JCF - John's Custom Fabrication - Page 2

mikecuthbertson · #21 (**permalink**) 11-06-2004, 08:02 PM

talked to Mike 48 anf JCF today about whats being written here.There's two sides to every story.It's going to be interesting to get my car and really see the finished product.I will write an honest account of my findings.

force8 · #22 (**permalink**) 11-07-2004, 05:34 PM

Been reading the threads on JCF. I had them build my first replica Cobra way back in 1991. I too experienced some delays, but I was very satisfied with the build, the quality of the car and the way they took care of the tranny problems I experienced after I took delivery. Their frames are a work of art in themselves. They know Cobras and they know their craft. Both John and Mike are very personable and honest people. I was so impressed with their work that we had them fabricate a 2600 gallon aluminium water tank for one of our volunteer fire department tenders.

I realize it was a long time ago and it appears that delays are still prevelent. Like Mike C. said, small shops can't afford to turn away business. Each of these cars are a one of a kind, handcrafted street rod, much like a '34 Ford. Small shops aren't geared for mass production like some of the major Cobra manufacturers. Delays and post production 'tweaking' are to be expected. I'm on my third build and how many of us have had our dream rides up on the jacks working the 'bugs' out after we've put them on the road.

My advice to someone planning to build a replia Cobra is to do your homework THOROUGHLY! And make a trip to visit the top one or two manufacturers you decide on. Check out their operation and the guys that are going to build your 150 mph rocket. The cost of the trip is well worth the money when your about to drop $15,000 to $45,000 on a roller or turnkey.

p.s. Mike C. - I know you are going to be happy with your car and cruising through the redwoods. What did you order, a 427 or a 289 'slabside'?

Mike Berry - Force 8 Inc.

mikecuthbertson · #23 (**permalink**) 11-07-2004, 09:01 PM

Another Mike?Man! how many Mikes own cobras? I'm getting a 427 body with a 351w.My car is the first one that john has built with SC flairs, and he did a great job.Good to hear something good about the person who is making my car. This was the first time I ever saw anything negitive about John!

Michael C Henry · #24 (**permalink**) 12-29-2004, 09:11 AM

My interest is in having a convertable top installed and my interior replaced with some changes. The car is an older84 EM . I bought a top and sidecurtains from EM.My windsheild is not at the standard angle ,leaned back a bit more. I have a roll bar. Can this top be made to work? The present interior was installed in early eighties and carpet was little more than trunk liner fuze,short. I have removed the top to the transmission tunnel and made it removable. I had to form some buldges for fuel lines etc.
I know No two cars are alike . I've read about JCF doing tops and so forth on cars he has built .What about a project like I have?

BLACKJACK · #25 (**permalink**) 12-29-2004, 12:33 PM

HI, GUYS - - - -

I KNOW ALAN SMITH PERSONALLY FOR THE PAST FOUR OR SO YEARS. UNLIKE ME - ALAN IS NOT THE TYPE TO "STIR THE POT" JUST BECAUSE IT'S THERE. HE'S BEING VERY KIND TO JFC BY OFFERING TO DISCUSS HIS SITUATION PRIVATELY. ONE HELL OF A LOT KINDER THAN I WOULD BE.

ABOUT FORTY OF THE CAPITAL AREA COBRA CLUB GUYS LIVED THROUGH ALMOST TWO YEARS WITH ALAN AFTER HE SOLD A BEAUTIFUL SPF COBRA IN ORDER TO GET A SLABSIDE. IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE OF "MISLEADING INFORMATION", OBFUSCATION AND BLATANT UNTRUTH.

IF THE ENTIRE STORY WERE TO BE TOLD - EVEN IN ABREVIATED FASHION - IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL PAGES ON THIS FORUM.

ALAN ACTUALLY AQUIRED THE NICKNAME "TWO OR THREE WEEKS" BECAUSE EVERY SATURDAY (FOUR NEARLY TWO YEARS) AT THE CACC BREAKFAST WE'D ASK HIM "HOW SOON??" AND HE'D REPLY THAT JOHN SAID "TWO OR THREE WEEKS"

THE WHOLE THING WAS A DISASTER - ALMOST FROM THE START. ALAN ACTUALLY SHOWED UP IN THE CAR AT BREAKFAST ONCE - SITTING ON BATH TOWELS - BECAUSE THE SEAT CUSHIONS LOOKED LIKE THAY CAME OUT OF A 1941 CHRYSLER. THEY WERE SO THICK THAT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD WOULD HAVE BEEN BELOW HIS COLLAR BONE.

THE TRANSMISSION - THE REAR END - THE SUSPENSION THE ONLY THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS NICE ABOUT THE CAR WAS THE VERY SUBSTANTIAL BODY.

