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70chevelles
03-28-2011, 05:54 PM
Does anyone out there know anything about the condition of Nelson Racing Engines and their business. They have not answered their phone or returned any email's for weeks. Are they still in business? Are they having problems? Thanks for any info!!!! 70chevelles

rogue
03-28-2011, 05:58 PM
Tom is hard to get ahold of and is usually backed up with business. I've been to his shop and he has 4-5 builds going on at once. Nice guy and amazing work. Communication is tough though.

70chevelles
03-28-2011, 06:11 PM
Thanks for your return. I was just concerned. I have a motor near completion there, and we cannot get any info out of them. No return phone calls, or emails. Needless to say, we have a large amount of pre-pay in their hands, and they do not answer to any correspondence. Should I be alarmed? I appreciate any information you may be able to add!! Thanks a-lot!!

ironcampig
03-28-2011, 06:28 PM
Tom is a stand up guy I here nothing but good things about him the last time we spoke was about a month ago

70chevelles
03-28-2011, 06:37 PM
thanks, that makes me feel a little bit better.

LateNight72
03-28-2011, 07:39 PM
He's too busy trying to go 300 MPH.. :lol: :lol: (Note the sarcasm).
http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2010/07/saturday-dreaming-transtar-racing-2000-hp-dagger-gt-supercar.html

blacklab
03-29-2011, 03:32 AM
I would not deal with him again.Three years to get a motor out of him.No phone call back,flew out for dyno pull motor not done.bs

just my 2 cents

garickman
03-29-2011, 04:55 AM
I had to contact my credit card company to get my $1500.00 deposit back after 3 months of no return calls and no email response. I was buying some billet valve covers that he said would be machined along with another batch "next week". Guaranteed I would have them in less than 3 weeks. I posted a thread similar to this one and asked if anyone knew how to get in touch with him. I got a whole bunch of PM's telling me to get my money back and run, so I did.

Cdog
03-29-2011, 06:39 AM
Thanks for this thread. I've been looking for someone on the west coat to send my LS7 to. I was looking into these guy's until I read how they treat customers. No thanks!

trapin
03-29-2011, 06:58 AM
I have never had anyone build me an engine and never will. Building the engine is the funnest part of hot rodding. I had a BLAST building my LS1 and learning about all the new technology that went into it. I understand that some people might not have the means but if you do I highly recommend it.

Cdog
03-29-2011, 07:48 AM
I have never had anyone build me an engine and never will. Building the engine is the funnest part of hot rodding. I had a BLAST building my LS1 and learning about all the new technology that went into it. I understand that some people might not have the means but if you do I highly recommend it.

I've built several succesful BBC in my boats and hot rods. Quite honestly the money spent to have someone go through the LS7 is mearly to protect my investment. I'd rather spend another 5k on having it gone through with forged pistons and upgrades by a professional then dyno'd and delivered than trying to figure all that out while dialing in the suspension on my car.

I want to compete with the big dogs on the track, not wrench on a engine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-BZyqfTMsk

67chevILL
03-29-2011, 09:31 AM
News to me, I have only heard good things about this shop..


Good luck,

GNon18s
03-29-2011, 09:47 AM
If you put money in someones hand and now you can't get a hold of him, thats a RED FLAG rite there! ..Too busy is not an excuse if he has already taken money.

JustinB
03-29-2011, 09:59 AM
CDog, I sent you PM.

twosaturns
03-29-2011, 10:18 AM
building great engines and good customer service are two completely different things and sadly, most people can't do both.

ironcampig
03-29-2011, 11:04 AM
Don't stress I honestly think the end result will be a 1000 times better ,and don't let other members discourage you remember your paying for top notch service,Quality and craftsmanship

Vegas69
03-29-2011, 11:18 AM
This exact thread pops up around here about once a quarter. No excuse for such crappy customer service. Hire someone to answer phones and emails. Done........

1969CamaroRS
03-29-2011, 12:14 PM
I have never had anyone build me an engine and never will. Building the engine is the funnest part of hot rodding. I had a BLAST building my LS1 and learning about all the new technology that went into it. I understand that some people might not have the means but if you do I highly recommend it.

x2 feel the same way. Nothing like firing up the engine for the first time knowing you put it all together.

buickfunnycar.com
03-29-2011, 12:34 PM
This exact thread pops up around here about once a quarter. No excuse for such crappy customer service. Hire someone to answer phones and emails. Done........

Exactly...how hard is it?
If communication isn't your strong suit,hire someone to man the phones and help talk your customers off the ledge before they reverse charges...

Ron.in.SoCal
03-29-2011, 01:29 PM
Don't stress I honestly think the end result will be a 1000 times better ,and don't let other members discourage you remember your paying for top notch service,Quality and craftsmanship

Quality and craftsmanship yes, but I would not call no return phone calls 'paying for top notch service'. If you've ever had a boatload of duckets out there with no return phone calls (I have) for a long period of time you'd know it'll make you climb the walls...

LateNight72
04-01-2011, 07:34 PM
This exact thread pops up around here about once a quarter. No excuse for such crappy customer service. Hire someone to answer phones and emails. Done........

Can we get an AMEN?

Seriously though. If they had good customer service, they would sell SOO much more product that they would not only be able to pay for the CS rep, but would bank.

Flash68
04-01-2011, 08:19 PM
Thanks for this thread. I've been looking for someone on the west coat to send my LS7 to. I was looking into these guy's until I read how they treat customers. No thanks!

Corey -- send your LS motor to an LS SPECIALIST! Nelson is not one of those.


Quality and craftsmanship yes, but I would not call no return phone calls 'paying for top notch service'. If you've ever had a boatload of duckets out there with no return phone calls (I have) for a long period of time you'd know it'll make you climb the walls...

Sounds like such common sense eh Ron? :)


Can we get an AMEN?

Seriously though. If they had good customer service, they would sell SOO much more product that they would not only be able to pay for the CS rep, but would bank.

Notice the catch 22? Customer service requires add'l manpower there, as well as plenty of other "reputable" shops.... once you hire this add'l manpower (often lowly paid customer service helpers), the order flow can increase... which requires add'l manpower! Quite the conundrum eh?

jaythefordman
05-08-2011, 12:48 AM
Notice the catch 22? Customer service requires add'l manpower there, as well as plenty of other "reputable" shops.... once you hire this add'l manpower (often lowly paid customer service helpers), the order flow can increase... which requires add'l manpower! Quite the conundrum eh?

Its called 'Business growth'. Something I would have thought most would not complain about, especially in these times.

On topic however, customer service is very important to me, and I have frequently walked away from even 'reputable' places when that ball has been dropped. Its a red flag.

Steve1968LS2
05-08-2011, 08:27 AM
Tom doesn't answer his phone much.. I just talked with him last week (had some tech questions) and he said he is swamped with business and doesn't have time to answer the phone. I agree that he should bring someone on board to do it them.

But.. if you are maxed out in regards to business I guess you don't need to bring in more. (insert shrug here)

And I agree that customer service is more important (to me at least) than even price.

DTM
02-01-2013, 10:32 AM
i got exactly the same problems..

i ordered a 632 Hotrod with alien intake... i ordered june 2011 (!)... should be delivered after 4 months.. check my built here.. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-general/2963531-c3-project-menace-custom-72-convertible.html

tom was very helpfull when selling it.. i even visited him in may 2011 (cause i live in europe/holland) and wanted to see who i do business with.. he had a nice little shop and seem to be very serious.. so a month later i ordered an engine.. communicaion was never a problem back then when i had questions..

