New Owner

[richard btype]

Hello to all fellow owners

Back in 1987 I had to make that awful decision to sell my 1963 DHC (a car I had purchased in 1978) to capitalise my new business. Does anyone know the whereabouts of 677 FYP? Opalescent Silver Blue...

Over the past 25 years that itch has remained that is until last week when I became the owner of a 1962 FHC in Opalescent Silver Grey 145 BWR. It is a thing I do when buying a classic to see if I can reach any of the former owners - perhaps photos will be found, story's to be told...

I have now come to make a hobby out of restoring and when I tried to trace the former owner of my 1974 Lotus Elan Sprint not only did I find the original owner who used the as then new Lotus on his Scottish touring honeymoon but he informed me that he still had the original purchase invoice and duly sent me a copy!

So it was with the Etype - I found that (the first owner now deceased) his son is still living at the same address and he well recalled the excitement of the car arriving and taking the car for a spin while his father was away on holiday!

The car is in need of some restoration work how much will be discovered but the car was pretty well rested with the 1980's to 2005 owner who added very few miles (good or bad we will discover).

I loved the DHC and travelled far and wide but the joy of open motoring was always a trade off with the gorgeous styling of the FHC hence a switch, the immediate problem I have found however being the restricted seat extension over the later cars - I may have to drop a steering wheel size to find the necessary comfort although I very much like the 'rounded' steering wheel rim of the early cars.

My immediate question though - being new to the current suppliers I am interested to know whether the body panels are manufactured by the same company or whether any one of the companies carries a reputation for supplying/manufacturing a superior product? (quality of steel, accuracy of pressings etc etc

The same question applies to the interior trim?

I look forward to reading your opinions and meeting up with some of you - I live in Hertfordshire and have family in Dorset so always flitting between these two locations hopefully soon in the etype once it is fettled to requirement...

[christopher storey]

Richard : well,congratulations on returning to the fold ! Body panels are now made by Robeys in Coventry and by Hutsons in Bradford . Both are pretty good but if one of them has the edge in my opinion it is Hutson's whose panels seem to require less tailoring to make them fit . Both do restoration work , with Robey's perhaps being faster on a kind of production line basis, and Hutson's perhaps having the problem of having too much work , and being more of a bespoke operation, so that schedules sometimes tend to slip. Nevertheless, my FHC 1E20357 was done by Hutson's , and there is a good record on xkedata , and I was very well satisfied with the outcome, and Andy Rayner who manages it is very straight and will bend over backwards to satisfy the customer . If you want to have a look at their work there is a chap called Chris Cansick who has recently had his 2+2 ( which he's had for over 30 years ) rebuilt by Hutson's and who lives at Hall green , Weston, Herts so is probably not too far from you

As far as trim is concerned, Suffolk and Turley, Mike Turley , Aldridge's etc all have good reputations , but I had mine done with a kit from BAS in S.Wales who were rather cheaper and the quality was very good indeed and they were also very good at sorting out a self-inflicted problem that I saddled them with , ( wrong seat foams) and again bend over backwards to satisfy the customer . I also had some minor work done by them on my OTS ( on the console etc ) and it came back to me perfectly done by return of post

Good luck with it all

[1954Etype]

Welcome Richard. Chris has covered off the major stuff so I don't need to repeat. I live in Letchworth and have restored 4 Series 1 cars over the years so if you need any advice, let me know.

Angus

[richard btype]

Chris and Angus

Thank you for the replies and offer.

I bought the car from a friend and although I knew what I was buying it was not until I got my hands on it that I could get to know it and decide how to proceed.

The car is tidy and runs well except for an engine oil leak which is making it a bit smelly but I'm already getting used to the fact that I'm seriously contemplating a nut and bolt rebuild. The condition is quite original without having been messed with over the years.

It was resprayed about 3 years ago and looks nice in one of my favourite colours - Opalescent silver grey the paint shop has a good reputation - but the original colour was Gunmetal Grey and I do like a car to be to original spec especially as the car has all matching numbers. As I wish to change some of the panels i.e. foot well for sharpness and outer sills - same reason I may of course find matters will dictate further... it will provide an excuse to repaint back to original colour...

Anyway we'll see where we go on this idea having just finished the Lotus (3years nut and bolt) I figure the Etype might be far longer!

[MarkE]

Hi Richard and welcome.

