1968 Dodge Charger Nut and Bolt Rotesserie Restoration

[Chargermoneypit]

Thanks Ron,
It is the sadest thing I have experienced on my restorations ever. I have dealt with so many vendors over the years and would love to send cudos to all of them with the exception of Classic Auto Air. If I shared the whole story of what is happening and what they are saying it would make everyone on this site sick. And I probably should... I am probably the easiest guy to deal and get along with and I have been royally screwed. The gentleman they are also calling a liar is another one of us and he has stepped up beyond the call of duty to help me find and get all the items they lost and claim they never got, and claim they shipped and never did. It is nice to believe that there is a band of brother's in the Mopar community. He thought it was not a good idea to start ranting about this on the site because there may be people who had a perfect experience and I am the one guy who did not. It does not appear to be the case as I have read from some people who may have had some of the same problems with them. I feel better about using a social media tool to spread the word. BEWARE!!!! I am having to use my bank and legal means to get through getting ripped off of my items.

Insofar as the car. I am getting the bugs sorted out and am sure there are many more to come. Thanks for the feedback and I will be happy to start a thread or post to the community about the good and bad.

 

[roadrunnerman]

glad to see you are getting everything back on your charger. sorry to hear about your air conditioning ordeal.

 

[hunt2elk]

My next project car came with a/c. I was debating about putting one back in it. But after your ordeal, I am thinking I will leave it off.

 

[Ron 73]

Maybe if they knew just how large of a gathering of Mopar enthusiasts you are explaining this situation to, They may think a little harder about setting this straight. just a thought...

 

[70rr-brian]

Maybe if they knew just how large of a gathering of Mopar enthusiasts you are explaining this situation to, They may think a little harder about setting this straight. just a thought...

Its what they do when they are not being watched which is the most telling of all...

 

[Chargermoneypit]

The Classic Auto Air Story

Thanks for the continued support and comments with the Classic Auto Air situation. I made one last attempt to try and get something resolved with them and they gave me the BLOW OFF. So here is the recap of the story. I had my friend, one of us on this site, send every single piece of a 68 system to CAA except the compressor. As anyone who has a 68 knows, the parts are next to impossible to find if you dont have them. The ones Dave had for me were in exceptional condition and had all the lines and hoses with nearly perfect factory markings on them and all fittings and hardware and such. This included all I needed. After making a phone call to them explaining exactly what I was hoping to accomplish we sent them out. I was expecting a call when they got the items but it never came. When I called to verify that they got them I got a rude a-hole who said, NOPE, don't have them. I verified the shipping info and sure enough I had the time, date and illegible signature. I called back again I got the same rude response and was told to call back later that I was supoosed to have filled out an online request. I sent a request and a concerning letter that someone please find my items. I got the call back from their sales department and went over the items they listed. It seemed odd that not all the pieces were on the list and thought maybe I was mssing a few things I might actually need. I approved the work that was specific and thought that they were a reputable company who catered to guys like us. I did also have to have them correct my name and state as they didn't even have that right. That is how it started out. I recieved a phone call from them the first part of March indicating they had finished ahead of schedule and gave them my card information for $1497.00. As some of you had read in the earlier threads, I was excited to get my items back and get it bolted onto the car. What I got was all fabricated replacement lines and hoses, a chinese dryer with none of my brackets or hardware, the restored expansion valve was missing as well as all the fittings and hardware for the compressor and the muffler assembly. I stood there in shock and kept looking in the box thinking where is the rest of my stuff??? When I got in touch with my friend who shipped the items he was horrified too and wanted to know where the rest of it all was. I sent them a letter with pictures and expressed my concern and requested that if I was going to get reproduction items then just send me my original items back and asked where items I was invoiced for and they said they shipped were. The answer I got back was almost incredible. They sent me a listing of general items from our friend who had shipped the items attached to each other and a picture of disassembled items and said they never got them. They said our friend was a liar and that was what they got. When I asked where the item they said they shipped to me was I got got called liar too. They insisted that they were shipped and there was no mistake about it. My blood has been boiling ever since. If they shipped the items that would mean I have the items. But I didn't! As concerned as they seemed, they had an excuse for everything. I have asked no less than six times where my original items that they claim they DID get are and have never received an answer. I have sent so many letters and keep getting the same response. I had no choice but to go on the hunt for the replacement items on my own and thanks to a fellow Mopar Brother, was able to get what I was robbed of again. Dave has even restored them for me the best he can. Talk about a stand up guy. The CAA idiots finally agreed to replace my expansion valve and replace the missing items after I had replaced them. Too little too late. I had been pleading with them long enough I gave up. I requested a refund of only $500.00 and they said "NO" and said they stand by their position they have done nothing wrong. I have filed a formal dispute with my bank, but these guys will deny it and lie to the bank too. The advice of all that have heard this story is to remain the biggest thorn in their *** I can and keep telling it to others. I am sure many of you have had zero problems with them and that is great I was hoping to be that guy too. Unfortunately I was plain and simply ripped off and I have posted to BEWARE!!! I have read some other stories about these guys so I know I am not alone. Sorry to chew up more time telling this story again but it has to be told so others dont get screwed like I have. They are jerks!!!! Spread the word my brother's.

More happy stories and pictures this Sunday. Lots happening with the car is the good news.

 

[monroegtx]

First of all congrats on your resto. Really is a superb effort that you have made and what you have achieved preserving one of these classics.
I'm restoring a '70 GTX with air. Since I didn't have any of the original under bonnet parts for the ac I bought a kit from Classic Air. Won't be installing till mid year but I'm glad I didn't have to send any original pieces for restoration. Hope you get some kind of compensation for getting screwed around. Keep up the good work and keep posting. It's helpful to read about the experiences of others. :VB toast:

 

[Ron 73]

Its what they do when they are not being watched which is the most telling of all...

Brian, You brought up a great point! Correct it is and ever so true.. I Hope to that he gets some compensation for all the mess, But some are stubborn when it comes to returning or paying out the green backs.. Time will tell and if some reading hear whats posted and speaks up with similar issues, at the very least people will be Leary about them. Better to know then jump in and find out the hard way..

 

[Chargermoneypit]

Latest Progress

I have some updated photos from today. Today was the first time she has seen daylight in almost a year. Pictures do it no justice. It looks so good in the sunlight it amazed me. It is getting very close to being completed. The last details always seem to go slow. I sit in my chair and stare at it and am excited at the idea of taking it for a drive soon. I will be sending the seats out next week to get completed and we will be installing the headliner hopefully next week. Then come the windows. I have a guy that specializes in installing them so he can knock himself out! Not something I want to tackle.

The past couple of weeks have been trying to get the gremlins out. I seem to have most of them figured out so the frustration level is getting better. It is my intention to have it as done as I can for the Mopars in the Park in the Minneapolis area coming soon. Just a quick update for now. More coming soon.

 

[70rr-brian]

Looking great! Gitter done!

 

[Ron 73]

Wow Looking grand bud!! Im with Brian there, "Gitter done" She do look sweet...

 

[Chargermoneypit]

Get a load of this. I was referred to a retired guy who does nothing but polishes trim for classic cars and his other specialty is rebuilding wiper motors for 55-57 Chevys. There is another guy right by my work who I will not name because he is well known, but has gotten a reputation of not being straight up on his prices and works at one speed. Extra slow. So after hearing so many friends of mine who said to go see him I gave him a call and went across town with every trim piece for my car. When I got there he looked over all the pieces and said no problem and that they will like like new. He showed me some of the work he has done and I was more than impressed. The trim has the usual 40 plus years of scratches and dings and he can get them all out as well. I have costed this out with others and when he asked me if $250.00 would work and I almost fell over. I had to ask him if that was enough for him? He said it is and then asked if next Tuesday would work for me and that he would have it all done by then. All I could do is ask him if he was kidding. He was great to deal with and I cannot wait to get my trim back next week. I asked him for a card and he handed me a bunch. I asked him he was sure he wanted to do that because I was likely to post this and pass on his information to anyone needing it. I will keep everyone posted and take pictures when they get back. This is a guy who has a great word of mouth reputation, is more than reasonable, and quick from looks of it.

 

[Ron 73]

Sounds like its going your way now.. Glad to hear it and im sure there is a lot of guys here that could use someone like him, Maybe you could talk with him and ask if it would be ok to put his name out there.. Thats if he wants the business, maybe he doesn't.. Good luck, looking forward to the pics and hope they turn out good as your expecting!

