New E-type project

[Springer]

Have just become a proud owner of a Jag e-type project that was started by a friend which I am intending to finnish. All bodywork and painting is done but all interior, electrical and mechanical is left to do. Used to do a lot of this when I was young but then these cars were quite new and far out of range for a youngster but now the time and money available are more realistic for such a project.
The car is a Serie 1 1961 with 4.2 ltr as you will understand not original. Looking forward to a couple of years work with greate enthusiasm. The guys that dismantled it did not document well so I have a lot of research to do and I guess a steep learning curve. Therefore such forums will be important for me.
The first challenge is to be able to move it home which takes place this weekend.

[ChrisC]

Welcome to the forum

Will you be swapping out the engine for the correct one? Seems a shame to own of the first cars and not actually have the 3.8

[Springer]

Don't know yet. I will need some time to consider what to do. I haven't even been able to get the car into my garrage yet. The engine seems to be OK and I assume 3.8 cost alot even though I guess I may be able to make a swap?
I thought the 4.2 is a much better engine than the 3.8 or?
Will need to make that decision soon as it seems to influence the wiring.
Any thoughts?

[christopher storey]

Two points :

1. The 4.2 is more powerful, particularly at lower speeds, but it is certainly not a better engine, and is generally speaking much more reluctant to rev than the 3.8 engine, and unless it is fully balanced at an overhaul, it tends to be rougher at high speeds as well

2.The wiring is different on 3.8 and 4.2s not because of the engine change, but because with the introduction of the 4.2, Jaguar also introduced an alternator to replace the 3.8's dynamo . Therefore, your car's wiring will depend on whether the dynamo was retained, or whether it was converted to an alternator . If the latter, you can still put a 3.8 in

[Springer]

The most likely thing I will do is to overhaul the 4.2 engine. To get a new one and maybe exchange with the old is quite a challange and I think I will have more than enough other ones to deal with.
At the moment I only have found a starter not a dynamo but I am still looking in all the boxes. When you say alternator, is this a combined starter and dynamo or is it a separate DC dynamo?
I understand that by going to an alternator (whatever that is) the question about wiring then is more straight forward.

[christopher storey]

The alternator is an AC ( Alternating Current ) generator and is quite separate from the starter. It can be recognised by its cast light metal front and a plastic cover at the rear , where the terminals are , with ventilating slots in it . It fits on a bracket on the upper left hand front of the engine just in front of the front exhaust manifold

[Springer]

OK. Thought so. It is all in parts and so far I have only found the starter. If it is not there so I need to buy one would you recommend to rather fit a AC to get more power?

[christopher storey]

That rather depends on whether the wiring is already in the car, and/or whether you are going to rewire it in any case . It also very mcuh depends on the use you intend to make of the car. There is no doubt that the alternator provides much more charge particularly when heavy winter loads are imposed, e.g. heater fan, lights, wipers etc are all on together, but it may be that in darkest Norway you are not planning to drive it in winter, in which case a dynamo will probably suffice. You can use a dynamo with either positive or negative earth systems. An alternator MUST be negative earth . The terminal connections are quite different, hence my initial point about the existing wiring

[Springer]

Thanks,
I am old enough to remeber cars with DC power and positive ground so I like to change unless it is a good reason not to. I haven't found the alternator/dynamo yet so I don't know what it is. Since they have changed the engine I am not sure what it is.
I actually started to look for a car project with Rally Monte Carlo in mind, but when I fell in love with this project I am not sure it will be any winter rally on this car. General winter driving on salted roads are not very likely I will do with it.
Regards
Svein