Complaint Review: Brian Clark The Classic Chassis

Ok boys and girls,geez,let's get the freaking thermostat story right. Yes-the intake was put on by another former employee at the Gillespie street shop(a sister shop of the classic chassis),but unfortunately not me.

It was not brought to my attention that the thermostat was missing during the intake swap or I would have ordered a new $5.00 thermostat and had it installed during the intake swap.

For the record,concern,curiosity, did you buy the thermostat and tune up parts for your engine? or did it come from the 11,000 dollars you have already paid CLASSIC CHASSIS !!!!!!!!. Furthermore, Are you going to buy the paint outside the 11 grand also? Is it correct that you have furnished all or most of your other parts also? Maybe if you keep babysitting, your car may eventually get finished.

Sincerely,I wish you and other victims good luck.

Jim,

I am installing the motor that was in the car. It was rebuilt a few years back and is in excellent shape. I figure that in a couple of years I will have it rebuilt again. I drove the car a couple of months ago and it ran like a top. They have the engine back in the car and Brian was working on setting everything back up. We shall see how this turns out. My biggest concern right now is Brian says they can install the vinyl top and it is no easy task. I have suggested to him to subcontract the work out and he continues to think he can do it. Only time will tell. I thought I would be in the paint booth by now but Brian has the car on the other side of the shop doing the engine stuff and exhaust. The exhaust is going to be the GT trumpets out the back through the rear valance. The other day Brian was showing me the tips and I had to explain to him in our deal he is doing the trumpets. As you know he stated he wouldn't suggest it because they will rattle. Well they will not rattle if done the right way! I also do not want the look like he has on the 66 red coupe he has been driving around. The pipes are not a good look and do not flow with the car. They are way too big! Okay that is the latest update. I will keep you all posted of what is next this week. I am going to be pissed off if after my car has the exhaust done I am not in the paint booth. I am tempted to go in there and push whatever car is in my way out and get mine going. My car was promissed to be next and now the red convertible is finished being painted my time has come!

Billy

For pure curiosity.What engine are you Installing?

The motor is now back in the car. It looks great! I did have a few hicups today.

The guy that put my polished intake on the engine did not put a freaking thermostat in!!! This was done before the guys working there now. Brian told me Paul a former employee installed the intake. I asked him why didn't he put a thermostat in the car and he kinda put it that "things like this are some of the reasons others are not working there any longer". I do not know if Paul installed the intake since I didn't see him ever work on the car.  This was the work done when the car was at the Gilespie shop. It has been taken care of now. Thank God! I am so glad I decided to put my tune up parts on the car while the motor was out. This helped me see what was going on. I really feel the guys they have working there are trying to help me out. I believe Mike is a pretty nice guy. He seems to work hard when I around. He has been the one doing most of the work to this point. Whith the motor back in the car we are now getting ready to do the exhaust. This means the car will have the GT trumpet exhaust. I will keep you all posted.

Well, I am now going on a month of my car being back at the shop with Brian. Brian told me on 10-4-2010 that the car would be completed in a month. Well right now we are a month and a week into this. We are past the one month scheduled date by a week. I believe the car will be complete in another month at the pace we are going. I was happy the engine bay was painted last week and this week the only thing that has been done is the engine has been detailed and painted. I would like to see more progress in a week. The red convertible is in front of me and I will be so happy when that car is OUT of the way! They were working on an Orange GTO today. I am really hoping the GTO is NOT in the paint booth before my car. I have voiced my concern about it so as soon as the red convertible is gone I am next. I thought the paint booth was coming soon when my engine compartment was painted. I just want it over and done.

A few things to note that I have paid for and are not complete yet as some of you were asking.

1. Overhaul brakes

2. Put motor back in car

3. Install White vinyl top

4. GT dual exhaust with the GT trumpets through the rear valance.

5. Chrome Package (Everything except the GT light package which I have already supplied)( I have already supplied the door handles because I wanted the high quality handles. I also supplied the bumpers and other parts for the GT package.) The drip rails and chrome around he windows will be supplied by Brian. (I also supplied a weatherstripping kit to install with the chrome package)

6. The Headliner still needs to be installed along with the new seals and clips.

7. The windshields need to be put back in.

8. Paint and body work must be completed and interior needs to be painted. The body is being painted Skylight Blu and the Interior is being painted ford interior white.

