Possible 'new' owner with questions

[bulletbob]

Hello. I've come across a '70 XKE roadster for sale. He wants in the ballpark of $90K. I have absolutely no idea what to look for, whether that's a decent price or not. ~65K miles. Darn thing looks perfect. Are there any inherent problems associated with this particular model? Repairs that should have been made? Trouble areas? I'm not a rich man, but have always loved an XKE. Any help would be appreciated......

[Robsan]

Just a BTW...................... do you have photos or details of the $90K car ? perhaps looking and critiquing those might help ?

[cactusman]

With any e type, be it series 1,2 or 3....there are three things to look for....rust, rust and rust!! Photos might help....although that can be hidden....

Seriously corroded cars can look good so be wary. Cills rust, the floor rusts, particularly crucial where the rear IRS radius arms fix to the car below the seats. The boot floor rusts. The bottom of the A posts rust where the meet the cill. The rear arches rust. The engine frames rust. All these can seriously affect the structural integrity of the car. Repairs are very costly!

The bonnet also rusts but it's not structural so is not a safety issue although it's equally costly to fix.

Engine and gear box are robust so long as serviced regularly. Ditto the rear IRS although look carefully for oil leaks from the diff. The oil contaminates the in board discs. Replacement seals are a few dollars. Replacing means dropping the IRS and stripping....expect a large bill.

If you are unsure what you are looking for find someone who is. A $90k might be a great buy....or it may be a bottomless money pit....caveat emptor! Keep us posted...a good e type is just amazing to own and drive!

[malcolm]

If like me you are lacking in technical knowledge, take an expert to view with you, even if it costs a few dollars. I did, and it saved me a fortune in the long run. Contact the Jag Lovers forum; there are probably people on there who are prepared to give up a day to view with you.

[abowie]

Contact the Jag Lovers forum;

Sound advice. Jag Lovers is US based and has members all over the US.

[bulletbob]

thanks. does this help? https://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/d/w ... 45265.html

[abowie]

I'm not really current with US pricing on S2 cars but it looks to be a nice driver/older resto and for that price I would have thought on a superficial look through the photos it is cheap.

However it got passed in on BAT for $74k earlier this year.

Here is more info on it:

http://xkedata.com/cars/detail/?car=1r13489

[christopher storey]

Am I far out of date, or is there a slightly alarming case of being taken for a ride in the bill shown on Andrew's link : $280 US in total for labor ( sic) for diagnosing and replacing and bleeding a clutch slave cylinder ??? The cynic in me starts to work overtime when I see that the 3 elements of the labor cost all end in 95 cents

More pertinently, the black painted engine frames are a warning sign that all may not be as it seems on this alleged concours winner. It is also significant that there is not a single picture of the underneath . I should be very careful not to be taken in by the excessively shiny paint job

[Robsan]

"More pertinently, the black painted engine frames are a warning sign that all may not be as it seems on this alleged concours winner. It is also significant that there is not a single picture of the underneath . I should be very careful not to be taken in by the excessively shiny paint job"

My thoughts too as I flicked through the pictures........... I thought there might be some benefit from loooking at the pictures. The inside, seats and soft top look in good condition, but realistically they dont represent that much $$ in the overall outlay. add that to a shiny shiny car and it starts to look amazing !! or does it ??

a previous poster said there are three things to look out for............ rust, rust and rust. Rust is hard to see under matt black paint covering.

best of luck with your search

[colinevans]

The best advice here is definitely to take an expert with you. It may be as good as it looks but when spending this sort of money you need to be as sure as you can be. I bought a shiny S2 from a reputable E type specialist and 5 years later I am now midway through a full restoration. That in itself is interesting and rewarding (and there is always great advice available on this forum) but the point is if I wanted to that I would have bought a different car.
Best of luck and I hope it turns out to be a winner!
Colin

[lopena]

Bulletbob:

I see you’re in Indiana. If possible, you should arrange a Pre-Purchase Inspection at Muncie Imports & Classics, in Muncie, IN. Without exaggeration, they are among the most knowledgeable E-type experts in the country. It’s not uncommon to see a dozen E-types in their shop at any given time.

Good luck!
Alan
N.J.

[tinworm]

Looks like a cheap repaint - on XKE data you can see the fuel filler box has been painted black inside as well as the frames . As others have said no photos of the underside . This is very important to see and check. I know it looks OK ish on the top many E's have found a buyer looking like this. My advice is ignore these photos and check the underside as a priority.

Barrie

[cactusman]

As others have said it's shiny and may be good....or it may be not....underneath is what you need to see. Worth a look....peer into the fuel filler and see what that looks like. Lift the carpets. Take a magnet wrapped in a chamois leather and make sure it sticks where it should....filler can hide all sorts of nastiness.
The engine frames have almost certainly be changed....they should be body colour....may have been done in the resto as the old ones were corroded....or maybe she had some sort of front end collision? New frames are not a bad thing but you need to check that if it was as a result of an accident that the bulkhead fixing points are all straight...or the whole thing will be out of line.

[bitsobrits]

While it's apparently won some local awards, I would say that car is a loooong ways away from "award winning condition". To me it looks rather tire and shabby, with the exception of the paint.

Also interesting they have avoided showing the carb side of the engine-why?

Not a $90k car, IMHO.

[bulletbob]

Thanks guys. I'm just so much out of my element here. I like the idea of getting someone who knows Jags to take a look at this one. Appreciate everyone's help here. I really do!