Thoughts on buying an E-Type

[politeperson]

Great minds think alike. R4 is one of my all time favorites.

I have no interest in most cars, especially most old cars. They are just that- old cars!

The word "classic" is now confused with "old". Especially "retro classic" with means "old modern". Everything gets labelled a classic. Its not.

I have cars I am aiming to acquire when they come up at the right price and condition, including 67 fastback mustang, early 911, Citroen DS, another CX and a few others such as a Pagoda. I do like micro-cars, I picked up a Ligier with a diesel engine only yesterday. Its tiny!

There are a few more American cars that look great value at the moment like the Viper, some Corvettes and who doesn't love a Gen 2 Charger? (not cheap though), I am following Hard Up garages one at the moment on Youtube, very exciting I hope he does the right thing and doesn't chop it around too much.

Everything between 1966-71 tends to be right up my street. I has always been like that for me.

I dont think my enthusiasm for the E type will ever vanish. I concocted a plan to have one as a daily driver when I was 16 years old. I probably have too many now and need to thin it out a bit. One or two will do.

[Laicey]

I like the early cars too. The MG has no plastic at all (apart from bakelite in the horn button and heater control). I've found it to be very sustainable and I don't worry it won't still be going strong after another 65 years. Renaults are basic enough to be much the same and of course E-types are the same. I run a Peugeot 406 coupe as an everyday car and it is a classic in styling but has 7 ECUs and just about everything on it is specific to the model and mostly not available. Once the seals fail and water starts getting in it'll be dead. It's a shame as they cracked the rust problem by the late '90s and if they had stuck with non-marque specific parts and maybe made some more interesting cars the '90s would have been a glory era in car production.

If you have too many E-types I might have a solution. Though it probably would be prudent to organise my garaging a little better before taking on another car. I've been sketching garage plans this evening.

[Laicey]

I had been trying too hard to find an E-Type over the last few years. I looked at several and the one thing I noticed was that in my price range nobody seemed to be all that good at bodywork.

I've bought one! A '63 Series 1 3.8 FHC imported from California. It is completely original apart from a respray on the outside. All original panels, rust-free and no filler at all. I reckon it has been off the road for a good 45 years. My aim is to preserve rather than make shiny and I guess I have a year of work ahead. I will be asking for tips.

If I had thought I would be successful in buying an E-Type I would have prepared a garage. Instead I need to organise storage for 6 months. Really annoying as I want to look at it, but good motivation to get things ready over here.

[Gfhug]

Where are you? If you need storage it might be worth asking Angus Moss in Letchworth. https://www.mossjaguar.com/index.html
He might have space and more importantly he could give your car a really close inspection and tell you what to expect.
You say rust free, maybe but it can hide in the most difficult to inspect places, especially after so long off the road. All hoses will need replacing, tyres, brake cylinders overhauled, etc.

Wherever you are try to find a proper expert to inspect it. Not a self appointed person or a general “we restore old cars” garage, but someone who knows E Types really deeply.

Good luck and why not post a few photos of your proud possession

Geoff

[politeperson]

Well done, sounds like a good purchase.
Of course you need to post some pictures on this forum for us!

[Laicey]

Hopefully this image will work. There is plenty to do - I understand the engine doesn't turn freely so will need to come apart, and the car will need a year of recommissioning. It appears to be completely original apart from an exterior respray so I plan to be very sensitive with the aim of preparing it so it can still be a completely original car when it gets to 100 years.

[Gfhug]

Laicey, you might wish to consult CMES for engine rebuild https://www.cmesuk.co.uk/
Well respected by several on here and used by professional restorers.

Why not click on your user name, top right, then you can add your name and car type to your signature. It’s so much nicer to address you by a name and by knowing just which car you’ve got it is easier for responders to answer appropriately for your car. Add your location, too.

So pleased you’ve got a car, now the hard work begins

Geoff

[Laicey]

Good points - I've added those things. It's therapy not hard work - I like to have a project on the go that I actually want to do. Makes up for the things that I don't necessarily want to do which fund the projects.

I looked at engine rebuilders and they seem to offer a fixed price for doing everything. I don't want new liners if I can save the old ones with a hone and some new rings. I think it would be bad for the car to do more than is necessary. Planning to pull apart and inspect before making any decision. This is all 6 months away so I have some time to think.

[Iansparky]

It's a good idea to remove the old liners to expose the waterway slots, I understand its the only way the waterways can be thoroughly cleaned out and all the sludge removed
Ian

[bitsobrits]

And it's the only way to properly gauge how much corrosion has impacted the liner at the cooling slot locations.

On a 60 year old engine block, replacing the original sleeves should be obligatory.

[Laicey]

That is useful to know. Thanks. I have service history from 22000 miles in 1967 to 51000 miles in 1976 (5000 miles ago) and it did have antifreeze in that period. Hopefully the later owner continued the tradition and it doesn't look like anything has been apart since it was in Browns Lane.

The engine needs to come apart anyway so I can see how things look and maybe I'll get lucky. The whole car is going to need inspecting as I only inspected the bodywork when I bought it (but the trim seemed surprisingly good too so it must have been garaged in California). Someone cared enough to give it a period respray.

I didn't realise they had sleeves from new. I won't ask too many questions at the moment though I have loads of them. My idea was a winter project but it's looking closer to next winter because I've not sorted the workshop which needs a hole in the wall big enough to get a car in and we are not in lime mortar season.

Here is the service history. It has been recorded in an unconventional manner. Not a bad idea as documents have been lost.