Mounts - 1 installer - 0 (Page 4/11)
bmwguru OCT 29, 06:10 AM
I think this is the reason why I won't make a kit for the VR6 swap. I believe Archie would not have any issues if he installed all the kits himself and not sold kits to people who think they have the ability to install them. Same goes for every other type of kit out there. Some people just aren't mechanically inclined. I thought body work was easy and wound up doing more damage to my car than I thought.
As for FieroX, I do have one question...You have a guy that welds for you, a tuner, you also have a machinist. What is your position in the shop other than owner? (I am not bashing, just asking.) Being an owner is a full time job and believe me, I know what it is like to own a shop. Between the EPA paperwork, bills, advertising, taxes, customer relations, and trying to keep the shop busy, I still diagnose all the cars that come in and oversee or do the repairs. Right now I am doing a restoration on a classic VW while the rest of the work is getting done around me.
As for the mounts, I think the customer would prefer the holes pre drilled. The customer doesn't always have the tools or skills of an A tech. For most it is a hobby.
JMO
Dave
ps, I'd edit this if I were you...

quote
Originally posted by fieroX:
now these werent welded by my guy, but by the machine shop.

Now, in what other ways would you like to attack me or try and discredit my skills?




------------------

1987 GT (my toy-see above), 1987 GT (daily driver), 1986 SE with a VW VR6, certified master technician/shop owner
www.njautobahn.com

[This message has been edited by bmwguru (edited 10-29-2008).]

fieroX OCT 29, 09:10 AM

quote
Originally posted by bmwguru:

As for FieroX, I do have one question...You have a guy that welds for you, a tuner, you also have a machinist. What is your position in the shop other than owner? (I am not bashing, just asking.) Being an owner is a full time job and believe me,



Its not what you know, but who you know. I would love to do everything at my shop, but when you have 5-8 cars a week roll in and out for engine swaps (have a turbo awd talon in there right now, did a 2000 intrepid 2.7 to 3.2 swap last week) regular maintenance, (starter and o2 sensor on 2002 Grand prix, starter on 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan), turbo work (1993 Accord, build downpipe and ceramic coat, install new wastegate and make wastegate dump, install turbo timer, hook up boost gauge) and other misc stuff (full buff on 2003 BMW M3 where the owner messed up the paintjob polishing it with Zymol in the hot summer sun), then we have a 2005 Mustang coming in today that we are putting a flowmaster on, and installing some LED lights in the interior or something, then the lady is bringing in her minivan for a remote start. <- thats all stuff from within the last week.

So its difficult to do all of this myself, while all the same time answering the phone every time it rings, be in the office every time someone comes in to tire kick about getting a job done, then doing the engine swaps, having parts made, etc.

I do probably 60% of the stuff that comes in the doors at the shop. I have a guy that does welding for me, he is a NASA certified welder and his welds look like art. If the customer wants something that looks beautiful and will last forever, I send it to him. If its for his 1982 Chevy pickup, and doesnt care, I will mig it and it will work fine, just wont be as pretty as Jim's welds.

I have a guy that does my tuning on GM stuff. His name is Tom and he goes by animuL. He did all of the tuning on my car, Silentassassin185's car, and his 1991 Chevy Lumina that ran 12.60's at one point. He used to run animuL Performance, and was the creator of the Whipple kits for 3800's.

I dont have a machinist at my shop. I used to, but now that person is me. I have a Cincinnati mill and a jet lathe. I can do small machining jobs and such in house.

I have a guy that does my powercoating work. We do it all in house, he works as my employee. He is very skilled at powdercoating. I have an oven that measures 40"x40"x40" on the inside and If i need some stuff done, I call him, leave the parts sitting by the blaster and they are done when i come in the next morning. He works 2nd shift and gets off at 11pm. So he comes in and works during the night.

The things I do are as follows: About every mechanical job that comes in. Engine swaps, starters, o2 sensors, oil changes, custom turbo setups. Fabrication of downpipes, front mount setups, fabrication of headers, exhaust manifolds, etc. We have 2 turbo LS1 GTO's we are going to be doing this winter. A turbo 396 BBC in a 1968 Chevelle. Also doing a twin turbo 5.0L mustang. Im also the secretary, Im the janitor, the bookkeeper, the parts runner, the everything.

