[Bradzvette]

On to my next mistake.
I again trusted Tracy when he said he would help me assemble my new motor. Again with the video, we agreed to shoot the build up and post it. Initially complicating the matter was that Tracy fired Kyle the RevX mechanic three days before Christmas and Kyle had the tools necessary to assemble the motor. These are Kent Moore Specialty tools and are needed to install and align the oil pan with the front and rear covers. Kyle had them but obviously was in no mood to assist after being fired so close to Christmas time 2007 and Tracy did not own the tools himself.

So I started posting on Corvette forum about how to acquire the tools and seeking info on them. Obviously I needed them to complete the assembly of my motor. Although the time line is fuzzy, I was still technically working as part of RevX when I borrowed the tools. What I should have done was clarify that these were for my personal use and not for the shop. But to be honest, I really wasn’t thinking about little things like that as I was focused on getting my motor completed. Turns out a very generous forum member offered to loan me the tools. I offered a deposit, he declined. Said he knew my rep on the forum and we were good. He sent them to me, but they were delayed arriving to me, the box ripped open and was in tatters when I received it. I took pics and sent to the owner of the tools. I told him I would use a stronger box and insure them when I return them. Alas, stupid me, I should have just bought the dang tools for 500 bucks. However I had to replace my heads as they were cracked and the budget was tight.

This tool transaction came back to bite me in the ass. I paid for the return shipping via the internet for the post office. I messed up the weight and didn’t include enough postage. I was short $1.38. However I didn’t know it at the time, I sent the package out right when I moved. I meant to use my new return address but on the USPS web site it defaults to the address on your credit card and I didn’t uncheck the box. My neighbor across the street had become good friends with me. He was an older gentleman and I looked after him and his wife. After eight years there we had become close.

Well, Dom is his name, saw the mail man and took the package trying to help me out and figured he would see me in the neighborhood as I still worked in the neighborhood school but had moved 45 mins. North. Unfortunately Dom suffered a stroke and was not able to get over to the school and give the package to me. I had no idea what had happened to the package. I filed insurance claims with USPS and they kept denying them, claiming the package was never picked up. I had a lawyer write a letter to USPS threatening breach of contract and that cost me 85 bucks. But litigation would have cost me more then the value of the tools so I worked out a deal to pay the owner out of my pocket. Thankfully Dom recovered and showed up at my school with the package and I was finally able to return the tools. My fault though, had I slowed down and paid attention to what I was doing and put in the correct return address for my new residence the tools would have been back to the owner much sooner. But I accept the responsibility, totally my fault.

cont