Good Mechanics for Vintage Speedsters... my experience thus far

Hi  where are you located???

That was painful to read. I'm guessing English is your second language?

Your English is easily understandable.  Your spelling is actually better than many English-only speakers who frequent this forum.  Most of us are unconcerned whether English is your first language or not.  You do your best to explain your problems, and someone will come up with an answer.

Speedy---is your car a Vintage Speedster?  If not, what brand?   Who did you buy it from?

I understood your post 100% too.

What are the answers to these quetstions?

----Jack

sorry for my writing not being so good. I'm located in Irvine California. The car was first told me built by a mechanic, then Kirk Duncan from Vintage Speedsters said he built it many years ago, then last week his partner or one of his guys said that it was built by C&C.  I have a 1900 engine in it. It has 14,000 miles. I towed it to Unique Motors in Michen Viejo, but they are not going to start working on it until Monday. Any help would be appreciated. thanks to all of you for your time and help.

hey i just flagged someone by acccident sorry how do i reserve it ? 

I thought I had explained this all to you in full. So if you would like to give me a call I will explain it again on Monday why I do "not" want to spend the time to correct a situation which is not mine and very time consuming when the shop is busy.

Kirk

Kirk, what actually went down was the following. Plain and simple. I brought my car in because it broke down and my headlight switch was lose and lights where not working. You charged me for getting the car running and putting a new switch and getting the headlights back on. For some reason the headlight problem continued 3 days in a row and I came to your shop 3 times. After you got the car running, I immediately e-mailed you that soemthig was wrong and after visiting you the second time, you said that I could coem the follwoing tuesday to ge a tune up and it would csot about $500 or so to change the exhaust system. After the car headlights did not work for second time and I had to tow my car home I visit you next morning concerned that my car was running worse and I was worried. YOU SAID that you also had a mechanic shop, yet you stated in your garage that I COST 25,000 dollars... That was totally unprofessional and uncalled for. I was a customer that had a car in need of care, not only you failed to get the probem fixed, you completely made me feel like I was on your way. I asked if you could take test drive to see why the car was running bad, and you declined. Yet, you where just in your office smokinga cigarette... After your guys spent time on the time, they did not even test drive it and nor did you before I was given the car back. Should I go on???? I asked if you could made a cover for the shift and breaks and you said yes. You cut a piece of the seat on the bottom and you said it woudl take a day. On my third visit you handed me 2 dusty pieces and after you walked off to your office, I noticed that it did not even match my car..... I paid 3 tows and now my car potentially has a bigger mechainical problem. It should have been fixed and ffigured out instead of me getting stuck in the middle of the highway..... Please do not say such bs, that you expained to me fully etc. That is not true and you know it. ONe more thing, you said the third visit i was there that you where in business of making cars, so if that is the case WHY THE HECK did you tell me that you can fix my car and that your also a mechanic shop.... 

SpeedyDean,  If you are looking for mechanical advice, this forum can be very helpful, as there are experienced replica owners, many of whom are wrenchers and willingly share their knowledge.

However, if you are using this forum to try to gain leverage in a business dispute with a manufacturer, this is not the forum for you, and not the best method to resolve a dispute.  I suggest that you contact Vintage off line, and pursue a remedy that works for both parties. 

None of us, including the replica makers, are perfect, and no one wants to work out a business problem in public.

Dear Jim, I only motive in starting this forum was to get help in getting my car fixed. I agree with everything that you said in your last post. I just got a little upset when Kirk said things that where not true. Prior to that I had left many details out, because I did not think it was appropriate to post. I'm sure that Vintage Speedsters makes great cars, Im just in need of getting my car fixed and I dont feel that they took care of me. I went their with open mind to get help. I wish the best for Kirk and his company and making it possible for many of us to drive these beauties. 

Oh Speedy one....As Kirk Stated, he builds cars, he is not a mechanic....He supports the cars that he builds, and in general supports the hobby, and is helpful most of the time, but do not expect him to be your mechanic and stop everything he is doing to spend a bunch of time on your tub, especially someone else's build........

