E-type déjà vu. The second rebuild
Discussion
Jukebag said:
$467,000? my god! what are people on? nothing, I repeat, nothing should be worth so much no matter what it is.
There is an old saying along the lines ofTis the duty of the monied man to pay for the skills of the artisan.
While many may feel that paying all but 1/2Mil for an E-Type is madness, it's almost certain that the people who buy and sell cars at this value aren't doing all the work on them themselves. So behind this car there is a team of normal people who've learned their living and paid to feed their families off the back of this car. Now having seen one E sell for that sum, some other people will feel like going down the same road. Ok, so their motivation will almost certainly be to make money. But in so doing they'll be paying a team of people to produce works of art like this. So while it may be abhorrent that in a world were so many people have so little, a few can afford such excess, their desire for excess helps push money around the system and helps gives others work.
This is for Jukebag, so he can take solace:-
However that was December 1962, and in 1998 the owner turned down £30,000 for the wreck of the first car. It was sold at auction a few years back for nearly £70,000, still in the same state. However, I do wonder if Jukebag is a member of (if it still exists) the Anti Inflation Society whose chairman insisted in his will that his house be sold at the original purchase price of just over £1,000?
However that was December 1962, and in 1998 the owner turned down £30,000 for the wreck of the first car. It was sold at auction a few years back for nearly £70,000, still in the same state. However, I do wonder if Jukebag is a member of (if it still exists) the Anti Inflation Society whose chairman insisted in his will that his house be sold at the original purchase price of just over £1,000?
Good job too because it means you will never want for anything. Jukebag said:
$467,000? my god! what are people on? nothing, I repeat, nothing should be worth so much no matter what it is. Unfortunately some will completely disagree, but I'm glad I have sense to see through this materialistic nonsense. Not when we have people starving, lots of people have no homes, we are taxed to death, etc etc. A car is a car and nothing else. The E-Type is a beautiful machine, but come on, money like that should be used for essential things in this world not a car. I agree that lots of classics like the E-Type are going well beyond most enthusiasts or wannabe owners can afford, I think they need to come down to a more reasonable amount of money like £20-30 grand; it's not as though most people have got that kind of money, because very few have even that believe it not (most people I know have less than a grand in their savings, yes that's poor for you), so it's not as though they will become too common on the roads.
this figure may be over the mark , but bear in mind the cost of labour and man hours that go into to getting a car to this standard ,I don't think you would see much change out of 70 -100k for a bare metaL rebuild todaymine was an absolute wreck 7 years ago 25 years sat in a garage going rusty, good candidate for rotten abandoned classics !
The previous owner spent two years rebuilding the car , with a folder of receipts that total over 30k in parts not including labour costs ,
In the three years of my owner ship , she's had a full engine rebuild ,cooper craft brakes ,bigger 6j wheels and electronic injection fitted. The car is not a garage queen , I bought her to be driven and she brings a smile to your face every time you hit the open road. from the opposite spectrum daily drive is a 97 Honda Accord Aerodeck good family run about bargain of the century cost me 1 penny from my late father !!
I spent 3 years restoring my S1 E to as near perfection as I could... I set out to restore it and use it properly.
Now finished, all I can do is look at it, I simply cannot bring myself to use it and see it deteriorate. And Yes I know I am a complete t
t. I shall sell it and let the next owner use and abuse, then I will go buy myself and mid condition E to use and enjoy.
Now finished, all I can do is look at it, I simply cannot bring myself to use it and see it deteriorate. And Yes I know I am a complete t
t. I shall sell it and let the next owner use and abuse, then I will go buy myself and mid condition E to use and enjoy.Huntsman said:
Apologies for the thread drift Tony.
Could you tell us more about the fuel injection?
I had it fitted when the car was serviced at E-types UK Could you tell us more about the fuel injection?
New 123 ignition system , with Lucas sports coil, distributor , silicon leads
link here
http://www.etypeuk.com/carsales/upgrades/upgrade-d...
certainly made a big difference , car starts on the button now
thanks
DBSV8 said:
Huntsman said:
Apologies for the thread drift Tony.
Could you tell us more about the fuel injection?
I had it fitted when the car was serviced at E-types UK Could you tell us more about the fuel injection?
New 123 ignition system , with Lucas sports coil, distributor , silicon leads
link here
http://www.etypeuk.com/carsales/upgrades/upgrade-d...
certainly made a big difference , car starts on the button now
thanks
I've since fitted an air filter though
DBSV8 said:
this figure may be over the mark , but bear in mind the cost of labour and man hours that go into to getting a car to this standard ,I don't think you would see much change out of 70 -100k for a bare metaL rebuild today
mine was an absolute wreck 7 years ago 25 years sat in a garage going rusty, good candidate for rotten abandoned classics !
The previous owner spent two years rebuilding the car , with a folder of receipts that total over 30k in parts not including labour costs ,
In the three years of my owner ship , she's had a full engine rebuild ,cooper craft brakes ,bigger 6j wheels and electronic injection fitted. The car is not a garage queen , I bought her to be driven and she brings a smile to your face every time you hit the open road. from the opposite spectrum daily drive is a 97 Honda Accord Aerodeck good family run about bargain of the century cost me 1 penny from my late father !!
I think you hit the nail on the head. Walk into your local Merc dealer & ask what the labour rate is. Good ground up restorations are at least £70k upwards - + the base price of the car without any profit. So, that puts a fully restored S1 FHC at circa £140k upwards?mine was an absolute wreck 7 years ago 25 years sat in a garage going rusty, good candidate for rotten abandoned classics !
