Most of you know the saga of my 454HO and the oil consumption problem. After 3 months of dealing through a non GM shop and GM Performance Parts on a warranty issue GMPP said the car had to go to a certain metro Cheverolet Store for continued warranty work on the engine. I stopped into Friendly Chevrolet yesterday for an oil change and got chatting with Bryan about how unhappy I was to deal with a dealership 40 miles from home where I knew no one. Bryan left his work station and introduced me to the service manager at his store and spent time with us until it was decided that his store could and would do the warranty work. Who knows how this saga will end, but I wanted to say thank you to Bryan for going above and beyond to help me out.
Enganeer said
Dec 30, 2011
dashboard said
Dec 30, 2011
Well done Bryan, Jon can now rest easy or at least rest and step down from DEFCON FIVE.
Chris R said
Dec 30, 2011
Bryan helped me out a month ago with a much needed set of fuel lines for my GMC. Im really glad that worked out as well as it did.
How does this work then, you just pull the engine out and bring it to Friendly? Or do they need the entire car to see how it runs?
Jon H said
Dec 30, 2011
Chris R wrote:
How does this work then, you just pull the engine out and bring it to Friendly? Or do they need the entire car to see how it runs?
I drive it in on Tuesday (weather permitting) and hand them the keys.
67ss said
Dec 30, 2011
Hopefully this mean whole new engine at this point. Don't see any other thing they could try.
bowtie said
Dec 30, 2011
If I understand correctly, the person heading up the project had his 04 GTO at our show (700hp, many mods and some work by TNT was done). The mechanic owns a couple nice older Pontiacs and is quite familiar with working on prized possessions. Jon's car will be taken care of. This isn't a new thing for us, we do a couple older cars like this a year for engines, add-ons, swaps, whatever. I'll also poke my head in on it every once in a while too.
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 30, 2011
67ss wrote:
Hopefully this mean whole new engine at this point. Don't see any other thing they could try.
I would think with the resent head work/swap, they may opt for a new short block, or hone and re-ring the existing one.
Bryan has saved me a BUNCH of money on both front hubs for my 2000 K1500. Stillwater Motors said they didn't know how he could sell them so cheap and couldn't come close to competing.
Derek69SS said
Dec 30, 2011
Nice to know you can trust the people you're leaving your car with.
Dave Seitz said
Dec 31, 2011
Connected to the General is a good thing.
bowtie said
Jan 1, 2012
Garsh, I'm just doing my job.
I did mention to my boss that it might be a good thing to look into advertising the GM Performance business again. Not on a personal level, but for business it would help. Probably less focused on the SBC/BBC stuff and more on the LS era, late model and Camaro stuff. We all know the catalogs sell GM Perf stuff and to the general muscle car enthusiast public it's better than I can price it at. The late model and tuner type stuff is still a young market and that crowd isn't on the Jegs/Summit mailing list. Especially the Camaro stuff since that's already a "toy" crowd that will still do some add-ons.
Chris R said
Jan 1, 2012
Looks like you will have to trailer it now instead of just driving it down there. Thanks to last nights snowfall.
Jon H said
Jan 2, 2012
Chris R wrote:
Looks like you will have to trailer it now instead of just driving it down there. Thanks to last nights snowfall.
We had a good thing going here too. Hopefully the warmer weather they say is coming melts it all.
bowtie said
Jan 3, 2012
The eagle has landed. When I left, it was already up in the air using shop rags between the hoist pads and frame, a moving blanket over the fender and a shop fender cover over that. Out of reach, out of mind.
A big bonus is the tech who is working on it not only knows the mechanic who was doing the previous work for Jon, he also owns several older cars like ours and does judging work at car shows.
SShink said
Jan 3, 2012
That's great news and now in good hands, Bryan.
I thought of Jon today when I met the guy that bought my intake manifold in Eden Prarie at lunch, and drove right by Suburban Chev. If it were my Chevelle, I wouldn't want to take it all the way from where Jon lives to Eden Prarie either...
