I live in north Texas and have been waiting for a year to get my '66 OTS into Jeff's Resurrections in Taylor, TX. I have called Jeff Snyder twice in the last two weeks and left a message for him to give me a date-estimate on when he can take my Jag. He has not returned my calls. Anyone have any experience with this company?

I would like to have my engine rebuilt to solve a cold-start rattling (in the front of the engine) and to install valve stem oil seals in the head. I would also like to have the engine "gone through" to replace anything amiss and to possibly get a bit more horsepower and more rpm from the engine with slightly hotter cams, higher compression (10.25:1) and stronger crankshaft and rods, etc. While the engine is out having this done, I would also like to have the front sub-frame restored and all the ancillary equipment under the bonnet brought to original factory (like-new) condition for JCNA concours competition.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

It looks like a 2.5 hr drive for you, but perhaps an in person visit? Best to get the lay of the shop, so to speak. Perhaps they are closed for vacation? illness? They could be backed up, too. Not sure when your next concours is, but whatever time frame you are planning on, best move it to the next digit. I took my 69 in for a tire change and a diff flush, maybe it would be there 3 weeks? Turned out it ate the brake switch and the whole rear end was ready for a rebuild. All told, 3 months, and this was with an appointment.

If you are going to have the engine gone through, do the trans as well. They both come out together and then the labor time is only once.

Is teamCJ a possibility?

https://teamcj.com/

 

Make sure the outfit you use knows what a Concours engine looks like. I lost a ton of original GKN / BEES bolts during my engine rebuild at a very respected well known shop. It took a fair bit of time and expense to replace the generic stuff with genuine OEM fasteners.

If I were to do it over, I'd control the whole process.

HTH, Dave

 

I hate and don't trust companies/shops that don't return their phone calls. They do not value their customers. . Chances are if you ever get them to start your project you will never get updates either. Personally I'd find another shop. There are other good shops in TX. Just my 2 cents.

 

I decided against Jeff's Resurrections in Taylor, Texas. He never returned my two most-recent phone calls after putting me off for almost a year, by first telling me "by Christmas" (2024), then "next summer". In July, he told me that he would be able to take my Jag in "after Pebble Beach". After that famous event was over, I made my two referenced phone calls. It is bad business ethics to treat a potential customer this way, with $50,000+ to spend. In late September, I took Valerie Stabenow's advice (see her reply post above) and contacted Team CJ Works in Austin, Texas. ("CJ" stands for Classic Jaguar, I soon discovered). The owners are Dan and Justine Mooney (transplants from the UK) who have specialized in restoring E-Types for 30 years. In fact, Dan absolutely loves E-Types (even though he drives a new Ferrari). When I called them and was transferred to Justine, she told me to bring my Jaguar to them on Oct. 28th. After confirming with her the day before, I loaded my car into my Trailex Sportscar trailer and headed south from my hometown of Arlington. It took me 3-1/2 hours one-way and when I got there, Justine met me at the front door, introduced me to Pat (my car's project manager) and then her husband Dan. After Pat drove my Jag out of my trailer and into their cavernous shop, Justine gave me a tour of their complex of buildings, including the paint and body shop next door. What an impressive business! It is spotlessly clean and with loads of employees busily working, restoring a number of vintage Ferraris, a Lamborghini Miura, an SKSS, numerous other vintage sports cars and, of course four other E-Types besides mine, including a gorgeous and impressive Lightweight E-Type replica. Justine tells me to plan on getting the car back in the spring. I can't wait!

 

Good move! Sounds like Valerie's advice was spot on (as always).
Keep us posted as things progress and especially when you get the car back.
Rick

 

Good for all of us to read of the positive move forward for your car! You did your due diligence for TeamCJ and while it is a distance away, not like you'd have a terrible drive to go visit.

Shipwright's disease... "while you're in there".... while mine was in Sport and Speciality (Durand, IL) They pointed out the original front suspension and steering rack as items to be refreshed. So had those done as well, cleaned, blasted, painted, all new seals, bushings etc. The only thing that didn't get done was the Torsion bars, but I'm still not finding reliable info on those parts. Rob Beere does not respond to emails.

Keep us posted on the progress!