Nearly new to Jaguars

[JerryL770]

I'm nearly new because I shared in an XK140 DHC for a while with a friend in my village. It was gorgeous but we decided to pass it on a while ago. Then when I managed at last to offload my Facel Vega HK 500 (a bad buy - bought unseen, supposedly fully restored!!) I was casting around for a new investment in a decent classic sports car. I've always fancied a big Healey but I tried a couple and found them wanting - bodily and/or mechanically for the money being asked. I wanted to be sure I was getting something finished properly and that was going to be reliable. For a while, I had been aware of an S2 coupe at the Splined Hub which is reasonably local to me. I decided to go for this and managed to negotiate a reasonable deal, fixed price for a full nut & bolt restoration. Splined Hub had purchased it some 2 - 3 years earlier as a part restored E-Type. Some of the body repairs were already done and the engine, having been rebuilt and run on a dyno was good to go. I was given a 4 - 6 month restoration programme.

It was like this at purchase in February this year:



The body was fully stripped and sent to a local bodyshop for repairing and painting. The original bonnet was too far gone and was replaced with a better period item which needed stripping and re-assembly. This was done in the Splined Hub workshop.

Due to another vehicle being kicked out of the body shop mine was ready to go in and went in 2 months ahead of schedule but came out 2 weeks behind. Nothing to do with my body, all down to the shop operation, but they had done a loverly job





Reassembly proceeded and I gave the Hub a deadline of end of July for a running car I could use so's I could take it to my 70th birthday party. As work proceeded I began to doubt my deadline would be met. The engine and gearbox had to be stripped and checked over (all OK)





and the back axle rebuilt:


.... but eventually it emerged from the shop into the summer sunshine for the first time:



.....passed its MoT and got its personal registration and I could take it on its first journey with the wife to my birthday party which she had arranged for me, family and friends on a cruiser on the river Trent......



After a 4½ hour trip the following w/e to another birthday part, it went back to the Hub for fettling of little things like fitting a heated front screen and correcting some minor problems - all part of the settling in process. Next it went to the Goodwood revival for display on the Hub stand in the "Across the Road" trade area:



Then it returned to the Hub for yet more fettling, changing the wheels for new Dunlop Alloys of the proper type (the E-Type ones have rectangular holes not the round ones of the D-type) and I finally have it at home almost ready for some trips out next year.

Originally this car was dark blue (as it is now) but with dark blue trim. I'm not keen on unremitting blue or black so I had it re-trimmed internally with red leather. The original seats will be preserved in my attic, replaced with Mazda MX5 seats, re-trimmed in same red leather. This is mainly because I regard the headrests on the original E-type seats as neck breakers if I get rammed up the back end!! \I understand they will be better for long drives also.

Onwards ...............

[mgcjag]

Hi Jerome....welcome to the forum.......im sure there is plenty of info here to keep you busy....all the best.. Steve

[Simon P]

Very nice. I saw your car on the stand at Goodwood and remember the original Splined Hub ad, ad you car looked a treat.

Enjoy!

[malcolm]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Your car looks great!

[JerryL770]

Thanks for the responses.

That was a wet and muddy weekend at Goodwood. First and possibly last time there for me - not keen on the crowds.

I have also joined the E-Type Club so I hope to join in some events. Also being a member of the Jag Enthusiast Club, where the E-Type is only a tiny fraction of the content and interest and their forum is very poorly supported or used, it seems.

[rswaffie]

Hi and welcome,

I know that car quite well as I first met Oliver @ Splined Hub almost three years ago when I was looking to upgrade from my Healey 3000 to another E-Type. The car was just being stripped down and plans were in place to build it up as their 'promo' car. I've looked over the front suspension a few times to help me decide on finish and upgrades etc. for my car. They've currently got my engine whilst I build up the bodyshell which has been completed by probably the same bodyshop as yours - in fact I saw it down there recently. I'm doing most of the rebuild work myself but the Hub will be installing the engine in order to get the warranty.

[JerryL770]

Thanks Richard. That's all interesting and perhaps we will meet in Oundle as I'm spending some time there helping Oliver to sort and control his parts operation. I've probably been witnessing some of your engine work.

I was surprised how quickly this conversation got back to Oliver

[mgcjag]

Hi Jerome....im also on a small group who are building C type replicas.....so in touch with Oliver....so did mention he was getting some great comments......Steve

[nefematic]

Hi Jerome,

your car looks great! I really liked the colour combo and the overall condition when I saw it at Goodwood. The weather had it‘s bright spots, as my pictures show :)

Nice car.

Martin

[JerryL770]

Thank you Martin.

Those seats will soon be replaced with Mazda MX5 versions which I have had re-trimmed with the same red leather.