Topic: Build a Bandit

[Flounder55]

Yes,Bob the Bandit or one of his cohorts does peruse this site!

[Vipermann]

To be clear, those pics I've posted are what the car looked like last summer.  Instead of getting closer to being done, I've been told the car is all scratched up now, and probably missing parts...

[hada76]

with 60+ confirmed victims the leos must have something they can move forward with

[72blackbird]

I hate to say it, but what makes people think you can have your T/A restored for $12-15k? These cars are costly to restore- if someone said that they could go through a T/A, tear it down, replace any worn parts, rebuild the engine, do all of the bodywork and repaint/re-decal it, repair the dash, install new door panels and reupholster the seats for $12-15k I would know they are lying and trying to commit fraud. The labor alone would cost in the $20-25k range, and that's not including parts and outside labor. It does not make what Bob did right, but people need to be realistic- he took advantage of people looking for a deal that was too good to be true, and it was.

Bob also took his T/A ponzi scheme to a devious low- no doubt he was pulling parts off his new victims cars, maybe completing 1 T/A in 5 to give the appearance of a legitimate business, but still pulling in deposits the whole time. Only Bob knows how many T/A's he's stripped of usable parts and scrapped at his buddy's junkyard.

Clearly this guy and his family have been running this scam for years- what is the Pontiac community doing to keep this guy from victimizing more T/A owners? If the law is not too concerned with him, he will keep swindling more people.

[Flounder55]

Geno,

 What your saying has alot of truth in it. Most of the victims ( myself included) were new to the Pontiac scene. WE ( I ) have learned an expensive lesson. If it sounds like a good deal, it's probably got strings attached or it's not. Bob was the Pro but not at rebuilding cars. He was a smooth talking con artist. He knew just enough to "look" like a bad bussiness man and not a con artist.
 I do feel through Carol's efforts as well as my own we helped get the word out and once his funds dried up his true intend was revealed. The Law can no longer ignore what Bob has done. Zak and Erica are just as guilty and Michelle and Joey to a lesser extent. I think there are other area bussinesses that had a hand in Bob's scheme as well but that remains to be seen. It's time for a little rough justice!

[72blackbird]

Flounder,
I am truly angry and sickened about the whole "Build a Bandit" scheme Bob and his family pulled on many T/A owners- I'm surprised none of the victims at this point have taken action against these perpetrators on their own. I can't say what I would do if some shop had my Firebird and it "disappeared" or was relieved of all of it's expensive and valuable parts- I've worked hard, spent alot of money and time on my Bird and I wouldn't just lie down and do nothing or accept a BS explanation from local law enforcement why they can do little or nothing.

It's stories like Build a Bandit guarantee that my Firebird will never spend 1 minute in any shop for any work- if I cannot do it I'll contract to have the work done in my own garage. Fortunately I can build my own engines, do my own driveline work, metal, bodywork and paint, but I understand not everyone has these skills and/or the desire to do it. People that have to rely on shops to have work done on their cars run the risk of their prized possession being stripped or stolen, and unfortunately it happens alot more than the automotive service industry would care to admit.

I know the chances of most victims recovering their T/As and/or money paid in good faith is slim to none, but hopefully they will not give up the dream of having a nice clean T/A. Most of us put our time, money and sweat into our Birds over the course of years, so we don't see that finished product right away. We get them running, save up, and drive them while we get close to getting ready for paint- it may take longer, but the satisfaction IMO is the same, if not sweeter. Hopefully anyone who loves Firebirds and T/As gets to experience this, even after a horrible and traumatic experience like dealing with Build a Bandit.

Geno

[Vipermann]

I hate to say it, but what makes people think you can have your T/A restored for $12-15k? These cars are costly to restore- if someone said that they could go through a T/A, tear it down, replace any worn parts, rebuild the engine, do all of the bodywork and repaint/re-decal it, repair the dash, install new door panels and reupholster the seats for $12-15k I would know they are lying and trying to commit fraud. The labor alone would cost in the $20-25k range, and that's not including parts and outside labor. It does not make what Bob did right, but people need to be realistic- he took advantage of people looking for a deal that was too good to be true, and it was.

Bob also took his T/A ponzi scheme to a devious low- no doubt he was pulling parts off his new victims cars, maybe completing 1 T/A in 5 to give the appearance of a legitimate business, but still pulling in deposits the whole time. Only Bob knows how many T/A's he's stripped of usable parts and scrapped at his buddy's junkyard.

Clearly this guy and his family have been running this scam for years- what is the Pontiac community doing to keep this guy from victimizing more T/A owners? If the law is not too concerned with him, he will keep swindling more people.

You're right.  And I've restored other cars too.  The Bandit had a sales pitch of "We restore so many TAs a year that we have more of a restoration assembly line approach."  He made it sound almost like he had a factory full of people.  If you weren't expecting a #s matching car, it sounded like a new approach.  For somebody from another state, you wouldn't know that was so much BS unless you could see the actual run-down shop and realize it was a scam...  A classic example of using the internet for fraud.

[Flounder55]

Thought I'd share this Email that Bob sent to alot of his "customers". Of course there is very little truth in ANY of it! Unlike Bob I've NEVER had more than one Ebay account and also UNLIKE Bob I don't have a posse.


I see that you’re looking at hitman. Well eBay and other mail servers are now investigating that forum and fake bidding accounts. Now that they’re aware, they both are going to be added to 3 individual and one joint law suit. They have now seen the personal vendetta, and don’t want to be manipulated. We have agreed not to advertise under turtlevhare or eck0211 till their teams fully investigate this. EBay and yahoo and others have been told that records are going to be subpoenaed. They can be on the getting sued end or take witness stand. They were unaware of all the illegal activity George and his posse we doing, now they are and see how they have been manipulated. It was all new news to them. They have taken a totally new attitude towards us and other restorers in the area, and they will monitor them very closely with user names listed on hitman. EBay and yahoo have the money and the resources to make these individuals understand that they are not the tool for personal revenge, and the fact a 7 million dollar law suit is what is at stake. When they were made aware of other individual accounts of emails of the slander and personal loss of income and intent to do harm to their members, they have a new approach to all this. We will be working close with them and their attorneys, if need be, to bring all to light. And you can share this with hitman. They have several people that are subject matters now. They need to know so they don’t drag others down too. I think truly only two are being looked at for the largest part of the restitution.

[JupiterBandit]

what a dip $hit!

[kjkjkcjkcj]

He really is an idiot.  Why does he think these big companies would side with him when there are over 60 people that we know of who have been scammed by him.

[Flounder55]

This was his feable attempt to calm his nervous customers!

[hada76]

what a dip $hit!

couldnt agree more, but as of today, he is the one laughing to the bank.
 heres hoping that changes very soon

[midyear]

To be clear, those pics I've posted are what the car looked like last summer.  Instead of getting closer to being done, I've been told the car is all scratched up now, and probably missing parts...

 Vipermann,

 I have seen some of the pics Bob the bandit sent you of your car, the engine shots were actually of Joe Godars 79-80, and the door off shots were of Eli Smiths car. Bob was sending you pics of other peoples builds.....

[Flounder55]

Wonder why Joe Godar took down the pics of the GTO that was a testament of Bob's restoration talents on his BAB site?

[Mongo]

What a tool!