Hennesy + GT-R = 700 hp

[AquaPython]

Originally Posted by shmike

Do they offer replacement trannies too?

why , are you tired of your existing tranny ?

[Ninjakel]

Originally Posted by AquaPython

why , are you tired of your existing tranny ?

OMG!!! Hahahahahaha

[Mr Lefty]

HENNESY is a POS... I'll try to find the thread... but dude is a scam artist. he was on a Christler board 300 I think when people started asking about their cars...

turns out he was taking them in... for minor work... then selling stock items like the hood off the viper (stock hood is work $10k easy) then sweet talking them into a CF hood... or stripping one customers car to finish a previous members car.

there were SEVERAL diffrent forums with huge threads on this...
http://www.carforums.net/showthread.php?t=15083

Hennessey's Vipers are fast, but lawsuits say he serves them up too slowly. (Photo by Mark Vaughn)
Ninety-eight percent of his customers love him, John Hennessey says. But a few hate him and some have sued. Hennessey Motorsports in Houston specializes in tuning Vipers, adding more power to what is already one of the most powerful cars in the world. Hennessey’s Vipers have been featured in this and many other magazines and the cars he has sent to us and to other media were impressive performers. Hennessey presents himself well, projecting an image of the consummate Texas good ol’ boy whose reassuring conversational style and howyewdoin’ demeanor put customers at ease. People believe they will get what he says he’ll give them. But not all people do.

According to a lawsuit filed in Salt Lake City, Utah resident Taig Stewart sent his Viper GTS to Hennessey last May for an engine upgrade to 1100 hp along with several other modifications. For that he wire-transferred $142,500 to Hennessey. The lawsuit states the parties agreed the car would be done by mid-July 2001. As of press time the car was still sitting under a tarp in Hennessey’s shop in Houston. Or most of the car, anyway. Stewart’s suit claims Hennessey sold the car’s engine, transmission, wheels, tires and hood. The suit seeks return of the money, the Viper and “no less than $1 million” in punitive damages.

Hennessey claims he’s just slow in getting the work done.

“My side of the story is we’re planning on finishing his car and planning on giving him everything that he paid for,” said Hennessey. As for the parts being sold, “That’s totally false. We’ve got all his parts in the shop except the hood and he wanted to do a lightweight hood.”

Stewart is not the first unsatisfied customer. The longer we dug the more dissatisfaction we found. Here’s a sampling:

On Nov. 14 a New Jersey court entered a final judgement of $133,674 against Hennessey on behalf of Viper owner Gary Dan for a botched conversion.

William Walters said he is out over $22,000 after shipping his Corvette to Hennessey for a head and cam package that was never done; he did have five rods bent and a head gasket damaged on the dyno in Hennessey’s shop during an experiment Hennessey tried with nitrous oxide.

Jerry Johnson said he had to file suit in Placer County Court in California to straighten out registration and engine computer problems on a Viper he bought from Hennessey. n Jon Belinkie said he loves the changes made to his Viper but had to sue in his home state of Maryland, then register the judgement in Texas, to recover overcharges Hennessey made on his American Express card.

Rick Ryan said he had to hound Hennessey for eight months by long distance from Marietta, Georgia, to put the proper wing and stripes on his Viper.

Mark Lublin said he sent his Viper cylinder heads to Hennessey for new valves but when the heads came back he found the “new” valves were actually used; a cam that was delivered to Lublin in a Hennessey box turned out to be a stock Chrysler cam. Lublin was finally refunded $5,715 from American Express but only after nine months of disputing the charge; and he got no money from Hennessey.

Bruce Iannatuono said he ordered $8,500 worth of Hennessey parts for his mechanic in Baltimore to install but was only able to use two-thirds of what was shipped, and then only after haranguing Hennessey for six months on an order that was originally promised in five weeks.

Most of the complaints come from outside Texas. Hennessey, some said, tends to take better care of local customers.

“If you were out of state, man you were fair game,” said Kyle Kent, a former employee at Hennessey Motorsports. When an out-of-state car came in it was sometimes parted out, with the wheels, tires and whatever else looked good going to other cars waiting to be finished or sold outright, according to Kent and others inside Hennessey Motorsports. Then Hennessey would call the car’s owner and try to sell him an upgraded kit. If the customer balked, Hennessey would take parts from other cars in the shop, or just let the job sit.

