Dear Dick,
I am REALLY surprised at your remarks in this note, as you know I have
provided many valuable parts for many years to the Tiger community, and I am
quite honest and candid about my items that I sell, and no one has their arm
twisted or forced to pay or bid on EBAY...
I have NEVER been contacted regarding the rivets by anyone at TAC...
I originally submitted them to several of the " IN THE KNOW" persons, who
told me what their purpose they served on the Tiger, and they GLADLY
accepted FREE samples for their own use.
I am a FAIR and reasonable person, I do NOT appreciate being BASHED
regarding this issue, if you have a problem regarding this, why did you not
call me ??? Or write ??
I was certainly contacted when I was going to publish the TIGER
authentication manual, with over 100 color detailed pictures, with all the
SPECIAL differences, such as the cut brackets, dimples, holes and such,
detailing pictures from stripped Alpine/Tiger/Alger chassis, to HELP guys
out there...
The calls came in FAST & FURIOUS, begging me NOT to do so, and I did NOT,
out of respect !!
Maybe now it is a valuable item to release !!
Dick, I guess I was good enough to provide the parts YOU needed, to complete
your Le Mans Coupe, whilst you and Dan Walters were working on it prior to
Eureka.
And if you remember, I not only gave them to you for "FREE", but I also sent
them via FedEx, over night, at MY expense.....!!!!!! ????
How quickly we forget !!!!!!!
So I am sure this will ruffle feathers all over, and that is the "MAIN AND
ONLY" reason that I sold my cars, is that out of ALL the car clubs and car
communities that I have been apart of I have "NEVER" met any group as
political and bickering and picky, as the Tiger crowd...
There are some really GREAT individuals out there, that are as SICK of this
as I am, and we have a GREAT relationship still....
Warmest Regards & a HAPPY NEW YEAR to all...
Jan Harde.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dick Barker" <dickbarker@earthlink.net>
To: "S.SAGAN" <nch20buf@nccn.net>
Cc: <tigers@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2001 1:43 PM
Subject: Re: T.R.A.C.
> At 12:00 AM 12/25/2000 -0800, you wrote:
> >Hello Dick,
> >
> > Well...I thought I was making a simple inquiry into the use of a
> > seemingly legitimate service for
> >Tiger owners. Boy, I seemed to have opened a can of worms here. It
> >would seem that my curiosity
> >concerning the purpose of this service may have been satisfied by the
> >responses (or lack thereof) I
> >have received from persons involved with it either selling it, buying
it,
> >or participating on it's
> >committee. Sorry for any hassles brought about by my curiosity.
> >
> >As far as being able to trace I.d. info out of Ebay.. or anywhere else on
> >the net, It's in the genes.
> >
> >S. Sagan
> >530.268.3861
>
>
> Steve,
>
> Thank you for your email regarding T.R.A.C. Sorry to take so long getting
> back to you. Your message raises some very legitimate points which I feel
> should be answered not only for you, but also for the Tiger community in
> general. You'll notice I am therefore including the Tiger "list" on this
> reply.
>
> You have not opened a can of worms. On the contrary, as one of the few
> people so far to question the purpose of the T.R.A.C. program, your
> curiosity is like a faint ray of hope. Frankly, it would be gratifying if
> others applied your analogy and curiosity. Even though you may not
realize
> it, you have identified one of the program objectives, to wit: Challenge
> the legitimacy and authenticity of eBay auctions offering 'Sunbeam Tiger -
> Rootes "Rivets" Original' at exorbitant prices.
>
> As you may know, those expense rivets frequently auctioned on eBay were
> never originally installed anywhere on a Sunbeam Tiger. And the
suggestion
> that some copper service replacements in a Rootes bag could be the final
> necessary part of a proper Tiger restoration is ludicrous. Originally the
> auction description implied that these rivets were the same as the unique
> OEM fasteners used by Rootes to attach the chassis (VIN) plate to Sunbeam
> Tigers. But after a challenge to the accuracy of that claim, the
> description was modified to the present wording, "....correct rivets that
> you are looking for" ".....to complete that special correct
> restoration." Further appeals to the seller to properly identify the
> rivets have been unsuccessful, so unwary buyers continue to bid AS MUCH AS
> $20 PER RIVET for these inappropriate fasteners. And it is all done in
> complete secrecy, because these are always private auctions "so as to keep
> things 'private'." What could be the purpose of a private auction,
unless
> it is to conceal something that the buyer and/or seller do not want
> known? These auctions have also fostered a misconception about the
> replaceability of unique factory rivets so that now some Sunbeam owners
> think they are acquiring authentic and valuable products, when they are
not.
>
> The Tiger Rivet Authentication Committee was formed for the purpose stated
> above, and to offer a legitimate advisory and counseling service to Tiger
> owners actually desiring correct, authoritative information about Rootes
> fasteners. (There is more information available on this subject that you
> may ever want to know.) An "imitator" auction (also private) offering the
> T.R.A.C. service usually appears on eBay immediately following the one for
> the bogus rivets, and although the whole thing appears to be a spoof, in
> fact, it is not. The information advertised in the T.R.A.C. auction
> description is readily available to ANYONE seeking information about
Rootes
> rivets, and at little or no cost. For those who might otherwise pay a
> princely sum for a package of generic fasteners, this could indeed be a
> worthwhile and valuable service. Those like myself who staunchly hold
this
> view help support awareness of the T.R.A.C. program by submitting timely
> bids during the eBay auctions.
>
> Regrettably, few bidders have taken advantage of T.R.A.C. Commendably,
> some, like yourself, have finally questioned its purpose, but still may
not
> understand it completely. Perhaps this background and explanation will
> help to clarify your understanding. And if it prevents one unsuspecting
> Tiger owner from spending a king's ransom for a package of worthless
> rivets, it will have served it purpose.
>
> Dick Barker
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