Done and DONE!! ;)

Tony,
Your project has been an inspiration to me during my build, and you can count me in on this deal. As I mentioned to you in one of my last PM's to you, I had this same thing happen to me during the bodywork phase of my car. I ended up pulling the car from the guy after 6 months and am now learning how to do metal work. Of course, mine was nothing to the extent of $7K plus.

Anyway, we're here to help, man. I'm just ready to see it finished.

Scott,
Here's your next feature car after it's finished!

Chris

I started a new thread for the Paypal donations, it can be found here:

https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=16220

Wow....you guys rock !!!!

To Chris
Just admit it.... you screwed us both. I'm sorry for you life issues, but thats not my problem. I dont care if it was intentional or not. That doesnt fix my car. You made promises and commitments and you didnt deliver. I would have had no problem paying more than the original deal if the work was anywhere near what you promised. If after you started, you had second thoughts or concerns with being able to deliver as promised, you should have told us and we could have picked up our cars and moved on. You kept your mouth shut, kept leading us along and did the work like you couldnt care less about the quality, just to get it done. Alittle honesty would have gone along way.....

Like Tony, I thought you were a nice stand up guy. When I sent you the pizzas, you didnt even say anything like thanks until I asked if you got them and that was 2-3 days later when I called you...... Like Tony I tried to treat you like a friend..... and look what we got in return.

I wont get on here and trash you, but dont give me your sob story excuses. The work speaks for itself...... nothing will change that

If there's sufficient funds generated why not help out Ned with his project as well, after all he's out of pocket too. It'd be a great gesture from the Lateral G community,:thumbsup: after all two members got stung by this guy.

Tony is one of the best guys in the world.

We have been friends for many years and Tony has voluntaried to help me many times with my project. Being overseas has its own problems in getting parts and special stuff that our cars needs. And here Tony has helped me and giving extremely good service. Jennifer has also run a few errands to the postoffice sending packages to Sweden. All this has been done over emails and PM's on forum without we ever meeting each other. A good example on the internets way of making new friends and helping each other.

On my trip to SEMA two years ago I finally got to meet Tony and Jennifer and we spend a few days together and summed it up with a nice dinner, we had a great time there.

When I first read this horror story I was chocked, i felt angry and sad. I had been thinking that Tony hadn't said anything about the progress on the car. I mean we share some emails now and then on what we do and how things go.

I have sent a few mails the last couple of days giving some encourage to Tony and all this support we give here will make this go by quick.

Even though things like this can send you in to the dark tunnel, there is always light at the end. One must look forward in situations like this, there is only future ahead. Tony is heading in the right direction and with our support it will go fast.

I have just sent $100 to the donation fund and if we are only 80 guys doing the same we got the bill to Chris covered for Tony.

So I encourage everybody to send $100 each and we let Tony be home free on this.


Jan

I'm with you Jan. Tony has spent timeless hours with alot of us on the phone helping out with the build. not to mention he and his wife are wonderful people. I just took care of Pay Pal this morning for $100.00. But I know not all members can do this. Anything will help and I know he appriciates it.

Tony, you got a name for your car? Here's one to ponder over.

"Survivor, The car that Lateral G saved"
It's not just about the build but the brotherhood within the Community.

It's these things that tell the true fabric of a man. And this man has completely failed the test.

Better luck to both Ned and Tony here on out...

I'll extend my offer to Ned. If you need any materials (primers paints papers etc) just shoot me a pm!
Mario

YOU know- sometimes it just better not to say anyting at all. Im sure this gy is bummed out that his oprojet didnt go as planned.

Anthony- Im across the country but welcomed to speak with you about the job if its still not done.. Sorry for your loss.

I always tel everyone -get referebnces, check them ask question and more . If the shop turned out to be a dud- did you complain to the local Better Business Bureau? Might be a start-and if its the case, you may not be the only one.

Sorry to hear though

Some times keeping your mouth shut is the right thing to do and other times it isn't. This isn't one of those times. We see this kind of thing happen all the time and there are just way to many stories about good people getting ripped off. L-G isn't a place for bottom feeders looking to make a quick buck at another's expense. Lessons learned by example if we're lucky.

