[BLACKJACK]

HI, GUYS - - - -

I KNOW ALAN SMITH PERSONALLY FOR THE PAST FOUR OR SO YEARS. UNLIKE ME - ALAN IS NOT THE TYPE TO "STIR THE POT" JUST BECAUSE IT'S THERE. HE'S BEING VERY KIND TO JFC BY OFFERING TO DISCUSS HIS SITUATION PRIVATELY. ONE HELL OF A LOT KINDER THAN I WOULD BE.

ABOUT FORTY OF THE CAPITAL AREA COBRA CLUB GUYS LIVED THROUGH ALMOST TWO YEARS WITH ALAN AFTER HE SOLD A BEAUTIFUL SPF COBRA IN ORDER TO GET A SLABSIDE. IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE OF "MISLEADING INFORMATION", OBFUSCATION AND BLATANT UNTRUTH.

IF THE ENTIRE STORY WERE TO BE TOLD - EVEN IN ABREVIATED FASHION - IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL PAGES ON THIS FORUM.

ALAN ACTUALLY AQUIRED THE NICKNAME "TWO OR THREE WEEKS" BECAUSE EVERY SATURDAY (FOUR NEARLY TWO YEARS) AT THE CACC BREAKFAST WE'D ASK HIM "HOW SOON??" AND HE'D REPLY THAT JOHN SAID "TWO OR THREE WEEKS"

THE WHOLE THING WAS A DISASTER - ALMOST FROM THE START. ALAN ACTUALLY SHOWED UP IN THE CAR AT BREAKFAST ONCE - SITTING ON BATH TOWELS - BECAUSE THE SEAT CUSHIONS LOOKED LIKE THAY CAME OUT OF A 1941 CHRYSLER. THEY WERE SO THICK THAT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD WOULD HAVE BEEN BELOW HIS COLLAR BONE.

THE TRANSMISSION - THE REAR END - THE SUSPENSION THE ONLY THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS NICE ABOUT THE CAR WAS THE VERY SUBSTANTIAL BODY.

I HAD PLANNED TO GET A SLAB SIDE FROM JCF WHEN ALAN ORDERED HIS AND THOUGHT IT A GOOD IDEA TO WAIT THE "FIVE OR SIX MONTHS" UNTIL ALAN RECEIVED HIS CAR. I HAD ONLY SEEN ONE JCF SLABSIDE BEFORE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A ROLLING DISASTER. I WAS STILL INTERESTED AND WOULD WAIT TO SEE ALAN'S CAR. I'M DAMN GLAD I DID. I HAD AN "OPPORTUNITY" TO PURCHASE A "PLACE IN LINE" CLOSE BEHIND ALAN AND I'M CERTAINLY GLAD THAT I DECLINED THE OFFER.

THE CONCENSUS AMOUNG THE CAPITAL AREA COBRA CLUB GUYS IS THAT ANY ONE OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN ON A PLANE TO COOS BAY WITH A LOUISVILLE SLUGGER AFTER THE FIRST YEAR. IN FACT - ALAN HAD SEVERAL OFFERS FROM GUYS TO FLY OUT THERE WITH HIM.

ALAN SMITH IS NOT AN ALARMIST BUT RATHER SOMEONE WITH ENTIRELY TOO MUCH PATIENCE AND TOO MUCH TRUST.

IT'S ONLY BECAUSE HE HAS THIS IMPOSSIBLE SENSE OF FAIRNESS - IF NOT GALLANTRY - THAT HE ISN'T WRITING AN ENCYCLOPEDIA ON THIS SUBJECT.

HE'S ONE OF THE MOST CONSIDERATE PEOPLE I KNOW - PROBABLY TO A FAULT.

ANYONE WHO IS CONSIDERING BUYING A CAR FROM JCF AND DOES NOT SPEAK TO ALAN FIRST (OR ME - IF YOU WOULD LIKE) WELL - WE CAN ONLY SAY "WE TOLD YOU SO".......

I APOLOGIZE FOR JUMPING IN HERE LIKE THIS BUT SOMEONE HAD TO BECAUSE ALAN'S JUST TOO DAMN NICE A GUY TO "TELL IT LIKE IT REALLY IS".

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY.

BLACKJACK

PS: YOU CAN CHECK WITH ANY OF THE CACC MEMBERS AND YOU'LL GET THE SAME STORY - - - PROBABLY EVEN MORE COLORFULLY PHRASED.