Crown Jewel Automotive offers collision repairs, historic car restoration out of Perrysville shop
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated on Feb. 10 with information not known to Ashland Source by the time this story was published on Feb. 9. See continued Editor’s Note at the bottom of this story.
PERRYSVILLE — Crown Jewel Automotive launched in July 2023 with a focus on restoration work.
Jeffrey Smith, owner of Crown Jewel Automotive, began operations in Mansfield. Smith and his team moved the business to Galion before ultimately landing at its current location in Perrysville at 150 Pottery St. — in the former Mansfield Plumbing Products factory.
After setting up shop in Perrysville, Smith said the primary focus of the business began to shift from restoration work to collision repairs. The shop prides itself on quick turnaround times for its customers.
Crown Jewel Automotive is equipped with its own in-house paint-mixing machine, paint booth, frame rack and two-post lift, among other pieces of repair work infrastructure. The shop also offers a lifetime warranty for all of its paintwork.
“We can do anything that needs to be done to a collision job in-house without subbing it out to another shop,” Smith said.
Crown Jewel Automotive is a direct repair facility through State Farm Insurance, but the business will work with all insurance companies.
Since setting up in Perrysville, Smith said he has seen an influx of customers from Ashland and Mansfield due to body shops in those cities being backed up on jobs.
Restoration work, while taking more of a backseat role, is still something Crown Jewel Automotive values.
Smith said his business typically completes one restoration job per year for the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction — which attracts classic and collector car owners and automotive enthusiasts from around the world.
Below are photos taken at Crown Jewel Automotive’s shop in Perrysville. Credit: Hayden Gray
Smith credits exceptional staff
Crown Jewel Automotive has four staff members. Smith said he has a shop full of great employees.
“Without them, it would be hard to function — it really would,” the owner said. “They’re great guys and some of the most talented people that I’ve seen.”
Crown Jewel Automotive operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. The 25,000 square-foot facility is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and is closed on weekends. The shop can be reached by phone at 567-303-4673.
There is also an after-hours drop box at the 150 Pottery St. shop. Smith said if there is a vehicle which has been in an accident and is not drivable, it can be towed directly to the shop.
Below are more photos of work completed by Crown Jewel Automotive. These photos are courtesy of Jeffrey Smith, owner of Crown Jewel Automotive.
The inspiration behind Crown Jewel Automotive
Smith’s passion for cars was sparked during his childhood, inspired by his late father’s love for collecting antique automobiles.
When Smith was a 9-year-old, his father picked up a 1955 Ford Crown Victoria from Michigan. The car stayed in the family until Smith was 21 before being sold.
After his father passed away in February 2024, Smith and his girlfriend began searching online for the Crown Victoria.
“We found the car. It was in West Virginia,” he said. “Now the car is sitting back there (inside the shop).”
Smith said he could not have found the Crown Victoria or gotten it back home without the help and motivation of his girlfriend. He credits her entirely.
The Crown Victoria inspired Smith to name the business Crown Jewel Automotive, Smith said. The car’s distinctive emblem and intricate script guided Smith to pay homage to the vehicle which fueled his early love for cars.
Editor’s Note continued
In December 2016, Jeffrey Smith was sentenced in Richland County Common Pleas Court to three and a half years in prison, according to court records.
Smith pleaded guilty to seven charges, including three counts of telecommunications fraud, two counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle, one count of theft from an elderly person and one count of insurance fraud. He successfully completed and was released from his community control in July 2023.
Smith confirmed the past conviction with Ashland Source on Tuesday morning and shared the following comments:
“Yes, this is me from 2016. Yes, I did make mistakes. Yes, I take full responsibility for my actions. But this article (past coverage of Smith’s sentencing) is 10 years old now. I did my time and paid back every penny that I wronged and moved on with my life.
“My shops name should speak for itself on my life changes. As you can see, we have wonderful reviews from our customers on here (Facebook) and also Google. So yes, that is me in the article. I won’t deny it. But that article is 10 years old and since then I have built a very good business that has produced a lot of show winning cars and cars that have crossed the auction blocks at Barrett Jackson and Mecum.
“I once told a man only I can change my name and the way people judge me and that’s something I have worked on for 10 years now and hope others can see this change. We all make mistakes. It’s how we move on with our life’s to not go back to those ways from before that defines who we are.”
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