9. Wire the fog lights for the switch inside the car. (I supplied all the wiring and switch)

There are some other tasks that need to be complete but this is all I can think of at this time. I will mark these off as they are completed. I will be happy when the red convertible is out of the way so I will get my turn. If the car is done by mid December I would call it a Christmas Miracle! I will keep my finger crossed! I hope this helps answer all the questions you guys have been asking me about my 65 Coupe. Good luck to you and your project!

I am a happy man today! The engine bay looks great! I really like the way it came out. At first I wanted to have it painted the satin black and after talking with the guys we decided to go with the gloss black. So glad I decided to go the gloss route. It really looks nice. So far so good and now my car , YES MY CAR IS IN THE PAINT BOOTH!!!!!!! That means the exterior will be painted soon. They still have some sanding and blocking on the body. I believe the inside interior is next to be painted. Things are really starting to pick up speed now. This works for me. I think by Mid December my car will be on the road.

..I need to fix my last reply...



..according to this report it's been over a year. Good thing it was a solid car. I can't imagine how long it would take this guy to change the carb and paint it if is was a rust bucket... and you paid him $11,000.

..according to this report it's been over a year. Good thing it was a solid car. I can't imagine how long it would take this guy to change the carb and paint it if is was a rust bucket.

Yesterday 11-1-2010 the engine bay is now being painted. Still moving along. The convertible that the Doctor has in front of mine is not far from being finished. I have been assured that mine is the next to go in the paint booth. I would say they have another week to go on the convertible and then I will be in the paint booth. The way it is moving along is about the speed I thought things would actually go. I am there just about every other day to ensure my car is being completed. They are also sand blocking my car as well so I would think paint is really right around the corner. All I can do is stay positive that it will be completed. One way or another my car will be on the road one day. I believe the thing that really helps my car is that is is not a rust bucket like most of the cars people bring to them and the work is overwhelming on a car that basically needs to be completely rebuilt. Word of wise to all that want a car restored. Spend the extra money for a solid car and then get it restored.

..you are going to need a lot of luck. you can brush on all the POR15 you want..brush it on by the gallon..but do you really in your heart believe your car is "next"???..how long has it been?

Things are moving along. They are not going as fast as I would like but I believe once the car in front of mine is completed it will go much faster. I have been doing some of the work myself like sanding the floorboards, cleaning up the windows and other little projects. I am going to be down there finishing up the floorboards with some POR 15 this week. My goal is to just get the car out of there and have it done. I have seen Brian at the shop and I continue to see him working on cars. This is the first I have ever seen him working on the cars. Since all the heat has come on him it looks like he is really making an effort. I will keep all of you post on the progress. I know many of you have emailed me and called and said that when mine is done you want to hear how it went and then you will determine what to do with your car. I am trying my best to keep you all posted. I expect my car will be in the paint booth next week after the convertible in front of me is out. Only time will tell....

Billy,

If I were you I would really not get my hopes us. I am a former employee who had to quit my job because I could not get my paycheck or should I say a paycheck that would clear the bank that is.

I could not help but be drawn to the comment you made about the 1965 Teal green convertible. I would just like to clarify that I painted that car before I quit my job. I ensure you Brian did not do the painting himself.

All I can say is I hope that everything works out with your car but, really would not count on it.

Okay, I am getting very excited about my Mustang! The car has now finished being blasted. I really wish things could have started out like this and then there never would have been a problem. I have also noticed that other cars are getting completed as well. There is a 1965 teal green convertible with a white top that is stunning and Brian is working on the car himself. You should really look at the paint job on this car. This is one of the best I have seen come out of his shop. He actually was welding on my car today! I am beside myself because I really do think he is making an effort to get the cars done. To see Brian working on the cars, shows me he is starting to make an honest effort.

The story about Brian also aired on WRAL today. All I can say is that I did not do an interview because I am happy my car is getting finished. WRAL contacted me about doing an interview and I explained to them that I did not want to do an interview because things are getting done to my car. They still pressed and I still told them that I am giving Brian an honest chance after we talked.  Brian agreed that my car would be worked on every day till the work was completed. So far so good! I have taken a ton of photos of my car and when it is all done I will post for all to see. If everything turns out right I will give Brian another chance on a 66 convertible. That will be after he completes the other customers cars.

Monday 10-18-2010

The car is now in the process of being media blasted! This is a great thing! I will be back again this week to check the progress. I feel really confident it will keep moving along as long as I stay on them about it. Maybe one day I will be driving my dream down the road! I would suggest that if you have a project there stick with the plan and do not add anything. This will help you get what needs to be done. I will keep updating everyone and using this as proof of the work being completed if I ever need to take legal action. 

