mendeola transaxles update

[fact5racer]

Seeing I just found out the the Navy Seal Unit 6 team is now having a mockup of the Mendeola building being constructed, I am afraid that is not a good sign that we will be seeing our transaxles this month.

[The Stig]

Seeing I just found out the the Navy Seal Unit 6 team is now having a mockup of the Mendeola building being constructed, I am afraid that is not a good sign that we will be seeing our transaxles this month.

LOL!!!! You think?

[riptide motorsport]

too funny!

[crash]

Even funnier if you know Mike Mendeola.

He more than likely would be one of the guys ON SEAL Team 6, as opposed to be sought by them!

Anyway, I've been down to Mendeola a couple times in the last month or so and ALL the benches are full of the FFR transaxles. Be assured that everyone at Mendeola is working overtime to get these gearboxes done, and done right.

Patience, patience.

[Mendeola Transaxles]

FFR forum:



My name is Mike Mendeola, president of Mendeola Transaxles. This entry into the forum is to address the unfortunate delays concerning our SDR-5 STAGE1 transaxle. For those GTM owners anxiously awaiting their transmissions I sincerely apologies for any inconvenience that this situation may have caused you. Our mission is to get your car street ready in the least amount of time. We are working feverishly to accomplish this.



Our two major stumbling blocks currently, are completed gearsets, and ring and pinions. I am in constant contact with both manufacturers.We are working diligently to resolve these issues. We are confident in our ability to correct the problem. I have spoken to Dave Smith and assured him that I will have a new delivery date next week: 5-11-11.



Also in the conversation with Mr. Smith. We agreed that it would serve both companies well if I personally attended the FFR open house on June 11. I have the plane ticket, and I’m coming!!! I’ll be set up under the tent with a full display of SDR-5 Stage1 parts. Have any, and all questions ready. Both technical and business.



Thank you very much for you time and patience. See ya at the open house.



Mike Mendeola

[oldguy668]

Mike, welcome to the forum and thanks for the update. It's refreshing to see and hear from proactive vendors. Make sure you look up Gary Cheney (fact5racer) when you get to the open house. Just in case you don't know who he is, here are a couple of pictures so you can pick him out of the crowd...

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad57/joe_leone/Jinglespan.jpg?t=1304712106

[fact5racer]

Joe, your just jealous of my boots!

[Kempo]

Subscribed to this post for the update.

[LCD Gauges]

Nice to get updates from the president of the company. That's class!

[fact5racer]

"I have spoken to Dave Smith and assured him that I will have a new delivery date next week: 5-11-11."

It is now the 14th, What's the "new" delivery date?

[Kempo]

:confused:

[fact5racer]

So......are we ever getting an update?

[Mendeola Transaxles]

Thanks for the welcome to the FF forum. It’s a pleasure to be part of America’s #1 kit car manufacturer. The quality of the cars and attention to detail speak for themselves.

With Mendeola’s 40 years of experience in the gear box industry, the marriage of the GTM and SDR-5 is a ‘gloved’ fit.

We continue to work with our vendors on streamlining the delivery of our first SDR production run. We are striving diligently to reduce the initial lead time. Our ring and pinion supplier has located an alternate source for heat treat and is finalizing the processing date. We will have the new delivery date as soon as we confirm processing dates with suppliers.

Mendeola will make every effort to provide quality gear boxes at the necessary price point.

For all those who will be attending the open house, I’ll see you there!!!



Regards,



Mike Mendeola

[Mendeola Transaxles]

Parts starting to come in:
213622692270
2137
2138

[Mendeola Transaxles]

Mendeola Powertrain, along with both ring & pinion and gear manufacturers, have ironed out our final challenges dealing with our current delivery issues. Both entities have ‘assured’ us (barring freak sun spot activity) that we can begin shipping July 30th.

We again apologize for any inconvenience this delay may have caused some of you. We continue to work on our customers behalf as rapidly as possible.

Thank you,

Mike Mendeola

See ya @ the open house this weekend!

[Kempo]

This was posted by Dave on a thread about the coupe rear glass. Looks like the wait is coming to an end.
"Russ,

My long summer of discontent is rapidly coming to an end. We've got almost every single supplier issue worked out, what reamins is Mendeola (who asked for the first batch of cust names to ship to) and the rear glass hatch, that is being made by an American Supplier in good old Ohio!. I am really sorry for the delays and this whole Coupe hatch thing is going to make me so happy when they have all shipped. Dave "

[fact5racer]

I sure hope that we start to get some GOOD news about our transaxles soon! So much for me testing at Mosport on May 2nd and 3rd!

[Mendeola Transaxles]

A quick update on SDR deliveries – We realize July 30th has arrived, but unfortunately the new 3.55 ring and pinions have not. We received an e-mail from our supplier Thursday saying that the gears had been delivered to grind. We have been told grinding will take 2 weeks. Lapping to match sets - 3 to 4 days. Once shipping has brought them to us - 4 to 5 days to test initial assembly and certify components roadworthy.
We realize how annoying these delays have become. Trust me when I tell you, no one is more frustrated with this situation than I am. Projected shipping date for first unit: August 31st.

Thanks again for your patience,

Mike Mendeola

[fact5racer]

Wish like hell I didn't sell that Porsche transaxle that I originally bought for my GTM.

If (and we all know how big that "IF" is) my transaxle is done by the end of the month, then add a week to ship it here, that gives me about 6 weeks, if that, to have my heavily sponsored GTM ready for shipping to Vegas for SEMA! I don't know about the rest of you, but I have to seriously start deciding within the next week to go shopping for a Porsche box or not. I am so financially screwed if I am not done for SEMA, a car that was supposed to not only appear at SEMA but was supposed to be track tested and sorted out beforehand. If I showed up on a jobsite that I was supposed to start FOUR MONTHS EARLIER I would have my *** handed to me! Like I said earlier, I am getting so tired of the gypsies in this business, whether it's bodyshops, mechanics, motor builders, and now transaxle companies. All I know is they all wouldn't last a month in the construction business here in New England.

[ArtGirl]

If (and we all know how big that "IF" is) my transaxle is done by the end of the month, then add a week to ship it here, that gives me about 6 weeks, if that, to have my heavily sponsored GTM ready for shipping to Vegas for SEMA!

Does the car need to run at SEMA, or just look good?

[fact5racer]

I promised KONI a "real" car, not a poser.

[Rick Williams]

What really bothers me is that the latest Mendeola post implies that the delay wasn't known until Thursday. If it's true, that displays absolutely unacceptable communications with their supplier. On the other hand, if Mendeola knew they weren't going to make the latest deadline but chose to wait until now to tell us, it displays absolutely poor communications with their customers. Neither is acceptable and, just like Gary said, if I had missed deadlines in my business the way Mendeola does, I would have had my *** handed to me. No...That's not quite true. I'd be out of business.

At this point I have no choice but to wait...again. However, I would expect at least a weekly status update and preferably twice weekly. That means calling or visiting the supplier and making sure things are on track for an August 31st deadline and letting us know what's going on. Honest and forthright information, good or bad, allows me to make decisions and is far better than false expectations. No more surprises!

[The Stig]

I probably don't have the same right to question this situation as builders such as Gary Cheney or Rick Williams. I went with the Porsche G50/03 5spd. But I have to tell you, I came very very close to sending the $7500.00 entry fee to Factory Five.

It's hard to imagine what could cause such delays for machine work like this. I understand that we are talking about precision parts, but it shouldn't take a year to create 50 to 100 ring and pinion sets. The only supplier delays that I've heard of recently, that made sense in terms of length of time, was for complex parts coming from Japanese suppliers after the Tsunami.

It's one thing to lay the blame on the suppliers, but you should have some reason that backs it up. So far, all that has been said is that the supplier is having issues...

There has been a good bit of money paid in advance, and in good faith, for these gearboxes. In many cases, the buyer has no choice but to sit and wait for the boxes to be delivered. I am not going to go into much detail, but there are other viable choices. Porsche and Recardo gearboxes are available. I think that there is another choice that is being offered by RCR. At least I've noticed that they're advertising their new gearbox in their print ads. No idea of the cost though.

The self-imposed deadline for shipment was today, 7/31. The boxes would be shipped by this date. To hear at 9:30 pm last night, on 7/30, that the new date is 8/31, leaves me wondering whether or not a similar message will be sent out at 9:30 pm September 30th.

I think that for those who aren't in a huge rush to get their gearboxes, this could still be a pretty good investment; understanding that it may be Christmas before you find out when it will actually ship. But I can certainly understand the frustration felt by those who are building against specific timelines. There is nothing worse than being told repeatedly that the last piece of the puzzle can't be had for another month. And then another, and another...

It's a shame really. This gear box appears to have the potential to be a HUGE plus for the mid-engine kit car world. And as a company, Medeola has a solid reputation for durable and reliable transaxles. So what is the real story with this initial hand full of gearboxes?

Again, I have no stake in this situation. I'm just sort of thinking out loud. Hopefully Mendeola can get this turned around ahead of their new 8/31 schedule. I'm sure that they realize that the people, who have been patiently waiting, deserve it.

[Gopher]

I thought the two month wait for my fuel cell was ridiculous.It kinda sounds like bought in Japan assembled in America.Whats the cost to cancel your orders and go else where.

[Rick Williams]

Whats the cost to cancel your orders and go else where.