The good people of :lateral: have turned this one around and that's proof that this time was worth opening up about.

fabric?..


dude is sewn together slivers of big league chew...

well I hate to say it but theres shops and people all over like this, they start a buisness screw everyone over go out of buisness and they there back with a new name screwing people over again, karma is bs these people are salesmen and they'll always keep stealing good peoples money. They have a better pitch than a real honest hard working shop and they suck you in. Then theres know legal way for the honest person in the deal to get there money back. I own my own shop and do everything as right as possible and treat everyone as I would expect to be treated, if you go to a shop and they give you a flat out price they probably dont know what there doing, you build these cars for time and materials that the only way you know you'll get paid what your worth. So in situations like this I wish it was like the old days were you could just go beat the living **** out of them. tellyv

Yea, BOS has this happen all the time. They give an realistic quote and then loose the business when the customer gets a crazy low quote somewhere else. Sometimes they end up hearing that by the end the customer paid as much or more for the job or that they hated the work done.

I guess some shops just want to get your car in their possesion, they can dow what they want with/to you.

I agree it would be fair to help both so it does not feel like sides are being chosen to help one and not the other.

Mike

That's a very generous offer and should really help Ned out...he too got the short end of the stick!! Sorry Ned!! :(

Thanks for the kind words and generous donation! You have been a great friend over the years and it was my pleasure helping you with your project!! Hope to see you and your wife during SEMA week again...good times!! :yes:

Hey Guys
I appreciate the offer.... that means alot to me. I've only met a couple of you guys in person or talked to you on the phone or email. Thats a pretty generous offer from people that dont really know me very well.... you guys always amaze me....

My goal right now is to find a metal fab shop that can help me fix some of the issues. Someone I can trust but can afford at the same time.

Rodger from Ironworks is gonna swing by on his way home from the Goodguys West Coast Nats,. I want his opinions but I'm scared to death to hear them. I know how nice his work is so, I'm sure he's gonna cringe at some of the stuff on my car. I'm worried it will just make me more depressed......

TJ and Tim from Bruning are gonna come by on the way back from SEMA to look at the car first hand too, but thats 10 weeks away.

I'm trying to keep a good outlook.... I keep telling myself, its only metal... it can be fixed... a car is justs a big glorifide, mobile soup can.... its only metal.....its only metal...its only metal.... theres no place like home.... theres no place like home..... :)

Ned

As a group we should all commit to making use of something like a "Diamond Certified" type business registry.

Does SEMA provide any sort of function like that?

If we cannot depend on other members of this community then we are lost.

I think this is a great idea!! A simple rating system would work great...:thumbsup:

I also agree! I really don't want anyone else to go threw what Ned and I did...it really takes the fun out of what is suppose to be a FUN hobby!

I'm also with Steve C. I had wanted to start a sticky tech thread on choosing shops and what to look out for when shopping but wanted to get past my situation first. I guess there really isn't any reason to wait though. I know Steveo and Frank would have many good points to get the ball rolling and then we could all add to it...I think it could really help others steer clear of making the wrong choice.

I totally agree with you. For those of us that are going to have projects in the future, that would really help us out.:thumbsup:

This is taking the intent of this thread to a new level. Great idea...one I support 100%. After all we are all here to learn and share.

:cheers:

Well, having just sorted through 15 pages of incredible peoples comments I must say I'm deeply moved by the brotherhood of this site.

I know I don't post here much (since My car has been on the very slow road to recovery for 6 years) but being one of the few guys geographically close to Tony I had some first hand witnessing to the whole deal. The only thing I can add about the "painter" is he should have refused payment in January and told Tony he was unable to perform the work specified. Then he could have held on to his respect and dignity.

This incident speaks volumes for the character of both Tony and his wife Jennifer. How many of us would have gone on a crusade to harm a person that had done this or spend countless hours and energy dwelling on it and building the negativity. Tony and Jennifer have done a wonderful job of keeping their chins up and being adults about the whole thing, kudos to both of you.

Now lets get this thing rolling so I can help you assemble it like I've been promising for a year!

The internet has helped and hurt a lot of folks in this Industry. The problem is it is so easy to make yourself look like a big shop or business and sucker people into using you as their personal practice project. I have fallen into this trap myself as you get guys on these forums swearing someone is the best. When you use them you realize neither of them has a clue as too what quality is. They work in Burger King during the day and then do whatever auto related in the evening swearing the whole time they are big shots in the car world. If they use the words WE and you only seen one person stay away.

How many times guys go crazy over pictures swearing how good the quality is. It is impossible to tell quality from pictures. Go see their work yourself as everybody has an idea of what quality is.


Also do not use a shop that can't show you a finished job. Guys love to show there 20 year projects but finishing all the details is the hard part.

To possibly add a bright side to this there are always changes that you could make during a project. Take this time to do things that you thought of after the project started and hopefully you will end up with a better car in the end. The way you had to go about it sucks but get passed it and build a better car.

