dayton carpenter wrote:
>
> Thank you for your input. I had asked all to reply to me off the list.
But, not to put too fine a point on it, you made a public request for
responses to your proposal, so... you got public replies.
> First as to quality issues:
>
> Anybody that has seen my work knows that I cannot cobble my cars together.
Virtually none of us have seen your work. I don't remember seeing you at
any VTR conventions, and you are a virtual newcomer to the list.
> I probably have one of the best Spitfires in the country. It is also
> displayed in the newspaper across New York State. Anybody that has seen the
> car knows this. One the best restoration shops in New York, which
> ironically specializes in English cars, has trained me.
Still, here, your reputation does not precede you.
> If you do the bodywork yourself and he paints the car he make you sign a
> waiver stating that you will tell others that he painted it. This is type
> of reputation he works on. He did a stock spitfire frame off restoration.
> The car had a new shell the last one that the RTF had years ago. The frame
> was solid so no major sheet metal replacement was needed. The restoration
> cost over $12,000 and that did not include the mechanicals.
Who is "he?" The person who trained you? You don't mention the shop or
the owner here, so that qualifies as no information at all. And your
mentor's qualifications are not necessarily your own.
> After completing my frame off project my friend painted my car and actually
> asks for me to bring to his shop when I am in USA for his customers to see.
> This does not take into account the 5,000 hours of modifications to my
> driveline and frame to fit the Chevy 4.3L V-6 in the Spitfire. I will put
> my car up to anybody!/s on this list whether in performance or appearance.
> My car in large car shows still always places first or second.
Pardon? The issue was work done in China, rather than what your friend
did for your car in the way of paint. And, 5000 hours to modify for a
V-6? You'll go broke trying to sell that in the US, even at Chinese
wages....
> My object here in China is to sell to exclusive market basically large
> company owners, and not the average person here. China laws strictly
> controls the importation of cars. The duties on imported cars range from
> 125-to over 200%. Cars will have to pass safety inspections and emissions,
> yes emissions. Lucky before become an attorney I worked as an Environmental
> Engineer. I plan to use the state of the art technology in my factory, as
> most shops here don!/t treat the paint emissions. I plan to help the
> government here implement their environmental plans thus helping US
> businesses do business here China.
For many of the reasons previously given by others, you'll likely
receive little consideration amongst classic car owners in the US, if
only for the poor reputation for quality to date by Chinese
manufacturing. Further, you may find pickings much slimmer here than you
imagine. You'll have to tromp around in a lot of junkyards to find
enough carcasses to rebuild, and even then, you probably won't find
enough in the US to keep a factory going (how do I know about that? I
work in the auto industry).
> As for tax issues I know the law on this, as I am an International Attorney
> specializing in trade and business in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan,
> and Thailand. There is no need to explain the law to members on the list.
If you don't feel the need to explain the law, in brief, or offer
citations, people may think it won't be entirely legal, or that you are
using some provision of the recent favored-nation trading partner
legislation to further some less-than-up-front scheme.
> AS FOR depleting or driving up the cost of classic cars this is
> unsubstantiated. From the early 1980s to 1990 the Japanese bought a great
> deal of US cars and shipped them to Japan. This did not have any noticeable
> effect on the car market in the US.
With some makes, yes, it has. And many of those US cars you mention were
early Datsun Z-cars, not classic Brit cars.
> Furthermore what the US has always stood for, as Jeff stated, is a Free
> Market Economy (FME). My buying cars are based on this principal. If
> people don!/t want to sell their car to me they simply wont this FME
> business basics. But I know they will because the US is a FME.
If you were a lawyer, you'd know it's not "principal," but rather,
"principle." And sweatshops are run, too, by people who believe in the
free market. Doesn't make them right, ethically.
> Also next time look at where your rubber and plastic parts are made for your
> Spitfire. Most are made in Taiwan, which now is moving most of these
> operations in China. So my plan includes making aftermarket parts here. I
> have already selected a management team so quality can be properly
> controlled.
That's part of the reason why the quality of some aftermarket parts is
dropping precipitously. And, Taiwan is not China.
> Any additional comments please send to me off the list. We need to be
> respectful of the other list members.
You made it public here. No one knew of you before you solicited all of
us for comments on your scheme. I'll take the chance of offending others
and make my comments public. I encourage you undertake a huge investment
in your project, hopefully out of your own pocket. When you fail, maybe
that will sufficiently dampen your entrepreneurial spirit enough for you
to consider Chinese t-shirts and hats, instead of classic British cars
and aftermarket parts. Had you actually read this list, instead of
trying to use it for your own purposes, you might have discovered that
quality and care in detail are primary concerns of those here.
In short, you did not advertise yourself well at all. You might have
even made a terrible mistake with regard to your future plans. You just
might have forewarned us all to stay the hell away from you. <smile>
Cheers.
--
Michael D. Porter
Roswell, NM (yes, _that_ Roswell)
[mailto:mporter@zianet.com]
`70 GT6+ (being refurbished, slowly)
`71 GT6 Mk. III (organ donor)
`72 GT6 Mk. III (daily driver)
`64 TR4 (awaiting intensive care)
`80 TR7 (3.8 liter Buick-powered)
`86 Nissan 300ZX (the minimal-maintenance road car)
`68 VW Type II Camper (Lancia twin-cam powered, but feeling its age....)
Remember: Math and alcohol do not mix... do not drink and derive.
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