While it is hard to believe today, in circa 1979/80 virtually no modified Mooneys existed anywhere. That is when a St. Louis based Mooney lover (Mooniac), Coy Jacob bravely disassembled his own "stock" 1967 M20E and while using genuine OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Mooney Parts not originally intended for the (shorter) M20E airframe, he hand crafted it into the first ever, fully modified, Mooney hot rod: A super fast and efficient "factory clone" M20J/201. Coy's super fast Mooney (which he termed a 211) soon started drawing crowds everywhere he landed and winning various air races and MAPA Awards. All this commotion immediately created a burning desire in many fellow Mooney owners to have him re-manufacture their own Mooneys into a super efficient, sexy, "like new" M20J/201/MSE....or better!

  In short order, Jacob formed a St. Louis, MO based company known as "The Mod Squad," and soon his line of highly modified, gorgeous, super fast, Mooneys erupted into front page articles, drew crowds at every major U.S. air show, and were heralded as one of the best, affordable, and most efficient singles anywhere. Featured on the cover of many aviation magazines and in major trend setting articles, his line of gorgeously highly modified Mooneys soon provided the impetus for Coy's "second" aviation carrier: aviation journalism.

Being recognized nationally and even world wide as a "THE Mooney mod authority," his "hands on" and technical design knowledge of Mooneys was soon put to good use as his modified Mooneys became either the subject of, or he the author of many of the articles you have read about the fabulous Mooney product line in various popular magazines such as FLYING, AOPA PILOT, MAPA LOG, PLANE & PILOT, AIR PROGRESS, AVIATION CONSUMER, LIGHT PLANE MAINTENANCE, MOA's  MOONEY PILOT, and PRIVATE PILOT Magazines.

Jacob Takes The Mooney Mod Business To Florida
Having moved to Gulf front S.W. Florida years prior, in the late 1980's while always seeking a more tropical climate to enjoy his Mooney flying endeavors, Jacob started modifying Mooneys in the Venice, FL area. However with the Venice Airport (at that time) lacking any available local facilities, he founded Mod Works Inc. and based it some 50 miles down the road at inland Punta Gorda, FL. Tiring of the annoying hour+ daily drive (which was nearly too short to fly) and looking for better facilities to host both his fly-in Mooney enthusiasts and future Mooney Airshow/Fly-ins, he divested himself of that organization in the mid '90s. In an effort to move his "labor of love" closer to his adopted hometown (beautiful Gulf Front Venice, Florida), and after a reasonable (or long earned) hiatus, he located the Mod Squad Complex (formally Mooney Mart) in one of SW Florida's most prestigious aviation facilities: in the downtown "up-scale," Venice, Florida Airport (VNC). This up-scale facility soon garnered fame world wide as: "The Mod Squad Complex" which has been referred to in the past as probably the largest and best stocked Mooney Specialty Facility in The World! As of the winter of '04, Mooney Mart contracts with or leases facilities nearby for maintenance and modification ops.   

  Beach front Venice Airport (VNC) is an ex-WWII bomber training field which uniquely is right "downtown" and actually within walking or biking distance to virtually anything a pilot could dream of: an ideal Gulf Front location with miles of glorious beaches and fabulous sunsets, world class golf courses, excellent fishing, great waterfront restaurants and quaint "up-scale" downtown shopping districts, and (of course) 4 excellent IFR runways of 5,000' just 20 miles South of one of the most beautiful (crime free) areas in all of Florida: Sarasota. The Venice/Sarasota area is known for its proliferation of Northern Italy or Mediterranean inspired second "winter homes" and it boasts year round excellent flying, semi-tropical weather.

Tropical blue skies sprinkled with white puffy clouds, shimmering emerald green water breaking against white sandy beaches, with palms gently swaying while framing the perfect Margaritaville Sunset are the norm.....!

It is here in beach side Venice, where Coy's "Mooney specialty" organization is now home to many of the Factory Trained personnel some of who may have worked with Coy over 20 years ago back at St. Louis based Mod Squad and also while he owned/founded Mod Works Inc. In fact, some of his original Mod Squad/Mod Works Mooniac Mechanics are still with him (or do contract work for him) nearby in Southwest Florida

Due to the fact our organization is probably responsible for more work being done on more Mooneys than any other in the world, many times it is our shop (or one of our contract shops)  which first uncovers items which later on, become "official" Service Bulletins or even AD's. Neither Coy nor most of his staff are just "behind desk" kind of guys. When not flying Mooneys, (Coy in his own current personal World Speed Record Holder Mooney; N262CJ), Coy can regularly be found on the hangar floor perhaps on a creeper examining a Mooney, or even in the parts or service department answering unusual or "problem" questions.

 Remember;
"Life Is Too Short For Slow Flights... and Slow Airplanes"

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