I picked up my Fatman Stage II Frot end on Friday from the local shop and was disapointe in the instructions that came with it, Unless of course the full set of instructions was not included or has not yet been found in the boxes. I ordered it with the power steering set up. All I have found so far is about 4 pages of instructions that are really generic and only include a few diagrams. The EMS (Bitchin) firewall supports had an excellent set of instructions and were great to follow. A picture for every procedure. I recieved a lot more parts than I know what to do with at this point so hopfully O just haven't fond all the instructions??

Has anyone else purchased a Fatman stage II and recieved a full instruction book? Am I just missing something?

Thanks!
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SORRY----I only get one thought a DAY!!!

Kelly--In Evansville, IN

That's all you get. And don't believe the line that says the chassis rake is accounted for. Set the crossmember level and tack it all together, mount the A arms and spindles and set your angle gauge on the spindle flats to check caster before final welding.

Kelly have you thought checking with the shop that sold yopu the kit to make sure they put all the paper work in the boxes or did it come direct from Fatmans.Also if you have a problem just call and they will help you out and let you know what your missing........Johnny
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A GOODGUYS REP

And tell them that other "damn yankee" Johnny sent ya! hehe
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Charlie

HEY MIKE!!! (L&F) Help him out. heh heh heh B-O-B**DSRA
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Smoke um if ya got um
Burn Out Bob DSRA member

I contacted Fatman this morning and they asked if I had their catalog. I said sure. He said turn to page ...and look at the magazine article on installing in a 40 chevy. I read through it. He said to call back for further questions.Period. Click!

I have no problem in installing the cross memeber itself which is what the article was about. But the rest of the stuff there is no diagrams nor a parts discription of whats what. I think there is a bar included to be used as a radiator support but have yet to find out its location.

Sorry I guess I'm just venting frustration, I just figured when ou spend over $1500 you should get some good instructions on how to install it!

Thanks for the pedistal!
Stepping down!
Kelly
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SORRY----I only get one thought a DAY!!!

Kelly--In Evansville, IN

I contacted Fatman this morning and they asked if I had their catalog. I said sure. He said turn to page ...and look at the magazine article on installing in a 40 chevy. I read through it. He said to call back for further questions.Period. Click!

I have no problem in installing the cross memeber itself which is what the article was about. But the rest of the stuff there is no diagrams nor a parts discription of whats what. I think there is a bar included to be used as a radiator support but have yet to find out its location.

Sorry I guess I'm just venting frustration, I just figured when ou spend over $1500 you should get some good instructions on how to install it!

Thanks for the pedistal!
Stepping down!
Kelly
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SORRY----I only get one thought a DAY!!!

Kelly--In Evansville, IN

Congratulations Kelly! You too were sucked in by the false promise of superior engineering, research, ect. and bulls... this guy has been selling to the public. A word to the wise, RETURN IT IF YOU CAN! Take a lose if you have to but get rid of that 1 size fits all junk. That reply you got from his incompedent staff, by the way, is all the help you can expect to get from them. Future complaints will get you their standard answer. "You installed it wrong". That anwser covers their slipshad workmanship. Check that steering rack you got by the way, its a cleaned up used one. Good luck, Kelly.

blksheep.....Would'nt touch Fatmans junk and I live in Charlotte!!!

I ordered a crossmember for a stock frame and got one for a 2"x3". I called to see the what the deal was and was told "We sent what you ordered." click. I called back and finally got an answer that the stock frame is also 3", but I pointed out my frame was only 1-3/4" not 3". I cut the frame and installed a 2"x3" section, installed it per directions, then had to redo it so basically I paid $325 for 2' of tubing.

I can't complain about the quality of parts only the instructions. The rod shop I ordered it from, really holds them in high regard and I know the owner does not want a bad rep by selling junk. The sales rep at the shop had worked for napa for 20 years and told me that the parts in the kit are Napa's top of the line parts. Looking through the stuff it is of high quality. I don't have a problem with the parts only the instructions or lack of. Thank God they advertise in a lot of mags to get some good pics of how the front end show go together!

I would have rather went with a Heidt's front end but the closest rep is nearly 4 hours away and i would rather not make that trip.

So I'll stick with what i got and inlist some friends for guidance and I'm sure I'll stick around here on SRS to ask more dumb questions!
Thanks for the replies!
Kelly
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SORRY----I only get one thought a DAY!!!

Kelly--In Evansville, IN

Did the rod shop offer to answer any of your questions? If Fatman's can't put out a decent set of instructions, and the rod shop sells their stuff, the rod shop should be willing to help you out.
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Lynn
'32 3W

Therapy helps, but screaming obscenities is cheaper.

The rod shop is more than willing to help me out. They have been great to deal with. I think that they will see me through it. I will admit I may have gone over my head on this on but that's what friends are for!