I HAD PLANNED TO GET A SLAB SIDE FROM JCF WHEN ALAN ORDERED HIS AND THOUGHT IT A GOOD IDEA TO WAIT THE "FIVE OR SIX MONTHS" UNTIL ALAN RECEIVED HIS CAR. I HAD ONLY SEEN ONE JCF SLABSIDE BEFORE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A ROLLING DISASTER. I WAS STILL INTERESTED AND WOULD WAIT TO SEE ALAN'S CAR. I'M DAMN GLAD I DID. I HAD AN "OPPORTUNITY" TO PURCHASE A "PLACE IN LINE" CLOSE BEHIND ALAN AND I'M CERTAINLY GLAD THAT I DECLINED THE OFFER.

THE CONCENSUS AMOUNG THE CAPITAL AREA COBRA CLUB GUYS IS THAT ANY ONE OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN ON A PLANE TO COOS BAY WITH A LOUISVILLE SLUGGER AFTER THE FIRST YEAR. IN FACT - ALAN HAD SEVERAL OFFERS FROM GUYS TO FLY OUT THERE WITH HIM.

ALAN SMITH IS NOT AN ALARMIST BUT RATHER SOMEONE WITH ENTIRELY TOO MUCH PATIENCE AND TOO MUCH TRUST.

IT'S ONLY BECAUSE HE HAS THIS IMPOSSIBLE SENSE OF FAIRNESS - IF NOT GALLANTRY - THAT HE ISN'T WRITING AN ENCYCLOPEDIA ON THIS SUBJECT.

HE'S ONE OF THE MOST CONSIDERATE PEOPLE I KNOW - PROBABLY TO A FAULT.

ANYONE WHO IS CONSIDERING BUYING A CAR FROM JCF AND DOES NOT SPEAK TO ALAN FIRST (OR ME - IF YOU WOULD LIKE) WELL - WE CAN ONLY SAY "WE TOLD YOU SO".......

I APOLOGIZE FOR JUMPING IN HERE LIKE THIS BUT SOMEONE HAD TO BECAUSE ALAN'S JUST TOO DAMN NICE A GUY TO "TELL IT LIKE IT REALLY IS".

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY.

BLACKJACK

PS: YOU CAN CHECK WITH ANY OF THE CACC MEMBERS AND YOU'LL GET THE SAME STORY - - - PROBABLY EVEN MORE COLORFULLY PHRASED.

Mike48 · #26 (**permalink**) 01-13-2005, 05:42 PM

This is in response to the emails I 've received concerning Johns Custom Fabrication from those interested having JCF build one for them:

I have seen and inspected eight JCF cars and have spoken via email or telephone with six owners. I have an extensive background in both cars and motorcycles and to my eye JFC makes excellent replicas which are true in both form and function to the original. Some of these cars are over eight years old and, with only one exception, none of the cars has had any problems nor have any of the owners any complaints concerning build quality. In that one case, parts that went bad were replaced outright or an offer to do so was made.

It is my belief that if you are thinking of having JCF build a car, you need not worry about build quality nor of getting an exacting replica.

Cal Metal · #27 (**permalink**) 01-13-2005, 08:15 PM

Snakeeyes has a great looking JCF car. Check his photo gallery.

snakeeyes · #28 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 09:35 AM

I take no credit for my car because I bought it turnkey from CC member Walt Tomsic, who had it built by JCF. The only thing I've done to the car was change from round taillights to rectangular ones.

Walt is obviously in a much better position to comment on the build and his interaction with JCF. All I know is what he told me. I recall that he had some issues with the paint when the car was finished, but I believe that John at JCF made those right. The paint on the car is very nice. Not show-quality, but very nice. The rest of the car is built to a very high standard. The interior is outstanding, with high-quality carpet and leather. I do know that Walt was extremely particular about the layout and materials. He was fortunate to be physically close enough to John's shop that he could monitor the progress in person, which may be a key to the end result. He was also lucky to have a friend who owns an original 289 Cobra that he could use as a guide, and he did so (for example, he had John completely re-do the dash so that the gauge and switch layout followed the CSX2--- car).

I also have a scrapbook of build photos that came with the car. They display to good advantage the extensive frame gusseting that goes into the JCF kits. The strength of the frame is apparent from driving the car, as there is very little flex exhibited and no rattles over the washboard road leading to my house. In that respect it feels much like the ERA I used to own, which is high praise.

