The 'E' Type Forum

I'm from Upper Franconia and we have a 1962 E-Type 3.8 S1 FHC (from the USA).
The car has just been completely restored.
However, there is still a lot of work to be done and a few restoration errors still need to be corrected.

At the moment we still have problems with a pulley and a brake system that is far too weak. In addition, there are seals on doors and windows that are not really waterproof. Also some things were wired incorrectly.
Problems with the cooling circuit, incorrect oil pressure display and so on

We have now done the first test drives and can hardly wait to finally have the car completely ready to drive

The list of work that still needs to be done is long and gets longer every day the more problems we find

Once you have repaired one thing, two new problems arise.....

Next big thing on the shopping list is a brake upgrade package. Aluminum four-piston brake calipers with internally ventilated discs

I'm looking forward to being active here for the next few years

Best regards from Germany

Welcome and glad you are progressing , it took me a further year if not longer to correct all those small faults and niggles that occur after a full restoration and there are still a few of them remaining mostly in bodywork panel fits as the car had new bonnet and doors fitted. On the positive side a five speed gearbox, upgraded 4 pot cooled brakes, upgraded cooling system, electronic ignition and an alternator negative earth are now fitted so the drive ain't too bad. So lots to look forward to

Hello 38fhc and welcome to the forum
sorry for the trouble with your new toy
Was the car restored in the US or in Germany ?
good look and hope you will be successful

kindly regards

Ralf

Welcome from a fellow 3.8 owner….please send us more photos of your story…
All the best
Jonathan

@kashma77

The restoration took place in Germany. The car itself was imported from the USA as a wreck about 20 years ago and then sat in the barn until the time came.

@DWW

Our bonnet is slightly displaced in the locking area. This makes locking it a bit fiddly. The car had front damage and the bonnet needed to be repaired. But it didn't work out 100 percent.

New door skins also had to be installed and then adjusting the gap dimensions was a nightmare.

We have also improved the cooling system. I know someone whose E-Type had an engine failure in the 70s due to overheating. So that was right on the list.

But the new windshield was a real nightmare. It's an early 1962. Shortly after the end of the flat floor.

When installing the new windshield, it turned out that it didn't want to sit properly in the rubber. You could see through in between. Then the windshield broke. So bought a new windshield. But exactly the same problem here. Instead of trying to do it with force, they now fixed the windshield in the rubber with sealant.

I once read that apparently the 1961 and early 1962 had a slightly different shaped windshield. This is no longer available and owners of such E-Types should take good care of their original windshield so that it doesn't break and have to be replaced. I have no idea if there's anything to it. But in our case it looked like the windshield wasn't quite the right size.

The braking system is currently giving us a headache.

New brake cylinders. New brake booster. New brake calipers. So we didn't expect any brake problems.

First it started with the brake staying closed after a few times and not opening again.

Then they tried around with it and suddenly it worked again. But after a few hours the same problem was there again.

They then readjusted the brakes in another workshop and it actually worked quite well. But we have now suddenly lost a massive amount of braking power.

If you drive faster than 50mph you risk your life.

So he soon goes back to the workshop.

However, we will then convert to 4-piston aluminum with internally ventilated discs.

A few days ago I replaced the heat shield behind the brake fluid reservoirs with a new one. To do this I had to pull the reservoirs forward a little.
The next day there was a puddle under the car. Brake fluid.

I then saw that a hose clamp was sitting too low at the bottom of the reservoir. But I couldn't move it all the way up and tighten it. The hose may be broken or the drain nipple on the container is broken (are the original reservoirs). Now we will order new reservoirs and have them installed when he goes back to the workshop because of the brake problem.

You fix one problem and two new ones arise. It's been like this for a year now.

But someday, sometime...

@265bhp

Thanks