Direct cost is nothing. Simply notify FFR (or in my case Whitby since I ordered my kit through them) and get your deposit back. But that's not the entire issue. Many have already bought the clutch, pressure plate, and t/o bearing plus IMI starter that are specific to this transaxle. At best, returning those items might incur return shipment cost but more than likely there'd be a restocking fee. To be honest, I personally haven't purchased that stuff yet because this whole transaction has smelled fishy for a while now. I've told myself to wait until the transaxle is in my grubby hands before making any more financial commitments. The real problem is what I'll call the "hassle factor." The GTM, if ordered with the Mendeola, had certain items like the adaptor plate deleted so these would have to be requested from Factory Five. Then there's the re-education regarding the Porsche transaxles and another time delay while finding a good used unit, shipping it to a vendor for modification, re-gearing 4th and 5th, etc. I don't want to go through all that if it's truly only going to be another month.

What it boils down to is that the smartest course of action is to wait...again. Gary has a specific deadline but for me, I keep thinking that another month isn't bad and isn't worth the hassle of changing direction. It's summer and I have plenty of other things keeping me busy. The problem is, another month keeps turning into another month, and another month, and another month. That's why I think honest communication is essential. It's impossible to make rational decisions without good information. Had I known it would take this long back when orders were first being taken I might not have done it. At this point though, Mendeola has me by the cajones. Heck, another month isn't going to kill me. I just wish I could believe that it is truly only another month. There isn't a whole lot of credibility left.

[sasha]

This sounds like what's called "poor crisis management" in my field.. Time for discounts, refunds, and expedited custom parts for initial customers, if one would like to attract any customers in the future.

Gary, my build won't suffer if you borrow my G50-20 while you wait (It's installed and all but in dire times, etc)..

[The Stig]

This sounds like what's called "poor crisis management" in my field.. Time for discounts, refunds, and expedited custom parts for initial customers, if one would like to attract any customers in the future.

Gary, my build won't suffer if you borrow my G50-20 while you wait (It's installed and all but in dire times, etc)..

Wow!!! Now that is what I call friendship. That's a very kind gesture! Way to go Sasha! :cool:

[afourcault]

In my line of work if we don't deliver to the customer on time we get slapped financially (e.g. the aircraft that's late gets taken out of the company's profit margin for the contract and essentially makes every thing done to that aircraft free) and then we risk loose the contract with the airline.

[Dave Smith]

I spoke to Mike Mendeola (the manufacturer of the new GTM transmission) today and asked him respectfully for detailed ship dates as this project has been delayed beyond reason. This has been the single largest and worst production delay in the history of Factory Five Racing. Unfortunately we have committed to product based on the assurances we were given by Mendeola and are truly powerless to effect a difference. Still, after these numerous delays, Mike has given me new dates and I wanted to communicate them to you guys.

I also wanted to give you some options (other parts, refunds, etc) and assure you that Factory Five will stand by your decision 100 percent.

Mendeola Production Schedule as of Tuesday August 2, 2011:
First 5 transmissions will be completed by Aug 31 and will ship September 1st and 2nd.
Units will continue in production at 6-8 per week and ship as they are built (about 2 per day).

Customers will ship in the order we originally received the purchase. Payment will be made to Mendeola individually as units ship (we have customer money in a dedicated account).

Anyone who either does not want to wait, or does not believe this new ship date can receive a full refund no questions asked and accompanied by my sincere apologies.

Mike has stated that he has ALL the parts needed except for the 3.55 gears. He CAN ship 4.11 gear rear ends within 10 days, so if anyone is building a dedicated track car, we can change your order easily. I have personally tested a 4.11 gear and am confident that this gear is not going to be acceptable for street driving applications, still it is a viable option for track cars.

I am frustrated beyond words and am hopeful that Mike will meet this most recent production schedule. As a company, Factory Five Racing has done everything possible to get these units made and shipped, but this is 100 percent in the hands of the guys at Mendeola. I have suspended sales of these units and will not take any new orders until these parts are built, in stock and ready for delivery.

Mike also told me that prices will be going up on these units but that the orders placed to date are set. I apologize sincerely for this entire project and understand anyone who wishes to cancel their orders. Mike said that he is happy to speak to anyone with an order pending and his number is 619-710-8800.

I sincerely like the guys (Mike and Ian) at Mendeola. I understand production delays but cannot understand the repeated delays over and over and over. I am hopeful that they will unltimately succeed in this project and it seems they are very close (but it has seemed this way before).

Still, Mike has committed to new ship dates and we have come so far... I, and the staff here have investigated every transmission option imaginable. I give you my most abject and humble apologies.

Dave Smith

[Radkat]

Thanks Dave. We appreciate you touching bases with us on the Transaxles. It's very frustrating, but when we know you are doing all you can and communicating with us, that's meaningful.

[Kempo]

Dave,

Thanks for the update in the situation. I'm sticking with the Mendeola. Is there any chance you guys can post a list of names in the order the Mendeolas were ordered. With this list and the amount of tranaxles being delivered per week we can have an idea of when to expect our individual orders to be filled.

Hugo

[riptide motorsport]

Sorry.........we don't have your transaxle, can't tell you when you'll get one and by the way,,,,we're going to raise the prices,,,,way to go Mendola!!! you guys are a piece of work, wonder how deep a hole you'll dig.....JMHO...Steven

[fact5racer]

This is what really makes me proud of the FFR Company and it's family of owners. Not only did Dave call me offering the transaxle out of the yellow car by the end of the month......TWO fellow GTM builders contacted me willing to allow me to use theirs until after the show!

$7500 for a transaxle
$20,000 for a kit
being part of the FFR family: PRICELESS!

[afourcault]

I can honestly say that this is a first for me to whitness in all of my years in the auto hobby scene. this just further reinforces my decision to join this tight knit community. I have been a member on other forums kit and genral auto related but this is honestly a first and it kinda makes me proud to see it. to dave you and your company have earned my respect both personaly and profesionally. to the members of this forum you also have earned my respect and admeration. its honestly not that often that this quickly i am drawn to a community.

[Flamshackle]

wow this is the best handled mess I have witnessed in some time... and iv seen a lot of mess over the years! well done Dave on your sincere words and care for your community.

[Rick Williams]

A quick update on SDR deliveries – We realize July 30th has arrived, but unfortunately the new 3.55 ring and pinions have not. We received an e-mail from our supplier Thursday saying that the gears had been delivered to grind. We have been told grinding will take 2 weeks. Lapping to match sets - 3 to 4 days. Once shipping has brought them to us - 4 to 5 days to test initial assembly and certify components roadworthy.
We realize how annoying these delays have become. Trust me when I tell you, no one is more frustrated with this situation than I am. Projected shipping date for first unit: August 31st.

Thanks again for your patience,

Mike Mendeola

It's been roughly two weeks since grinding was supposed to be complete. Has anyone at Mendeola been in touch with the supplier to make sure the supplier is on schedule? Are we going to be kept informed of status? This is the kind of communication that I'd like to see. Keep us informed. As I said in an earlier post, no more surprises please. I don't want to see another post on August 31st saying there'll be another delay.

[Dave Smith]

Rick/Guys,

I just got back to FFR this am and will be speaking to Mike today. I know that Patti here has been in constant communication with him as we are at DEFCON1 with respect to this entire project. I was on a family vacation in Michigan and my mom fell and broke her hip (!), so it was spent shuttling kids around, hospital visits and arrangements... anyway, I'm plowing thru stuff today and tomorrow (so if you sent me a PM, I'll be on it shortly) and will let you know where we are. In a move of confidence, I sold Cheney my trans out of the Gen 2 GTM so that he could wrap up his KONI/SEMA car (also the one I was driving was the 4.11 rear, good for track but not great on the street) and I am sitting here with an empty engine bay waiting like all of you guys for my transmission. The minute we get it in I will be installing it and dropping the hammer on it with the new shifter... More as I know.

[Kempo]

Rick/Guys,

I just got back to FFR this am and will be speaking to Mike today. I know that Patti here has been in constant communication with him as we are at DEFCON1 with respect to this entire project. I was on a family vacation in Michigan and my mom fell and broke her hip (!), so it was spent shuttling kids around, hospital visits and arrangements... anyway, I'm plowing thru stuff today and tomorrow (so if you sent me a PM, I'll be on it shortly) and will let you know where we are. In a move of confidence, I sold Cheney my trans out of the Gen 2 GTM so that he could wrap up his KONI/SEMA car (also the one I was driving was the 4.11 rear, good for track but not great on the street) and I am sitting here with an empty engine bay waiting like all of you guys for my transmission. The minute we get it in I will be installing it and dropping the hammer on it with the new shifter... More as I know.

Dave,

Thanks for that quick reply. I'm glad Gary can now move forward with his project. Hope your mom gets well soon.

[Radkat]

Hi Dave,
So sorry to hear about your Mom, she will be in our prayers. Thanks for the feedback/update on the Transaxles, we hope all is on schedule.

[fact5racer]

Thanks Dave, Took me 6 hours and 1 pint of blood to get it out but it now has a nice home. My wife is upset saying it's gonna make a permanent impression in our mattress between us seeing I am storing it there in bed until my car is finished being painted over the next 3-5 days. Anyone know what number mattress setting a mendeola SDR takes ?

[The Stig]

Thanks Dave, Took me 6 hours and 1 pint of blood to get it out but it now has a nice home. My wife is upset saying it's gonna make a permanent impression in our mattress between us seeing I am storing it there in bed until my car is finished being painted over the next 3-5 days. Anyone know what number mattress setting a mendeola SDR takes ?

I believe that the Mendeola takes a "27"... I could be wrong though.

[Radkat]

Thanks Dave, Took me 6 hours and 1 pint of blood to get it out but it now has a nice home. My wife is upset saying it's gonna make a permanent impression in our mattress between us seeing I am storing it there in bed until my car is finished being painted over the next 3-5 days. Anyone know what number mattress setting a mendeola SDR takes ?

I think the comfort level setting for an SDR is 818!

[Mendeola Transaxles]

35213522352535233526

[kabacj]

35213522352535233526

Looks Great! Of course some of us are frustrated, however we are all looking forward to the results. Don't take it personally we appreciate the effort.

[Kempo]

35213522352535233526

Those are some sweet looking parts. Were those taken in the manufacturer or have they been delivered to your factory? Thanks for the pics.

[Mendeola Transaxles]

@ the factory for me to assemble

[Mendeola Transaxles]

It's been roughly two weeks since grinding was supposed to be complete. Has anyone at Mendeola been in touch with the supplier to make sure the supplier is on schedule? Yes Are we going to be kept informed of status?Just like we have been. This is the kind of communication that I'd like to see. Keep us informed.will do As I said in an earlier post, no more surprises please. I don't want to see another post on August 31st saying there'll be another delay.neither do we
Still don't have your info?

[Kempo]

@ the factory for me to assemble

AWESOME NEWS!!!!!!!!! I hope you won't be using the wagons on your avatar for deliveries ;)

[Mendeola Transaxles]

Thanks Dave, Took me 6 hours and 1 pint of blood to get it out but it now has a nice home. My wife is upset saying it's gonna make a permanent impression in our mattress between us seeing I am storing it there in bed until my car is finished being painted over the next 3-5 days. Anyone know what number mattress setting a mendeola SDR takes ?

Damn, Gary-with your skills after building 2 GTM's this should be a cake walk-why is this not rolling yet?
Transaxles the last of your worries.
Did Dave give the shifter with it?-use the cables that were with it
I have the shifter I bought you, that you never installed. its the same piece.
Make sure FFR shows you how to set it up.
IK

[Mendeola Transaxles]

I believe that the Mendeola takes a "27"... I could be wrong though.

That units a "18"

[Rick Williams]

Rick/Guys,

I just got back to FFR this am and will be speaking to Mike today. I know that Patti here has been in constant communication with him as we are at DEFCON1 with respect to this entire project. I was on a family vacation in Michigan and my mom fell and broke her hip (!), so it was spent shuttling kids around, hospital visits and arrangements... anyway, I'm plowing thru stuff today and tomorrow (so if you sent me a PM, I'll be on it shortly) and will let you know where we are. In a move of confidence, I sold Cheney my trans out of the Gen 2 GTM so that he could wrap up his KONI/SEMA car (also the one I was driving was the 4.11 rear, good for track but not great on the street) and I am sitting here with an empty engine bay waiting like all of you guys for my transmission. The minute we get it in I will be installing it and dropping the hammer on it with the new shifter... More as I know.

I'm really sorry to hear about your mother. Family always comes first so take good care of her.

As for the Mendeola status, thanks for letting me know a little bit about what's up. As I've said before, delays aren't going to kill me. It's just the uncertainty that's frustrating.

[Rick Williams]

Still don't have your info?

I do now and thanks. Looks to me like things are still on schedule to meet the end of August deadline. It's really nice to be kept informed instead of just shrugging and wondering when my transaxle will show up.

[fact5racer]

YEs, I got everything out of the yellow car including shifter and cables, flywheel, clutch, MC, and I already have both starters here. Does a manual come with the SDR? Also down the road if I choose, can I change it to 355 gears if I want?

[Mendeola Transaxles]

YEs, I got everything out of the yellow car including shifter and cables, flywheel, clutch, MC, and I already have both starters here. Does a manual come with the SDR? No Also down the road if I choose, can I change it to 355 gears if I want? No

Like I said- what is in the yellow car is a series II not the FFR/series I.

[fact5racer]

Still a better setup for what my car is intended for.

[Kempo]

35213522352535233526

Hi Ian,

How about a few more teaser pictures?

[riptide motorsport]

And tommorrow is Aug. 30th.............and the beat goes on.......the beat goes on.

[ArtGirl]

YEs, I got everything out of the yellow car including shifter and cables, flywheel, clutch, MC

And what brand/model is that clutch and flywheel?

[Joe Mush]

Hi Ian,

Are you shipping any this week?

[fact5racer]

And what brand/model is that clutch and flywheel?
Art, the one in the yellow car is a stage 2 Mendeola, so what I have installed may be different than others.

[crash]

OK, I don't want to make anyone pee their pants or anything, but I talked with Ian last week about some other items and asked about the FFR SDR program. He said things were proceeding well and that the first batch should be headed out this week! Not the official word from Mendeola, as I am not an employee there or anything, but regardless, it sounds like the transaxles are really REALLY close to going out. Again, from past experience with Mendeola, you guys will likely be OK with the delays once you have the gear box. They should be more than worth the wait. :)

[Joe Mush]

Thanks for the up date crash

[Rick Williams]

OK, I don't want to make anyone pee their pants or anything, but I talked with Ian last week about some other items and asked about the FFR SDR program. He said things were proceeding well and that the first batch should be headed out this week! Not the official word from Mendeola, as I am not an employee there or anything, but regardless, it sounds like the transaxles are really REALLY close to going out. Again, from past experience with Mendeola, you guys will likely be OK with the delays once you have the gear box. They should be more than worth the wait. :)

This is crazy. I went to this thread thinking I would post with a request for an update. Well...there's an update already posted but it's from Crash, not Mendeola. It's this lack of communication that is frustrating. Why do I have to hear about status secondhand? Are the transaxles shipping and if so, in what order? When can I expect to see mine?

[crash]

I believe Ian posted in another thread that the transaxles would be shipping out in lots of about 5 at a time. I also believe this batch setup was going out on a first ordered, first out basis. In other words, those that got their orders in first would get their transaxles first. Makes sense to me.

The Mendeola crew probably aren't saying much because they are busy buttoning up the first batch to ship!! That would be my guess anyway. ;)

[Joe Mush]

I got a email from Ian saying that the first five should ship this week.

[dm65]

Does anyone know how the process is going to be done for the next round of orders? Or when we can order?

[crash]

IIRC, you can order RIGHT NOW.

Unless FFR has stopped accepting orders until the boxes start shipping or something. Probably best to contact FFR about it.

Last I had heard there were about 40 of these transaxles that had been ordered through FFR. :)

If you have a need for this transaxle in the next six months to a year, I would think you would want to get on the list.

[Kempo]

Does anyone know how the process is going to be done for the next round of orders? Or when we can order?

This is from post number 29 by Dave Smith on this thread

"I am frustrated beyond words and am hopeful that Mike will meet this most recent production schedule. As a company, Factory Five Racing has done everything possible to get these units made and shipped, but this is 100 percent in the hands of the guys at Mendeola. I have suspended sales of these units and will not take any new orders until these parts are built, in stock and ready for delivery."

But as Crash advised you can always call FFR and ask to be placed in line. I'm sure Mendeola will be shipping them very soon and order taking will resume soon after that happens.

[dm65]

Thanks, FF5 was still on hold for new orders last time I checked. And will not make a list of new orders! So I guess it's a wait and see.

[kabacj]

I got a email from Ian saying that the first five should ship this week.

That is awesome news Joe!

Thanks for passing it on. I for one am very excited to get my build back on track.

John

[riptide motorsport]

I wouldn't hold my breath. I'll bet the buffalo bills win a superbowl first.

[kabacj]

I wouldn't hold my breath. I'll bet the buffalo bills win a superbowl first.

Ha you may be right Riptide, but I hope you are wrong. I look at it this way. This situation has turned my build from planned 6 month sprint to a leisurely 12 month stroll. I'm doing modifications that would have never been part of the sprint build. At least in my case all the deadlines were artificial. I don't think im going to give anybody the chance to win a superbowl however before I finish one way or another. I wonder how the GTM will drive in the snow.

[spytech]

And here I was impatient waiting a month for carquip to get my transaxle to me, haha.

[lrt1941]

FF5 When will you be shipping the Parts needed to install the mendola? I!m talking about the shifter and rear transmission mount.
Thanks Leonard

[The Stig]

Do those not ship with the transmission?

[crash]

From what I have heard, FFR wanted a specific mount and shifter to go on this transaxle project, so FFR is supplying those directly to the customers.

[Mendeola Transaxles]

And here I was impatient waiting a month for carquip to get my transaxle to me, haha.

Pretty sure they did not make the parts 100% for there gearbox.haha

[Mendeola Transaxles]

Do those not ship with the transmission?

These items will not ship with the transaxle.

[Dj22]

When can we order shifters thru FFR and expect the other completion parts?

Or does defcon 1 mean no updates and radio silence. :D

#375

[Mendeola Transaxles]

When can we order shifters thru FFR and expect the other completion parts?

Or does defcon 1 mean no updates and radio silence. :D

#375
Thats up to FFR they have tabs on who will get parts.

Run Silent, Run Deep

[Dj22]

Thats up to FFR they have tabs on who will get parts.

Run Silent, Run Deep

Thanks for responding on FFRs behalf but we already know this and need a response from them. How bout an update from the mendeola side instead, especially unit 12 as I'm waiting back a quote to decide if i have to plan a drive to the border.

[Dave Smith]

I spoke to Ian on the phone yesterday and he did not ship any units this past week as we were promised. Ian told me that he was working this weekend and the first five units will ship on Tues, Wed, and Thursday. The following week will see another 5 units shipped and then one or two units the next week. Then they will need 2 weeks of restock/set-up to continue. I and the crew at FFR are truly helpless in this effort and I regret the entire project as my personal credibility was put on the line on behalf of commitments made and broken by Mendeola repeatedly. Still, we put customer deposits and payments into a dedicated account and so at a minimum, no-ones money is at risk and never has been. In 15 years I have never taken an order that I could not fulfill or refund no matter what. On the positive side I do believe that Ian is doing his best and we are days from seeing boxes land in peoples garages. Jesper can update you guys on the better shifters (cable vs older solid linkage units) but to suggest the shifters has ANY affect or delay on this transaxle program is not accurate.