You are right running a business is difficult, but its stupid to try and do it all yourself when you have tons of talent around you willing to help and also make some money (and make you some money) in the meantime.
bmwguru OCT 29, 09:29 AM
No problem, I was just asking. When I was cutting my teeth at my shop, I had to work about 20 hours a day to keep the rep of the previous owner. For about three years people thought I would be out of business because i was riding on his coat tails. I had something to prove. I concider myself to be one of the best diagnosticians in the state, and I can back it up. I have new car dealers send me cars their head techs can't figure out. I've been offered insane money to teach seminars and travel, but I won't cut my hair, nor leave my family for extended periods of time. Besides that, Joey and I make a really decent living now. The trick is to always invest your extra money back into the shop.
It is smart to have the right person on the job. I have one guy that comes in on a part time basis that only does Mercedes work. he earns on average $600 per day, but makes me about $4000 for that day. I can do the work, but he can do it twice as fast, so that makes good business sense.
Good luck with your shop.
Dave

[This message has been edited by bmwguru (edited 10-29-2008).]

fieroX OCT 29, 10:17 AM

quote
Originally posted by bmwguru:

I can do the work, but he can do it twice as fast, so that makes good business sense.
Good luck with your shop.
Dave




Thats exactly where I am coming from. I can weld, but my guy does it faster, better and cheaper than what I would do it for. Then I charge my customer my normal rate, and I make money just driving the part to his house. Thats how business works.

Thanks for the encouragement.
BTW, your vr6 swap is amazing. Nice work. We have a 6G72 swap planned in the future .
84Bill OCT 29, 12:29 PM

quote
Originally posted by Formula88:

The drill it yourself mounts reminds me of a sig quote someone on here used a while back.

"DIY Leather Interior Kits: $49.95
Shipping Wt: 800 lbs"



HOLY COW!!!
darkhorizon OCT 29, 01:40 PM
I dont like the fact that Ryan is deemed the 3800 god, and also the "fastest fiero" god either... He really has had no competition, and is in fact not the fastest transverse fiero, as an archie V8 car ran 10.3 before ryan ran 14's.

Their has been faster 3800 powered cars in just about every other commonly swapped car out there... monte carlo, impala, grand prix, regal, transport van, GTO, firebird, grand national, ect...

While I might not be able to speak for myself, there are plenty of people out there that could in different platforms... why a LIGHTER MID ENGINE CAR is slower than those I listed above.. is beyond me.
MstangsBware OCT 29, 03:31 PM

quote
Originally posted by darkhorizon:

I dont like the fact that Ryan is deemed the 3800 god, and also the "fastest fiero" god either... He really has had no competition, and is in fact not the fastest transverse fiero, as an archie V8 car ran 10.3 before ryan ran 14's.

Their has been faster 3800 powered cars in just about every other commonly swapped car out there... monte carlo, impala, grand prix, regal, transport van, GTO, firebird, grand national, ect...

While I might not be able to speak for myself, there are plenty of people out there that could in different platforms... why a LIGHTER MID ENGINE CAR is slower than those I listed above.. is beyond me.




Who called him the 3800 GOD? Did I miss that somwhere?

Until you have gone faster or put together something that has gone faster then shut up. This is what I mean about you talking out your azz all the time. Maybe you don't mean to come across like you do but it does.

Those cars listed above are also owned by vendors or those with money to burn. Like I have said many time, if a vendor of the 3800 world wanted to put a Fiero in the 8s, they could do it in less than a month. Also those cars that are running in the 9/8s are the same weight as the Fiero so you can't say the Fiero is a lighter platform.

That car that ran the 10.3 back in the day ran it one time and thats it. While it did run that time, it is not consistnet and will never run that time again.

Get your 10 second turbo swap you keep talking about done and then you can talk smack.
fieroX OCT 29, 05:13 PM
and you know what? that 10.3 pass, has anybody ever proved it with a video or anything? I can go to the track friday night and take a 9 second timeslip and tell everyone I ran 9's but until Its proven with a video it means jack.

Next up, the Grand prix that ran 8.65 weighs 2450 lbs, and they have somewhere near $50,000 invested. My car will be running 9's next spring and done so for less than 20k.

Also, if im a 3800 god, does that mean people pray to me? Thats creepy.
PURPLE REIGN OCT 29, 06:14 PM

quote
Originally posted by KurtAKX:

Fellas,

I won't be 3800 swapping my car, but if I had to (generally speaking), I'd go with the mounts made by the guy who does the least namecalling.

Is there a way to defuse this before it goes to the trashcan?

Like for example,
PR make a list (factually) of concerns in list form. X do the same. Comments like "ur a idiot who's gonna go bankrupt" or "ur mounts suck so much" are not factual.

It sounds like:
PR sez
1) Your mounts aren't drilled, so they're not anymore a direct fit than those which require cradle ovalizing
2) Your mounts aren't any different from mine design-wise
etc.
X sez
1) Your mounts have dimensional tolerance issues
2) Some examples of your mounts have contained weld inclusions.
etc.

