was my goal when I bought this company. Piss off as many customers as I can, throw money around, buy Flaming River boxes just to put in someone elses racks. It's a plot I tell ya! I think the government is hiding something here, it's a cover up.

Good Luck to you Mr. Craven!