I hope he has changed his ways and is honestly doing the work he says he is doing. However from my experiences, what he says he does is far from what actually does. My advice take it to another but reputable restoration shop and ask them to go over the car in detail. If you have seen my report and the link to my website, from it you see that work that was "completed" was only covered up. Much of the car remains severly rusted.

Today is 10-13-2010 and I was back at the shop once again. I know they are getting tired of me stopping by but the car is getting done. If that is what it takes to get it done. That is what I am going to do. The car is ready to be blasted and they are rolling it in tomorrow 10-14-2010. There were some things I didn't account for that needed to be done like take the old exhaust off, pull the fenders off and what not. Never knew there was so much to do to get it ready to paint but now I can see it. I plan on stopping by there everyday I get a chance to. I never call before I get there so I can surprise them. This keeps them looking out for me because I want my car done! As long as I can see the progress everything is going to be A OKAY!

I was at the shop today again on 10/12/2010. The car should have been in the blast booth but there is a rotted out Karmin Ghia in front of me! I was assured it will be in the blast booth Wed. 10/13/2010. Everything has been stripped out of the car and I have nothing but a shell. I worked on the car myself by cleaning the surface rust up around the windows. I would be really disappointed if the car is not done with the bast process by the end of the week. I feel the interior should be painted by Friday 10/15/2010. Not sure where Brian is this week. I thought he would have been there today but he was not. I believe he has some medical appointments. I have to stay on the all the time to get it done!!! Oh well if that is what it takes to get my money back out of this deal I will.

One week later and now the car is ready to get blasted. Today is October 11, 2010 and I was at the shop. I had to stay on the guys but the car is ready to be blasted. So far the engine is out and the car has nothing in and out of it. The car is nothing but a shell now. I hope to have it ready for the interior to be painted in a week. Maybe another week after that it will be ready for the exterior to get painted. I have noticed that other customers cars are being worked on as well. Seems like they know they have to get the work done and get it done fast!

Today is Friday October 8th and the engine is now out of my Mustang. They keep making progress and that makes me happy. So far so good! I just gotta stay on them and it will get done. They have really tried to turn it around in a week. I believe I am a good 4 weeks away from having it all completed.

I was at the shop today 10-6-2010 and more progress has been made!!! The car now has the complete interior out of it and the windows are out of the car! Yes, now we are getting some where! It looks like I will have it back in a month. I have given the paint codes and everything else. The interior will be painted this week. Progress Progress Progress! I will keep you all posted. I still have to stay on them to make sure this thing gets done. It is a pain in the butt to drive down there everyday but it is what it is.

I was at the shop yesterday on 10-4-10. I took my 1965 Mustang back over to Brian after I spoke to him on the phone. They are working on my can and I have been told I will have it back in a month. I am now just waiting to see what happens.

I too have had my experience with Brian Clark and his company. I took my car in April to be media blasted, fix dents and dings, weld in subframes, and most of all remove all undercoating. I am currently removing a good bit of undercoating by hand that was not removed as promised.

Completion was to be in 2-3 weeks. Took 2 months and numerous calls to him checking on progress. Everytime I called he said he was actually working on it at the moment. Picked up car after 2 months.

After getting the car home, and doing inventory of parts, found that parts were missing. Called Brian and arranged a day for me to drive back an hour and a half to pickup parts. When I arrived at set time no one was at shop.

After calling Brian, he sent someone I assumed to be his wife and child by to open shop. Parts were not where he said they were. He then promised to ship to me next week.He did not.

After numerous calls, and broken promises from him to ship parts, and then him not answering phone calls, I decided to drive to the shop today, 9/17/10 to get my parts. When I got there...OH SNAP! On the premises was his uncle, and 3 disgruntled employees. Was told Brian was out and shop was closed indefiently. He had already closed shop # 2 last month for good.

I told them I had come for my parts and they remembered me and working on my car. They looked around for parts briefly and could not find them so they said. One of the employees suggested I leave my phone # and they would call me. I told him no, I wanted my parts and I was going to call the sheriff if I did not get them today, and was going to call while sitting on the premises.

As I reached for my phone, his attitude quickly changed. And surprisingly the parts appeared! The other 2 employees that were there were actually picking up their tools and equipment and leaving due to not receiving their paychecks for weeks.

The work they did was fair at best. My suggestion to anyone out there that has parts or anything there get them as soon as possible. Overheard one of the employees say that his wife was coming there within the hour to change all locks on the gates and buildings.

Good luck to anyone that is dealing with Brian Clark. Go to sheriff, take legal action, whatever you have to do, and do it SOON, to get whatever you have there.