Galen Govier - What Gives?

[69_500]

We are the only make that doesn't have an authenticating service offered straight from the manufactuer.

[Ghoste]

Which must be comforting to Camaro fans seeing as how there are far more 69 Z28's out there than Chevy ever built lol.
A guy around the corner from me took a Firebird convertible and turned it into a 69 Camaro Pace Car edition.  Boy is somebody going to be pissed down the road if they figure that one out!

[chargervert]

I hope those Barrett-Jackson guys made their donations to the" POPE " God knows at 16 % commission,they can afford to!

[Ghoste]

The free plugs with the country club set aren't hurting his business either!

[Shakey]

I don't picture him as the country club type.

[69_500]

Yeah and the upside to donating money to the Church rather than 16% to BJ is that the money given to a church is a tax right off.

[694spdRT]

What about those cars that the money is going to charity on like the $600,000 2007 Shelby Mustang. Are those eligible to be written off?

[TripleBlackGator]

Savior or charlatan? The jury is still out on this guy. To close to call. Depends who you are as well.

[4402tuff4u]

We all have to understand that he's performing a service as a business. So he needs to charge for that. If you really think about it, there is allot of time consuming work that goes into trying to find information on a certain and specific vehicle. Adding more people to his staff means a higher overhead cost that he has to pass along to the client and a higher risk of something wrong getting out. I believe that, that is why he keeps his operation to a one man show. This way he keeps control of the information being put out by his office. Him putting his name to authenticate a Mopar is big risk. If something is found to be incorrect, he's liable to a lawsuit possibly ranging in the cost of the vehicle and who knows what other damages and more importantly his reputation. If he just makes a few mistakes, his credibility is out and that means he's out of business.

The claim that he looks down at people could be several things. He probably gets allot of inquiries on vehicles owners that really don't want to pay for his service and just want to ask him a quick question or two about a vehicle for free - his time is worth money, period. I bet scenarios like this are very common and would probably get to you to a point of saying "here's another one!". I can just picture it. But that is no excuse to be rude or talk down to anyone - he chose that business and that comes with the territory. If you think about it, all the conversations Galen has with people must revolve around questions about Mopars or people trying to stump him with "rare" things. I remember last year at Carlisle I just stood next to Galen listening to this guy with a litany of questions and statements from this man. This man said he knew of a Cuda, blah, blah, blah, blah.     I just walked away cause I was tired of just listening to this guy going on and on and basically not saying anything!!

Believe it or not the worst jobs are the ones where you have to deal with the public.

[Brock Samson]

i deal with the public, and i concider it a blessing...
why? because I can and do make a difference...

 

[Badbob]

He was in Seattle for our Spring Round Up a few times and told the club that his favorite car was sitting in my garage. I have a letter he sent me, I'll show a part of it here:

[marangen]

response to 1st post: yes he did something to me.

Asked for help with decoding and general buildsheet questions, before I knew there were other ways of obtaining information for free....

2001 - having bought Challenger R/T SE (383)

We communicated via mail - once with Galen (at least signed Galen) and rest of times with a female. Agreed that I´d send him cash usd for service. They confirmed receipt of cash and then nothing.

We're on to them a dozen times asking for explanation, why the delay etc and what I was going to get in return (decoding only or more). On one or two occasions they replied (saying something but not really of importance - such as we´ll get back to you or whatever - can't even remember anymore!), but then silence and they never replied to me. Sent many reminders etc - and then gave up!

A man of his words - think not!

M

[slamooo]

I had good luck with Galen.  I was looking at a challenger R/T SE that had went through  a flood and wanted to make sure it was a real car. I called his # he answered the phone I told him what I was looking at gave him the # over the cell phone and he said it was not R/T SE saved me a lot of money.