Lastly, I will not accept new orders on these units, based on past performance, until Mendeola can redeem themselves by having units IN STOCK and ready for delivery. I accept 100 percent of the responsibility for this problem and should have had the wisdom to wait until Mendeola had units in stock before accepting orders. My mistake was understandable based on Mendeolas 30+ years in business and Mike's emphatic guarantees, but still, I took the orders and the blame lies with me.

I am very anxious to see the reports once production begins (translation, boxes ship) and hope that the future for FFR-Mendeola is brighter than the past year. Redemption is as easy as building and shipping quality product and meeting commitments to the people who pay our salaries.

[Joe Mush]

Thanks for the update Dave

[Radkat]

Hi Dave,
Let me also add my thanks. This has been frustrating for everyone, but it's nice to hear an update
and encouraging that the first wave will be shipped very soon.

[sressue]

I'm waiting to hear if my unit is one of the 12 being sent out in the next two weeks or if I have to wait for the RESTOCKING/SET-UP before mine is expected. Is there a shipping list? Not sure where I stand but thought I was one of the first to buy.

[Rick Williams]

Like sressue, I think I'm one of the early ones. I ordered my kit through Whitby so if someone at FFR establishes a priority list they'll have to check the Whitby order.

[flotowngtm]

Dave has to be the most stand up guy I know ( well I don't know personally but maby one day )

[The Stig]

Dave has to be the most stand up guy I know ( well I don't know personally but maby one day )

I've had the opportunity to meet and talk to Dave, and You're right. He's a good guy. He truly feels the need to make sure that the FFR experience is the best that it can be for all Factory Five customers. That's one of the main reasons that this Forums exists.

Factory Five Racing really is an extension of Dave Smith.

It's kind of odd that there isn't a Factory Five Surf Board in the product line... :D

[Sailor]

I spoke to Ian on the phone yesterday and he did not ship any units this past week as we were promised. Ian told me that he was working this weekend and the first five units will ship on Tues, Wed, and Thursday. The following week will see another 5 units shipped and then one or two units the next week. Then they will need 2 weeks of restock/set-up to continue. I and the crew at FFR are truly helpless in this effort and I regret the entire project as my personal credibility was put on the line on behalf of commitments made and broken by Mendeola repeatedly. Still, we put customer deposits and payments into a dedicated account and so at a minimum, no-ones money is at risk and never has been. In 15 years I have never taken an order that I could not fulfill or refund no matter what. On the positive side I do believe that Ian is doing his best and we are days from seeing boxes land in peoples garages. Jesper can update you guys on the better shifters (cable vs older solid linkage units) but to suggest the shifters has ANY affect or delay on this transaxle program is not accurate.

Lastly, I will not accept new orders on these units, based on past performance, until Mendeola can redeem themselves by having units IN STOCK and ready for delivery. I accept 100 percent of the responsibility for this problem and should have had the wisdom to wait until Mendeola had units in stock before accepting orders. My mistake was understandable based on Mendeolas 30+ years in business and Mike's emphatic guarantees, but still, I took the orders and the blame lies with me.

I am very anxious to see the reports once production begins (translation, boxes ship) and hope that the future for FFR-Mendeola is brighter than the past year. Redemption is as easy as building and shipping quality product and meeting commitments to the people who pay our salaries.




Now that's INTEGRITY. We should all strive to be men like Dave.

[crash]

Well, Dave, I just don't see it from your angle.

You asked Mendeola to build you a CUSTOM BOX with non-standard ring and pinion, non-standard synchros, and all the related parts that would also be "non-standard". You wanted this done at a price point of about HALF what a "normal" Mendeola box goes for, and you wanted them in a rather short timeframe. Now add all that to a historically VERY difficult economic period for the entire country, and indeed world, and I just don't see how you could possibly expect Mendeola to build boxes before having orders in hand. These are not cheap pieces to build, and I really, for the life of me, don't completely understand how Mendeola can send these beautiful pieces of precision machinery out the door at your demanded price point.

I visited Mendeola on Friday and ALL THE PIECES ARE THERE for the first few boxes, and indeed these first few were almost complete as of September 2nd. Most everything for what looks like about 40-50 boxes total are also sitting on the shelves on pallets but, as I said, these are precision pieces, and a very specific setup must be done TO EACH BOX.

Quite frankly, while I share your concept of not promoting something until you have it in stock and ready to ship, in this situation, I think you are doing little other than trying to pass the blame, if there is any, which I really don't think there is, for the boxes taking longer to produce than people, including yourself, would like.

Let me put it another way, if you really wanted the boxes to be on your shelves before advertising that they were available, why didn't YOU put up the cash to produce the first dozen units?

Now I will say that I too have had some discussions with Mike about needing an item by a certain date, and sometimes it takes longer than I would like, but when the pieces are all there, the units are going together, will be shipped in a matter of days, if not shipping TODAY, and the guys at Mendeola are bending over backwords and look like they haven't slept in a week, I really don't see the need or wisdom in posting such a critical statement about Mendeola.

Somebody told me once that when you were in a business contract, or sponsorship deal, with someone else, regardless of what went on in the backround, to the public it HAD to look like you supported each other 100%. Anything else would be completely unprofessional. Those were wise words, and something we should all strive to follow...IMHO.

Just some observations. :cool:

[mmaragos]

The short of it is Mendeola missed on multiple promised delivery dates. It is inconsequential how good of a price Dave negotiated or how many demands he was putting on Mendeola or the state of the economy - Mendeola agreed to do it and made promises - then continually came up short with those promises. If it was so apparent that it would be impossible to build those boxes within the time table given, why on Earth did Mendeola agree to do it? I don't want an answer, just stating the obvious question.

[crash]

I was not privy to the conversations between Dave Smith and Mike Mendeola, but I have never seen a statement posted that said "I promise to have those transaxles delivered on XX date". I have seen plenty of ESTIMATIONS of when the gearboxes would be available.

I'm thinking maybe everyone is just really anxious to get this part and the expectations may have gotten ahead of themselves.

Have I told you guys about the truck that I ordered from Dodge that was sitting in the factory for 15 weeks because the six speed stick transmission was on back order?

This is a key part. It is a complex part. It is expensive, and it takes time to produce properly.

That said, if it turns out not to perform as stated, then have at it with Mendeola. I make it my business to hold companies responsible for doing what they say they will do, but so far, I am really not seeing the issue here. Yeah, we all want the parts for our vehicles as soon as possible, and usually that means yesterday, but I just don't see the issue here.

As Dave and Ian have said, the transaxles are currently either shipping or very near to it, but if you do not wish to keep your order pending, I am sure Dave will refund your money, and I am equally sure that someone else will gladly take your order for an ALL NEW parts transaxle for ~$7500.

My point is simply this. The boxes are currently going out, Mendeola never, that I recall, PROMISED a delivery date, you are getting one heck of a deal on a great transaxle, and I'm sure someone else will take up the slack on an order that is cancelled right now as the boxes are, like I said, currently being shipped.

Mike and Ian were waiting for a supplier for some particular parts, the ring and pinions, as I understand, which is basically the foundational guts of this transaxle, so aside from gathering parts for the builds, their hands were really tied as far as actually building transmissions until these parts came in. Since those parts started coming in, and I have talked to them and been down to their facility to see first hand, they have been working non-stop to get these things out the door to you builders. They are doing everything they possibly can to fulfill these orders as fast as they can now that they have the parts that they need. Remember that Mendeola is not solely an FFR supplier, and they have other customers too.

Anyway, as I see it, yeah it is taking longer than anyone would like, including Mendeola, but Mike and the guys at Mendeola are working their ***** off to get these things done, and to come on here and dump on them when they are finally shipping the units, well, I think it stinks.

I think you may have missed my previous point mmaragos. My point was that Dave stated that Mendeola should have built these transaxles and had them on the shelves before offering them to customers, and I believe, given the current economic situation and the nature of this gearbox, that that is not reasonable...unless Dave wanted to front the cash for such an endeavor.

[kabacj]

On a positive note I am thankful to Dave and Factory five for providing such a good kit. I am thankful that Mendeola and Factory five have teamed up to provide this custom solution that will raise the quality of our cars. I am glad Mendeola and Factory Five have invested time and money in this solution so it will be sorted when it arrives.

The Factory Five kit is so sorted that it just goes together like a big model. Rarely are there major issues mostly just the normal assembly challenges.

For those of us that have gone off the reservation modifying stuff its massively time consuming to figure out, mock up, and build or source the modified parts. Mendeola have taken that task on for us and are getting it done.

Nobody is perfect. This are just two small companies doing their best to give us a great product.

We are all just car guys attempting to build a better machine. Rock on Crash, Dave, Ian and Mike!

[mmaragos]

I understood your points crash, but obviously someone gave FFR a ship date, then missed it, revised it and gave another date, then missed it again, etc. Maybe I threw "promise" out there too easily, Dave used it in his last post and it was in my head, but I am like you in that I expect people / companies to deliver on what they say they are going to deliver and within the timetable they helped to establish.

[Dave Smith]

You can search far and wide for any bad comments I've EVER made about a business partner... I just dont roll that way. On the downside, Mike knows that there needs to be accountability for promises made and not fulfilled (Crash, you have not been a party to any of these). As far as blame, I take it all and said as much, still wanting people to know the facts so that they may make their own decisions about waiting or getting their money back. As far as price, Mendeola committed to that price and had it been more, the future may have been different, but I can tell you a thing or two about working for short money, but in this economy, working for short money is still working!

I am anxiously awaiting news that units are shipping. This has been a long time and everything Crash said about the quality of the product, the value, the complexity... all of it is correct and I am still very hopeful that we have the monkey by the tail here. Still, I am sick to my stomach that I took people's money and said 3-4 months delivery, based on what mendeola clearly stated, only to find it was going to be 10 months. I made this deal with Mike at SEMA last year and took orders in November. I, and FFR have been an extremely loyal and supportive partner in this effort, and despite the difficulty, remain committed.

Like I said, the most important thing right now is to get news that units are leaving the building. More news as soon as I get it.

[Kalstar]

On a positive note I am thankful to Dave and Factory five for providing such a good kit. I am thankful that Mendeola and Factory five have teamed up to provide this custom solution that will raise the quality of our cars. I am glad Mendeola and Factory Five have invested time and money in this solution so it will be sorted when it arrives.

The Factory Five kit is so sorted that it just goes together like a big model. Rarely are there major issues mostly just the normal assembly challenges.

For those of us that have gone off the reservation modifying stuff its massively time consuming to figure out, mock up, and build or source the modified parts. Mendeola have taken that task on for us and are getting it done.

Nobody is perfect. This are just two small companies doing their best to give us a great product.

We are all just car guys attempting to build a better machine. Rock on Crash, Dave, Ian and Mike!

You must be in politics. :p

I strongly disagree with Crash. I do not have a dog in this fight and I am not a Fan Boy of anyone or anything, but Dave has been a stand up guy throughout. Mendeola is doing their best but truth is, dates have been missed and just as Dave has taken resposiblity for Mendeola, Mendeola has to take resposiblity for their suppliers. I have been waiting on a wire harness for nearly a month, who should I blame? To single someone out on a forum, let alone the the guy that created your kit, The president of Factory Five and the father of this forum, takes real Balls, could you be the smartest guy I know or just foolish. I do not think you are either. I guess it is best to keep this talk to a PM though.

[Dave Smith]

I met Crash last year at SEMA and he's a solid guy. I know Mike and Ian at Mendeola and they are decent guys. There is nothing personal on this and I can assure you that I have failed in business more times than I can count, still the important thing is to get thru it, do the right thing, and remember who the boss is (the guy paying the bills). This forum has a clear charter to SERVE THE COMMUNITY. No-one is exempt. I serve the community, as does Mendeola. The minute we take money from someone, we work for that person. This forum is growing by the day and while not everything will be perfect, we strive for that and never give up. I can promise you that the guys at Mendeola as well as everyone here are focused on one moment... that is when GTM's with mendy boxes are seen SCREAMING down the track or road. With luck we are closer to this than ever.

[crash]

You must be in politics. :p

I strongly disagree with Crash. I do not have a dog in this fight and I am not a Fan Boy of anyone or anything, but Dave has been a stand up guy throughout. Mendeola is doing their best but truth is, dates have been missed and just as Dave has taken resposiblity for Mendeola, Mendeola has to take resposiblity for their suppliers. I have been waiting on a wire harness for nearly a month, who should I blame? To single someone out on a forum, let alone the the guy that created your kit, The president of Factory Five and the father of this forum, takes real Balls, could you be the smartest guy I know or just foolish. I do not think you are either. I guess it is best to keep this talk to a PM though.

You presume much.

I like and respect both of the other parties involved here in this issue. The only issue I took with Dave's statement was that he says "Lastly, I will not accept new orders on these units, based on past performance, until Mendeola can redeem themselves by having units IN STOCK and ready for delivery. I accept 100 percent of the responsibility for this problem and should have had the wisdom to wait until Mendeola had units in stock before accepting orders. My mistake was understandable based on Mendeolas 30+ years in business and Mike's emphatic guarantees."

While commendable that he won't take more orders until some are actually finished and out the door,(I agree with thAT btw) and also commendable that he is taking responsibility for the issues that arose, it does appear that Dave may be forgeting how we got to this point. If you read my posts on the "other forum" you will see that the Mendeola option is discussed repeatedly and one of my comments was something to the effect "OK so we see that Mendeola can produce what you need (speaking to Dave Smith) and you have the market for this product, so whose going to put up the cash to make it happen?"

Mike Mendeola was unwilling to front the cash due to an unproven market and difficult economic times. Understandable.

Dave Smith was unwilling to front the cash...for whatever reason he had. I don't know what that was, but also, I am sure, reasonable and understandable.

So the issue came down to how to fund it, and the buyers spoke with their dollars.

I think it is all working out well for all the parties involved, except for the fact that there has been some delays, but again the issue I had with Dave's comment was that he should have waited until Mendeola had the product on his shelves waiting for people to place orders that could be immediately filled. Facts are, that just wasn't going to happen. It was plainly apparent then, and a way was concieved to "get the job done".

Back orders are a part of this industry. Always have been, always will be. Fact is that the transmission is arguably the second most complex unit in a vehicle and for a company to go from concept to finished units, even if based upon an off the shelf unit, in less than a year, is, actually, a very impressive feat. Ask any builder of a kit car if they received EVERYTHING 100% when their initial kit arrived, and I think you will get ZERO replies that it did. Granted this delay is longer than say, for the dash, but look at the difference in complexity of the part.

Again, I don't know what promises were made and/or broken between Dave Smith and Mike Mendeola, and frankly, it's really none of our business, but I can tell you that by visiting Mendeola for about an hour on Friday it is impressive the amount of hardware that is sitting in that factory and the scale of this build for the FFR SDR transaxles.

If I get a chance in the next couple days I will go back down and take some pictures to post. I know it is little consolation for those that are anxiously awaiting arrival of your new gearboxes, but maybe it will also give you some perspective on what a monumental task it is to build five of these things, much less 50 at a time. :)

[crash]

I met Crash last year at SEMA and he's a solid guy. I know Mike and Ian at Mendeola and they are decent guys. There is nothing personal on this and I can assure you that I have failed in business more times than I can count, still the important thing is to get thru it, do the right thing, and remember who the boss is (the guy paying the bills). This forum has a clear charter to SERVE THE COMMUNITY. No-one is exempt. I serve the community, as does Mendeola. The minute we take money from someone, we work for that person. This forum is growing by the day and while not everything will be perfect, we strive for that and never give up. I can promise you that the guys at Mendeola as well as everyone here are focused on one moment... that is when GTM's with mendy boxes are seen SCREAMING down the track or road. With luck we are closer to this than ever.

Couldn't agree with you more.

IMHO the difference between talk and a contract is when money changes hands.

I run three businesses and the top two items on our mission statements are:

1) DO THE RIGHT THING

2) SOLVE THE CUSTOMERS PROBLEM

So we come from the same positions there it appears. Like I have said previously, in the immediate future, maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, whatever, the hard work of the guys at Mendeola will pay off for all of us and these anxious times about where we are as far as this project is concerned will be behind us. Believe me, Mike and Ian and the rest of the crew at Mendeola would like nothing more! :)

[Kalstar]

Crash,

Sometimes it is gammon, other times, interpretation. It is not up to me to decide which of those best describe your comments.

[bobzffr]

I find it interesting that all of you who are yelling about the delays in the Mendeola delivery have not once discussed what you would say if they did deliver their product on time and then found out that the parts inside were not up to their standards. Would you be willing to front the additional expense of returning the transmission for updated ring and pinions? Would you be happy with noisy gears because they were not lapped in correctly? Would you be ok with a little less life in the transmission because the better heat treatment process was not used? Do you think they would have been in business for 30 years if they shipped transmissions with parts in them that were not up to their standards just because a few people were upset that they didn't get theirs on time? Which one of you would yell the loudest when your 7500.00 transmission did not perform the way you expected it to? Or would you be willing to say "I don't care that it is noisy, worn out with only xxx miles, doesn't shift like I want it to ... BECAUSE they shipped it to me on time!!!
All of you that are screaming that you want your transmission yesterday should be saying, thank you Mendeola for making sure my transmission is the best you can make it rather than just shipping it out to meet your stated timeline. Just like FFR's GEN 1-4 Roadsters or the GEN 1-2 GTM's things get better as they are sorted out.

[spytech]

I find it interesting that all of you who are yelling about the delays in the Mendeola delivery have not once discussed what you would say if they did deliver their product on time and then found out that the parts inside were not up to their standards. Would you be willing to front the additional expense of returning the transmission for updated ring and pinions? Would you be happy with noisy gears because they were not lapped in correctly? Would you be ok with a little less life in the transmission because the better heat treatment process was not used? Do you think they would have been in business for 30 years if they shipped transmissions with parts in them that were not up to their standards just because a few people were upset that they didn't get theirs on time? Which one of you would yell the loudest when your 7500.00 transmission did not perform the way you expected it to? Or would you be willing to say "I don't care that it is noisy, worn out with only xxx miles, doesn't shift like I want it to ... BECAUSE they shipped it to me on time!!!
All of you that are screaming that you want your transmission yesterday should be saying, thank you Mendeola for making sure my transmission is the best you can make it rather than just shipping it out to meet your stated timeline. Just like FFR's GEN 1-4 Roadsters or the GEN 1-2 GTM's things get better as they are sorted out.

Or just maybe, assuming Mendeola was the one that gave Dave the timeline for project completion, Mendeola, having been in business for 30+ years, could have set a realistic timeline from the start and none of this pissing and moaning would have happened in the first place. If Dave dictated the timeline, Mendeola, having been in business for 30+ years should have said that was not a realistic timeline.

