340 gone! Performance shop shut down! Help!

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Holy cow have I stirred up a pot in here! Thanks for all of the support on this one! OK here is an update on what I accomplished today. Police report has been approved and they went to the shop today and of course still no one there. There is a subpoena of some sort posted on their door. Then I got a call from Cal Bar today asking me to meet them at the shop as they were sending out a field agent. When I got there, it was still closed up, but here is what I was told. He said there are currently 6 identical complaints in his custody for the same thing. The others are involving actual cars that have been there longer then my engine so I can only imagine what those owners are going through. Mine was #7. He told me the shop has been under investigation since last week and he assures me that they have not skipped town and that the company is having a management problem right now. He visited the shop last week as part of his investigation and he says they are gonna get shutdown by them. He has been in touch with them and they are in the process of turning over customers property. A statement was made again that my engine is completed, but other issues with the management has forced them to take some time off so that is why they have not been there. Not sure the total truth to this, but it sounds promising. He wanted all the copies of my receipts, build contract, and I gave him all the pics of the engine I posted earlier. He told me to sit tight as he would be handling all 7 cases at once since it involves the same shop. Now its a waiting game. He said that he understands my perception that they could be packing up and hightailing it, but since he has personally been in touch with them he does not feel that's the case. There are bigger wheels turning with other pissed customers and prior employees that has probably made them take some time off. We will see how this plays out and I will definitely keep you all posted. Thanks again for all the support FABO! I have also hit all the blocks too: Fresno police, BBB, DA finally took my case and the news is now involved! I think that should get me somewhere! More to follow
 
Thank you! That's awesome! I love the outside support...I really appreciate it!

That's OK I forgot my sister is a collections attorney. I gave her the info and she's looking this douche bags info up right now for me. I should have something by tomorrow morning. I wouldn't be going through all this for anyone but when a serviceman is screwed like this it hits my soft spot!
 
I really had no choice on this one. The owner wanted 60% up front and he wanted the parts paid in full. Since I was deploying shortly after I dropped the motor off, he wanted the remaining payoff as he said the motor would be done. Their initial timeline was two months due to the backlog on engines. Since I was deployed, I did not really feel I needed to follow up since I was assuming the engine would be completed when I got back eight months later.

I have learned to never pay up front for anything practically. People are much more motivated to get the work done when their own hide is in the game. Just be glad you got your engine back... Next time, ask them how long they take to do a job, get an idea on the longest it could take and the shortest, days weeks months etc.... Then you have an idea to set your clock by and will be able to guage if there is a problem.
 
I did not want to say this, but Bill Frueler is the guy pictured on the right accepting my engine. If I would have known all this then, I would NOT have went to this shop!

I did about an hours worth of looking on the web for these people and can't find **** on them. They say crooks like these are good at disappearing. I did find out that the head machinist's name is Bill Frueler and according to a bunch of people online he is a bigger piece of crap that the owners of shop. Oh ya and Cindy Brooks is the real owner of the business. Its all in her name. I did find 6 different Cindy Brooks' in that portion of Cali.

Found another number listed for her: 559-233-2292
 
Did you put the vin # thats stamped on the engine in the police report? Just in case they try to give you some other engine. And it if ever shows up somewhere it would be considered stolen property and you'd have a chance of getting it back.
 
Yes I did! Thanks for looking out!

Did you put the vin # thats stamped on the engine in the police report? Just in case they try to give you some other engine. And it if ever shows up somewhere it would be considered stolen property and you'd have a chance of getting it back.
 
Maybe you may want to post the block VIN up here, so if anyone of us sees it, we can call the police and try to get it back to you. Especially the local guys near you. They would be the most likely to find it if he tries to put it up on craigslist etc. There are alot of "eyes" on this sight that you can get looking out for you...
 
I'm on the edge of my seat on this one. Fingers crossed for a happy ending.
F.A.B.O. RULES!!!!!!
 
A lot of guys like this farm work out to other shops. Your motor could be sitting somewhere waiting for them to pay the bill/cost to pick it up. I would start checking machine shops in the area for your motor. It could be done as they say. Just sitting somewhere with an outstanding balance. After 90 days they can legally sell your motor.

Get on the phone and start calling . Tell them you are looking for your motor that another shop was having done.
 
A lot of guys like this farm work out to other shops. Your motor could be sitting somewhere waiting for them to pay the bill/cost to pick it up. I would start checking machine shops in the area for your motor. It could be done as they say. Just sitting somewhere with an outstanding balance. After 90 days they can legally sell your motor.

Get on the phone and start calling . Tell them you are looking for your motor that another shop was having done.

That's some good advice! If they used another machince shop, that shop could sell your engine if the bill wasn't paid. And if you found it in someone elses car, you could probably get it back as stolen property.
 
Engine VIN# is: 1B406543 Thanks for looking out for me.

Maybe you may want to post the block VIN up here, so if anyone of us sees it, we can call the police and try to get it back to you. Especially the local guys near you. They would be the most likely to find it if he tries to put it up on craigslist etc. There are alot of "eyes" on this sight that you can get looking out for you...
 
Engine VIN# is: 1B406543 Thanks for looking out for me.


Ok everybody, especially those near him in California, Keep an eye out for this VIN when you go looking at buying a SB or 340 in that area. If you run into it, call the police and have it confiscated so it can get back to him.

Then of course, Let us know what's up by posting it here.
 
Good to see this is going some where looks like .. Like karl said you mess with one you mess with us all ...... we may do alittle fightin with one auther . ...... but you out siders best leave us alone ....... I dout it would get this far but you have eyes on Okl .
 
Another reason I do all the work myself. :violent1:

Prayers for a good outcome...
 
I'm hoping for a good outcome too! Your build thread is my favourite one, and I want to see you finish it!

Thanks for keeping us updated.
 
Me too! I just finished up plumbing the fuel system a few hours ago and posted pics on the resto thread. I was getting depressed working on it tonight knowing that I am pretty much completed and don't have an engine! I am super stressed right now and I am losing sleep over this! I have not heard anything over the last few days. I will let you all know as soon as I hear something. I have been blowing that shops phone up and still no answer. I have a friend that lives close and he drives by there a few times a day and he tells me they are still closed up. Not a good sign, but we will see. I guess if they were shut down, I would not go to work either. Its in the hands of CalBar, BBB and the police now. More to follow

I'm hoping for a good outcome too! Your build thread is my favourite one, and I want to see you finish it!

Thanks for keeping us updated.
 
wow just got done reading this post hope all works out for you
 
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