 

[Chargermoneypit]

Got the trim back!!!

I got my trim back and all I can say is WOW!!! I bought all new reproduction pieces and I won't be using them. Gerry called me yesterday and said the trim was all done and looked great. When I got there he had every piece wrapped in cloth and nicely taped as he does with all items he does. It is true craftmanship of a rare trade and it shows. I was gong to take a picture of all the pieces wrapped up and what they turned out like, but I was so excited that I unwrapped them and put them on the car right away. I took the pieces that I figured were junk because they were dinged, scratched and dented just to see if he could improve them for a future project or a driver for someone. They are better than the reproduction pieces and blew me away. He damn near made them new again and far exceeded my expectations.

I did let him know that I had made reference to his skills and services and asked him if it was okay to let people know of him. He said absolutely and that he would be happy to help anyone out that needs there trim restored. I did laugh and let him know he may be sorry, but he said bring it on and he will cry uncle when he can't handle it. So I hope some of you can use his services. He is great to deal with too.

His name is:

Gerald (Gerry) Wodtke
Cell pnone 763-226-6090

I will take pictures later of the end product but I know it will do no justice.

 

[Chargermoneypit]

Happy Day

Lots of pictures coming. Yesterday was a huge milestone and it is soooooo close. I replaced the master cylinder with a new one and was able to bleed the brakes and for the first time went up and down my driveway a few times. First time the car has moved on it own power in 7 years. YEAH!!! It was a bit wobbly though but it drove! The mad rush is on to get this thing ready to drive it to Mopars in the Park the first weekend in June. I feel like Chip Foose on Overhaulin to power finish after a slow assembly. The headliner was installed today and turned out amazing. My glass guy is coming tomorrow to do the glass installation over the next couple of days to get all the glass in and working perfect. The seats will be completed by late this week or early next week and ready to bolt in. I have the front end tightening and alignment set up for next Tuesday to make sure I didn't put that together backwards so I will be having it rollbacked by my buddy to get that done. Some ongoing detailing and we are good to go for a real test drive. More to come over the next several days.

 

[Donny]

Wow, glad to read the update! Sucks about that A/C vendor, word of mouth is priceless, bad or good! Gives me inspiration on my GTX build--which is stuck in the mud!

 

[Gpuller]

Glad to hear everything is going better. Get it all together and get some miles on it before the trip to the show.
I'll be looking for it on Saturday.

Reed

 

[MoparMitch]

Awesome job on that resto. You should be very proud of all your hard work.

 

[monroegtx]

Great work. Good to hear it's all coming together finally. Look forward to reading about your first real run.

 

[Chargermoneypit]

I feel like Luke Duke or the Bad Guy in Bullitt

Well today was the first day of taking the ole girl for its first run past the end of the driveway. It has had a few unexpected gremlins that got sorted out. I had the alignment and front end done last Tuesday and after the transmission fixed itself it was getting close to giving it a formal run. My buddy who lives near here is a fanatical Mopar junkie and mechanic along with his brothers who own a slew of Hemi Mopars so I know I am good hands when he started to help go over check list items. He super tuned it, set all the linkages, tightened all the underside nuts and bolts for second checks and set and reset the ride height. He has all the real tools and I just have a TV repairman tool kit. :laughing1: I had a brief opportunity to drive it a block when I picked it up from the alignment shop and felt like Steve McQueen when I put it to the floor and put the car sideways. Holycrap this thing doesn't have traction control and just wants go! It was the most fun I have had with clothes on for a while. Well anyways, most everything seemed to be in order enough today that I drove it all over town on the back roads to get the feel and slowly break her in. No issues just fun and it drives like a dream. What a great feeling to have people stare, honk, wave and compliment it for the couple of stops I made. Even the asshole who drive by does all of the above and then pulls in front and slams on his brakes so he can take a turn was okay today. You know who I mean...It made it worth most of the headaches to finally enjoy it today for the first time.

I still have items to continue to work on but was bound and determined to have it ready enough to drive to the Mopars in the Park coming up next weekend for it first showing. It has been a huge undertaking, a pile of money, and a pissed off wife to get it to where it is today. I will continue to final finish and fine tune the details and get it to where I want it to be. I am looking forward to the Redlines that are coming next week to give it the look of originality too. Thanks again for following along and I look forward to sharing more as I dial it in.