Covan Classic Experiences

[Novette_71]

Dear friends,

does anyone have personal experience with Covan Classic / Classic Dash company ?

I ordered my dashboard directly from them Feb 2nd or 3rd and have huge trouble getting hold of anyone from that company. I reached someone once (after a long time) and they promised to send it but this is 3 weeks ago. No status, no tracking no., noone to talk to except answering machine, no email response.

I am worried because my credit card has been charged almost 3,5 month ago and I start wondering if this is leading anywhere or if I just start calling my credit card company to have my money refunded.

Does anyone have a contact person / alternative phone number that I can try ? Any bad news about this company ?

Thanks for your input.

Wahid

[AM.MSCL]

Call the CC company and start a dispute.

[Steve1968LS2]

I will call them today and see what's up... I need a dash for my car anyways. :)

[XLexusTech]

Call the credit card company. If you have a good card they will refund you in full and you can move on. At this point covans doesn't deserve your business.

[BC69]

I had zero problems getting my dash, and it shipped fairly quickly direct from Covan. This was a few years ago now though. Hopefully this works out for you and it is just some sort of simple problem. Although, I would expect some apology, explanation or discount for waiting this long.

Goodluck!

[Steve1968LS2]

I left a message, should hear back tomorrow :)

[Novette_71]

Thanks for the input.

Steve, thank you for calling them.

They just drive me crazy.

Today, like 30 min ago, i reached someone .... I go "Hi, this is Wahid from Germany I have a question regarding my order ..... " she goes "Please hold .... " , puts me on hold and leaves me there ....

After about 4 minutes I think "this is international calling and it is expensive" so I hang up and call again, but now either busy or answering machine .... I am now trying for 30 minutes to get a hold of anyone ... :mad:

So, after several email tries with full contact data incl cell phone and fax no., messages on the answering machine, I now left my home number again on the machine.

You know, we are talking about $1140 for a fully equipped dashboard and speed sensor.

I am really pi**ed :mad:

Who else can I order such a dashboard from ? Covans (or Classic Dash now) is the only supplier I know.

[Novette_71]

I kept trying until now, I am just fed up.

Just called American Express, they want to try their luck as well.

Just doublechecked, they charged me March 19th, which is fine, because I wanted one without vent cutouts and Oil Temp instead of Volts, so I knew it would take about 6 weeks after ordering ..... the guy also told me that when I ordered. So until March 19th it was all good.

But another 2 month with no contact , no reply whatsoever is just too much. I know they moved, maybe they are busy, but this just sucks.

I keep you guys informed wuz going on. If you are interested in buying one, maybe get it from Summit and check if they have it in stock.

[1badchevelle]

I think is has to do with John Covan's not part of covans clasic.

He started his own company a bit ago. http://www.covansthunderroad.com/

I had a chance to talk with him at the Grand nationals.

so If you still want a covans dash this would be the best route.

[chevyIIpost]

Detroit Speed makes a steel dash insert that can be configured almost any way you like, but it will be more $$$.

[Novette_71]

AHA !!

Thanks chevyII, 1badchevelle !!!

I made a phonecall to covamsthunderroad.

First, you were right. John Covan has his own company, covansclassic was renamed to classicdash. So classicdash owes me my dashboard, but I am going to cancel my order and have the money refunded.

I called Kyle Covan at covansthunderroad. Told him the story and he will get me a price on my desired dashboard. He is John's son, very helpful, nice to talk to and they just started to offer Chevy dashes.

He has a Nova carbon fibre dash in stock and he will send me a price for the assembly....

Well, thank God, this sounds like a solution. Will call AMEX again for the refund (they dont even need to try to make classicdash send my unit).

I keep you guys informed ... THANKS !!

[Steve1968LS2]

Still no call back.... try again tomorrow.

Maybe something is up with their phones.. I know they just moved to Reno.

[Novette_71]

noooo, NOT their phone, their ATTITUDE ..... :lol:

Really, if you need a dashboard, call covansthunderroad .... I am so thankful for 1badchevelles note ....

