I Got Screwed Royally!!!

[Bill D]

I honestly don't remember his name. He's not a forum member, I know that much. It's been too long (or I'm just getting old). The third party person who knows the seller has requested additional information and is trying to help resolve the situation.

I'll post more as I get information.

[Gregg]

Bill, Sorry to hear of your plight. Been there myself. I am on the correct side of the country, that's the RIGHT side for you liberals and offer my assistance if you ever recall the seller's name.

Now I would add the name of D. Blissett to the list of people of with honesty issues. The address as best I can recall and pull off of the shipping package is as follows:

D. Blissett
Lightning Lodge
Fen Lane
Grandthorpe
Louth Incs, U.K.

If anyone in the U.K knows Mr. Blissett, kindly advise that unscrupulous person that I am still waiting on my NOS Hartwell latches or my refund.

[Keith Hardy]

Hi there Gregg, sorry to hear of your problem. Also, I regret to tell you that there is no such place as "Grandthorpe" in the UK or even "Grandthorp"

There is, however a town called Louth in Lincolnshire (Lincs)

There is no Fen Lane in Louth, but there is a Fen Lane in Dunston near Lincoln which is over 20 miles away...

How did you buy this item. Was it EBay?

[Keith Hardy]

Got him!

here he is with a telephone number:

David Blissett
Lightning Lodge
Fen Lane, Grainthorpe, Louth, LN11 7JY
01472 389 394

Go for it.....



More.....

Lincolnshire Aircraft Preservation Trust (LINCAIR)

[Gregg]

Thanks for the info Keith, unfortunately I am here in the US and that piece of garbage is in the U.K. Telephone calls have no effect. I know I will never see the money or latches but hopefully someone on the forum looking for original Hartwell latches won't be taken by him.

Transaction was performed outside of ebay and money was by a wire transfer. I believe a forum member tuned me onto him.

[David Morton]

lblissett@toucansurf.com
is that the email address?

Gregg, How much money is involved?

[Scott Calabro]

Hey Gregg,
I'm no -40 expert by any means, but I seem to remember pictures of some Hartwell latches on this site. That being said they appear from those pictures to be the exact ones currently used on the Sikorsky S-76 Helicopter. (I know because I work on one for a living) If I can find the pictures posted here to see if they are the same, I'll look up price and avialability tomorrow at work. Maybe someone here knows some measurements of the latches, it would help out.
Regards,
Scott

[Gregg]

Thanks Scott. There are pictures of the latches on the forum. I am the idiot who posted them and sold my NOS set several years ago when my project stalled. I was told by other forum members that several members had sets available and that I could purchase them later when needed. It turns out not to be the case. I believe my research revealed Sikorsky, Coast Guard Daulphin, C-130 as well as other aircraft. Latches are approximately 7/8 wide excluding the mounting flanges, by 3 1/4 tall including the press tab but not the mounting base, by about 6/8 deep. I appreciate all your assistance. Gregg

Dave, Sorry I missed your post. Email address is stored in another computer which is currently not accessible, so I can't confirm same. I'll have to look at the wire to see how much I sent.

[Doug Sainlar]

Originally Posted by David Morton

lblissett@toucansurf.com
is that the email address?

After reading the link posted by Keith1, I suspect the email address is for the (suspected) perp's wife, Leslie.

Doug

[Keith Hardy]

Greg, please PM me with full details and I'll see what I can do...

That's if you want to proceed of course.

I'll reason with him.

[Paul Butvila]

I too am sorry to hear about your missfortune. Get this bastard! Don't let it go even on just principal. This guy needs a wake up call. Let whomever wants to help you, help.

[Doug Sainlar]

The "General GT40's Discussion" section of the forum has a "Consumer Watch" board. Perhaps Paul, Ron or Lynn are following this thread and maybe one of them will create a "sticky" for "Rip-Offs", so those of us taken to the cleaners by unscrupulous individuals can out them. At least then those of us on this forum can practice "caveat emptor".

Just a suggestion, obviously others may have a different opinion.

Doug

[Keith Hardy]

Don't think that would be legally sustainable for the forum. Members posting their experiences is one thing but the forum sanctioning a "rip-off file" is something else, unless the right of reply is granted and then it gets all messy.

It is a case of caveat emptor especially overseas and members should protect themselves accordingly with tried and proven commercial purchasing strategies.

Not everyone in our wonderful global community is as nice and honest as us folks on here!

[Doug Sainlar]

Agreed, Keith. Some sort of "feedback" thread ala eBay (your point about right of reply is well taken, though, as eBay provides this)??? Surely there should be some way our members can post their negative experiences--maybe a "Horror Stories" board without publicly naming the perps and then members can PM the originator of interesting stories to get details. I don't know, it just seems to me that as a pretty tight community we would want to help our forum friends avoid experiences such as Bill D's (who, BTW, is displaying honorable restraint in stating that he's chalking it up to an expensive lesson and moved on--Cheers to Bill D for his gracious actions!!)

As for the "...tried and proven commercial purchasing strategies", in the case of large purchases, such as kits and major components like engines/transaxles, many manufacturers/sellers are not willing to go through an escrow company, which would be my strategy of choice. What a shame--the RF fiasco might never have happened had this been industry practice.

Doug

[Keith Hardy]

Then to be honest, if it was that major a purchase and the escrow route was refused by the supplier, I would smell a rat anyway and pull out.

It ain't worth it. This is hard earned money and it's like London buses. If you miss one, there'll be another along in just a minute.

I don't think there's anything wrong with members posting their own experiences with suppliers, I just think we should be careful and try to read between the lines and make our own judgements.

Trouble is, mention GT40's and the blood rushes to the head obscuring clear vision..

[Gregg]

Keith, thanks for the help. I will pm the details in a few days.

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Keith1

Trouble is, mention GT40's and the blood rushes to the head obscuring clear vision..

Yep, as Robin williams said "God gave man a brain and a penis but not enough blood to run 'em both at the same time!"

Rick

[Lynn]

Doug,

You are right, we have a Consumer Watch area already that serves this purpose. All one needs to do is a quick search of that forum for the name of a prospective vendor and see if it gets a hit. No need for a sticky really. But, this presumes that everyone has the cajones to say that they got ripped off and post it in that forum. Some are just to prideful to admit they have been taken. But, this leaves the door open for someone else to be the subject of the culprits fraudulent ways.

A prime example of this is in a story that was related to me concerning a hoaxed "real GT40." A fellow paid BIG BUCKS for the car only to learn later that is was a recreation and not an original. Rather than saying anything, the car was put away in a warehouse and nothing was ever said. Some may see this as taking your lumps stoically, like a man should. But I see it as encouraging the fraudster to try it again.

Like most things, the tools are there; they just need to be used.

Lynn

[Lynn]

Rick,

Put another way, "a man has trouble thinking with both of his heads at the same time!"

And they say that two heads are better than one; well.......not always.

Lynn