The 'E' Type Forum

So if you havn't seen it already i just posted in the welcome forum and this particular post is a continuation of that. i happend across a lowly looking E Type sitting amongst a whole lot of other old jags. i am preparing to ask the owner a few questions about the car and what he might be looking for as far as price. what i do know about the owner is that he is a collector and buys up any jag thats going for the right price. none of the 30+ cars he had in the lot had a for sale sign on it but i cant imagine he wouldnt be willing to let them go for the right price. when i saw the car i was in a hurry to get to a job so i only had a few minutes to snap some pictures of the car. i had no idea where the identifying marks were so i didnt get any of those. hopefully you guys can give me a rough estimate of what year and particular trim that the car is what it might be worth in its present condition and or what i should offer. so... tell me what you think guys.

It is definitely a 2+2, probably an S1 although it could be an S1.5, and it looks as though it is manual, which is more desirable. What it is worth depends more or less exclusively on whether it is complete or not, because things like eg missing headlamp glasses and surrounds are very expensive. This is as near a basket case as you can get, and the problem with 2+2 , as opposed to FHC, is that they are NEVER an economic proposition to restore . Therefore , it is not worth a lot and realistically this one looks like a parts car

S1.5 2+2 LHD. Value? Maybe ?6k to ?10k. Restoration cost between ?60k and ?130k depending on how much you do yourself. Value after restoration say ?30k or less. e.g. http://tinyurl.com/cwf8ybz and http://tinyurl.com/bsvrj76 and http://tinyurl.com/cos9mhh and http://tinyurl.com/bnu6dfv

To be honest the only cars worth buying in this sort of state are two seater S1's and E-Type prices are softening sharply now the 50th is over. One Classic Car dealer explained to me "everyone who wanted one got one for the 50th" and "we expect a lot to come on the market in the next 12 months as owners become disenchanted with their cars because of little use due to the weather". As we know if you don't use an E-Type regularly your chances of a trouble free trip on the first sunny day are remote

Well any and all work would be done by me. Also it seems to be complete aside from possibly a bumper or 2. It looks rough on the outside but the body is straight with light surface rust in a few places. So where is all the money at? In the parts or labor? For example if i were to need a headlight fairing or say a rearview mirror what can i expect to pay? If i could snatch the car for somewhere around $500-1000 im assuming it would be worth it if not just to part out?

The money is in buying the parts and those bits you are not able to do yourself (e.g. chroming, leather & trim, head skimming, rebore, frames, gears etc) . Parting the car out would give you $10k but factor in the labour of stripping it down, advertising and shipping. As you are in the US you could find a bargain lumped S1 (i.e fitted with a V8 of some sort) and use this wreck to provide the correct running gear. But if you are interested in the challenge rather than intrinsic value why not give it a go.

The challenge is the main thing for me but the car being what it is with its history and pure beauty is what attracted me to it. Ill give the guy a call and we will see what he says...who knows maybe he'll part with it for a reasonable price...ill take it home and get it running and then sell it off to the next guy. Or if everything is origonal i can get it running and run and show it as a complete origonal car...guess we'll see

That is at best a parts car.

i am not understanding why you guys keep saying that...how could you possibly deduce that from the pictures...the car is complete with a good drivetrain. ive restored much worse to a daily driver....im confused....also im not lookin to build a show car here...more like a driver quality car. and to tell ya the truth i dont think it would take much. think positive guys

You asked for the advice. It was honestly given , and collectively the result of much experience , some of it bitter. You are, of course, entirely free to reject it , but before you do , you should understand the reasons for the advice. E types rot from the inside out . There was No internal corrosion protection when new. What looks alright on the surface often hides enormous horrors underneath particularly in the very complex internal structures of the bulkhead which has a 3 way spot welded join which runs across its full width and is virtually impossible to repair. The juctions of floors and inner sills can look perfectly good from inside and underneath but be absolutely corroded where the water lodges on the junction on the outer sill/floor area and where the vital sill stiffeners have corroded at their bottom edges . The frame attachments at top and bottom of bulkhead are vitally dependent on the strength of the surrounding structure and if this is compromised you are driving a death trap . The engine frames themselves are nearly always corroded inside after 40 odd years, and cannot be repaired by welding. The bonnet is a very complex structure and again rots from the inside out, particularly in the front underpan - which is a crucial area because it contains the attachment points - and where the mud lodges between wings and centre section . You may think this is all negative but it is intended to enable you to decide rationally whether you are capable of dealing with the potential pitfalls

