another update on my ol Dodge... here's what the rims look like, as it was given to me after paying 21k in parts and labor to replace heads, headers, front suspension, steering, and brakes. I ask, how would you react to finding all your new rims looking like this

passenger side front.

passenger side back

drivers side back

drivers side front

and I only took the time to look at one of the rims in the box (a pair could not be mounted to the front because they weren't off set right for lowered spindles an hit the tie rods) 

So, it too, has the finger prints on it, but when looking much closer, as I have space with the rims in the boxes, to look at them anywhere, unlike the narrow garage my car is in - preventing me from getting close, unless I move the car over, and move other things away from the wall. When looking at one of the 2 rims in boxes, I see it's scratched under the greasy finger prints. 

To prove this to the guy who owns the shop that put these on, and took them off, my car, I used a brand new clean degreaser cloth from the Tub O Towels

Here's the result. Grease is gone, and scratches are easy to see. 

Conclusion? All 6 brand new rims, the first and only rims I've bought in 30 years, were sent home with me scratched to hell, by someone at the shop upgrading my car, or, at the Tire Depot that the shop had mount and balance the tires. 

I firmly believe that a shop should look over a car they've been paid 200 an hour to work on, and see that it's ready for the customer. 

I believe, that there should be no greasy handprints on the hood (there was, I cleaned them off) fenders (there was, I cleaned them off), or new rims. 

I think that a shop who wants to get a good reputation (with a damn blogger, the dirty rotten blogger!), or keep their reputation, or get a good review, would make sure that the customers car is cleaned of work hand prints (hey, I get it, but, damn... use a fender apron, or towel, it's been the civilized way to work on cars for about a hundred years) and that the customers rims are handled with only clean hands, and clean gloves, and THEN cleaned before the customer sees it. 

I have an extra set of rims, that were already going to be next to impossible to sell, now? No chance. I also wanted to sell the back rims, as they are not the right width to make the rear look correctly shod, filling the back wheel wells.  That's 4 rims I have no desire to keep. Can't sell them scratched up. 

And the front rims that are on the car, aren't bad, but, they aren't the black spokes I want to have, they were simply what it took to get the car on the road, to and from the shop, with the right rubber. 

This project was supposed to be started in July, was delayed (though I didn't know it) by the heads getting a full port and polish, when I stated I wanted a port match only) AND the rims I wanted not being available to purchase from any supplier, as NO company had them in stock. They had been waiting for the manufacturer to have more made in China. These replacements, that there are plenty of, are only unpainted versions of the ones I want. Of course, there were plenty to buy everywhere, and they were delivered days after the heads were completed (3 months after the project was to get started if the rims had been on time) 

To his credit, and respect where it's due, when I texted the images above to the shop owner operator, he stated, and I quote " Be clear, I will make right on anything that needs to be made right "

Now, that, is a very cool guy. I'll keep you updated, of course. 

I've already been told by him that he's already got a new caliper on order to replace the drivers side front that's dragging. I'll probably be driving back next week to get that done. 

It's about 30-40 dollars in 100 octane to drive that distance, each time, round trip.