A dream come true / need advise

Baaz · Post by **Baaz** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 4:16 pm

So finally at the age of 45 I get the car I always wanted, it's the poor cousin 2+2 (presently two small children needs to be accomodated), but nevertheless it's an e-type - 1967 series 1, black /black (a bit odd, colour schemes advise this combination was not an alternative but production records shows that this was - and I like it). It's a driver so it's ok but there can be a lot of improvements. Imported it to Sweden from the US so it has a 3.54 diff which i don't like and want a 3.07, have found one on e-bay;
http://global.ebay.com/gbh/viItem?ItemId=280274340771
being new and without experience I would appreciate if anyone could advise me if 999 EURO is a reasonable price.

Baaz

Post by **Heuer** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 4:30 pm

Baaz

Welcome. Not sure why you want to buy a complete diff as it will most certainly need rebuilding before use. You might as well have your existing diff overhauled and get them to fit 3.07 or even 2.88 gears whilst it is apart. Given the IRS will need to come out of the car you should take the opportunity to replace the rear discs, overhaul the handbrake assembly, fit extension bleed pipes, fit new metalastic mounts, paint the IRS cage and install new shock absorbers.

I have a 2.88 diff in mine and it certainly allows for relaxed motoring without having any real effect on performance. If you are going to change the gearset that is the ratio I would recommend.

Baaz · Post by **Baaz** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 4:58 pm

Tks Heuer - that was a quick reply! Actually the IRS is one of the things that's been, not rebuilt, but overhauled before I bought it. My thought was to make it simple and just replace the whole diff...

kingzetts · Post by **kingzetts** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 5:14 pm

Sadly you have to take the whole IRS assembly off to get the diff out anyway, so even if you choose to swap the diff the rest of the jobs David recommend make sense. Happily, removing the IRS is a quick and simple job provided you have a good trolley jack and some tall and strong axle stands. Also unless you know the people who rebuilt the diff well, I would be reluctant to take the condition at face value and would be inclined to strip it to check anyway.

Baaz · Post by **Baaz** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 6:13 pm

Tks for the input guys, advise has been taken. Will think about the 3.07 vs 2.88, as I intend to do a light upgrade on the engine as well it might coup with 2.88 without any problems. When looking in the forums it looks like it's most commonly replaced with Dana parts - maybe that's just in the US. For the engine I'm thinking about new airfilter/needles, exhaustsystem, electronic ignition and maybe new cams - or as I saw in the Jaguar official tuning advise get less valve clearence for better effect...

Baaz

Ginger · Post by **Ginger** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 7:06 pm

The 3:54 wasn't what I wanted on my 1971 2+2 either, so when it started going, I went with the 2:88 diff and love it. Greatly reduced my rpms on long trips, and with the Glass Packs, sounds like a real, growling beast!
Check it out....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae-ci4GnR4Y

Peter B. · Post by **Peter B.** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:25 am

Hi Baaz,
a very warm welcome to the "club of insane car entusiasts", that?s what you need to be, in order to cope with all, what live will held for someone with an "old car".......
Here you will find some really good advice and a lot of people with a clear state of mind. Means everybody is accepted, and all ideas and budget-restrictions taken into solid consideration. No one is "on a mission from god" making a crusade for 150% originality, which makes it sometimes quite difficult to get a real advive for ones personal situation.
But why "the poor cousin 2+2"???? Not everyone is single or the children have already left the house. And there seem even to be some e-type-lovers above 1,85 m, which makes it impossible to stay in a 2-seater FHC for more than 10 minutes, if you can manage to get in at all. Personally, I like the streched wheelbase which, im my opinion, improves the side line. We can argue about the raised roof and the higher windows, but anyway, nothing compares to the e-type looks.
So I want to make absolutely clear, my cat (SI 2+2 ?66) is not and will never be anyones "poor cousin" ;-))))
We are all crazy to love such a thing like an old car in the way we do it, but no we are all the same, no matter what series (I, II or III), no matter what form (ots, fhc,2+2), no question of wealth and budget.
So, once again, welcome to the owners of the most undervalued cars (thanks to god, otherwise I couldn?t afford mine) on the planet.
Kind regards and with not always completely serious remarks from Germany
Peter