shibby_cbs wrote:i am not understanding why you guys keep saying that...how could you possibly deduce that from the pictures...the car is complete with a good drivetrain. ive restored much worse to a daily driver....im confused....also im not lookin to build a show car here...more like a driver quality car. and to tell ya the truth i dont think it would take much. think positive guys

Shibby(?) I'll be positive. If you can buy it for around 1k, do it. Get it home and strip it before buying any parts or investing anything more than your time into it. That will allow you to decide your next course of action. Have to say though, I agree with others and would be very surprised if the shell wasn't completely rotten.

Hi shibby (?)
Greetings from the Land of Oz (Down Under....) your 2+2 looks pretty much like the one I bought to restore some time ago, and it is ongoing, a Series 1 2+2 (lhd 1E77112 now RHD.....) If you can pick it up cheaply enough, go for it (assuming the wisdom of Christopher and David prevails.....beware rot and the like.....)
Insofar as potential investment values goes (who cares....) I'm building mine as a daily drive car (What he hell What the hell said Mehitabel ) I became obsessed with the urge to own an E-Type (as many of the kids of my era did.....) in the 60's when I went to high school with Jackie Stewart in Dumbarton, Scotland, his S1 OTS Rego. FSN 1 was the envy of all ..........I realized my dream in 1969 with a S2 FHC, sold 1 yesr later in Zimbabwe, I wonder where she is now....? So why now a 2+2 ? Got it cheap as ...... Both of my sons (who will no doubt inherit the thing)...are like me way over 6 foot tall, and my grandchildren ( one of now 3 years old and idolizes the restoration....obviously good taste...) Just preserving a piece of history, only 3616 built, and passing on to my kids that view over that long bonnet and a bit of right foot, justifies all, not interested in the cost.......My next-door neighbour has a Rover P4 (90) totally restored as new, can you believe 0-60 mph in 19 secs....wow! And next door to him a replica AC Cobra with a 428 cu. in. engine (work it out for yourselves....) A fun street to live in .......
Best regards to all,
Norman.
Regards,
Normaan

ok well that there is some useful information. i was not saying you guys were wrong but when you say yup all that is good for is a parts car with no explination then i have nothing to go off of. i called the guy the other day and he was asking $5000 for it which i quickly declined. what he did say though was that he had another one in a barn in peices but complete. the key word for that one was i need to get it out to clear up space and i want it out asap. he wanted $3000 for it but couldnt tell me anything about it. here in the next few weeks i will be stopping by to take a look at it. i think i can get em down to $1000 pretty easily but im only willing to pay that if it is indeed complete and rust free in the right places. are there pictures of these rust areas that you guys are explaining so i can have a visual refrence.

ps: i really do appreciate your guys info. i wouldnt have been able to restore my 944 without the help of my fellow forum members. also what might be the best way to get ahold of someone in my area that might be able to come along with me to take a look at the cars. i know theres not alotta people out there that have restored them like i am looking to do but maybe at least they know what to look for

The first thing you should get is a copy of Pete Crespin's book (he posts here regularly and has just moved to the States). Armed with that you should be as smart as the next guy!:

Let us know where you/the cars are generally located and maybe someone will put their hand up and offer some local assistance.

Heuer wrote:The first thing you should get is a copy of Pete Crespin's book (he posts here regularly and has just moved to the States). Armed with that you should be as smart as the next guy!:

Let us know where you/the cars are generally located and maybe someone will put their hand up and offer some local assistance.

great i will pick that up asap. btw where is the best place to pick it up?
*UPDATE* nevermind i already found and bought it online

im from dublin ohio which is a small town within columbus. the cars are located in Mt. Vernon ohio....anybody?

If you need some inspiration check out this site: http://relicrecyclery.com/Jaguar/63EType.htm