The 'E' Type Forum

Hi everybody,

Well first let me thank you for this forum, thank you to everyone for their contributions, I think I passed the last few months educating myself mostly on or due to this forum.
And it?s been a huge help during my research for my first classic car.

I started to type a looong and detailed thread on it but didn?t save... of course I lost it.
My lost is your gain since it was way too long.

So to make it short I got myself an e-type, 69 FHC few months ago.
After 2 years searching I had to buy this one even if I wanted an S1.
Great driver condition for an even better price.

Few pics for thousands words: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jun65439cbxe ... EmwNa?dl=0

I am so happy with it now, even if I still have a lot of work to do I can drive it and I do, and that was the goal.
Very good base I just had to refresh of fix few things to enjoy it.
A shop did the basics first: bushes, ball joints, bearings, brakes, shocks, cooling, hoses, minimum defederalization etc and electronic ignition (Thank you again Moeregaard for the help).
While I tried to take care of the interior and now I can slowly think about improvements (or not).

Next steps?
Webers, new exhaust, bucket seats, new bonnet or just lens cover, 2.88 or 5sp box, etc
So far I clearly need to change these carbs, there are so boring.
And you convinced me to go for the mangoletsi cable kit, especially with the webers.
My throttle linkage is really ??merdique??
By the way, did anyone tried modern carbs like here? http://www.v-performance.com/products/air_fuel.html
(I am a big fan of slide carbs, at least on my bikes)

So as you see I plan to modify it a bit. But I also wanted to drive it stock first.
Nothing crazy, especially since I?m getting more reasonable with age, and here in CA it?s not that easy to drive?
Compared to my country, I come from Tours / 100km from Le Mans if you see what I mean.

So thanks again to all, and hope to give in return if I can.
Cheers!

Hi and welcome! Car looks good, and I'm sure the Webers wil make a big difference when you get them.

Think carefully about fitting Webers:
viewtopic.php?t=6241&highlight=weber

Weber Set up Guide 1: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8496016/Weber%2045DCOE.pdf
Weber Set up Guide 2: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8496016/Weber%20Wisdom.pdf
Tuning DCOE Carburettors by Kimble & Trindal: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8496016/Tuning% ... uretor.pdf

The triple SU setup is all you will ever need on a road car.

Hello and welcome, I'll look forward to reading the progress reports.

Hi guys, thank you!

I'll update it soon, I finally got the right wheels last week.
Long story short I bought a used set, appeared to be for XK instead of xke, this was not so easy to find out (different offset and spline adapter).
Of course the car was driving really strange and I can't wait to try the right ones.
(By the way, I'll have a set of XK D-type wheels from Realm available, will post in classifieds).

Still studying the right couple weber/exhaust.
Thank you Heuer I read everything you said about both.
I know I definitely need a good mechanic to adjust them, mine has an old set in stock, I'll try if they have the right choke size.
But I'm surprised nobody insisted on the new "feeling" they bring to the car, the response, the roar.
Even if I loose few HP I'll give it a try, the final experience is just something else.

Anybody has something to say on the link I posted on modern carbs?
I don't want to reinvent the wheel here, but I'm sure there is potential, just something to keep in mind.
I loved the Keihin FCR I used on my guzzi & Triumph, best improvement I could have done.
From bottom to top the engines were metamorphosed.
But of course, by hand they were easy to control, may be a different story with the feet.

About the exhaust I received a lot of advices from UK/US specialists (listed here).
Between short/long/cast headers, stainless or mild steel, etc
PD gough and Ecosse motorsport looked the best so far, but still not sure, it's a big expense on an old engine.
Very nice pieces of art for sure, but knowing that I could find here something for less than half the price, maybe I should try a cheap one first and go radical only when the engine will be refreshed. What do you think?

As far as exhaust systems go you could always consider one of these: http://www.abarth-exhausts.com/jaguar/ Glorious sound from the Grand Masters!

As for the modern carbs no one has bothered because the alternative is an EFI system which is most probably going to be easier to do and give better performance. Why bother going down a unique path with no community support or experience? Webers will give you the most BHP at maximum revs providing the engine has been modified throughout - SU's will get you 95% of the way there as very few XK engines are revved to the limit anyway

Yes this Abarth system was in the list, like the name but not fan of the 4 pipes, and the price... well if I pay in dollars let's go directly for the two other listed.
But I'm really curious about it sounds, searched a bit online, nothing.

About the carbs, sure it will be a lot of burden: venturi size, jets, needle, linkage, proper mount, everything from sctrach etc. when dell or weber have been around forever.
I just like the idea. If my dear friend who has this knowledge were around, we would have tried for sure.
EFI, I never tried.
But in general I prefer non perfect system. Sounds silly I agree, but I like the "rugosity" of carbs (endless subject).

Japan of course is already fan:

And on Datsun, 911, corolla etc

Not FCR since they have bearing on the slides, crappy noise on a Jag', but this?

Looks like it's been done on Triumph: http://prirace.com/page/triumph-spitfire-keihin-carbur

Hello guys, it's been a while but I wanted to share last updates on the car.
I was finally able to find all the bits for the SU conversion, the manifold took a while... I also went for the Mangoletsi kit, my linkage was pretty worn.

The result:


It's impressive, new carbs transformed the car!
I didn't expect that much of difference.
My old stromberg were good, rebuilt a year ago, poluttion stuff by passed etc.
But she feels much more sportive now. Gain on low/mid and high rpm.
New exhaust too, cast + SS since I didn't find any mild steel in time (and at reasonable price).

Average engine temp is a bit higher than before but still in the good range (vertical needle now / before it rarely passed the first tier).
But the smooth pedal and all adjustment are great! I'm still trying different setup to optimize for heel & toe.
That was one of my fear, why I really like "bottom" pedals. But so far it seems possible to get it right.
(I had troubles with the idle this week end, I'll talk about it in the Mangoletsi thread)

Now I'll keep it like that for a while and see if the engine holds well or not, if I need to upgrade the brakes etc.
Still a lot to do on the interior too.
But a lot of fun!