People here screaming and upset have every right be screaming and upset. If someone tells me something is going to be done at a certain time, and I plan for that and months later it still isn't done, you can be sure I'm going to be irked. I know exactly how these guys feel. I went through the same thing with a certain reputable bodyshop from this community telling me my car would be done in 2-3 months, and then it sat untouched for TEN months while I was being told it was being worked on and nearly completed the entire time.

[bobzffr]

I don't remember saying anything in my post about realistic or unrealistic time lines. Unforeseen problems happen in all businesses. There is no sense being upset about delays if they are caused by someone trying to make their product the best they can before shipping it. On the other hand, your body work comparison seems like apples and oranges. If it truly sat for months without being worked on then I would say that the company was not being responsible. If they were trying to just make it flawless then I would say you should thank them.

[spytech]

I don't remember saying anything in my post about realistic or unrealistic time lines. Unforeseen problems happen in all businesses. There is no sense being upset about delays if they are caused by someone trying to make their product the best they can before shipping it. On the other hand, your body work comparison seems like apples and oranges. If it truly sat for months without being worked on then I would say that the company was not being responsible. If they were trying to just make it flawless then I would say you should thank them.
These people purchased a product that was expected to be delivered by X date. It is assumed that the product to be received by that date will be the best product that can be created, not some piece of crap. To say now that it's senseless to be upset because 'they are perfecting it' is lame. 'Perfecting it' should have been already included in the initial timeline. They should have said from the get-go when it would be done realistically and not cause unreasonable expectations in the first place. Yeah delays happen, but the communication while this was all happening was pretty lacking. I think everyone would have rather heard 'you know what, this is taking longer than expected and a reasonable estimate is now 10 months, not 4', rather than saying month after month stuff might be happening... It's easier to stay complacent and calm when you know what to expect, somewhat, than sit here wondering day to day/month to month (like I did for a year with my bodywork).

This situation kind of peeves me (as you can tell, hah) as it reminds me all to much of the waiting/drama I went through, being strung along month after month. At least these guys had the option of canceling at any time and moving on.

[afourcault]

probably just sticking my nose where it doesnt belong.. but i can be known for that at times.. IMHO i belive that no matter how much talk gets done or how many flamed comments get hurrled it still doesnt change the facts. from everything i can tell about either company both are doing the best they can with what they have. FFR cant/shouldnt/and from all i can gather WONT force Mendeola to deliver sub-par equiptment just as Mendeola cant/shouldnt/and from all i can gather WONT force their supplier to deliver sub-par equiptment. everyone is getting all up in arms at eachother and chomping at the bit for equiptment that was promised. this is the real world, things happen here beyond our control, part of being a productive and respectful member of a community is taking that in stride and not turning on each other like a pack of rabbid dogs. things have happened, deadlines have changed,(yes i was one of the ones who at first spoke ill of how Mendeola was handeling things but i am now retracting and appoligising for those statements as i didnt have the full picture.) looking back i can understand BOTH sides of the coin. the very last day i was in iraq as we were headed to the airport to come home we got hit with an ied(no serious injury to any person) and that set our leaving back by 3 weeks for the investigation into what had happened as equiptment had failed in the feild. were all of us pissed, ya you bet, did we have a right to be, we sure felt that we did, who did we look to to blame? the investigators as it was their job to clear us for departure, we were mean to them, talked all kinds of ****, then it came to light that a peice of gear that was supposed to protect us from cell triggered ieds had failed. and thats was what was keeping us there. waiting for the equiptment to come back from a very long and drawn out test set to make sure that it wasnt the users(translation OUR) fault for not updating the equiptment. turns out they were just trying to make sure that our *** was covered and at the sametime tring to prevent more bad from happening... so long story short.. just because your not privy to the whole picture doesnt mean you should attack or disrespect the person you most likely suspect, because as more often than not they are just as innocent as you are in the whole ordeal.

[Rick Williams]

I was not privy to the conversations between Dave Smith and Mike Mendeola, but I have never seen a statement posted that said "I promise to have those transaxles delivered on XX date". I have seen plenty of ESTIMATIONS of when the gearboxes would be available.



HUH! I don't know about you but when someone makes a statement to a customer it's taken as a good faith estimate. Yeah, maybe there's some wiggle room in the time frame but the original delivery date was sometime around March. A month or two slip might have been acceptable but the problem is, some pretty strong statements regarding delivery dates have been made and I viewed them as strong enough statements to be promises. On top of that, there has been very little communication of status. We've typically found out that delivery has slipped right about when we were expecting delivery.

In this thread http://www.ffcars.com/forums/42-factory-five-gtm-forum/263409-mendeola-transaxles.html the following statement was made by Mendeola.

"The NEW STAGE I SDR is in process.
It is 3-4monthes out as FFR stated in there terms for the first 15 units.
edited sorry wrong time frame-02-03-2011 12.00pm" I never did figure out if Mendeola meant from time of order or from 02-03-2011 but even if it was from early February that should have put deliver at no later than sometime in May. Well that didn't happen.

Then there's this statement from this thread in post #5. "I have spoken to Dave Smith and assured him that I will have a new delivery date next week: 5-11-11." That didn't happen.

How about this one from post #15. "Mendeola Powertrain, along with both ring & pinion and gear manufacturers, have ironed out our final challenges dealing with our current delivery issues. Both entities have ‘assured’ us (barring freak sun spot activity) that we can begin shipping July 30th." I might have missed it but I don't remember any freak sun spot activity yet delivery didn't happen.

Here's one from post #18. "Projected shipping date for first unit: August 31st." As we all know, that still hasn't happened.

You can tell me all you want about the complexity, build time, and quality of these gearboxes and that doing the job right takes time. If these things are really as complex as the space shuttle and would therefore take as long as they have for delivery then it should have been stated up front. That is obviously not what Mendeola has been saying to us or to Factory Five. Right now I'm still not sure when my transaxle is going to arrive. Do you? If you don't, why are you interjecting yourself into this thread? All we want is an honest, good faith estimate of when we can each expect to see our transaxles. This needs to come from Mendeola and/or Factory Five.

[crash]

Rick,

Seeing as Dave Smith is about as far away as one can get from Mendeola's manufacturing facility and still be in the U.S., and the guys at Mendeola are busting their chops trying to get customers their transaxles with no time to hold hands on the forums, I was simply trying to give some updates by ACTUALLY GOING TO THEIR LOCATION AND REPORTING WHAT I SAW.

I thought that may be helpful to people, but obviously you don't think so.

About delays. Now I'm not saying that this is what happened, but I can certainly see how this COULD be the case with the limited knowledge that I have of the situation.

Mendeola meets with Smith and projects 3-4 month time frame.

Smith says great and then puts it out to people to put their money up so that this project can be funded.

The project is funded, but in the mean time Dave decides that the 3:55 ring and pinion is what's needed after installing a demo Mendeola box with the 4:11s.

3:55s are ordered, but since this is a COMPLETELY CUSTOM RING AND PINION it takes Mendeola's supplier longer than anyone had hoped.

Not much can be done on the gear boxes other than gathering parts, which obviously, from what I have seen, was done, until the R&Ps show up because the pinion is also the lower main shaft of the gear stack.

R&P manufacturer keeps pushing back the dates, hence Mendeola must also push back the dates.

Finally the R&Ps start showing up and all looks good.

Testing and proofing of the R&Ps show that more labor than anticipated will need to happen before the pieces are in an acceptable state to make sure these things "go the distance" and are the quality products Mendeola is known for.

When the work is near completion and the boxes are just a day or so away from going out, people start a huge *****fest about how their parts aren't delivered yet.

I just don't think it's right. It's understandable, and I would probably be crowing too if my car was sitting there waiting for this last piece to be complete, but I also see the flip side that...well I think I have pretty well stated it already.

Should Mendeola take some heat for these delays? Absolutely. Should Dave Smith take some grief for this? Yes. Should you guys be upset at the suppliers to Mendeola? You betcha. Are you justified in being mad that you don't have your parts? Yes.

Am I trying to make excuses to everyone of why they don't have their gear boxes? NO. What I have been trying to do is to lay out what I know and some possible scenarios that could be the REASONS why you don't have your units, but it is certainly not about making excuses...and BTW there actually WAS freak/out of the ordinary sun spot activity two to three weeks ago! :D

The bottom line is that the parts are there, the boxes are going together, and things are moving forward quickly now.:cool:

[David Hodgkins]

I for one would like to thank crash for going above and beyond in trying to give us updates on the exact status of the boxes. Ideally I think perhaps that info would have been better conveyed by the vendor directly, but crash did a good job of keeping everyone up to date.

I also think guys are right to express displeasure if they are being affected by the current delay.

Now with that said, maybe it's time to move on and await word from Mendeola as to when guys can expect to take delivery, and then perhaps we can all gain insight from this experience, wiser to the ways of R&D and the complexities of a small business bringing a new, substantial custom part to market...

My $.02...

:)

[crash]

Ut-oh. This isn't looking good...

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/09/07/sun-unleashes-two-massive-x-class-solar-flares/?test=faces

:)

[fact5racer]

Ut-oh. This isn't looking good...

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/09/07/sun-unleashes-two-massive-x-class-solar-flares/?test=faces

:)

Oh-oh is right. Crash, maybe those waiting for their transaxles should paypal you $25.00 each, that way you can run over to the factory and hand out sunglasses and sunscreen so they can keep going!

[Rick Williams]

Ut-oh. This isn't looking good...

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/09/07/sun-unleashes-two-massive-x-class-solar-flares/?test=faces

:)

I just got a PM from Mendeola with an update on the status of my transaxle. Honestly, I really appreciate that. It's not hand holding. It's just good communications.

Now this damn solar flare activity...OH $#&*!

