About to leave buddy's car in pieces.... [LONG]
I'm working on an SVO swap on my buddy's 91 Mustang Fox Notchback. he/we started this back in 2001, but I went into the MIL and he obviously never finished it. We just decided to get it started again and try to FINISH it.. Older and wiser now, well I am anyway. I have a LOT more knowledge under my belt now than I did nearly 10 years ago.
This is from today, I don't think he'll find this because as much as he says he reads up on the boards, I don't think he does for more than about 30 seconds. I've known this guy for 15 years and he's ALWAYS had a serious motivation problem. He talks out of his ass and really doesn't know WTF he's doing 75% of the time. __________________________________________________ ___________________ Wow really............. This is a copy of the email I sent to the guy we are buying the engine off. The guy gave us an estimate of $300 for shipping and said just send $300 over, and whatever is left you can send me later.. No problem. He won't budge on the price of the engine which is a great deal as it is, so talking him down will just insult him. My buddy copped an attitude about the $75 remaining for the shipping and said "I'm not sending "more" cash.. it's not my fault." This is what I sent the guy who HAS the engine crated up and ready to ship Thurs or Fri when the check clears. Quote:
WTF else do I do?? I'll just leave his damn car and not give a shit.. I'll let HIM deal with the shell left in his garage.. He HAS the money to finish it, he's just being a dumbass about it. |
This is HIS car man, you can't take it upon yourself, it's all him. you have no obligation to this thing man. Don't hesitate to walk out on him, it may be good for him
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Screw that...Regardless of enjoying doing that stuff, the guy(whether hes you friend or not) sounds like a loser and i wouldnt help him anymore. Its HIS car. If he wants it done he should make the effort, not you. If he wants to screw himself over with that motor then let him..Its not your problem. Thats y i dont like doing big favors for people im friends with anymore it just ends up a drama filled mess which sounds like where this is going. Anyways let him learn the hard way when hes standing in front of a car by himself thats in pieces scratching his head saying "what do i do now" maybe hell realize what a moron he is.
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He won't learn.. That is why the car has sat for so long in the first place. HE tried to finish the swap and it never happened.
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mannn you got yourself into a dumb situation id say....
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give the guy a break poopstick but it is what you get for being a nice guy. I'd know because I'm anything but one
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sounds similar to a problem I've been dealing with man. If your boy can't man up and take control of his own shit then walk away from the problem and let him deal with it. He'll realize it sooner or later that people who help him out won't always be there to do so.
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he is taking advantage of your talents!
tell him to fuck off if he isnt gonna put any effort in the job or cash in your pocket! plain and simple! |
tell him to sell me the car and everything he has for the car, every piece........NOT the stuff he "ordered" :ohsnap:
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yea that sucks man. as for the shipping thing, like $75 over the entire project is nothing, and then spread it out over ten years. i feel like that would be a dumb reason to not have the car done. if someone asked if he finished it yet and he says "no, beacause i was going to have to pay an extra $75 for the shipping of the engine" he is going to sound like an idiot
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he already sounds like an idiot....
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You've been pretty nice about it and very accomodating. It doesn't sound like likes to be held accountable for any of his actions. At this point, this car is becoming your problem- which isn't correct. Just let it sit there and don't do anything more with it. Unless its in your garage that is. If it is in your garage, push that bad boy outside and reclaim your space.
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^ I can't leave well enough alone.. I really just want to keep working on it regardless of what he does or doesn't do. -As long as he keeps the parts rolling in, or GETS them rolling in. I'm basically his mechanic who isn't getting paid much if anything. I see if I can bug him to pay me for my work. $30 for what I've done already is a drop in the bucket. If he wants custom work like this done, and if he had to pay for it, it would run him what he has left in the bank. I'm not gonna charge him that much, but this stuff would normally run $80-$100/hr at a custom shop.
He basically told me this morning that he'll cover the extra $75 for the shipping. He said "Well the guy should have given me a real number." It was an ESTIMATE. I told him, how about YOU try to ship an engine next time and tell me how it goes. Back to business as usual. Gotta pull his fender off so I can continue hiding some wires. Gonna start the engine bay clean up today. |
I know how it is to have a project you'd like to take on in the hands of an unappreciative person. You have to be prepared to walk away.
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^ I'm just almost past the point of no return with this. I've got a lot into it and if I quit it will sacrifice the friendship. He'll kill me. The only way I can quit on this now is if he does. He's getting the engine, so it's back on again.
