Special Article

One unique car

Word of mouth led the brothers to choose one popular British sports car to work on. “This was the pre-computer days when people got information by talking to each other,” notes Gary. “One of the things we learned is that people with old Jaguars couldn’t find mechanics to work on them.”

By the late 1980s, the two brothers were exclusively restoring Jaguars. “We never worked on anything newer than 1974,” says Jim. When a client would approach him about a “project,” the term he uses for a restoration, Jim would take them to a storage building filled with old cars waiting to be renovated. The average renovation time is 18 to 24 months depending upon the condition of a car. A 1950s sport car renovation averages about $175,000.

While Jim restored that first Jaguar, he learned quite a bit about this unique vehicle. “After World War II, metal was hard to get in Europe but there was a demand for cars,” he says. “So, the frame was made of wood with a handcrafted skin of aluminum. Each car was individually made. Tooling was less automated and very labor intensive. You couldn’t take the door from one car and fit it on another car. Each car was slightly different. They numbered the cars as they finished them.”

Each model of the early Jaguars were made one at a time and were given a number when completed, much like a VIN is assigned to cars today. Over the years, Jim and Gary have restored several of these early Jaguar models including the ones numbered 5, 8, 10, 40 and 168. “Each car has a story,” says Jim. “Car No. 5’s frame was completely eaten by termites.”

The demand for Jaguars was worldwide following World War II and there was a long waiting list. “One of first people to get one in the United States was Clark Gable,” notes Jim. Each car came with a specialized tool kit so the owner could work on the car. “Because the cars were sold all over the world, adjustments needed to be made for each environment,” explains Gary. “The fuel was better here in the United States than say in Australia so there needed to be adjustments. Other adjustments had to be made for different altitudes. Some cars had special spots for storing the tool kit.” These tool kits are rare and in demand by people who enter restored cars in competition since having the correct tool kit ups the car’s overall score. Some of these original tool kits are sold for $2,000 or more.

Finding parts
Finding vintage Jaguars as well as parts became a challenge for the brothers. They traveled the country to get cars and parts. “We went to Washington, D.C., four times for parts from one collector,” recalls Jim. “I remember this one guy in Indiana,” begins Gary. “When we got to his house at 10 a.m., he was sitting at his kitchen table drinking whiskey. He had car parts everywhere — wrapped in old socks in dresser drawers, in two sheds. He had a lot of cars.” “Gary is the trader who negotiates a price. I am the loader,” says Jim. “Sometimes we have to pay cash. We have spent a lot of time at kitchen tables watching people count out thousands of dollars in cash that we gave them”.

Time for change
The brothers readily admit that they may have bought more parts than they needed. Jim is 71 and Gary will reach his 70th birthday in a few more years. When a storage building lease was not renewed a year ago, they began to sell some of their collection. “I sent a photo to a fellow I met in England to see if he was interested. He wrote back, ‘You naughty man,’” laughs Jim. The dealer couldn’t believe the brothers were hoarding so many pristine Jaguar parts. In the past year, the brothers have shipped a 40-foot-long, 2,100-pound container filled with parts to the dealer. They also have shipped two additional 20-foot containers plus several smaller crates. They still have a sizable stockpile of parts for their current projects. “This really has been fun,” says Jim. He has shipped his original Jaguar to Europe four times to attend rallies and events with it. The restored car runs beautifully, and Jim and his wife have driven it on road trips throughout Europe.

The fun of it all
They claim the business is winding down in part because fewer people recognize the older cars. Almost everywhere they drive, someone asks, “Hey, what is that car?’” Both brothers own Jaguars, and neither could answer how many cars they owned without thinking first. Gary says he just has three restored Jaguars while Jim has five. “Is that normal? It depends how you define normal,” says Jim. “I could give you names of people who have more.”

Jim and Gary realize they are fortunate that their passion became their profession. They begin each day with a cup of coffee and a cookie made by their 94-year-old mom, Mary Kakuska. She makes her sons cookies every Sunday, which they eat all week, even though they are both lean and lanky men. The shop is filled with examples of their amazing skills. Jim mainly works on the bodies and Gary does work on the chassis and assembles the cars. “We have worked together so long; we don’t have to talk. We are used to the quiet while we do what we enjoy doing,” says Jim of their satisfying career.

Editor’s Note: Reprinted from the Chicago Tribune/ Prime Time section—June 19, 2020