To save bandwith, I suggest you all get out a copy of Tom Hall's message
and follow this rebuttal.
1.) Tom, you state that "The implication that you, or your significant
other were going to SUE someone because this was THEIR FAULT." I demand a
minumum level of safety and durablity in any critical automoitve component
that I buy, Tiger or otherwise. That pin, in my opinion, had very low
usage under average conditions. A certian level of anger is to be expected
after watching my wadded up Tiger (and 8 years of effort) being unloaded
off a hook in my garage. I can't help but thinking that your words wouldn't
have been much kinder under the circumstances.
2.) You said, " I, and most technically literate old-timers in this marque,
are familiar with the design problem inherent in the design of Ricks former
lower pins. In fact, had you asked around, you would have been told to
remove these items from your car at your earliest opportunity."
Hmmm, lets see, I've owned 3 Tigers since 1979, past member of TE/AE, CAT
member since 1984, spent several hundred dollars at Sunbeam Specialties,
and have gotten catalogs mailed to me by them over the years. Maybe I'm
getting old and foggy, but I can't ever recall Rick printing or mailing any
warnings that there was a problem with the pins. I'd love to be proved
wrong about this. Maybe us newbees aren't supposed to be privy to these
trival details that you "technically literate old-timers" are.
My point here is: If Rick was getting feedback that the fulcrum pins were
failing at a unusual rate, the honorable thing to do would be to notify his
customers. I'm sure a lot of us would welcomed the chance to take
corrective action before it could do some damage. We shouldn't have to rely
on the "physic friends autoparts network" to gauge the usefullness of what
we buy.
3.)"In MHO, you are looking for the risk level associated with driving a
new
automobile,...... Tom, I have no illusions about driving a 30 year old car.
Which is why I replaced every part in the front end, and the rest of the
car, that would wear and affect the safety. My ragging on tiger owners who
still have 30 year old brake lines is well known. I know that a Tiger isn't
built anything like a new car, but I do hope that the replacement parts
have more than a few hundred hours life span.
4.)"If you want to make a positive contribution, you can encourage the
funding of a research program which all Tiger clubs and Tiger suppliers can
participate in to develop re-engineered designs and manufacturing programs"
Gee, my insurance agent just told me today that none of the damage to the
Tiger is covered. Zip, zero, zilch, nada. Since I didn't hit anyone, or no
one crashed into me, this was considered a mechanical failure and therefore
not an insurable loss. You'll have to pardon me if the contributions are
slow in coming, as the cash has got to be used closer to home.
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