SOLD 1968 Sport Satellite / GTX Headlight Bezels For Sale ... after being accused and stiffed!

After putting my heart, soul and a lot of hours into a set of headlight bezels for a member's 1968 Sport Satellite, I have been advised that I'm getting stiffed on the bill.

Though it would have been much easier to just tell me -- as I discovered last night -- that he bought a set from another member here while I was almost done with his, this guy instead chose to impugn my integrity by publicly ACCUSING ME of swapping his parts out for others that were not in the shape he claimed his were when he sent them to me for restoration. Of course I would never do such a thing ... it was a slap in the face and an affront to my upbringing. The client relationship was tenuous at the beginning but, after receiving my invoice last week, despite previous indications that money was in hand immediately, it deteriorated into a vicious cesspool of deception, libel and bad karma.

If I was in a position to just donate them to a needy owner -- or make a YouTube bikini video of me smashing them into smithereens with my BFH while giggling hysterically -- I would do so. Unfortunately, I'm just a very small business owner who needs to pay her bills. I want these to go to someone who needs them and if I have to take a hit on what they're worth, I will.

I honestly have no idea what they go for on the market and am completely open to reasonable offers. I am only putting a price in the ad because it is mandated by Forum Rules. If I'm on crack then PM and tell me; I don't own a B-Body and will not devote further time or research to this than necessary because I have other work in line to do. I just want these things out of my sight and the unpleasant reminder of the pillar of integrity who chose to stiff me on the bill -- on the eve of my shop's 13th Anniversary no less! -- out of my life forever.

These bezels are NOT perfect and never could be. One had been welded up on the back side in the past, got too hot / overworked and left some waves in the long flat area. (Also demonstrating my ignorance on B Body trim, I can't even tell you if it's on the top or the bottom of the bezel because I don't know which direction they bolt up LOL!) The black accent areas were a little pitted but not excessively.

Even with all the straightening, polishing and buffing they still have a few minor issues. You can see a few defects from an inch or two away but not from a foot back, a couple small spots didn't polish up as well as others (again, overworked by a prior restorer or owner), and I could see myself clearly in most areas but am a bit fuzzy in others. Please note all the close ups were taken from only an inch or two away with a 20-megapixel Canon camera that shows everything, the same way I present all finished parts to my customers, so there are no surprises. It's highly unlikely anyone will ever inspect them any closer ... and if they do then they're an even bigger detail freak than I am.

I will tell you straight up that they actually look much better in person than they do in any of my pictures, especially the polishing.

After buffing, these bezels were sealed with MC-160 CeraKote, a crystal clear non-yellowing ceramic liquid coating marketed as "The World's Strongest Clear Coat," so you will never need to touch up the polishing in the future. All the recesses were then powder coated in flat black in my match for Mopar trim accent areas.

Please look over the photos closely as I will not entertain any returns. What you see is what you get. I believe these are more rare and for the "sport" model Satelllite or GTX. Confirm they will fit your application -- and your grille -- before purchase.

The bezels have already been very well cushioned and packed for shipping so I'm not too keen on opening up the box just to get more pictures than the ones I already shot.

You will also receive one of my most popular Customer Appreciation Gifts ever, a bar of Hand Job olive oil based mechanic's soap!, and some swag that I packed in there last week in preparation for sending them home to the scumbag liar.

Asking $750.00 in reliance on getting an education about B Body trim from you guys who know a lot more about it than I do.

Thanks as always for your support!

What an azzhole!!! There is a special spot in hell for those people.

Keep yer head up, Babe. We all know you are top notch.

Now about that bikini vid

People....what can you do right?
Hope your able to move these they're not that bad for reworked 50+ year old OEM stuff.
If your around in this biz long enough your bound to run across rejects like the afore mentioned.
Keep on keeping on and you'll be fine

Those look fantastic! If they fit on my '69(they might, they certainly look the same as the ones on my car) and I could afford it I'd be tempted to buy them. Of course then they'd make the rest of my grill and trim look like the 50 year old dinged up and spray painted stuff that it is. I have no idea on the value, I know the grill and associated trim for the '69 sport satellite/GTX can be ridiculously pricey. Hopefully someone will buy them off you soon. If not maybe I'll double check whether they'd fit my '69

MarPar said:

What an azzhole!!! There is a special spot in hell for those people.

Keep yer head up, Babe. We all know you are top notch.

Now about that bikini vid View attachment 956335

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My vote is for the bikini video...

We have all over paid for restoration work, but when a person agrees to have work performed they should in reality pay for those services. I had to pay $3550.00 to have a 67 Coronet R/T tail panel restored that only had 12 pits in it. The restorers estimate was only in hours with no $ figure. I should have known but...... I paid.

Cc, you said the correct word KARMA it will get him good. I can't wait till I get to the point to send stuff to you to get done. Your product is great and your values are top notch. Someone will pick them up they look great. Oh happy anniversary

Been there, done that. You and I've communicated once in the past regarding powder coating. I'd run a powder coating job shop in Minnesota for about 18 years, retiring in 2015. In addition to the OEM work for companies like GE, John Deere, Harley, etc, we made it a point to cater to the Minnesota Street Rod Assn, local restoration shops, hot rod shops, motor cycle shops, privateers, even the local Smart Car dealer. No point in sharing my horror stories; you've had enough frustration with this one. I wish you the best in selling them and your continued success.

