"You Had Your Chance To Buy Them And You Passed It Up. Now I Won't Sell To You."

[carlhungness]

       In my search for 1937 LaSalle chevrons I decided to have some cut from .0.125"  stainless and bend them myself to fit.
        I came across two good used chevrons, I had four, and thought it would be nice to pass along a standard set to the next owner, but I decided not to pay the asking price, so I returned them to the man who lent them to me.
        Then I installed my stainless chevrons and don't like the fact they have a large radius at the front where the stock one has a crisp crease. I e mailed the man with the chevrons, no reply. I called and asked if I could buy them, whatever his price is.
          He politely told me I had my chance to buy them and now he wouldn't sell to me.
          I was gob-smacked. Initially I thought I might buy them just to have them, but decided against it. The man knows I need two to complete my set.
           This is my first encounter with such a circumstance and I don't believe I said anything that was out of line. The man thanked me for "sending the book." I had previously sent him my own magnum opus, a $39.95 biography of Carl Fisher, the Indy 500, Miami Beach, Lincoln highway "inventor", just as a Thank You for loaning me the chevrons. I have 55K and 17 years (3,200 hours) in this bloody book and I don't pass them out easily.
           I'm a little shaken to my core on this one folks. I'd sell you a part because you are preserving history and give you a tip of my hat as well. What did I do to dampen the Club spirit in this case? He's a fine respected member of the club and caught me completely off guard.
           But if he called and wanted to buy something I have, I'd sell to him. Wouldn't you? At 75 years of age I need aggravation? I prefer a hug.
           

[D.Smith]

        I decided not to pay the asking price, so I returned them to the man who lent them to me.
       

Clearly he sent you those chevrons expecting you to buy them.   

[chrisntam]

Seems odd they'd be for sale at one point and then not.  If the guy isn't going to use them, move them to someone who will.  Holding out for a higher price?  Power trip?

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles, too bad all of us don't have your outlook on the old car hobby (and life), it would be better for all if we did.

Some folks can be (insert your own words).

I hope you find the needed two in the near future.

[Jason Edge]

               I came across two good used chevrons, I had four, and thought it would be nice to pass along a standard set to the next owner, but I decided not to pay the asking price, so I returned them to the man who lent them to me.   

As someone that buys parts for my driver 64 CDV, and sells parts on the side I see things from both perspectives and try not to jump to conclusions. I am assuming the "lender" gave you an up front option to buy the chevrons for a stated price? I also, assume there was some understanding on who paid shipping both ways ... shipping is not free.  There is also the matter of someone's time. I could throw something in a box like that and have ready for postal pickup in a matter of minutes.. but that is still time and effort. 

If it was clearly understood that you were only borrowing these and might consider purchasing them once you had them in your hand I sort of see your point.  If it was stated you would purchase the items and decided to return instead, and only used these as a template (perhaps) and returned, then he has every right to do as he wishes with them, although it does seem he would still be ready to sell based on the friendly transactions you have had in the past.   

[fishnjim]

Apparently after 75 years, one still hasn't learned some of life lessons...   

[BJM]

With all due respect the entire transaction seems rather odd.   If you have been looking for these Chevrons all these years and this guy has them, then price is not much of an object.   You had them in your hands, and you sent them back.  I would place your reproductions on your car or provide yours to a fabricator to make better ones.   

The seller has the prerogative to do as he ultimately wishes and in the end he felt you were playing games with the buy/sell process.  If I were him, I would still sell them to you, but some folks are passive aggressive.   I would drop it and move on, whether he is a CLC member or not is not relative.  Just because we are in the club together does not mean we must comply in odd situations such as this one. 

[russ austin]

Maybe he finally has a need for them, and is glad they were returned. They are his, move on with it.

[76eldo]

Two things...

1.  Never underestimate the possibility to be completely baffled by someone else's behavior or decisions.

2.  When you have rare parts in your hands and have the opportunity to buy them, especially if you need them, do not hesitate.

Brian

[gkhashem]

Absolutely right about rare parts. Especially cosmetic parts on rare cars that you know you need.

But this advice also applies to some mechanical parts too.