Kent described one typical disassembly on an out-of-state Viper. “The motor and transmission went into a Durango John was putting together, the brakes went to someone else, the hood went to a guy in Ohio, the rear bumper to South Carolina, man you name it. We had multiple cars like that.”

Another common practice was putting stock parts on what was supposed to be an upgraded car.

“One customer spent $130,000 to $140,000 and that guy thought he had purchased a Venom 650R package which he thought came with the stroker motor,” Kent said. “John told him he was getting a stroker. He was just getting heads and cams.”

Hennessey denies any wrongdoing.

“I’ve got probably 3000 customers,” he said. “I’ve built over 300 cars and out of that I’ve had a handful of people that I’ve had some sort of a delivery problem with and I’ve had some of them who have sued me. So is that some sort of a trend or is that par for the course?”

So now tell me, would you still buy from Hennessey? His company is legendary, but stealing hundeds of thousands from your customersd and parting off their very own cars is NOT good business practice! This guy should be in Jail! Spread the word about this if you feel the same.

as extreme as an example as this is... it's not a rare one from what I've read.

even if it's just a few people bad mouthing Hennesy... on the 300 forum... he responds... and I have to say he's a no class POS.

[Mr Lefty]

here's the Auto week article
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=04383484

and here's the 300 forum thread I was talking about

http://www.300cforums.com/forums/gen...own-board.html



and Piz gets credit (as always it seems) with the find

[RACER X]

autoweek link is bad


not that i'm defending the guy, cuz i don't know him, but i did see his name at the top times at a local go-kart track back in tha day




.......but that lawsuit was back in '01, anybody know the outcome?

[Mr Lefty]

no idea... yeah I can't find the origional autoweek article now... weird... I know when Piz first posted it I read it from the site...

the other thread I posted shows his true colors... and one of the posts... if I am remembering correctly (I'll go look now) has a list of his lawsuits... he had several.

[ducati_atx]

Im not defending the guy, but with 3000 people - there are bound to be some people who expected more than they got. When one is dealing with $100k+ vehicles, lawsuits get involved. Its a nature of the biz.

Per the guy who thought he was getting a stroker motor for 130k... those are things which are in "contracts" that one signs prior to handing over their amex card. Guys shouldnt "think" they are getting XXXXX - they should know via the contract.

[Mr Lefty]

Just for fun, click this link. Type "Hennessey" in the spot for party name, and select "defendant." How many lawsuits can you find?
http://www.cclerk.hctx.net/coolice/d...ice=cc_inquiry
I got the following:

4 722639 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN ETAL MOORE PAT OP DBT 09-17-1999 710704127
18000 GROSCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 722639 701 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN ETAL MOORE PAT EXEC 01-31-2000 714773958
18000 GROSCKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 758870 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN ETAL JOHNSON JERRY OP OC 09-17-2001 734752635
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 758870 701 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN ETAL JOHNSON JERRY EXEC 11-14-2001 736663410
18000 GROESHKE RD HOUSTON 084 1111 HIGH ST #D AUBURN * 77084 TX 95601 CA
2 779971 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN ETAL BRENNER MTR INC OP DBT 09-23-2002 744700984
4549 BRITTMORE RD HOUSTON 041 77041 TX
4 838850 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P RONEY BLAKE M OP DBT 05-20-2005 774611779
11513 NORTH PETROPARK DR HOUSTON 041 77041 TX
4 838850 701 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P RONEY BLAKE M EXEC 06-24-2005 775650579

2 576339 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL CRITICAL SERV INC OP DBT 01-03-1991 831940817
1669 SO VOSS HOUSTON *
2 576339 701 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL CRITICAL SERV INC ETAL EXEC 03-26-1991 839811607

2 576339 701 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL WELTMAN STEVEN L ETAL EXEC 03-26-1991 839811607

3 608834 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL DUCHESNEAU DARRELL OP DBT 10-14-1992 878891907
5002-B WEST 34TH ST HOUSTON 092
4 660752 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL VELDMANS EQUIP INC ETAL OP DBT 02-09-1996 843343454
5002-B WEST 34TH ST HOUSTON 092
4 660752 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL TIRE RACK*DBA* OP DBT 02-09-1996 843343454
5002-B WEST 34TH ST HOUSTON 092
4 660752 701 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL VELDMANS EQUIP INC ETAL EXEC 05-06-1996 848340860

