Posted by Bigngreen [50.169.103.213] on Saturday, July 12, 2014 at 15:16:39 :
Boy I tell ya some peoples children,
sorry boys I've really got to vent
Over the winter I sent a little over 8 months doing a frame off restoration for a family friend on a 1941 MB, of course it was fraught with challenges, but the end result was well worth it I think,
I was asked by my friend Dave if they could have it for the youngest boys (twins) graduation for display purposes, I said ok but made it clear that I wasn't done and there were many things left to do,
Now none of the kids have ever shown their faces at my shop before 0900, 0800 the oldest boy shows up and says Dada say that I'm to pick this up now for the party, I was like Ah that wasn't the deal I was to bring it over at 1300 but whatever, so I let them take it with the understanding they were not to drive it anywhere but to their house and back it let with 30 miles on it when I got to the party at 1420 the jeep was no where to be found I want too happy but what are you going to do? I got a beer and began to mill around and mingle, when the older twin drives in with the jeep, walks past me and doesn't even say thank for the jeep or anything, no sooner did I turn around and one of the other boys hopped in and was gone,
guess the message from the dad or the older brother hadn't been received till and hour past and the jeep again tools in I start to walk toward it when the dad hoops in and speeds away I noticed that there was an unusual amount of smoke coming from the exhaust,
He gets back a half hour later he returns and I get my first glimpse since she (the jeep) left the house 8 hours ago, I glance at the speedo 198 miles. I was seeing red, I check the oil it's badly showing on the stick, and I can see coolant leaking from the head gasket.
this thing had clearly been ridden hdd and put away wet, when I put this motor in we resealed the motor new head gasket, the compression in each cylinder was 110 almost perfect thing ran like a swiss watch, 40 lbs of oil press. when warm. didn't smoke, also with the 30 or so miles i put on her it didn't smoke or leak.
I asked the dad why they were driving it everywhere he replied you didn't think you were going to get it back after they got their hands on it did you?
I said well I guess we can consider the jeep delivers then right he said absolutely. they signed the paper work that was that really left a bit of a taste in mouth but whatever right?
next week, I get a text from one of the kids that the oil pressure is getting low and Im like have you checked the oil lately? oh what? yea it was really low, about a week later I get another text that the oil pressure is low again, oil is full, I say stop driving it and I will check it out when I get a chance, no reply, few days later I get a text that they were on their way back from canter berry about an hour and a half away 60 or so miles, that the oil pressure is at 9 lbs at 45 mph, I hit the roof, that next weekend i here thru the grape vine that they drove it to Wolfsbrough and hour and 45 min. north of here, So I'm at their place picking up parts for another project and Dave pulls me aside and asked if one of the boys could borrow my car trailer Im like really and 18 year old not too comfortable with that why? he said seriously can they? I'm like why, his face gets really red and says they need to get the jeep, really get it from where? Wolfsbrough.
Why can't they drive it home? blew the motor, he said.
my god did you not hear me when I said don't drive it he like what I told the kid weeks ago not to drive it due to the oil pressure, this before they went to canna burry really yes, he never said anything to anyone fortunately I still had the text and showed it to dad when he called me a lire (or you never said that) common sense.
next hint you know the are asking me to put another motor in for the rally only a week away.
man do I feel used like dog poo on a boot, texted them this morning as to where they were at the beach, why?? motor hello. many I'm out of place but thanks for the venue to speak.
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