He even emaild me a couple of times cause the deposit took a week longer cause i was in italy.. But after i paid the 26k deposit, it was hard to get him on the phone.. back then nobody answered like i hear from others as well.. i tink around end of november he hired someone to pick up the phone.. a guy names Larry.. but its the same **** cause now you have someone telling you he doesnt know anything.. and with knowing nothing, i mean nothing.. even if you ask him to ask tom whats the status he says tom doesnt tell him...

but in the end they finished my engine around april 2012.. i was so happy.. see http://youtu.be/9K4g0bKEtBU

But................................... then i got an email next morning... sorry i thought you oredered an iron block instead of aluminium.. you can take this one or i can make a new one in aluminium but then wait again.. so there was my choice.. cause i have a high end car idont want an iron block in it.. so i asked how long will it take..?

around 10 weeks.. that was april 2012.. now its february 2013????? i only have one pic from last week from the engine without valvecovers and still without the snout i ordered which comes on the air intake.. i ordered that thing more then a year ago..

still i cant get tom on the phone and larry cant tell anything when it will be on the dyno..

so im in impasse.... what can i do..??

so i searched the net and found thies.. can anyone tell somehting more??? does someone do business with him on regular base?? does anyone have an engine simular like me and can tell me how his experiences are????

Long delivery i know.. but how do they run in long term...

please help with information cause right know im one centermeter from buying a ticket to LA and go for a confrontation in person.. to either get my engine soon, or my money back..

thx!! dennis

DTM
02-01-2013, 10:50 AM
got exactly the same problems..

i ordered a 632 Hotrod with alien intake... i ordered june 2011 (!)... should be delivered after 4 months.. check my built here.. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...nvertible.html

tom was very helpfull when selling it.. i even visited him in may 2011 (cause i live in europe/holland) and wanted to see who i do business with.. he had a nice little shop and seem to be very serious.. so a month later i ordered an engine.. communicaion was never a problem back then when i had questions..

He even emaild me a couple of times cause the deposit took a week longer cause i was in italy.. But after i paid the 26k deposit, it was hard to get him on the phone.. back then nobody answered like i hear from others as well.. i tink around end of november he hired someone to pick up the phone.. a guy names Larry.. but its the same **** cause now you have someone telling you he doesnt know anything.. and with knowing nothing, i mean nothing.. even if you ask him to ask tom whats the status he says tom doesnt tell him...

but in the end they finished my engine around april 2012.. i was so happy.. see http://youtu.be/9K4g0bKEtBU

But................................... then i got an email next morning... sorry i thought you oredered an iron block instead of aluminium.. you can take this one or i can make a new one in aluminium but then wait again.. so there was my choice.. cause i have a high end car idont want an iron block in it.. so i asked how long will it take..?

around 10 weeks.. that was april 2012.. now its february 2013????? i only have one pic from last week from the engine without valvecovers and still without the snout i ordered which comes on the air intake.. i ordered that thing more then a year ago..

still i cant get tom on the phone and larry cant tell anything when it will be on the dyno..

so im in impasse.... what can i do..??

so i searched the net and found thies.. can anyone tell somehting more??? does someone do business with him on regular base?? does anyone have an engine simular like me and can tell me how his experiences are????

Long delivery i know.. but how do they run in long term...

please help with information cause right know im one centermeter from buying a ticket to LA and go for a confrontation in person.. to either get my engine soon, or my money back..

thx!! dennis

Flash68
02-01-2013, 11:49 AM
man that sucks!

XLexusTech
02-01-2013, 05:28 PM
Unacceptable.. total Bull****... Shame..

XLexusTech
02-01-2013, 05:31 PM
Well.. executing on the business you already have or the work that paid for .. is just right.. anything else is horse****... if a magazine editor can get his on the phone then a customer 2 years and over 30K into a motor that they screwsd the pooch on... total hore****.. Shame on Nelson engines...

rjsjea
02-01-2013, 09:10 PM
Unacceptable.. total Bull****... Shame..

Agree....

DTM
02-02-2013, 03:33 AM
man that sucks!


Unacceptable.. total Bull****... Shame..


Well.. executing on the business you already have or the work that paid for .. is just right.. anything else is horse****... if a magazine editor can get his on the phone then a customer 2 years and over 30K into a motor that they screwsd the pooch on... total hore****.. Shame on Nelson engines...


Agree....

thx... i hope someone has more info and/ or concrete experiences...

