PaxNovi 5.0
Forum Member
I was going to wait to let Brad/oharaautomotive rectify the situation. However, after receiving SEVERAL texts from different Motown members regarding Brad as well as a couple less than ideal past dealings, I'm going to post now. I will get to details of the texts later in this post.
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I would like to advise everyone here not to deal with Brad.
On April 25th, 2014 I purchased a set of Edelbrock Victor Jr Cylinder heads from him that came off of Brian Mitchell's NMRA EFI Renegade car. He had another ad on YellowBullet, but that ad has since disappeared... Heads are found in both ads here:
http://forums.corral.net/forums/win...ian-mitchell-efi-renegade-champion-heads.html
http://www.motownmuscle.com/forums/...63-Cu-In-SBF-windsor&highlight=brian+mitchell
When I originally met with him to talk about and see the heads on April 24th, he advertised them to me as needing nothing and "ready to go, just add your valve springs and go," as he was going to keep the valve springs that were on the head. Brad insisted that I come hear the engine run while the heads were still on the car to further prove they were ready to rock, which I did. I was also told that he had them to 3 different shops for inspection: Holcomb, Greg's Cylinder Heads and one other shop I can't recall. He stated that all three shops were impressed with the quality heads, especially Greg's as when they were on the flow bench they were extremely quiet and turbulence free.
The next day, Brad had the heads off of the car and valve springs removed by Greg's Cylinder Heads, and they were ready for me to purchase. Upon inspection, when I removed one of the intake valves I found what appeared to be epoxy in the intake bowl covering a "booger" that needed to be ground out and aluminum welded for repair. He slightly adjusted the price to account for this, saying once I get that one small spot fixed they would be good to go/run. Brad then went on to act angry, again stating how he was mad at Holcomb, Greg's and the third shop as none of them informed him of the one bowl needing repair and being covered with epoxy. He "never would've run them on his car had he known." His anger was so adamant that it seemed forced at the time, almost like it was an act. I thought it seemed funny at the time, but given that I trusted him that it was to be the only repair, I thought nothing more of it.
Fast forward to May 3rd, I took the heads to Ron Sharpe of Roush. Yesterday (May 7th), he sent me a text stating "I've got bad news call me." I immediately called Ron as this point. He informed me that the heads were extensively damaged. That they had been blown up very badly at one point. We were aware of the one "booger" in the one intake bowl needing repair, but Ron informed that was just the tip of the iceberg. The heads needed grinding and aluminum welding in multiple places. The heads also needed all new valve seats, as it appears whoever put them together peened the aluminum of the head over the seats to hold them in place. Basically, Ron informed me that I was looking at a HUGE investment in repairs, and he advised I get a different set of heads.
I told Ron how the person I purchased them from (Brad) had them to three different shops for inspection, including the aforementioned Holcomb, Greg's and the third shop. Ron right away stated no way, that the damage to them was so extensive that if he truly had them to these shops, there is no way they would've missed this. There is no way they would have missed the extensive damage and necessary repairs. Ron also stated that Brad definitely would have been informed of such damage, and had they made repairs to them (such as the epoxy in the one intake bowl) they most certainly would have informed Brad of this as well.
Right now, Ron is assembling a document listing all of the damage and necessary repairs to the heads and the overall cost if they were to be fixed, which he said wouldn't be pretty. He is also going to be sending me pictures to further document the damage.
Now, to the texts I received from other Motown members. The majority of them wanted to remain anonymous, so I will respect that. They informed me how there have been many shady dealings out of Brad's shop. One of the people, however, said I could reference them specifically and their less than ideal transaction with Brad:
allthrottle here on the boards purchased a transmission and converter from Brad that were advertised as in good working order. After purchased and taken to his trans guy for inspection, it was found the trans was junk and in need of repairs and the converter was warped. He mentioned that Brad avoided him for several days, but once the trans guy went through the trans and took pictures of everything, Brad finally sent him a partial re-payment. I will let allthrottle detail his transaction more specifically if he wants to chime in.
This shows me that Brad has a history of knowingly selling and advertising parts as being in a condition that they are not.
As I think of more details or if I left anything out, I will post them up accordingly. Once Ron assembles all of the information and pictures on the heads for me, I will post all of that up as well.
The resolution that I am looking for out of this situation, is for Brad to refund 100% of my money ($1100 cash) and in return I will return all parts to him. All parts, which are actually now in better condition since Ron and the guys at Roush have since cleaned up the cylinder heads and hardware.
--------------------------------------------------------
I would like to advise everyone here not to deal with Brad.
On April 25th, 2014 I purchased a set of Edelbrock Victor Jr Cylinder heads from him that came off of Brian Mitchell's NMRA EFI Renegade car. He had another ad on YellowBullet, but that ad has since disappeared... Heads are found in both ads here:
http://forums.corral.net/forums/win...ian-mitchell-efi-renegade-champion-heads.html
http://www.motownmuscle.com/forums/...63-Cu-In-SBF-windsor&highlight=brian+mitchell
When I originally met with him to talk about and see the heads on April 24th, he advertised them to me as needing nothing and "ready to go, just add your valve springs and go," as he was going to keep the valve springs that were on the head. Brad insisted that I come hear the engine run while the heads were still on the car to further prove they were ready to rock, which I did. I was also told that he had them to 3 different shops for inspection: Holcomb, Greg's Cylinder Heads and one other shop I can't recall. He stated that all three shops were impressed with the quality heads, especially Greg's as when they were on the flow bench they were extremely quiet and turbulence free.
The next day, Brad had the heads off of the car and valve springs removed by Greg's Cylinder Heads, and they were ready for me to purchase. Upon inspection, when I removed one of the intake valves I found what appeared to be epoxy in the intake bowl covering a "booger" that needed to be ground out and aluminum welded for repair. He slightly adjusted the price to account for this, saying once I get that one small spot fixed they would be good to go/run. Brad then went on to act angry, again stating how he was mad at Holcomb, Greg's and the third shop as none of them informed him of the one bowl needing repair and being covered with epoxy. He "never would've run them on his car had he known." His anger was so adamant that it seemed forced at the time, almost like it was an act. I thought it seemed funny at the time, but given that I trusted him that it was to be the only repair, I thought nothing more of it.
Fast forward to May 3rd, I took the heads to Ron Sharpe of Roush. Yesterday (May 7th), he sent me a text stating "I've got bad news call me." I immediately called Ron as this point. He informed me that the heads were extensively damaged. That they had been blown up very badly at one point. We were aware of the one "booger" in the one intake bowl needing repair, but Ron informed that was just the tip of the iceberg. The heads needed grinding and aluminum welding in multiple places. The heads also needed all new valve seats, as it appears whoever put them together peened the aluminum of the head over the seats to hold them in place. Basically, Ron informed me that I was looking at a HUGE investment in repairs, and he advised I get a different set of heads.
I told Ron how the person I purchased them from (Brad) had them to three different shops for inspection, including the aforementioned Holcomb, Greg's and the third shop. Ron right away stated no way, that the damage to them was so extensive that if he truly had them to these shops, there is no way they would've missed this. There is no way they would have missed the extensive damage and necessary repairs. Ron also stated that Brad definitely would have been informed of such damage, and had they made repairs to them (such as the epoxy in the one intake bowl) they most certainly would have informed Brad of this as well.
Right now, Ron is assembling a document listing all of the damage and necessary repairs to the heads and the overall cost if they were to be fixed, which he said wouldn't be pretty. He is also going to be sending me pictures to further document the damage.
Now, to the texts I received from other Motown members. The majority of them wanted to remain anonymous, so I will respect that. They informed me how there have been many shady dealings out of Brad's shop. One of the people, however, said I could reference them specifically and their less than ideal transaction with Brad:
allthrottle here on the boards purchased a transmission and converter from Brad that were advertised as in good working order. After purchased and taken to his trans guy for inspection, it was found the trans was junk and in need of repairs and the converter was warped. He mentioned that Brad avoided him for several days, but once the trans guy went through the trans and took pictures of everything, Brad finally sent him a partial re-payment. I will let allthrottle detail his transaction more specifically if he wants to chime in.
This shows me that Brad has a history of knowingly selling and advertising parts as being in a condition that they are not.
As I think of more details or if I left anything out, I will post them up accordingly. Once Ron assembles all of the information and pictures on the heads for me, I will post all of that up as well.
The resolution that I am looking for out of this situation, is for Brad to refund 100% of my money ($1100 cash) and in return I will return all parts to him. All parts, which are actually now in better condition since Ron and the guys at Roush have since cleaned up the cylinder heads and hardware.
opcorn:
