Chevrolet Repair: Repairs to a 1971 Camaro, new distributor cap, chevy engine

Question
My wife and I are repairing a 1971 Camaro that was sitting for years. We were referred to a shop to repair/ replace the engine that was in it. The shop owner recommended that we replce the engine and rebuild the transmission. he sold us a 1994 chevy engine, oil pump,timing chain, rear seal and gaskets.( I am reading this off our receipt) He also sold us a rebuilt transmission, turbo. He also put in a used alternator and carb, top rod hose, new distributor cap, rotor and plugs. He charged a lot of money for these items. We took the car home and within 2 weeks it leaked out all the red fluid on my garage floor( transmission fluid I suppose). We sent the car back to him.(towed) He claims because we have not driven the car(how could we?), it is leaking around the dip stick and simply needs o-rings. That this is common for older cars until they are driven more. Others have said the front seal is bad? Do you know what is leaking and why. How is it fixed? Did we get ripped? I am very uncomfortable with this whole mess and this guy has done little to get our car actually running so we can drive it.We do not know much about all of this!  

Answer
Hello Leo,
You said you paid a lot, but didn't say how much.
But I am sorry to say, sounds like you bumped into someone who took advantage of you.
A rebuilt transmission shouldn't leak a drop...driving or not. The new O rings should have been part of the "rebuild", if it ever happened.
Same for the front seals...all should be new, and NONE should leak....even if it was rebuilt a year ago and just sitting on the shelf....older cars my eye.

And sounds like he installed a bunch of parts on a different engine to stick in your car. Wish I knew what was wrong with the orriginal engine. It could possibly have been repaired easier, and cheaper, and may have even been a better engine.

Slide under there and see if the transmission is nice and clean, possibly even new looking like a rebuilt should look, or if it has caked grease and dried mud on it. Heck, it might even be the same transmission that was in it. How would you know.

And changing from a 71 carbureted engine, to a 94 electronic controlled engine, if done correctly, is a lot of modification, so I think he may have kept your old engine, and just stuck something in the car. And I really don't think the 94 engine would have a carburetor, but would be fuel injected, so I can't understand selling you a used carb.
I hope I am wrong, and he really did a quality job, but if he did, I would expect him to correct any problems without a single complaint.

I recommend you find a reputable mechanic to look at it, telling him all you told me, and see what he thinks.

You just might want a lawyer.

Van