BuzzKillian
02-02-2013, 06:53 AM
Here is a link to another members experiences...
https://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?63134-problem-with-getting-parts-for-my-project&highlight=

Good Luck with being patient. You should have an Awesome engine in the end...

studio57
02-02-2013, 07:31 AM
I had similar problems with the custom service + when we open the engine it had some basic things done wrong, Rockers hit to side of the retainer and harmonic balancer had been damaged with violation installing etc etc... we desided to make the engine ones again with ourselfs and that was the best desision.
also the dynodocument i reseved was indentical to one other different size and combo engine that they got on on youtube video even the date and clock where the same :) so neahter my dynodocument was fake or the other engines. Did ask about this from Tom but didnt got any rebly.
good luck guys.. i hope you get what you paid.

btw i have one LS1 twint turbo 1220hp with corvetter headers for sale ;)


got exactly the same problems..

i ordered a 632 Hotrod with alien intake... i ordered june 2011 (!)... should be delivered after 4 months.. check my built here.. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...nvertible.html

tom was very helpfull when selling it.. i even visited him in may 2011 (cause i live in europe/holland) and wanted to see who i do business with.. he had a nice little shop and seem to be very serious.. so a month later i ordered an engine.. communicaion was never a problem back then when i had questions..

He even emaild me a couple of times cause the deposit took a week longer cause i was in italy.. But after i paid the 26k deposit, it was hard to get him on the phone.. back then nobody answered like i hear from others as well.. i tink around end of november he hired someone to pick up the phone.. a guy names Larry.. but its the same **** cause now you have someone telling you he doesnt know anything.. and with knowing nothing, i mean nothing.. even if you ask him to ask tom whats the status he says tom doesnt tell him...

but in the end they finished my engine around april 2012.. i was so happy.. see http://youtu.be/9K4g0bKEtBU

But................................... then i got an email next morning... sorry i thought you oredered an iron block instead of aluminium.. you can take this one or i can make a new one in aluminium but then wait again.. so there was my choice.. cause i have a high end car idont want an iron block in it.. so i asked how long will it take..?

around 10 weeks.. that was april 2012.. now its february 2013????? i only have one pic from last week from the engine without valvecovers and still without the snout i ordered which comes on the air intake.. i ordered that thing more then a year ago..

still i cant get tom on the phone and larry cant tell anything when it will be on the dyno..

so im in impasse.... what can i do..??

so i searched the net and found thies.. can anyone tell somehting more??? does someone do business with him on regular base?? does anyone have an engine simular like me and can tell me how his experiences are????

Long delivery i know.. but how do they run in long term...

please help with information cause right know im one centermeter from buying a ticket to LA and go for a confrontation in person.. to either get my engine soon, or my money back..

thx!! dennis

DTM
02-02-2013, 09:23 AM
I had similar problems with the custom service + when we open the engine it had some basic things done wrong, Rockers hit to side of the retainer and harmonic balancer had been damaged with violation installing etc etc... we desided to make the engine ones again with ourselfs and that was the best desision.
also the dynodocument i reseved was indentical to one other different size and combo engine that they got on on youtube video even the date and clock where the same :) so neahter my dynodocument was fake or the other engines. Did ask about this from Tom but didnt got any rebly.
good luck guys.. i hope you get what you paid.

btw i have one LS1 twint turbo 1220hp with corvetter headers for sale ;)

so also if i want to have the engine delivered i need to go there first to check inside the engine i guess....

i cant afford myself to have the engine deliverd to oklahome (where my builder is) and then see things are missing or not what they should be..

XLexusTech
02-02-2013, 09:23 AM
Here is a link to another members experiences...
https://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?63134-problem-with-getting-parts-for-my-project&highlight=

Good Luck with being patient. You should have an Awesome engine in the end...
I just read that thread... Seems like Nelson belongs in the @#$Heap penalty Box with Prodigy ... ... By the Power of Google spread the word.. Shame on Nelson Racing engines.
For those that have been screwed... here is some advice... spend 100 bucks.. buy 10 domain names.. set the default the login page with loads of Tags.. (read a few threads on how to maximize your search results) share you experience.. you will know you have done i right if you google NRE or Nelson Racing ect and your pages turn up the 1,2,3 on google results.. that might get Nelson's attention.. if the guys from Dubai goolge nelson and decide to go elsewhere...

