Jake Lake Engines aka Ken Morgan - Update: Lawsuit

[Vangeaux77]

I guess the question I should be asking is does anyone know of a dependable and intelligent engine rebuilder that could blueprint an engine?

Thanks, Steve

[vramsaran]

You're. In Houston? There are plenty of VW specialist in that city. Do some local research and have it rebuilt locally. I know if I could do it over I would've had a local machine shop do the work and I would.source the parts. That along with being to watch the build and speak directly to the builder. Just my two cents.

[vramsaran]

Man, I spent 3750$ plus half a year wait time dealing with this guy. I am stuck with a busted engine and no means to have it replaced.

I bought this van in early 2010 a few months before I retired from the USMC (20 yrs). I replaced every major system cooling, brakes, ac, suspension, fuel, everything. I bought a 5 speed trans from GOWESTY for 3K + . I bought this supposedly 2.2L high performance engine from JLP engines and it's been the only component in the equation that has continually caused problems. I should've have gotten the engine from GW as well. I'm sure I wouldn't have the aggravation.

- My intent was to enjoy some of the freedom I had been defending for the last 20yrs. I.E. fishing, beach etc... Ken Morgan ripped me off for 3750.00 and too much of my time.

Nobody can find Ken Morgan and I know again, I am not the only one looking for him.

[Vangeaux77]

NO, there are not plenty of VW specialist that specialize in building engines in Houston. WRONG. There are plenty of VW repair shops but they do not specialize in engine rebuilding especially VW Vanagon engines. Would love to get it done here but knowing that this engines needs a shop that knows all the ins and outs of rebuilding and correcting the VW flaws in the originally designed engine. I have done my homework and a friend of mine has a shop specializing in Europen Imports, Jags, BMWs, Mercedes, Porsche, etc. and he knows of one and would not use them.

Sorry for all the troubles so many folks are having. I am amazed that no one has pressed charges against him. Get a DA on this case. That's a energizer bunny that needs to be shot.

Steve

[vramsaran]

Those engines are less complicated than you think... Anyhow, If I could do it over, I would go with that TENCENT guy on here. Everything I've read to date shows he's the MAN when it comes to the 2.1.

[bryan wilson]

ECONOMIC LESSON, WHEN A BUSINESS NEEDS $4000 A MONTH TO SURVIVE AND IT GETS $3000 IT NEEDS TO FIND $1000 SOME WHERE SOME HOW OR A BILL WONT BE PAID OR AN ENGINE WONT BE MADE. OLD TIME BUSINESS IS YOU MEET IN TOWN AND EXCHANGE MONEY FOR GOODS. IF THE GOODS WERE NO GOOD THEN YOU DIDNT BUY FROM HIM AGAIN AND THAT WAS IT, IF HE AINT GOT NOTHING THEN YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO BACK TO WORK, TO GET SOME MONEY SO YOU CAN BUY ANOTHER ENGINE. IF A GUY CANT PAY FOR ONE ENGINE TO BE REBUILT, HE IS OUT OF MONEY, AND EVERY CUSTOMER IS AT RISK, IF HE HAS A WARRANTY REFUND OF $2500 THEN HE ONLY TOOK IN $1500 TO PAY HIS $4000 OF BILLS. THIS IS WHERE BIG TROUBLE COMES IN, AND IF HE HAS A $6000 MONTH THEN HE HAS $2000 TO SPARE. WORKMANSHIP AND PARTS ARE THE EQUATION, IF YOU PUT IT TOGETHER RIGHT AND A PART IS DEFECTIVE, THE WHOLE JOBS JUNK AND A LOSS, AND IF YOU DONT PUT IT TOGETHER RIGHT AND THE PARTS ARE GOOD ITS JUNK AND A LOSS, YOU CANT GET B's IN MECHANICS, ITS A GRADE OF A OR F EITHER IT WILL WORK OR IT WILL FAIL. A WELL FUNDED COMPANY CAN TAKE CARE OF CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY HAVE PROBLEMS, IF A COMPANY IS UNDER FUNDED IT GOES ON A CASH HUNT $ IT ENLISTS CUSTOMERS TO HELP IT, SUPPORT IT, SPONSOR IT, AND PAY FOR ITS MISTAKES. IT TAKES DOWN PAYMENTS FROM CUSTOMERS AND SAYS IT WILL BE DONE IN 2 WEEKS, BUT IT REALLY TAKES 8 WEEKS BECAUSE IF IT SAYS 8 WEEKS YOU WONT BUY THE ENGINE CAUSE YOU NEED IT SOONER, SO THE STORIES STALLS AND LINES, START COMEING AND ITS JUST A WAY TO BUY TIME CAUSE THE COMPANY KNOWS THERE WALKING THE PLANK TO BE SUBMERGED AND THE LOSS IS SHARED BY ALL CAUSE ITS MORE THAN ONE GUY CAN PAY AT THE END OF THE DAY, SO TRUST GOD FOR A REFUND CAUSE IT AINT COMIN THE WAY YOU THINK IT IS, GUARANTEED, ""VENGANCE IS MINE SAITH THE LORD I WILL REPAY""
_________________
Pay Pal is [email protected]
Mail to bryan wilson po box 475 lexington ok 73051
have 10,000 other vw parts by request

[vramsaran]

What in the world are you talking about ? Ken, I've been extremely reasonable in our dealings, you know this to be the truth. I don't understand why you didn't just tell me the truth about your situation ?