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to be honest and im not being a prick but who is the idiot?
you or him?????? cmon grow a set of balls and tell him the way it is or else he will use you till the cows come home! Mark my words after you finish the car youll never see him again im betting!!!! |
^ It's my buddy Joe's car and his money.. And actually, I have to bug HIM to let me work on his car. It's not a matter of trust, he just tells me to "Have at it" but the thing is he has been unemployed since............ I don't remember and he's living off his inheritance money. He plays COD MW2 and BO now all night, and all day and he typically only leaves the house at around 6 pm and that's just to run out for beer.. Stays up ALL NIGHT and wakes up whenever he feels. if he's hung over, he won't move till 4pm.
He has NO motivation and NO drive to do anything except drink, smoke and play his games. he's not a pothead either, he just drinks a lot. And no.. I've known him for 15 years and I'll see him when it's done. I've worked on MANY of his cars before. I'm the one who help him put the crapped out 2.3 in the car initially back in 2001 (back when it ran). He just never finished it. He won't disappear, he has nowhere to go and can't leave his ma's house. He's had ample time and money to BUY his own house and he never did it. He just buys stupid shit with his money. Like the 90mm intake he thought he needed for a STOCK 5.0. :bang: idiot. I actually keep him from buying a LOT of stupid shit he doesn't need but I couldn't stop him from buying a BRAND NEW HD Sportster that he rode for three months and is now sitting in the garage. he might be 33, but he acts like he's 19. Some of you may remember the show in Bristol back in October last year when he was dating that 18 year old.. He's 33. he had the red 88 hatch 5.0 stang. Short guy who just seem to avoid the LS crowd that was milling around the show.. yeah, that's him and his three mustangs.. His trans is going on his white one now and it doesn't like to go into gear. Same guy who thought he was going to outrun my h/c Camaro with his stock-ish .50 when I moved back from out west. |
I keep telling him to leave me the car in his will when he thanks mee for the work.. :haha: And he says that what ever awards he wins from the car he will have to give me credit.. Meh.. I could use the credit, but I mind as well just sign the car when it's done and clear over it.. :haha: Yeah right..
If it wasn't for me the car wouldn't get done at ALL.. He doesn't bug me to go work on it and THAT's why I can't leave well enough alone. I'm just BEYOND frustrated seeing all of his cars not running and in pieces.. It pisses me off to NO END. It's also a little project for me until it starts snowing so I can start work. And yeah, I know I'M the one turning out to be the idiot here, but I just can't stand to see the damn car sit there.. And I want to get it running so I can drive it.. I CAN do it the quick and half assed way just enough to get it to run, but then it will make me look bad........ So if I'm gonna do it, it's worth doing right. |
Dude, your head would probably explode if you had my friends then considering your reaction to this single situation.
My advice, and im sure its 99% of everyone on here's also, Drop this project , regardless of what you can come up with as to what the "Good things" about doing this are , the "Bad" is definatly outweighing them. And if your reply to this is that its not that bad and your gonna give excuses on why you still want to do it, then you just justified your continuing on this project, and you now have no room to complain, so suck it up because YOU want to, and have choosin be there. |
I agree with DAWG.
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I'm past the point of no return now.. I took the guy's car apart. I'm kinda obligated to helping put it back together now. If I just dropped it now and left him with the engine to do himself and put his car back together, then he would almost become a mortal enemy. Yes, I did this to myself now.. But I have an option: Get it running quick and easy or do some custom work that I've been wanting to try out on something anyway. I'm prolly just gonna get it running and be done with it because when the snow flies I have to work and won't have time to dick around with the car and the guy who doesn't seem to MAKE time to let me go over there to help finish a damn swap for him. We didn't get shit done today because he decided to take a nap from 2-6 and then he has his pool games at 7 on Tuesdays.. I guess drinking is more important. (No I don't drink anymore)
It's like if Don started on a motor swap and they guy didn't pay, or only paid half.. Who's responsibility is to to put the car back together now, running or not?? (That would almost be a serious question.) |
so if your gonna go ahead and do it anyway why bring it up in the first place?????
You ask for advice but still go the direction you were going in in the first place.I help my freinds and they help me, but never to the extent your doing with the lazy nerd guy that plays warcraft all day and night. its eviident he dont give a shit about the car or your time and effort you put into it !!!! |
^ He seriously doesn't seem to care and I've told him this.. He just started pissing me off again when he was gonna let the engine go over a measly $75.
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as a freind im tellin ya to walk away!
fuck him! youll be sorry if you dont! ever hear the saying "teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime" well he seems like he wasnt even there to learn a thing or two from you? Just walk away and never look back!!!!! |
if he's more interested in playing games he's not interested in driving his car... all the effort will be a waste.
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Well, the engine is on it's way, I got a LOT done on the engine compartment today and he can't and won't do it on his own. He'll learn through this. SOMETHING at least. I gotta finish it.. I tore his car apart, I'm responsible now. My point of no return was when I took his front end apart to tuck the wires. He'll give me full access to the car when we're done. He was letting me drive the 5.0 when I wanted to, I just thought it was uncomfortable.
