Jack the 356 Guru

[JOP]

Jack was in the latest R&T
and I found a link for us being "banned" to enter Trump-land
Njoy
JOP

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a32871/shops-we-love-california-calling/



Photo R&T

[356]

Great Article, Jack is practically an institution. Thanks for posting this.
~Vance

[356JAGER]

Jack's shop is much like Ted Blake's rendition in Sacramento. Both filled with much history, excellent workmanship and skills gained over much time and experience. Fewer and fewer of them still in existence. Real 356 masters..
Wish I could get to one of Jack's parties. Keep on keepin on Jack. Surf's still up..
Cheers,
Joel

[bbspdstr]

Haven't met Jack (yet), never been to his shop, but the shops I learned in looked like Pennsylvania or Texas versions of Jack's shop in the photos, maybe slightly larger and with occasional snow outside.

Like today, when a whole day was lost to removing at least some of that frozen inconvenience from my parking lot.

In the '60s, I also worked in the opposite conditions....weekend paychecks said "Roger Penske Racing." I still have the dress and haircut spec sheets we were given...and a white uniform shirt that doesn't fit anymore. Like weather, that's a "mixed bag."

My shop now looks the part of the more median shop full of old Porsches. Hopefully it's not being too presumptuous, but let me say that I realized long ago that if a shop is too messy, a new customer's first impression could be to think the work can't be that good. If it's too clean and neat, the customer may think they are paying too much for the time to keep it that way. If a small privately owned specialist shop is a little messy with obvious attempts at organization, they tend to think that those who work there must care about what they do, how they do it and where they do it....and are just "very busy."

Still, referrals are the best advertising. Like Jack is aware I'm sure, "reputation is all we have to sell."

Still, I can only hope that the "free ink" gets Jack even more work he must turn away and that his basic clientele just drives the wheels off of the 356s Jack maintains. That's why we started and how we started. 356s were just "cool sportcars" and Speedsters were $500. You could fix one your-own-damned-self.

As for the "fading fast" aspect, I had a call today from Al Zim to tell me that Bob Jones called him to say that his dad, Bill Jones of San Antonio, Texas had died yesterday at 94. A Speedster I had worked on with Bill in '69 was still in his garage when I visited him last, 2 years ago. He was a great friend and teacher, close with Porsche as a dealer and distributor since the early '50s. A true gentleman, I have never met a finer man.

The shop he and Bob had/have looked a lot like a bigger version of Jack's or mine but the dealership, now gone from San Antonio, I remember more like a Penske operation, as they were close as well. (Both had teams that won Indy.)

RIP, Bill Jones.

Personally, I think it's great that Jack gets recognition for being his own man, doing great work the "old school" way. That is as appropriate as anything can be if you are a true fan of the 356.
Good on ya, Jack!
Best regards,
Bruce

[JTR70]

A very nice article and as Bruce said, its well deserved recognition for Jack.