How do you accept money from customers and then exploit their trust and continue the charade for months on end. I offered to purchase new parts, ( when you stated you were strapped for cash ) whatever was needed... I have numerous e mail messages outlining exactly what transpired over the last six months. I even offered to fly you out here on my dime, put you up at my home to live up to your promise of installation.

Instead you sent me an engine that you knowingly installed used parts in but claimed they were new !!! I'm not telling you how to run your "business" but dishonesty has a way of causing DRAMA.

[vramsaran]

[vramsaran]

This is what I received from Mr Morgan regarding my engine purchase:

After long tenure, this is the letter that I have intended to write you. Sadly,
the content of this letter is nothing like what I had intended to write. As has
been the case all along, events, the outside pressures that have been applied,
has always caused variables - finally there was no way to keep up and then
the beginning of the end of JLP Engines, it is no more.
First I must explain that I always wanted to write to you, I always had
nothing but the utmost respect for you but after you published that one letter
on Samba I was forced to cease and desist all communication. Our
conversations were to me our bond, as things were getting worse and worse
if my communications with you were to become public domain, well, there
was no way I could do or say anything to maintain a relationship with you.
Actually the beginning of the end finally came when you published the letter
on Samba and I lost 4 engine sales. Nearly $11,800 and had to refund
deposits - at that time a critical point in the companies history if I was ever
going to turn it around. After that, it was the first time I had ever considered
that this was never going to be an attainable goal.

I know you are not in business per se, but there are two important aspects of
business in order to have a "going concern"; One is Leverage and the other
is Sustainability (this is a huge factor in South Africa). When I lost the 4
engine sales after you published the comments and the letter on Samba I lost
my financial leverage. Without that, it was at the critical moment while
engaged in Fred's repair that I had lost all hope of being able to maintain
sustainable operations and I began the process to shut down the company.
One last thing, for all of the above said, I do not feel any animosity or
anything against you - I am only sad that it ends this way. On the other
hand, "Thank You", because it is finally over and the foolishness ends here.
Of course, curiously though, even Fred could see the potential damaging
results of the words posted and had his removed. While both of you were
probably equally under subjection to the situation - Fred knew and was
enough of a business man able to see that if he did not "Stand-down" he
would damage the hand that was so needed to get this all done and removed
his posts from Samba. I really did want to try to help everyone and worked
insatiable hours to no avail - there was only me, no employees and no hope
of recovery. It became bigger than me, everyone was beating me down - the
forces against me "took me out" - it was over ...


Now to the matters of business between you and I; Fred's Bus is done and
running perfectly. I still have $425 left to pay on that issue and then I will
begin to pay you. One important thing, I am a man of my word and if there
is one thing that everyone knows about me - I may be slow but I always
come through - you will ultimately be paid.
For the record, JLP engines is no longer in business - all legal processes are
currently in motion for the divestiture and liquidation of the companies
assets. To answer your question, I am not in Cary, North Carolina but rather
in Oklahoma as you can see by the tracking on this letter. Domain names
and equipment has been sold to a another engine company, however, while I
have helped with the transition it is in a removed way and I do not have any
presence there in Cary - my assistance has been and is strictly on a remote
bases.
I am currently working to regain an income capable of completing the
financial payments promised by the company. As I am aware that you know
the sale of the company resumes efforts to sell engines under the Waterboxer
domain flagship - It will be several months before any funds will be received
from the sale process as the transition must be successful in order for me to
receive any remuneration - interference-or tampering with this process only
further derogates an already deficit situation. I trust you will maintain
common business courtesies and allow this procedure to complete.
I now longer will need or require the core in your Vanagon, do with it as you
will. If you disassemble the engine, you find things in order as described for
the internal content. I would from say that you are "screwed" as you have
stated but this negative position and the actions taken have only served to
bring events to this point - hopefully without the variables of continued
business operations I will be able to gain ground to make restitution. Even
Fred had to say that I was a man of my word and came through, perhaps
much to his amazement but it was a real event. I said once done with Fred I
would get to you. Next available funds are targeted for your direction, no
time statements or indications will be given so as not to break any promises
- after all, there is no business income.

