The 'E' Type Forum

Hi All, this Forum has been helpful to me over the past year so wanted to post something to help others. My series 1 OTS is a 1966 model and I found I had to start pumping the brakes. Fitted a new master cylinder as the fluid was full of air and couldn't get rid of it. Soon after, the rear callipers began to leak due to failed seals. I asked for several quotes to put the problem right and was astonished at the costs. One quote was touching £2.5k from one of the etype experts.
Problem is that everyone tells you that the rear subframne needs dropping to access the callipers and cylinders. I was quoted 14 hours just to drop the frame and put it back. That didn't even include the repair itself. I noticed that even amateurs seemed to be able to drop the rear subframe in a 2-3 hours. Considered doing it myself as I found a very useful video of the whole process on youtube.
In the end, I contacted a local company that does some repairs to classics and they did the whole job without removing the subframe. Simply put it on a lift and reached over. It's awkward but possible. I chose to fit new cylinders but could possibly have got away with new seals. Didn't want to risk it going wrong again so went for new at a cost of £450. Labour cost to fit the new cylinders was £500. So, shop around. E Type specialists seem to think we are all multi millionaires. The IRS rear subframe youtube video was posted by Fosseway Classic Car Workshop and it's brilliant. shows complete breakdown and rebuild if you fancy doing it yourself.
Good luck and I hope at some stage I will save someone some money. Ray Loud

rayloud@outlook.com wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 13, 2022 2:27 pm

Problem is that everyone tells you that the rear subframe needs dropping to access the callipers and cylinders.

If that is the consensus it is probably based on experience and for good reason!

Worth consulting this if you are unsure about how long jobs are expected to take:



For example to change rear cylinders with the IRS in situ and bleed the brakes is allocated four hours so I calculate you paid £125/hour! To change the rear cylinders with IRS removed is allocated 1 hour.

Thatt takes me back David. In my twenties I worked for a Jaguar main dealer and used those time schedules to try and earn bonus. They'er not very fair though, I once fitted a replacement starter to a nearly new series 3 E type which took two hours and the book gave the job as a half an hour.

My rotors were good so I just pulled the pots, had them SS sleeved/rebuilt, and reinstalled while on my back with the car was on jack stands in my garage. Tight but totally doable. Would have been several degrees easier with a lift. Rebuild cost for the pots was about $400 early last year.

Ray, you have made your point already in another similar post; and I take exception to your repeated sweeping generalisation that "E type specialists think we are all multimillionaires". There might be some like that out there, but the ones I have dealt with are deeply knowledgeable, experienced in anticipating and fixing faults to ensure long-term reliability, protect their customers' interests, and work efficiently and economically.

You tell us to shop around... to be sure, you will always find someone prepared to do the job for less. I would simply offer the caution that rectifying some of the incompetent bodges I have seen on E types will have cost their owners a lot more than having the job done properly in the first place.