Chris R said
Jan 3, 2012
The roads werent too bad today. I was wondering if it made it to the shop today. It shouldnt have been any big deal to drive it across town to the dealership.
Jon H said
Jan 3, 2012
I never thought I would be driving the Chevelle in January, but yes Chris I drove it to the dealership this morning. I took the truck and drove three different routes to find a dry one but did make it with no issues. Sure did get a lot of strange looks though. Thank heavens it has a great heater at 10* temps today. Now waiting for GM's decision process to kick in.
Chris R said
Jan 3, 2012
A few wet roads once wont hurt anything one time. Even if you got a little wet on the way. The real damage is set in when these cars were exposed to winters year after year. Now, they will never ever get that much exposure ever again. Plus, todays paint and restoration jobs protect these cars even further when exposed to salt and snow. GM never got as thorough with building them and sealing them as people do when restoring a car. I wouldnt be too concerned with a trip or two in the winter time.
Might suck for the driver though. Cars these old have little air leaks here and there that can make for a cold drive.
Most of you know the saga of my 454HO and the oil consumption problem. After 3 months of dealing through a non GM shop and GM Performance Parts on a warranty issue GMPP said the car had to go to a certain metro Cheverolet Store for continued warranty work on the engine. I stopped into Friendly Chevrolet yesterday for an oil change and got chatting with Bryan about how unhappy I was to deal with a dealership 40 miles from home where I knew no one. Bryan left his work station and introduced me to the service manager at his store and spent time with us until it was decided that his store could and would do the warranty work. Who knows how this saga will end, but I wanted to say thank you to Bryan for going above and beyond to help me out.
Bryan helped me out a month ago with a much needed set of fuel lines for my GMC. Im really glad that worked out as well as it did.
How does this work then, you just pull the engine out and bring it to Friendly? Or do they need the entire car to see how it runs?
I drive it in on Tuesday (weather permitting) and hand them the keys.
Hopefully this mean whole new engine at this point. Don't see any other thing they could try.
Nice to know you can trust the people you're leaving your car with.
I did mention to my boss that it might be a good thing to look into advertising the GM Performance business again. Not on a personal level, but for business it would help. Probably less focused on the SBC/BBC stuff and more on the LS era, late model and Camaro stuff. We all know the catalogs sell GM Perf stuff and to the general muscle car enthusiast public it's better than I can price it at. The late model and tuner type stuff is still a young market and that crowd isn't on the Jegs/Summit mailing list. Especially the Camaro stuff since that's already a "toy" crowd that will still do some add-ons.
Looks like you will have to trailer it now instead of just driving it down there. Thanks to last nights snowfall.
*^#@(*)!*^*%# weather.
We had a good thing going here too. Hopefully the warmer weather they say is coming melts it all.
A big bonus is the tech who is working on it not only knows the mechanic who was doing the previous work for Jon, he also owns several older cars like ours and does judging work at car shows.
That's great news and now in good hands, Bryan.
I thought of Jon today when I met the guy that bought my intake manifold in Eden Prarie at lunch, and drove right by Suburban Chev. If it were my Chevelle, I wouldn't want to take it all the way from where Jon lives to Eden Prarie either...
The roads werent too bad today. I was wondering if it made it to the shop today. It shouldnt have been any big deal to drive it across town to the dealership.
A few wet roads once wont hurt anything one time. Even if you got a little wet on the way. The real damage is set in when these cars were exposed to winters year after year. Now, they will never ever get that much exposure ever again. Plus, todays paint and restoration jobs protect these cars even further when exposed to salt and snow. GM never got as thorough with building them and sealing them as people do when restoring a car. I wouldnt be too concerned with a trip or two in the winter time.
Might suck for the driver though. Cars these old have little air leaks here and there that can make for a cold drive.