Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Geoffers71 wrote:I've no problem naming him now, just giving him an opportunity to do the right thing..
Here's the invoice, but it doesn't tell you much about the work actually done:...

IMG_1169.JPG

The out and out denial that his workshop could have made all these mistakes beggars belief, but it sows the seed of doubt that any claim would be guaranteed to be successful. I'm split as to what to do. Part of me says sue him, but part says "is it worth the aggro?"

I should probably not add to your grievance, but he could not spell right even on his letterhead... which does not vouch for a great attention to details.

Well done,
it is a pity it has come to this because nobody on the forum will use him anymore.
He is very short sighted for his future business.
Someone told me if you loose a customer you loose 10 more.
Alan

Geoffers71 wrote: I'm split as to what to do. Part of me says sue him, but part says "is it worth the aggro?"

Only you can decide. I lived in Ivybridge for a few years, the name Paul Inch rings a bell!

Going by the messages I have received , my well documented problems with Spyder will have cost them
a lot of business. Will they care? Not whilst they have a waiting list. It is negative reviews and "google" searches that worry them.

Off his Facebook page -


Are you on facebook?

A long time ago, a friend of mine bought a second hand motorcycle in a private sale.

A week later it blew up.

The seller told him it had been properly serviced, but we found no oil in it.

So, he took the guy to the Small Claims Court and called me as a witness.

The court ruled in his favour and he got his money back.

If he can do it, so can you. It wasn't hugely difficult and he did not need a solicitor. Just the facts / evidence. As your head problem would be technical to the judge, you might need an expert witness. Also, ask Citizens Advice / Trading Standards? Problem for your supplier is the Sale of Goods Act, has to be "fit for purpose" and I expect that goes for services too. Providing you have the evidence you should be able to get your money back plus expenses.

Geoffers71 wrote:I'm left with either forgetting the whole thing or pursuing him through the small claims courts.
I really don't need this, but I don't feel he should get away with it.

Forget it and move on otherwise it will consume all your energy ! .

A similar thing happened to me although i did'nt get to an assembled engine stage . My cylinder head work was done by a different well known TC "expert" last year , this guy was very knowledgeable but i found out very rough in application! .I was having new seats, guides fitted by him then all assembled and shimmed ready to fit , all the new parts supplied by me inc valves ,springs etc.
When i got my head back i noticed swarf chippings were constantly falling out of the ports and waterways, i then checked the clearances INLET 5 5 6 1 EXHAUST 7 7 6 3 .
So another trip back to get it adjusted , when asked about the swarf he just said it was not possible to get it all out ,[ i know thats BS].
When i got home i decided to dismantle the head to check what i had actually got .

Seats were not concentric to the guides when checked with engineers blue ,you could see daylight down one side of the valves when loosely assembled, rough surface finish not lapped in . This i believe is because the seats were cut with a hand tool not on a proper dedicated seat cutting machine.

Exhaust spring seats had 2 shims under some had been centre popped to increase the thickness.

Inlet spring seats had what looked like a "bolt washer" under that was'nt flat and the OD was too small by ?" so it rattled around in the spring pocket.

Some of the valve shims were poor condition s/hand rusty pitted , very rough surface finish on some , 2 had .004" taper when measured which i now know was caused by grinding down the thickness by hand on the side of a bench grinder [when i had to go back ] .

He scribed timing marks on both of the camshafts , when i came to set the timing on assembly using MOP / Dti i found his marks to be 22 crankshaft deg out , the valves would have contacted the pistons! .

Previously being a precision engineer for 25 years i've seen it all before , but i did'nt think it was worth ?500 in labour to see it all again !.

All the best
Steve

steveh wrote:A similar thing happened to me although i did'nt get to an assembled engine stage . My cylinder head work was done by a different well known TC "expert" last year , this guy was very knowledgeable but i found out very rough in application!
Steve

Add him to the rogue's gallery. Who was the bounder!

It might be better to maintain a list of known good engine rebuilders...

Imho Steve it would be good if you give his name because we want to stop the chance of him messing up other Twink engines.
We don't want him to cxxk up another Twink.
Alan

I've just had second thoughts about this.
We could make 2 lists Forum approved and Forum non approved
Alan

alan.barker wrote:I've just had second thoughts about this.
We could make 2 lists Forum approved and Forum non approved
Alan

I had heard from a normally unimpeachable source of him seeing an "expert" building a twink.
Quote: "He seemed to be competent but built it dry." Just bolted it together with no initial lubrication
at all.

I think a list is a good idea but not here. It needs to be independent of this site.

That's true best no list here.
It's a delicate subject.
I know someone here in France who took his V8 engine from his 1965 TVR Griffith to a machine shop.
They reconditioned the engine and fitted liners in the cylinders. A small detail they did not machine any shoulders or steps to stop the liners moving. You guessed one of the liners moved .
That was 2 years ago and the problem has still not been resolved.
Alan

Hmm. Best to DIY, then!

JonB wrote:Hmm. Best to DIY, then!

My thoughts on DIY have been, if you make a mistake or have to compromise YOU know all about it!
But when you depend on someone else !!!

JonB wrote:Hmm. Best to DIY, then!

Sadly, and expensively, that is also my conclusion.

This is the head / block drain bodged onto Toad by the previous specialists!
I found it when I lifted the head. Plus the fuel pump leaked and the dissie was 180 out.


Now I would treat "restored by ?????" as merely a list of potential new parts added and even those probably cheapest they could get. Except for a few cases (Matty etc) if the seller hasn't done it themselves it means very little.

I read a story once about Buzz Aldrin (I think). Sitting on the top of his gymungous rocket, just before blast off, he suddenly thought that ever part of the whole thing had been supplied at the lowest price!

Yes DIY.
The only thing is when you have removed the Valve Seats and want to freeze the new seats in liquid nitrogen it's not so easy to find a supplier.
To heat the Cylinder Head you just what for swmbo to do the shopping
Alan