For those that have recommended Williamson's Instruments

[Classycars]

Under the recommendation of some users on Ford Bard; I sent my guages, with full $900.00 payment, to Williamson's Instruments back in November of 2012. They were supposed to have been completed in July of 2013. I have been calling them and leaving messages on their machine and they do not return my calls. The phone number is the same number I intially spoke to them on, and the message meachine is still the same. I sent them a certified letter without a response. Does anyone know any other way to get in touch with these people or if they have gone out of business? It sounds like I will never see my stuff again nor a refund. I am a business owner and cannot believe that someone in business can survive this way. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please let me know.

Be aware of this company, as they do not do what they say they will.

[wga]

http://williamsons.com/Contact_Us.html

Is this the contact info you have? They did work for me a few years ago, and it all went smoothly. Nice work, did some extras at no additional cost.
Maybe someone on this forum is close to Chester, Arkansas and could do a drive by.

[Fe26]

It's sad your first post on our wonderful Forum had to be of an unfortunate tale.

[itstom]

My experience was somewhat better than yours, but my god is this guy a pain in the ass to deal with.

I had a Sun "football" tach that I wanted to have rebuilt and have modern electronics installed in the transmitter box. They are about the only ones I could find to do the work and they did seem to have a decent reputation. (But I think the son-in-law took over a couple years ago.) I boxed it up with my check for $400.00 and sent it on its way.

Once my check had cleared I had the same problems with communication you had. After a couple of weeks of the answering machine, I just started to call 10 or 12 times per day. After a couple days, he slipped up and answered. I got a sob story about sick relatives out of state. I told him to just refund my money and send me my tach. He insisted he would have it shipped out in a few days, and he did do that. Too bad it didn't work when I got it.

Days to get a hold of him again to learn that the problem was my fault because I didn't specify pos. ground. Sure pal, if you say so. I sent it back to him and endured another few weeks of the answering machine and his BS befor he returned it late last fall.

By the time I got it back, the car was put up for the winter and I haven't tried it yet. Fingers crossed.

Oh, the wiring harness I paid for is too short to work as-is and he didn't use the correct colors of wires so I'll eat that one and make my own.

The number I used was (479) 369-2551. Put it on speed dial and be relentless, its the only thing that worked for me.

Good luck,
Tom

[robert dick]

i have had 3 tach sending unite trasistorized by them, i always have gotten very good service.

[1967gt]

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Sux. To get screwed..

[Model A Bill]

I had my SW tach converted to electronic.It took longer then he promised to get it back about 3 months or so.I did also have to make a "few" extra calls but finally did receive it.He bead blasted the exterior case and painted it as he said he would.Unit looks good.I haven't had the oppurtunity to test it yet I hope it works.He seemed very knowledgable and professional on the phone.He did tell me he was extremely busy but thats no excuse for poor business practices.

Bill

[ford38v8]

I find it hard to swallow that a reputuble businessman requires payment in full before work commences. Just as hard to believe is that this policy is acceptable to any but the young and naive.

[BoxCar Tom]

It seems this should go bttt every three hours or so.

[waltere]

I had them do some work for mr with excelant response when they did my work. no issues. I have several more to do and will certianly have them do the work.

[Model A Bill]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

I find it hard to swallow that a reputuble businessman requires payment in full before work commences. Just as hard to believe is that this policy is acceptable to any but the young and naive.

No Dis-respect Alan I guess I am just young and naive.When I buy something in the swap section and I mail out my MO or whatever for payment I don't have the part in hand I don't know its exact condition other then what the seller describes.I know its not exactly the same situation but it is still payment first.I like to think I'm more trusting then naive.
When Williamson did my tach I paid up front and I had no issue with that.
I did not ask them how long it would take maybe it takes that long due to a large work load? So when I posted above I was mearly stating my personal experience good ,bad, or otherwise

Bill

[okiedokie]

I was there last month. He did gauges for a friends 40 Merc and fuel didn't work. Went with my friend to take it there [short road trip] rather than ship back and forth. Class folks as far as I could tell. Two guys and a gal doing the work. The gal was one of two doing the artwork in the US as I understood it, and the other has died. So they are being inundated with additional work. They have a lot of orders on hand and they do the repairs the same way they have always been done. On the bench with original repair stuff. Nothing is computerized. But what a great job they do on the instruments. He made the comment he often gets calls from customers unhappy with the length of time it is taking, but can really not change that. He does them as they come in. He recommends that if someone decides to go with restored instruments they send them early in the restoration. I was impressed with this operation in a little old metal building out in the country. Joe

[1952henry]

Originally Posted by Model A Bill

No Dis-respect Alan I guess I am just young and naive.When I buy something in the swap section and I mail out my MO or whatever for payment I don't have the part in hand I don't know its exact condition other then what the seller describes.I know its not exactly the same situation but it is still payment first.I like to think I'm more trusting then naive.
When Williamson did my tach I paid up front and I had no issue with that.
I did not ask them how long it would take maybe it takes that long due to a large work load? So when I posted above I was mearly stating my personal experience good ,bad, or otherwise

Bill

Can't blame you as this fellow came highly recommended. Nothing like an armchair quarterback.

My father sent his tach/clock from his Mustang to have it worked (don't remember the company name), but I remember he had to send his payment with the item. Guess my dad is older and naive.

[JonC]

I had work done with them. A sun tach and transmitter box restored. I did have some problems getting ahold of them after I sent them in, in the end they did a great job and even took it back and reajusted it once, quickly. At the time they were having some issues with health of a family member, keep trying you will get ahold of them.

[36tbird]

Could it be that successive winter storms have caused them problems? I don't know, just conjecture on my part to give them the benefit of the doubt. If I was the owner of a service store that rebuilds gauges for the toys of grown men, I would have a hard time ordering my staff to come in on icy, snow covered roads to work on those gauges.

This does not excuse the long length of time that they have had your gauges, but it might explain why recently they are hard to get a hold of.

[1967gt]

how do you give anybody the benefit of any doubt ? they have had parts and $900 FOR 15 MONTHS !! thats the play from my armchair

[barnfind]

How can anyone running a Business not answer their phone or return phone calls?

[klicker]

I'm not sure how a guy can get the full payment up front either... Maybe a 25% deposit, or something. Plus he has your guages, you're not going to get them back without sending the rest of the money, he kind of has them held hostage... what do I know?

[ford38v8]

It's about incentive to get the job done. Once he has all your money, what's the rush? In the construction industry, there are licencing laws that specify when payments are to be made. Different product but same principles. ...Protections for the young and naive consumers.

[Straightpipes]

I swapped him an old tach and a Sun transmitter in pieces for prepair of my Sun tach. Took a couple of months and a few wake-up calls but I recieved the tach and it works great.