DTM
02-02-2013, 01:30 PM
I just read that thread... Seems like Nelson belongs in the @#$Heap penalty Box with Prodigy ... ... By the Power of Google spread the word.. Shame on Nelson Racing engines.
For those that have been screwed... here is some advice... spend 100 bucks.. buy 10 domain names.. set the default the login page with loads of Tags.. (read a few threads on how to maximize your search results) share you experience.. you will know you have done i right if you google NRE or Nelson Racing ect and your pages turn up the 1,2,3 on google results.. that might get Nelson's attention.. if the guys from Dubai goolge nelson and decide to go elsewhere...


thats my point.. i cant imagine that he is selling so much engines and theyre all crap that there would not be a tsunami of threads on the net..? i found only these and one on http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?p=10773117&posted=1#post10773117 where also posted on...

cant imagine that someone eats this kind of **** without spreading the word...

SDS MACHINING
02-03-2013, 02:25 PM
Try NYES Automotive, Pat is an awesome guy to work with and you will pay half the price for the same components. his
pump gas motors are awesome and he is always available to talk, straight up guy no BS... you want bad ass 632? Check this out http://www.nyesautomotive.net/632_EFI_PUMP_GAS.html

XLexusTech
02-05-2013, 04:29 AM
Well Tom form NRE created an account on YB.com and has the balls to discuss the problem online.. Kudos to him...
One poster had a great point... he doesn't have time to answer the phone but has time to post videos ... (sales tools) sounds like a priority decision to me...
Hopefully they get this sorted out... .. it seems to me that the these shops/engine builders ect.. need to hire project managers... deliver quality on time on budget and no BS.. simply smart business.

http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=356558&page=11

DTM
02-05-2013, 11:46 AM
i think its decent to let you guys know what came out. Tom offered me to get a refund or build the engine to dyno in 4 weeks. He admitted that he was wrong in the communication thing. I think thats honest, and i hope he means it. But for me the situation was to far out of hand to get further with it. We dont talk about days or weeks of no communication, but months and months, and im sure if i didnt respond this thread i was still asking larry to have tom call me back.

Im not sure that it will be but i cant afford myself that when i break something in the engine and that that sets me back on the side of the road for months. Just i dont want to take that risk although there is promissed that it will be better.

I can not - and dont want - to tell sth about the quality of the engines. I just think if all engines (he makes 50 to 75 he claims a year) were bad there was not just this thread but a tsuanami of threads. So i think he has the benefit of the doubt there. But its just that i dont want to take the risk anymore...

I can forget street machine of the year 2013 allready.. i want to get my car to SEMA and the playboy mansion muscle car contest... If i wait longer hugh is dead..

although i think its wrong that it has to come to here i admire toms offer of the refund so we can shake hands and both go other ways..

If tom does what hes offered (wire the money) you dont here me here anymore and i just hope that for all other guys everything works out well and Tom really improves his whole organisation.

thx for all support and interest i received here and trough pm..!

dennis

Rickerbucks
02-07-2013, 09:53 PM
i was very interested in buying a motor but now....... I think i'll keep shopping

