The 'E' Type Forum

I am noj, I have a 1963 .3.8 roadster it has sat in my garage for some years now mainly due to so many other commitments. However, this weekend I decided to see if she would fire up after eight years of standing. I removed the spark plugs and put a few drops of oil down each cylinder. I got myself a good battery and connected it and she turned over on the button I did this for a while and then refitted the plugs and tried to see if she would start on the stale fuel.
I tried this a few times but no go, I checked to see if fuel was in the filter and cracked the banjo on all three carbs until the fuel came through and tried again and she coughed a little and then came into song after standing for eight years. Also another bonus was that the clutch was not stuck and the brakes were free but binding a little so I drove the car around the field for a few laps, so I am one happy Easter bunny

Happy Easter indeed!

'round a field' a S1 round a field oh God forbid.........................
saying that its further than Ive been this year.

Right into the garage and out She shall come

DC

It might be an Etype but at the end of the day, it is a car to enjoy so a run around the field with the kids was always good fun along with a few handbrake turns.
It?s a car I bought in 1974 for the sum of ?75.00; it had a damaged front wing with the word ouch! Written on the wing, the hood was tatty and was in this guy?s front garden.
I put a battery on it got it started and drove it from Bristol to Brighton with a few small jobs I was on the road and it was in daily use from then on up until about 1985.
About 25 years ago I had it re-sprayed and a new mohair hood fitted I used it on the road in 2004 but she had running problems and lack of power, which I believe is possible the carburettor float filling up with fuel the vehicle still has this problem so I have sent off for a new float.
While looking for the part I came across the E type club.
Wishing you all happy Easter noj

Nice story and a joy to the heart to hear of a car that is being used and not kept on an altar. Keep going - if only around the field!

Dave
I am fortunate to have a large brick built garage that can house up to four cars, however like most garages get filled up with all sorts.

I have thought about selling the car, but there is something about the E Type that is very attractive and although it sits in the garage most of the time, it is still nice to admire and own one even if I use it mainly around the garden; at least it keeps the wheels moving.
However, I might just take it for a mot this year.

She is certainly not concords but she is not bad, the bodywork is good but has a few micro blisters in places. The seats and carpets are good the hood is good, needs some trimming to the inside facia, which I have. Door cards are very good; dashboard could do with a new dash pad that sits on top next to the screen. Bonnet is good complete with headlight glass and chrome fixings.
So how would one value a 1963 3.8 E Type roadster in black with red interior, genuine right hand drive 75 000 on the speedo with chrome boot rack and running.

Well as long as you don't mention the field work about ?30k to ?50k if it is road worthy. But that requires a willing buyer!

Dave
Thanks for that, therefore, it would be worth having a Mot done first and then find someone who is willing to spend 30k to 50k.
I suppose in some ways it could be a good investment in the right hands.
After all, I doubt if the E types will drop in value, so one could enjoy owning one for a few years and at the same time knowing they are likely to get their money back, or possibly make a profit when they come to sell provided they do not pay over the top in the first place.
I notice some of these cars have a high price which I personally think are over the top at 60k plus and they are far from original, I am not saying they are not better for the mods, they are not original as supplied from the factory.
Admitting I changed the wheels on mine some years ago along with the bumpers, but I still have all the original parts in the garage, which need re-chroming.
I took a couple of photos the other day of the car in the garden, I will try to upload them tomorrow it will give you some idea of what the car is like if it would interest you.

https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogi ... ssive=true

Hope this link works, it is the first time I have tried to upload photos, I will take more from under the bonnet if this works, as you can see there is still work to do in finishing the interior trim etc,

Jon

To view your pictures requires users to have a Google account which many do not want. Please use this method to post pictures on the Forum: http://etypeuk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1666 or use the Google version of linking to the pictures, if it has one.

although it sits in the garage most of the time, it is still nice to admire and own one even if I use it mainly around the garden;

I expect most folk can relate to that. i think its another reason people take so long to restore their cars.

personally i derived just as much pleasure whilst restoring my car as when i had finished it. i used to love just standing there, cup of tea in hand, admiring the unfinished car, knowing that there was no great rush to finish it, and any money spent on it would be recouped, as the car was increasing in value as it just sat there. and unlike most cars, when the E type is stripped down to the shell, it still looks stunning.
just being fortunate enough to own an e type in what-ever state, was of great satisfaction.

i once travelled a long way to look at an e type that was advertised for restoration from a dealer.
upon inspection, i considered the car was priced to high for the work require, and i politely told the nice chap, who said i should have seen the state of the e type he sold last week at roughly the same price, and this was a lefthand drive example with complete fire damage.
he told me the happy buyer, had admitted he would proberly never finish it, but was just happy to buy it and know that he owned an E type of any description.
the seller thought he was mad, but i understood exactly what the buyer was feeling.
if he still has it, i have no doubt he has many a happy hour in his garage, admiring the car, telling his friends he is restoring an E type, and dreaming of when it is finished.

satisfaction of ownership, comes in many forms.

After standing for eight years or more I notice some corrosion setting in, I am beginning to wish I had not taken photos ; still the vehicle has not moved for about eight years until recently,
The camshaft covers are not original I fitted these back in 1978ish but still have the original ones.
After taking the photos I can see quite a bit of cleaning is required under the bonnet etc.,
It is defiantly in need of a bit of love and care.



Album: http://s1158.photobucket.com/albums/p60 ... 000619.jpg

Dave
I have tried photo bucket and it appears to be working with the link going to the album, thank you for the info on photo bucket, and sorry about Google did not realise you had to be a member to view.
noj

No problem. If you use the 'IMG code' link in Photobucket and paste it into you post your pictures will magically appear:



Click on it and it should say 'copy'. Then paste into you post. No need to do anything else.

Well I am trying once more to post photos please let me know if they work,
Obviously driving around the field has not helped the engine bay as its covered in dust and still is, but i did wash the outside of the car.
However, you will notice that the engine bay is full of the original parts, I fitted the later cam-covers in 1978ish but have the orignal ones,

Well here we go photos,

photos please let me know if they work,

yes they have worked fine.
best looking tractor i have ever seen.

I do like NOJ !!
I also live in an old thatched house, have a black E type with red interior, and I used to drive it around the fields (quite a lot!) before it went on the road a couple of years ago. A great way of settling the engine and making the suspension work!!

Must be something to do with rural living.

First I would like to thank you for the replies, in regards to my E type, very nice looking car Mark E and do agree with you that the field dose make a good testing ground.

As for an E type tractor or grass cutter, this would be a very good idea and make a change from my yellow JCB tractor ride on mower.

However, the jag tends to flatten the grass and removes it when corning and testing the hand brake for tighter turns, and half donuts it chucks up a bit of soil but it has always been good fun, and at the end of the day, it is a car an attractive car to me. One I used on a daily bases years ago.

I bought the car in 1974 after placing an ad for a tatty old e type wanted in one of the mags, a man answered my ad and said he wanted ?100 for his 1963 E type I went to view the car but no one was there.

so I came back to Brighton, I then received another call and the chap apologised for not being there and said I could have the car for ?75.00 if I still wanted it due to my wasted journey, so I went back with a friend and a recovery truck.
I bought it we got it started and I drove it back from Chipping-Sodbury without any problems, well the brakes were very poor.

As I remember, I was as a kid with a new toy the car was white when I bought it, I had it re-sprayed in black about 20 years ago the paint is still very good. I used it on the road in 2004, but has been garaged for the last eight years and I fired her up at Easter and chased a few bunnies around the field.