tru-blue 442

Steve, I bet you thought it would NEVER go this far!
Ah, Ha ha. What a great bunch of guys!
I STILL for one thank you for starting this thread.
Maybe they will lock it for ya.

ah64pilot

Er, uh, what do I say? Sorry? lol!

That's the problem, and the root cause of why I started this thread. There are so many new guys on the site asking about Mondello parts that I thought it best to post my experience so they can see what they may be getting into.

No worries, that's why I posted it

ah64pilot

I know! I wasn't gonna touch that one cuz I figured Nick had something else to add and I really don't wanna know what it is lol! J/k Nick!

Shooze, I beez bump fer a Sticky...couldn't hurt to keep it at da top of da Genral Secshun

chadman

Ugggghhhh, maybe not then......

380 Racer

Sigh........ I guess you guys would like a story explaining? Not sure what year it was, but I won the Quick 16 in Byron. As I was getting my winnings, I was very happy.....grinning from ear to ear. Joe had his hand in the middle of my back, congratulating me, he hands me the money, the camera flashes, his hand drops and he grabs my ***. I'm not sure whether I yelled or not,but I do know I damn near cleared the cameraman in one leap!!

coppercutlass

Baseball has the pat on the *** joe was just putting his spin on the sport. Lmao

ah64pilot

lmao!

firefrost gold

http://www.68hurstolds.com/lynn.shtml

Its sad he is not new to olds or High performance programs.

Rickman48

Wait - Joe's hand was spinning??
Was he wearing rubber gloves??

Fakser

Hmm I go to Mondello's and go inside quite frequently the comment about the Edelbrock heads is a farce those come from Edelbrock because they have tons of em on the shelf in the box so you should direct that toward Edelbrock. Now I'm not going to say Lynn's service is top notch but Jesus lets not let frustration turn into hatred I mean listen to yourself, these guys are a business and they obviously stay open for a reason. **** and moan, start a therapy group, buy a billboard, but accept the fact that they will stay open because they have a product and a service that people will pay for.

Do you research on any vendor then make a decision if their a jerk on the phone then don't buy from them.

Bottom line is they have a bottom line and a payroll to make and they don't make it by giving stuff away, if a vendor starts marking up their price and they can't make money off of it then they can't sell it. Have you seen the cost of living here? I have one of the highest BAH in the country because I'm stationed here.

Another point they always have cars in the back because they get a lot of requests for OEM parts all the way down to bolts from high end restoration shops and they have quite the collection of original pulleys, bolts, and other small things that are frivolous to me but important to detailed restoration shops, and I'm sure to a lot of you guys.

If you had a bad experience going back to buy from them makes no sense but I put this old whine session in the "whatever dude" pile because it's on this site at least once a month.

coppercutlass

that alone tells you how bad their customer service is . one a month come on. This dont happen by accident. Cost of living has nothing to do with price of parts if they cant make the rent they should do better buisness to sell more parts at fair prices not jack prices up if thats the point you are trying to drive. I think steve said the cc's at 73 cc's out the box they should be 77cc's. Im pretty sure quality control would catch that. I work in a machine shop and final product is inspected always. 4 cc's diffrence is not small specially when advertised is 77 cc's . When the heads get milled like any other machinig operation they get inspected.

Fakser

I'm not defending their business practice I agree their service on the phone isn't good and if they tighten it up they probably would get better numbers. The point I'm making is about continuing the abuse after a bad experience. Screw me once shame on you, screw me twice shame on me I try not to let vendors screw me twice. Sure the olds community is small but there are options to avoid getting screwed twice.

As far as the Edelbrock heads they come in new and go out new unless you order them with work done they aren't opened.

You don't have to believe me but these guys that do their work know what they are doing or else they wouldn't put the kind of warranty they do on their engines.

They charge what they do for their products because people pay for them that's why they charge what they do, I used the cost of living as an analogy to demonstrate that business has operating costs.

Hell it's about what works for you and who gives a crap about what others think, I buy from Mondello because I can walk in and not pay shipping, I order from Supercarsunlimited because their website is easy to navigate and I have given Summit my kids college fund because they are cheap.
I don't buy from Compcams because they were rude on the phone, I don't buy from OPGI or yearone because they are expensive. The point is I'm old enough and have worked hard enough for my money to know not to give it to somebody that I think is a jerk. I feel your pain I hate getting the wrong part, or a bad part, or being frustrated at lousy service, but for god's sake if you keep going to the same well and the water tastes like crap don't complain when it tastes like crap tomorrow go find a new well!

natedrag

But if you don't warn the new guy the well sucks.....