I floated a couple bills your way Tony. Just because I don't like seeing guys named "Tony" getting screwed, lol.

-Tony :lol:

Pictures don't show jack and lie like an SOB. I can make a crappy car look like a rock star in pictures. lol

:yes: AMEN "AGAIN" :yes:

Thanks!! We got to stick together!! ;)

I don't like seeing it either, my brotha! :D

Tony I'll get some green in that account when I get paid on Friday. I probably shouldn't (due to my similar financial conditions :_paranoid ) but you're a great guy and I really appreciated you helping me out with some parts for my project.

By the way, Chris....you're apology was about as useful as a sack of wet mice. You shouldn't have even bothered. Hope your kids are enjoying the free stuff that the Rose's gave you. No need to thank them though. Remember...it's all about you.

Wow! I am almost speechless.

You just do not see this type of behavior any more. You guys really do make this place more thana board, and make it truelly a community with this type of outreach for another member.

I hate to hear what happened to Tony & Ned, but seeing the community pull behind you makes it easier to swallow.

As to the guy at racerodz, enuff bad has been said about him. I kind of feel for him also. He learned the hard way that just because you can do, does not mean you can run your own business. More than a few body shops and other business' have fell under for the same reasons.

Negetives aside, you guys are amazing for stepping up like this! :hail:

[QUOTE=2Bad4Ya;162913]As to the guy at racerodz, enuff bad has been said about him. I kind of feel for him also. He learned the hard way that just because you can do, does not mean you can run your own business. More than a few body shops and other business' have fell under for the same reasons./QUOTE]

While I agree with those that have said "it's time to stop wasting energy bashing on Chris", there is NO proof that he learned a lesson. For all we know he is stomping around, cussing our names and blaming others for the bad things that have happened to him. We've all seen that type of person a lot more often than the few, who have turned it around and become contributing and productive people. I sincerely hope he is able to pull it together. However I don't have the time waste on him, nor will I give the guy the opportunity to prove one way or another. He screwed with good people...more importantly, he screwed my friends. I don't take that lightly at all! I know I sound bitter and cold which honestly is not who I am. (Well not till you screw me or those I care about.)

I don't want to see this happen to anymore of the members of L-G! I've gotten so many PMs about this project or that shop and how things went very wrong. We have a tremendous resource here and I hope (pray) that we can keep this kind of stuff to a minimum.

I contributed to the pot...felt good too.:thumbsup:
Hope this helps start a process to prevent this from happening again in the future.

Holy Crap Tony, just spent the last hour reading through the first 1/2 of this thread. Really sorry to hear this happened, if I can help in any way let me know. I'm not that far from you. I'll read the rest in the next couple of days.

Don't worry the project will come together :cheers:

Hey Jim,

Thanks for the kind words and it really bothers me to see all these people getting screwed everyday. I just dont understand how they live with themselves. I try to help everyone I can and run the shop so everyone feels at home. If there is anything else I can do to help just let me know. Thanks again.

Donation
 

I have finally read this post and cant understand how this stuff seems to go so wrong. Owning a shop I can see both sides and sometimes you dont quote right but that becomes the shops problem unless it was worked out with the Client before hand. Things dont always go right and it sucks to see this stuff happen to anyone.

We try very hard to keep work around the quotes and sometimes that is very difficult because the way everything changes. But we do our best and we stand behind what we say and do.

I have no problem donating money to help something gone bad and would hope that anyone of you would do the same for all of us. Now that I have donated for the project when do I get to borrow it for the weekend. That was part of the deal right? :thumbsup:

Good luck with finishing the project and hold your head up high because as you can see you have a lot of good guys backing you here. Please keep us updated on the progress and pictures.

Wow, just read this entire thread.. I cannot believe this happened to both of you. I have known Anthony and his lovely wife Jennifer for a few years now and for those of you that don't know them, they are some of the most nicest people you would ever meet. Last year at SEMA, Anthony was really excited about getting his car done, what a bummer..

Anthony PM me, I might be able to help you out with transporting your car to any shop you want..

SW

Thanks SW for the kind words that is VERY nice of you! I'll PM ya!

And thanks to everyone else for the donations, offers, and kind words....it is much appreciated and needed!

Tony I know we are far away, But if Street King will ship your car to us, I will do your car over for you no charge. (BODY AND PAINT)We can turn it around for you in 1 month ..NO BS....... Then you can start putting it back together
I'm sure you will be happy with our paint work.
This is not a your a cool shop for offering line .I learn a lot from this site ( I THINK WE ALL DO) and I have no problem giving back.
If your interested send it down and we will fix it for you.