I would also be very tempted to put the car back to Gunmetal...surely one of the best colours, especially for a 3.8 FHC, and especially with a red interior! I'm biased with the interior as my black Coupe was re-trimmed a couple of years ago and it looks quite stunning

I'm also a great Elan fan, having had one since 1975...and I still have it! A few other Lotii have joined it over the years, and they really did spoil me for most other cars of the 50s and 60s. The cart spring suspension and vague steering and brakes of the old Healeys, XKs and sporty Triumphs is very hard to adjust to after driving an Elan for a while.

The only other car I enjoy as much, in a different way, is the E Type, and I'm sure that you won't be disappointed. It's much more of a fast cruising car than the Elan, but it can still be hustled along with enthusiasm!

I think that you'll have to pop some photos up Richard.

[richard btype]

Mark

I really must learn how to load up a picture.

I took a web journey to trawl cars in both the greys and have to admit I'd always found the gunmetal a bit dreary (think of - The Most Famous Car in the World 9600 HP) but sometimes in photos its the photo rather than the colour which is misleading - for a found a few pics where it actually looks more sophisticated in the Gunmetal - this idea is gaining momentum.

Am I correct in thinking that wheels were available from the factory in body colour, painted silver and chrome finish?

A question concerning the interior - there are various chrome fittings such as beading - are these better re chromed or are they available new?

One of the things I recall with great nostalgia with the 1960's Jags was the fantastic cockpit smell - mostly I believe emanating from the leather so it has been a disappointment for many years to stick my nose inside a restored car to find not a trace of those heady aroma's.

But from an article in Octane and some web searching I discovered that the Conolloy leather used was Vaumol and it was the cellulose dope mixture which together gave the smell.

I then managed to discover that Jonathan Conolloy (CB Leather in Kent) was about to release a range of old colours in the Vaumol with 3171 red being one of them and just a few days ago the sample was received - fantastic in colour, texture and aroma!

Richard [/url]

[MarkE]

Richard, on the subject of re-chroming vs replacement with reproduction item, I would very strongly recommend re-chroming the original parts.

Firstly, I'm sure that many of the Coupe's small interior metal bits and pieces have not been reproduced, so you would have little choice. Secondly, and most importantly, reproduction parts are nearly always of inferior quality and rarely fit properly or look right. Not just my view (although I do hate repro stuff with a passion!) as it's been said on this forum and many others many times for just about all makes of classic cars.

[richard btype]

Mark

Thank you this is just the information I need to know. I too dislike repro but its better than not having and if there is no choice!

What is the thinking on car paint finishes? I personally dislike todays 'over glossed finish" and sorry if it offends anyone the powder coated heater box in the engine bay!

I've just ordered the Andy Clausager's book on Factory Original Finishes - hopefully this will give me a steer on period plating colours electro or otherwise.

So much to research...

Paint sprayer who can achieve the correct period cellulose look but in something durable!

Reliable chromium plater?

Reliable electro plater who can achieve the variety of period look?

Which stockists sell the period (1962) cooling hoses/clips?

Have spoken today with Klassik Transmissions re Moss gearbox seals/bearings/synchro at ?500 seems like good value.

Carburettor Exchange re refurbishment.

Speedy Cables re instrument check and refurb.

Aldridge re interior trim.

[Simon P]

I then managed to discover that Jonathan Conolloy (CB Leather in Kent) was about to release a range of old colours in the Vaumol with 3171 red being one of them and just a few days ago the sample was received - fantastic in colour, texture and aroma!

That's interesting to hear! Would you happen to know what other colours are on offer?

[richard btype]

I believe he is either or intending to reproduce all the most popular colours used in Jags/Rolls etc he sent me a sample of biscuit originally to show me the texture etc.

I'm not sure what his sales outlet is to be as my enquiry happen to a be a bit left field so I'll pm you his telephone details. The leather is not inexpensive but fortunately the etype does not use that much! hate to think what a Mk 2 would cost...

[richard btype]

Welcome Richard. Chris has covered off the major stuff so I don't need to repeat. I live in Letchworth and have restored 4 Series 1 cars over the years so if you need any advice, let me know.

Angus

Angus

I've taken the windows out of the doors to replace the felt window guides and I'm trying to acertain the make up of the door/slide window fittings which the exploded drawings do not show and may be the answer in itself!

Specifically from the outside (of the car) there is the horizontal rubber strip that sits against the glass and from the inside is the horizontal brush bar (as I call it).

Here is the question - was there also a horizontal brush bar fitted on the outside of the window behind the rubber strip? diagrams do not show it and there is not one fitted presently - but I think when I enquired about the guides with SNG Barratt the guy I think was telling me that there was one of these brush bars fitted eitherside - could you please advise?

Richard

[1954Etype]

Richard, there is only one fitted. Rubber seal on the outside and draught excluded on the inside.