1961 Jaguar E type convertible restoration

[Paracetamol]

lowdrag said:

She's looking beautiful dear boy. The louvres were made part of the stamped bonnet in 1962 and the original moulds were cut and shut and the louvres welded in. Accepted wisdom is that this happened in June 1962 when the flat floors disappeared along with the straight rear bulkhead, but neith Skilleter nor Porter refer to this. But we'll never know really. One thing I would ask is whether the cylinder head colour is supposed to be "pumpkin" or a lighter later shade. I only ask because I am not sure from the photo. My info is the lighter shade.

Thanks!

Not the case AFAIK..there are many flat floor cars without the welded lourves. My research shows the time of change to be around early 62 with the 'accepted wisdom' (?) that these changes were made to factory tooling during Christmas and strike period. This would make logical sense as the factory was not operational then.

For the cylinder head I have chosen the lighter shade. Pumpkin heads seem to be on the outside bonnet lock cars..

[Paracetamol]

Work is progressing. RH Classics outsource painting to a very high quality painter. The car is initially fully painted in white in order to show any imperfections from reflections. These are then corrected and the car is then resprayed again in the correct colour. Its effectively painting the car twice..but this is the price of perfection apparently..

[lowdrag]

I am getting very afraid for the future of this car. Is this to be used in anger, thrashed through the Alps, used on track days and then some, or is it to be a trailer queen, condemned forever to a life in a cage, hidden from the world like a Rembrandt? Turning up at concours events in an enclosed Brian James trailer towed by a 4x4 in which are the show wheels which will be put on the car on arrival, polished to death, never to turn a wheel but only for static display.

You know I drive my cars, and yesterday I was counting the stone chips on the bonnet since I have just passed 5,000 since the rebuild. I do hope that your's will see the light of day as Sir William intended. After my rebuild, I had to do 500 miles as the initial running in phase, which I did in two days. Then I took her to Prescott hill climb (arrived with exactly 501 on the clock) and gave her hell. I do hope to see yours out and about with accompanying dirty photos. Concours cars are a disease; they eat into you, their whole raison d'être destroyed by a speck of dust, imaginary or real. Please don't go that route; enjoy her for the reason she was built. Please.

[JS1500]

Nobody can possibly know how much I want an early E-type Roadster or how long I've wanted one for. I was born with an E-Type craving that is destined never to be satisfied! Bah!

Yours looks amazing, even in unfinished form. Congrats on a special car.

[RDMcG]

lowdrag said:

I am getting very afraid for the future of this car. Is this to be used in anger, thrashed through the Alps, used on track days and then some, or is it to be a trailer queen, condemned forever to a life in a cage, hidden from the world like a Rembrandt? Turning up at concours events in an enclosed Brian James trailer towed by a 4x4 in which are the show wheels which will be put on the car on arrival, polished to death, never to turn a wheel but only for static display.

You know I drive my cars, and yesterday I was counting the stone chips on the bonnet since I have just passed 5,000 since the rebuild. I do hope that your's will see the light of day as Sir William intended. After my rebuild, I had to do 500 miles as the initial running in phase, which I did in two days. Then I took her to Prescott hill climb (arrived with exactly 501 on the clock) and gave her hell. I do hope to see yours out and about with accompanying dirty photos. Concours cars are a disease; they eat into you, their whole raison d'être destroyed by a speck of dust, imaginary or real. Please don't go that route; enjoy her for the reason she was built. Please.

I understand concours as it happens and it is a perfectly legitimate pursuit, but I fully share your view and have driven every car I have ever owned at a reasonably challenging pace, and indeed every one of them showed the inevitable result. I have seen your threads over the years and applaud your approach to the exceptional cars in your garage!.

[Paracetamol]

Hi Lowdrag

1. I have a significant number of cars and a lifestyle that doesn't allow much usage of any and so unfortunately its about pleasure of ownership and cannot be too much about driving.

2. Concours is not for me..but the pursuit of doing the best I can within the budget I have is important. Why would I not insist on the best?

Edited by Paracetamol on Tuesday 27th June 18:53

[lowdrag]

Well, it is your car and I respect your way of thinking; it just isn't mine though. I hope your people have the knowledge and know-how to source all those early parts for the car. The early radiator is available all over now but finding real NOS PL headlights is a pain, and don't fall for the new Chinese ones made of chocolate either. The otter switch, the plug caps, the HT leads, the jubilee clips, the, the, the...............

Mild or stainless exhaust, painted or chrome wires - the decisions are endless. And no stone chip paint underneath! But all the best in your search.

[snobetter]

Love these build threads and the craftsmanship involved.

I'm sure the reality isn't the same as how I imagine it, but building great cars as close to perfect as you can seems a pretty great job as well.

[Paracetamol]

lowdrag said:

Well, it is your car and I respect your way of thinking; it just isn't mine though. I hope your people have the knowledge and know-how to source all those early parts for the car. The early radiator is available all over now but finding real NOS PL headlights is a pain, and don't fall for the new Chinese ones made of chocolate either. The otter switch, the plug caps, the HT leads, the jubilee clips, the, the, the...............

