**pissed** kids and their hackjob installs.

[MrDude_1]

FYI, I wrote this for another forum, but i thought id share it here, unedited. (Later edited by staff to remove language)please excuse the language/tone, its not written as i would have wrote it for here, and i was quite upset at the time of its writing. (See above)
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**pissed** kids and their hackjob installs.

sooo Im a little pissed.
Heres the short version of the story.

Im building a 51 Chevy on a S10 chassis. I'll go into that build in detail in a later thread.

For the S10 chassis, I purchased a S10 from this kid off craigslist. It was priced a bit high, but since I was just going to trash 90% of the truck, I told the kid he could keep some of the "cool" stuff off it to bring the price down.. We agreed he could keep the chrome rims, the crooked license plate tailgate, the clear taillights, etc... you know, kiddy. Only real requirement is if he kept the rims, he must put wheels back on it so it can roll. Daddy owns a towing company so GM wheels should be no issue, and he can bring it to me. Great.
Instead he shows up and starts unloading the truck...My thoughts were... damn thats low.
Truck is slammed. We're talking its less then 3" off the ground. While its on the trailer I peak under it. lowering shocks all the way around, lowering coils up front, maybe lowering spindles too, I cant tell.. out back it has lowering mono-leaf springs with a 3" block on top. I see the skidplate and underside of the truck is scuffed.. but im going to bag it, no worries, right?
He starts it up and it sounds like ass. loud ass. He goes on about its "dual exhaust"... it has the smallest exhaust shop dual exhaust ive ever seen with cherry bombs for mufflers in the middle. I know its total crap, but i think "meh, hes just a dumb kid that doesnt know any better right... let him go on about his dual exhaust, im just going to scrap it. no worries"
we get the truck in my driveway, and he starts jacking the rear up. WTF? oh. he could only get 3 wheels that fit it.. this one has to go back on his dads trailer...but heres a free jackstand! UGH. thankfully i know i have a blazer wheel inside that fits.. atleast i get a 5th jackstand out of this, right? no worries.

S10 as i got it:



so I pop the hood. its not the CPI Vortec V6.. its the TBI V6 (no offense to anyone here with it, but when you expect the cast alum intake decent looking vortec engine, and you see the TBI, its annoying.)
then i step back and realize.. hmmm wheres my front ground effect bumper? gone. then i see the stereo. gone.
So i TRY to explain to the kid that, "hey, how am i going to get my money out of this heap if you take EVERYTHING from it?"... deaf ears. hes too stupid to understand. he only knows im going to use the frame.. thats all he gets. he cant understand that i was going to part out a decent S10, to fund the cost of the frame and break even (or maybe even profit a little for the work it takes to do all that)
instead, i have an S10 in my driveway with no wheel, a dent in every bodypanel (that it still has), etc.
but..... the price was still cheap enough. I was paying with insurance money that i got from when someone backed into my motorcycle.. and easy come, easy go.. right?... so i take it.
a couple weekends later, im tearing it down, and i see the fuel tank pump rings are covered in what looks like black permatex RTV. ugh. this tank is crap. no worries though.. i already realise im probably going to put a blazer tank behind the axle, or run some other tank. annoying but no problem.

So I go on prepping the frame. First i cut the body mounts off and clean up the sides.. Next I shorten it. Its an extended cab, so its about 5" too long. for those that dont know, your S10 frame is 2 pieces. Front part and rear part slide together under the cab. they're all the same front part, shortbed, longbed, regular or extended cab.... the back C-channel part is just cut shorter for the shorter wheelbase trucks. If you take a long frame, grind out the welds, you can pull it apart, chop it, and slip it back together at any length you want.
So i grind out the GM welds. As im looking at these poor quality OEM welds holding the frame together i start to question GMs welds elsewhere. I glance over to my side. As i look at the front left I see much cleaner looking MIG welds.. and i go "cool"... it doesnt click yet.
I finish shortening the frame. This was last weekend.





Well, someone on here in the airbag forum was asking about how a stock spring pocket looks. Im fairly good at cutting/working metal. No expert. No artist. ..but I can make a strong and pretty bag cut. so i figured id do a how-to. Step one is to take a pic of the stock spring pocket.
Even with no body on the frame, its a tight area on my truck. I have 10"+ wide tires on the front(275), so to get a good pic i lean it.
And i see it.
and i go WTF?!
and I grab a light.

sure enough.. yeap.
a crack. under the brake line mount bracket.
and then.. yea.. someone hacked the frame for a airbag. badly.

its totally screwed. the top spring mount is twisted. he cut the side out completely so its just tearing itself apart. its still a good example.. but its the example of what NOT to do. when you look at it... its just... WOW.
see for yourself:
(this is just the passenger side. two pics rear cut then front cut.. front of truck is to your right.)



