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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16879
Location: sticksville, ct.
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 Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:15 am Post subject: |
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| secretsubmariner wrote: |
| Dude, your 70 deluxe 'just shoot me' thread is insane. I can't imagine why anyone would hate on the meticulous and precise work you did on that bastard. |
to do a thread for a customer isn't out of the realm of possibilities, but the snide comments put doubts in customers minds...
all it takes is one "dude, that looks hacked up" comment and boom....the phone rings "so and so commented that such and such looks like a hack job and..." then you waste time trying to defend your decision to the customer.
not all people have thick skin to be able to handle it. I do however pride myself on making it look the part...form AND function. I have a gentleman from Texas who is ready to ship his bus to me.
it's also hard to nail down a total cost, as I have no control over the purchase price of the donor, associated parts etc, what the donor engine may need if they are not going with a new short block, do they want a re geared trans, shifter bushings, gas tank restoration etc....
so, to avoid the "hate and discontent" on the forum, it is just easier not to post it. look back on the jake raby/kennybench thread...it's almost like the people that shithoused that thread were paying the bill...
plus the off color comments I have seen like "would rather see this than someone cut a radiator in a bus" kind of crap reinforces the fact that it's not worth it to subject a paying customer to that.
just my point of view. I can take it and have no issue pointing out my failures but someone that is paying for the service needs to know that I have it all figured out...I hope.... and that I won't leave them hanging or take their money and give them nothing in return
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| gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
| Jake Raby wrote: |
| Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
| Brian wrote: |
| Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 16971
Location: San Diego, California
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:27 am Post subject: |
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You bring up a problem that I encounter every so often. A customer wants work done and asks for a price. Now, if it's just standard work like a tune up or a job like installing new shocks it's pretty easy to estimate how much time and materials I'll use. Other times when the list is long it gets harder to estimate, much harder. That's when I basically go to "time and materials" and try and offer some kind of range that the total will fall into. Then there's always the unknowns that pop up like maybe finding a contaminated fuel tank which was hidden until the job started. I really can't think of any times where I had an unhappy customer though when they got the bill and that's because I try to keep them updated with pictures and a running excel sheet of the costs to prevent any surprises.
As far as people trashing you if you started a thread here on a project I agree. Maybe you could start up your own blog and be in control of what the content is. Once you had a few projects documented, you could use that to show potential customers what your work is like and what to expect. Just a thought.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
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VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
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secretsubmariner
Champagne Wrangler
Joined: January 08, 2011
Posts: 3104
Location: Tulsa, OK
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
| secretsubmariner wrote: |
| Dude, your 70 deluxe 'just shoot me' thread is insane. I can't imagine why anyone would hate on the meticulous and precise work you did on that bastard. |
so, to avoid the "hate and discontent" on the forum, it is just easier not to post it. look back on the jake raby/kennybench thread...it's almost like the people that shithoused that thread were paying the bill...
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That's a thread I'd like to read. lol. Anyway, I admire your work and integrity.
Aeromech, I think giving a customer an approximate price range is a great idea, along with spreadsheets and updates. Very very cool. If I was in CA, I'd be hitting you up all the time.
Babysnakes, Post some pictures or something! Dang!
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI |
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babysnakes
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2008
Posts: 7107
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING ON MY THREAD????? I mothballed it for over a half a year for a reason!!! OK, I'm going with a Fiat 500 engine, swingaxle T-3 tranny, 13" custom wheels with rubberband tires, hydraulic suspension so I can lift only one wheel off the ground (any one I desire). 2" shag carpeting on the walls and ceiling with 12"square laminate on the floors. Opting out the stock tail lights for '50s Fords. And a Cyclops light on the roof just like the splitties. NOW, leave me alone!!!
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secretsubmariner
Champagne Wrangler
Joined: January 08, 2011
Posts: 3104
Location: Tulsa, OK
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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LOL dude you're gonna get laid like crazy in that thing if that's the case.
on a side note, I've been listening to Zappa's Us and Them album recently on the ol' turntable, and for some reason I think about you and your single cab when it's spinning.
_________________
-Tony
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ
1978 Champagne Edition Bus FI
1970 Auto Fastback FI |
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babysnakes
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2008
Posts: 7107
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Them or Us. |
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secretsubmariner
Champagne Wrangler
Joined: January 08, 2011
Posts: 3104
Location: Tulsa, OK
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aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 16971
Location: San Diego, California
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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Erik, you are such a dick but I still love ya
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
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grandpa pete
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2008
Posts: 6426
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
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babysnakes
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2008
Posts: 7107
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Pete, I can't make the trip but I have somebody on the way. Do you want coconut oil or aloe? |
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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16879
Location: sticksville, ct.
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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I like the smell of moth balls. all buttered up with aloe....mmmmmm
thanks for the comments, and thank for letting me muddy your thread buddy (that sounds dirty....)
ANYWAY... aero I agree...honestly, I don't know how sustainable a business would be doing swaps alone...it takes loads of time. today I have a shade over 5 hours building the mount bar and test fitting it and probably have another few to go to finalize it (early bay...not available for sale, so I have to hand make them...plasma cut, weld, drill...it eats tons of time)
I would rather surround myself with MOST ring issues, CAN-BUS failures etc than do the swaps. I 100% LOVE doing them, but it is so labor intensive it can be very cost prohibitive to a customer. plus, as you point out, the unknown's... they can get expensive fast
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| gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
| Jake Raby wrote: |
| Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
| Brian wrote: |
| Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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babysnakes
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2008
Posts: 7107
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babysnakes
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2008
Posts: 7107
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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| aeromech wrote: |
| Erik, you are such a dick but I still love ya |
Back at ya bro.  |
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jtauxe 
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 5780
Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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Man, I hope you get that truck out of mothballs soon. I can't take much more of your thread, lately. 
_________________
John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD
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Brian
Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012
Posts: 8340
Location: Oceanside
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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To recap:
Stocknazis don't like subarus, some legit advice about workmanship, something about rubbing cheeks and someone being a dick.
We need more single cabs!
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Wash your hands
'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
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airschooled
Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012
Posts: 12727
Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Brian wrote: |
Stocknazis don't like subarus, some legit advice about workmanship, something about rubbing cheeks and someone being a dick.
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 ©
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Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
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babysnakes
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2008
Posts: 7107
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| Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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Alright ya bums, I went to visit the truck last weekend. Once again I got bumped, this was in the way.
I looked at the cab floor again and the PO had welded a gate hinge to the gas pedal. Nothing to salvage there. So this arrived in the mail today from Wolfsburg West.
It's very sturdy stuff. While I was there I took a selfie.
I hope that satiates ya'll for now. I'll be back in the shop next weekend. |
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1967250s
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2007
Posts: 2137
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| Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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That is a Sweet lookin' Bus! Love the Phone Dials.
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'72 Elm Green Deluxe |
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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16879
Location: sticksville, ct.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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seems to be a theme with these gold digging whores
get it done and ship her north for a skillz-a-roo swap.
_________________
| gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
| Jake Raby wrote: |
| Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
| Brian wrote: |
| Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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babysnakes
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2008
Posts: 7107
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| Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 3:01 am Post subject: |
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| 1967250s wrote: |
| That is a Sweet lookin' Bus! Love the Phone Dials. |
Those are 15", I have a set of 16s. I also have a set of 14" Porsche Fuchs that I could run the correct tires with. Not sure at this stage. |
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I'm better at music than I am with song titles, my bad! Great freaking record.
