The 'E' Type Forum

I'm struggling to pin down what colour the headlamp buckets should be on my Aug 61 E Type.
I have searched through the forum but can't find a definitive answer.
Page 32 of 'Factory-Original Jaguar E-Type shows a June 61 with silver buckets but states 'maybe' should have body coloured as the later cars had silver. The previous forum answers say possibly just the first 500 had body coloured and mine is just outside these, although others suggest all the flat floors had body coloured.
Mine is just being put back together after a repaint and I would like to make the right decision on this. Any ideas on what I should go with?
All advice appreciated as usual.
Many thanks
Gareth

No one really knows a date or car number only '"early cars" which tends to mean the first 500 because the Factory stopped production after those and re-engineered parts before continuing. Best guess - if your car is not an OBL - then silver buckets. You could try trawling through XKEdata and looking at photos and see if you can come up with any car later than yours with body colour scoops.

Forget the 'flat floor' theory as they represented about 13% of total 3.8 production so there would be lots of data (and cars) relating to body colour scoops.

Hi David,
Thanks for the reply. Looking at XKE Data there are ones with silver buckets before mine and also with body coloured afterwards!
I guess it depends on if they have had a repaint and how they were thought to have been before. I really need some unrestored examples to look at.
Thanks again.

Hmmm, leaning towards body coloured as on XKE Data a slightly later one than mine shows body coloured and the photos - 875514 - show it being handed over as a present from new. So you would think this has to be right?!

Gareth,

Paint your car silver and then the problem is solved!

never thought of that!

Reviving an old thread so sorry for that but has anyone ever worked out the correct paint for the scoops. I have asked everywhere and there is a huge difference of opinion.

My scoops which are now in the incorrect colour were a smooth mid grey (from old pictures). I did not think to get a colour match at the time (doh!). Some people say grey hammer finish but looking at cars that are supposedly unrestored that does not seem correct and mine were not hammer.

All help gratefully received.