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Old 10-18-2020, 05:21 PM
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NorCam NorCam is offline
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I’ll apologize in advance for the long answer Eric...

But let me correct a few things while clearing the air here!

Yes, we did discuss transmissions but not until I told you that I was looking at an Autogear M23 and that's when you pushed hard for me to buy a trans from you. I said I'd only consider that if you had a real nice 660 main case dated to the cars build date and suggested I would need a stronger M22 gear set. You came back stating you didn't have the right case and then said you only used stock gear sets and didn't use the A/G parts. I then expanded my case stating I'd need an Italian gearset as this was going to be a 500hp driver and that I was going to beat on it (a lot). You then agreed with my original plan being a good idea to buy a transmission through Jeff at Midwest and that's where it ended on the transmission front.

We got back onto the original topic of restored shifters and you then said you wanted $1200 for a restored shifter with hardware and that it didn't include a ball. I told you that I recently sold a "dead mint" complete restored concourse quality shifter setup to Don Martens last fall at $1100 and stated that this to me was all the money for a restored shifter. You offered that it was sold too cheap and said you normally got more for them.

Next you offered a $100 reduction due to my being an sYc board member. I agreed that I would pay that $1100 figure as long as it was concourse grade with all original hardware, factory mount and correct rods. You added that you had all original hardware but that the rods were unmarked and w/o numbers. I asked if the body included the rubber insulators on the shifter legs and you said you didn't like those and that you preferred to restore shifters with the steel inserts, especially if someone was going to be banging gears hard. And for the record, I never asked for steel inserts! In fact, I didn't even know the legs had to be drilled for those inserts until you mentioned that above.

You concluded by saying you had lots of shifter bodies and that you'd pick one out and restore one nicely. After having that lengthy discussion on costs vs values and my expectations, I understood that it would be a concourse restored shifter with re-chromed handle. In fact, I said I wouldn't be paying up for anything but. Furthermore, I told you I was focused on quality and you stated you knew I was a detail-oriented guy from my posts on sYc.

Next, I then told you it was now difficult to get stuff shipped through the MT border due to Covid and preferred you ship on my FedEx account direct into Canada. I even explained how easy that was since I'd do all the paperwork and would send you a preprinted FedEx label via email. I mean all you had to do was box it up and stick a label on it.

About 4 weeks later, I get you quickly asking if my trans had shipped yet? You then pushed the agenda that it would fit in the transmission crate to save costs and that you really didn't want to ship to Canada. That after I already explained how easy it would be to box it up and have me take care of all the paperwork for you with FedEx. Jeff later told me that you dropped it off, but said it didn’t belong in the crate and that and that you just sort of dropped it off to him saying here, this is for Graeme?


I apologized to him for that and he said he would now have to box it up separately and ship it aside from the trans so nothing is damaged in transit. For the record Eric, that was a bad move and trust me, Jeff agreed. This then put it onto him to pack and handle shipping of your product which was not very cool at all!

It then went to the US border outlet in MT where it then had to clear customs (last week of September). Next, it had to be booked for pickup by another bonded courier service to bring it up into Canada since the border entry is restricted to commercial carriers only. It didn't arrive and clear customs into Calgary until October 2nd when I picked it up here in town. I opened it that weekend and was more than upset when I seen how bad the quality of the plating was. Rather then unload on you when I was very mad, I left it cool off for a couple days before contacting you October 6th. I called you that Tuesday and got no answer, so I sent an email on the same date (October 6th) and then waited 10 days for your reply which never came? I even included pictures of what you sent me. Here's that particular email for the record.

Quote:
Eric,

Would you care to explain why you'd replate a 3138 body that's so heavily rusted and pitted?

Seriously, I am not at all impressed with what you provided for a shifter at $1100

I am curious to hear your thoughts on what you sent me.

Graeme Browne
I'm sure you're mechanical rebuilds probably work great Eric, but your choice of 3138 case and shifter plate for a fully restored car (and for the record...I told you it was being frame off restored as my own my day 2 driver build) was a very poor choice in parts to use. The quality is really substandard at best!

In addition, anyone that knows me Eric, knows that I only do things one way...and that is the right way. I don't take shortcuts, I don't use substandard parts, and I strive for quality and execution in everything I do. That being said, I will sometimes pay up for a quality restored part from someone else and I am always clear on what is expected, as I had done here! You even stated when we talked that you'd seen my work and knew I was a bit of a perfectionist. That said…there should be no ambiguity is what was discussed, and what was expected in an $1100 bill for a 3138 shifter w/ parts.

So…all this now aired and said, here’s what I think is truly fair given the circumstances Eric? In good faith, I sent you an $1100 payment in advance by a Certified US Bank Draft. You then sent me your restored parts. I'll eat the shipping costs here, the taxes paid, the import costs from the brokerage firm, and the return freight costs back to you. That will have been about $170 USD loss in my jeans by the time I send it back. You on the other hand can do the right thing here Eric?

Please send me back $1100 USD via Certified US Bank Draft (in advance) of the return. I will then professionally package and ship back 100% of the parts you provided (in the same condition they were received) and as pictured above c/w tracking via FedEx. I should not be expected or asked to pre-send payment and/or return parts twice in advance for what has now become your short coming.

I think that's more than fair given the circumstances and I'm sorry that you think I should return it before receiving my money back, but you are wrong in thinking that and should be doing the right thing to rectify the situation. If need be, I'll give you my Canadian mailing address again so you can send that refund via certifiedUS Bank Draft

I'll await your full refund by US Draft!
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