Spent the day at JRS (Jake's Rod Shop)

[carbuff]

This past weekend I took a trip up to the northeast and spent a day in Bridgton, ME at Jake's Rod Shop. As some of you know, I purchased Jake's Apex front and rear suspension components for a project that I started last summer (here's a link to that project).

The reason for the trip was to check out a new car that I've purchased. I'll leave out the long story here, but the short version is that I sold the red 71 Firebird that was going to be my project, and I've purchased another 71, this time a Formula, that is going to become my project. The plans for the car haven't changed, just the starting point (and the color).

The reason this applies to Jake is that I purchased the car in New Hampshire, about 3 hours away from Jake's shop. When I found the car online, and before I made the purchase, I gave Jake a call since it was so close to him. Through the conversation, I decided that I would have Jake do some work on the car for me. Jake also agreed to meet the seller to pick the car up and haul it back to his shop, which would take up a day of his time.

With this I decided to buy the car, which I did about a month ago. Jake's brother drove down and picked it up on a Sunday (and had to deal with a seller who wasn't exactly 'prompt' in meeting him), and now it is sitting at JRS. This gave me a good excuse to take a short vacation up to the Boston, New Hampshire, and Maine areas to check out the car.

I made the scenic drive out to Jake's Monday morning. What a nice area of the country! The 'heat wave' that they were having in the northeast was a bit unexpected last weekend (it was over 80 degrees every day I was there!), so it was a perfect day for a road trip. I found him with no problems, pulled up to find the car sitting outside all washed up for me to inspect (that was a nice surprise).

Jake and I then spent about 4 hours talking cars: my car, his race car, Vinny's gorgeous 1st gen, and a few other projects that he had around the shop). While I had seen the parts that I purchased and knew the quality of the worksmanship, it was great to see the other work that they are doing. With a couple of chassis jig setups, sheet metal tools, paint booth, etc, Jake's got a great operation going up there. And for anyone that's thinking about buying one of his Apex subframes, I saw 1 each for a 1st and 2nd gen sitting there waiting to be shipped.

I'm going to have Jake do a variety of small projects on the new car. Here's a partial list:

• Install my JRS Watt's mount
• Install my set of DSE mini-tubs
• Install my set of DSE subframe connectors and modify them to be bolt-in on the front
• Install a 4-point roll / harness bar
• Fabricate the exhaust from the mufflers back through to the tailpipes to clear the Watt's
• Fabricate a set of down-bars from the firewall to the subframe
• Fabricate a front spoiler/splitter for the car
• Paint and install a set of T/A fenders, shaker hood, and probably a CF nose on the car

There are a few other small items as well, but this is the jist of the job. I'm having Jake and his crew do the bigger fabrication work so that I can assemble the rest of the car once it arrives in Texas. The goal is to have it here between the holidays which corresponds well to moving into my new house just before Thanksgiving.

And since everyone loves pictures... Here are a few that I took while I was there, and some that Jake took as well. It's hard to capture the real shade of blue, but it's darker than the original Lucerne Blue that Pontiac used, and I would say a shade lighter than the Subaru WRX blue. I'm going to have Jake do some kind of white stripe down the middle, but I haven't figured out exactly what we'll do yet...











It's unfortunate that the previous owner cut a hole in a perfectly good Formula hood, but thankfully I already have a VFN Fiberglass hood that we will install. The nose has some paint cracks and is warped on the bottom where the jacking location was used at some point, so it will be replaced too.

I'm looking forward to Jake's handywork! Can't wait to get there car here to Texas. I had hoped to have a car on the road this year, but this will turn into a fun winter project now...

Thanx again for the hospitality Jake!

[skatinjay27]

nice color!

good to hear about the hood, that was first thing that popped into my head when i say that front on pic "why would some one wan a shakers and nostrils!" lol

[Beach Cruiser]

great project! love the car and the color. Two Thumbs up for Jake as well, he's a great guy. I see Vinny's car in the back ground. I wish I could have seen it run at VIR this summer.

[carbuff]

Yep, I don't get the "Ram Air + Shaker" thinking on the hood, but it's an easy enough problem to solve. Just wish I could sell that hood for something to recoup a few $.

Vinny's car was great! I should have taken a few pictures of it, but I was running out of time by the time I pulled the camera out. Definitely some ideas on that car that I want to incorporate into mine also. Hope he does well at OUSCI!

[Ron in SoCal]

Great car, great parts and a great choice for a bulder! Anyone that's spoken to Jake knows he has suspension set-ups down pat. You're in for a fun ride Bryan...

[tazzz2_ca]

Have no fear Vinnie's presence will be felt in Vegas/Optima...... He's a Hell of a driver with a Hell of a car.... Now don't get me wrong there will be plenty of real bad ass cars out there,,,, but I think Vinnie will do very well all in all...

Originally Posted by carbuff

Yep, I don't get the "Ram Air + Shaker" thinking on the hood, but it's an easy enough problem to solve. Just wish I could sell that hood for something to recoup a few $.

Vinny's car was great! I should have taken a few pictures of it, but I was running out of time by the time I pulled the camera out. Definitely some ideas on that car that I want to incorporate into mine also. Hope he does well at OUSCI!