[Joe Mush]

I think a update today from Mendeola or Factory Five would be a great thing. Just to let us know what's going on.

Thanks
Joe

[ArtGirl]

Ask any builder of a kit car if they received EVERYTHING 100% when their initial kit arrived, and I think you will get ZERO replies that it did.


As I've mentioned before, I have a real problem with this. Seems like others have accepted it, but I STILL have a problem with it.

[JCHRacer]

As I've mentioned before, I have a real problem with this. Seems like others have accepted it, but I STILL have a problem with it.

Would you rather wait longer to get the kit (so that all the parts are available) and pay more for the kit (because the kit company has to carry inventory for a longer time)?

I don’t have a problem with it unless things get out of hand and the communication is poor. Unless you are attempting a speed build, the parts usually show up before you really need them. To me, FFR has been great in that respect.

[mmaragos]

Would you rather wait longer to get the kit (so that all the parts are available) and pay more for the kit (because the kit company has to carry inventory for a longer time)?

I don’t have a problem with it unless things get out of hand and the communication is poor. Unless you are attempting a speed build, the parts usually show up before you really need them. To me, FFR has been great in that respect.

Why would you have to wait longer AND pay more because the kit company has to hold more inventory? If they are holding more inventory, they can ship sooner, right?

I initially had the same feeling as ArtGirl, but honestly, it the end it was inconsequential. My POV was that I paid for everything so why don't I have it yet. There were quite a few shipments that came in after my initial kit shipment. It actually became a cool thing...Christmas every other week or so for a few months. FFR is eating the shipping charge on the B/Os. I would also think there would be an offset to the additional $$$ spent on shipping components after the fact. In the end I appreciated getting my hands on what I did as soon as FFR could get it to me vs. getting everything at once.

[JCHRacer]

Why would you have to wait longer AND pay more because the kit company has to hold more inventory? If they are holding more inventory, they can ship sooner, right?

My point was that if you want ALL the parts in your first and only shipment, the parts that are ready have to wait for the parts that are not ready.....hence more inventory......and cost.....and lead time.

Compared to a company like Toyota, maybe FFR's logistics are a little weak, but for the size of the company and diversity of products that Dave and FFR produce, I think FFR does a great job.

[crash]

Well folks, I went down to Mendeola yesterday afternoon in hopes that I could bring everyone some good news...

Unfortunately not. All I will say is that there is an issue that will cause another delay. How long that delay will be and what the issue is I will leave up to either FFR or Mendeola to address.

Just know this, Ian took me to the work bench where your transaxles are being assembled, showed me the issue, and told me what they are doing to address it.

Could the transaxles have gone out the door with the issue in place and 90% of the boxes not shown any further issues down the line? Yeah, I think they could have, but as I have said previously, these are precision made and adjusted components, and if it's going to be up to standards, then this item needs to be addressed.

I will say that the issue involves an outside vendor and the costs, JUST TO SHIP THE PARTS BACK AND FORTH TO THEM, is well into the thousands of dollars...which Mendeola is having to pay for.

Now I don't know if this is any help to anyone or not, but I do know that Mendeola supplied me with a "setup" box to make everything fit before I actually received my finished boxes.

Don't know if this is available and an option for the SDRs or not, but if you are really stuck and need the box for fitment purposes RIGHT NOW, then, if you are willing to pay the shipping, Mendeola MAY have some "setup boxes" available. Again I don't know this to be the case as I run a Mendeola S5 and the setup box I got consisted of parts that were not readily usable for one reason or another. I.E. the main case has a casting flaw in it that became apparent when it looks like about half the machine work to the case had been done.

You must understand that JUST THE CASES represent a substantial amount of $$ value and there may even be a deposit required or something. Again, I really am kind of just throwing this out there since I don't know what is available from Mendeola as far as "setup boxes" are concerned for the SDR.

I guess this would kind of be the equivalent of sending you your gear boxes, but having some parts still on back order!!:D

Oh yes, and then there was that freak power outage yesterday...:p

Sorry guys, and gals, but it looks like these things are gonna take just a bit longer. :mad:

[Mendeola Transaxles]

I think a update today from Mendeola or Factory Five would be a great thing. Just to let us know what's going on.

Thanks
Joe

Hello People of the Factory Five Forum,
I started this response @ 3:15 on September 08,2011- and then the west coast went dark with no power.
This is kind of how my week has gone.

Answer to the Question 1: No, I have not shipped any units yet.:(

Answer to the Question 2: I will hope to be sending them out the week of the 19-23 of September.:mad:

Excuse 1 for those that wish to read further:
In doing the final build I found several issues of minor concern that we were able to address at our facility.This was Sunday @ 1130 p.m.
In reviewing the Gear stack Monday morning and fitment I found yet another issue that stopped us dead in our tracks.
We then took 2 days to review this problem and collect information to discuss with our gear cutter in order to get a consensus as to what if anything could be done by us at our facility to remedy the problem.
In discussion with the gear cutter the decision was made to return these gears to their facility for modification.
This will take a week to address + shipping time.
I am primed and ready for build as soon as these items come back in.

Statement 1: As in the past We deeply apologize for the horrendous delay.
Thank you
Please feel free to contact me direct if needed regarding this issue. 619-710-8800 ext.109 -Ian

[Kempo]

Thanks for the update Ian. Now back to wiring.

[kabacj]

Hello People of the Factory Five Forum,
I started this response @ 3:15 on September 08,2011- and then the west coast went dark with no power.
This is kind of how my week has gone.

Answer to the Question 1: No, I have not shipped any units yet.:(

Answer to the Question 2: I will hope to be sending them out the week of the 19-23 of September.:mad:

Excuse 1 for those that wish to read further:
In doing the final build I found several issues of minor concern that we were able to address at our facility.This was Sunday @ 1130 p.m.
In reviewing the Gear stack Monday morning and fitment I found yet another issue that stopped us dead in our tracks.
We then took 2 days to review this problem and collect information to discuss with our gear cutter in order to get a consensus as to what if anything could be done by us at our facility to remedy the problem.
In discussion with the gear cutter the decision was made to return these gears to their facility for modification.
This will take a week to address + shipping time.
I am primed and ready for build as soon as these items come back in.

Statement 1: As in the past We deeply apologize for the horrendous delay.
Thank you
Please feel free to contact me direct if needed regarding this issue. 619-710-8800 ext.109 -Ian

Thanks Ian. We appreciate your commitment to deliver a quality product.

John

[Mendeola Transaxles]

Hello People of the Factory Five Forum,
I started this response @ 3:15 on September 08,2011- and then the west coast went dark with no power.
This is kind of how my week has gone.

Answer to the Question 1: No, I have not shipped any units yet.:(

Answer to the Question 2: I will hope to be sending them out the week of the 19-23 of September.:mad:

Excuse 1 for those that wish to read further:
In doing the final build I found several issues of minor concern that we were able to address at our facility.This was Sunday @ 1130 p.m.
In reviewing the Gear stack Monday morning and fitment I found yet another issue that stopped us dead in our tracks.
We then took 2 days to review this problem and collect information to discuss with our gear cutter in order to get a consensus as to what if anything could be done by us at our facility to remedy the problem.
In discussion with the gear cutter the decision was made to return these gears to their facility for modification.
This will take a week to address + shipping time.
I am primed and ready for build as soon as these items come back in.

Statement 1: As in the past We deeply apologize for the horrendous delay.
Thank you
Please feel free to contact me direct if needed regarding this issue. 619-710-8800 ext.109 -Ian

GAME ON....again:cool:

[Joe Mush]

What kind of game are we talking here

[Mendeola Transaxles]

What kind of game are we talking here

Gears showed up as predicted and the building is underway again.

[Rick Williams]

What's the expected ship date?

[Mendeola Transaxles]

As of current time I have the first unit done and ready to be shipped.
I will start delivery of the units next week.
Thank you-Ian

[Mendeola Transaxles]

:)45184519452045214522

[Dave Smith]

I am very excited that the first of many units are on the way! I have been waiting on this moment and hoping that our best efforts would finally bear fruit. I will report to all the moment the unit arrives and the immediate driving feedback. Thanks for the update Ian.

[crash]

Woot woot woot :)

[Kempo]

Excellent news Ian. Thanks for the update!!!!!!!!!

[Kempo]

Hi Dave, do you have any news about the Mendeola mounting kit?

[crash]

After seeing all the LOVE Ian and Mike and the rest of the crew at Mendeola puts into these things, I just gotta say...Man that's a beautiful piece!

[Nuul]

Wow, that's a good looking piece of hardware.

[Mendeola Transaxles]

45244525:eek:

[Kempo]

Ian,

Is that the completed unit weight? If yes I can just say WOW!!!! I was expecting it to be somewhere in the 2xx pounds range.

[sressue]

Dave,
Best news I've heard in months. Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mendeola Transaxles]

Ian,

Is that the completed unit weight? If yes I can just say WOW!!!! I was expecting it to be somewhere in the 2xx pounds range.

Yes,that is the completed unit weight- dry

[Mendeola Transaxles]

4551455245534554455545564557:)

[kabacj]

Looking GREAT Ian. I cant wait to see it in person.

Thanks
John

[crash]

Ian,

Thanks for posting the internals. Maybe this will give people some idea as to what is involved as far as the moving parts and the amount of precision that is required. Again, beautiful pieces. These are BARGAIN gear boxes. Anywhere else and the customer would pay 3-4 times as much!

[Rick Williams]

As of current time I have the first unit done and ready to be shipped.
I will start delivery of the units next week.
Thank you-Ian

OK guys...Who was number 1 on the list and received this unit? Also, I assume the next batch of five has shipped but I haven't heard anything. I'm not sure where I stand on the list but I can't be any higher than about 8. When does the 2nd batch of five ship?

