How dumb can I be?

[William Dupree]

I've had my 260Z since I drove it off the dealer's floor. I saved and sweated so I could get it, because at that time you basically took what Datsun had and paid what they wanted. I have loved this car and in and around 2015 it was time to refresh the car. It the car has lived in successive garages and had maintained all the services. But I am not a professional and I looked through Craig's List for an individual to restore/refresh the car. It of course had minimal rust which I had removed, and stripped and sealed the body. I sent the engine off to get hardened valve guides and a general checkup. Spending what I originally paid for the car this jackleg mechanic took me to the worst experience a car owner could imagine. We went back and forth with price spanning 4 years and 20000 dollars. I pretty much monitored the progress but I had a personal accident which halted the shop visits. That is when Jeckel turned to Hyde and this guy tried to up the money we had a verbal agreement about. Here is where I found out how dumb I had been. Not that my wife did not tell me to get a contract when the mechanic refused I should have walked away, but NO now stupid joined dumb to cost me tens of thousand of dollars. This is a precautionary tale to those who might even think about what is safe when giving up your money. Cover your butt with paper. My car is still in the garage in a roller condition with axillary parts stored in boxes. I don't know if I will ever get it finished but I thought it might help others. I will not mention his name as he has moved on after cashing the last check and pushing the car to the street. Watch out and beware, of course my wife was right.

 

 

[MikeRL411]

Old Hollywood axiom "A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on."