Let me begin by sharing that I share the following only after I have worked with, have spoken to, and then assured by Osh that the days of old were gone and that he aka RMS were ready to market the talent he has to the marketplace in a straight forward, honorable, and truthfull manner. I worked with Osh behind the scenes for many months attempting to posture RMS as the company to set the standard of service and leading edge products for all.
Many of you know me and for those that do not please accept as the basic premise that the following has been discussed with Osh not once but on too many occasions to remember. Let it also be know that I have been modifying and building cars and scooter's for at least the last 25 plus years. The reason I shipped my car to RMS was not because the work could not be completed in my facility but simply because he assured me he and a debugged kit that could be installed in 6 weeks. I had other projects under way at the time so I could not do the work in my facility at the time but I had the $$ to spend. I made it very clear that I was not interested in participating in a development project, I had done this years ago with Gale Banks and it became my project from He-l.
I met Osh almost two years ago when I got wind of Abdulla's M5 project. I asked if he had anything for a Z8 and I was told "yes, I have a kit. The delivery time is two weeks once the 50% deposit has been received". Later that day we chatted again and which point he shared that the LA Auto Show was fast approaching and he would like to display the car. Some issues were discussed and finally during that conversation I agreed to deliver the car in two days with the clear understanding that the project would be completed in 6 weeks, or to be specific in time for the LA Auto Show afterwhich I would bring her home.
The car was delivered assurnaces were again made and the project began to unfold. By the time the LA Auto Show came the car was in various stages none of which pointed towards completion and I was asked if the car could be displayed static and then once the show was over 3-4 weeks max and I would have her back home. Now commited like a pig to bacon I said sure. The show was in January now move to March, still no significant progress so I had one of my employees begin to monitor the project. Date after date was given but it was not until a fellow named Gary (presently the engineer at EvoSport) came on board at RMS did anything start to happen. Between Gary and his pushing Osh, myself, and my employee it still took a couple months to bring the project to the point that I was comfortably able to remove the car. This was do to lack of $$ and direct support from Osh. Let me share that the guys at RMS; Gary, Robert, Steve, etc. all tried very hard and felt bad for all the delays and the condition in which the car was in when I finally removed it. It was brought to my facility in Northern Califoirnia where it was completely disassembled and then installed properly. This included the re-engineering of several key pieces not to mention all the finish and detail work that had to be done. Once completed I took the car back to RMS to show Osh and his team. As I said, great group of guys that I felt simply had their hands tied do to lack of funds, experience, and in my opinion, hands on support from Osh. There is no doubt that Osh is a brain trust with many projects and ideas in his head but getting them clearly out of his head into another so a completed project can be presented has been a problem. Was I upset when I pulled the car.........numb is probably a better word. By month 4 or 5 I had conceeded that it had been nothing more than a developement project and if done from day one in my facility it may have taken as long however I had been assured that this was a bolt on kit. This was to have been the first of many lies to come.
I like Osh and am about the biggest car nutt you will ever meet. Absolutely love them and as such still saw redeeming value in Osh and we came to an agreement. I agreed to let him present my Z8 as seen on the M5 board as well as magazine articles as an RMS project......quote the "Z8 SuperFast" as long as the cars that were to follow continued with the same attention to detail, no lies to the customers. In a nut shell as long as he was going to turn the company around and be completely honest.
When I removed my car Bryan Bloch's M5 was there as it had been for several months with nothing have been done. Once I completed my Z8 and we came to terms I agreed to communicate with Bryan regarding his project. I explained that many improvements had been made during the final stages of my project that he would benefit from and I assurred him that I had ever confidence that Osh was going to be honorable and complete and present to him a simply awsome M5 SuperFast. Timetables were put in place again and it was not long before things started going sideways. I communicated with Bryan regularly along with Osh to keep it moving forward but delays began to mount until finally it was hours before the Car & Driver test and photo shoot and car was cobbled together. The test was performed and there was an engine failure. I have inspected the engine that came out and it appears to me that was because the car was not properly tuned. Once returned from Car & Driver the engine was replaced and the remaining issues of the project were to be completed. This included a list of bolt on items and tuning. Finally excitement builds, the car is on the truck heading back to Florida. I chat with Osh as it is being loaded and he said....."runs and looks awsome and they are waxing it as we speak". I call Bryan and share what I beleive to be good news. Several days later I receive the call, "the car arrived and looks and runs terrible!!!!!!!" Pieces missings, other broken, and to add insult to injury none of his old parts were returned. I called Osh and he seemed surprised but not much information was given. Finally several days later Osh shares that yes the car left running poorly and the finish work etc. was not what he wanted but he simply ran out of time. This was after 8 months and approx. $45,000.00. I was able to see pictures and in fact had Bryan take the car and have it dyno'd after we made a few software modifications. We were able to get the car to run better but the net dyno numbers were crap. I spoke with Osh several times about this project and finally Bryan agreed to ship the car to my facility to have it corrected. Oh my gosh!!!!!!!!!!!! This was truly the case where the pictures did not fully disclose the truth. The car was only one step away from a duct tape and bailing wire job. When I saw it I called Osh said you must be kidding. Again he shared his sadness about the finished product and told me that the next one will be the real deal. I told him that I did not feel that they have the ability to provide such a service and that bubble pack and true bolt on parts should be the market he addresses. We discussed my assisting him with other installation projects but he wanted to first show me that he truly has the ability.
