OUR CREW

When he was only 16 years old, Vinnie completed his first restoration, on a 1932 

Pontiac two-door coupe, marking the beginning of his passion for cars and his 

life-long journey toward Muscle Cars of Texas. Vinnie moved to Texas in 1980 

from New York and opened his first shop, Universal Car and Corvette, in 

Houstonhe quickly became one of the most well-known Corvette restorers in 

the state. However, Vinnie aspired to do something greater. He soon expanded 

his knowledge base to include all things muscle car and opened Muscle Cars 

of Texas in 2000. 

 

With hundreds of completed builds, Vinnie can diagnose a problem by simply 

listening to it. Much of Vinnie's training was acquired by hands-on experience, 

as he learned the inner workings of classic car restoration the old-fashioned 

way, by touch and test. For more than 40 years, Vinnie has served classic car 

enthusiasts from all over the world, building custom and classic cars that 

have helped raise the bar for today’s restoration expectations. 

 


Vinnie Tortorella

CHIEF CHECK WRITER

Man standing between two white classic muscle cars in front of a

Jan Tortorella

OFFICE MANAGER

Jan met Vinnie on a golf course, where he set up an exploding golf ball for 

her to tee off! Her beautiful shot burst into a puff of smoke! Vinnie’s charm 

worked, and they were married in 1996. Together, they cherish three 

children and four grandchildren. 

 

Retiring from 35 years of teaching, Jan cared for one of her granddaughters 

full-time. When Jan’s sister, Jeannie, gave her two weeks’ notice in July 

2022, and Jan’s granddaughter started preschool, Vinnie asked his wife to 

come on board at Muscle Cars of Texas. Now they drive to and from Alvin, 

TX, together daily, discussing the past, present, and future of Muscle Cars 

of Texas and family. 

Right here at Muscle Cars of Texas, Jan handles the front & back-office 

duties of the daily operations. From, greeting clients and visitors, 

connecting them with the appropriate party; entering customer or 

appointment information into the company database; managing 

documents and records; managing paper correspondence and phone calls; 

creating and managing filing systems; making travel arrangements; 

managing office supply inventory; placing orders, ordering, and receiving 

parts; coordinating car shows and event planning; coordinating drop-offs 

and deliveries of customer’s vehicles; to assisting in keeping projects on 

schedule, she is at the heart of MCoT’s hustle and bustle.

Woman stands between two white muscle cars in front of a
Man standing between a white Mustang and a Corvette in front of a

Jon Gantert 

LEAD MECHANIC

Born and raised in Pasadena, TX., Jon started paint, body, and mechanical work when he was 15, 

repairing neighbors’ vehicles. He graduated from Sam Rayburn High School and took several 

automotive classes at San Jacinto College. 



Jon worked at several shops over the years, doing mechanical, paint, and body repairs. He then 

got into restorations, restomod repairs, and upgrades. He takes pride in having earned a Master 

ASE Certification in both Mechanical Repair, Collision Repair, and Refinishing. 


In 2005, Jon had a son whom he loves to spend time with, and he likes to fish in his spare time. 

Jon said he has found a home at Muscle Cars of Texas, where he can use his knowledge and 

expertise, especially since we are always busy!