The previous owner spent two years rebuilding the car , with a folder of receipts that total over 30k in parts not including labour costs ,
In the three years of my owner ship , she's had a full engine rebuild ,cooper craft brakes ,bigger 6j wheels and electronic injection fitted. The car is not a garage queen , I bought her to be driven and she brings a smile to your face every time you hit the open road. from the opposite spectrum daily drive is a 97 Honda Accord Aerodeck good family run about bargain of the century cost me 1 penny from my late father !!
lowdrag said:
All I can say is I am glad that I am not using the restorers that you people above use or have used. There I am for once with Jukebox because there is no way I could - or would - pay that.
Ha Ha....well I'm pleased to report I did everything myself bar the metal paint and trim because I'm not skilled in those departments. 3 years of fun taking my time and enjoying every minute.....lowdrag said:
All I can say is I am glad that I am not using the restorers that you people above use or have used. There I am for once with Jukebox because there is no way I could - or would - pay that.
that's very reassuring Tony, this was a figure quoted by the vendors working on a ground up restoration on another clients car, when my car was in for service,luckily i paid a fraction of this cost when i bought mine as the bodywork had been already completed , it just needed the mechanicals sorting out
your chap is doing an excellent job on yours
Lee is fettling the bodywork and lead loading where necessary. I was amazed that someone of his age knew how to lead load and moreover that the vertical panels are superb. Gives you a warm glow all over knowing that such skills are not lost for ever. The engine will be back from VSE at the end of February, the trim kit is on order, and there are boxes and boxes of brake and fuel lines, fuel filter, rubber seals and so on. The chrome is away for rechroming, the rear cage is in bits for new half shafts, springs and shockers (perhaps OTT but they have lived a hard life), and so on. Here are a couple of photos I took at the beginning of the month. The pedal box is a work of art. Oh, and Paracetemol, yours is just a tad behind mine which was built 13th September 1961 (850152) and your LHD should be around 875600 I guess.
Edited by lowdrag on Saturday 14th December 09:50
vpr said:
Glad you're getting on ok with the fuel injection. Only done 62 miles in mine but fairly confident that it'll run beautifully clean and efficient. Certainly starts on the button
I've since fitted an air filter though
That looks great . . . and should add to the straight six smoothness > does it?I've since fitted an air filter though
lowdrag said:
Lee is fettling the bodywork and lead loading where necessary. I was amazed that someone of his age knew how to lead load and moreover that the vertical panels are superb. Gives you a warm glow all over knowing that such skills are not lost for ever. The engine will be back from VSE at the end of February, the trim kit is on order, and there are boxes and boxes of brake and fuel lines, fuel filter, rubber seals and so on. The chrome is away for rechroming, the rear cage is in bits for new half shafts, springs and shockers (perhaps OTT but they have lived a hard life), and so on. Here are a couple of photos I took at the beginning of the month. The pedal box is a work of art. Oh, and Paracetemol, yours is just a tad behind mine which was built 13th September 1961 (850152) and your LHD should be around 875600 I guess.
Hi lowgrag. mine is 876091
Hi lowgrag. mine is 876091
Edited by lowdrag on Saturday 14th December 09:50
Something's strange there. According to my build records that chassis number is from January 1962. Certain changes took place from 876015 and gearbox EB1654, all from January 1962. It would be interesting, if you have it, to email me the copy of the heritage certificate. Previous changes are from 875859 in December so the numbers stack up - unless you can prove differently!
lowdrag said:
Something's strange there. According to my build records that chassis number is from January 1962. Certain changes took place from 876015 and gearbox EB1654, all from January 1962. It would be interesting, if you have it, to email me the copy of the heritage certificate. Previous changes are from 875859 in December so the numbers stack up - unless you can prove differently!
Your posting worries me Lowdrag.Let me say up front that I love you commitment to the marque, not least in £. and the C type; I’m really looking forward to the outcome of the E’s restoration, how I wish I could expend that capital on my hibernating Élan or my dormant ’40.
And so what is it that worries me?
My concern is that in our collective desire to know that Mr Porter’s definitive enunciations that Chassis No XYZ came down Brown Lanes production line on March 15th blah blah blah and that the assembly worker under the dutiful eye of Gordon Smithers who lived at No 56 Alllesley reached into the pallet next to him and fitted dark blue, navy trimmed edge piped carpet supplied by …. Zzzzzzzzz
We forget that what we have in front of us today is the love of someone’s life, someone’s dream…
“Heh! pipes up the voice in the back….. I remember your Missus! She was the one who when we were at …………………….shudder!
We look at the E Type or the XJ13, the 330CTC, the Alfa 1750GTV, the Aston DB4 – we caress their flanks, admire their poise, their stature, the way the light follows their flanks – we dream…… we dream Lowdrag- just like you do!
I ‘m not debasing what you’re doing or saying but I am asking you tread with caution. What is our intent when we ask the question – Chassis no …what? but that was…. What are we seeking to do? Protect our position, our investment? further our knowledge or piddle on someone’s bonfire?
Where is the man in Abu Dhabi who wrote with such excitement at discovering that “his” E type was only zillion numbers away from yours! What was his journey in life to get him to where he too could share in the love and passion and I use the word SHARE!
Simon Taylor of Classic Sportscar writes how he took a bank loan to take his AC across to Pebble Beach and how he didn’t get a prize but heh! “this guy next to him, well – you see he's had his since….” – generosity in spirit- and I think I’ve commented on that before here on PH.
We live in an imperfect world Lowdrag, we as humans are imperfect, we as animals are imperfect… it’s a tough world- let’s think before we ask the question - that all.
I’m really pleased for your success and for the joy you share in your postings; as I opened, I’m really looking forward to your finished E- I think it’ll be stunning- I wish I was so lucky- enjoy!
Standing down – with care, of those who surround me.
Edited by Carsie on Sunday 15th December 00:17
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff