The 'E' Type Forum

Hello everyone!

New member from France. I bought my e-type in February in the UK. It's an LHD imported from the US.

Unfortunately I've done only a few miles with it as the engine decided to make some white fumes while I was queuing at the customs. Last ferry at night and unable to restart the car without pushing it. I asked the policeman to let me get into the boat quickly. The funny guy just answered rudly "open the boot"... Not my day..

Once in France I put the car on a truck and the car is now in my garage waiting for a specialist to rebuild the engine (overheating seriouly dammaged both head gaskets). Should be fixed by the end of the year.

Every sunny day we have this summer my wife is laughing at me for this purchase… Well, this year it's everyday !

The add was attractive. Very nice bodywork and interior, low mileage "believed genuine" if you want to believe it... Risky information : the car has done less than 500 miles since 1999. The only thing true. I think I understood to late my mistake. When I asked the seller (not the owner) what the small button Under the Dashboard was for, he just told me "Don't know, Don't touch this".

Now I know this button runs the fans. It could have been usefull in my case… Obviously this car is far more sophisticated than my Landrover serie and less easy going than my XK8, and I'm not an expert...

I think I will get all the answer in this forum to prevent me from a new stupid mistake !

As I'm lucky man I noticed lot of rust Under the carpet. I 've had to remove all the carpets due to condensation in order to block the rust.

I need your help for a new problem regarding the handbrake. I noticed it was Brocken close to the bolt in the middle. If someone could tell me if it is easy to fix it would be very kind !

Hope to see you maybe on the road next year !

François

Welcome. Hope you get the engine sorted! It may be possible to dismantle the hand brake and get it welded. Don't loose the castle nut....Think they are no longer available.

Hi and welcome to the forum!
SNG Barratt used to sell a new handbrake lever, but it says "not available" now.
Here is a link: https://www.sngbarratt.com/uk/#!/Englis ... 375/1/10/1
It may be worth contacting them to ask if they plan to re-introduce the part. If not, it seems Ebay or the welding route are your options.

Thanks for answering. I was not confident with the welding solution in the long run. It's broken in the worst place of course. I keep in mind this plan B and hope to get a new one.

Thanks both of you.

François

Hi Francois

Welcome to the forum.

If I were you I'd do everything I could to repair the original handbrake lever because just about every reproduction part for E Types is of very poor quality, as I'm sure you will find out as you get to know your car.

It won't stop you loving the car though!

Enjoy your ownership.

Regards

Hi everyone

My first time on the forum and I looked for handbrake lever as a topic because I have a problem which I think I now know the answer to. I have a series 3 2+2 originally LHD but now converting to RHD as we speak.

My handbrake lever looks awful as a result of either a small fire in the ashtray at some point which then damaged the finish of the handbrake lever, or, the car being left in the hot sun in Puerto Rico for many years and the chrome finish deteriorating as a result. Either way it can’t be left as it is as a new interior kit is being put in and this is a major part of the console and how it will look.

I have tried sourcing the lever only and simply can’t find one unless one of you know where I should try. It looks like I need to simply have the original re-chromed as the only near equivalent is an after market unit from SCParts for £495.

If anyone can help with a source for a new/refurbished original part I would love to hear from you.

Thanks

JohnA

SNGB list the entire handbrake assembly lever for £275 Inc vat. After market and made by them but rather cheaper than the supplier you quote

Hi John..welcom to the forum....Original will always be made better than after market....just get your original re chromed... Steve

As I thought. Thanks Steve. Chroming is so expensive but should be less than the £495 for the after market one.

Thanks cactusman
I phoned SNGBarratt and they are selling the series 1/2 handbrakes for that price but don’t have any series 3 at all. They can’t get them and recommended re-chroming the original.
I sometimes wish I had a series 1 or 2 as the parts are often cheaper and more readily available. The RHD steering rack was another long story.

JohnA

Hi John

Chroming is not cheap but I don't think it will cost anywhere near the ransom being demanded for new reproduction items which are probably made from toothpaste with about half a micron of chrome on them.

I used ACF Howell in Cannock for my chrome and they were brilliant. Mark there is a very busy man but he gets it all done in reasonable time and the costs are reasonable when you consider the work that goes into it.

Regards