I have been prompted to post a report after reading reports on this site and others. Over five years ago I had brought my restoration project to The Classic Chassis with the intention of having a resto-mod completed on the vehicle. I am familiar with many of the techniques and procedures used to restore a vehicle and was impressed with Mr. Clarks sales pitch. I spoke with several employee's in order to gauge the level of knowledge and expertise. Again, everything seemed on the up and up with knowledgeable employee's who could handle the task. I explained to Mr. Clark exactly what I wanted to accomplish with my vehicle. The agreement was that Mr. Clark would have my car unassembled, media blasted, sheet metal work completed, the car assembled, and painted. I would purchase all the parts required for the restoration as I have spent years working with this particular manufactures vehicles, attending car shows up and down the east coast and numerous hours researching parts suppliers and manufactures for reliability and quality. The price of the work came to approximately $10,000. The agreement included that the vehicle would be complete within a three year period. I was unable to pay for the entire amount up front and arranged with Mr. Clark to pay over time. I thought that I had made a great decision to use The Classic Chassis but little did I know what was to come.
For the next two years I sent Mr. Clark payments. During that time no work had been completed to my vehicle. I had purchased parts that were delivered to The Classic Chassis in hopes that work would begin on my vehicle. I dispelled my concerns that the car had not been worked on since I had been making payments. Then when I made the final payment I had assumed/expected that work would begin on my vehicle; an assumption that I would look back on and realize I should have done something sooner.
As time went on I had asked if I could park several of my vehicles at The Classic Chassis premises. Mr. Clark had no issues with my request. I parked and maintained my vehicles out of site. Mr. Clark had also allowed me to utilize trailers located at The Classic Chassis - which I found out later not all the trailers belonged to him but lent them to me anyway. Still no work had been done to my vehicle. At this point I had befriended Mr. Clark and felt that he still had my best interest in mind. Again, wrong assumption. I wanted to maintain my keep for Mr. Clark allowing me to use his property to store my cars and for use of the trailers. I placed new tires on one of the trailers and assisted in placing sheet metal on a building Mr. Clark was having built on his property. Additionally, I assisted in some of the maintenance for vehicles that came to the shop. All in expectation that my car would be next in line for restoration.
Approximately four years into this process I had decided that I would like to change a few things on the restoration process to include additional sheet metal work and a different suspension that required some modification. This never was an issue until I made the decision to request a refund of my money.
I had purchased my own auto rotisserie and unassembled the vehicle myself. All in hopes that this would prompt Mr. Clark to start work on my vehicle. Again, no results.
I made one last effort to recoup my money and have work done to my vehicle. I had spoken with Mr. Clark about performing sheet metal work and minor welding. I had proposed that if Mr. Clark could replace the left and right quarter panels, the front left floor panel, the Upper/Lower firewall, inner fender well, out fender well, trunk floor, rocker panels and then weld in frame connectors and repair a portion of the transmission cross member. Additionally, media blasting of the vehicle would be preformed by myself through the use of Mr. Clarks equipment. I spoke with an employee of Mr. Clarks - the main sheet metal worker - for a realistic timeline to complete the previously mentioned work. The individual stated that, if uninterrupted, three weeks - averaging 40 hours each week. I thought this would be a great deal for Mr. Clark since his normal fee posted is approx. $80 hourly and three weeks would come to $9,600. I knew that he paid this individual less then $25 hourly. Three weeks work would come out to $3,000 in paid labor plus supplies and electricity (again, I was supplying all parts). Additionally, Mr. Clark charged me $900 for the media blasting. There would be no expense to Mr. Clark since I opted to do the work myself using his equipment. Again, expenses for the materials and electricity would be on Mr. Clark. I even mentioned I would be willing to assist the employee and that I would do the media blasting when the booth was not being used so as not to interfere with Mr. Clarks business. My proposal was rejected by Mr. Clark. During this period Mr. Clark told me that I would have to remove all my vehicles from the property because he was trying to sell the property. I did so promptly. I had also opted to remove the vehicle that Mr. Clark was to restore.
I finally decided to request a refund for services not rendered. Mr. Clark told me he would have to calculate how much I owed him. Mr. Clark stated that he typically charges his employee's to use the facility at $40 hourly. Since I used the facility to take apart my car I assume Mr. Clark wanted to charge me in order to reduce the amount to be returned. Mr. Clark told me he would contact me with the amount he would be willing to pay me - at this time I just was hoping to recoup something - but he never did. I contacted Mr. Clark again and his response was that I needed to come in and talk to him personally. I have opted to seek other avenues at this time and have been looking for others that may want to seek the same path. That is how I came upon the news broadcast. I have met Mr. Gann and I am sure met many of the other persons referenced in the news broadcast and would gamble to say some from this site.
