Bulkhead Restortions

[Bostonian1976]

hire another fabricator?

if you've got people pounding down your door with money in hand, time to bring in additional help? my thought on it anyway....

(I'm a little biased since I thought their responses to me were a bit rude on separate occasions)

[Jim-ME]

At least you got responses. That is more than I get.
Jim

[Clive]

Same here!!

[Jim-ME]

I don't want this topic to become an ECR bash session. That was not my intention but when a company says that they will not do any more work of certain types and then post project updates of vehicles and bulkheads that they say they will not longer do it kind of gets under my skin. I realize that some folks already were in line for work and I don't begrudge them the chance to have high quality work done but why can't others get in line and wait their turn as well? I wish I had 25K to restore my Rover all at once but I don't. I was willing to wait my turn to get smaller jobs done piecemeal. This is the last rant I will ever post here on the ECR topic. Now, getting back to my origional question, has anyone out there had experiences with either DAP or the 4X4 Center for body work and repairs?
Jim

[ECR]

Boy, you guys make it all sound so easy.
So I just hire another fabricator that happens to live, or want to live in Maine, and has the skills to do hand fabrication, MIG and TIG, and will work for what we can pay. Maybe I should hire 4 or 5.

As to rude replies, there are none. I personally answer all the emails and the phone when I can get to it. I answer ever bulkhead email with "Sorry, but we are not taking on any bulkhead work at this time. Sorry." If the fact that we can't do it and that I am to the point about it means we are rude, then I guess that is the way it has to be.

With 300 plus emails a day to answer, sometimes those emails where the answer is going to be no means that those go on the back burner. Call me craz, but I think it more important to answer the emails from the customers whose cars in in the shop. Some do get forgotten and that is a bummer, but it does happen.

Beating down the door??? In a period since Greg and another customer dropped off their bulkheads in the Spring of 06 we have had zero bulkead customers, so a few months later we realized it was a service that we could put on hold while we concentrate on other work, as it was not a "hot bed" and no one would care anyway (so we thought). Then seems when we go public with saying the process is on hold people don't like it.... all I can say is "where ya been???"
We can't do them quickly due to our shop work load and we can't do them cheaply. Bulkheads are something we hope to get back to once the shop expansion is done, but for now we are not taking them on.

The bulkhead pix on the site are of bulkheads we are finishing now that were dropped off in the Spring of 2006 (ask GregSC when he sent his). It is not that we are being selective about whose get done and whose do not. Ian and I made the choice, a hard choice mind you, to put the service on hold some time ago.

Clive... I will try to find your email and reply to it. Send it again and I will put it at the top of my list.
jim-ME... lets not forget that there are 2 sides to each story. You have neglected to tell these nice folks just how "nicely" you treated us in the past. I'm happy you apologized, but in the end it doesn't mean that we MUST work for everyone just because there is a sign on the door saying "open". If you think that sucks then so be it, but I think the way you treated me, and continue to treat us (ECR) is just dead wrong. You can bash us all you want, but we don't need to take your attitude and then bend over backwards for you. I'm a pretty busy guy and I have a low tolerance for BS. It is a flaw for sure, but this isn't some multi-national corporation... its 3 guys building trucks in Maine.

I apologize for the rant folks, but I wanted to make my side heard. My apologies to all for unanswered emails and the "quick" replies I give. In the scope of my day this is the best I can do.

On a better note, as we know communication is lacking at ECR, we have hired on a new office manager that will be with us mid-Feb (roughly) and she will be in charge of making sure everyones requests get an answer, but be prepared.. the answer might still be no.
I'd love to work on all the Rovers... but with 3 guys, and soon 1 girl... it isn't realistic.

Have a great evening all.
Any questions email me at ecrover@midcoast.com
I will try to answer them all.

[Jazzop]

ECR:

Thanks for your comments. I hate it when BBS threads go berserk with rumors and speculation.

Cheers

[Jim-ME]

ECR is correct there are two sides to the story and I have no one to blame but myself that I have destroyed any chance for a good relationship with ECR because I acted like a total jerk when I found out that they were suspending bulkhead work. Although I meant no ill will in my recent posts I've apparently stepped in it again. For that I publicly appologize to ECR. For those of you that have the good fortune to do buisness with these folks you will not be disappointed.
Jim

[Bostonian1976]

ECR:

Thanks for your comments. I hate it when BBS threads go berserk with rumors and speculation.

Cheers

No rumors or speculation from me though. I don't want to start anything either, but I really have to say that the replies to my emails left me with a bad taste in my mouth....and these were separated by a year and a half. I'm sure they do amazing work, and I totally respect the comments left by you, ECR....I understand your position and respect it...it's got to be tough with your location and the work that you do. I just didn't like the email replies, that's all...if an email makes me have a bad feeling about your business, you would want that feedback, right? I would if I were a business owner. Sounds like you're already addressing that with the new office people you're bringing in, so that's great..it sounds like you're taking the steps to make communication better. Anyway, no harm, no foul....life goes on

[Clive]

No rumors or speculation from me though. I don't want to start anything either, but I really have to say that the replies to my emails left me with a bad taste in my mouth....and these were separated by a year and a half. I'm sure they do amazing work, and I totally respect the comments left by you, ECR....I understand your position and respect it...it's got to be tough with your location and the work that you do. I just didn't like the email replies, that's all...if an email makes me have a bad feeling about your business, you would want that feedback, right? I would if I were a business owner. Sounds like you're already addressing that with the new office people you're bringing in, so that's great..it sounds like you're taking the steps to make communication better. Anyway, no harm, no foul....life goes on

Hear, hear!! Well put, and I'm glad you said it, I was still trying to figure out how to say that ...onwards and upwards! Also in agreement - ECR work is probably second to none in most areas of LR restoration! So approx. how much does a bulkhead restoration cost (range)?

[Mercedesrover]

So I just hire another fabricator that happens to live, or want to live in Maine, and has the skills to do hand fabrication, MIG and TIG, and will work for what we can pay.

I bug you about a job once every other year or so, Mike, but I've been talking to Vicki Doudera at Camden Real Estate Company these past few weeks. Not sure when, but I will live in up there sometime in the not so distant future......

And I can rebuild bulkheads too.



Jim
(With the tan Benz powered, Toyota differentialed 88")

[ECR]

So theres your answer folks. Contact Jim and he'll set you up. He does great stuff with series trucks (and bulkheads too (see his photo)). You can reach him via:

http://www.seriestrek.com/

Looks good Jim, hope to see you on your next trek through the area!

[lrover109]

Although a bit of a drive you might contact

http://www.britrest.com/Series/exchange_bulkheads.htm

I e-mailed him some time ago but the freight was a bit crazy from the West coast