Kudos to the Kirkhams

[steve meltzer]

Kudos to the Kirkhams

I’ll try to make this brief and concise, but some background history is important. I bought KMP #174 as a painted roller last spring (2003), the side exhaust and headers came from Justin O’Rourke in RI and the side oiler and toploader from Southern in mid-June, 2003. This is a project I would never have attempted if hadn’t been for the encouragement and dedicated slavery of my great friend, mentor and intrepid mechanic, John Dillman. Throughout the project I also had superior advice from the Kirkhams (more about them later), Jim Shukert, Roger Bolick and others on the list as well.

From the get go, it seemed the odds of KMP #174 ever running were about equal to the chances that pigs could fly. Ultimately, we got the diff in, the engine and tranny setup, and with prodigious effort, the clutch even worked! (Yes, David, I know it would have been easier to use an internal hydraulic T/O bearing!).

Just as we began to see “the light at the end of the tunnel”, we ran into our first insurmountable problem...placing the headpipes. Our first clue that they were gonna be a problem was that the numbering system engraved on the pipes was not the Blue Oval enumeration system. After hours of playing with the pipes like they were tinker toys, we were finally able to sort them out by cylinder number. We got the passenger side on without much trouble, tho’ in retrospect, the #4 pipe (nearest the firewall) was very close to the foot box. (ouch!)

The real problem began when we started on the nefarious driver’s side. Despite moving the engine slightly on the hoist, and various others “tricks”, we couldn’t get the #7 and #8 pipes to fit. “Massaging” those two headers was futile as well; it was just hopeless. Tho’ Mr. O’Rourke was initially very friendly and seemingly helpful, he continually held to the precept that we had the pipes on wrong or upside down. Even when presented with digital pictures, he thought we should have turned the motor mounts around (glad we didn’t listen to that nonsense). When confronted with the fact that the pipes would never fit, Mr. O’Rourke ultimately sent a profanity laden letter to Mr. Dillman, accused us of being inept and completely blew me off. My requests to have him discuss this with the Kirkhams went unheeded. Mr. O’Rourke may well make a functional set of pipes; the same cannot be said of his ability to deal with his customers.

Ultimately, I called the Kirkhams, and sent pictures and the geometric measurements they wanted. To the Kirkham’s credit, they quickly acknowledged that the footboxes had been mounted incorrectly. Within 24 hours, and this was a weekend to boot, I got an email from David Kirkham stating that they were not only going to fix the footboxes, but that they were going to pick up the car, finish everything and ship it my baby back to me, completely finished! All of this, at no charge to me! WOW....BEAT THAT IF YOU CAN!! Not only did they rectify the niggling problem of the footboxes, but they did many, many other things that were not their responsibility. Despite my numerous and sincere offers to pay for all of these other items, stuff that I would have had to purchase anyway, David has steadfastly refused any more remuneration. (I still think he’s more than entitled to those payments, but he’s been stubborn about this.)

I can’t recall ever dealing with a more outstanding and dedicated individual or group on any major purchase in my life. The integrity displayed in quickly identifying the problem and implementing a fast and very benevolent solution, leaves a very deep and lasting impression. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have been too surprised; several other minor dealings with the Kirkhams earlier in the project had been conducted with the very same sense of customer-focused clarity. In a world where it’s always “someone else’s fault”, my experience with the Kirkhams was exemplary indeed.

So my hat is off to the whole Kirkham operation, and especially to David whose sense of purpose and integrity are beyond dispute.

steve meltzer