Originally Posted by VCuomo

Actually, I think he said he wanted it to look like a Thunderbirds plane. Since he had said he was an ex-Navy pilot, I wondered why he didn't say "Blue Angels". Maybe the whole story was just whipped up by writers who don't know any better. Or maybe I heard it wrong...

Originally Posted by JS786366

... The car since the show has has nothing but issues. It's in another shop getting repaired. In the beginning I asked them for help but they wanted me to keep paying to repair thing I believed were the shops fault. I understood it was rushed but when you don't tighten bolts etc i think u need to man up and stand behind your work.
At least people can see how that shop operates on TV. They lost my business forever and probably a lot more than me.

Originally Posted by 63 SWC Builder

I am the builder of the 63 Corvette in this post. Up until I heard about these comments I had no idea there was a problem as I’ve received positive feedback from the owner. The owner is always welcome to bring the car in at his convenience; we always stand behind our work. As far as problems; the car was brought back after delivery for a leaking intake gasket which was replaced and the shifter (that we never built originally) failed later on and we rebuilt that and not a penny was paid for ether repair. The Vette never came back for any other repairs. We built the car to the best of our abilities and as with all of our builds, want only the best for the owner. I don’t claim to have a perfect shop and 8 weeks to do a complete build of a previously wrecked 50 year old Vette is a very very fast turnaround and it’s genuinely not the way we operate but we did it at the owner’s request. We dealt with a bent frame only 2 days before the wedding and we never got to fully test drive the car due to the schedule. As far as the build, several details were “left out” of the description of the work we had to do.
Motor/Drivetrain: Replaced 220HP motor because heads were cracked on the low perf motor. Request was for a bigger stronger motor. The engine castings were given back to owner. The 350 build was completed with the following: 2.02/1.60 Heads on a magnafluxed GM core that was tanked, bored, with new internals including pistons, valves, cam, springs, locks, keepers, hardened exhaust seats, tappets, guides, timing set, water and oil pump, aluminum Intake, electronic ignition upgrade. Complete clutch job followed by going through every part of the drivetrain and repairing/servicing as requested. New electronic choke 4bbl carb, fuel lines. Removed, tanked cleaned and tested the fuel tank and radiator.
Chrome/Stainless: Complete stainless steel and chrome exhaust system from exhaust manifolds to the exhaust tips. Chroming of all bumpers and replacement of most of the exterior chrome/badging. New side mirror, new fuel chrome, front lights and all new brake lights. Purchased and Installed OEM side rocker covers custom fit for side exhaust. Finally new wheels and tires in 17” selected by owner.
Chassis/Brakes/Steering/Suspension: Straighten bent frame from accident and 4 wheel alignment. All new power steering conversion from manual. Replace non-power drum brakes with OEM power 4 wheel disc brake system with OEM emergency brake, stainless steel lines, new trailing arms, all bushings, new master cylinder and new power booster. Custom suspension for requested rake.
Interior/Body: Gauge repairs, new carpets, new seat belts, paint and rebuilding of dash/console shown on the television program), new heater core. Repair accident damage (rebuild of back fiberglass on car), repair bonding strip issues, Stunning Viper Red paint, Split window top was requested and built but the owner decided he didn’t want it. Undercoated in tar based so it could be removed later by owner.
Electrical; Rebuilding hideaway headlights because motors were both bad and the actuator frozen. Engine & dash harness repairs, Electronic Ignition, Gauge repair and significant lighting wiring repairs.
Lots of other details but these are the major items. Timing of the comments is “interesting” in that the car has been on the road for months and these comments were posted only after the show aired. Is it really fair to “not say anything in person” and then post issues online without saying anything?

Originally Posted by JS786366

I am surprised you replied Dan. I had a few things I would like to mention. 1st on the cars repairs. I requested your help 3 times. Nov 17th my wedding day the car had a struggling reverse which fully failed later that day. Kind of funny watching my wife in her wedding dress pushing the car out of a parking spot at the hotel. You did however repair the vehicle and wanted to charge me $600 but after I pressed you backed off. I guess I figured I was getting a running car for 62K. Jan I told you about the car shutting off at stop lights. You told me it was a choke issue and it would be fine. I later found out this was a tunning issue on my own and fixed. March 29th called because car would not start. I told you there was a lead that had come off the starter. You said and I quote "I was on my own" there was nothing you could do to help. You did however offer to charge me $140 to tow to your shop and I would also have to pay labor to have new starter installed. The most recent isssue is bolts on bell housing coming loose and washer found in transmission. After the past 3 times of trying to get you to help me I figured why waste the phone call. I have owned since Nov but less than 1000 miles. I feel like unless I could prove beyond a reasonable doubt my issues were the shops fault you were not going to help me. If I had a customer that just paid me 62k I would jump at the opportunity to help him. Are you sure you rebuilt my gauges and painted my dash? I would be more than happy to bring the Corvette in to have those things done since you say they were part of my 62K bill. I will gladly post pics of my unrebuilt gauges and unpainted dash. You did inspect them but rebuild and painted nothing. On my motor I have a 300hp package with the original Carter 4bbl. I was just fine with that. You told me because of time and ability to get parts the 350 was the way to go. You said it would save me money and allow us to complete by wedding day. When you finally revealed to me my final bill you said this motor change contributed to the 12K overage. I dont want to be to hard on you Dan. I know this was a big build for 8 weeks. I just feel misled. This is nothing against your guys in the shop. You have a bunch of really good guys working down there. I am just expressing my customer experience. I feel you giving me a bill for 12k more 2hrs before the wedding was unfair and you know it. I should not have said the show was terrible. I guess I was being critical of the episode because my car was in the show and I wanted it to be bad *** and it wasn't in my opinion. Look at the end of the day its back on the road, where a Corvette should be.

Originally Posted by toddalin

See post #38.

Originally Posted by mvftw

Dude made $$$ the old fashion way...he inherited it...
If he earned it...he wouldn't of pi$$ed it away like that...just sayin'...

Originally Posted by Tally Ho

You would have thought that after dropping $130K that they would have put the derby caps on the wheels correctly. Look at the final rolling shots and you can see them wobbling. Also, the paint around the emblems was horrible.

Originally Posted by toddalin

Obviously they had to just to go with the wrap to make it look like a fighter plane. Said he wanted it to look like the Blue Angels.

Originally Posted by Priya

The cobra is a butt ugly car to begin with (and I say this as a die-hard Ford girl). That fighter plane job is a big improvement over what the thing originally looked like - I almost like it myself.