http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=006&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=160102075563&rd=1,1

See my previous thread, "need opinions on switching to e-31" .

I read the links about the seller, which seem a bit questionable. Note he IS now allowing folks to see his feedback.

On the other hand i have emailed him some questions about the head. he has not responded.

Also, MSA has no head gasket for E-31. Are they difficult to find?

Before buying anything from an ebay seller its wise to check there feedback.

The easiest way to do that is on www.toolhaus.org Just type in there username and click the button.

eg this guy ur-gelis:

http://toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=%09ur-gelis&Dirn=Received+by&ref=home

That guy buys stuff from me all the time when I list on ebay. I've never had a problem with him. I've even purchased from him a few times. I think he was hiding his feedback because a couple customers were trying to give him a bad name and were posting false feedbacks.

I did get two postive responses from two of the eight folks I found on his feedback that had bought heads from him. No response from the other six.

But again no reponse from him to two queries I have sent him.

Anyone have any ideas about the head gasket issue? are they hard to find for E-31? (they dont have em at MSA)

He is the worst kind of ebayer, He knows Z parts, and knows what parts are good, and he frequently posts glowing ads for parts that are not useable or at the least incorrectly described. A member here bought a head from him last year and was told he would get a fully functional professionally rebuilt head fresh from the machine shop, and what he got was a a head from the reject pile of the machine shop(rejected after the work was finished)

Search the forums...his actions are here.

Will

Hello Everyone,

I was just referred to this forum and I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Al Allen and I am a Datsun fan based out of Rancho Cucamonga Ca. I see there are a few comments about my ebay listings that I wanted to address. I am not a business, nor do I claim to be a professional on Datsun engines. I do however have over 15 years working on Z cars, 510's and 620 trucks. I have a friend who owns a professional machine shop in Riverside Ca that does all my engine work listed on ebay. I have sold dozens of heads and engines from this same shop without problems. No one can make 100% of the people happy, but I do have over 3000 transactions on ebay with a 99% feedback rating. My listing shows a current score of 1871, that means I have over 1200 repeat customers because ebay does not credit a buyer more than once for positive feedback. If you want to ask me a question direct you are welcome to email me at a2602nv@yahoo.com and I will do my best to help. I am not a scammer of any type, just a guy who loves Datsuns and enjoys ebay.

I bought my E31 from Al to use for the street while I was having my track head built. The head is tight and proper. I swapped a stage three cam into and run it up to 7000 RPM regularly. I havent had a single problem with it. Plenty of adjustment in it and the valve job was solid. Quick shipping and good communication. Thanks Al. That was my experience with him.

i had bought something from al back in '05. this is all i had to say: "very quick shipping, excellent item! A++++++"

Mr. Allen,

I appreciate your joining in.

The historical problem with your auctions, is not a lack of good parts -frequently you have them. The problem is that you are seemingly not consistant with your business practices. Sometimes your parts are misrepresented in terms of part condition or fitment. Your feedback verifies you have enough experience to know the difference between NOS, non-nos, and modified parts, and that you know enough to know a large part of what came standard on a specific year model S30 and what didn't. You know what you would put on your own show car and what you wouldn't.

The problem is occasionally you seem to selectively forget some and/or all of that knowledge.

I had an issue with an ebay purchase from you that was frought with questionable circumstance and minimal contact.

When I am allowed to "buy it now", I expect for my winnings to come to me, not aparently be re-listed almost immediately after my "buy it now" and sold at a higher "buy it now" price after being told there was a shipping delay followed a week later by an email stating the part had been broken in the packing process .

I have been an ebay member since December of 2000 with 100% feedback with a 40% repeat customer base. I'll agree you can't be everything to everyone, but you can be honest and consistant in every ad-by telling a buyer what to expect, suppling at least what was expected, and suppling it in an acceptable time frame.

Another part of the reason for my 100% is my recovery from MY mistakes. I step up, take complete responsibility, and make the situation right for the buyer-even when it is painful or costly to do-I wrote the ad and I take the responsability to make my words good, and get 100% because of it-I can tell you from my seven years (vs your five) of experience being thorough, honest and consistant in ebay dealings and getting a consistant 100% can be done.

My opinion of your feedback is that it shows you know how to do better and occasionally seem to choose not to.

Will

PS, thank you for posting your side, and being an active participant in the answer.