Hi all, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but here is the update I purchased from Danny (RTSE440UCODE). I hope you can all get through this long post. I need to break it up into 2 segments due to its length.
PART 1
I know that many of you remember that I bought a 70 Dodge Challenger from Danny...the same Danny that posted his Challenger for sale here under the name of RTSE440UCODE. Well, here is an update of my 70 Challenger R/T SE that I bought from Danny and I want to apologize for the length but I didn't want to leave anything out. Some of you here might remember Danny selling his 70 Challenger maybe here (where I first) saw it for sale or on Ebay . The car was supposed to be "perfect". I live in the US and do not have a passport so I could not inspect the Challenger. Per Danny's description, the car was again supposed to be in perfect condition with nothing needed for the car at all except for a problem with the drivers seat bottom (which he told me about in private) not being supported very well because of it's age. Danny said that he puts a pillow between the seat bottom and the floor to support the seat bottom. I asked Danny (before I purchased it) if there was anything else wrong with the car? He emphatically said there was nothing else wrong except for a chip in the drivers door paint (which he himself caused when opening the door). I specifically asked Danny about the engine and how it ran and any unusual noises, the carb and it choking properly, the transmission and clutch, the interior and all working gauges, lights, wipers, any leaks on the ground, etc....everything and anything that I could think of. He told me that the car needs absolutely no additional work done to it at all other than what he already told me about with the seat and door. Over the course of a week or two of phone conversations with Danny, we seemed to have become friends. We had a lot of things in common and I felt comfortable with what he had told me about the car being true and since I also thought he was honest, I decided to purchase the Challenger. Turns out, I was absolutely wrong. I have purchased many cars on the internet. A 73 Mustang with 2,000 original miles, 2 low mileage Corvettes, a 75 Maverick Grabber with 20,000 original miles, and an 86 Monte Carlo SS with 2,000 original miles and every one of the sellers were totally honest with the description of their cars. Everyone was honest except for Danny. I have sold cars on Ebay and have also been totally honest with my descriptions and discussions with perspective buyers on the phone. I never want anyone coming back to me saying "you didn't tell me this or you didn't tell me that". I believe in honesty.....that's how I live my life and I like to treat people fairly and that is the way I like to be treated in return from others. I also have always like to think the best of people.
The following is what is wrong with the Challenger:
1. The car was delivered from TFX and when I got in it to drive it into the garage, the clutch was not smooth acting...and when putting the clutch down to the floor, it almost pops when coming up. I learned how to drive on a stick shift and have driven them for 44 years so I know this is not normal. Something Danny never told me about when I questioned him about the transmission and clutch.
2. The car has a very loud ticking from the passenger side and when giving it a little slight revving, the car misses. My thinking was one of the cylinders has a bad lifter, valve spring, or the cam could possibly be bad. Something Danny never told me about when I questioned him about the engine.
3. After Danny received his full payment, he then tells me (on the phone before the car arrived) that the vinyl insert is separating from the fabric of the driver seat bottom and that he tucks the vinyl into the fabric to hide it at shows. Danny already had the money I sent him so what was I supposed to do now after I paid him? Something Danny never told me about when I questioned him about the interior.
4. The car has a carb choke problem. The choke does not set up properly (making it hard starting) and I am not overly concerned about fixing that as it shouldn't require much work. Something Danny never told me when I questioned him about the carb and the choke.
5. There are numerous leaks underneath car when left parked. I have seen three. I have noticed that one is from the rear drivers shock. The car sits too low to see where the other leaks are coming from, but when I backed the car out...it seemed like one of the other leaks was where the rear main is. But again, something Danny never told me about when I questioned him about leaks under the car.
On the positive, the Challenger is beautiful...I will say that about it. The body, engine compartment, and underneath are pristine. But, now with the engine work that will need to be done, how will the engine compartment and engine look when that's all done? I'm sure this is why Danny didn't do anything to really fix the engine problems because of that very reason...it might screw up the looks of the engine bay.
The engine is my main concern, then the seat, then the clutch, the leaks, and lastly the carb. All I can say is Danny was less than 100% honest with everything and took advantage of me because I wasn't there to see and hear the car myself. He was very deceitful and I'm really trying to be nice here with my choice of words. With Danny telling me about the seat vinyl/fabric separation after he received all of his money and never telling me about the engine, clutch, leaks, or carb at all and letting me find that out on my own. I ask you, what kind of person does this. Does he have any scruples or morals?
After I received the Challenger, I calmly called Danny and asked him about the loud engine tick and the clutch. I didn't want to fully confront him until I had a clear head and also had a mechanic look and listen to the car. He told me that he knew about the engine tick but he was never overly concerned about it. He told me that he and his mechanic took the valve cover off 2 or 3 years ago (Danny has owned the Challenger for 5 years) and the mechanic told him to leave it alone or put spacers (?) on to quiet down the noise of the lifter. Danny also told me that when he drove the Challenger, he would occasionally speed shift it and the engine held up fine so why worry about it? I ask you, why would anyone ever want to speed shift a numbers matching 45 year old show car and take a chance of missing a shift and breaking something and then not having a total numbers matching car anymore? Maybe it's just me but I think that is just wrong. You are all car guys and I'm sure know what I'm saying, I then asked about the clutch and he said that when he first got the Challenger the clutch was terrible...much, much worse than it is now. He spent hours trying to adjust it but this was the best he could get it. I know that the clutch is not right but Danny told me to just leave it alone because it won't get adjusted any better.