4 660752 701 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL TIRE RACK*DBA* EXEC 05-06-1996 848340860

2 704519 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL UNITED PARCEL SERV OP DBT 08-20-1998 894340238
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084
4 726252 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL WATERVIEW RESOLUTION C ET OP DBT 12-03-1999 713613765
18000 GROESCHKE RD #B-3 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 726252 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL COLONIAL PAC LEASING C*FK OP DBT 12-03-1999 713613765
18000 GROESCHKE RD #B-3 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 732839 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL AEI RESOURCES INC OP DBT 04-12-2000 717694304
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
2 748033 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL BARNES LAW FIRM PC OP DBT 02-15-2001 727742044

4 768749 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL MAHONEY & ASSOCT OP DBT 03-18-2002 739671531
6 INVERNESS PKWY HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
2 782124 001 O/D HENNESSEY JOHN P ETAL GUSEV KIRILL OP DBT 10-30-2002 745715414
4547 BRITTMORE RD HOUSTON 041 33153 11TH PL SW FEDERAL WA 77041 TX WA

3 608834 001 O/D HENNESSEY M*DBA*ETAL DUCHESNEAU DARRELL OP DBT 10-14-1992 878891907

3 713816 401 O/D HENNESSEY M*DBA*ETAL UNITED PARCEL SERV TURNOVER 09-22-1999 710743065

4 660752 001 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL VELDMANS EQUIP INC ETAL OP DBT 02-09-1996 843343454
5002-B WEST 34TH ST HOUSTON 092
4 660752 001 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL TIRE RACK*DBA* OP DBT 02-09-1996 843343454
5002-B WEST 34TH ST HOUSTON 092
4 660752 701 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL VELDMANS EQUIP INC ETAL EXEC 05-06-1996 848340860

4 660752 701 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL TIRE RACK*DBA* EXEC 05-06-1996 848340860

3 713816 001 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL UNITED PARCEL SERV OP DBT 03-10-1999 703744596
18000 GROESCHKE RD H HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 726252 001 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL WATERVIEW RESOLUTION C ET OP DBT 12-03-1999 713613765
18000 GROESCHKE RD #B-3 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 726252 001 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL COLONIAL PAC LEASING C*FK OP DBT 12-03-1999 713613765
18000 GROESCHKE RD #B-3 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 732839 001 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL AEI RESOURCES INC OP DBT 04-12-2000 717694304
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
2 748033 001 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL BARNES LAW FIRM PC OP DBT 02-15-2001 727742044

2 782124 001 O/D HENNESSEY MI ETAL GUSEV KIRILL OP DBT 10-30-2002 745715414
4547 BRITTMORE RD HOUSTON 041 33153 11TH PL SW FEDERAL WA 77041 TX WA
3 713816 401 O/D HENNESSEY MI*AKA*ETAL UNITED PARCEL SERV TURNOVER 09-22-1999 710743065

4 768749 001 O/D HENNESSEY MI*DBA* MAHONEY & ASSOCT OP DBT 03-18-2002 739671531
6 INVERNESS PKWY HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
3 713816 701 O/D HENNESSEY MI*DBA*ETAL UNITED PARCEL SERV EXEC 07-29-1999 708751938

