I'm sure some of you may be wondering why you have not seen much of my build since getting it back from JVD aka Jon Vandermolen (his real name) aka JVD Custom Designs.

The interesting thing about JVD and his newly build web site is his site starts off saying: At JVD our business is all about creating automotive dreams that others consider impossible. Impossible to get any worse of a job done!!!!

It should say Automotive nightmares!!! Literally

I hired him to build a custom chassis, he did that, installed the engine and was supposed to install a Corvette C5 Suspension.. Well it turns out he installed C5 parts but mocked up his own partial C5 suspension with no spring and by the time I got the car to the shop… Murci-Me and I had to pull the body to finish off things he should have know he had to do since he has apparently built many murci replica’s… and we were literally shocked to see what was underneath. 

A butched up suspension, that was COMPLETELY UNSAFE, you will see the photos to follow. His welding was literally like a first time novice welding that it is unthinkable. The chassis was welded by a neighbor down the street but HE welded the rest of the car. I could make a list a long as my arm of problems one after another that has to be redone on this car… His roll cage alone is enough to make one laugh... or cry.

He charged me over $13k and Now I am have to hire Murci-Me me to tear out the entire suspension and redo everything. I have asked Jon Vandermolen for a refund of $3k to cover my costs of having things done correctly and he refuses to do so.

That is not asking much. So I am therefore forced to hire a lawyer and sue him to recover my costs for a terrible and completely unsafe build.

I am sorry to break this news but since he is not willing to admit his neglegence I certainly do not want anyone to hire him thinking they will get a top notch job.

From the selected pictures that JVD sent to me and I posted things looked great... but when you see what was "tacked" on underneath it is enough to make one sick. From the way JVD boasted about his replica experience.. I was expecting perfection like something from Chip Foose.  WOW I was disappointed.

I gave him the opportunity to come out and make things whole, he came out to replace the AC condensor and brought out suspension brackets that looked like they were cut out with a sawzall and I could not have him waste my time any longer. I can’t replace Bad after bad.

ALL I CAN SAY IS:  Caveat Emptor. Buyer Beware. I sincerely do not want anyone to have to deal with a nightmare like this...

I know it will cost me $$ for a lawyer... He will have to hire one too and by the time it is settled in court... It will cost him more in the long run than if he just pays me the $3k I am asking for. I will file a suit in Santa Ana and his time and money and lien I will place on his home/property and business will not be pleasant.

JVD still has an opprtunity to send me a check for $3k and I will call off my lawyer.

He's serious

Here is the passengers side Air Bag... Notice the length of the tube (muffler Pipe  ) and a COMPLETELY different bracket at the top of this one...      I think he was using whatever SCRAP metal he had around his yard.

Also... notice how close the tire is to the whole thing... IT IS RIGHT AGAINST IT!!!!!!!

Here is a wheel well tacked together... LITERALLY

On the bracket he shoddily welded in... notice at the upper control arm... JVD had to cut a slot into the metal bracket (wekening the integrity of the bracket) so the round slot of the upper control arm could go in a little more and pivot inside the notch.  However to adjust the tires we could not set the control arm in at all because it was literally already rubbing against the notched piece of metal... The welding job is horrible and very unsafe.

The shock was installed upside down too.

Here is one that takes the cake... Notice where the lower part of the shock is bolted. It is bolted through ONE hole on the inside part of the lower control arm. The weight should be distributed evenly on both sides of the control arm not on one bolt going through ONE side. If the bolt did not break first... the lower control arm would be unsafe and crack or break causing a horrible accident. 

Here is another... with the airbag inflated

I spoke to a guy that was in Oregon and had a cashiers check ready to buy JVD's Orange Murci Replica... He and his girlfriend went and took it for a test drive and he said the car was all over the road so he decided not to buy it... I am sure the suspension close up is probably a nightmare too. I still have his contact information of anyone wants to speak to him. In fact I beleive he's on this forum.

He said his girlfriend saw what looked like a wood screw coming through the passenger side dash. After seeing what he did to my car I would not doubt if he used a wood screw to hold it down

wow that is so horrible sorry to hear what your going thru murcenary
this gets me thinking about the kitcar bizz if a guy knows his stuff like murcenary can get a bad deal what would happen to a guy like me thats very new to the whole kitcar scene