Mini-Build 11 ~ Steve L

[heman]

did you get the check? is it at the trans shop?

 

[heman]

anything on the trans? its been almost three weeks. whats happening????

 

[Damian Grihalva]

Well, lets be clear. I told you when I had the week off that I needed money quickly so I could get things done quickly. You sent only enough to cover towing and trans 'look at' via snail mail. Which means I didn't get it till the week after thanksgiving. So for the last 3 weeks I've been working 11+ hour days on a big brown truck. That's what is happening.

However, it just so happens that the route I'm doing for Christmas is takes me relatively close to Mel and Ruebans shop. I took an unscheduled detour and paid them a visit after hours. Rueban has been out on national guard training and will be back this Monday (as in 2 days from now). They agreed to take a look and make sure it is stored inside. I was unable to get it towed yesterday, but plan on it leaving on Monday for a look-a-see. I will update you when they tell me what adjustments the trans needs.

 

[Rover/Scout]

Hey Dame, ONE HELL OF A BUILD!!! And you dare call them a "MINI" Build, LOL. You got vision that is for sure! I love the different idea's you have done to this rig. How have you been other wise and how is Brown treating you? WE LOVE BROWN! I hope you have some time off soon and hope you and the family are doing well. When you get time give me a ring.

Doyle Leach
Longmont, Co.

 

[heman]

anyting on the trans yet????

 

[Damian Grihalva]

CRINGER IS GONE!

After a quick trip to the trans shop, Mel got that trans working lickity split. We had to pull the darn thing, which took a good 6 hours but Mel, being the king of TFs, turned some wrenches and presto. Cringer runs...and runs very well.

That said, I drove it straight to the auto-transport place. Steve, you should be getting something on a truck in about a week and a half.

 

[heman]

well the scout just showed up. got it off the truck, engine runs real rough. but runs.

damion is the a air cleaner?
are the rear shock somewhere?

if not can i get the information on what is left to do so i don't have to go over the whole truck and get things finished.

 

[Damian Grihalva]

I drove your Scout to the transport place and it ran perfect. Better than ever before since it was in my hands. The T-case was in low so my top speed was about 30mph. But still, the motor started and had plenty of power. Maybe its your altitude, we are at 7,000 feet here. EDIT: It also ran like crap when low on gas. Fill it up and see where that takes you.

The air cleaner is in the storage box with your top.

No rear shocks were included with the vehicle.

Honestly, I'm hesitant of providing any information about your Scout. [edited] Frankly, I prefer talking about getting paid before giving you any information on parts.

That said, and if sending your scout back wasn't enough 'good faith', in an act of further good faith, I use Rancho 99010's or their replacement 999010's for rear shocks. They are roughly $100 each. You will also need to buy and install front lockouts before you can wheel it.

Please don't forget you have a BRAND NEW rig there. NOTHING IS TESTED, NOTHING IS BROKEN IN. EVERY NUT AND BOLT NEEDS TIGHTENED. DO NOT GO AND FLOG IT...you WILL BREAK SOMETHING. YOU NEED TO DO PROPER BREAK-IN PROCEDURES ON YOUR AXLES, T-CASE, and TRANSMISSION. Your engine is over 1/4 century old, you may want to tune it up as we did not.

Tell you what Steve, If we start talking about getting me paid, I'll answering the questions you ask in this thread. I think that its an understandable and a reasonable request. Otherwise....well....

NOTICE: I have edited this post to remove things that could be embarrassing or sensitive, it is not my intent to offend or hurt feelings. However, I would like repaid.

 

[heman]

oh my god!!!! you have been *****en about money for awhile now and i can't believe after OVER $60,000 Probably closer to $70,000, and you saying multipule time in this thread that i have paid you in full and will deliver it to you when finished. is it my fault you don't know what it takes to finish a built. frankly i don't think there is one thing completly finished on this build, you start one thing and never finish it. yea, i have a cool truck probably yes mostly rebuild "but" nothing totally finished. i guess spending over $60,000 to build my truck is not enough.

i don't know what this means below, but this came from this build. you came up with nothing you promissed, so your word means nothing. not finished not tested not delivered (i had to pay) YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND WHEN YOU WANT AND BLAME ME.

HONER YOUR WORD JUST GIVE ME THE INFORMATION TO FINALLY FINISH THIS BUILD
GIVE ME THE LINE SHEET ON WHAT WAS PUT IN TO THE BUILD AND WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED TO FINISH. YOUR WORD IS ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR MOUTH IT COMES OUT OF.

So with money in hand, Dylan and I will be finishing up this build, testing it, and then ending this build with a big road-trip to the Chicago area. That's right, we'll be personally delivering this Scout to Steve in the Chicago area. Honestly, my excitement for this build has been rekindled.

So we're excited to get this project done and for the nerve-racking thrill of a long road trip to the mid-west in a completely new rig that a good number of your wouldn't even consider driving on the road. Let alone highway speeds!. I know some of you who are wondering if a rig like this could be 'road worthy'. And even though I've always said they were, it'll soon be time to prove that with a 17+ hour road trip on nothing but the good-ole American interstate system.