More Pics:
http://www.fastgm.com/travis/truck/M...330_214137.jpg
http://www.fastgm.com/travis/truck/M...330_214349.jpg
http://www.fastgm.com/travis/truck/M...330_214403.jpg

the cutting it actually just cut up.. and up. and up.. PAST where he needed to cut.. and then didnt weld it back it or anything either.. just a huge rectangle cut with the cuts going past where they needed to go.
Its this kind of not-thinking-things-through hackjob person that gives the rest of us bad names. I can understand small things not done right by people new to working on cars. i think im a fairly easy going guy.. but man, at some point you need to draw the line and say, "hey drop the saw, you dont know what you're doing."
OK that said.. its NOT what im pissed about.

what im pissed about is the other side of the truck. where someone has re-welded where its was breaking.. where someone has welded a postage stamp size plate over the same crack on the other side.
what im pissed about is how i gave that kid the benefit of the doubt, and he KNOWINGLY covered up a huge issue and sold the truck to me. KNOWING that this was there. THAT is what really pissed me off. the rest is just a disappointment.

I can accept responsibility for looking the other way on other things. I can accept that i made a bad purchase choice. but what i will be pissed about is someone knowing something so critical, covering it up, and passing it off. THAT pisses me off.

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EDITED: Please remember to watch your language in these forums. This is a family friendly environment and trying to work around the language filter will not make you any friends. I understand your complete frustration, but please take a moment to calm down and clean it up a bit before you post next time. I have taken the time from my day to go through and not only read this very long and illustrated rant, but also to edit out any cursing and bypassing of the language filter.

<3,

Your friendly neighborhood staff.

[Kabwe]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience, it sucks dealing with dishonest people. I hope you find a better deal your next time around.

[MrDude_1]

lol, you guys are so polite... everywhere else i posted this, people couldnt wait to point out how dumb I was.
this is probably the most mature automotive forum ive ever seen.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by MrDude_1

lol, you guys are so polite... everywhere else i posted this, people couldnt wait to point out how dumb I was.
this is probably the most mature automotive forum ive ever seen.

I'm not into kicking people when they are down unless I'm in a dog eat dog fight and I have not been in one of those since I was a kid.lol (ah the good ole days).lol

We all make mistakes or poor judgments especially when it comes to trusting people. Desire can really lead to heartbreak when we are excited about a project or think really want something. With that said, I still will never excuse someone for being dishonest and possibly selling something that could be dangerous. What if someone did not inspect the frame and just build the truck anyway? Well the bright side to all of this is you bought it and know enough to get it off the streets.

Lets be thankful for that.

[allengator]

Lesson learned.... Dont buy @#$% from kids!
Good luck with your project, we feel your pain!!!

[Clyde65]

I think we ALL have done that to ourselves before, kicking ourselves does no good but stir it up more. I too am sorry you went through this, if the kid is a dumb as you say, maybe he didnt know it was hacked like that, with his high price, maybe he didnt. we all are dumb as kids, I know I was, and sometime I am now.....but dont tell anyone, ok?

[1LoC10]

maybe you should have went and bought what you wanted and brought it home... not tell some kid to keep all his kid crap and only bring you enough to break even

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by 1LoC10

maybe you should have went and bought what you wanted and brought it home... not tell some kid to keep all his kid crap and only bring you enough to break even

I have to go along with that along with actually checking out the vehicle before agreeing to buy it even if it was just for the frame.

Sometimes I still wish it was like it was back in the 60's when you could by a decent doner car off the back row of a car lot for a fair price all around.

I bought an OT car from a kid two weeks ago and got a pretty decent deal though. 3 times the gas mileage of the 71 so if it lasts 4 months it doesn't owe me anything. He didn't tell me that the sunroof leaks like a bugger when it rains though.

[55metalmonkey]

ago quod perceptum
(live and learn)... still I feel for ya
I have rarely bought a vehicle where the condition is what I thought it was. Sometimes I’m surprised and it’s better than my first assessment but it’s usually worse. Even cars I crawl over, under and through turn up the odd surprise.

If this guy is as much of a ‘kid’ as you say he might not realise how much of a hack job he did but considering his dad is in the wrecking business he probably did. Eventually Karma will catch up to him …. Always does.

[71swb4x4]

What a wanker, that kid will get what's coming to him.

[1LoC10]

The kid didnt do anything wrong, no matter how much a piece of crap something is... just because its for sale, doesnt mean you have to buy it

[m6z]

Originally Posted by 1LoC10

The kid didnt do anything wrong, no matter how much a piece of crap something is... just because its for sale, doesnt mean you have to buy it

+1.

It's on you to look somthing over and decide to buy it or not. Esp. true with modified trurcks. You never know what has or hasn't been done tell you look it over.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by 1LoC10

The kid didnt do anything wrong, no matter how much a piece of crap something is... just because its for sale, doesnt mean you have to buy it

I disagree. The only way the Kid did not do anything wrong is if he didn't know. If he knew and he didn't tell him or mention it he is wrong. The kid knew he was buying it for the frame, the frame is what he wanted and if he sold him the truck knowing that the frame was messed up he was wrong. Period.