[1badchevelle]

Not a problem I had to learn the hard way as well.:willy:

[Steve1968LS2]

They called me back today and are looking into your dash. You're in Germany so maybe it's stuck someplace in transit.

Anyways, they said they are on it.

They also appologized for the phones, they just moved the whole company to Nevada and have been having "phone pains" related to the move.

Anyways, will keep you updated.

[Hulley]

I have to say this, I bought a Covans dash for my 68' Chevelle 2 yrs ago and its a huge let down. The material is cheap plastic and the fit was pretty crappy. I had to modify the switch brackets to get them to fit and use an ignition switch from a 67' instead of a 68'. The whole dash panel is very flimsy and I'm waiting for it to break in two while I drive down the road! There are lots of others who share the same thoughts I do, however I'm sure there are others who are happy too. The dash "looks" good, I just think the material should have been thicker or a better compound of material. I'm gonna fab a new dash before too long. :mad:

[BBC71Nova]

So Covan's original product line rights were sold to another company or what? I see on the new site that Chevy products are coming soon. That seems odd since I know they were available at one time. Maybe a non-compete is about to expire or something.

Anyhow, I've seen on forums in the past some less than stellar reviews of the products. It would be great if maybe the original designer is doing it again. Maybe they'll be a little better because that is a space with little, if any, competition, especially for 3rd gen Novas. It would be great to have some choices of good looking, well built, quality guage consoles.

John

[Novette_71]

John Covan has the new company covansthunderroad.com - their dash is thicker than the classicdash (former covansclassic) dash .... i think his partner bought him out and john established a new company ....

they were not allowed to produce chevy dashes until now because of a "hermit crab" ??? "permit crap" ? ... i dunno.

kyle said something like that, but that is going beyond my english knowledge ...

so steve, they look into it ? well great, but why didnt anyone contact me or at least send a tracking no ? when ordering at e.g. summit i normally have it in 8 to 10 days and never had problems in transit for about 16 years .... i bet they didnt even send it ....

but thanks for your help, i appreciate it very much ....we will see how it is going on ... although now that i know i would rather go for the thicker version ....

lets see. thanks for your inputs.

[Hulley]

I can certainly deal with the fitting of brackets and such, hell these are old cars everything has to be "fitted" right? If the original dash was just made of a better material they would have a much better product on their hands. The dash's look great, I get lots of compliments all the time.

[Novette_71]

I didnt hear ANYTHING until now .....

that order is dead for me. Amex transfers my money back tomorrow and I cant wait to order at convansthunderroad.

[Steve1968LS2]

I didnt hear ANYTHING until now .....

that order is dead for me. Amex transfers my money back tomorrow and I cant wait to order at convansthunderroad.

So you did hear from them?

Just curious since I told them of this problem when when they called me back last week.

[Novette_71]

Steve,

no, didnt hear a word. nothing.

hey, no worries, I just ordered at covansthunderroad. they are cheaper,too. paying 920 instead of 1140, and this is same style, same gauges. incl wiring and speedometer sensor and as desired no vent cutouts.

:) :) :) :) :)

AND : I called them twice and reached someone in person twice.

I ordered 5 minutes ago and Kyle Covan said if they have the oil temp gauge in stock they gonna ship tomorrow :D

:woot:

[70rs]

Novette, I'm sorry you had all the troubles with the dash insert. I am getting ready to order one for my 1970 Camaro and if I had not seen this thread you started I would have had the same problems.
Thanks for posting and for everyone else in helping find the solution.
This has saved me some troubles of my own.:cheers:

[MaxHarvard]

I remember when I ordered mine from Rick's First Gen - No issues, but then again it was a 3rd party vendor. The only real issue I had with the piece itself was that the fit and finish left a little to be desired.

~Eric

[Steve1968LS2]

Steve,

no, didnt hear a word. nothing.

hey, no worries, I just ordered at covansthunderroad. they are cheaper,too. paying 920 instead of 1140, and this is same style, same gauges. incl wiring and speedometer sensor and as desired no vent cutouts.

