How Detroit Muscle Technologies (DMT) treats their customers...

[vdk2010]

I am really upset about how they treat customers and want to share this story here to warn others and save them a lot of time..!


In January, I contacted @jfillmore from DMT via PM on this forum here and asked him if he was willing to manufacture all the gaskets I need for my 1969 Imperial since they are not reproduced yet.
I already went through the effort to meticulously digitalize all the gaskets. So I am able to deliver all the necessary DXF files needed, and I told him that.

He replied to me the same day that he can make the gaskets for me and asked me to send him all the files.
After sending all the files, messages went back and forth a couple times to clarify the needed format of the CAD files.

From then on, I was ghosted by him completely for the last 3 month…
During these month, I’ve send him mails and private messages every few weeks asking for an update, but never received any answer.
Back then, I thought, he might just be busy but is working on getting the gaskets done....

Now, after 12 Weeks, I’ve send him a more direct mail (still very polite, but more direct).

Good Morning Jim,

I have sent you multiple mails since you agreed to make all the gaskets for the 1969 Imperial in January, and I haven’t heard back from you since…
I would appreciate at least an answer to my mails to know they reached you and you are on it.

All the .dxf patterns are attached to this mail. Please give me some feedback to them and a time frame would be much appreciated.

Thanks again.

Best Regards
Julian

This time I got a short answer from him that he will not produce the gaskets for me and never intended to….

I didnt agree to make all the gaskets. Business is competitive and I have to focus on what sells. I get asked about an occasional Imperial gasket every 2 years.

Try Murray Park in Ohio

Jim Fillmore
Detroit Muscle Technologies

That was the last thing I heard from him...



I was willing to let him have the files I meticulously made to make money with them...
It would have been my support for the C-Body community and support for a small company to let them use the files for free.
But after all that, just to be clear, he is NOT ALLOWED to use my files files anytime in the future!

If someone here needs them for private use, I'm happy to share them, just send me a PM.
And if any other company, capable of laser cutting and producing all the gaskets, reads this; I'm happy to offer the same to them to use them for free in exchange of offering the gaskets to the C-Body Community.

 

[3175375]

I am really upset about how they treat customers and want to share this story here to warn others and save them a lot of time..!


In January, I contacted @jfillmore from DMT via PM on this forum here and asked him if he was willing to manufacture all the gaskets I need for my 1969 Imperial since they are not reproduced yet.
I already went through the effort to meticulously digitalize all the gaskets. So I am able to deliver all the necessary DXF files needed, and I told him that.

He replied to me the same day that he can make the gaskets for me and asked me to send him all the files.
After sending all the files, messages went back and forth a couple times to clarify the needed format of the CAD files.
View attachment 592127

View attachment 592128

View attachment 592129

From then on, I was ghosted by him completely for the last 3 month…
During these month, I’ve send him mails and private messages every few weeks asking for an update, but never received any answer.
Back then, I thought, he might just be busy but is working on getting the gaskets done....

Now, after 12 Weeks, I’ve send him a more direct mail (still very polite, but more direct).


This time I got a short answer from him that he will not produce the gaskets for me and never intended to….


That was the last thing I heard from him...



I was willing to let him have the files I meticulously made to make money with them...
It would have been my support for the C-Body community and support for a small company to let them use the files for free.
But after all that, just to be clear, he is NOT ALLOWED to use my files files anytime in the future!

If someone here needs them for private use, I'm happy to share them, just send me a PM.
And if any other company, capable of laser cutting and producing all the gaskets, reads this; I'm happy to offer the same to them to use them for free in exchange of offering the gaskets to the C-Body Community.

That’s no good.
Move forward.
In retrospect, a phone call earlier might have had you move on sooner.
I’m sorry about your bad experience…
You’ll find a solution!

 

[vdk2010]

That’s no good.
Move forward.
In retrospect, a phone call earlier might have had you move on sooner.
I’m sorry about your bad experience…
You’ll find a solution!

They specifically ask customers on their website not to calll, but send an email.

 

[Big_John]

That's really out of character for him.

That said, having been a business owner, I can tell you that it's tough to do everything for everybody. Sometimes you just have to concentrate on the jobs that make you money and let the other stuff go. There are times to be a nice guy and there are times where it's just a matter of putting food on the table for yourself and your employees.

Last time I had any conversations with him, he was using CNC gasket cutter, like this one. I was curious what he was using as I had played with steel rule dies years ago to cut gaskets.



The thing to do might be to look for a custom gasket company. I did a google search and found this place just as an example. CNC Machine Cut Gaskets | The Rubber Company

The other idea might be to look into having a water jet shop cut your gaskets. You have the CAD files, that would be the expensive part.

I don't think laser cutting is the answer.

 

[vdk2010]

I would have understood if he had told me he can't or won't help from the beginning. But be said to help and ignored me from there on, telling me 3 month later he basically never intended to help. And that's a really bad move.

It's not the fact that he won't help me in the end, it's the kind he is treating customers. And I am a customer, bisides this whole thing here, I basically bought every C-Body part from him that might remotely fit my car, just to check if it does...

Anyway, thanks for the lead John! I will try to find a company in Germany that can cut me the gaskets.

My intention in working with DMT was, that others can benefit from the work I've done.

 

[vdk2010]

Mesmerizing to look at!

As I understand, there es almost no work required to make these gaskets when you have the CAD files.
Sure, a little bit time is needed to set everything up, and there es always the downtime you have with not making other stuff that sells better, I know.
But one could make gaskets to order and doesn't have any costs for tooling, storage or anything else. Once they are on the website, they generate money every time someone orders one without costing any furter money.

But I'm not here to question other people's business decisions. Just to share my experience with the community.

 

[Mike66Chryslers]

Wow, that is surprising. I had a similar situation in needing reverse light lens gaskets and door handle gaskets for a 1966 Chrysler. I had a CAD file for the door handle gaskets. I had already contacted a couple local shops that specialize in that kind of work but they brushed me off. I contacted the owner at DMT. He asked me to send him a reverse light housing and a door handle for measurement and test fitting. I had no problems dealing with DMT at all. I saw the owner at his booth at Carlisle last year and thanked him in person for supporting us.

 

[RemCharger]

If you want something weird bad enough, you offer weird money. And tone down on the demand letters.

 

[vdk2010]

If you want something weird bad enough, you offer weird money. And tone down on the demand letters.

Not that gaskets made by a gasket manufacturer is something especially weird, but you are missing the point here... We never talked about money... He agreed to make them from the beginning but never did...

And the one letter I posted was just the last one when I finally had enough of not getting any feedback to the very polite mails before during the 3 month of waiting.

 

[Triple Pickle]

Not that gaskets made by a gasket manufacturer is something especially weird, but you are missing the point here... We never talked about money... He agreed to make them from the beginning but never did...

And the one letter I posted was just the last one when I finally had enough of not getting any feedback to the very polite mails before during the 3 month of waiting.

I understand your dilemma. I’ve had the same experience with local machine shops. At first they say they will do the work then comes the excuses and ghosting.
Dammit, if they have no interest in doing it just say so from the get-go!
I hate time wasters like that!

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I initially approached Jim about getting material so I can make my own. I mentioned to Jim it was for a 69 Polara and he mentioned that he was looking to do more c-body stuff. After an exchange of emails I sent him a box of parts and old gaskets, none of which I wanted back. I checked back periodically to see what the progress was and let him know I was closing in on the point that I would be needing them. There may have been a little delay but I was grateful that he was doing them. Your c-body AC kits came from this, along with any 69 Polara specific stuff.

At that time Jim informed me that this was a side job and he had a regular full time job. He later told me that he was focusing on DMT and was hiring some people to help. With all the craziness in the last couple years I'm sure this has put a damper on things, be it working another job, employee issues or even supply issues. For the most part DMT is a one man show, his wife may help out but beyond that who knows.

Jim has long been a proponent of the hobby and is not getting rich doing this.


Alan

 

[vdk2010]

I initially approached Jim about getting material so I can make my own. I mentioned to Jim it was for a 69 Polara and he mentioned that he was looking to do more c-body stuff. After an exchange of emails I sent him a box of parts and old gaskets, none of which I wanted back. I checked back periodically to see what the progress was and let him know I was closing in on the point that I would be needing them. There may have been a little delay but I was grateful that he was doing them. Your c-body AC kits came from this, along with any 69 Polara specific stuff.

At that time Jim informed me that this was a side job and he had a regular full time job. He later told me that he was focusing on DMT and was hiring some people to help. With all the craziness in the last couple years I'm sure this has put a damper on things, be it working another job, employee issues or even supply issues. For the most part DMT is a one man show, his wife may help out but beyond that who knows.

Jim has long been a proponent of the hobby and is not getting rich doing this.


Alan

I've read a couple of times in the past here on the Forum that Jim is always interested in doing new stuff, even C-Body parts. That's why I approached him in the first place.

Unfortunately, I can't confirm that. But maybe he is only to me like that... If so, I don't know why. I was very polite, not demanding or anything like that... I asked if he was interested in manufacturing the gaskets, he said yes, and 3 month later that he never had the intention...
But I'm glad you had more success getting parts made.

 

[bnz84]

What is the material that these gaskets are made of?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I've read a couple of times in the past here on the Forum that Jim is always interested in doing new stuff, even C-Body parts. That's why I approached him in the first place.

Unfortunately, I can't confirm that. But maybe he is only to me like that... If so, I don't know why. I was very polite, not demanding or anything like that... I asked if he was interested in manufacturing the gaskets, he said yes, and 3 month later that he never had the intention...
But I'm glad you had more success getting parts made.

Lets just say it was ore than 3 months, I'll leave it at that.


Alan

 

[vdk2010]

What is the material that these gaskets are made of?

The foamy gaskets on all the lights and so on are made from 3mm thick cellular rubber, I think EPDM.
Some gaskets which main purpose is to keep things from rattling are made from 0.5mm-1mm thick ABS plastic, i.e. quarter extensions or fender mounted turn signals.
Others are made from gasket paper, mainly the ones inside the electric motors, pumps etc.
The gaskets around the windings inside the motors are made from a special isolation material called fish paper.

 

[volksworld]

i've had multiple dealings with him in the last couple years...his products are wonderful and i'm thankful they exist...but i think the business side has him completely stressed out, whoever he tries to hire screws up, and he's running around at 100mph and kinda lashes out if provoked...you probably caught him at a bad time so he just said go away