Marsattacks

Are the other two also BMW parts even though they don’t have the logo?  If so I will take one.  Please let me know.  Many thanks.

Let me preface this by saying hat I have no idea what Rogerstii belt trim is like.  But if it is anything like the stainless belt trim that was floating around a few years ago you are in for a festival of pain.  I would carefully test fit all of it before taking any further steps.  Good luck.  

Yes I have received first the Covid hospital line and then the Covid clinic line and all that time he was posting for sale ads on Instagram while saying he was not allowed to use his phone.  Be very cautious with Powderwheels aka frank franker.

The explanation has been that there are at least two people with access to the account and they are trying to keep the business up and running.  I am going to follow a two week period of detente while the situation clarifies because I think we have his attention.  Best course is everyone is happy.

Frank messaged me (via FB messenger) that my wheels will be shipped out in two weeks.  This is not the first deadline.  So, the countdown begins again.  I will update good or bad.  

Sorry to say I don’t know.  Probably some generic one.  30 minute job.  I said how about Thrush?  Shop said the didn’t have any but would get close.  I have Weber 40 DCOE and no discernible performance degradation.  

More PMs coming in.  I have had some more communication from Frank or his associates.  I am keeping an open mind and trying to see both sides.  From what I have been told and what others have been told this situation should clarify in two weeks.  I think we have his attention.

The best outcome for everyone is that buyers get awesome wheels from Frank, he gets fairly paid, and the line of communication is clear and not a one-way street for recourse.    Everyone will need to assess their own view.  More to follow.

On 7/3/2021 at 9:31 PM, SydneyTii said:

Not a big user of Insta, so not sure but can you report him on there and or leave bad feedback? 

No on feedback.  But one can comment on posts.  Reporting process is abysmal.

Your wheels are awesome.  So are lots of the ones he shows and/or has sold.  My issue with Frank is not telling people the straight story + (and this is a big one) demanding full money up front with no recourse.  No paypal, no eBay, no Venmo.  Then, making what appear to be utterly false promises that “your wheels are almost ready, just polishing them, be ready in two weeks, just some days more, etc., etc.”.   That, in my view, but perhaps not in your view or the view of others, is bad behavior.  Especially when a four-week delivery turns into a 16 week delay with no end in sight, no photos of the wheels in process, just apparent BS.  So, I’m telling people to be really wary and consider the facts.  Totally their call whether to send $$ as part of this deal.

If you have an actual real name for this seller, or an actual real physical address, I’d be grateful if you could PM me.  Thanks! 

I am monitoring his posts on Instagram and he appears to be offering wheels that he does not have or has already sold to someone else.  Happy to clear it up if contrary information comes along. 

As detailed elsewhere, I fought the IE resonator rattles on my 74tii for a few years.   This spring I had it cut out, discarded, and and replaced with a glass pack muffler.  Since then it has been awesome.  I have the tii manifold.  But twin Webers, not injection.  Runs great.  Nice burble but still plenty civilized.  I sometimes miss the Ansa snap crackle and pop but not usually.  Toying with the idea of a vacuum cut-out just for hooligan moments.  

I love mine.  It holds lots of things that otherwise would be rattling around in the trunk.  I removed the evaporative tank and did not replace it.  I actually don’t believe that it fits back in with my car.   19744tii.  Not sure if the tank is a little bit taller due to the increased tii size, my trunk deck is sitting a bit proud, or what.  Anyway, a simple hose into the spare wheel well solves the issue easily.

If you are thinking about entering into a purchase relationship with Powderwheels a/k/a Frank Franker a/k/a Frank Ferens you should go in with your eyes wide open.  I am NOT telling you that you should not buy from him.  I am saying be fully aware of what the terms are.  Essentially, he insisted that I pay the full amount up front via a bank transfer for some wheels.  The representation was that it would take four weeks and that his word was his bond.  Well, it is now many more weeks afterwards and I don’t have wheels, money, or truly any recourse.  Sure, I realized that there was a risk of non-performance by Powderwheels aka Frank Franker but I took the plunge anyway.   It was a stupid mistake.    If someone is selling me something then, within reason, I expect it to be delivered on the terms agreed.  If not delivered, then the seller needs to offer a refund.  But that is not the way it goes with Powderwheels.   I would never again send money in a form that cannot be escrowed or subject to third party scrutiny.  I am collecting information on this business, the aliases used, and contact numbers.  As far as I can tell, nobody has an actual real name for the seller.  He is active on Instagram and Facebook at least.  Apparently he has vanished from prior EBay activity and (reported by others) no long uses PayPal.  If you have information feel free to PM me names, email addresses, physical addresses and telephone numbers used by this business.  I am well aware of those hanging on to the hope that their order will be shipped sooner or later and therefore are hesitant to “upset” the vendor so in a fit of pique he ghosts them and does not ship what they paid to receive.  I am also aware of those who believe that they have been mistreated.  I very much hope everyone gets what they paid for, and the seller is fairly paid for what he proposes to sell.  But I am not at all in favor of being strung along.  Good luck.

