Shout out to Des (Tracker1)

[Lynn]

Every once in a while we are amazed at how far one (or more) guys or gals will go to help another “car guy” involved in the collector car hobby. Let’s face it, we have a disease. A fun, and sometimes frustrating disease; but a disease none the less. It is as addictive as heroin, sugar, speed (another variant of a car guy disease) tobacco, alcohol or whatever else you can think of.

I have chronicled the story of my quest to find a nice Tri Five “driver”.
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...=181173&page=3

As you can see, it took an unexpected turn when I was able to confirm my 57 came from the factory with a dual quad motor. I am guessing Des (Tracker1) had no idea what he was starting when he posted “Here ya go Lynn” in post #29 with a link to an almost complete dual quad 57 motor for sale in Niagra, Canada.

So, after 20 years of avoiding Facebook (still not sure if I like it… but it was the only way I could establish contact with the seller) I joined. Made a deal on the engine after Des said he would help me get it shipped to OK. Seller agreed to either put it on a pallet or crate it. I figured a pallet would raise less eyebrows at the border. My first mistake. Could have just had him crate it and have the lid screw on so Des could remove it with a drill driver and let border officials take a look.

Plan was for me to arrange and pre pay for shipping from Tonawanda to OKC terminal to terminal. I went on line to get shipping rates. The website I was on showed Fed Ex as the cheapest alternative.

Thinking I could outsmart the broker, I go straight to the Fed Ex website. Have you tried navigating that site? I think they hired Kathleen Sebelius to put together a team of incompetent former federal employee morons who could not keep jobs to put it together. On top of that, they made it sound like I needed to fill out 29 pages of custom forms. When I DID get to a price quote, it was over $2800!!!!!!

Check with the seller, and he says he brings stuff over the border all the time. If it is antique car parts made in the US, just coming back to the US, all we need is a Bill of Sale.
So, I call the broker. Get a really nice guy who obviously knows his stuff. Checks and sure enough Fed Ex is the cheapest; under $400 from Tonawanda, NY to OKC. But… it has to be crated. By this time, Des has already picked up the engine on a pallet. I did not want him to crate it. The dude is already going out of his way to help me out. Simply CAN’T ask him to do any more. Tell the broker it is going to have to ship on a pallet. No problem he says; SAIA can handle it, and they are only $10 higher than Fed Ex. Looks like we have a winner.

Not so fast my friend. Des gets it across the border. No issues. No tariff. Has all the paperwork in order, and he shows up at the SAIA terminal in Tonawanda. Mgr tells him: “My guys will destroy that, keep in in your truck.” Des calls me sitting in Tonawanda in limbo. Dammit. I call broker. My contact is unavailable, so I leave a message for him to call. Explain the situation to Des. I am feeling horrible.

That’s when Des REALLY goes above and beyond. Must have gone into McGyver mode, because he came up with a solution before I could get a call back from the broker. He goes to see Bob Harris at Camaro Specialties. I have dealt with Bob before; and it has always been a good experience. Craig (Bob’s son???? or maybe an employee) agrees to let Des drop off the engine and says he will ship to me with his commercial account when he gets a chance.

At this point, I don’t even care what it costs; I just want my engine, and I don’t want Des to have to do any more for me. I am already feeling bad enough. Call the broker who had already come up with an alternate shipper; told him it was handled and I wanted to canceled the transaction. Said there is a 20% cancellation fee “if that’s how you want to go.” Heck yeah, it is. I pay the $79 and call it a win.

Craig at Camaro Specialties adds some strapping to the pallet and goes ahead and closes it in, essentially crating it. He only charges me for the materials. Calls me up to settle. Get this, shipping is $10 LESS than my original quote; and that includes the materials for crating. What a deal.

Just picked it up this today at a terminal here in OKC. Got to use my 2500HD truck for the second big project. Have not even unpacked it yet. Also went by my old auto repair shop, now run by my nephew, Chris. He gave me a TON of 1957 Chevy parts. He has a really cool four door sedan Belair that he acquired a few years ago for REALLY cheap from one of his long time customers. I tore the engine down for him a few years ago (had been sitting for decades and was locked up). He decided on a crate motor, has put big steely wheels on it, dropped everything two inches and changed over to disc brakes. I need the oil pan from his original 283 because the one on my 68 327 sits too low in front of the sump and the power steering set up rubs on it. So now, I can swap out the oil pan with a true 57 oil pan.

Many other good parts that are hard to run down, original spark plug heat shields, loom holders, etc. A few extra parts I can barter for a good FD block. And his old 283 forged crank is PERFECT. Does not even need polished.

Thank God for great car guys.
Thanks Des.
Thanks Bob.
Thanks Craig.
Thanks Chris.
You guys rock!!!!

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Originally Posted by Lynn

Every once in a while we are amazed at how far one (or more) guys or gals will go to help another “car guy” involved in the collector car hobby. Let’s face it, we have a disease. A fun, and sometimes frustrating disease; but a disease none the less. It is as addictive as heroin, sugar, speed (another variant of a car guy disease) tobacco, alcohol or whatever else you can think of.

I have chronicled the story of my quest to find a nice Tri Five “driver”.
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...=181173&page=3

As you can see, it took an unexpected turn when I was able to confirm my 57 came from the factory with a dual quad motor. I am guessing Des (Tracker1) had no idea what he was starting when he posted “Here ya go Lynn” in post #29 with a link to an almost complete dual quad 57 motor for sale in Niagra, Canada.

