JCF: It was a good idea at the time....

[Mike48]

I contractred JCF/Johns Custom Fabrication out of Coos Bay, OR to build a turn-key slabside and was promised a 6 month build/delivery time. That was over six and one half years ago. Going into the details of the past 6 years, 9 months would send me, once more, into a rant and rather than do that I will just say this: John is a nice guy and builds a very nice frame and chassis. (Other aspects of his builds are covered on this site) But, to me, an almost seven years and counting build time is ridiculous. I was promised the car by Christmas seven times and was promised the car by summer seven times; it always was just "a few weeks" from being done. At the four year mark I asked John why the car had not been completed and his answer was "because it hasn't". To this date John has not given me a reason for the length of time it has taken and when pressed he becomes indignant.

I spoke with John a day ago about the status of the car and was given the same line about it being just a few weeks away from being done. At this point all that means to me is that very little has been done to the car since the last time I got in touch with him and that I won't be seeing the car very soon.

All this has lead me to give up on getting the car in the near future and, today, I bought something else. Not what I had in mind 6 plus years ago.

[ERA Chas]

A horrible story.
Did you pre-pay the entire cost of the build? Do you have a written statement of policy, an invoice or receipt or any documents that state price and delivery time?
Why did you not seek legal remedies?

[Mike48]

I paid the entire amount over about three months based upon his promise to deliver. We established a contract after two years of broken promises to deliver setting a monthly fine for non-delivery. JCF is in compliance with the contract, and, at this point he has not built the car but has sent the fine money. I would like a reason for the length of time it has taken. John says it's not personal but his response to my build status questions and request for build pics has always been negative.

[Maricopa]

Don't ask us to harass the guy, just get your money back and buy a Kirkham or maybe one of the new ERA slabside.

[Mike48]

JCF does not have or will not give back the money. I've asked for the past year or so. No, a lawyer won't do any good. Based on people who have gone through this with JCF, harassing the guy seems to get the best results. I really don't expect him to do anything other than what he wants to do, when he wants to do it. The past 6 plus years have showed this. All I can really do at this point is harass him and let others who might be thinking of JCF as a builder know of my experience.

[Igofastr]

Originally Posted by Mike48

I paid the entire amount over about three months based upon his promise to deliver. We established a contract after two years of broken promises to deliver seting a monthly fine for non-delivery. JCF is in compliance with the contract, and, at this point he has not built the car but has sent the fine money. I would like a reason for the lenght of time it has taken. John says it's not personal but his response to my build status questions and request for build pics has always been negative. If someone else would call him (541-888-9313) and ask why Mike Shaw's car is not done after 6 years, 9 months; I'd love to hear his answer.

Mike,

Are you sure your name isn't really Jobe?

I would have contacted a lawyer about 6 years ago. I have little hope of this ending well. I'm sorry for your situation, and wish you luck.

Ron

[cdnus]

Forget the lawyers, you need to hire a "Gino" to pay him a visit & lay down the rules of the game. It's hard to make a living with broken limbs.
You might as well have been in jail for the last 6 years, you wouldn't have been screwed any worse.
There are far too many jerks like him in the buisness of stealing folks dreams & making life plain miserable.

One question for you, did you check this guy out before getting involved with him?

Craig

Craig

[Mike48]

I did check into JCF, on this board and by going up to see John and the shop. The warning about his habitual procrastion was stated here, but was always tempered, so, at the time, I did not think it would be such a problem as it has turned out to be. John, himself, happens to be a very likeable guy, the kind that you would feel comfortable taking his word and a handshake as something you could depend on. Even to this day I don't belive that John is not building the car because is trying to cheat me. I just think that he is so unorganized and irresponsible that things just don't get done. JCF and I did not have a contract until the 2nd year and he is not in violation of that. Before our agreement was based on a handshake and a promise. Poor choice on my part, maybe. I say maybe because JCF is now contracted to build a car or pay a fine and has, thus far, not built the car. I'm sorry to say, but my posting on this board is me giving up any hope of it ending well, too. It's really all up to John and his sense of obligation and responsibility.

[cdnus]

Sounds like a good con man to me. Has learned & is practising his craft well.
Face it the man is a A--HOLE
Take whatever action necessary to get your money back & move on with your life.
You are missing many valuable years of Cobra enjoyment.

Craig

[Mike48]

Belive me, if I had any kind of lever to get my money back I would have used it by now. This board and the pressure it might put on JCF to finish my car is my only hope of getting John to complete the car. He does read this board but has never responded to anything ever said about him (run a "JCF" search) good or bad. Although "con-man" may be to strong a label, how he runs things and handles people once he gets behind lends to that image. He has never taken responsibilty for not doing the work on my car in a timely manner and has never apoligized for the delay nor shown any remorse. I was 54 when I contracted JCF to build my dream slabside; I'm pushing 61 now. "Missing valuable years of Cobra enjoyment" really say it all.