 

[Damian Grihalva]

I find it a little crazy that I'm actually thinking: I should have posted our payment arrangements when we made them so that there could be no questions after-the fact. In all honesty, I'm glad I didn't, and don't. But right now, I kinda wish I did.

Total cost of the build: Over $60k? Of course it is over that. And I'm not surprised one bit. When you consider that after buying parts for the build, the axles chanced three times, lockers/gears three times, tires twice, and added more things than most people realize, I'd say we've kept the bill quite reasonable.

As for the pre-payment. You paid an estimate amount that was partly paying what had already been done plus what we thought we needed to get things going. As you recall, you wanted a 100% complete cost, I told you that was impossible to do because NOTHING on your rig was 'bolt-on' and I couldn't possibly know what little things would add up to. I mentioned that the 'clean up' bill on Project Canuck was over $4k in misc parts and was QUITE hesitant to promise anything. We agreed that there would be a 'clean up bill'.

So, you wanted to see it running, and promised to send money when I posted pictures. We did better than that, and had it running when you came out in early 2011 when it was over at Jims (this was when I was outta town, I believe in June). Further, and most recently, we got it DRIVING and I posted pictures. Yet still, you have not even attempted to pay for back work.

We've talked multiple times over the phone since that time about your outstanding bill's amount being more than expected and my inability to pay for building your rig with personal funds. Again, you promised payment when it ran. I'm not sure when I realized that you will not pay me back, but instead of being a jerk about it, I decided just to send it home and hope for the best. I realize that my biggest bargaining chip for getting paid was just given away ~ and now, you have no reason to pay.

Steve, this is stupid. I'm outta the game. I attempted to do everything I could to finish your build. Virtually every cent of profit that has come into the business from all my cage kit sales has funded your Scout. 1/2 of my family CC debt is directly related to your Scout. I told you that I simply didn't have the funds to pay for YOUR build any further. How long was I supposed to fund this build? How much was I supposed to spend out of my pocket? What is fair? Honestly, I don't expect you to pay, but thought I would ask.

Steve, I'm going to give you the last word on this thread, then lock it. I have no intention to drag this out or I would still have your Scout. Nor do I have anything further to say on the matter. We obviously disagree on some points, for that I'm sorry, but there's really nothing I can do on that font.

 

[Damian Grihalva]

To the BinderPlanet community. I want to apologize for my actions as of late in regard to this thread. My actions, charged with contempt regarding the epic failure this build has become, are inexcusable. And I'm sorry for turning this thread, which should have been a start-to-finish awesome build of legendary porportions, into a would-be battle ground that so many threads have become. So I sit here awake and troubled. I have half a mind to delete the thread, half a mind to delete the posts from the last few days, and a whole mind firmly reminded why I've closed the business.

I've talked with my wife about this, and she asked something rather interesting to me. She said, what will it hurt to just answer the questions Steve has. My answer was obvious; it won't hurt anything, except I simply want to wash my hands of this whole situation.Alas, she is right. Answering Steve's questions on what parts are needed to finish the build I was unable to won't hurt anything other than bruise my ego a little bit. But I will try to keep in mind that there are more important things, and will do my best to keep my personal feelings away from doing what I should.

My sincerest appology for mucking up this thread more than I needed too. I should have taken the high road. Then again, I should have done a lot of things differently than I have. I will try and do better in the future.

With highest respects.
Damian

 

[Damian Grihalva]

Steve,

You need shocks for the back. Exact measurements need to be taken to insure you get the right ones, but I'm pretty sure you need Rancho 99010's mounted exactly like the Canuck build.

Also you need lockouts for the front. They will need to be for a standard Dana60 with 35-spline stub shafts (which should be the only ones you can get). Cost depends on the store you get them from, and the brand. I recommend WARN hubs. But I know many people who have used the 'MileMarker' hubs (which are cheaper) with success.

Other than that, I'm unsure of what else is needed, and can't think of anything else. This is the 'test and tune' time...which quite literally translates into 'Drive it and see what needs adjusting'. There is NO WAY to know what it needs.

Again, I will remind you, even URGE you to put a wrench on EVERY SINGLE BOLT and NUT on your rig. Make sure everything is tight! CHANGE THE FLUIDS even though they were just put in. During the break-in time TAKE IT EASY!

If you run into anything, let me know. Your invoice has a list of everything done and will serve as a list of what was put onto your rig.

 

[heman]

thank you for the phone call. i will keep you posted as it gets finished.

 

[heman]

you said mini build 3 to see the air cleaner?? didn't see it there???

 

[Damian Grihalva]

Its in PROJECT 3, not MiniBuild 3....

Its on Day 12...here is the picture...

As for the Caprice air box I told you about...here's a few pictures:

And my personal favorite:

This is the direction I'd go if you can get one. Some say they are available on Ebay, but I've seen people get them from junkyards pretty easy or just ask and there may be someone reading this that has an extra ~ or knows where to find one.

 

[dkterra]

thank you for the phone call. i will keep you posted as it gets finished.

Is there any info on how truck turned out after getting home?