Olds engine market is too small for such crap. I have personally heard stories of -tried an Olds engine, not much power, broke parts, spent too much money, went with a different make. And every single time you ask where they got their stuff - Mondellos. One less person supporting the market. One less reason for Olds parts to be made.

Alex72cutty

Thanks for the heads up and sorry about what happened to you ah64pilot!!!!

380 Racer

A few years back, I bought a set of "reconditioned" SB rods from them trying to save some time. After having to have 3 of them returned to round, had to pitch one that was non-fixable and had to replace 5 rod bolts. Yup Fakser.....there is your quality control. Paid way too much anyway but never again will I deal with them.

RetroRanger

everyone has opinions and experiences w different vendors. I think its good to put both sides in one thread no need for denigrating another members experiences w a vendor just note what they say and how they say it, as well as any past posts a member may have made that really speaks volumes

Research on a vendor does include reading threads like this.

Some people dont or wont use parts place I have been fortunate to have had no issues w them, but I certainly empathize w those who have had problems and as a result Im very careful what i get from them (make sure its not something Im gonna return)

I dont recall ever seeing a thread like this on Fusicks ? That says something too

I have never used Mondellos

Boldsmobile

Can you help me understand how you know this?

allyolds68

I'm a big Fusick supporter but there is at least one thread here about 70 grills that drags them through the mud & it appears rightfully so.

I'll bet if you call there for that part now though, they'll tell you that it takes some re-work to get them to fit.

Fakser

I've been there and seen them on the shelf in there edelbrock boxes, there is no logical reason to take them out and mess with them. The point I made was obviously missed no worries though I really don't feel I could articulate it any better. I'm glad I could stir the pot, provide a different view and create some dialog. I'm leaving this one alone.

Fakser

I never defended their QC I just made the point about the edelbrock heads. And good for not dealing with them again that makes you an intelligent consumer.

coppercutlass

For the record I was talking edelbrock qc.

Boldsmobile

This still doesnt confirm what you said is true.

You have seen them on the shelf does not say to me you know the boxes were unopened.

You have seen them on the shelf does not say to me you knew the condition of any part that shipped.

Your lack of logical explanation VS what the OP said he received ??

Everyone has the preferred vendors and I appreciate knowing your experience with them. But, your lack of logical explanation does not mean what the OP said didnt occur.

ah64pilot

I would be careful where I make my bed if I were you. You can step out on the ledge for them because of what you "think" they are doing, but when you get burned or are proven wrong what are you going to do? I tell you what, I'll humor your self admitted trolling and tell you that when I got my Edelbrock heads, the boxes were opened as all the rocker arms I also ordered were neatly placed on the rocker studs.

I didn't do that, so who did? So your suggestion that they don't "take them out and mess with them" is unfounded and naive. And your suggestion that they have to make money is correct, they do. But building parts in China out of inferior material and selling them to guys building high horsepower applications is just stupid. Yes, they make their money on the front end by what they saved in manufacturing...but then what happens when the crap breaks? They give me another one, and I break that...eventually I stop coming back and I go for name brand stuff.

I know Andy, Dick, Bill, and RR all sell name brand stuff...so how is it that they are successful as well? They don't have to shortcut their customers to make a buck, why does Mondello?

Anyway, I appreciate your opinion and I wish you luck in your dealings with them. But don't crap on the thread or the reason behind it...it serves as a warning, nothing more. And I didn't crap on Mondello, I told the facts as they happened to me. So if you're going to troll this thread at least do it in the same, factual basis. Flaming other members just makes you look petty and immature...especially coming from another service member.

69HO43

Operating costs too high? Then they can frickin' move out of California. It'd be one thing if they sold good, solid parts for a reasonable price but they usually don't sell anything you can't find elsewhere for very likely cheaper.

Mondello ain't what it used to be. And they'll never be again. I'm betting they're inches away from closing the doors, but who knows. Lynn might pull his head out his ***.

Fakser

Whoa let's settle down guys I think this is going in the wrong direction it's not my intent for my dissent to the original post to get personal if it was read that way. Ah I don't like being threatened and don't appreciate it especially over something so dumb. And I don't troll this site looking to rile people up I've made a couple posts here and there I may not be as active as some of you are but I think I'll steer clear of here a while.

468_on_steroids

mondello gets irritated when people who don't know what the hell they are doing call up and ask dumb questions. people expect mondello to sit on the phone allllllllll day give them advice on what works and what doesn't, or practically build the motor over the phone for them without actually getting paid to do so. time is money. mondello likes dealing with people who know their **** and don't waste their time.....i don't blame them.

you blow a gasket and it's mondello's fault?? that'd be tough to prove in a court of law, just saying.

ah64pilot

I should've known you would find your way in here...