I would like to offer the opportunity for those people who wish to see a consolidated effort to recoup monies lost. As this site does not allow for full names to be published or email I am unsure how to go about working together except through other Blog sites. I have numbers to a few of the prior customers and will begin to contact each of them. I would suggest for now that updating this site or another site with other individuals who have had negative dealings with Mr. Clark (http://www.city-data.com/forum/raleigh-durham-chapel-hill-cary/811991-has-anyone-used-classic-chassis-fayetteville.html). I welcome interested attorney's who want to pursue this effort to please contact me as soon as possible.
Brian, president/ceo the classic chassis inc.
Fayetteville,#2REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, November 01, 2010
"I had spoken with Mr. Clark about performing sheet metal work and minor
welding. I had proposed that if Mr. Clark could replace the left and
right quarter panels, the front left floor panel, the Upper/Lower
firewall, inner fender well, out fender well, trunk floor, rocker panels
and then weld in frame connectors and repair a portion of the
transmission cross member. Additionally, media blasting of the vehicle
would be preformed by myself through the use of Mr. Clarks equipment. I
spoke with an employee of Mr. Clarks - the main sheet metal worker -
for a realistic timeline to complete the previously mentioned work. The
individual stated that, if uninterrupted, three weeks - averaging 40
hours each week. I thought this would be a great deal for Mr. Clark
since his normal fee posted is approx. $80 hourly and three weeks would
come to $9,600. I knew that he paid this individual less then $25
hourly. Three weeks work would come out to $3,000 in paid labor plus
supplies and electricity (again, I was supplying all parts).
Additionally, Mr. Clark charged me $900 for the media blasting. There
would be no expense to Mr. Clark since I opted to do the work myself
using his equipment. Again, expenses for the materials and electricity
would be on Mr. Clark. I even mentioned I would be willing to assist
the employee and that I would do the media blasting when the booth was
not being used so as not to interfere with Mr. Clarks business. My
proposal was rejected by Mr. Clark. During this period Mr. Clark told
me that I would have to remove all my vehicles from the property because
he was trying to sell the property. I did so promptly. I had also
opted to remove the vehicle that Mr. Clark was to restore."
If this conversation took place I would have gladly taken you up on the offer however you decided to make a deal with an employee and have him do this work for you at his own cost...his own pace and without my knowledge. You also bought him a new Welder to use at his home as compensation towards that endeavor. You also paid 500 here and there over a long period of time and requested to help out with the project but failed to mention you had year long trips over seas that prevented that. The trailers you were directed to use on the 27 trips here and there to Pa. Fla and other states were mine however you did use a customers trailer on a few trips on your own accord without asking...or telling anyone you had used them. The 9K electric wench was returned broke on my trailer as well as damaged Fenders, missing chains, bent ramps, broken lights, damaged wiring, Broke Remote for the wench and yes...a wore out set of tires which you did replace after discussion. The 14 cars that were stored on the property was originally discussed as 5 however your Uncles cars soon got added to the mix and the remains of all the car parts you left had to be cleaned up and disposed of...i.e. the Green Cuda convertible, front sub-frame, engine & trans and misc. convertible parts. The shop overhead is well over 3K a week.....how much of that did you use? immeasurable at this point.
Its customers like you who have taken advantage of my consideration for your service and milked this company dry all the while "befriending" to gain a place to keep your stuff, use the facility, tools, equipment and employees as your own and as you please....me allowing that to happen...yes guilty I am. I did invite you to come down to settle this account however you chose to go a different way instead. You were and are due a refund of portions of the monies that remain however we will never get to the bottom of this using the method you have chosen here. You know, but others may not, that this small company has sustained some serious set backs along its 18 year history. Employee embezzlement, theft, 110K worth of tornado damage, Company truck and enclosed Trailer loss as well as damaged Customer car, Divorce, bankruptcy and a host of other issues that cant be discussed here. This company has closed as well as the other one as of September 10th to new business and is dedicated to making things right, finishing the 43 remaining jobs in a quality and proficient manner and working out the details of all other complaints one at a time.