The rest of the car displays the same kind of quality. The trunk is carpeted in the same manner as the interior. The wiring is all first-class. The trim items--the grille, badges, chrome wire wheels, tri-bar headlights, shifter, etc. are all authentic. I don't know how much of that is attributable to Walt's wishes and how much is "standard" JCF, but the car is really well executed. I have twice had former owners of CSX2-series cars walk up, compliment me, and ask what the CSX number of my car was. That may be because you don't see many slabside replicas out there and so they assumed it was an original, or it may be because it just looks correct. I don't know, but one of those conversations took place when the car was surrounded by over 50 other replicas at a Texas Cobra Club meet, which made the question all the more surprising.

My car has almost 10,000 miles on it now. Walt put about 8,000 on it before I bought it. I don't get to drive it much because of my schedule but I wouldn't hesitate to go anywhere in it.

Walt doesn't seem to post much here since he sold the car but hopefully he'll weigh in with his build experiences. I don't really know if he had issues with the length of time the build took or not. I've spoken to a couple of other JCF owners. They seemed very happy with the end result but both made comments about it taking longer to get their cars than they expected.

Bob

Scott S · #29 (**permalink**) 01-31-2005, 01:42 PM

I have seen a couple of JCF's here in Oregon.

I would bet any delay or increased cost are due due to the unbearable taxation we have here. Or the constant rain in Cos Bay.

Sorry just doing the 1040 and slipped in to get a bit relief time.

The Jcf's I have seen are fine replicas, and from what I understand they are the only slabside builder in the states. One of our members here has won many awards.

cheers,

Scott S

terry mason · #30 (**permalink**) 01-31-2005, 05:49 PM

Mike I have a jcf slab side it is my second one the first being a body only in 1993 and the second being a car built for Ed Trottier in 1999. I purchased the 99 as is with 9000 miles on it and with very little work put another 5000 miles on it this summer. The car is a good driver and lots of fun. It does have some design flaws and some big erritation as far as getting any parts or information out of John. Both Mike and John are great to talk to on the phone but getting John to do what he says he will do is not easy. I have been trying to get him to send me some parts and infromation for about 2 months, I have called and talked with him or Mike more than 20 times and still no parts or returnd calls. If you would like to call or email me let me know Phone 1-269-424-7057 - tcmason@gmail.com

terry mason · #31 (**permalink**) 02-01-2005, 04:54 PM

Mike, John called me twice today, says he is sending the parts I need out today. He is a very nice person to deal with on the phone it sure would be nice if he followed up on what he says he will do. I will let you know when and if I get my parts. Terry

JCFkid · #32 (**permalink**) 02-03-2007, 10:11 PM

I know this is OLD an I read these all the time- there is only 2 to 3 people that work on the cars there at JCF- an I know they have other projects going on there an if they just made cobracars I dont think it would pay the bills there -- I am his Son sean an I have met alot of people on here in person-- I dont think people should put negative comments on here to make the shop look bad cause that person had a bad expirence with JCF-- but if the people that did have a bad expirence tell the whole story now half ass--

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikecuthbertson

Another Mike?Man! how many Mikes own cobras? I'm getting a 427 body with a 351w.My car is the first one that john has built with SC flairs, and he did a great job.Good to hear something good about the person who is making my car. This was the first time I ever saw anything negitive about John!

jon@harrison.ne · #33 (**permalink**) 05-06-2007, 02:51 PM

I have a 289 that JCF started and I finished.I will comment to anyone interested in a 289 slabside.

Mike48 · #34 (**permalink**) 05-06-2007, 08:10 PM

What was your experience with John/JCF like; Positives? Negatives?

jon@harrison.ne · #35 (**permalink**) 05-07-2007, 09:07 AM

Positives:body and frame.After several years the body is still smooth.The frame is very stout.The JAG rear was mounted well.Negatives:engine,trans,and rear had to be redone (I basically bought these twice-three times for the trans due to another rebuilder that didn't know what he was doing).After saying that I still can recommend John,just be careful of the driveline components-maybe bring him your own.You can see my car on the CENTECHWIRE site-click on the catalog and then kit cars.They have a great product.The owner was very helpful in the design of my wiring.

Mike48 · #36 (**permalink**) 05-07-2007, 11:14 AM

Did you get the engine and trans/driveline from JCF? Did they build those items for you?

jon@harrison.ne · #37 (**permalink**) 05-07-2007, 05:38 PM

Yes I got all of that from JCF.There were problems with every piece-engine,trans,clutch slave cylinder,driveshaft,rear (gears and brakes),and halfshafts.I replaced everything at my expense-but it is perfect now!

Alan Smith · #38 (**permalink**) 05-26-2009, 09:58 AM

Exactly! And that's Mike's point. As well as it was my point 4 1/2 years ago when I posted in Consumer Watch regarding John. I was offering to talk to anyone considering having John build them a car. They could take what I told them about my build and decide how they wanted to structure their engagement with John - or, whether they wanted to get involved with him at all.