Mild or stainless exhaust, painted or chrome wires - the decisions are endless. And no stone chip paint underneath! But all the best in your search.

RH Classics are a father and son business..Dad has been around early Jags all his life and experience has been handed down. They know the very early car requirements well.

I have asked them to supply the new heritage mild steel exhaust. Wheels..I will keep with the chromes for my pleasure but also get a set of painted ones (not because of the paint but more the size and style).

The underside will have ruberised but not stone chip finish. It will not be body smooth but more 'gently undulating'. What I dont want is pebbledash

[Paracetamol]

So she is finally in paint and looking quite stunning...I am overseas so have to wait to see the end result but am assured its quite stunning.

Edited by Paracetamol on Tuesday 19th September 11:43

[CornedBeef]

That's actually pornographic.

Is there a rough ETA for completion now the paints been applied?

[Paracetamol]

CornedBeef said:

That's actually pornographic.

Is there a rough ETA for completion now the paints been applied?

Ha..thanks. I will share that description with my wife..

They reckon 6 to 8 weeks. Maybe less given that all the ancilliaries are already prepared.

[Jonny TVR]

Thank you for posting these. Very interesting to me as I have just purchased a series 1.5 FHC that has been restored by a talented home restorer over 4 years. He completed the restoration 2 years ago and had only done 30 miles in it. I've had it less than a week and I've somehow managed to do 145 miles in it already.






Interestingly he also painted it white before he painted it silver/ blue. However the reason he gave is that an unpainted car absorbs moisture so this was done to avoid this between getting the primer and main coat. Not entirely sure I got that right but I'm pretty sure this is what he said.

[Paracetamol]

Jonny TVR said:

Thank you for posting these. Very interesting to me as I have just purchased a series 1.5 FHC that has been restored by a talented home restorer over 4 years. He completed the restoration 2 years ago and had only done 30 miles in it. I've had it less than a week and I've somehow managed to do 145 miles in it already.






Interestingly he also painted it white before he painted it silver/ blue. However the reason he gave is that an unpainted car absorbs moisture so this was done to avoid this between getting the primer and main coat. Not entirely sure I got that right but I'm pretty sure this is what he said.

That looks like a lovely usable example. I think I am going to commission a sensible 4.2 Coupe with driveability mods and underseal (lol) as a next project.

Sounds like the previous owner used a sealer undercoat to esnure that the new paint didnt react with the old. A very sensible move if he didn't go to bare metal.

[Paracetamol]

here is a video of the car in paint..

https://youtu.be/BfEZUiaQ-40

[Jonny TVR]

Paracetamol said:

That looks like a lovely usable example. I think I am going to commission a sensible 4.2 Coupe with driveability mods and underseal (lol) as a next project.

Sounds like the previous owner used a sealer undercoat to esnure that the new paint didnt react with the old. A very sensible move if he didn't go to bare metal.

He didn't use underseal (possibly under the arches) but the rest of the underside and chassis is painted to a finish that looks as good as the main body. Its been injected with rust proofing. Its better than new I would say and he spent 3000 hours on it. I've listed the upgrades below, which I know aren't to everyone's taste but I tink they are well chosen.

Adjustable alloy dampers Uprated torsion bars
Uprated front anti roll bar Quick rack (all that is available new)
Hard rack mounts Polly suspension bushes
Vented front disks 4 piston front callipers
Uprated rear brake callipers Sealed for life front ball joints
5 speed gearbox Stainless braided brake hoses
Multi V alternator belt Modern rear crank seal
Braided cam shaft oil feed pipe Solid state voltage regulator
Gas strut on bonnet Adjustable reaction plate
Electronic ignition system Thermo acoustic insulation
Remote rear brake bleed screws High torque starter motor
Cable throttle linkage LED interior and map light
DAB Radio Stainless steel exhaust
Stainless steel heater return pipe Copper heater pipes (in bulkhead)
Uprated heater fan motor Stainless steel hose clips throughout
Aluminium radiator Pedal operated brake light switch
Electronic fuel pump Uprated heater matrix
Uprated radiator fan motors Modern thermostat switch
Intermittent wiper control Hazard light function
Fuel pressure regulator Battery cut off switch
Ethanol proof fuel hoses

Edited by Jonny TVR on Tuesday 26th September 16:33

Edited by Jonny TVR on Tuesday 26th September 16:35

Edited by Jonny TVR on Tuesday 26th September 16:41

[Jonny TVR]

Paracetamol said:

here is a video of the car in paint..

https://youtu.be/BfEZUiaQ-40

That really is a superb finish

[Paracetamol]

I was laughing at the lack of underseal on my car.

that is a great set of mods..some of which I have planned for the coupe I will eventually do.

Edited by Paracetamol on Tuesday 26th September 20:08

[steve-5snwi]

Wow, that paintwork looks stunning.

[Paracetamol]

steve-5snwi said:

Wow, that paintwork looks stunning.

Thanks. The paintwork took 300 hours in total and that excludes any bodywork or assembly.

It looks magnificent in the flesh too. Its thinnly applied but at the same time has real depth.