:) :) :) :) :)

AND : I called them twice and reached someone in person twice.

I ordered 5 minutes ago and Kyle Covan said if they have the oil temp gauge in stock they gonna ship tomorrow :D



No problem.. just trying to help :)

My dash arrived today... maybe it was an issue since you were overseas? In any event be sure to post pics of your new dash. I saw the Thunder Road stuff in person and it's very nice quality.

[Musclerodz]

One of our customers just ordered a kit today, they said it will be here in five days. We will see what happens.

[Novette_71]

I keep you guys informed. covansthunderroad is said to be thicker material as well, plus less expensive !

Steve, thanks for your help ... so you received yours in 5 days ? and they dont even call me back / email in almost 4 month .... pfff.

overseas shipping to germany is a no-brainer. i did it myself last september when i was in california buying too much stuff :D so i sent it to my home address .... was so easy. also never had problems with summit, jegs, etc.

but it is good you have yours at least. thanks again for the help.

70rs, since CTR is less expensive maybe wait until I have mine in about 12 days est. and i can tell you about quality, finish, etc so you can make up your mind which one to choose.

musclerodz, keep us informed. i am really curious.

and surely i post pictures when i have mine, maybe including how installation went, how it fits, if the instruction are easy and understandable etc ....

[Novette_71]

I needed oil temp instead of volt and no vent cutouts, but kyle covan from thunder road had the dash ready on tuesday as promised.

first class communication, they are supposed to ship it today (we needed to sort out how to ship it best).

i keep you informed especially about finish and quality once i have it.

[Hulley]

Lookin forward to hearing how it works out. I hope everything goes well! :thumbsup:

[Musclerodz]

Amazingly enough we got it as promised. However it is flimsy like all their dashes I have messed with, I would have much rather had an Anvil dash though

[LowchevyII]

I have a covan's dash in my 1970 nova and has been a huge let down. I bought it without gauges at the time and once i filled it with the autometer carbon fibers i realized how far off the dash was from actually looking like carbon fiber. it looks more like a checker board. Tyler from anvil poked a little fun at it when he saw it. Hoping anvil comes up with a better alternative. I know theyll have good fit and finish and it wont be made out of ABS, rather, the real CF stuff!:D :D :D

[Novette_71]

Hi,

well covanthunderroad says their dash is thicker than what you used to get, but still ABS plastic.

at least communication is A+, dash is shipped as promised around June 4th. tracking number provided. they even backed up from their original idea to use UPS ($ 310) and used USPS although there is some more hassle with the paperwork and no pick-up ($130).

that is great for more me, i saved 180 bucks :) and i do appreciate they were flexible.

i guess it will be at german customs in 2 or 3 days and then add maybe 3 or 4 days for german authorities to write me a letter "please pick up your box blabla customs bla bla bring money bla bla" :rolleyes:

keep you informed.

[stealth71]

Glad you got it worked out. I went through Cologne in April while I was on vacation. Didn't make it far past the train station/cathedral, but we hung out on the steps and drank a beer watching some locals breakdance.

[Novette_71]

hehe, i hope you loved the kölsch beer ... i am not a beer drinker but having in mind how the many pubs next to the rhein river are just filled with international people i assume it must be good.

My dash is in Germany, as fast as expected, now comes the "c'mon customs dept, contact me" part .....

I guess I have the panel in my hands Tuesday .... Wednesday the latest.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Novette_71]

Customs took almost as long as shipping itself, but I have it in my hands.... first impression : great !

Since I recognized many people are interested in these dashes I will post a new Thread "Covans Thunder Road Dash Experience" tomorrow with good pictures and infos (new thread without the classicdash fiasco).

Oh and : it is not flimsy ! Actually I think exactly the right thickness ... I am so glad.

So keep your eyes open for my new thread tom.:thumbsup:

[1badchevelle]

Thanks for the update.

Now only if he can punch out the chevelle.:unibrow: