Date:         Thu, 18 May 2000 10:11:46 -0700
Reply-To:     David Raistrick <keen@LENTI.TYPE2.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Raistrick <keen@LENTI.TYPE2.COM>
Subject:      Pt1: So what went wrong with Sharkey's "Todd Hill" tranny? (fwd)
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

From jlindsay@home.com Thu May 18 10:02:14 2000
Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 00:39:32 -0700
From: James W. Lindsay <jlindsay@home.com>
Subject: Re: So what went wrong with Sharkey's "Todd Hill" tranny? (fwd)

David,

Could you please forward this to whatever list "Doktor Tim's" original
reply appeared on so I can let them know my opinion of this little boy?

Thank you.


On Wed, 17 May 2000 17:59:47 -0700, Doktor Tim wrote:

> >>Subject: So what went wrong with Sharkey's "Todd Hill" tranny?
> >>
> >>To those of you I have cc'd into this post, I apologize if this brings up
> >>bad memories.  Unfortunately, I installed my tranny before some of you back
> >>in October 1998,
> >
> >3 years to result=failure

This doesn't make any sense.  Why does this make this whole ordeal a
"failure" on my part?  Are you somehow implying that just because it took
me 31 months to finally get to the "truth" of the matter, that it is a
"failure" of some sort on my part?  How was I to know *for sure* until I
finally tore the tranny apart?

I guess if those brand new batteries that you bought (with the 2003 expiry
date) are dead when you go to use them a year from now, *you* are a failure
for buying poor quality batteries.  It doesn't matter that the batteries
were part of a bad batch-- *you* should have known better.

> > but was unable to find out about Todd's craftsmanship
> >>until just recently.  You can rest assured, however, that you are not the
> >>only ones he has screwed.
> >
> >Obviously you have had relations with the man.

Whatever that means.  Yes, I corresponded with Todd regarding the specifics
of a very custom transaxle.  This is only natural.

> >>Erin, could you please post this to the various Bus lists?  Gilbert, could
> >>you do the same to the KG lists?  Someone can let the guys on the ACVW list
> >>know too.
> >
> >EXTRA!!! EXTRA!!! Read all about it.
> >
> >Raistrick Gets Sodomized, evidence not found for 4 years.

Sounds to me like a certain group of aliens forgot to remove their anal
probe from Doktor Tim's ass...

You also can't interpret an internet post.  That is very dangerous.  So is
replying to emails point by point before reading the whole thing first.

> >>========
> >>
> >>
> >>This post has been a long time coming.  It wasn't until last month that I
> >>managed to bother getting my tranny rebuilt by a local guru, and it wasn't
> >>until then that I found out the *real* reason why my tranny packed it in
> >>after less than 1,000 miles of non-abusive driving:
> >>
> >>It was built by an incompetent boob named Todd Hill.

[snip]

> > At first my dealings with
> >>Todd were great.  He was wise, knowledgable, and willing to spend the time
> >>to explain things I haven't had the opportunity to experience with regards
> >>to transaxle rebuilding. We corresponded via email, ICQ, and telephone for
> >>months picking options and alternatives to my needs.
> >
> >Sounds like value received by you. Did you pay for this value by the hour,
> or do boobs charge a flat fee, or do they wrap it in the cost of the
> eventual product if sold? How much was this boob compensated for this high
> value added service?

This was the same "service" that any shop performs when attempting any big
job.  I fail to see why I should pay for the extra time a "salesman"
expends attempting to make a sale.  You sound very ignorant in the aspects
of sales, Doktor Tim.

> >>I live in Vancouver, BC, while Todd lived in Olympia, WA.  Todd was willing
> >>to deliver the tranny to me in Vancouver as part of a 400 mile round trip
> >>(saving me probably $100+ Cdn in shipping charges) and "smuggled" the
> >>tranny through customs so that I wouldn't have to pay duty, import taxes,
> >>etc.
> >
> >Value received by you. Same question about value received by the boob.

He offered, freely of his own will.  Why?  Because it was the primary
deciding factor (or should that read "faktor") in our agreement.  Again,
the value Todd received was that he actually made a sale.  Pretty simple
when you put your mind to it.

> >He also acted as a mail box for me, allowing me to order things and
> >>have them delivered to him in Olympia (like SAW axles, many Berg parts,
> >>etc.) so that he could bring them up with him when he brought up the
> >>tranny.
> >
> >Value received by you. Same question about value received by the boob.

Same answer.  With all the extras, Todd's price quote came in just under
those of Rancho and Transform.  But unlike those two, Todd was willing to
talk to me builder-to-customer.

> >At first he didn't even ask for a deposit, until the total owed
> >>exceeded $1,000 US (that includes the axles, Berg parts, etc.).  Did I
> >>mention that *he* ordered the axles and Berg parts for me and simply added
> >>their cost to my final bill?
> >
> >Hope the boob knew enough to mark up his cost. It is apparent this boob is
> very clever at setting up a Bozo in a facade of added value. The use of
> Berg parts seriously detracts from his boobness, however.

He *did* mark up his costs (after he took into account his own discount as
a parts reseller), which I would expect in *any* such business venture.

> >>I thought I was dealing with a really nice guy,
> >
> >Who could blame you with so much value received all up front?

Finally, something "nice" was said by Doktor Tim (a rare occurrence
indeed).

> >>My first concern, however, was when he arrived with the tranny
> >>that first evening in late September, 1998.  He made the comment that "the
> >>tranny was stiff, but that it would break in over time".
> >
> >Boob admitted results iffy, didn't try to hide it, spoke the truth, even
> before you paid him. He was all in and risking it all, and still didn't
> spring his trap on you.

No, he did *not* speak the truth.  Pay attention.  My current builder (who
doesn't have Todd's shoddy reputation) has already proven to me that Todd's
own statement about the tranny being "stiff" was a joke.  Not knowing about
the intricacies of ACVW trannies at the time, I was forced to trust Todd.
Remember, he hadn't given me any reason to distrust him even after he
dropped off the tranny.

> > He wasn't kidding
> >>about the tranny being stiff... I could barely turn the tranny over while
> >>using a clutch disc on the input shaft for leverage!
> >
> >Bozo inspects the work. Is good to do so before you pay, very prudent, and
> very fortunate to have found a boob who allows same. Value received by Bozo
> somemore.

WTF?  Have I offended you in some way, Doktor Tim?  What the hell is the
matter with you?  Do you go out of your way to insult people that you don't
even know?  Are you in league with Todd Hill in some way?

> >>My next concern happened after I installed the tranny.
> >
> >Did you forget to put in the line, 'I accepted the work and paid the boob.'

Sure, I neglected to mention that.  Big whoop.

> ><snip> = nothing relevant to the boob
> >
> > I bolted it in and
> >>began reconnecting all the rear suspension components.  I then went inside
> >>the car and "tapped" the shift coupler on to the tranny's "hockey stick".
> >>It wouldn't shift.  The tranny seemed to be stuck in gear somehow.  I tried
> >>everything, but was eventually forced to pull the tranny again.  Luckily I
> >>didn't have the engine installed yet (that didn't happen until the spring
> >>of '99).
> >
> >Bozo accepts poor work and installs it anyway, now he's a boob, too,
> screwing himself.

I didn't *know* at the time that Todd's work was "poor".  This all took
place over the summer of 1998, and I wasn't aware of *any* wrongdoings by
Todd Hill.  In fact, I believe Todd's name was suggested by someone on
VintagVW (whose name I can't remember, but who I can honestly say I hold no
ill feelings towards).  It wasn't until many months later that rumours of
Todd's shoddy business practices began to surface.  Check your facts.

> >>I took the nose cone off of the tranny and discovered that all three shift
> >>rails were indeed in the neutral position, just as they should be.  What
> >>apparently happened, however, was that one of the shift fork set screws
> >>either came loose or was tightened down when the rail was not lined up
> >>properly.  While the three shift rails indicated that the tranny was in
> >>neutral, one of the shift forks had shifted and wouldn't disengage from one
> >>of the gears.  The tranny had to come completely apart.  Argh...
> >
> >Speculation: boob was so busy on the phone providing Bozos with added
> value he didn't have the time to check function.

So what's your point?  If you are saying that I took up so much of Todd's
time that it was impossible to turn out a quality transaxle, you better ask
a few more questions first.  Like how long it took him to deliver it after
we finally "shook hands"-- try a month.

> >>I contacted Todd and he offered to drive all the way back up to Vancouver
> >>in order to pick up the tranny and return it to his "shop".  I felt that
> >>this was w-a-y too generous and offered to drive the tranny back down to
> >>him, with the agreement that he would bring it back up.
> >
> >How very nice that Bozos and boobs can work together so well. (Whew)

Again, Doktor Tim insults me.  Why?  Have I insulted you in the past?  I
can't see how, since I have never subscribed to any of the VW bus lists.

> > I wasn't 100%
> >>positive that the shifting problem wasn't something I had caused when I
> >>installed the tranny so I didn't want him wasting *his* time if it was
> >>indeed my fault.
> >
> >Bozo knew he might have pinched something. Needed boob to confirm.

Again with the insults.  I believe I am within my rights to say that Doktor
Tim (who can't spell) is a genuine asshole, through and through.

> >>Todd never did point any fingers with regards to what had caused the shift
> >>fork to slip on the rail.  He tore it apart, fixed it, and brought it back
> >>up.  The tranny was still "stiff", however.  It still wouldn't turn over
> >>without using the clutch disc for leverage.
> >>He drove off and I immediately proceeded to begin installing it.
> >
> >Boob still lacking time to do it right and willing to deliver anyway. Bozo
> still inspecting and accepting and installing. Boob still adding value.
> This boob is a sting artist. He was probably still using honesty as a ploy
> as well, I'll wager.

People make mistakes, and you can't always cry foul every time something
doesn't go your way.  I've made mistakes too, and have been honest and
quick to patch things up.  Again, Todd had given me no signs not to trust
him at this point.

What Todd had was what we call in the trade a "come back".  When you've
screwed something up or didn't repair the problem properly the first time,
the shop foreman or control tower dispatcher hands the job back to you and
you fix it on your own nickel.  Believe me, you do your darndest to make
sure that the job is as perfect as possible the second time around.  I
would expect this from anyone, and I expected it from Todd Hill (at the
time).

> >  For
> >>reasons I can't remember, I decided to remove the nosecone again.  Voila!
> >>The tranny was no longer stiff.  When I reinstalled the nosecone, the
> >>tranny tightened up again.  WTF?  How come a veteran ACVW transaxle builder
> >>couldn't figure this one out, yet it took me only about ten minutes to
> >>stumble upon it?
> >
> >Why does a Bozo hire a boob if he can do things better himself?

I never said that.  Please don't confuse fact with delusional thinking.  I
will tell you right now that although I have experience in rebuilding
manual transmissions and transaxles, I do not have the specific tools or
experience to rebuild an ACVW transaxle.  So I got someone else to do the
job.

> >>If you got your Haynes, Muir, or Bentley available, you will notice that
> >>there are two large bearings in the front of the gear carrier.  One of
> >>these-- the large one with the flange-- was protruding ever so slightly
> >>from the carrier housing that when I bolted the nosecone on, it would apply
> >>force to the outer bearing race (thereby increasing friction and causing
> >>the tranny to feel "tight").
> >
> >Sometimes a tranny can take on the characteristic of the Bozo who owns it.

What the fuck is your problem?  Is your anal probe set on '11'?

> >>I hopped in the car and chased after him (he was dropping another tranny
> >>off a few miles away) and managed to catch him going the other direction
> >>onto the main bridge leading out of Vancouver.  I frantically turned the
> >>car around and chased after him but I never did catch up to him.  I wasn't
> >>about to chase him all the way into the USA...
> >
> >Bozo goes for a Bus ride but does not follow up and confirm exile of boob
> from country.

I presume that everybody else on whatever list Doktor Tim subscribes to
already knows that he is a genuine asshole?  Am I right?  Thought so.

<end part 1, gerry's size filters caught this>

--
David Raistrick  '66 SO-44 Westy                keen@type2.com
                                                        in Guyton Ga