Please keep in mind that it was during the time that Bryan's car was being worked on and before the Car & Driver testing that I encouraged an associate to ship his Z8 to the shop to be supercharged. At this moment I truly believed that Osh would produce a copy of mine. There were very clear terms, how much, how long, and the understanding that all money received would be held in trust to complete the project. $16,000.00 to begin the project was given and then two months later nothing had been done to the car and the money had been spent for non-related projects so I approached Osh and let him know that I was going to pick up the car and bring it to my facility. Understandably he was upset so I said either you release the car to me and I will not make an issue out of it or I will call him and disclose the situation and he can do as he sees fit. The next day I was told I could have a truck pick the car up. I supercharged it in my facility and it is presently out being completely repainted.
I was aware that Triflow had shipped his car to RMS and spoke with Osh about the project. I expressed my concerns again. I was even approached by memebers of Osh's staff asking if I would consider taking the car to my facility to do the work. It is unfortunate because by the time this was asked of me close to $40,000.00 had already been given to and spent by RMS so I could not consider taking on such a responsibility. I have continued to watch the project and chat with Osh about it all the time knowing that it was not a heathy situation. What was to be a 10-12 week project turned in to 3 plus months of sitting and even then there was no end in sight. I told Osh as a friend a few weeks ago over coffee that Triflows project had gotten way out of hand, there were no longer the funds at time point to complete it and that it would e conservatively 6-8 more months before it would be done. He shared that Triflow understood the delays and remained happy and excited. Like I said I never met or spoke with the man so Osh's truth became mine. It became obvious to me when Triflow removed his car from RMS that what Osh shared may not have been the truth. I was contacted and asked if I could arrange to have the car removed. I did so and it was delivered to a friend of Triflow's that mainatains a facility in SoCal. I truly wish him all the best.
During the time that Triflows car was at RMS Abdulla reluctantly shipped his motor to Osh to have it rebuilt with LC pistons, cams, etc. I state relucktantly because even though Abdulla received his M5 back super charged there were many loose ends that Osh never tended to. As an example he was owed a clutch that was never received. I chatted with Abdulla about his concerns for several weeks before he decided to give Osh another chance. Keep in mind that Abdulla had a motor problem but what it was not confirmed until it arrived in the States....turned out to be the now famos over-rev. Most likely when he let someone drive the car and they shifted wrong........bent a row of valves. Other than that I was told that all looked fine. This project was to take 4-6 weeks maximum. I made it clear to Osh how Abdulla felt and that he was very concerned about how long he was going to take. It was based on this that 2 more weeks were added to the projects timeline. So all parties agreed, the motor was shipped, received, torn apart.........and then three months later it remains in the same condition. I was told on numerous occasions by Osh that siginificant progress had been made and I relayed the same to Abdulla. It was sometime in March when the motor was to ship back that I was at RMS and asked if all was moving along. At that moment I was told that the pistons and rods still had not been ordered but the block was almost ready to be picked up at the machine shop. I worked with Osh that night and we CC'd the block and while I was there pistons were ordered. Confirmation was given and another two weeks was added to the schedule. I expressed by frustration with Osh and then asked for a rock solid date. April 23rd was given. I shared this with Abdulla and he went balistic...........understandably so. I let Osh know that he can not keep doing this. Two weeks ago I was informed that the block was not ready as I had been told weeks earlier and in fact design changes had to be made. I was also told that the rods still had not been ordered. Now I went balistic. Again I shared this with Abdulla who simply said "unbelieveable". A week or so later I was asked to pick the motor up and complete the project in my facilty. I sent a driver down. They experienced resistance from Osh but finally picked up what they thought was a complete motor. Three boxes of oily parts, crap throughout, nuts bolts and washers all throughout along with many empty plastic bags that may have controlled the chaos at one time but had been dumped out in the boxes. As if this was not bad enough there are two pages of key pieces that were not there not to mention the super charger that was returned is not Abdulla's. His was resold and is on someone elses car. The one I received was a damaged returned piece. I have been speaking with Osh about this for 1 1/2 weeks now and am assured that the parts are on the way. Now the topper, the block is at the machine shop and I am told that the numbers furnised by Abdulla do not match and the block. I am also told that it is damaged beyond repair. At the moment we are gathering all the pieces so we can get the project back on track.
Lastly, I share that I was contacted a couple days ago again asking if I could assist with the removing of another car from RMS. I understand that the reason this car was removed even after significant $$ had been pre-paid is because the customer was not told the truth. It is my understanding that the car was driven to the tune of 4500 miles, that no work had been done to it after endless promisses and completion dates were shared, that parts were removed for other projects. I do not know much about this project however the customer did express these concerns with me.
Alright, so this is story. There are so many projects and issues that fill in between these issues that I am was not personally involved with so rather than speculate I must refrain from commenting.
What would I like see come from all of this?.......good question. I have been extremely straight forward with Osh from day one hence the reason I remain comfortable sharing this. Call this an intervention, the point at which all the BS stops and then man is forced to accept realtity. Do I want him to fail? No, I did not but he already has based on the manner in which he is running the business. He is very sharp and has great ideas but he can not expect to live vicariously off the backs of others.
Recently during the most recent turmoil he has told many that I am a competitor of his and I am taking his business away hence the reason for his problems. He has also blamed those that work and or have worked for him as well. I can summarize that there are very few of those that worked for him that still do and through all the changes in personel the situation remains the same so simple deductive reasoning would compel one to find the common denominator.
For those that know me you know that cars are my love and even though a build and or modify a few a year they are not and never will be my primary business. Secondly, I have continued to stand by Osh's side until the point that the water is nearing my neck. Could RMS have been a fun, exciting place to live out some of your car tuning dreams? Absolutely, in as much the same way as Dinan, Hamann, Alpina, etc. Each tuner brings his or her own flavor to the marketplace but regardless integrity has to be the foundation. The days of BT Barum and the wagon pedler is gone and gone for a good reason.
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