Re: Imperial Services Update - was Re: Imperial Services - long read warning in effect.

["Dennis C." <dennis.2914@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for the update.

I have purchased your products in the past and hope to again in the
future.  I appreciate anyone who makes the effort to supply parts for
our cars.

Dennis C.

On May 18, 11:04 am, Steve Charette <ste...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> To roughly paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of my death, lunacy,
> abductions by aliens, commitment to an institution, etc. are greatly
> exaggerated.
>
> Short Update:
> We have moved to our new 12,000 sq. ft. facility in Mayville, MI.  We
> have had to re-organize and invest in other business interests to
> enable us to continue doing what we like, which is building old Mopar
> parts.  We are currently developing a new marketing strategy that will
> make replacement parts more readily available, but will ultimately
> result in our departure from retail sales.  We plan to offer "special
> order" parts, i.e. those not stocked by our WD/Dealer network (such as
> ratio adapters and pushbutton conversions) on eBay as they become
> available.  We will continue to take and fill orders until this
> transition takes place.  Web sales are still being discussed.
>
> Anyway, we're still here, albeit harder to reach than in the past.
> And the work we've done the last two years ensures we won't go the way
> of The Paddock, Hardens, or Crane Cams.
>
> I can be reached personally at steve (at) promerican (dot) com,
> although I don't sit at the screen awaiting the "You've Got Mail"
> alarm.  I generally get to e-mail every 2-3 days, so please be
> patient.
>
> Long Update:
> It's been a long time since I've had time to take part in list
> discussions.  Following the decline of Imperial Services business in
> 2007 it became apparent that I would have to make some changes, or
> close the doors and find a job (a financial consultant actually made
> that recommendation - he was summarily dismissed).
>
> All this took place just as my divorce was becoming final, and since
> Imperial Services was based from my home, I negotiated to keep the
> house.  Of course, that was right before the mortgage market dried up
> and the value (which I had just negotiated at an all-time high) of the
> house dropped like a rock.  At the risk of making this way too long to
> read, we decided to move the business, sell the house, and get
> involved in additional business opportunities to help finance the
> Imperial Services business.
>
> Fast forward to February 2011.  We're on our way to our new shop (30
> miles away), and I manage to miss the bottom step into the garage (the
> same steps I've been traveling for 19 years) , breaking my left leg
> and tearing ligaments in my left ankle.  Having plumped up to a nice
> round 300 lbs, recovery has been a bugger.  #1 daughter Melissa is
> expecting and not wanting to commute in the snow, so we just decided
> to work from voice mail rather than train a new phone person.  As Herb
> mentioned, it hasn't worked the best.
>
> Fast forward again to today.  I'm hobbling around fairly well, and
> we're trying to catch up from brisk sales of Imperial and SpliSeal
> products with a shop full of trainees.  Production is starting to move
> along nicely, but we realize we're still not doing a good job of
> customer service.  We've tentatively decided to get out of the retail
> business, and let a stocking dealer network provide stock parts on a
> timely basis.  Special Order parts (parts the dealers don't stock or
> custom stuff) are still being discussed, but we're leaning toward
> putting completed components on eBay and let the market set the price.
>
> We're looking to make the switchover sometime before Carlisle
> (beginning of July).  As stated above, we will take and fill orders
> until the switchover.
>
> The changes will; 1) ensure our survival until things pick up, 2)
> serve our customers better, and, 3) allow me time to play with my cars
> - time I have not had since leaving my job in 2002 to run Imperial
> Services full time.  We will still be manning the Schumacher Creative
> Services booth with Mike Schumacher at Carlisle and the Mopar
> Nationals, and look forward to getting out and around with the cars
> before too long.
>
> On a more personal note, we've sold off the old Imperials, and are
> actually making plans to get some of this other stuff on the road - we
> now have the '62 Wagon, a '64 Sport Fury (future race car), a '64 Fury
> driver, the '64 Savoy long term project, as well as the '68 Barracuda,
> a '68 Fury VIP, and a few others.  Now that I have room to work on
> these, I am carving out blocks of time to get things done.  The
> "marital" home is finally sold, and the 100 year old farmhouse we've
> been remodelling is getting close to inhabitable.
>
> We're sponsoring the "Peace, Love, and Sunflowers" Cruise at the
> Mayville Sunflower Festival July 30th, if you're in driving distance
> please join us - we're hoping for an overwhelming Mopar presence.
> Watch our website (www.promerican.com) orwww.mayvillesunflowerfestival.com
> for details.
>
> Thanks for your support and patience over the years - without the
> '62-65 community we probably would have abandoned this a long time
> ago.  Hope to see you out there before long...
>
> Steve Charette
> Promerican Corporation/
> Imperial Services/SpliSeal
>
> On May 17, 10:42 pm, Jay <shelby_...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>
> >  
> > I just ordered a motor mount from these guys...hope I don't get the run around...
> >  
> > Jay
>
> > --- On Tue, 5/17/11, Herb <zephyr9...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > From: Herb <zephyr9...@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: Imperial Services
> > To: "1962to1965mopars" <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Received: Tuesday, May 17, 2011, 10:19 PM
>
> > #yiv293691862 v\00003a* {}
>
> > Is there anyone on this list know or live close to Steve Charette with Imperial services?  This July it will be One Year that I have been waiting for the correct cable for the pushbutton conversion he did for me.  My 63 Fury with a 6.1 has been done and sitting waiting for the cable. 
> >  
> > If they answer the phone (I know I make jokes) they say O YA we will have it next week.  Weeks go by and nuthin, then I call leave messages with no call back.  Even said to call me collect, No Call Back.  Can anyone help me on here?
> >  
> >  
>
> >  Herb
> >  
> > 1956 Plymouth Belvedere 361 4-Sale
> > 1959 Coronet 326 Poly
> > 1961 Belvedere Custom Suburban 318 Poly
> > 1962 Dodge Dart 225 Slant Six  4-Sale
> > 1963 Fury 2D/HT 6.1L
> > 1963 Sport Fury Convertible 361
> > 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst 440
> > 1999 Durango SLT 5.9L
> > 2008 SRT-8 Magnum 6.1L
> > St. Louis, MO.
> >  http://1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/mmo42009.html
>
> > --
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>
> - Show quoted text -

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