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:07 pm

Hi Baaz,

probably a little late and may be even off the mark (I tend to do this :)). Here are my two cents. I own a 1966 FHC 4.2 series 1 and my diff is a 3:31 . I just love it !!! It allows you to sprint away at any speed, while the "noise" (God, I hate that word in relation to our etypes....) is really well bearable on highway and on long stretches. Sorry, did not wanted to make your choice more diificult but wanted to get my two cents in...

cheers and all the best
ErikAntwerp

PS: Peter, I fully agree with you on 2+2 comments (you cannot argue about shapes and colours) but cannot agree on your reference to + 1,85m drivers who "cannot bear it for more then 10 minutes in FHC". I am way above 1,85m, I am not a thin man but rather "good in the flesh" and I feel like a fish in water inside my FHC (granted, I hava had the seats brought down a bit and I do not have any spare head room) :)
Just kidding, I do know what you mean , but it ain't that bad !!

MarkE · Post by **MarkE** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:14 pm

It's very easy to extend the legroom and headroom in a coupe.....

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:35 pm

a bit drastical, but I do love this bit of film .....
cheers
Erik :)

Post by **Heuer** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:49 pm

The problem of insufficient legroom are headroom is easily solved:

or:

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:48 pm

No way....you cannot be serious. This has to be the black sheep of the family (as we say in dutch)... I guess it takes all shapes and sizes to please all :)

incredibile !!

Erik

Peter B. · Post by **Peter B.** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:46 pm

You got to be kiddin? ,thats what I call a "streched side-line"........
I love the rear end of the black one, admirable coachwork.
Kind regards
Peter B.

Baaz · Post by **Baaz** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:39 pm

Tks for all the comments, don't missunderstand me I'm very proud of my 2+2 but I personally think that the series 1 FHC is the most beautiful of all the different beautiful e-type models.

Not so different from the other black one ?

[/img]http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr18 ... 007/09.jpg

Baaz · Post by **Baaz** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:43 pm

we try again...

MarkE · Post by **MarkE** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 5:14 pm

That?s a great picture, Baaz, and shows off the chrome against the black bodywork very well. My Coupe is also black, and originally with a black interior. Unfortunately the interior was replaced in the early 70s with a blue button-down velour horror, complete with matching headlining. The car is currently being re-trimmed back to the original specification, but I couldn?t resist having it done in red.

It seems that very few E Types outside the USA were ordered in black, but it was quite a popular choice over there in the 60s. It looks spectacular when it?s polished, but it does show up the dirt marks very quickly. Very hard to photograph with direct light though ?

Post by **Heuer** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 5:18 pm

And here is a picture of Mark's car, from the side, taken at CMC:

I think you can see the US spec options which Mark has thoughtfully retained. Sister car to the stretched one!

MarkE · Post by **MarkE** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:10 pm

Srangely, I do rather fancy a '59 Cadillac

Baaz · Post by **Baaz** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:10 pm

I won't take credit for that picture - it's taken in Montana USA by the seller and is one of the pictures on which I decided to buy the car. There were no inspection done for the condition of the car, I took his word for it - did I mention he was British? (no offence ment to anyone in the US). The car was very close to what was described. I may be a bit naiv but I still have faith for the human kind.

Link:
BBcode:
HTML:
	Hide post links

Link:
BBcode:
HTML:
	Hide post links

Link:
BBcode:
HTML:
	Hide post links

Link:
BBcode:
HTML:
	Hide post links

Link:
BBcode:
HTML:
	Hide post links

The 'E' Type Forum

A dream come true / need advise

#1 A dream come true / need advise

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

#13

#14

#15

#16

#17

#18

#19