[Gatorac]

A persons actions speak far louder then thier words.

I don't know if you live close enough but I would show up in his shop every day until I took delivery of the car. Every person that walked through his doors would hear my story. Every person that called on the phone would hear me screaming in the background of what this F'ing a'hole is doing to you. Of course I may thow bags of dog crap through the windows of his home too.... I don't care how "nice guy" you are, if you don't honor your word, your are sh1t.

Make sure that you use every search term one might use to find out about this guy on this forum. At least that way someone searching the internet may not end up in the same position as you.

[Mike48]

I live 8 hours from JCF (Coos Bay, OR) and have gone up at least 20 times in the past 6 plus years. I even went up twice at Johns request to get a fitting for the car because it was that close to being finished. Both of those trips were more than 4 years ago. Like I said, my posting here is me giving up on the car. At most, I'd like to think that these postings will make John step up to his obligation and responsibilty and finish my car quickly. At least, my experience with JCF is public knowledge, and that might help someone.

[cdnus]

My build experience started off very much the same scenario as yours. Promised a six month build "no problem". Six months later---nothing naada zilch to show for it.
I decided to make a visit to the builder acompanied by a very large gentleman & explained in the privacy of a small room that I intended to be driving my car in a reasonable amount of time.
I then visited,phoned, e-mailed him & had him send me update photos regularly.
It still took over a year, but I got my car in the end much quicker than I would have if I had left it to him.
Do not walk away from this, that is exactly the end result he wants. If you walk away he has no obligation to you & you have no recourse.
Get on him like hair on a ape, give him no rest or peace in his life. He does not deserve any, cause as much disruption as you can, he will get the message & cave.

Craig

[Mike48]

I have no intention of walking away. The way my contract with him works, given enough time, I will get all of my money back and he will still owe me a car. Seems like a good idea with the exception that it will take years to recoup my total investment and all of my money is tied up so I can't buy another Cobra/AC. I'm a high school teacher ("at risk" kids) and had to take out a 2nd on my home to pay for the car. I'm still paying off the loan and the only thing I've been able to buy that interests me is a '71 TR6 for $2,500. The price should give you an idea of it's condition, but it's all I can afford. I have some mechanical skills so I hope to have it running and reliable for summer use. As far as calling John, I have called him and pushed him from year one; he does not often answer the phone and rarely returns my calls. When I do get him he become indignant, like all of this is my fault and I should just leave him alone.

[Wild Thing]

You're probably not the only one waiting, and this results in simple physics: the guy will satisfy the highest pressure first. So put as much pressure on him as you can, like calling him twice a day and/or send him 1000 emails a day (could be automated). You didn't mention that you have seen anything of the car yet; so he probably hasn't even started. Make very clear that this is fraudulent behaviour that might sent him to jail; a pit bull - type lawyer might very well help on that.

[Mike48]

Thanks for the advice, but the truth is that I can make 30 calls a day (I have) and not get him on the phone and if I do catch him he is always too busy to talke and hangs up quickly. He does not respond at all to my emails. I have pics of the car from a year ago and it should have been completed by now if someone were actually working on it with any intent. And, to add insult to injury, I know for a fact that he has pushed out a number of other frames and/or bodies in the past years while my car was in a storage room. I really have no idea what state the car is in now nor what his intentions are.

[Maricopa]

Not that I don't think he shouldn't be harassed (hell, he should be strung up ) but we're not the ones to do it and I think you should be worried about possible legal action should he take exception to a bunch of people from this site deciding to take you up on your request. You should be 'harassing' him with the law but unfortunately it sounds like your arrangement means there's little you can do other than wait for the late checks.

It might be worth it to get a trailer and simply go get it.

What a complete drag, I feel for ya.

[thudmaster]

Will he let you come up there and just take the thing out of there unfinished?

[Mike48]

I hear you about the calls. I've also talked to John about going up and getting it/him delivering it and finishing it myself. He would have to give me some money to make up for my losses and allow me to finish the car (I did pay him in full to build a turn-key car); that he won't do. So I'm stuck with waiting years to break even.

[Alan Smith]

Mike ordered his car shortly before I did. I am aware of his story. At that time, John said I'd have my car in "about five months". I consider myself lucky to have gotten my car 25 months later. I had to order the transport and tell John that the car was going to be picked up regardless of its state. This all transpired after a cross country trip to verify that the car even truly existed. As it was, I didn't get the top, tonneau, and side curtains I had paid for - and have had to do considerable refinements to the car since I have had it. Refer to the following link for more info:

JCF - John's Custom Fabrication