Moving an e-type engine

[Graham]

Hi All,

As you can see, I'm brand new to this forum so go easy on me!

My dad passed away a few months ago and me and my brother are sorting out all his stuff. This weekend is the garage! In there is an Adams Roadster (a kit car based on an XJ) and an E-type - Series 1 hardtop.

Dad had the car imported from the US but it is still in lots of bits - The shell is up on a platform and all the other bits spread liberally around garage including in the engine. We are going to put the whole lot in storage for the time being - when we have lots (and lots) of spare cash we will restore it. My question is about the engine, which is currently in a corner of the garage. I managed to get hold of a 2 tonne crane for doing the lifting. However, I don't really know how to attach the chain to the engine - Are there any lifting points on the engine that we can attach the chain to? All advice very gratefully received!

Thanks

Graham

[christopher storey]

Graham : on the top of the cylinder head, between the cam banks there should be two alloy brackets which go across between the head studs ( by the spark plug well ) 1 inboard from each end . You can see the front one in this photograph : http://www.xkedata.com/gallery/zoom/?id=82010 . If these are missing then you can get someone to fabricate a rough pair from some steel plate ( say 1/4 inch thick or better still 3/8 inch) , and place them under the domed nuts . The engine alone weighs about 540 lbs and with gearbox and all ancillaries it weighs about 700 lbs so your crane is ample for the job

[Graham]

Thanks Christopher, I really appreciate your help. I see you're in my neck of the woods in Cheshire! From an amateur's point of view, I wouldn't have guess those brackets would take the weight. I'll check that the brackets are there - Fingers crossed, as we have trailer and van booked for this weekend! Regards, Graham.

[PeterCrespin]

Hi Graham and welcome, from another Wirral bloke. Sorry about your dad.

I think Chris is being a bit safety-minded, which is fair enough, as a 3/8" steel bracket would easily lift the whole car, with another one hanging off the back, as would a 1/4" plate one possibly. But he's dead right about these being heavy old lumps. The factory's steel XJ6 brackets were about 3/16" I think.

You are going to need to use your time before restoration learning about these cars, which is half the fun. Meanwhile, as a way of getting access to loads of photos of other cars and how they go together, why not enter your car on www.xkedata.com? It's an excellent resource with about 14,000 E-types on it (and increasing) of the 70-odd thousand E-types ever made. It's something every E-type owner should support IMHO as they are bound to benefit at some stage as a buyer or seller. The only essential is the VIN (known as the 'Car number' in Jag-speak) shown on the ID plate. The other numbers are nice to include but not essential for putting it onto the database.

Pete

[Graham]

Hi Pete, Thanks for the link when our car actually looks like a car I'll upload some pics! There seems to be a lot to learn about the e-type (more than my s2000 anyway!) so I will have to find some time - we have 2 kids so might not be too easy!

[PeterCrespin]

No probs. Pace yourself. Do a little bit, often as you can - including reading up.

E-type restorations are often measured in numbers of housemoves, childbirths, job changes and occasionally marriages. I'm finding out that E-type restoration books are somewhat similar with the added distraction of emigration in my case... Hang in there.

Pete