These could be off, but the point is to make your points like gentlemen and rebut them without mentioning panties or pussies (unless in the "Girls with Fieros" thread)

Just a thought.



Pretty much on the money..........although with a few corrections.

1) I was never informed about any specific issue. Nor was a P.M. replied to

2) One shoots off their mouth on the forum.

3) One starts a completely irrelevant bashing thread that gets locked...............forever.

4) Another thread is started with more bashing, copying & reselling product.

Up to this point I have kept quiet............................then the bashing continues with the welds.....................I've had it.



quote
Originally posted by KEV:
I couldn't say it better myself..
Can we all just get along...???



You however are no help


quote
Originally posted by fieroX:

My concerns about PR's mounts are as follows:

1. takes awhile to get, I first contacted him saying i was going to need a couple sets, on 7-29, received them on 9-18.
2. too expensive
3. customer service is lacking, whenever i would message him it would take 2-3 days to get a response
4. they take a frustrating modification to make fit (on 88's).


1) Get your dates right. P.M.'s are recorded showing your first serious inquiry with payment was 8-21-08 at 9:03 P.M. 9-19-08 they shipped. I do this on the side. Not a mainstream income. They are incredibly hard to keep on the shelf.
2) Ya......like steel is going down
3) I dont live at my computer. I run a business. You'll figure that out someday.
4) You knew that ahead of time. Or did you not read the 12 page thread at the beginning that states that ?


quote
Originally posted by buddycraigg:

my 2 cents
I'm a Archie guy, i had to "elongate" the 2 slots on the K member to get things to line up.
But things need a little tweaking all the time.

Ryan,
I use to be a cheerleader for you, rooting for the poor, young, nobody from the midwest.
I've met you a few times, and actually offered to help when you blew your head gaskets.
but when you did your stunt about your car catching fire.
i realized that you have issues you need to work out.

PR,
I've met you 4 or 5 times in person.
This personal attack is out of the norm for you.
what were you thinking?



I dont see much of a PERSONAL attack. Merely pointing out someones temper is going to be real bad for business.

As is I have the same issue when I'm pissed. I'll type as fast as my brain thinks it. Sorry.


quote
Originally posted by topcat:
I read the original thread that X wrote a while back. I formed an opinion at that point that was not all that great about doing business with him. He comes off a little too cocky for me. After seeing that PR seemingly didn't bother commenting on X's attack, he seemed the more mature business person. He must have just read it for the first time

Thats was the initial idea. Ignore it, as I really didnt care. But once the bashing kept going and then started ripping into the welds, I figured it was time to be addressed.

quote
Originally posted by topcat:
X might have mad skills at making fast cars, and if really motivated can make his business succeed... however business could be a heck of a lot better if the attitude was a little different. I am sure there are others that might feel similar, and when you are looking at starting a business that caters to a small community, care should be given to what your percieved image is like.

BTW, I have a set of PR mounts, and am quite pleased with them. I have the entrie set for a manual car and his modified dogbone.




This was the point i was trying to make.......................
fieroX OCT 29, 06:51 PM

quote
Originally posted by PURPLE REIGN:

1) Get your dates right. P.M.'s are recorded showing your first serious inquiry with payment was 8-21-08 at 9:03 P.M. 9-19-08 they shipped. I do this on the side. Not a mainstream income. They are incredibly hard to keep on the shelf.
2) Ya......like steel is going down
3) I dont live at my computer. I run a business. You'll figure that out someday.
4) You knew that ahead of time. Or did you not read the 12 page thread at the beginning that states that ?





1. Dates are right. I dont know the date I first inquired, but you replied on 7-29, and I sent you a pm back saying to get 3 sets ready. 2 weeks later on 8-13 you sent back saying you had 2 manual sets in stock, so I said to get 3 auto sets ready to ship. On 8-21 you said they would be done by the end of the week and on 9-2 you said they were done. Paid on the 5th and recieved on the 20th.

My point is, I will have the ability to have mounts in my customers hands within 10 days of ordering. But im not bltching about that.

2. Steel prices have dropped like a rock. Have you not been paying attention to the economy crisis? They were paying $160 a ton earlier this summer for scrap cars. Now they are paying $70. You might want to get ahold of your supplier and ask for a better deal cause they have you in the ringer.

3. I run a business too, and a lot of my business comes from the guys on here. So I pay attention to their needs so I can make my business better and help the Fiero community. You might try that someday.

4. I didnt think I needed to read a 400 post thread to find out your mounts dont line up. I can buy headers from zzp and I bet they line up with my heads.