Is it just me, or if I'm spending $10K at your place should you give me the courtesy of helping me decide what I'm buying? As I figured by your other 5 posts, you're having them build your motor...or at least have let them tell you what you need, and don't lie, am I right?

greenslade

I don't know, but i would guess as a rule no part dealer would open boxes and mess with the contents,no money in doing so,having said that,any parts dealer that has a part returned to them for any reason other then "defective"would proberly put the part back on the shelf.That is proberly what happened with your heads,and if mondello was on the ball it would have checked them before reselling.

380 Racer

Maybe Lynn is buying seconds from E-brock.

MDchanic

If they were, they'd have the "Edelbrock" logo ground off, so that Edelbrock's reputation wouldn't be sullied.

Like clothing from the LLBean clearance store that has the labels cut out.

- Eric

ah64pilot

My thought was that they were a returned head that someone didn't want or whatever and it had already been milled. I just think Lynn failed to check them before reselling them...it wouldn't be the first time. It's not just about the heads either, keep in mind there are cams, lifters, rockers, gaskets, and other stuff involved here.

coppercutlass

Steve keep fighting the good fight. Spread the word. He sold you crappy rockers even if the head gasket was not his fault or yours etc. The price you paid for those rocker was just wrong for the quality. If these mondello @ss kissers don't see that let em find out for them selves. I'm sorry but john from rocket racing has given me a lot of advice over the phone and in person at races etc. even when I talked about taking it to a local machine shop. If lynn just wants to deal with people who know their stuff. He won't because good know racers steer clear of him. Look at 380 racers experience.

69HO43

It's easy to prove in the court of "I'm not shopping at your crappy store anymore because your customer service sucks ***". You don't need proof, you just simply don't buy from them anymore if you believe in your heart they're selling you crappy parts. Case closed. Who wins then?

That was a fairly dumb post, in my opinion. Just saying. It would seem people that know their **** as you say, wouldn't even shop at Mondello's.

468_on_steroids

All I get from Mondello are my cam's and thrust kits. And no, i don't take advice from them and no they DEFINITELY aren't building my engine, haha.

I just don't think that Mondello is the underlying cause of all these horror stories. you can always ask where your parts are made before you buy them, you can always inspect a gasket before you install it, and you can always return the parts if you don't approve there quality/condition as well.

I see your point in warning people about it, and that is fine. I'm just saying people should take things with a grain of salt, not jump to conclusions, and throw Mondello under the chopping block just like that. There is plenty of reasons parts/gaskets fail.

ah64pilot

This is getting ridiculous. I have been a Mondello customer since 1996...I have seen first hand the changes in their products. And a dishonest person like Lynn isn't gonna tell you the truth about where the parts are made when you're calling in from out of state.

No one, not one person that has had repeatedly bad experience with Mondello has "jumped to conclusions".

Wow, 7 posts and you already made it to the "ignore" list. Way to go

468_on_steroids

Haha, sweet!!

bdub217

2x!~~~~~~

380 Racer

Hopefully the newbees will listen to Steve and myself because we are far from the only ones that have been scammed. These nut-swingers wouldn't know what a fast Oldsmobile is. Just what has Steroids & Fakser done? Mondildo doesn't know how to build one. Geez Steve's has out-powered the last two that Mondildo did for magazines. Take advice from guys who been there-done that.

chadman

Let me tell you guys a little story about Mondello garbage. Years back I built an engine with a solid flat tappet over .600 lift. Some of you may know this already but there comes a point lift wise where you will uncover the oil feed hole in the lifter bore when the tappet is on the base circle. This is due to the reduced base circle diameter of the cam. Lynn sold me some "special" extra long lifters to solve this issue. So the lifters come and all they did was to machine up some aluminum extension collars and press them into the pushrod end of the lifter making it effectively longer and keeping the oil feed hole covered at zero lift. I wasn't exactly thrilled by the design and against my better judgement I installed them. I go to break in the cam and ten minutes in I start to lose oil pressure. So now I start to tear it down to find that half of the aluminum extensions had come lose and were flopping around on the pushrods. I later found out that this was a common issue with these "special" lifters yet they continued to sell them.

468_on_steroids

I'll tell you what I HAVN't done.....I haven't spent over $10,000 on an engine build only to end up with 492hp, that's for sure.

I may not have credentials on this site, but I DO have credentials in the real world. This site should be called classicslowmobiles.com.