Thanks yes, it is my plan to list here and everywhere.  Unfortunately he’s in Europe.  But active or at least known on several sites.

Great self-restraint.   There is a “seller” of wheels who is about to get an international skip-trace put on his name, number, bank accounts and all other known information.  I feel like I’m being scammed so will do my best to burn him down.  

Hi I’d like a tii bracket please.  Just lmk details.  Many thanks for doing this.  

Hi Ryan, I sent you an email re the Powderwheels scam you referenced.  Thanks!

I have no interest in or special knowledge of this product except that I have one, purchased from the seller.  Mine is a light blue/green in color.  And it is AWESOME!  Really the perfect (in my view) small organizer for otherwise limited use space in the trunk.  I should add however that if your model has the gas expansion tank then you will need to eliminate that and re-route the hose through the vent in the spare wheel well.  Good luck either way.

I had a “both windows left down” episode on a day calling for zero percent chance of rain that turned into a deluge.  That was the last of my precious 1974 one-piece carpet.  I was so concerned about my precious unrusted floors pans that I cut the carpets out of the back (where most of the water pooled), lifted the rest of the carpet and got her dried out nicely after scooping a good bit of standing water.  The consequence was that I had a three-piece carpet.  My carpet showed the same faded and tatty quality some of you know well.  Esty to the rescue!  Now my carpet looks great, smells great (no smell) and lays very flat.  I tracked some winter mud in but hoping to clear that up with Oxy Clean or Hydrogen Peroxide.  

Thanks for the travelogue.  Really nice job with the posts and dealing with all the curve balls that came your way.  I bought a 1974 tii about 8 years ago, sight unseen, from a friend of a friend.  I was crushed at work so I flew my brother in law and his best friend to Denver.  They picked up the car in Littleton CO and drove it back to Western PA.  1,500 miles total, so comparable I assume to your trip.  I had new tires put on it and a basic safety check performed before they departed.  They miraculously had no breakdowns at all but basically were deaf for a week.  Plus the twin Webers were gushing fuel and second gear would not work (from start) until they figured out that double-clutching let it shift.  No A/C (it was summer), no radio, badass loud pipes, dim lights, no defrost or wiper fluid.  

Regards, John

Update — took off the resonator and replaced with a glass pack.  Sounds great (no discernible increase in sound).  At least for now there is no cringe-inducing buzzbomb noise at about 3200 rpms.  Otherwise seems to check out fine.   I cannot actually believe that I put up with this for so long!

Thanks guys — an answer and a comment —

As for cutting vs. de-clamping.  It has been several years since the install and the initial series of go-rounds to try to fix it.  I believe at that time “we” welded it up to try to stop the rattles.  I crawled partially under the car last week and that’s how it looks to me.  I didn’t actually do the work.  If it is a simple de-clamp then even better.  All of this was to try to stop the crazy buzzing, which seems to be localized in the resonator.  Probably I will have a glass pack put in its place.

As for a custom system.  I think if the “fix” above does not work or results in obnoxious sound etc.  Then probably will go with an OEM system.  I have the tii manifold already so I will end up buying everything downstream.  However the idea of an Abarth system (with its own foibles) does seem attractive.

Taking mine to a muffler shop next Tuesday to finally get the resonator cut out.  Total POS system if you ask me.  Not down on IE for everything — I have other stuff that has been fine.  This has been less than zero value. Might actually end up deep sixing the whole thing.  We’ll see.  

Thanks all — resolved!  The violet striped wire from the hazard switch was covered with some tape but had a fresh bayonet connector so I crimped on onto my IR repeater and found some good ground under the console.  Works a charm and the radio is totally hidden.  Also runs Sirius/pandora/Spotify/cell phone.  Really a nice addition.  Next up—docking station fitted into the dash seatbelt binnacle.  

Thanks guys. Super helpful.  Will report after I scope it out.  

Dang!  I think you are right! My car is a tii and Zenwrench Paul very nicely hooked me up with a motometer clock.  It was wired but didn’t work. My brother in law disconnected it when we put on a dash cap.  The cap is now removed and I forgot about that phantom harness.  I actually never knew it had a light!   I think it should work fine for the IR repeater.