I generally enjoy spending my hard earned money with companies who say what they will do and then do what they said.

I'm thrilled when they also under promise and over deliver on what they say.

That was my experience this week with Todd Finley at Forgeline Wheels.

I recently curbed one of my wheels and it left a 4 inch scar on the outer rim. Son of a *****!! :bang:

I called Todd and asked what my options were to get it fixed as soon as possible. He gave me some options and prices and then said the easiest fix would be to just unbolt the wheel and tire and send it to him. I chose that option since I haven't yet had time to find out who in my area has the ability to remove and reinstall tires to these wheels without damaging them in the process.

Of course Forgeline was able to make the wheel look like brand new again. The parts that thrilled me included getting the wheel back in less time than Todd estimated and at less cost than I expected. Since they were able to simply refinish the outer rim they did not charge me for a new one which they certainly could have because that was what I had agreed to pay for. They also don't try to make extra profits on shipping.

I just wanted to publicly say THANK YOU to Todd and Forgeline for taking care of me. During the transaction Todd repeatedly stated he likes to treat his customers just like he would want to be treated. He certainly did that and more.

Arrived a couple days earlier than promised

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psfc1f85fd.jpg

Good as new!! Thanks Forgeline!!

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps46a5b41c.jpg

Anybody know if JC Whitney still sells those curb finder thingeess???????

That's great to hear Lou, and glad you'll be back out and about with the car.

Glad you are getting out and enjoying your car. Your front grill is the best custom I have seen. Great job!

It's always great to hear the good stories Lou!! So many times time people just want to shout about the bad and forget the good!!

I just have to tell you about another very positive customer experience.

I decided to buy an enclosed trailer for my car. I didn't even know what to look for when I began my search. I just knew I wanted to find one in time for an already planned trip.

By searching some of the threads on this forum and others, I at least started to understand some of the choices and trade offs.

It wasn't until I started talking to Chad Servais of Becker Custom Trailers in Wisconsin that I really started honing in on what I needed for my purposes.

Chad and I only talked on the phone but he was WAY more helpful than other sales people I called and even the local trailer distributors I visited in person.

I especially appreciated how he answered all my questions with more than yes and no answers.

After I missed an opportunity to buy a trailer Becker had in stock, Chad scurried to find another one for me. Luckily he found one at the factory that had just been built. He then worked with the factory to have some special modifications made before it shipped to me. (Little things like welding in a plate for me to anchor an electric winch to.) Some how he got it all orchestrated with the factory and on its way in time for my trip.

With people like Chad it is truly a pleasure to do business. He genuinely cared about me finding the right trailer for MY needs versus trying to upsell me or convince me to buy something else that wasn't exactly what I wanted. He never showed fatigue from all of my newbie questions.
He never pressured me to buy more than I really wanted. It was a pleasure to do business with him!

Here a few pics of my new trailer taken before it left the factory:

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...pse578fabb.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8a7ff294.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8a30da5f.jpg

I knew I wanted to have an escape door. This one also has an easily removable wheel well making it more likely that I will be able to open the door on almost any car I decide to trailer.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps53e2db66.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psaa216551.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps30e9f3f3.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psc9cbcd56.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps57cdb4a6.jpg

Even though it's just a big box on wheels I'm really excited.

Thanks Chad!

That's awesome, great trailer!! :thumbsup:

Finally common sense has arrived in the Trailer industry......Great Idea with the removable wheel well.........that will save paint chipping and dents on the edge of the door when getting in and out.........

Ken

Nice trailer, I really like the removable fender as well, I've seen the door before and the removable fender but never together!! :idea:

Wow, that is nice!

Can't go wrong with Becker. They are on top of their game!

Now all you need is a full detail crew inside and air conditioning. Don't want the car getting to hot.:D

That's a cool trailer. Looks nice and simple but the added touches of the removable wheel well, escape door, winch mounting plate are great. Looks like a winner of a trailer to go with your winner of a car.

Rod

The trailer works great. In a recent trip to Detroit I was able to check several items on my bucket list including a visit to the Dutchboys Hotrod shop, a friend's hanger party and a chassis dyno session with Dave Mikels at Thomson Automotive.

First, the car fits very nicely and my car door can swing wide open with the trailer escape door open and wheel well removed. It could not be any easier to get in and out of the car. There is even a convenient step between the trailer wheels.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psdc33218f.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps81e5ffac.jpg

My first stop was Dutchboys Hotrods in Kalamazoo. Paul and I have talked via phone and email for some time so it was nice to finally meet him and his father Joe in person. They could not be nicer people.

