I am in the Pittsburgh area and looking for a reliable specialist to trust my 1954 XK120 engine and transmission to. I don’t mind shipping the engine but prefer to stay as regional as possible.
This is a matching number SE edition car. As far as I know it was not overheated and ran well when my Dad pulled the radiator out and put it in the trunk over 50 years ago, where I just took it out of.
I want it done right the first time with no regrets. That’s the person I’m looking for. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Welcome aboard, Richard.
Since you are willing to ship it I’d recommend you send it 700 miles to Coventry West in Lithonia, (Atlanta area) Georgia. They did mine 5 years ago and I am quite satisfied.
John,
Thank you for the reference. I talked with them last week and they are not taking on any rebuilds at this time due to being backed up.
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is the engine already out…if not…when you find a good restoration shop…you might consider sending the whole car…get er ready to run…Nick
I had my 3.8 rebuilt by Abacus Racing in Virginia Beach. Chuck has rebuilt quite a few XK engines. Not knowing the condition he tore it down first to the point to determine if it was rebuildable and what parts needed to be replaced. He gave me a list and I shopped around for the best prices and had them shipped to him. So all I had to pay him for was the labor. Don’t know what their backlog is.
How do you know it needs a rebuild? Depending on how and where it was stored, it may just need the carbs and gas tank cleaned out and the fuel pump rebuilt. Maybe it will run just fine with a little cleaning and maintenance.
The transmissions in these cars are pretty tough, not much really that goes wrong other than with severe abuse.
How much work can you do yourself? Anything you can do you’re that much ahead.
To discuss the whole car, come on over to the XK forum.
But if you really need a good engine shop, there is Terry’s Jaguar in Benton IL.
Did you ever get an estimate?
Bill,
Yes, I have the engine and transmission coming along well. 2-3 months is turning into a year and a half but not really a problem since the body work has set for a year with nothing done at all. This is preliminary body work. I would be interested in a good body shop that does these cars. I’m an hour north of Pittsburgh.
Thanks,
Richard A. Wann
Fagus GreCon, Inc.
Wann Air Systems, Inc.
1650 Maple Ave.
Noblesville, IN 46060
317-774-9658 phone
317-409-8485 cell
rwann@sbcglobal.net
PA OFFICE
166 Latonka Drive
Mercer, PA 16137
317-409-8485
This e-mail message and any attachments may contain legally privileged, confidential or proprietary Information, or otherwise legally protected information of Wann Air Systems, Inc., its affiliates, or third parties. This notice serves as marking of its “Confidential” status as defined in any confidentiality agreements involving the sender and recipient. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or the employee or agent responsible for delivery of this message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify the sender and delete this e-mail message from your computer.
What is the engine work going to cost you? I may not need anything at all done to my engine but while it’s out I want to have it checked just in case. I just got my trans back from Vintage Jag Works in Idaho. They totally rebuilt it for 3K. Just trying to get some kind of idea for the engine.
Bill,
I’m having a shop in the Pittsburgh area do the rebuild. It’s cost plus with an estimate of 15K. That includes the transmission, clutch, engine, etc. When I say transmission, it was OK except for a synchronizer I believe. Seals and bearings.
The engine is new pistons, rods, bore one size over, cam grind, new stainless studs. Carb rebuild. Generator rebuild change over to alternator in same case. Set up and run in shop and before installing in car.
Basically it was $ 80 / hr. plus parts and shipping costs. The shop I’m using has been there since 1960’s. I talked with they guy at Vintage Jag but wasn’t at all interested in shipping my engine to Idaho. It’s a hard choice finding a shop for this engine.
The list above is a fraction of what is to be done. Clean head and block. Paint. Bead blast and polish carbs. Exhaust manifolds need porceline refurbished. Radiator rebuild. Balancing of flywheel, crank, rods and pistons. Grind crank.
There was a shop not far away from this one that $ 160/hr. There is one in TX that estimate starts at 25K. This guy doing the does Jag’s all the time and I really drilled him on the head and cam work. BTW, includes new guides, seats, valves, etc.
I’m hopeful they don’t screw up the head. It is the original head that numbers match the block.
Good luck with it.
Richard A. Wann
Fagus GreCon, Inc.