3 716823 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC COASTAL HI-PLLC OP DBT 05-13-1999 706620224
18000 GROESCHKE RD #C1 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 719131 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC WOODLANDS PRINTING &G ETA OP DBT 07-02-1999 707773039
1800 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 719131 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC PUBLISHERS CUSTOM R*DBA* OP DBT 07-02-1999 707773039
1800 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
3 716823 702 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC COASTAL HI-PLLC ETAL EXEC 11-02-1999 712623263
1800 GOESCHKE RD #CI HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
3 716823 702 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC ROSS BANKS MAY C&C ETAL EXEC 11-02-1999 712623263
1800 GOESCHKE RD #CI HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
1 733477 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC PIWONKA DAVID J TA&C ETAL OP TAX 04-25-2000 717783954
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
1 733477 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC KATY INDEP SCH DIST ETAL OP TAX 04-25-2000 717783954
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
2 750582 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC VCI GROUP INC OP DBT 04-05-2001 729691117
18000 GROESCHEKE HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
3 754422 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC UNITED PARCEL SERV OP DBT 06-22-2001 732610675
4549 BRITTMORE HOUSTON 041 77041 TX
3 767930 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC FERREA HORATIO O ETAL OP DBT 03-04-2002 738795525
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 2600 NW 55TH COUTY #239 FT LAUDERD* 77084 TX 33309 FL
3 767930 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC N A D INC ETAL OP DBT 03-04-2002 738795525
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 2600 NW 55TH COUTY #239 FT LAUDERD* 77084 TX 33309 FL
3 767930 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC FERREA VALVES*DBA* OP DBT 03-04-2002 738795525
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 2600 NW 55TH COUTY #239 FT LAUDERD* 77084 TX 33309 FL
3 754422 701 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC UNITED PARCEL SERV EXEC 06-04-2002 741694925
4549 BRITTMORE HOUSTON 041 77041 TX
1 774769 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS INC RIVKIN ANDREW OP DBT 06-24-2002 741803384
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
3 716823 701 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS LLC COASTAL HI-PLLC EXEC 08-18-1999 709684412
18000 GROESCHKE RD #C1 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
3 716823 702 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS LLC COASTAL HI-PLLC EXEC 10-27-1999 711781681
18000 GROESCHKE RD #C1 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
3 713816 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS*DB* UNITED PARCEL SERV OP DBT 03-10-1999 703744596

4 722639 001 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS*DBA MOORE PAT OP DBT 09-17-1999 710704127

4 722639 701 O/D HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS*DBA MOORE PAT EXEC 01-31-2000 714773958

3 713816 401 O/D HENNESSEY MTR S*DBA*ETAL UNITED PARCEL SERV TURNOVER 09-22-1999 710743065

1 725114 001 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS I ET FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP OP DBT 11-05-1999 712644224
18000 GROESCHKE RD B-3 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
1 725114 001 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS I ET FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP AP DBT 02-07-2000 715631224
18000 GROESCHKE RD B-3 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 758870 001 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS I ET JOHNSON JERRY OP OC 09-17-2001 734752635
18000 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 758870 701 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS I*DB JOHNSON JERRY EXEC 11-14-2001 736663410
18000 GROESHKE RD HOUSTON 084 1111 HIGH ST #D AUBURN * 77084 TX 95601 CA
4 719131 701 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS INC WOODLANDS PRINTING & G ET EXEC 10-14-1999 711684078
1800 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
4 719131 701 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS INC PUBLISHERS CUSTOM R*DBA* EXEC 10-14-1999 711684078
1800 GROESCHKE RD HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
2 704519 001 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS*DBA* UNITED PARCEL SERV OP DBT 08-20-1998 894340238

3 713816 001 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS*DBA* UNITED PARCEL SERV OP DBT 03-10-1999 703744596

3 713816 701 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS*DBA* UNITED PARCEL SERV EXEC 07-29-1999 708751938

1 725114 001 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS*DBA* FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP OP DBT 11-05-1999 712644224
18000 GROESCHKE RD B-3 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX
1 725114 001 O/D HENNESSEY MTR SPORTS*DBA* FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP AP DBT 02-07-2000 715631224
18000 GROESCHKE RD B-3 HOUSTON 084 77084 TX

I did a search for both Hennessey and HENNESSEY MOTORSPORTS... looks like the last listed lawsuit I could find was in 02.

just from what he said in the 300 forum though... definatly would invest my money elsewhere... nor would I buy anything with work done by him (free advertisement imo)

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by ebbs15

turns out he was taking them in... for minor work... then selling stock items like the hood off the viper (stock hood is work $10k easy) then sweet talking them into a CF hood... or stripping one customers car to finish a previous members car.
.

Sounds like what many bike shops do.....

[Mr Lefty]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Sounds like what many bike shops do.....

really? that's fuck'n gay.

one of the guys was talk'n about how he sent his viper in for some body work... and when his motor blew 3 weeks later found out it was swapped out as the numbers didn't match...