This is what I got done today. Gonna fill in screw holes tomorrow, sand, filler, block and prime again. Looks like swiss cheese now. http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2250/img0427ai.jpg http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/1856/img0428kg.jpg |
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You could be working a part time job, making $$ to do stuff to your own car.
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^ I'm gonna start asking him for some money.. He gave me a couple bucks today, but he said that was for gas. (we didn't go far).. Went to the recycle center to get rid of about 400lbs of scrap steel and aluminum. He got $53 out of it and went right to the packi to get beer (He did.. I don't drink any more).. All I was thinking about was "that should be MY money." But he gave me $20 out of it.
Another thing is, this is all trial for me.. I don't know if I'm good enough to be able to CHARGE someone for this stuff (as far as body work)............yet..... I wouldn't mind doing it as a side job once I get good, but I'll let you guys be the judge of my work when I'm done with it... So I'm almost using him as the stone to sharpen my teeth on. I've never really done any body work like this before. So the hiding of the holes is uncharted territory for me. And I can't find much part time work that will let me NOT come in when it snows (with little notice.) I work for a large construction company doing snow removal, but it's not snowing yet.. Pathetic CT winters.. |
I think the best bet is to more or less give the guy an ultimatum, pay you what you deserve or you walk. And honestly this guy sounds like a douche if you ask me and he doesn't even deserve your assistance. Thats just me tho
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^ He is a loser, but he's starting to see the big picture and FINALLY saying he wants to put in some more time on the car.. Even though I'm still doing most of the work.. I can give him small things to do that will take him all day. "Check the fuel lines out back... Yeah yeah.. Just....... make sure they're still there....." That'll take him all day.
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Yep... (update)
He pissed me off.. I told him I'm done with it.. I was out in NY for a week doing snow removal, came back and he says he's got this guy that does shaved engine bays (Chevelle resto) and he says he's gonna have him do it. ............ ok... Well then you owe me money (Got the money out of him for what I did.) And what I don't get is "Shaved bay" is a European car scene thing.. How would some middle-aged domestic car guy know about this??? This isn't a common thing.. But anyway.. He pissed me the fuk offf and I told him he burned me.. "But don't take it personally.. This guy said he needs work." YEAH!! I DO TOO!!! I have SEASONAL work right now! Just because I was gone for a week, doesn't mean I'm going to be busy from now on. You know what? I'm done helping you on this.. You can have your new boy finish it for ya." Then he tells me his clutch cable was "cut" on his other mustang (Has three and now NONE OF THEM are driveable)............ It broke at the quadrant.. I can already tell and it's a common place.. I have shown and told him EVERY reason for it to break and he STILL thinks someone got underneath his dash and CUT it with a hacksaw.. :mad: OMFG dude.. You are fukin paranoid and there is no way someone can "cut" a braided/wound cable with a hacksaw, let ALONE get in there with one. He wants me to help him with THAT now.. You don't deserve to be around tools. WTF dude.. seriously.. You can't even fix your own clutch cable.... have fun with the swap now.. :mad: oh yeah... and he STILL hasn't sent the $75 remaining shipping cost check out for the remaining CRITICAL engine components such as the turbo, header, harness and ECU.... It's been a MONTH.... He can fuk this up.. I've got a lead for a solid full time job soon, so I'll be moving away from this town and hopefully he won't call to ask for my help anymore. I need NORMAL friends and I need to gtf away from here. (Brist-HOLE CT) .. Starting to think about condos. I NEED a garage. |
Mustang drivers, they are all the same
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So he was paying you and you were bitching he wasn't working on it? When money is involved friend or not it's a different situation not just a "favor" seems like best thing is keep the friendship and make sure buisness and friendship stay seperate.
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no no no... if your being paid by a friend to help you with a job, then helping means all hands on deck.
some people help by simply adding there knowledge to the garage. |
Ummm, ya.. Big surprise.:smack:
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^ I know dude..... I know... This is what it takes for me to give up on people.
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But since he's got his new "boy" doing it, I hope it never gets done. One procrastinator helping another now. |
i dunno if i were to receive money for doing something on a friends car. A: he cant do the job himself. and B: he would just get in the way. SO i do the job start to finish MYSELF! im not a very good teacher. ignorance pisses me of and ill just kick you out anyway. situation like yours i NEVER would have gotten into in the first place. But if i was in it. i wouldnt have wanted him NEAR the car while i was working other then "hey man you hungry, want a drink?" and THATS IT! So in the end Dont get in that sit. again!!!!! Sucks it has to end that way But i honestly blame you both.
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^ Understandable... But he wasn't in the way much.. he didn't do much, just sit on his laptop on Omegle and mess with people.
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hey, dont rag on bristol... lol.
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