Taking the old heap to the shop Wednesday.......... To make a long story short, when I called the guy that did the work (well, his helper at that time did the work ) I ask if he had room for my junker come 1st of the year, he said probably not....then I said, well do you have room for it now and I will pay you later ...he said he could not get another car in his shop if he wanted to......then ask ask: "why? what are you wanting done?" So I tell him what happend and gave him the web addy to see some pics..... his next statement was............"I cannot believe that happend........can you bring the car down Wednesday? we will take care of it" Thats why I like doing business with the guy.......yeah, maybe this was his shops fault....maybe it wasn't......but even though he said he was to busy, once he heard what had happend he is ready and willing to fix it for me.......
I was showing that video (AND the good ones) to some friends of mine today!! I'm glad this guy's gonna take care of that thing for you!! It's only right. Hope it turns out alright, (I know it will) and I'm glad the car is going to be back on track (no pun intended) in a short time. Good luck!! Preston:bananaman
That's great John, it's the right way to do business on his part, hard to find people like that nowadays. Folks that can only see the money in what they do won't be in business long.
Not a lot of people would do that these days, especially in that situation. If he followed through like that for me, I would be a customer for life. To err is human, standing behind your work, priceless. Well, you get the point.
yeah, Darren is a class act. you can checkout some of his high $$$ work at: www.fastchassisperformance.com if you have time to check it out....some real detail on some of the 10.5 outlaw cars! Checkout Shannon McKenzie's mustang...first time out this year made it to the semi's in Atlanta were he was beat by Billy Glidden....not bad for a maiden voyage!
The floor and what not he will take care of......not sure about the body damage: quarters trunk and rear valance But I have already talked to my uncle and he said once it gets fixed(rolling again) to bring it over and he would do the body work and paint. My plans are to drop it off and whatever is left after he gets done with it I will take care of myself.....I am really debating on atleast me buying the parts.....I mean it has been 2 years since he done the work and yes the welds did break/fail but at what point do you say that is was just one of those things? I do not want to be unfair to the guy as much as I do not want him to be unfair to me. I am really having a inner struggle with it. I have always thought that if you are racing a car whatever happens is on you, regardless, you know kind of a no warranty deal cause of the stress that the car is under during its normal operation. And momma always taught me that "if your conscience is talking to you, then something is wrong".......big inner battle......I guess we shall see.
John you are such a class act, I know alot of people would be really angry about the whole situation. Really glad to hear it's going to be taken care of.
good luck john. i know that when you buy parts etc. for a race car that there is no guarantee. but usually if your a good customer a good shop will do whatever they can to make it right. they can tell what failed. sounds like you have a good shop to work with.
So true! Even if you are a new customer, that is the way good, repeat customers are created. Kudos to you and your shop, for handling this. Just wish all shops were that good.
Let me relate a similar story...though not quite on the scale of Johns. As most know I just had my motor built and a new valve body put in the tranny, well it was misshifting as some of you know. I had told the guy that does my work and he said he would call the guy that did the valve body. Well...I got impatient and took it to my regular tranny guy and he put me a new valve body in...story over..I thought. The guy that does my work calls today and tells me to bring him the car...new valve body is on the way and I have to tell him I already had it fixed. I told him I knew he was busy on numerous projects and I had got a helluva good deal on the motor he did for me and that I was well satisfied. Well he still felt like he needed to make things right so he's putting together a 9" hog head posi with 4.11 gears for when I take it raceing, NO CHARGE Now that's ACES in my book. No need to wonder why he has more work than he can pray over.
In my opinion, welds should never fail. It was build with full knowledge of the abuse it was to endure and I believe your chassis guy believes this too. That's probably why he stands behind his work. In this day of Caveat Emptor, Its nice to know there are some good guys still around.
Well.....went to the shop, Darren came outside and got under the car and just looked and looked......finally I ask him what was on his mind......and he said "for the last 2 weeks I have been in shock/disbelief that this happened and now that I see it first hand I still cannot believe". He apologized several times for. Well, he ask to see inside the trunk, so I popped it open and he just shook his head at the damage. Then he grab my fuel can and said "I do not need this" then he started unbolting the battery, don't need that either. Then we went to one of his buildings and started cleaning out a space big enough for the car and trailer. Back it up and unhook it. Then he started talking(Darren is a man of few words) He ask: "besides the suspension and body, what else do I think is screwed up" I told him BEST case the trans tail shaft was cracked. he said " I will take care of it, I got a tranny guy that owes me a favor or 2"...anything else? and I said not that I know of....he ask about the driveshaft(which cost me $300) I had it in the van so I showed him.....I will take care of that. He ask me if it damaged my wheels or tires. I told him the wheels were fine but it took a huge chunk of rubber out of one of the tires....then I quickly added that the tires were used up and I was going to buy new ones this winter anyways......he says: "what size?" "I will get them and you can just pay my cost". I told him he did not have to do all this and that I was going to pay him for his work......he came back with....this is my fault and I will make it right. He added that he really appreciated how I handled this situation, stating that other racers would have fussed and cussed and told him how wrong he had done it and demand him to fix it, (but for you guys on this board that know me), know that................that ain't me. I also told him to not put my car in front of a paying customer, he can have it for the next 4 or 5 months......he told me he appreciated it. Now I could tell by our conversation today that I will have a hard time getting him to take some money for the work he is going to do, but I will make it right with him as well............ It just goes to show that there are still people out there that take pride in their work and will make it right if they need to. Darren Sanders.......... Thanks again.
Let me tell you about John Ford......This man is the epitome COOOOOOL!!! Not taking anything away from Darren(never met the man) but Johns generousity is beyond description. If you make it to the Round Up or have a chance to meet him in person you will find out and those that have met him would probably(well you can't please everyone)attest to this. I don't believe in karma but if it did exsist this would be a prime example. Good people deserve good things. I'll stop now before I get teary eyed . Later Brother
