Wildrick Done Selling Clutches (expurgated version)

Say it ain't so Doug!



Do you mean you're still going to repair them but you won't sell them for people to install themselves?



Are you selling the clutch business to someone else?



How much longer till you phase out ?



Why not just refuse to deal the individuals in question? I think you're almost the only game in town for Hudson clutches.

Clutch guy wrote:

I have chosen to phase out the clutch business.It was getting to hard to try and explain "how to"diagnose,repair and install a Hudson clutch properly! It seems the hardest ones to make understand are the ones that have been doing it the longest!!! People doing it for 40 years or more.You know it is a tougher job[bulk weight and mass] and really should be done with help,I know this because I have been doing it for more than 40 years.If your 85,you should realize your not a spring chicken anymore and should get help,hire help or just don't do it.When you damage the parts,you should not blame the parts,but need to look in a mirror and be honest with yourself!!! I have tried to provide the best parts I could.If I sent it out,I would install it in anything I own.I don't claim to know everything about everything,but clutches I do know!.I know why most clutch parts fail,and can show you,if you chose to listen.I think I know what works and what doesn't,I've spent a considerable amount of time on R&D.My honesty and ability have recently been questioned,and being a vendor has gotten much harder.People are trying to save a buck here or there,which isn't all bad,but you need to figure out what parts to do this with.I have tried to provide the knowledge,the parts and the support to make the clutch job as easy as possible to people.You know how the story goes"a few ruin it for everyone"!! There is a small group that have been everything but honest.Always a Hudson nut-Doug

Dr. Doug,



Sorry to hear about your situation, but I don't question it, that's entirely your business and your decision alone. I do however, want you to know how grateful some of us in the Hudson world are for your past, and hopefully future contributions. You, of course did my complete clutch system a couple of years ago, and following your explicit, caring instructions, I was able to take my time, and bolt it all up with not a lick of difficulty. It continues to perform perfectly, and will hopefully last me a long time. When I was upgrading to overdrive in '04-05, I didn't think too much about the clutch. I also started out thinking 'cheapest route', and you convinced me that if I want to save money, I should do it with tires, or other systems that aren't quite buried into the bowels of the beast like the clutch is. I'm glad I had you do the whole system. The above post is correct in that I don't think the original factory clutch could've have been any better. I was truly impressed with the quality of parts you rebuilt for me. Of course, I'm heeding your advice on everything from maintaining the system to how to simply start the car, and I'm grateful for your expertise.



Having said that, you deserve to take a break, I can see how you could be taken for granted for what you were doing. At least that should leave you more time for your own projects! That's good. Keep in mind that some people are just 'born to *****', they'd complain if they were being hanged with a new rope. See you in Auburn, buddy.



Hudsonly,

Doug Seals

Hi everyone, I am Richie and live in GA. I am new to the Hudson world, but not new to old cars. I recently bought a 49 Super Six and it needed a clutch when I bought it. I had never heard of a wet clutch in cars, only motorcycles. After searching and calling around I found out about Dr. Doug. I ordered a pressure plate, clutch disc, Hudsonite, trans. mount and driveshaft mounts. Doug gave me instructions on the installation and some other part numbers I needed. Talk about an honest, trusting person, Doug told me to send a check once I got the total amount due. Well I sent him a check and I rec'd the parts before he got the check, I know!! Doug doesn't know me from Adam !! I am 63 years old and followed Dougs instructions and installed my new clutch assembly. The car runs great. It is sad to have a situation like this! I wish Doug well in whatever he ventures into. Thank you Doug for all your help. Richie.

Don't do it Doug We need ya!!

Davew

It is sad to see one of our "experts" coming to this point - but understandable. We have so few people like Doug in our club. But I know where he's coming from. There seems to be that 10% who know everything, but no nothing (maybe it's jealousy because somebody else knows something they don't) - and this is true in life, business, the Lions Club, the Shriners or the Hudson club.

While I'm not in a major service area to club members, I do try to offer something for club members - or at least I hope I do - to pay back 35+ years of fun, new friends and the family this HET club has been to me. If I have something in the literature field that somebody needs, I'll either ask a fair price for it (hopefully) or, if I can email it I'll do so for free. I'm talking here about all the Hudson material I've scanned into my computer, put on my web sites, whatever.

However, yes, I've run into the "10 percenter club", more often than I like. But I solved it in my own little way - I have a "don't have that" list. You step on my fingers, you need some piece of literature I have scanned, all of a sudden I "don't have that!!!" In many cases I truly don't have what you might want - but then, you have to ask yourself am I one of Alex's "10 percenters!!" Think about it.

Meantime, Doug, and everybody out there who's given service, advice, whatever was needed to help people in this club keep their Hudson cars going, I give you the ultimate complement - a tip of Aunt Hesters bonnet (you have had to have been in the club for a long time to know what that means!!.)

Keep up the good work and ignore the "10 percenters."



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr