Hello

[nichmoss]

Just a note to say hello. I signed up for the forum a couple of years ago but other aspects of life have meant I've not been active.

I have a 1963 3.8 FHC which I bought about 21 years ago and have used a lot. It is still a brilliant car and a joy to drive. When working in Europe as an aircraft engineer, I'd take the E-Type but, we're back in UK now (Somerset) as I'm in semi-retirement. After 30+ years, I dropped the aircraft work and now work as a watchmaker servicing vintage watches - it's engineering but on a very small scale!

I do most of the maintenance on the E-Type and it makes a very nice change from tiny screws and parts...

I'm hoping to do some reading here and contribute occasionally.

Best wishes, Chris

[Gfhug]

If this is the watchmaker Chris I know then I can wholeheartedly recommend his work on watches
Welcome Chris

Regards

Geoff

[nichmoss]

Hello Geoff

Yes, it's me. Been a while so I hope all's still going well. Out in the E-Type yesterday but we're waiting for all the tourists to leave the West Country before getting out more. Not long now and the roads will be deserted again! Apart from the 303 of course...

Cheers, Chris

[265bhp]

Welcome

Pictures please...!...as a fellow 63 FHC owner....but not in one piece....

All the best
Jonathan

[andrewh]

welcome to a more active involvement. Is you're 3.8 a UK car? I still live in hope of finding my first 3.8 FHC, but all I can recall of it is the first 3 letters PEY. Never seen it anywhere since I sold it in about 1982. Do post up some photos.

[nichmoss]

Thanks for the welcome.

@andrewh - yes, mine's a UK car, 3050TU. I don't know of your old car, sadly but, they aren't often scrapped these days so, it's probably out there. I bought mine in early 1999 and used it a lot but, corrosion started to be obvious some years later and I had a lot of work done in 2010 with a restorer who is now a close friend. A few years ago, I asked Cheshire council if they had the original records and paid for a couple of documents - here's the obvious one showing the car, along with some mopeds and Vauxhalls - I've cropped it a lot:

e reg2.jpg (84.01 KiB) Viewed 3383 times

Obviously, I had the full reg so, it was easy for Chester to look up the details but, I believe PE was Guildford so, there may be some records there that would enable you to get the full registration number. With that, it will be far easier to find the car.

@265bhp - Seems as if I need to host pictures somewhere else so, I'll look into that. I've started reading your restoration thread which looks really interesting. Still on page 1...

[Heuer]

Chris

Suggest you use IMGUR to host your photos. It is free to register, no annoying adverts and allows you to organise your photos into albums. A simple click on any photos you upload will give you a BBCode link to paste into the Forum. Works great - https://imgur.com/

[nichmoss]

Thanks David. This will test if imgur works for me.

A few pictures of my 63 FHC.




Interior:


and underbonnet:


There are a few modifications from standard: an uprated head; front vented discs conversion (which is a bit of an overkill); E-Type Fabs exhaust manifold and exhaust; 123 ignition; an E-Type Fabs 5 speed gearbox which was useful in Europe but not so much in UK however, I can always refit the Moss box. Over the years, I've gone between original tyre sizes to 205/70 which is what I have on today (not in the pictures) and will stick with (I think!).

[andrewh]

Thanks for the welcome.

@andrewh - yes, mine's a UK car, 3050TU. I don't know of your old car, sadly but, they aren't often scrapped these days so, it's probably out there. I bought mine in early 1999 and used it a lot but, corrosion started to be obvious some years later and I had a lot of work done in 2010 with a restorer who is now a close friend. A few years ago, I asked Cheshire council if they had the original records and paid for a couple of documents - here's the obvious one showing the car, along with some mopeds and Vauxhalls - I've cropped it a lot:
e reg2.jpg

Obviously, I had the full reg so, it was easy for Chester to look up the details but, I believe PE was Guildford so, there may be some records there that would enable you to get the full registration number. With that, it will be far easier to find the car.

@265bhp - Seems as if I need to host pictures somewhere else so, I'll look into that. I've started reading your restoration thread which looks really interesting. Still on page 1...

The car I am missing is EY area prefix which is Angelsey and it would not show where it is now, their records would only show it at initial registration unless it stayed within that area until centralised records began in 1979. By coincidence my current 3.8 is Guiidford being a PE, however the Surrey area records were lost or destroyed when computer records were taken on! thanks though, I have a number of great books on researching ones cars history and find the subject fascinating.

[malcolm]

great looking car Chris. Who did the head, and how is it uprated?

[nichmoss]

Hi Malcolm. Yes, the car is looking nice in the sunshine after a wash and wax - not so much at the moment as it's dirty... I had the head done by VSE (no longer trading) and, as I remember, has larger inlet valves, modified inlet camshaft and some reworking of the ports. The car runs well as the modifications are not that extreme. They re-built the complete engine for me about 2010.

Andrew, if Anglesey still have records for 1963, it might be possible to get the full registration number and that might make it easier to find today. I think I was lucky with Chester but am pretty sure that when I asked 15 years ago, they said records were lost and then they seem to reappear ten years later. I'm sure you will already have looked in the JDC E-Type register which lists cars they know of. The only car I see for 1963 is 246 EYW so not your car from what you said. It's interesting to find these things but very much down to luck.