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Classic Cars Restoration Shop

SERVICES

  • Engine rebuilding

  • Mechanical Repair

  • Electrical Sorting

  • Carburetor Rebuilding

  • Brake Work: Drum brakes rebuilt as well as disc brake conversions installed, included Wilwood brakes)

  • Tuning & Drivability Aspects diagnosed

  • Timing-Static and Dynamic engine timing is performed

  • Fuel Problems assessed

  • Electrical wiring harness installation

  • Metal work

  • Body work and paint

  • EFI & HEI installation and tuning including Holley Sniper and  FITech. 

  •  Each part is examined and determined whether it is to be rebuilt or replaced. Each part is cleaned and inspected and refinished prior to reassembly. Engines are disassembled and determined to what extent of rebuild is necessary. After rebuild, engine timing is set, carburetor adjustment is made and all oil and water lines are secured and tightened. Engine is spun over without starting to verify oil pressure. Engine metal is media blasted and painted the correct color. All work is checked to make sure that the car is safe to drive.  

  • Photos, videos, and details are sent while the work is being  done on the car.

A Passion For Quality.

"We have found that there is no substitute for quality work, which calls for careful, conscientious attention to the small details, and which involves time, expeditiously spent, to perform and execute a job well done."

Tom Nelson, 

Owner

All pictures shown below are cars we have worked on.

Image by Luke Chesser

Our Story

Welcome to TJ Auto! My name is Tom Nelson and I was raised in the car business. Our family collected and restored many antique and classic cars in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area including many Ford Model T and Model A cars, a 1939 Packard V12 limo, 1930 Pierce Arrow sedan,  1925 Franklin Boattail roadster, 1929 Cord L29 Brougham sedan, 1926 Stutz sedan, Porsche 356, Alfa Romeos, a 1960 Jaguar XK 150 roadster, a 1967 Jaguar XKE roadster, 1925 Franklin air cooled boat tailed roadster, a Jordan Playboy roadster, and many dirt track sprint cars including an Ardun powered flathead and a Ford Model B sprint car with Riley overhead valve conversion. I moved to Raleigh in 2000 and  in 2005,  I opened my own business: T J Auto, Inc where we sold many thousand late model used cars while also restoring antique and classic cars. In 2014, we decided to concentrate solely on buying, selling and servicing antique and classic cars.
  We have serviced, repaired and restored many foreign and domestic antique and classic cars, including: many Porsches 356, 911, 912, Karmann Ghias, VW Beetles, Triumphs, Chevrolets, Fords, Jaguars, GM, Chryslers, Studebaker, Fiats, Buicks and other brands including race and track cars. My first car that I worked on was a Jaguar XK150 roadster which my father purchased when I was 14 years old. It did not run and was not drivable. He told me: "If you work on this car and get it running and driving safely, then this will be your car when you turn 16".  So with my father's help we restored it and I drove it almost daily when weather permitted (and sometimes when it did not!). 

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Contact us at:  919-522-4412/919-641-0230 or via email: tomnelson@tjauto-inc.com
You can check us online! Doing business since 2005.

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