Their shop is spotless and very well organized. Every car under construction is being built with the same high level of craftsmanship and quality they put into Stielow's cars. I was surprised how much custom fabrication work they do in addition to world class body and paint work. It is no surprise that they are already building an addition to their shop to support their growing business. There is just something about their father and son business story that makes them heroes in my book. Accordingly, I asked both Joe and Paul to sign my car along with the other people I admire and have asked to sign it.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psbd0d0dd3.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1f954064.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps51ec1832.jpg

Next stop was a hanger party/private car show that a good friend of mine hosts every year. The weather did not co operate as it was cold, windy and rainy so the car show portion of the party did not fully materialize. Bob Lutz did show up in his ZR1. Bob was very complimentary of the design elements my son Dan contributed to our car. Of course I asked him to sign it too.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psc1b5313c.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps48b5dc2c.jpg

The last stop was at Thomson Automotive in Wixom. Dave Mikels was nice enough to meet me there to do some chassis dyno tuning on my car now that it has some shake down miles on it. Dave is a great guy. He got home from his family vacation only hours before meeting me at Thomson. The Thomson Shop is also spotless and full of projects that made me drool.

It was totally cool for me to watch my car being tuned on the same dyno, and by the same guy who also tuned the likes of Red Devil, Mayhem, Hellfire, etc.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps02999236.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...pse301540e.jpg

The first pulls revealed that my LSA clutch is slipping at WOT up to about 3500 rpm. That really baffles me since the car has been babied so far and it only has 700 miles on it. The car also threw the AC belt for the second time now.

Subsequent pulls were from 3500 rpm to redline.

Dave did not go for maximum possible numbers. Instead, he purposely left some power on the table so I would not have to worry about bad gas here and there or long term reliability.

The bottom line was 581 HP and 571 torque at the wheels.

Here is a link to some video of the dyno pulls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFDv...nllqjaOttBF4CA


Of course, I asked Dave to sign the car too.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psbef65b6f.jpg

A great trip overall!!!

Now to figure out why my brand new clutch is slipping.

That sounds like an awesome road trip! I bet you had a great time. Thomson's shop is also definitely an impressive site to see in person.

That sounds like it was a great time. Its nice to put faces to the names we see online. Thanks for posting.

Lou that sure sounded like a fun trip and good numbers on the motor.Car turned out perfect and glad you are enjoying it:king: :king:

Sounds like a great trip. Car looks great too.
Nice hp and tq numbers for sure. Better to leave a little power on the table for the reasons you stated above. Nice car.

Lou, It was great to finally meet you and thanks for the kind words. Glad you took time on your road trip to stop at shop and see us. You have a great looking car. Hope to see you soon, take care . Joe

I love it! Great build. Car should be fun on the streets and track.

I probably should have waited until we have this installed in our car but couldn't wait to share.

We had the same company that makes the ZL1 hood scoop for GM make our custom grille in matching pre preg Carbon Fiber. This is the real deal and not imitation or simulated carbon fiber.

The first parts just arrived today and they are absolutely perfect. We can't wait to get it all installed. Of course, we'll post more pictures when it is.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psc410137a.jpg


http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psacb4db5f.jpg

Notice how the angle of the weave is consistent from vertical to vertical bar. That is way easier said than done, especially on complex, deep parts like these.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps72fd1ceb.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psb9971127.jpg

Dan designed the pieces with close tolerance recesses on the back side to allow the invisible use of double stick tape to hold them all firmly in place.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps876fa840.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psc339d886.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2151545f.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...pse9dc0827.jpg

Wow that looks awesome! Its amazing they can get the carbon fiber so straight around all those different angles. I loved the grill before and this brings it up another notch.

One word comes to mind. PERFECTION!!

Sick and I love it !!!

Wow just bad azz!! That's just soooooo cooool!!

:king: :king: :king:

Wow, that is just wicked! What a well executed part. Ron

:trophy-1302:

We've been pretty busy building a new shop but I thought I ought to post a few picks of the carbon fiber grille installed.

When we showed the GM designers our 3D printed grille and emblems at SEMA they were complimentary but also warned us that 3D printed parts typically have a limited life span in real world use.

Even though our 3D printed parts were still holding up just fine, we just installed the first prepreg carbon fiber version.

We worked with a U.S. company that uses the same materials and process used to make the OEM hood scoop so it matches perfectly in appearance and quality.

While we were at it, we also had all the 3D printed emblems including the front and rear bow tie assemblies CNC machined out of billet aluminum.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psx76zegfg.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...pst6qdhsxl.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...pszdbbswau.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psvlmvoqfk.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...pshztf5obj.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6wf9cqem.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/...psosymmd48.jpg

That is beautiful. Nice job.

I am seriously considering buying a 69 Camaro just so I can have this grille.

btw I forgot how much I love this car.

Are you producing these?

I have dreamed of doing a similar grill in my LSA powered 72.

Awesome car.

I think that with the continuous improvements and capabilities of 3D printing and of the materials used in 3D printing we are getting close to the day when you will be able to take your dream to a place like kinkos and have them print one for you. I know that sounds crazy but I think it will happen faster than we think.

Doesn't sound crazy to me at all. I actually work at GM and have seen the progress of rapid prototyping, and it will become very doable in the near future! There's the build your own kits for doing small scale for small money already, could you imagine 20 years ago believing that would be possible haha.

Now getting it in hand laid CF is the other question (of money lol).

Damn that's nice. Way to go next level!!! Now what?