Mathi
02-12-2014, 01:33 AM
Hi guys,
My name is Mathias and I live in Belgium. I rode this topic about Tom Nelson a half year ago when I was thinking about ordering an engine.
I saw all the commercial movies on youtube, website and his facebook and I thought his engines were the best. After reading all the disappointments a bunch of guys wrote here and on other websites, I was sure not to deal with him.
A few months later I saw his project (that 69 Charger) on pictures of sema together with some engines of him. I didn't understand how a guy with so much negative feedback could make it on Sema. I didn't understand he could stay in the business all those years and still invent new engine setups... So I thought, the guy must do also good things instead of all bad things so I tried to contact him in October 2013 via email. After 2 weeks I had an email back from Larry (a co worker) with some strange explenation about different engines. After some emails we lost contact because that guy was not able to help me further. You will not order something if the guy on the other side don't know anything about his product.
So a few weeks later I'm still looking for a good, strong and stand a part engine. I found some good builders but a Tom Nelson engine stays in my head.
So I tried to contact him again via facebook. It's now end of November 2013. After a few days I got a message back that I could email him what I want and we would talk later.
Ok, that evening a lot of emails were sent and he always respond all my questions.
I needed in meanwhile an engine pretty fast because I want to participate in 2014 in a rally like cannonbal with the car so I asked him he could built me an LS engine with approx 700 hp. Something stand a part, strong and reliable.
He told me he had a prototype of a new LS engine with a NRE X ram intake he would like to manufacture to sell.
I told him my story and he told me his story and after some conversations I was ready to order.
Offcourse after the bad communication and the extremely long waiting times I was sceptic about this. I want garanties that the engine was ready on time.
So I sent Tom an email with my terms. He accepted them by putting his information and signature on it.
And I rode Tom his order form and terms and accepted them too.
I was still scared because I live in Europe and I could be an easy victim.
After the first (biggest part of the money) deposit the communication become bad so I start to panic. Sometimes he sent me back, other times not. I didn't know what to think... Is he building my engine or not... I didn't know...
He always tried to convince me about the fact he's working on it and the engine would be ready on time.
So no problem to me, I will wait till that date and we will see.
I tried to call him a week before the date of completion and he answered me that it sure be ready...
I was still scared because I never saw pictures and getting information was sometimes difficult and sometimes not.
It was a week before completion and all the money was tranfered to him. I was so nervous what would happen...
And I must say that I'm so suprised of what happened next....

The engine was ready on the date we both accepted. So I must say that I'm pretty happy that Tom Nelson changed some things in his business. I'm sure he can handles more engines and his communication is much better than peope describe here. I understand that he made mistakes in the past but I guess I'm the best example that you can trust on Tom.
I didn't know him, I knew his reputation, I live on the other side of the globe but it was worth the challenge to work with him.

I'm sure the Tom people were unhappy off is changed to a Tom that can handle his business and customers.
Don't always believe a person is not fair untill you see it by your own. Internet is not always a good and reliable source of information.

I'm happy that I can defend Tom and his business. I'm happy it's not the same Tom as a few years ago.
I'm sure if there are still problems he will deal with it. Just give him a chance as I did, you won't regret.

My engine is also on dyno on his facebook page

Regards,
A happy Tom Nelson Racing Engines customer from outside USA

90066

giocattolo03
03-05-2015, 10:17 PM
Check this out
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nelson-Race-Engines-Reviews/680847961957396

Anyone want to know any more please feel free to contact me directly
Cheers Glen

giocattolo03
03-15-2015, 05:43 PM
THE TRUTH BEHIND TOM'S LIES
I have had a number of people comment and ask why Tom has not begun defamation, slander and libel proceedings, further Tom is now contacting people from the page to provide misleading information and outright LIES! So here are the FACTS
Fact 1,TOM"S legal team accepted the judgement. The Superior Court of California document acceptance by Lloyd Mann, Tom's attorney (Mann & Zarpas LLP) An admission of guilt.
Fact 2, The judgement was accepted in its entirety, All 4 defendants, Nelson Racing Engines, Nelson Racing Enterprises, Tom Nelson & Larry Lewis accepted all fault, dishonesty and liability.
Fact 3, The judgement was not negotiated. In a negotiated judgement both sides agree and neither side admits liability. THIS NEVER HAPPENED!
Fact 4, TOM PAID THE JUDGEMENT. An unmitigated admission of guilt & fault.
According to the California Superior Court Tom Nelson is a proven FRAUDSTER and is not to be trusted.
My personal goal is to ensure that no one else has to endure the same expensive frustrating experience I have.