So, after 20 years of avoiding Facebook (still not sure if I like it… but it was the only way I could establish contact with the seller) I joined. Made a deal on the engine after Des said he would help me get it shipped to OK. Seller agreed to either put it on a pallet or crate it. I figured a pallet would raise less eyebrows at the border. My first mistake. Could have just had him crate it and have the lid screw on so Des could remove it with a drill driver and let border officials take a look.

Plan was for me to arrange and pre pay for shipping from Tonawanda to OKC terminal to terminal. I went on line to get shipping rates. The website I was on showed Fed Ex as the cheapest alternative.

Thinking I could outsmart the broker, I go straight to the Fed Ex website. Have you tried navigating that site? I think they hired Kathleen Sebelius to put together a team of incompetent former federal employee morons who could not keep jobs to put it together. On top of that, they made it sound like I needed to fill out 29 pages of custom forms. When I DID get to a price quote, it was over $2800!!!!!!

Check with the seller, and he says he brings stuff over the border all the time. If it is antique car parts made in the US, just coming back to the US, all we need is a Bill of Sale.
So, I call the broker. Get a really nice guy who obviously knows his stuff. Checks and sure enough Fed Ex is the cheapest; under $400 from Tonawanda, NY to OKC. But… it has to be crated. By this time, Des has already picked up the engine on a pallet. I did not want him to crate it. The dude is already going out of his way to help me out. Simply CAN’T ask him to do any more. Tell the broker it is going to have to ship on a pallet. No problem he says; SAIA can handle it, and they are only $10 higher than Fed Ex. Looks like we have a winner.

Not so fast my friend. Des gets it across the border. No issues. No tariff. Has all the paperwork in order, and he shows up at the SAIA terminal in Tonawanda. Mgr tells him: “My guys will destroy that, keep in in your truck.” Des calls me sitting in Tonawanda in limbo. Dammit. I call broker. My contact is unavailable, so I leave a message for him to call. Explain the situation to Des. I am feeling horrible.

That’s when Des REALLY goes above and beyond. Must have gone into McGyver mode, because he came up with a solution before I could get a call back from the broker. He goes to see Bob Harris at Camaro Specialties. I have dealt with Bob before; and it has always been a good experience. Craig (Bob’s son???? or maybe an employee) agrees to let Des drop off the engine and says he will ship to me with his commercial account when he gets a chance.

At this point, I don’t even care what it costs; I just want my engine, and I don’t want Des to have to do any more for me. I am already feeling bad enough. Call the broker who had already come up with an alternate shipper; told him it was handled and I wanted to canceled the transaction. Said there is a 20% cancellation fee “if that’s how you want to go.” Heck yeah, it is. I pay the $79 and call it a win.

Craig at Camaro Specialties adds some strapping to the pallet and goes ahead and closes it in, essentially crating it. He only charges me for the materials. Calls me up to settle. Get this, shipping is $10 LESS than my original quote; and that includes the materials for crating. What a deal.

Just picked it up this today at a terminal here in OKC. Got to use my 2500HD truck for the second big project. Have not even unpacked it yet. Also went by my old auto repair shop, now run by my nephew, Chris. He gave me a TON of 1957 Chevy parts. He has a really cool four door sedan Belair that he acquired a few years ago for REALLY cheap from one of his long time customers. I tore the engine down for him a few years ago (had been sitting for decades and was locked up). He decided on a crate motor, has put big steely wheels on it, dropped everything two inches and changed over to disc brakes. I need the oil pan from his original 283 because the one on my 68 327 sits too low in front of the sump and the power steering set up rubs on it. So now, I can swap out the oil pan with a true 57 oil pan.

Many other good parts that are hard to run down, original spark plug heat shields, loom holders, etc. A few extra parts I can barter for a good FD block. And his old 283 forged crank is PERFECT. Does not even need polished.

Thank God for great car guys.
Thanks Des.
Thanks Bob.
Thanks Craig.
Thanks Chris.
You guys rock!!!!

Des is a great friend and great car guy!!!

PS: glad you got some 2500HD testing done!!!

Ryan W31

[CamaroNOS]

Ryan is correct, Des is a good guy. Especially when you read this story.

I can also attest to the characters of Bob and Craig at Camaro Specialties. Top drawer guys....the best.

And for Chris, I do not know that gentleman.

We have some good folks in our group.

Paul

[Canuck]

Des is a great guy, originally from Newfoundland. A lot of people know that Newfoundlander go out of their way to help. Remember Gander on 9/11.

[gmart68ZRS]

Wow, what a bunch of crap to go through. Glad it worked out.

[bergy]

Des is a great friend & a great guy. I’m not surprised at all to hear about the extent of his assistance. Also, Craig (and Bob & Rick) at Camaro Specialties. Super people.

[Too Many Projects]

Wow, crazier story than my non-stop R/T to Mannford OK and coming home in a blizzard..
Super cool how this worked out for you and really good to hear of all the community help along the way.
6 years ago, I bought an NOS, left '67 rs fender from Craig/Bob and had a good experience with them as well. Very fairly priced for a really hard to find fender too. Picked up a number of other small stuff as long as I was there...yes, another non-stop R/T to Aurora NY.
Addictive behavior, ? I know not what you speak of...

[Tracker1]

It's what we do. Happy to help Lynn, shoutout unnecessary, do unto others etc...but thanks. The guys at Camaro Specialties stepped up for sure! Love that '57, I'll be following your progress.

[BJCHEV396]

Originally Posted by Canuck

Des is a great guy, originally from Newfoundland. A lot of people know that Newfoundlander go out of their way to help. Remember Gander on 9/11.

Newfies are good people! Not enough Americans are aware of the hospitality and help supplied by Newfoundland on 9/11.

[Lynn]

Believe it or not, the story of getting a title and tagging it is even more strange and convoluted. Finally done though.