Chris, please contact me about the status of my car. You have several emails and phone messages from me, and I have not heard from you in over a month.

 

Does anybody know what's going on at Speeddemon Motorsports? They never answer the phone and don't reply to emails. Maybe they are closed.

 

ttt

 

Doesn't Scorp work for him?

 

I remember someone here having some issues with them re/ engine work a while back. I don't remember the specifics of it or if and how it was resolved. Not pointing any fingers, just mentioning it.

 

It might actually be me that you are thinking of. I posted regarding a dispute last March. However, I searched recently and that post has disappeared.

 

That would probably be it then. Sounds like about the right time frame. Good luck with it. I'm trying to work towards doing specialty high performance work, especially on Corvettes, one of these days for a living. Although I've been turning wrenches all my life, I'm still trying to learn more about these cars. If I ever do get into it though, I will bust my tail to get a customer's car as right as I would get my own. It's the way I've always done my work and I figure if I fail to make as much as I thought I would on a given job, it's okay because I learned something that will benefit me and my customers in the future. It's a tough business sometimes and unexpected things will happen, even more so when modifying. But I see the caliber of work done by too many in this line and am dismayed by the reputation it gives us all. Hell, I don't know it all and never will, not by a long shot. But if we in the business do miss a detail that causes a problem for someone, we have to own up to it and make it right. Sure, high performance throws another whole set of variables into it but if pride in workmanship as a priority is kept ahead of profit, things will generally work out fine. Yeah, I'm old school and WAY too old to change now.

 

Nope.

 

Still no response. The car has been at Speed Demon for 8 months, and I have not heard from them in over five weeks. I'll post here again when I do hear something.

 

Hey bro- go pickup your car; I let my Elky sit at a body shop too long -come to find out the guy stripped it to the VIN tags-had to start all over-My vette's been in another's for two months-its time...Shops can be a PITA! Good Luck!

 

I'd be in my car and in their face! So why don't you show up and ask why?

 

The heck with e-mails and phone calls. Considering you've had problems with this shop before, it's time to make a personal appearance. I'd have chewed my fingernails down to the quick if my car was in a shop for 8 months!

 

I call earlier today, they picked up on the second ring.

 

Might check with a Mod or Admin since they are a Supporting Vendor. They may be able to help you get in touch with Chris.

 

It's a 150 mile drive. I actually did that once and found them closed.

I finally did get response, no doubt because of the forum. It was not adequate, but I'll wait for the counter reply before posting any details.

 

When Chris had someone anwering his calls, I believe a forum member, my calls would be answered, but I was also told:

1. Only Chris can answer my questions about progress on the car.
2. My messages had/would be delivered to Chris.

I believe 2, but I never once received a return call. In fact in the entire eight months, I have not had one call returned, though I have gotten a few emails.

 

Go get your car. This is BS at is worst. Find a new shop in Austin or in San Antonio. They are just giving you the run around and will never be finished with your car. Good luck.

 

Also, post this in the Southwest forum and ask for help. Maybe someone local to Houston can go to Speed Demon by on your behalf and see them in person.

 

Here is the latest:

After this series of posts, Chris contacted me and said that the car was running but that he would not be able to tune it, because he no longer had LT1 tuning software.

I do want to take the car back without it being tuned, and having no idea if it is making reasonable power. None of my calls (with multiple voicemails) have been returned in the last month.


Here is the background:

The motor SD built in 2002 was a solid roller 396 (cost ~$11,000). It spun a bearing six weeks after it was finished. Speed demon admitted that this was their fault (improperly installed reluctor gear) and rebuilt the motor. That took seven months.

A few weeks after it was returned, a lifter failed. SD blamed that on the lifter itlself, saying it must have been defective. I paid to have it replaced.

A few weeks later another lifter failed. SD blamed that on the type of lifter that was chosen -- Endurex -- but claimed that since Endurex was rated for the spring pressures we used, this failure was not their fault. I paid for the repair (lifters were replaced with Comp super rollers).

A few months later I discovered that multiple valve springs were broken (nine). SD blaimed that on the spring choice made by GTP, who did the heads. I paid for the repair (replaced springs with Comp 943s, cost ~$850).

Two weeks after that another lifter failed. This time SD agreed that something must be wrong with motor, and agreed to swap out the 396 for 383 and use a hydraulic valve train, at their expense. That was 10 months ago.

I believe that SD should find a way to tune this motor so that I end up with something approximating (but still far less than) what my ~$13,000 (original cost plus repairs) was supposed to get me in the first place.

 

Wow. Have you considered other alternatives to getting this problem resolved for you? Even with a tuned 383, they are not delivering what you agreed to buy unless you agreed to the substitution.