<VV> chain stores...

[Ray "Grymm" Rodriguez]

Hmm.. for some reason I thought we weren't allowed to mention specific store 
chains (at least negatively).... so JR's comment reminded me of a little 
experience I wanted to pass on!

About a year ago right after I lowered the front of my 66' Corsa I took it a 
couple hours out of town to visit my girlfriend for the week.  While I was 
down there I noticed the camber and toe were way out of whack and decided I 
didn't want to let it chew on the tires all week till I got home...  it was 
bad enough that the tires screamed when I braked.

Anyway I stopped at a Pep Boys and talked to someone.. asked if they could 
do a front end alignment...   the guy at the desk told me that they had an 
"awesome" alignment guy and went to ask the guy if he'd do the vair'.   The 
desk guy came back out and told me that they didn't have the specs for the 
car so he couldn't do it.  I asked to speak to the "awesome" front end 
guy... so they took me into the shop to chat with him.

I was surprised to meet a young fellow.... but I explained the situation, 
and asked if he could just straighten it out enough to preserve my tires 
till I got home the following week...   he agreed and I was instructed to 
return a few hours later.

I returned to find the car in the same condition I left it...   The front 
end guy made all kinds of excuses but it was quite apparent that he didn't 
have the slightest clue how to align a car without a computer telling him 
exactly what to do step by step...   he told me he couldnt set the TOE 
without shims... I boggled at him but took my keys and decided to head out. 
The guy also told me the car was unsafe to drive because the half shafts 
moved in and out of the differential when the car was lifted off the 
suspension and back down again.....

On the way out I ran into the stores general manager in the parking lot 
admiring my car.. turns out she was a big Vair' fanatic back in the 60's and 
70's.. she LOVED my Corsa!  I related the story to her and she was clearly 
embarrased... her comment made me laugh... she said "It's a Corvair...  it's 
not like it came from outer space!"....   I got the impression the "top 
notch" front end guy was gonna catch some flak from the boss =).

Ray "Grymm" Rodriguez III
Lake Ariel, PA
CORSA member
66' Corsa 140/4 coupe
65' Corsa 140/4 coupe (under construction and almost done!)
63' Monza PG coupe (almost done!)




> Right now I'm p'd off at Auto Zone.  They cost us at least 4 hours for
> mis-matched parts.
>
> Later, JR