Etype rebuild

[Myles]

Hi
I recently sent my series 1 4.2 roadster to get a new paint job and when stripped it was nothing but a rusty shell with some very badly put together older panels. So, it's back to the drawing board with a new body, new paint job and then stick it all back together. I always wanted to keep the car original (everything else on the car is and it is mechanically very good) but now it couldn't be further from original so I wondered if you could offer some advice on which parts you would upgrade. My aim is to create a beautiful roadster that I can use as the daily run around whenever the sun is out or for longer distance tours.
Any thoughts on paint and trim combinations also appreciated. The trim is currently dark blue and has recently been done, but in for a penny!

Cheers

[abowie]

Don't change anything. Keep it all standard.

[mgcjag]

Wow that is a bit extreme. ....a whole new body.......what about bonnet and engine frames......has this just come to light at the paint shop or are you at a recognised established restoration company......I would at least get a second opinion on repair vs replace body...plus the costs involved so could be worth selling on as is and buying another E type.............Steve

[malcolm]

I understand that rubbing down for a paint job can reveal horrors, but if it was so bad that the entire body had to be replaced it would surely have been detectable before the job was started? Hard to imagine that all panels (bonnet alone at £7k plus?) have to be scrapped.

[ysmalkie]

Martin Robey sells entire shells.
You might also look into Monocoque Metalworks - their quality might be better.


Bonnets are done in Poland in steel and aluminum, but sold through some UK supplier.

Best Frames sold through: https://www.hutsonmoco.co.uk/

All in all - VERY expensive story...

Just a thought - might it not be same price to buy some extravagant e-type shell? Like an e-type lightweight?

Tadek

[Gfhug]

I second what Steve (mgcjag) says. Where are you? It might be a good idea to invite our resident professional restorer Angus Moss to visit and assess the car https://mossjaguar.com/index.html.
Alternatively there are others on this forum around the country e.g. Christopher Storey in Cheshire, Steve Hook in Shropshire, David Jones (Heuer) in Notts who might be willing to look over the car for you. They've all got the experience to properly assess your car and give recommendations for progressing on. (I hope the above won't mind me putting their names forward).

How about posting some photos? Who/where is the body shop that found these problems?

Good luck

Geoff

[Myles]

Hi

Bonnet, doors and boot are all reusable and not in bad shape. The body was badly tack welded together and had a load of rust and corrosion which was hidden by paint. Basically a complete bodge job from the 80's, so unfortunately new shell is the only option and I've had a few different people look at it. They've all been in Agreement

[inner pickle]

Entirely your personal choice of course.

I also started out down the "original route" too, however, like you 1 rotten busted shell later and it's all change, new body required.

My turning point ( I was almost looking to retain original external colour / internal leather trim colour ) was a combination of not wanting to go to original Golden Sand ( preferring Gun Metal grey ), but the engine came back from CCE.

I was pondering " it must be original". Suddenly I had a piece of kit which was making my original radiator, professionally refurbished, but black, looking rather sad. Ditto, my home refurbed header tank, nicely resprayed but nowhere like new, steering wheel, home refurbed but ditto.

so, in the end I have a whole new car, the original bits: the engine/gearbox, dash, suspension, the rest, a new car. new colour/trim.

My feeling is it's my car, and as others have stated here, if you were buying the car from the outset, ex showroom, you'd spec it yourself anyway. To stand back and hear someone deride it for not being original, well they don't own it /live with it. Personal choice, if ever, ( extremely doubtful ) my family wished to sell it after my death and someone doesn't like it because it's non standard, simple reply. Don't buy it, I don't care.

[christopher storey]

I have to say that the advice I would give is - don't rush into a decision . The two principal units in an OTS shell are the front and rear bulkheads, and the longerons which run at the base of the rear bulkhead. It is not that often that these are irreparable ( although arguing against myself I did have that very problem on my FHC where the area where the 3 seams meet at the base of the front bulkhead had rotted ) . Much more common is rotting of the various sheet metal panels - floors, inner and outer sills, inner rear wings , front footwell panels etc, and the non-structural panels such as lower parts of outer rear wings , rear valance and so on . Where is the bad welding , and the corroded areas, on yours ? If you can preserve the bulkheads you are doing yourself a considerable favour if you are intending to re-use doors and bonnet, because getting these to fit on what essentially a new shell is in itself a black ( and expensive) art, and it is much easier to retrieve earlier good panel fit than it is to re-create it afresh. BTW most of the new panels, including many of those from Robey, are made by Hutsons , and it is well worthwhile talking with Andy Rayner there before you take any irrevocable decision

[Myles]

Entirely your personal choice of course.

I also started out down the "original route" too, however, like you 1 rotten busted shell later and it's all change, new body required.

My turning point ( I was almost looking to retain original external colour / internal leather trim colour ) was a combination of not wanting to go to original Golden Sand ( preferring Gun Metal grey ), but the engine came back from CCE.

I was pondering " it must be original". Suddenly I had a piece of kit which was making my original radiator, professionally refurbished, but black, looking rather sad. Ditto, my home refurbed header tank, nicely resprayed but nowhere like new, steering wheel, home refurbed but ditto.

so, in the end I have a whole new car, the original bits: the engine/gearbox, dash, suspension, the rest, a new car. new colour/trim.

My feeling is it's my car, and as others have stated here, if you were buying the car from the outset, ex showroom, you'd spec it yourself anyway. To stand back and hear someone deride it for not being original, well they don't own it /live with it. Personal choice, if ever, ( extremely doubtful ) my family wished to sell it after my death and someone doesn't like it because it's non standard, simple reply. Don't buy it, I don't care.

Thanks for that and I completely share your point of view, once it's got a new body the whole originality thought goes straight out of the window, might as well create something that is great to drive and looks gorgeous. Did you go with Gun metal grey in the end? That's where my head is at at the moment. What colour trim did you go for? It looks great in red, but mine is dark blue and I just had it re-trimmed a few years back so it's in great condition. Thanks

[inner pickle]

Hello Myles,

yes GM Grey with a red interior. A bit standard but what's not to like?

I did consider going bold with the light tan interior, as per show car at Geneva ( as I recall ) but felt that was rather a step too far. But the combination is striking.

Shell is complete, engine rebuilt, gearbox being installed as we speak. Then the bonnet fitted and sprayed. Overall, 6 years in the process, hoping it'll be worth the wait. Good luck with yours and your choices.

[Airborne62]

I am seven years in to a complete restoration of an early flat bulkhead 62 FHC. It was all original. At first I was very determined to preserve every bit of it. However, after wading into the disaster hiding under a poor paint job, it became clear I was in for a long education in metal and body work. Thousands of hours will change your perspective. The car will look exactly as I envision it should with a few tweaks in safety and functionality. The next owner can change it back if they wish. Build your car for you.