Wann Air Systems, Inc.
1650 Maple Ave.
Noblesville, IN 46060
317-774-9658 phone
317-409-8485 cell
rwann@sbcglobal.net
PA OFFICE
166 Latonka Drive
Mercer, PA 16137
317-409-8485
This e-mail message and any attachments may contain legally privileged, confidential or proprietary Information, or otherwise legally protected information of Wann Air Systems, Inc., its affiliates, or third parties. This notice serves as marking of its “Confidential” status as defined in any confidentiality agreements involving the sender and recipient. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or the employee or agent responsible for delivery of this message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify the sender and delete this e-mail message from your computer.
Thanks. Would you send me the shop’s info? I may send him mine to do the same. Thanks.
Boffo Motors
New Brighton, PA
724-843-3181
Jim Boffo
To give you an idea of this shop, Jim is probably 80 yo. He is very sharp and has a number of employees as well as someone that takes care of parts ordering, etc. Kind of a right hand man type guy.
The place looks like a 1970 foreign car dealer that has turned to aftermarket. Lots of old cars of all sorts in the bone yard. You see lots of restored Jag’s coming in and out. Jim does restorations but I think too busy to take any on for a couple years.
There are parts in the nooks and cranny’s around this place from forever.
I talked with Jim in great detail about the engine work mostly. Especially the head work and front and rear seals. I feel as comfortable as I probably could be. I had an opportunity to have a machine shop that I was really comfortable with to do the engine machine work but I had to do the rebuild work. I have good mechanical abilities but there are too many little secrets or bits of knowledge that I don’t have lacking experience. I rebuilt a Vincent motorcycle engine and left out a $ .15 cotter pin that cost me my new pistons and more.
So I stick with my work and hopefully get the professional work that I need.
Richard A. Wann
Fagus GreCon, Inc.
Wann Air Systems, Inc.
1650 Maple Ave.
Noblesville, IN 46060
317-774-9658 phone
317-409-8485 cell
rwann@sbcglobal.net
PA OFFICE
166 Latonka Drive
Mercer, PA 16137
317-409-8485
This e-mail message and any attachments may contain legally privileged, confidential or proprietary Information, or otherwise legally protected information of Wann Air Systems, Inc., its affiliates, or third parties. This notice serves as marking of its “Confidential” status as defined in any confidentiality agreements involving the sender and recipient. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or the employee or agent responsible for delivery of this message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify the sender and delete this e-mail message from your computer.
I took the engine sans manifolds etc. They charged me $152 to inspect the engine to see if it was a candidate for rebuild. He gave me a list of the parts needed including new pistons. I ordered the parts from the usuals for $2065. Abacus charged me $3288 to do the rebuild. This was in 2017 so prices have probably changed.
Pat H.
So YOU are deciding that a shop does not want any more work?! Wow. I wonder how HE would feel about that. Pretty selfish I must say. No help at all. Most on this forum gladly give info and don’t decide for mechanics what work they want. Very odd.
Oh yeah, Times have indeed changed! I got a list together of ALL parts knowing that many would not be needed. It comes to just over 4K. I called 4 different reputable shops for these cars and all were in the ballpark of 15K to put it all together if it didn’t need any other machining. Yikes.
I didn’t intend to imply that at all. I’m sure he is more than happy to take on work but the restoration work he was out a couple years. If these responses are going onto a forum post, please remove them. I thought I was replying to an individual for a reference only.
Richard A. Wann
Fagus GreCon, Inc.
Wann Air Systems, Inc.
1650 Maple Ave.
Noblesville, IN 46060
317-774-9658 phone
317-409-8485 cell
rwann@sbcglobal.net
PA OFFICE
166 Latonka Drive
Mercer, PA 16137
317-409-8485
This e-mail message and any attachments may contain legally privileged, confidential or proprietary Information, or otherwise legally protected information of Wann Air Systems, Inc., its affiliates, or third parties. This notice serves as marking of its “Confidential” status as defined in any confidentiality agreements involving the sender and recipient. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or the employee or agent responsible for delivery of this message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify the sender and delete this e-mail message from your computer.
Perhaps you could truncate your enormous work related signature block when posting on a hobby car forum? 
The belts are squealing on the data center servers.
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