[craigayl]

Son of a gun, just when it looks like the thread is about to die? More spin??

Streetsnake posts “Ron asked Dean if he thought it could be improved and the side pipes where really the only thing that was holding it back. Thus, Dean built the first set of these pipes”

Wow.. What a leap!

Actually the first discussion that ended with the production of these pipes was between Ron and myself, in my garage, in early 2003. Ron and I debated how we could get a little more out of our cars which lead us to better pipes. That’s really neither hear nor there and I would not dispute that Ron may have asked Dean a similar question later on. I really don’t know, but I do know that Ron did not ask the question of Dean and then “Dean built the first set of these pipes for Ron”

The production of these pipes included many, many hours of design, supplier and manufacturing considerations. Dean did not spec the pipes, he did not source the parts, he did not front the cash required, he did not produce the stainless steel tubing, he did not bend tubing, he did not do the cutting and fitting, he did not produce the mufflers, nor did he do the polishing. Anyone who knows anything about manufacturing knows that this list goes on and on. As the welder on the first three sets, much of the final assembly took place in Dean’s barn. As a knowledgeable mechanic/car enthusiast/builder, Dean also brings something to the table in design input, but “Dean built the first set”? That sure ignores a ton of detail.

“Did Ron take a set of pipes and have them replicated and begin selling behind Dean's back”. Is this you speculating StreetSnake? By the time things began falling apart, Dean was not even the welder anymore. How about Ron’s wife, Jody, died and Dean was selling pipes without Ron’s knowledge until the new owners were sent back to Ron for warranty work? Yes, Lawyers will sort that one out if necessary.

“Firefly, to my knowledge, was not in existence until Dean became aware of what was going on” “to my knowledge” is key here… The facts.. buckshotracefab.com was published for and paid for by Ron Roberts. When the relationship dissolved, so did the website. In March of 2008 Fireflyperformance.com was published. The .net version of the Buckshot site did not appear until after that.

What ever there once was is no longer. It would be nice if this would all just go quietly away. Deal with who you want. Stop the spin…

BTW. Just one last clarifying point… There are no patents on these pipes.

Craig