427 SOHC kits for $11,000!!!

[ogasman]

There have been 15 plus kits delivered to date, I have one unhappy customer, Devin. He does have a connection with Bill Coon, don't know how deep. West coast dealer maybe? He had a listing for multiple front cover backing plates he was selling for him on Craig's list.

It was a day or two after Devin recieved his kit that he spoke with me about multiple things he did not like about it, most were cosmetic. From rust staining on the iron parts, to rough cast surfaces. He said there were dings on the block, the spot facing of the bolt holes on the intake was rough, and the relief of the lettering on the valve covers did not match. I told him to go through the kit carefully, and have the heads pressure checked. Dove's policy is to replace or repair defective parts after they inspect them. IT IS A LIFETIME WARRANTY. These kits are all custom ordered parts. Devin has been a moving target since that time. He told me he had 3 leaks in the heads, and the front cover was out of flat about 1/4 inch. Now there are six leaks in the heads, and the front cover is so far out it cannot be measured?

I spoke with Jim Dove about it, he said to have him box up the parts he did not like and send them back and they would be exchanged. Devin was not sure what to do. We finally agreed that I would hand pick the parts out for him, so I could get him what he was looking for. Then he did not want to pay for the shipping, so Jim worked it out to have a friend pick up the parts in Washington state, so there would be no shipping charges. Then Devin decided he did not want the block at all. It is an option, and not included in the kits as originally planned. I had told Devin there were going to be some changes to the block to make it more cammer specific. This was very early in the planning stages of the kits. These changes were in the original plan when we were trying for a run of a hundred kits, they did not make it into final production. I told Devin I would refund the money for the block out of my pocket. My mistake, I would make it right.

Then, all of this was not good enough. To quote him "I want my f#@!ing money back". I told him I could not do that, and that he needed to talk directly to Jim Dove. They spoke a few times, and could not work it out. I finally pulled the plug on Devin after multiple threats of a law suit, and the profanity got too bad to take.

Devin got the third kit produced. There have been some changes to the kits as a result of his complaints. Most of them have been to improve the cosmetics. Most of the iron parts are black oxide coated now. The valve covers are hand picked and compared before they are put in the box. There are a few molds for them, with subtle differences. The front timing covers are from a different alloy now. The intake adaptor is machined a little differently to improve the cosmetics, etc. The kits now have a lot of bling, and look really good.

Jay Brown got the first kit produced. He did have a pin hole leak in one head. I told him to send it back, and it would be replaced. He said it was an easy fix, and not worth sending it back. I have heard nothing but compliments from all the other people that have recieved their kits.

The parts have a life time warranty on them. Try to find that with any other custom ordered performance engine part. The offer still holds. If he returns the parts he does not like I will hand pick out parts for him, so he gets what he wants.

Devin has posted on multiple sites, trying to smear Dove. This is just one more incident.


Paul