Truth be told about Showcars Fiberglass..

[Super73]

I don't like to bad mouth companies.. So I'm going to keep things factual.

I ordered a full glass front end from Showcars Fiberglass Mid Oct. Rob the owner said it was very slow there at the time of order and it should be done in about 4 weeks. They don't take credit cards and everything is done by money order or cashiers check. That should have been a BIG warning to me. But I sent the $1,575 out.

After sending the MO out certified, I called a couple days later and he confirmed receiving the check. Cool, 4 weeks to go for shipping..

So Mid Nov I get in touch with them and they tell me the fenders are done, hood is done but still needs the 4" cowl put on and they were waiting on the front filler pannel, then they would be putting it all together. Tell me another couple weeks..

End of Nov same exact story.

Mid Dec, same story so I questioned what was going on. I was advised that they had people gone during x-mas so everything pretty much stopped for 2 weeks. Also the front panel they were waiting on hadn't come in yet. I explain I need my parts as it is prime racing season in CA right now and that I was quoted 4 weeks, they had over $1,500 of my money. He said he would call me right back as to try and source the front pannel some where else.

I got a call 30-45minutes later advising he had another company sending the pannel and it should be there Monday the following week (we spoke on tuesday). I called Tuesday to make sure it was there and it was. I figured this was a pre made pannel but come to find out it is a factory metal piece and they would still need to make the mold for it.

End of Dec Finally get Rob to call be back by threatening to have a police report made. Still in the same situation. Nothing had changed.

I keep calling wasting my money with no calls. Finally Feb 14 I received some pics (I posted them at that point). Bumper still needed to be made and all the pieces needed to be glassed together.

Well, constant calls and pushing, I have finally received it.


Their finish work flat out sucks!!!! I don't know how much of it you can see with these pics but I would never recomend them to anyone. If you have 26 weeks to waste, great.


BTW, there are many other stories I have heard about this place after ordering. I don't really want to link them, but same situation.

[Super73]

[Alex1]

WOW! That's NASTY! We had a front bumper made for a 72 C10 and when it came back it looked like your fron end -needless to say he took it back after we threatened to use the truck as advertising!

personnaly I've never worked with fiberglass, however i've been told it's not to bad so you may want to do it yourself - or pay a bodyshop. I don't think I would risk sending it back.

Sorry for the bad luck.

[Irishpilot]

Super73, sorry to read/see the story and sub-par product. I don't think you're off-base with your analysis of the work. It definitely looks like that company speed rushed the job and batched it. Good luck with trying to remedy this...keep us informed!

[Captainfab]

With the length of time it took them to make this, it ought to be absolutely perfect.....IMO. Definitely unacceptable workmanship there. From reading of other members' problems with other manufacturers 'glass parts I'm wondering what's up with all these people.....how do they stay in business building crap parts? They must not be wearing respirators and the resin fumes have rotted their brains. I've been wanting a one piece 'glass frontend for some time now, but after seeing and reading of all the problems I think I'll do something different.

[Super73]

I will tell you my VFN 1 piece for my 73 Camaro is exceptional in comparison. So was my pin on hood from VFN for my 01 SS.. Had VFN offered one, I would have bought it in a heart beat.

[jason65]

Are you gonna fix it or sent it back?

[Super73]

I can tell you that Rob isn't going to let it come back. There is no way for me to get my money back since it was done Via money order. So, I'm going to start spreading the word on every internet site I can, compile all the links in an e-mail to him. Let him know I am happily advertising for him.

I've got a buddy that has done custom subwoofer enclosures via fiberglass, I'm sure he'll be willing to help me out on it. He's actually like my race partner / pit crew / wrencher with this truck. When we go to the track, he runs it as well. He has helped me from day 1 on it and has put countless hours in to it. Even though I fund it and own it, it's our project.

[Marv D]

Just be carefull in being facutal like you are here. You sure don't need a liable suit to add insult to injury. Most all glass panels will need 'some' work when it's delivered. Heck my US Bodysource hood was not a 'perfect' fit. But dayyyyum, that 'showcar' stuff it CRAP!!!! What does the final product weigh? We all know you have to give up some astetics to get strength in the real lite weight stuff sometimes, but that don't even look like it's a very lite weight piece either!

[Super73]

When ordering I did ask that they make it a little more on the heavy duty side since this truck is street driven quite a bit. They did do that. It will still knock quite a bit off the front end. The front weighs in at 75ls with a rachet strap holding it on the scale.

[Hillbilly Deluxe 65]

had the same problem with the hood i bought from them, a ended up calling dear old rob every single day until my hood was at my door step

[hwyix]

That sucks. Seems like 99% of these cheap fiberglass/carbon fiber company's are like that.

I hear the same thing on the 914/mustang/rx7 board (all different company's)

Sorry if anybody on this board is a GOOD fiberglass company.

[jgh64pkup]

man that sucks
what else can you do wait another 26 weeks??

[diggertodd]

Just a FYI, I dont think anyone on here has mentioned that Showcars Fiberglass is in Canada. Since a majority of readers here are U.S. getting legal retribution is difficult. I have friends in the Fiberglass industry, they claim this shop is famous for buying a custom piece from the states and making a mold from it in Canada. Try pursuing that problem over a border, sounds like their ethics are combined when it come to shoddy work and copying their competitors products.

[aggie91]

Sorry to hear about your front end. I know this is a little late now, but did you look at these:

http://www.usbody.com/

They show a one piece front end with a 4" cowl scoop for $1499. I do not know about there work, but the pictures look better then what you got.

[70rs/ss]

Holy crap if only I had $700 and needed to go to FL, they are selling thier $3800 70-73 Camaro body for $700!! That stuff looks cool, but as you all know fiberglass is more about weight savings than looks, but again the front end is crap, and I'd deffinately use the mass email idea, word of mouth is a biatch especially if you put out a crap product!! I'd paint his name and company info on that clip and use it as a demo clip for him, send him picts of the "crowds" of racers around it and see if he figures your $1500 is worth the hundreds of thousands you could cost him??

[Captainfab]

Originally Posted by aggie91

Sorry to hear about your front end. I know this is a little late now, but did you look at these:

http://www.usbody.com/

They show a one piece front end with a 4" cowl scoop for $1499. I do not know about there work, but the pictures look better then what you got.

It appears their parts are crap as well. Check out this thread starting on page 3 about half way down......
http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...=326848&page=3

[Super73]

Heck, I'm out of work right now, maybe I should start a fiberglassing company??

[jgh64pkup]

go for it i need a decent cowl hood

[djracer]

It a shame that very few people offer glass for our trucks.

[jgh64pkup]

especialy the 60-66

[djracer]

67-72 isn't any better!

[jgh64pkup]

you mean 67-68 harwood makes 69-72 hoods
i imagine they're pretty decent
everyone uses them

[djracer]

I have never seen a harwood hood for 69-72's so I don't know about there quality. I just meant as a hole not much to choose from. East Coast Custom use to make a nice hood for 69-72 but I hear they don't anymore. The company that made my glass Went out of business also.

[jgh64pkup]

here you go
link