Thanks aain!
Kelly
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SORRY----I only get one thought a DAY!!!

Kelly--In Evansville, IN

At our shop we won't use any of their products. We brought in a rack mount kit for a shoebox Ford once and the quality of the parts were incredibly poor.
I can't understand how they got such a good reputation, or why the magazines seem to kiss their *sses so much.
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Boyd who?
1948 Chevy 1/2 ton (driver)
Some people march to a different drummer. I like to polka.

Alan first of all they don't make a rack kit for a ford stub and second your working for a shop so how would you feel if someone bashed your shop on this site, i have used Fatmans product for many years plus worked there and have not had one complaint or any problems with the product.It is that people don't know what there doing and turn it around to blame the product or the name of the company and it is the customers fault in the first place......Johnny
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A GOODGUYS REP

Johnny, I know you are an ardent, and loyal supporter of Fat Man's products. ....There are others at this forum (some haven't responded) that don't share your views.

Since I have no first-hand experience, I can not choose a side. However, as a potential customer, I am not impressed by numerous reports of Fat Man's poor customer service. .... Why would ANY company be so unwilling to assist a customer, or answer questions satisfactorily? .....Me thinks, they don't care, as long as they got the money!

This is the fourth Fatmans crossmember or kit that I've installed in my chevies! And to date I haven't had any problems with service or product! I found that if you have a little mechanical knowledge these are very simple to install! And I admit sometimes people buy stuff that they shouldn't be messin with in the first place but if you are a first timer maybe you should have some friends that can help and understand what they are saying! And sometimes a picture is worth a million words!
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Mike,Charter DRSA Member

For Bruce and Moodisc...thanks for sticking up for me. I'm off sick so I can't dig up the part numbers of the item we installed, but it was for the rack mount kit.

Johnny...I respect your opinion, but we've been in business for 23 years. The owner of the shop has seen all kinds of companies and suppliers come and go. Some have good quality products, some don't. He has brought in enough stuff from Fatman over the years that I would say he has a pretty good idea of what he's talking about. I was the one who ordered the rack kit for the customer and I inspected it myself when it arrived. As far as I'm concerned the quality just wasn't there. I certainly would have been p*ssed if I was the one who had bought it.
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Boyd who?
1948 Chevy 1/2 ton (driver)
Some people march to a different drummer. I like to polka.

My buds 39 Dodge has a Fatman rack kit. I made my own for the 41.
The Fatman kit is OK, but mine is stronger & looks better.
I've used Fatman dropped uprights, and helped put a Fatman crossmember in. No problems.
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Charlie

JB.
Fatman has a rack mount kit to put a GM center steer rack in a shoebox Ford, as well as kits to put this rack in several rear steer cars "40's GM & Mopar"

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Charlie

Alan, I use em in my shop, No complaints. I find them well engineered and I have delt with Brent personally with great results. In the field I have heard some horror stories but it was always a bad installation NOT bad product. His great reputation stands with me. I have also found that the kits from other major manufacturers to be equal in quality. There are some crap setups out there claiming to be a Fatman product or the owners and sometimes dealers making that claim. Instead of bashing, do some homework and I know you will agree. I do agree that the instructions are a bit vague for someone who hasn`t installed one of these front ends. I bet if enough people pointed this out....It would be rectified.
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WPoC

I could see where the angles and measurements might be a problem for some but the parts are pretty self explanning there aint that much to a mustang 2.
Ill admit i had my stock 2 front end installed but i rebuilt the hole thing.But i havent seen his kit.

ive only dealt with this company a couple times, but have had differnent results.

Fat man has a booth at the f-100 supernationals in tennesee every year. Brent ran a question and answer session, and he gave straight answers to everyone. i asked some technical questions and he anwered me fully. i learned alot with that session. he is a good guy to talk to.

i called last week to try to find some rack extenders for my power steering on my mustang 2 front end. i called the tach line, and I talked to a guy named Kevin. i saw they didnt list the extenders in their catalog, so i asked him if they sold them separate. he says, "do you have one of our kits?", "no", "then we dont sell them separate, click"
this guy didnt even suggest where i could find them.

I called nolimit engineering. www.nolimit.net (the people at nolimit are awesome by the way) they have them. i asked where they get them from, and their answer... "we get them from fatman."

why didnt fatman want to sell me the kit? i dont know, maybe because i am not a dealer, but i dont know why they wouldnt offer the kit to the public.

Same situation when I put the GM rack in our 41 Olds.
I didn't buy the kit. I called and wanted to buy just the extra long tie rod sleaves, and they wouldn't sell them to me without buying the kit.
So I cut the tie rods and extended them.
Policy is policy.
I've bought a lot of stuff from Fatman. Never had a problem yet.
I also learned a lot for one of his tech sessions in Syracuse in 95.
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Charlie