I would never stiff you. .... or, would I ? ......

Bad situation. That said no one else has chimed in on price so I will. In my opinion I think you’re going to have a hard time getting that out of those...

If you can swing it, please do just get pissed and do the bikini video idea. I know, sell a prescription to the video. You’ll probably get enough of us to chip in a buck or two, maybe even a fiver, after it adds up to $750 you release the video via a private link ?

Please end the suspense, you said you had made the decision already, let us know.

Just FYI 68 bezels are same sat sport sat roadrunner gtx do your potential market doubled. They sure look nice out of my price range but nice

Those look great if I could afford them I'd buy them for my 68.

any car would be proud to wear them......oh the unneeded drama! dang *** hole!

CudaChick1968 said:

After putting my heart, soul and a lot of hours into a set of headlight bezels for a member's 1968 Sport Satellite, I have been advised that I'm getting stiffed on the bill.

Though it would have been much easier to just tell me -- as I discovered last night -- that he bought a set from another member here while I was almost done with his, this guy instead chose to impugn my integrity by publicly ACCUSING ME of swapping his parts out for others that were not in the shape he claimed his were when he sent them to me for restoration. Of course I would never do such a thing ... it was a slap in the face and an affront to my upbringing. The client relationship was tenuous at the beginning but, after receiving my invoice last week, despite previous indications that money was in hand immediately, it deteriorated into a vicious cesspool of deception, libel and bad karma.

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This is a very unfortunate situation for you Leanna. I am about positive just by the type of person that you come across as, that you don't require any partial payments before you do any work, but maybe you might have to start just to protect yourself a bit? I am a small business owner myself and never require partial payments before work is done, but I probably should also. Guess a guy always assumes that everybody stands by their word, like you and I do.
Anyway, I wouldn't mind knowing the username of the person who did this to you. Sounds like the kind of person I wouldn't want to do any business with.

Sorry to hear that happened. I know I trust my gut on people now. If they seriously complain about the "last guys work" AND ask a million weird questions ( like when selling a car) I pass on working with them. Luckly, I have the luxury. Keep working, you'll get em sold

Just standard bezels at ebay are $50-100 and up if they are better, NOS around $800-1000, I have a pair in my safe.

You gentlemen are simply amazing! I appreciate all of your comments more than words can convey. I'll deny the "overly emotional female" thing and blame the sting in my eyes on spring pollen.

Yeah, that's gotta be it.

In the meantime, thanks too for the Real World info on pricing these things realistically both here and via messages. Ranging from $150 on up, I have no doubt I'll be losing my *** on this deal ... and can throw some more high octane at the former customer for his repeated insistence about just how "rare, hard-to-find and highly desirable pieces" they really are.

Turns out the set now on his car were purchased from this very forum for $250 WHILE HIS WERE HERE undergoing active work. Rather than honestly owning up to the fact he bought others and cutting both our losses with a request to me to hold off on the restoration, it was apparently somehow more attractive to make up a ridiculous story and throw me under the Number 13 bus with an outrageous claim I secretly changed out his precious bezels ... just to get out of paying me for trying to do the finest work I could to make HIS CAR look its best.

The first $525 to Paypal.me/CudaChick takes them ($500 with $25 toward continental U.S. shipping with $1000 in insurance). You'll not only get the 52-year old restored bezels featured in the ad, the shop swag, decals and immensely popular Hand Job mechanic's soap, you'll also get the box they came in so you'll know who to avoid dealing with on here in the future.

CudaChick1968 said:

You gentlemen are simply amazing! I appreciate all of your comments more than words can convey. I'll deny the "overly emotional female" thing and blame the sting in my eyes on spring pollen.

Yeah, that's gotta be it.

In the meantime, thanks too for the Real World info on pricing these things realistically both here and via messages. Ranging from $150 on up, I have no doubt I'll be losing my *** on this deal ... and can throw some more high octane at the former customer for his repeated insistence about just how "rare, hard-to-find and highly desirable pieces" they really are.

Turns out the set now on his car were purchased from this very forum for $250 WHILE HIS WERE HERE undergoing active work. Rather than honestly owning up to the fact he bought others and cutting both our losses with a request to me to hold off on the restoration, it was apparently somehow more attractive to make up a ridiculous story and throw me under the Number 13 bus with an outrageous claim I secretly changed out his precious bezels ... just to get out of paying me for trying to do the finest work I could to make HIS CAR look its best.

The first $525 to Paypal.me/CudaChick takes them ($500 with $25 toward continental U.S. shipping with $1000 in insurance). You'll not only get the 52-year old restored bezels featured in the ad, the shop swag, decals and immensely popular Hand Job mechanic's soap, you'll also get the box they came in so you'll know who to avoid dealing with on here in the future.

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I told you I would not expose you and give my side of the story, and I keep my word.. However your claims in this thread are getting out of hand. I have my integrity and honesty which can be proven . All a person has to do is read between your lines....... Bottom line, I have lost a set of bezels............................MO