[AKcharger]

What's funny even today if you google him 70% of the stuff is negitive

[Drache]

I remember hearing from a couple people that he believes himself the king of MOPAR and has free reign over people's cars. There was a couple that said they came back to their cars at a show only to find him rummaging around inside their cars (even though they had signs saying don't touch) because he was collecting info and when they asked him to get out of their cars he pulled attitude like he should be allowed to crawl over their cars with a fine toothed comb. Or reaching inside cars with the owners standing right there to move papers so he can copy down the VIN without asking permission. Another claimed he reach inside and popped the hood of their car without asking so he could look at the fender tag.

Who knows is this actually happened but I had someone open the door on one of my cars at a show so they could sit inside of it there was some choice words and they almost ended up with a bloody nose.

[superbird20]

Read his F rating with the BBB!

https://www.bbb.org/us/wi/prairie-du-chien/profile/auto-brokers/galens-tag-service-llc-0694-4022392

[AKcharger]

I've never met him and only heard stories but when 80% is bad there's probably a reason for it.  A pal of mine met him and said he was nice enough BUT my pal only has HEMI and 6 pack cars. I'm kinda hearing  if your a Wing/Hemi/A-12 person he is pleasent enough. R/T/GTX/Convertable...He'll give you the time of day.  A 318 Charger now with a 440... your treater as "Untermensch" or subhuman

[birdsandbees]

I don't know about that AK... SIXTEEN years later and he still owes me the summation on my Super Bird, yet he did my Bee ! 

[RallyeMike]

I don't know about that AK... SIXTEEN years later and he still owes me the summation on my Super Bird, yet he did my Bee !  yesnod brickwall

[Kern Dog]

I would love for that old fat fuck to touch my car. I'd rather enjoy smacking the guy around in front of onlookers.

[BrianShaughnessy]

Saw him taking pix of fender tags (including mine) at E-town way back.  He didn't ask, he just did what he wanted.    Saw a packet that a friend paid too much for on his '68 X that was just pedestrian knowledge.   I wasn't impressed.    I've never wasted much thought on anything he could do for me...  even if it was free. 

[AKcharger]

I would love for that old fat fuck to touch my car. I'd rather enjoy smacking the guy around in front of onlookers.

LOL don't hold back your real feeling Kern Dog! 

[Kern Dog]

Heh heh heh...
I have some strong opinions. One is that you just don't mess with someone else's property. If you ask, I'll share almost anything. If you just take it upon yourself, you're setting yourself up for an ass kickin'.   

[hemi-hampton]

I've never met him and only heard stories but when 80% is bad there's probably a reason for it.  A pal of mine met him and said he was nice enough BUT my pal only has HEMI and 6 pack cars. I'm kinda hearing  if your a Wing/Hemi/A-12 person he is pleasent enough. R/T/GTX/Convertable...He'll give you the time of day.  A 318 Charger now with a 440... your treater as "Untermensch" or subhuman

Not just Wing/Hemi/A-12 cars, The one Time I talked to him at a big Mopar Swap Meet, the one at Macomb College in Detroit area about 10+ years ago, I pulled out from my Coat Pocket my 72 Bengal Charger Fender Emblem, The one with the Tiger in 3D jumping off the Emblem, nothing like the 68 Bengal Emblem. Galen about fell out of his Chair when he seen it. Said he never seen anything like it before. Then said he had to get his Digital Camera to take a pic of it. Which I was fine with, He seemed like a nice Friendly Guy when I talked to him but only met him once. LEON.

[AKcharger]

Not just Wing/Hemi/A-12 cars, The one Time I talked to him at a big Mopar Swap Meet, the one at Macomb College in Detroit area about 10+ years ago, I pulled out from my Coat Pocket my 72 Bengal Charger Fender Emblem, The one with the Tiger in 3D jumping off the Emblem, nothing like the 68 Bengal Emblem. Galen about fell out of his Chair when he seen it. Said he never seen anything like it before. Then said he had to get his Digital Camera to take a pic of it. Which I was fine with, He seemed like a nice Friendly Guy when I talked to him but only met him once. LEON.

OK...Wing/Hemi/A-12/Bengal cars  

But since you brought that story up I had to read up on the "Bengal Chargers" I've heard of them but that's it...interesting story. I was reading that old thread where you posted photos of the emblem...did you ever confirm the back story?