TheSamba.com :: View topic - Sad story about restored Type 34 in January 2014 Hot VWs

Fri Dec 20, 2013 2:28 am

I briefly read the January issue of Hot VWs while I was at a magazine stand. (See link, scroll down to the page bottom) One of the articles was about a beautiful Type 34 owned by David Ho of Texas. The article said he had a '65 Type 34 that he left with a Southern California restorer. The problem is that the restorer did hardly any work after David left the car with him for several years. It seems that he also was out the $25,000 that he deposited. The article didn't name the restoration shop. I have a suspicion that it is someone who has gotten some bad feedback at the Buyer and Seller Feedback forum. Does anyone know whose shop it is?

http://www.hotvws.com/vw-articles.php?CatID=8

Fri Dec 20, 2013 7:32 am

I don't know which shop that was but a $25k deposit? Wow.

Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:17 am

That sucks!! Give it time, the shop name will become public

As a guy who is in the business, I will warn you all to BE VERY WARY of ANY shop that requires huge deposits for future completed work. This is how even good shops get into the "stealing from Peter to pay Paul" scenario where they use your deposit to work on another guys car etc., etc. . . It's a trap that even well meaning shops can fall into and it can be nearly impossible for them to get out of that once they start. All you folks in Downey, CA probably know of the troubles that Motor Meister (a high-end Porsche resto/engine shop) is in right now. All brought on by this very type of thing. Google them and see what you read. . . :shock:

I ONLY takes deposits for parts to cover my out-of-pocket expenses. I only get paid once the job is done. This keeps you motivated and hungry. On big jobs that take months, we agree at the on-set how many hours they can afford to pay for per week/month etc. I work to that limit and bill for that time. This is the ONLY way I can see to not fall into that trap of big deposits and keep things on the honest side. . .

Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:37 am

Direct source to the back-story ... the shop in question is Lenny with WCC in Southern California and the T34 was an early-1962 as well. Sad to hear how David was taken advantage of, but great to see the result of his persistence to get an incredible T34 restored!

Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:54 am

Lee Hedges wrote: Direct source to the back-story ... the shop in question is Lenny with WCC in Southern California and the T34 was an early-1962 as well. Sad to hear how David was taken advantage of, but great to see the result of his persistence to get an incredible T34 restored!

That's some bull....this is indicative of how dangerous the car game is. Hope David is able to recover some of his lost deposit. As for Lenny, what a horrible disgrace. For someone who was once regarded as one of the best in the business to pull some crap like that is shameful.

I've had my stint in the hater-ation but Buddy Hale and his team murdered this resto (that's a compliment). Definatley a "big-boy" resto that most would not have resources to make it happen.

Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:05 am

That's who I was thinking about as soon as I read the article, Lee, since there aren't that many shops that will take on a Type 34 and also because I had read some bad feed back about them at the Buyer and Seller Feedback forum. The article didn't make it clear if David got back any or most of his $25,000 deposit. David's story makes the complaints against Mario at Vintagewerks in North Carolina seem small time by comparison.

It's sad to hear what happened because I lived about 18 miles from WCC and had them do my seat upholstery about 11 years ago. I was very satisfied with their work. Times change.

Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:20 am

I thought that car looked familiar...

Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:15 pm

Very easy way to avoid all that heartache, restore the thing yourself.
Over here things don't work like that, you get started on the job and money comes once progress is made, the way it should be instead of having the customer pay up before the car has even been touched. :roll:
No surprise to hear that about WCC, had all the dealings I could possibly want in a lifetime from one carpet kit from those guys.

Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:41 am

racoguy wrote: Very easy way to avoid all that heartache, restore the thing yourself.
Over here things don't work like that, you get started on the job and money comes once progress is made, the way it should be instead of having the customer pay up before the car has even been touched. :roll:

Yup, that's how I do it (both my own cars, and those I do for others). Especially after hearing on this site (and others) about people having 1 guy start it, and then taking it to 2 or 3 other guys trying to finish it. :shock:
By doing as much as you can yourself, you can save a ton of money, time, and heatbreak. I realise that's not for everyone, but it works for me. You just have to be willing to do some of the grunt work IF you can.

I'm glad to hear David found a shop that was willing to help him out, and finish his dream. It just sucks that some people don't care about their customers enough to do the job they were hired for. :evil:

Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:31 pm

Bobnotch wrote: racoguy wrote: Very easy way to avoid all that heartache, restore the thing yourself.
Over here things don't work like that, you get started on the job and money comes once progress is made, the way it should be instead of having the customer pay up before the car has even been touched. :roll:

Yup, that's how I do it (both my own cars, and those I do for others). Especially after hearing on this site (and others) about people having 1 guy start it, and then taking it to 2 or 3 other guys trying to finish it. :shock:
By doing as much as you can yourself, you can save a ton of money, time, and heatbreak. I realise that's not for everyone, but it works for me. You just have to be willing to do some of the grunt work IF you can.

I'm glad to hear David found a shop that was willing to help him out, and finish his dream. It just sucks that some people don't care about their customers enough to do the job they were hired for. :evil:

I have to say though that if I were to have someone build a car for me and they asked for 25k or even 10k up front would send alarm bells ringing!

Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:44 pm

What's that big-ass box in the trunk?

ataraxia wrote: I thought that car looked familiar...

Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:51 pm

Couple things:

1) Niether the owner of the car, nor the owner of the accused shop has commented

2) Gossip Gossip Gossip (see #1). You all gossip like school girls

3) That is no where near a $25K resto

Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:53 pm

Erik G wrote: Couple things:

1) Niether the owner of the car, nor the owner of the accused shop has commented

2) Gossip Gossip Gossip (see #1). You all gossip like school girls

3) That is no where near a $25K resto

1. Looks like the owner commented in the article and someone else in the know spilled the beans that the owner didn't want to. This "gossip" didn't just come out of nowhere.

2. You have a problem widdat?

3. Who said it was a $25K restoration?

Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:53 pm

thom wrote: What's that big-ass box in the trunk?

A/C

Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:15 pm

It's not gossip, Eric, it's the truth, straight from the owner's mouth. I've been working this story (direct from the owner) since the VW Classic and he's never expressed any issue with sharing the fact of his extreme displeasure with WCC taking his $25K and not delivering a T34. The cost of the current Dove Blue & Black 1963 T34 Coupe was not disclosed, but you can imagine that it'd have been far in excess of the $25K the owner "invested" in WCC for the first try. His complete story will be published in the next edition of T34 World News, edited & approved by the owner a couple weeks ago.

Indeed the large box in the front compartment is a custom-made air conditioning unit from an airplane, I believe. The owner lives in Houston Texas USA and it gets terribly hot & humid in Texas.

Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:46 pm

That level of detail doesn't come cheap, glad he got what he wanted in the end as a lot of people would have just given up instead.

Still very surprised that anyone would just hand over 25 grand before any work took place but maybe that's just me.

Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:46 pm

Lee Hedges wrote: It's not gossip, Eric, it's the truth, straight from the owner's mouth. I've been working this story (direct from the owner) since the VW Classic and he's never expressed any issue with sharing the fact of his extreme displeasure with WCC taking his $25K and not delivering a T34. The cost of the current Dove Blue & Black 1963 T34 Coupe was not disclosed, but you can imagine that it'd have been far in excess of the $25K the owner "invested" in WCC for the first try. His complete story will be published in the next edition of T34 World News, edited & approved by the owner a couple weeks ago.

Indeed the large box in the front compartment is a custom-made air conditioning unit from an airplane, I believe. The owner lives in Houston Texas USA and it gets terribly hot & humid in Texas.

It's not straight from the owners mouth to anyone but you, therefore gossip. There are multiple sides to every story. I do live in Houston as well, I've heard my own share of gossip. Not my business to repeat it, nor in my best interest

Sat Dec 21, 2013 5:08 pm

Erik G wrote: Lee Hedges wrote: It's not gossip, Eric, it's the truth, straight from the owner's mouth. I've been working this story (direct from the owner) since the VW Classic and he's never expressed any issue with sharing the fact of his extreme displeasure with WCC taking his $25K and not delivering a T34. The cost of the current Dove Blue & Black 1963 T34 Coupe was not disclosed, but you can imagine that it'd have been far in excess of the $25K the owner "invested" in WCC for the first try. His complete story will be published in the next edition of T34 World News, edited & approved by the owner a couple weeks ago.

Indeed the large box in the front compartment is a custom-made air conditioning unit from an airplane, I believe. The owner lives in Houston Texas USA and it gets terribly hot & humid in Texas.

It's not straight from the owners mouth to anyone but you, therefore gossip. There are multiple sides to every story. I do live in Houston as well, I've heard my own share of gossip. Not my business to repeat it, nor in my best interest

Yeah, isn't there a feedback forum for this kind of stuff?

Sat Dec 21, 2013 5:23 pm

Erik G wrote: Lee Hedges wrote: It's not gossip, Eric, it's the truth, straight from the owner's mouth. I've been working this story (direct from the owner) since the VW Classic and he's never expressed any issue with sharing the fact of his extreme displeasure with WCC taking his $25K and not delivering a T34. The cost of the current Dove Blue & Black 1963 T34 Coupe was not disclosed, but you can imagine that it'd have been far in excess of the $25K the owner "invested" in WCC for the first try. His complete story will be published in the next edition of T34 World News, edited & approved by the owner a couple weeks ago.

Indeed the large box in the front compartment is a custom-made air conditioning unit from an airplane, I believe. The owner lives in Houston Texas USA and it gets terribly hot & humid in Texas.

It's not straight from the owners mouth to anyone but you, therefore gossip. There are multiple sides to every story. I do live in Houston as well, I've heard my own share of gossip. Not my business to repeat it, nor in my best interest

It's not gossip or hearsay if there's personal knowledge of the fact involved, and that most certainly appears to be the case here.

Sat Dec 21, 2013 6:11 pm

Erik G wrote: Lee Hedges wrote: It's not gossip, Eric, it's the truth, straight from the owner's mouth. I've been working this story (direct from the owner) since the VW Classic and he's never expressed any issue with sharing the fact of his extreme displeasure with WCC taking his $25K and not delivering a T34. The cost of the current Dove Blue & Black 1963 T34 Coupe was not disclosed, but you can imagine that it'd have been far in excess of the $25K the owner "invested" in WCC for the first try. His complete story will be published in the next edition of T34 World News, edited & approved by the owner a couple weeks ago.

Indeed the large box in the front compartment is a custom-made air conditioning unit from an airplane, I believe. The owner lives in Houston Texas USA and it gets terribly hot & humid in Texas.

It's not straight from the owners mouth to anyone but you, therefore gossip. There are multiple sides to every story. I do live in Houston as well, I've heard my own share of gossip. Not my business to repeat it, nor in my best interest

Sorry but if you can't trust Mr. Hedges knowledge of all things type 34 then your opinion is moot in my book. Anyone with a type 34 in this country knows him and he is the authority here.