Know your car, know the major issues that are most likely to come up. Then buy the parts if you can afford to. Get a parts catalog from GM and use it. It will help greatly in getting the part numbers.

This is true especially with cars that are about 20-40 years old. Some parts are still available at retail or wholesale prices. I bought all new gold emblems for my 1991 Eldorado about 7 years ago. They were still around then, not so easy now. The ones on my 27,000 mile car were looking a bit dull. I replaced them all with NOS ones. It really makes the car pop.

On my 1978 Coupe Deville just recently I needed that RH mirror bezel that broke in the dash. I found 3 NOS ones for the price of 10.75 each using a parts locator online at a dealer in the midwest! I bought two used one and put one away. I see used crappy ones on eBay for $50-75!!! I got lucky on a 41 year old car. But the car is like new and deserves the piece.

My 1984 Oldsmobile had those petroleum based vinyl roof molding strips below the rear opera windows on the left and right. When I bought the car 8 years ago one molding had a slight crack in it. I discovered these disintegrate in the sun like the bumper fillers I found two NOS ones that you need to paint to match. I stored them away and put them on last year. Without them a 29,000 mile like new car would have an eyesore on it if I did not change it. You cannot find that part now, it's not a Corvette.

I may be a hoarder but be proactive, if not then you will be held hostage for some high prices.

[Mike Baillargeon #15848]

Hi Carl....I just shot you an email....

Mike

[carlhungness]

      I didn't need them when I received them. I was certain I'd use my solid stainless steel ones and just didn't have the extra money to invest in the pair. But I should have bitten the bullet and bought them. Some will turn up.

[Art Director]

If you haven't already, place a free (to CLC members) wanted ad in The Self-Starter.

[TonyZappone #2624]

Quite frankly, based on this guy's attitude, I would never put them on my car.  Every time I looked at them, I would develop evil non-Christian thoughts.  Do without them

[carlhungness]

The Self-Starter ad sounds like a good idea. It occurs to me I might be able to have some cast in bronze or aluminum and after 2-3  hours with a file I'll bet I could clone the shape. Getting the right color ( gloss) to match would be a problem. If they were solid I could tap the back for the studs and file the rest until it looked like an original.

[Scot Minesinger]

Carl,

Life is too short, and if I were the seller - although all the facts are not known - it seems like I would agree with the seller and not sell them to you either.  The way it seems fair to me is that you took possession of them and then returned them, and then you want to buy them - how does the seller know you may try to return them again.  What should have happened is you took possession of the parts, you needed to pay for them, and if you later decide you do not want them, you should sell them. 

For me if I sell a part, the money gets paid first, I ship and the transaction is final unless I messed up or there was a genuine misunderstanding/miscommunication about the description or otherwise about the parts.  The seller was nice enough to send you the parts and accept them back as returned - he would be going way beyond what is reasonable to sell them again.  I have purchased parts before by mistake and I either sell them or put them in stock for possible future use.

[carlhungness]

      I didn't ask to buy them initially, I wanted some to copy and they were loaners. Then I asked about buying..and didn't. I agree with all else you say except the first premise that I was a buyer, I was someone borrowing.

[Scot Minesinger]

Carl,

Probably a miscommunication, as what seller would loan a part out so that it could be copied thereby undermining the exact intent to sell the products?  And for $39 and all the trouble why not just buy them from the start, rather than having them made, shipping, time and trouble - be way cheaper to buy them and be done with it?  The misunderstanding is probably what provoked the seller to withhold the sale later.  I buy many more parts than I sell, and would never lend out a part to be copied so that I would lose the sale, unless there was a misunderstanding.

[tripwire]

Are these what you're looking for?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1935-1936-LaSalle-fender-chevrons/193069011940?hash=item2cf3cf53e4:g:u0oAAOSw99Fc9-b0



Wes in VT

[carlhungness]

Hi: Thanks so much, I did see these on eBay and luckily I found a pair from my old
fried Karl Kinser, so now just missing a pair of bumper braces.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Boy, with so many fasteners, they sure didn't want them from falling off.

No wonder old cars weigh so much.

Bruce.