Find a mechanic......

cuzn vinny, when your car breaks down or something goes wrong you want to fix it, right? I did exactly that, I called around and vintage convince me they would be most knowledgable and they have mechanics to fix it. I paid more to get a towed to Kirk's place instead a more local guy. Second, I was told prior to the car being towed to vintage speedsters that the car was built by vintage speedsters by kirk. Third, it was after the second visit that they could not fix problem that they said that htey are in business of building cars. I like Kirk and he did have his guys spend extra tiem working on the car when he was busy. My hat off to him for that. I just don't likethe fact that my car is still broken and that the problems where not looked at. Imagine you tell your mechanic something is wrong and you spend few hours in their shop. They tell you it's fixed and then when you drive home something bigger goes wrong and now you are stranded.... Kirk does an excelent job making cars, and he is also nice guy, but perhaps he could have commmunicated that he needs me to leave the car their for few days and that way they can find time to test drive it before to diagnose problem and then test it after working on it.... right? For the record, I do not wwant to speak about Kirk and his company. They do a good job and I appreciate their time. I started this post to simply get help in fixing my car. Can anyone help me?

The car was built by CMC.

SpeedyDean, what you need is the name and phone number of a good VW air cooled mechanic in your area.

Can anyone recommend a mechanic?

Also, if your post is lengthy it will be easier to read if you break up the text, making it into mini paragraphs.  Not grammatically correct, but much easier to read.

I understand your frustration and hope someone on this forum can recommend a mechanic who is located near you.

Good luck.

Speedy Dean - bummer about the teething pains with your car. I'm also in Irvine and take my Speedster to Unique Imports. The owner is Chip and a friend of mine. If you take your car back there, tell them that I sent you (Jim Ignacio/Silver Speedster) and they'll take care of you.

The other mechanic I would HIGHLY recommend is Larry Jowdy. Larry is also an SOCer (mostly on SpyderOwners.com and is located in Ontario. Well worth the drive.

My red tub was a CMC and when I had Kirk do an upgrade to anything, he shook his head & laughed.

Basically when he does a build, he can remove the motor in a matter of minutes, but bring him someone else build & watch what happens....

Kirk's problem is that he can't say no to anyone. He wants to help, & this is most likely a situation where the Car is beyond reasonable time away from his normal work load...

Speedy--I asked you where you bought your car and although you didn't answer, I see that you did not buy it from Vintage because Vintage doesn't sell CMC cars.  If I were Kirk I'd be regreting taking that first call  since it appears that he didn't build your car because it's a CMC. 

He went out of his way to try and help you but that turned into a "tarbaby project" for him because he is a builder---not a repair shop, as others have said--- so the best advice you are going to get is what musbejim wrote recommending two excellent mechanics.  Call 'em.

Kirk builds more Speedsters in a week than some so-called builders make in a year, he is a manufacturer, not a repair station.  That he offered to get your car started, is a credit to him

and a lot more than I would have offered to do, I am sure.

Hi Jack, I believe you didn't read the thread well or perhaps didn't understand my bad writting. I was told that it was a Vintage car and it was until my second visit that I was told it was not. I took it finanlly to Chip and Unique Motors and the car is there now. He said that the new destributer that was put in was a cheap chinese one and that it got locked. Because of this it damaged some other stuff. He also told me that he found my short for the headlights. I will pick up the car today or tomorrow and give you guys an update. Thank you all for your help. 

Speedy---glad you are on the road to solving your car troubles. 

I will say that Kirk is one of the most respected builders  out there and although I didn't buy my Vintage directly from him, he has treated me like a valued customer.  I have done more things to my car than I care to think about and his advice has always been solid and provided freely.  You just don't see complaints like yours about Vintage so there was obviously some mis communication.

everyone has an off day, and maybe like you said he tries his best to help everyone and never says "no". Like you, I went to him because of his passion for this special kind of work and I still feel he is a very nice man. It is unfortunate what has happened to my car, but it all comes down to the lack of knowledge they had about the CMC car that was build and/or lack of time. Their shop is very busy. For the record, if I was buying a new one I WOULD FOR SURE buy one from Kirk. I would just ask for no Chinese knock off parts. 

Good attitude, Speedy.

I think it's past time to stick a fork in this thread.

I'm happy to say that my Speedy is running better than ever and totally fixed. Thanks to Unique Motors and Chip. They are amazing. The changed the defected distributor which was locked, put the valves the way they where, because valves in this car are not to be adjusted or touched, that is why the car was firing, and they also found the short for the lights. I also like to note that Kirk from Vintage Speedsters offered to refund the money I paid him to putting in the first distributor etc. Chip said my car could have really been screwed up with the valves, and I was very luck. Thank God. I'm so happy to have my Speedy back!

Does you car have rare hydraulic valve lifters (vs normal solid)?  Even they need checking and possible adjustment-

http://greenbug.damiankolbay.c...HydLifterAdjust.html

SpeedyDean - glad to hear that Chip and the guys at Unique got your car dialed in properly. Now it will be more fun than ever to drive!