New owner of Classic Roadsters - Page 2

Randy Gallagher · #21 (**permalink**) 07-17-2003, 04:40 PM

Man,with these guys running the show,it makes me proud to own a Classic Roadster.

nolimits · #22 (**permalink**) 07-17-2003, 06:02 PM

Its Jay here, the silent one on the forums in this Classic Roadster II trio...not anymore! I have tried to stay away from these forums until about 10pm, otherwise the whole evening is shot!
It's great to read all the kudos. Don had the vision to do it, and Classics by Elite has agreed all along to do our part.
Petek, thanks for the offer to help on the soft side (manuals, website, etc) and we welcome your input. We have locked in a webmaster, but we will take everyone's input into consideration. We will update the manual and contact those who have built CR's after we have our updated 1st draft. Don or ourselves have not used the manual in so long, although we do know updating is mandatory. We wanna do it again by the book and do the 1st draft of improvement.
There is so much to do and say...it'll all come out in time. Just wanted to say THANKS for now.
and
both businesses' (Minnesota Classic Motorsports, and Classics by Elite) are continuing to be a "friendly" in the industry. i.e. if you want a motor built for your FF, SPF, whatever...Don's engine operations are continuing. In terms of builds, completion jobs, or service, Classics by Elite will still take in your make. This is the way both businesses became experts in the industry, and will keep our customers interests at the forefront. Elite will focus on totally satisfying our Classic Roadsters II customers and making sure CRII flourishes, at the same time we have all intentions to continue offering our expert services to the whole family.
So looking forward to the future...and that requires to get back to work!
Jay

coosawjack · #23 (**permalink**) 07-18-2003, 04:53 AM

WAY TO GO....DON!!!!!!!!

Jackj

Doug I · #24 (**permalink**) 07-18-2003, 03:38 PM

DV helped put this deal together AND organised DVSF III AND kept his business going - all I can say is wow.

good on ya guys !!!

got snake? · #25 (**permalink**) 07-18-2003, 04:29 PM

Hey is Classic Roadsters II hiring? What positions do you see being created? I'm serious I'm not joking...Why bust my butt trying to get some kind of TELCOM job when I can help build cobras?

GS

Double Venom · #26 (**permalink**) 07-18-2003, 08:00 PM

David-- Got Snake?

Serious background in mechanicals, fiberglass moulding, repair, modifying. Welding, Tig and Mig would be nice, along with plasma cutting and fabrication. Background in wiring, wiring trouble shooting, wiring design. Floor sweeper, drain cleaner, receptionist, customer greeter, "Fling Organizer", accountant. Parts organizer, inventory taker, parts finder-for finding the parts we know are in house!

Painter, buffer/polisher. Detail experience. Commercial electrician, plumber, phone tech. and installer. Computer guru!

Did I mention this is a job description that all our guys have to meet?

DV...Oh... Did I mention "Fling"? No pay, but the rewards are amazing!

jwinkler · #27 (**permalink**) 07-18-2003, 09:23 PM

This is GREAT news, and a boon for all of us who've already gotten so much from Don and DV.

Count me in for help when you're ready to build the CRII web presence too - it's one domain where I could possibly return the favor for all the help and support you've supplied.

I also hope there's a way for you to make money from parts - I'd consider my car to be at stage I right now, with maybe three more stages before it's a Don/DV reference implementation (coil-overs all around, right brakes, right wheels, new engine mounts, manual collapsible steering rack, Griffin rad, proper fan, and on and on). Since I wouldn't get any of these without asking you first, I'd love to be able to buy from you as well.

Congrats and thanks from a happy (happier now!) CR owner -

JLW

coosawjack · #28 (**permalink**) 07-19-2003, 05:05 AM

Hey Don,

Is Pete Johnson coming with you???

Pete has been good to me and I know the past few years have taken their toll on him!!!

Good Luck,
Jack

Don · #29 (**permalink**) 07-19-2003, 05:41 AM

Don, DV and Jay

Congratulations to the three of you and Best Wishes for future business success.

One way we can all help is becoming a reference for the business when new prospective customers are contemplating a purchase. Sign me up to be contacted, especially since Don built the Cobra and engine.

dscott · #30 (**permalink**) 07-20-2003, 09:57 AM

Hey DV, you forgot to mention lawn mower person!! I won't have a need for anyone here right away. I am bringing Pete on board for inventory and computer system help. I already have the best engine builder and suspension guy around, I'm also bringing my son and wife on board. That will keep us for awhile.
Don

Double Venom · #31 (**permalink**) 07-20-2003, 03:24 PM

Don,
Oh YA! I'll even supply the mower!

DV

Jack21 · #32 (**permalink**) 07-20-2003, 05:25 PM

Was wondering when you were going to make this public. Congratulations!!!!!

You guys have certainly taken the brunt of the abuse CR has given the Cobra buying public in '91/'92, and again recently. Not to mention the replica car industry as a whole. Now is the time to set things right.

The crime of it all is the CR Cobra is one of the better, if not best in the industry for being a solid product. With a few engineering upgrades, it could be a top-of-the-line car.

I have a completed car with 14,000+ miles on it, so I'm not in the buying or building phase. You've seen my car. (Wood dash, 5" AM instruments in non-OEM location, sidepipe heatshields, luggage rack) We've discussed some of the upgrades I've made. New motor/frame mounts (Ask Pete to bring drawings and mock-ups with him so I don't have to take the ones in the car back out to reproduce them). Coil-over front suspension, tubular control arms, Tom Beroth's upper control arm brackets, 11" Grenada front disk brakes, 10" T-Bird rear disks, power steering that works, redesigned clutch cable linkage using late Mustang aftermarket parts, completely redesigned dash and engine wiring harness with a breaker pannel, Ididit collapsable, tilt steering column, etc., etc.

I'd like to volunteer to be on the Assembly Manual, and Parts Shopping Guide rewrite committee right from the get-go. No charge, obviously. Like so many of us here, I'm an Engineer (Environmental) in real life and do this professionally. (Just finished an end user manual for automatic tank gauging systems for underground storage tanks).

And if there is anything else I can do to help get this off the ground, just ask.

Double Venom · #33 (**permalink**) 07-20-2003, 06:44 PM

Jack,
Since you didn't make the Fling this year...we aint' talkin'! (You didn't make it did you?

)

DV...PS thought you'd never offer

rdorman · #34 (**permalink**) 07-21-2003, 10:07 AM

What are you guys, crazy

I don't know about you Don but I don't know when DV and Jay sleep now!

Seriously though, from what I know of you guys you will do the best job that can be done. I wish you all luck and success.

Rick

dscott · #35 (**permalink**) 07-21-2003, 10:50 AM

Don't let DV and Jay fool you. They have so much time on their hands I bet they sleep till 6:00am every day. Just like my Dad told me, time is what you make of it, what's left over is a bonus.

DV had time to start a wild kitty cat farm right by the shop!!
Don

rdorman · #36 (**permalink**) 07-21-2003, 11:16 AM

That's funny. None of them look like him!

Rick

Jack21 · #37 (**permalink**) 07-21-2003, 06:42 PM

DV,

Funny things happen to ones mind after around age 40, and it only gets worse after that.

I most certainly did make The Fling this year. You & I had a ciggie outside the kitchen door, and chatted a bit. Last year, I was the only Cobra with heat shields on the sidepipes. This year, the only Cobra with a luggage rack. (BTW, luggage rack is made for MGB and was purchased from europaspares.com).

Double Venom · #38 (**permalink**) 07-21-2003, 08:20 PM

Ooops!
DV..damn old age is a *&^*^^

Gearhead · #39 (**permalink**) 07-23-2003, 11:14 PM

Don,
Glad to see that all the time you spent on purchasing the company paid off, and wish you all the luck in turning it around.

I'm doing research into buying a cobra replica and didn't know that Classic Roadsters was having problems. I recently visited a local used car dealer [Midwest Roadsters] that purchases kits from Classic and has a local guy build them. The salesman was no help (of course) after I said that I wanted a kit. What I wanted to do was look at one of the completed cars and sit in it but they wouldn't have one for a couple of weeks.
So next on the agenda was a trip to the factory, but is that closing a moving to Sauk Centre?
If it is when will you it open for tours?
When will you have info to mail?
When will the new website (I hope MUCH better) be up?
How much will the pricing change?

Any info will be appreciated.

The new guy

dscott · #40 (**permalink**) 07-24-2003, 09:23 AM

Gearhead, I signed the final papers yesterday so the move will start next week. You are welcome to visit my shop anytime. I have 5 Cobras in here now so there's plenty to look at. I can send info now but we will be enhancing it soon. The website will be changed very soon. The pricing at this point shouldn't be much different than what it was. I'm still working with vendors to get everyone nailed down.

Did you like my noncommited dates, soon means I don't know, and very soon means sooner but I still don't know. All of this will be happening as quick as I can possible do it. That means sooner than soon but not as quick as asap. You get the idea!

I would also like to mention that I will be working Classics by Elite in as part owners of Classic Roadsters II over time. I shouldn't have to do this all by myself should I. Anyway DV is good at taking heat!
Don