The 'E' Type Forum

Hi everyone. At seventy years old I have at last realised my dream and bought an E-type. It's a S1 2+2 4.2ltre in signal red (one of the very first 2+2's). I could not afford the type of car I would want but I reckon I've bought the best entry level car ever. The previous owner has had it for twelve years and has been working on a bare body rebuild all that time. Money does not seem to have been a problem but the car still requires finishing. To date, the body has been completely re-furbished and has had its final spray. As the interior still need installing it is easy to see the quality of the work that has been done to the body. Engine has had a full re-build and is now in place and running, looking as if you could eat off it. Clutch and gearbox also re-built. All new brakes front and rear which can be clearly seen as can the rebuilt diff. A Kenlow fan is fitted but the wiring does need completing. All glass needs to be fitted still together with all the interior. New petrol tank still to go in which is with the car and new copper fuel pipes are in place. The paintwork now needs its final flattening and polish, chrome needs to be done to bring it up to the quality of the rest of the car and then the interior, much of which has been done (seats re-covered etc.) and hey ho, we're off for our first drive. All for ?20k which in view of the fact that most of the hard work is completed is, in my view, a bargain. I am so excited. Hope to take delivery next week and will then post pictures. Sorry if I have bored anyone but the adrenalin is just flowing at the moment. :D

No, you've not bored anyone on this list. And welcome to the group! It sounds like you have acquired the makings for a car that will give you endless enjoyment. Have fun with the finishing process and then get ready for the time of your life once you get it on the road. You will undoubtedly encounter snares and questions as you go through the finishing process; don't hesitate to ask questions because you'll find a wealth of eager to be shared knowledge on the Forum.

Hi and welcome! As a fairly new owner myself I understand the excitement. Mine's a series 2 2+2

Congrats Ken and welcome on board.
There is no age for enjoying the ownership of an E. In fact one of the famous watchmakers saying would apply as "you never actually own an E, you merely preserve it for the next generation".
Enjoy fully!

Welcome to the club, this is a very friendly and helpful site.
Dave

Hi Ken,

Many congratulations and welcome to the forum from a fellow S1 2+2 owner. You will find plenty of help and assistance on here and they're a friendly bunch so don't be afraid to ask questions.

How early is your car & where are you based?

Look forward to seeing some pictures when you've collected her.

The car was first registered March 1966 so is one of the first off the line. My understanding is that the 2+2 was introduced that month. I am located down in Somerset near the Cheddar Cheese mines.

The car is due to be delivered on Thursday so not yet had much time to play with it. One thing I have noticed is that the previous owner, as part of the body rebuild, decided to spray the headlamp recesses in red (the colour of the car). According to him they should be sprayed silver but he preferred red. But looking around there seems to be no pattern. I visited the JLR Heritage centre over the weekend and the headlamp recesses of the 1966 red S1 coupe they have there are red not silver. Can anyone advise?

The very first S1 cars (maybe the first 50 or so) had the sugar scoops painted body colour. People complained about the headlights so Jaguar decided to paint the scoops silver. They stayed that way until the S2 came along with the open headlights when they went back to body colour. Not too difficult to repaint the scoops as they are held on by three bolts so can be removed.

Thanks David. That seems to clear that up. They are off the car at the moment and he has painted them red. I guess silver is the correct finish but I kind of like them red anyway so may stick with that..... or maybe not!!!!!

Your car, your choice ........ but personally I think the car looks better with them in silver for contrast and it is part of the S1 styling vs that of the S2.

Car due to be delivered in about an hour. I'm beside myself. I feel like a kid standing outside a free sweet shop waiting for it to open.

Come on , the hour is up. Are we still on a high?

I take it in the absence of any reply you've spent the afternoon on assembly and you're out driving it!

Well, it arrived. Spent the last 48 hrs looking it over and inspecting all the loose bits, of which there are plenty. But generally it is what I hoped it would be. Small amount of work on the mechanics (fit petrol tank and wire up etc.,connect new brakes and replace a couple of rubber mounts on the steering rack). That should get the car movable. Then its flatten the paint down and final polish to the body. Most of my work will be to the interior which is very tired but which I'm hoping I can tackle much of myself. Main chrome bits need re-doing as you would expect. all in all a very exciting project and one which I am looking forward to immensely.

ha ha ! I wonder whether you will still say a small amount of work after you've refitted the petrol tank . This is one of the worst jobs on the car, and often requires a certain amount of brute force ! Good luck , and enjoy it all

What Chassis number is it ? I am restoring a rather early one as well, March 1966. My car?s engine was cast on the 9th of march (09.03.1966). (And my wife was born on 7.3.1966 so thats close !)

Carsten

Chasis No. is 50306.BW That makes it number 306 off the production line for the new 2+2's. It seems there were only about 975 RHD models made before the S1.5 upgrade. First registered on 28/08/1966. We were married two weeks later so pretty close for us too.I'm wondering if there is anyone with a S1. or S2 2+2 within reasonable distance of Cheddar. I think I'm going to need tp take quite a few photo's of the interior in order to get mine back together again.