BUYER BEWARE of Ad #1598885 & Seller chuckbates
If you are considering the dragster on Ad #1598885, a "230" Neil & Parks turn key dragster from Chuck Bates in Gulf Port, Mississippi....BUYER BEWARE ! ! ! !
Right at a month ago, I traded my complete back halved Vega for his 1968 Chevy stepside race truck featured on Ad #1576967. The ad read as follows:
"For sale is a 1968 chevy stepside truck,it was built as a race car 3 months ago,EVERYTHING on it has only 20 passes! it has a 454 BBC,turbo 350 trasmission,and 488 pro gears. AGAIN EVERYTHING IS NEW!!!!!! for more information message me on here or call chuck at 228-861-9014."
The engine bearings from the 454 are featured in this ads photo. I made three 1/8th mile passes before I pulled the engine to find out what was wrong. Again, I was assured the engine was just put together and had seen only 20 passes. The bearings are dated 06/06. Clevite 77's sell way too good to set on almost any shelf for three years. The crankshaft was trashed as were three rods. The engine was not new, not properly cleaned nor prep'd, full of metal and basically junk...
Other engine issues found were old/original cam bearings, one stripped poly-lock & dis-lodged lifter, old and pitted valve seats, original block oil port plugs & freeze plugs, and plenty of metal all in the oil pan.
Chuck was to send me some other stuff for the truck as part of the agreement. He did not. He does not return my phone calls or e-mails.
If CHUCK BATES decides to call me in an effort to make things right or at least discuss this with me, I will post the details and a retraction if warranted. In the meantime:
If it's from CHUCKBATES of Gulf Port, MS, BUYER BEWARE.