Strange Auto Barn

I dealt with Will at Strange Transmission. Will seems nice, but he is incompetent.
1: Purchased a used transmission from Will and had it rebuilt by Will.
2: Will installed the transmission, I go to pick up the car and it turns out Will has decided to do some other work that was never requested. He removed the vacuum lines from my carb! Why? «It doesn’t matter how it runs at idle, it just matters how it runs at speed.» Right Will, that’s why they invented vacuum advance… to waste vacuum hoses.
3: I drive the car home, it It is clear that Will did not adjust and properly set up the transmission so that it would shift like it should. Car sits over night, it is clear that the transmission is leaking heavily.
4: Will also put in a new starter, which is fine. But he didn’t spend any time setting it up properly, so the starter grinds the flexplate and eats flexplate teeth. I spend 20 minutes trying to align the starter properly, it doesn’t take much to get it right and it no longer grinds. WTF?
5: Call Will multiple times, I am very polite. He does not return calls. Finally I get a hold of him.
6: Bring the car back to Will, ask him to address the horrible shifting and the leak.
7: Come get it! It shifts okay, but not perfect, he says. When I get there… Will is no where to be found. I drive away. It shifts a little smoother, but not much.
8: Huge puddle of fluid is under the car the next day. I get under the car, the pan gasket bolts are loose — not even finger tight.
9: Further diagnosis at a different mechanic reveals that a different gasket has failed, it’s a $ 3 little thing. The leak stops.
Is my experience typical? Who knows, but do you want to bet a couple of thousand dollars on Will, just praying that he won’t mess up (or get drunk or whatever excuse you could think up) and mess up your transmission install like he messed up mine? Do you want to have to waste tons of time fixing his mess (and cleaning up your driveway)?
I have serious doubts that the transmission was even rebuilt! And if it was… what else did he «forget» or decide wasn’t necessary? «Well did you talk to him, tell him your problems and try to figure something out?» you might ask. Yep, but when you are dealing with an incompetent person, does it make any difference to ask them to be competent?
His actions made it clear that in order to get the transmission right and to stop it from leaking I was going to have to go to another mechanic. It’s what I should have done in the first place. I’ve got 2 other hot rods, neither will be going to Strange for transmission upgrades, and all the guys in my club know what an incompetent slouch Will is — he won’t be seeing their business either.