I had a piece of crap Ford explorer that I felt was not safe, but it looked good. I had nothing but problems with that thing. It blew a tire (remember the firestone issues) on the 405 (anybody who lives in Los Angeles know how lucky I was that I did not hit anything or get killed) and spun in a 360, It turned off for no reason while I was doing 65, and many other issues. I began to think the thing was haunted.lol It just was a constant problem. So I took everything I wanted out of the thing and junked it. My buddy was mad at me talking about I could have sold it. I told him all I need is a person to get killed in it for a little bit of money that I can make off the thing and if someone wants it let them get it from the junkman and I can live with that. Its called morals I have them, but I do understand not everyone does (not a dig at you I don't know you). But I can not knowing do people wrong, its not in my makeup maybe that's why I'll never be rich, but I can live with that also.lol

Yes he made a mistake, and maybe he was a little excited about getting a frame, but that does not mean the kid wasn't wrong if he knowing sold him a jacked up frame.

[sgtusmc]

I know a guy who can fix it....I just can't think of his name, wait it's Kabwe...haha
Sorry man, I don't know if you are ready for another hack job (if you are, I'll send you my truck too)!!!

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by sgtusmc

I know a guy who can fix it....I just can't think of his name, wait it's Kabwe...haha
Sorry man, I don't know if you are ready for another hack job (if you are, I'll send you my truck too)!!!

LoL. You throwing me under the bus again huh. I sure would take a wack at it if he was closer. You know just to see if I could. I have that problem you know I like a challenge.lol

But you don't need any help with your truck you are doing great. I may send my truck to you.

[RootBeer 6117]

Dude
I did alignments for 25 year I saw some stupid hacked up crap, two of the worst were AD trucks with camaro subframes one broke on the guy. I have made a lot of dumb mistakes I'd only call them stupid mistakes if I didn't learn from them and repeated them. Lesson learned, sometimes a good eduction don't come cheap.

[AceX]

Gentlemen, lets keep the discussion civil on this one OK?

[Barney Rubble]

I think Kabwe's first post summed it up nicely.

[Rusty Hooker]

Excelent Rant. I loved it. Be mad, be angry, then what? We all learn, we all make mistakes, we all move forward. Good luck with your build. Its all good from here on in right?

[55dude]

i'll have to look for this over on the hamb website posted in the "unedited" form heh! heh! should be good! looks like the kid got ya good this time but if ya paid srap prices you'll be fine, just got your pride kicked a little!

[cozee]

Caveat Emptor!!! When ya go to part that sucker out, I might be interested in a few interior parts for my work truck.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by MrDude_1

sooo Im a little pissed.
Heres the short version of the story.

This is the "short version?"

[MrDude_1]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

This is the "short version?"

Yea. You've never heard me telling an entire story. LOL.


sorry about the language thing.. I copied/pasted it.


as far as the fixing it thing.. nope.
I went under it lastnight with a tape measure.
the passenger side upper control arm mount is somehow 1/2" over from where
it should be. and the rear LCA mount on the drivers side looks to have
been welded back on... but its back on about 1/4" off at the bottom, and
twisted.
As frustrating as it is, I'm just going to take it as a learning
experience and go find another unmolested frame.

[Dan Bowles]

I'm so glad I've bought my frames stripped. I started doing the "save money and part out and sell what I don't need" thing on one and realized I didn't have the time or want to deal with S10 parts or S10 kids wanting the junk I was tearing off. The whole thing went to the local yard and I traded for a few parts that I needed. I don't miss it.

[GMC4wheels71]

Originally Posted by MrDude_1

EDITED: Please remember to watch your language in these forums. This is a family friendly environment and trying to work around the language filter will not make you any friends. I understand your complete frustration, but please take a moment to calm down and clean it up a bit before you post next time. I have taken the time from my day to go through and not only read this very long and illustrated rant, but also to edit out any cursing and bypassing of the language filter.

<3,

Your friendly neighborhood staff.

Thanks for this. I always have at least 1 (sometimes three) "helpers" on my lap looking at the truck pics when I'm on the forum. Respect for others FTW.


And to the OP, we've all been there. Kids these days don't always have a parent or teachers that guide them. All we can do aside from pre-inspection is get mad, throw a tool or two, and grind our teeth alot.

Yep, we've all been there. (glances at his 71 and winces)

Once that's out of the system we tell our kids/friends/relatives/forum-buddies about how we got ripped off in hopes that they don't make the same mistake.

Sure stinks when it happens, but look at the bright side - you get to hone up on your welding and grinding skills and this time you'll KNOW it's a dang good job.

There's a special pride in that. And we've all been there too. It's goooood


ETA: Please post pics as you fix it. We love a good rebuild thread with a backstory!