[Joe Mush]

Ian,

Can you give us a up date on shipping

Thanks

[Mendeola Transaxles]

Current Update:

FFR customers we have currently held back the shipment of these units until tested.
I have installed the first unit in a vehicle and found some discrepancy in the build that we are correcting here at our facility.
I have tested the gearbox and it performs well but feel there is further betterment that can be made with slight mods.
This will be done at our facility and should be done rapidly.
I apologize once again,but I want the best part to leave the shop so that there are no questions only answers to this unit steadfast function.
Thank you-Ian
Questions please call-619-710-8800

[mekg8tor]

Ian,
Thank you for the update and I am more than appreciative that you are performing the test and evaluation and fine-tuning prior to delivery. The photos look great and I can't wait to get my hands on the unit but take your time and get it right so we only have to do this once.

Thanks again for the extra efforts to do this right.
Mike

[ender]

Yeah, I would expect the design and manufacture of a new tranny would require a ton of functional and durability testing.

[crash]

I can tell you that Mendeola did MONTHS and MONTHS of testing before ever ordering the parts for this initial FFR SDR production run. The "test mule" LS powered 914 had many MANY hours on it with the FFR SDR beta box in it. Ian even brought it to Buttonwillow Raceway so some of us really twisted drivers could beat on the thing.

However, there is a difference between building one or two of something this precise, and building dozens of them, and just because one batch of parts from a supplier works perfectly, it doesn't mean every batch will be exactly the same, or exactly as delivered before.

I stopped by Mendeolas on Friday on an unrelated item, and I can tell you that they are burning the midnight oil working to get you the right product that will be the quality you expect. Not all of the suppliers have come through with exactly what was expected, but I can garuantee you that Mike Mendeola will not send a transaxle off the loading dock without it being what HE expects it to be.

[Kempo]

Hi Ian,
Any updates?

[Joe Mush]

Good call Kempo. Ian I hope you can give us good news

Joe

[fact5racer]

All I can say is thank God Dave gave me the one from the showroom car! Would of never made it for SEMA.

[Mendeola Transaxles]

FFR Forum,
As of current I am waiting for my gear set to return with some modifications we have requested.
All though minor mods, they were mods we felt necessary for the quality of the gearbox.
I would hope to see them back by Monday October 17th if not sooner.
I will start the build process again and have a unit tested by that week.
We really have learned a great deal in the manufacturing of this first run of Stage1 units.
We feel that current & future units will benefit greatly by the current experience we have had in manufacturing this unit with the help of the FFR family.
We will keep you posted as soon as I have firm confirmation of gear sets on my floor.
Thank you-Mendeola Transaxles
Questions please feel free to call 619-710-8800 ext# 109

[Kempo]

Ian,

Thanks for the update and for making sure they go out the door the way they should



FFR Forum,
As of current I am waiting for my gear set to return with some modifications we have requested.
All though minor mods, they were mods we felt necessary for the quality of the gearbox.
I would hope to see them back by Monday October 17th if not sooner.
I will start the build process again and have a unit tested by that week.
We really have learned a great deal in the manufacturing of this first run of Stage1 units.
We feel that current & future units will benefit greatly by the current experience we have had in manufacturing this unit with the help of the FFR family.
We will keep you posted as soon as I have firm confirmation of gear sets on my floor.
Thank you-Mendeola Transaxles
Questions please feel free to call 619-710-8800 ext# 109

[mekg8tor]

Agree Kempo! Thank you Ian.

[riptide motorsport]

SSDD!...typical Mendola:(

[ArtGirl]

SSDD!...typical Mendola:(

Disclaimer: I have no application for a Mendeola transaxle so I have no direct skin in the game.

My initial reaction to the seemingly endless delays was one of utter disbelief. If my build was on hold pending unpredictable arrival of the transaxle I would be pretty upset. However, as I WILL be going with a brand new transmission. . . in fact I might be customer #1. . . . from a different vendor on my non-FFR build, I've realized that it would be much more important that all testing has been done and all issues resolved before they ship, rather than me being the guinea pig and discovering all the problems and/or shortcomings for myself. That would be even more upsetting and extremely disappointing. I'll be sure to post back when I reach that first scheduled delivery date. My position might change :)

[The Stig]

Disclaimer: I have no application for a Mendeola transaxle so I have no direct skin in the game.

My initial reaction to the seemingly endless delays was one of utter disbelief. If my build was on hold pending unpredictable arrival of the transaxle I would be pretty upset. However, as I WILL be going with a brand new transmission. . . in fact I might be customer #1. . . . from a different vendor on my non-FFR build, I've realized that it would be much more important that all testing has been done and all issues resolved before they ship, rather than me being the guinea pig and discovering all the problems and/or shortcomings for myself. That would be even more upsetting and extremely disappointing. I'll be sure to post back when I reach that first scheduled delivery date. My position might change :)

I agree 100%. It's hard to watch as these builders go through the roller coaster ride of waiting for the Mendeola SDR gearbox to be completed and shipped. I do have to say that I can understand that Mendeola wants to test the working components and get it sorted out before they start shipping. I think if they didn't, and people began to experience failures that could have been prevented, mendeola's nightmares would only be starting, rather than put to rest. It does end up being yet another delay, at a time when their customers have been promised delivery date after delivery date. It has to be frustrating for everyone involved, including Mendeola. I truly hope that they can get everything sorted out soon, and get these gear boxes shipped.

The transmission in Gary's GTM, felt very good. I know that it's a diffeent gearbox than the SDR, but I'm sure that there are a lot of similarities.

If this thing doesn't happen soon, I can't imagine that people wouldn't start looking at their options for transaxles.

I'm really looking forward to seeing your car when you're done. Do you have an idea as to when that might be?

[mendo]

I can tell you that Mendeola did MONTHS and MONTHS of testing before ever ordering the parts for this initial FFR SDR production run. The "test mule" LS powered 914 had many MANY hours on it with the FFR SDR beta box in it. Ian even brought it to Buttonwillow Raceway so some of us really twisted drivers could beat on the thing.

However, there is a difference between building one or two of something this precise, and building dozens of them, and just because one batch of parts from a supplier works perfectly, it doesn't mean every batch will be exactly the same, or exactly as delivered before.

I stopped by Mendeolas on Friday on an unrelated item, and I can tell you that they are burning the midnight oil working to get you the right product that will be the quality you expect. Not all of the suppliers have come through with exactly what was expected, but I can garuantee you that Mike Mendeola will not send a transaxle off the loading dock without it being what HE expects it to be.

Crash, I appreciate the honesty. I don't want less than promised.

if one of these transmissions has even a slight problem the internet jury will convict.

let's be patient, not get caught up in the hype and work this through.

two of my good friends have Mendeola Transmissions in their top end Sand Rails and sing praises about the product.

I believe when they let it loose it will be a great solution.

[ArtGirl]

I'm really looking forward to seeing your car when you're done. Do you have an idea as to when that might be?

A lot has to come together before then, but I hope to have it on the road in March.

[Joe Mush]

Ian, Could you give us a update on progress made.

Thanks Joe

[Mendeola Transaxles]

Ian, Could you give us a update on progress made.

Thanks Joe

As of current I am expecting a next day package with my test units and a spare for the build of FFR's yellow car.
I will assemble the test unit confirm noise is taken care of and will start building ASAP.
Thank you any questions feel free to call me. 619-710-8800 ext.109

[lrt1941]

Up date would be great . 10/24/11
Thanks
Leonard

[Joe Mush]

Please for good news

[crash]

As the FFR PDG GTM team prepares for the upcoming 25 hour race I had the opportunity to speak with Ian about scheduling, as far as getting our transaxles looked at before going to the race, and he told me that he had been test driving the latest updates to the FFR SDR transaxle for about 500 miles now, and it is looking like a GO! So I would expect Ian to be making an announcement/update shortly, but I also know that he is working his tail off getting these ready, once again, to go out the door. So hopefully he has the time to post something here, but in the interum, from what I have heard directly from Ian, this project should be just about wrapped up! :)

I know, some will still say "SSDD"...

And "SHOW ME THE TRANNY" (Did I just say that?:o)

But, again, things are looking good at this point and I think it is about as positive of a conversation as I have had with Ian about the subject in the last couple of weeks. He sounded very positive about having these delivered very soon. :)

[Joe Mush]

Thanks for the post crash that does sound positive.

Joe

[Joe Mush]

Ian, Could you post and let us know what's going on.

Thanks Joe

[Rick Williams]

I'm with Joe. It'd be nice to get an update.

[crash]

If it's any consolation, I'm headed down there today to drop off the transaxle for the 25 hr race and will ask Ian to post an update. :)

[sressue]

Crash.... Thanks.

[Mendeola Transaxles]

All current testing is done and we are satisfied with this production unit.
The building process has begun and shipments will start leaving.
Thank you-Mendeola Transaxles
Questions 619-710-8800 ext.109

[Kempo]

I was told today at the FFR booth in SEMA that the first five transaxles have Been shipped. Ian, can you please confirm this info?

[Mendeola Transaxles]

The building process has begun and shipments have started to leave.
Thank you-Mendeola Transaxles
Questions 619-710-8800 ext.109

[Radkat]

That's great news, thanks for all the hard work in making sure this is a quality product without issues.




The building process has begun and shipments have started to leave.
Thank you-Mendeola Transaxles
Questions 619-710-8800 ext.109

[lrt1941]

Has any one received theirs?
Leonard

[Mendeola Transaxles]

I see first delivery to be tomorrow to 2 customers.
The rest will be in transit once built.