The letter is signed
Ken "Jake" Morgan.

I asked for a notarized letter for legal purposes and got a two paged computer generated POS. The return address on the overnight USPS envelope is Denver. CO. but it was mailed from Lexintgton, OK. 73051

That's the same address as the guy talking about economics.
I tried to scan the document and save it as a jpg but it was too big to post on here. I saved it as a PDF and MS word made it paste-able...

Again, this guy is a master criminal/scam artist he has been telling me he was going out of business for six months before he sent me this POS engine.
I guess he forgets what lies he told to who in the fraudulent game he plays.

[[email protected]]

sounds like you saved 4 prospective victims a lot of grief.....
_________________
It's just advice, do whatever you want with it!

Please do NOT send me Private Messages through the Samba PM System (I will not see them). Send me an e-mail to john at aircooled dot net

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[vramsaran]

I hope he's put out of business and has to resort to recycling cans to make a living.

- I'm pretty sure most if not all of the content of his "letter" is fictitious. He takes great pride in his deception. With any luck the Fed's will locate, and close with him and finally stop him from all of his fraudulent engine builds/sales.

[openroad74]

I recently fell victim to this man.....

If any of you are still out money/cars/parts I do know exactly where he lives if you'd like to get in touch. He moved from Colorado to Dallas and seems to be continuing the trend of shoddy workmanship and lies.

Message me if you want info...it just so happens that he bought a house on the street I grew up on

I was forced to sell my baby because after the money I was out to Jake I couldn't afford to actually fix her, I have two kids, and it was our only vehicle. I now drive an 89 Taurus. Wow. Can you sue someone for making you drive a Taurus?

[WhiskeyT]

It pains me to admit that I used to work for this guy, and was dumb enough to fall for his bullshit. He owes me somewhere around 4-5k. I was too stupid to just quit, and kept giving him chances, each time being given a promise of our next big break. I was supposed to be paid like 12 bucks an hour. I worked for him for 8 months or so, around the clock, and saw maybe 1k? He also agreed to build me a Volvo b20 motor as partial pay. I currently and way in debt, unemployed, and had to sell my golf. Do not trust this man. The poster above me is one of the sweetest people ever, and she got screwed over by him. I have been dealing with other problems and had no idea until today on Facebook that she had to sell her bug. It just needed a few hours of work, and case savers. Jake told me he didn't have the money, but you can find the Damn things for 15 bucks a set. He is a liar, and cheat. This is coming from someone who considered him a friend at some point. If you need any info, you can also pm me. Though I don't have internet, ill do my best to respond quickly.

[openroad74]

Ken is now threatening to "contact his lawyer" if I give anyone his address. I REALLY don't think he wants any of you to find him.

I, however, have also contacted a lawyer who says I'm in the clear..........

Jeez this man disgusts me. Threatening ME????

[raymino]

Last I heard from Ken ... from an email dated March 13, 2011

"Good Evening,

I am just writing to let you know that I am aware and vigilant to our aggreement... There are several receivables that are have not arrived yet that I am waiting on in order to continue the paymant schedule... I will communicate at the first fiscal opportunity as this is curious for me too... The last mail I received both from LAS and Atlanta took 7 days with a 44 cent stamp on them... Not sure what/why but wiating for more from both cities that is overdue... Will see what this week brings in....
-jake"

What a laugh!

[openroad74]

I'm going to find out about suing him. He needs to be put out of business. You may only be out $900, I'm only out $1200 and a car.....and there Ken goes on his merry way to rip off more people that can't afford it. No way.

If any of you would like to join me let me know. What could it hurt? Just him. It's time he stopped.

[cjneyrey]

I spoke to Jake today about openroad & he said he went there to get the car to no avail because it had been sold. I am not here to defend him just to tell you what he said. I asked him to build me a 1600cc longblock and up front he told me he uses all used parts because of german quality. If your looking for budget build at his price then you will need to expect used parts. I have been looking for a motor for some time now and they range from $1400 to stupid.

[openroad74]

HIS NAME IS NOT JAKE, IT'S KENNETH.

Yep, the car was sold because I am now completely broke. I couldn't afford to have a decent mechanic fix the car. Of course he came to get it...who knows if he'd have stolen it or just kept it for as long as he put it off in the first place?

Ken's sob stories are enough to make a grown man cry (and I'm sure he does, often), but he is in BUSINESS....how long was I supposed to wait? Forever? I wouldn't give him the opportunity to steal my car like others have accused him of doing. Not A Chance.

If you're smart you won't give him the chance either.

[openroad74]

Besides cjneyrey, if you would like to hear the truth about the matter, why not just ask me?

Please, anyone, if you have questions feel free to ask....I have nothing to hide, unlike Ken.

[WhiskeyT]

Implying cjneyrey is not him... First time poster.