Which E-Type? Opinions please :-)
Discussion
Hello All
My wife loves the E-Type and we will probably end up with one come spring (her Birthday), however I'm not really up with which model is the best all round.
I love the V12 though! When bought, the car will be a 'Sunday' car, so low miles (fuel costs unimportant) and mainly country miles, with a trip or two abroad perhaps.
I have seen vastly differing prices, all for cars that appear to be pretty sound...
Please do let me know which ones are best to avoid, which are most popular (for eventual resale?) etc. Convertibles and Coupe's are both in the running too.
Budget? Have not thought about it!
Many thanks,
DTC
My wife loves the E-Type and we will probably end up with one come spring (her Birthday), however I'm not really up with which model is the best all round.
I love the V12 though! When bought, the car will be a 'Sunday' car, so low miles (fuel costs unimportant) and mainly country miles, with a trip or two abroad perhaps.
I have seen vastly differing prices, all for cars that appear to be pretty sound...
Please do let me know which ones are best to avoid, which are most popular (for eventual resale?) etc. Convertibles and Coupe's are both in the running too.
Budget? Have not thought about it!
Many thanks,
DTC
Common consensus suggests the ones to go for are very early 3.8's or 4.2 versions around 1968/9, but my favourite is the series 3 V12 1971-....
Just choose very carefully, (especially for body rot), because like some TVR's if you choose a dog it will financially cripple you.......
You should be able to get a good example for £30/£35k..........
Just choose very carefully, (especially for body rot), because like some TVR's if you choose a dog it will financially cripple you.......
You should be able to get a good example for £30/£35k..........
If there is not one particular model that you find appealing then I would suggest test driving as many different variants as possible and you will be more able to base your decision on which model you most prefer to drive than maybe to look at or have because it is deemed by most to be 'the one' to own even though in many cases this type of opinion seems to emulate from those who like to look at rather than own/drive said favourite model.
There was an article in Octane Magazine (I think) that said one of the best E-Types for regular use and as a general ownership proposition was the Series 2 (4.2). As by that time they had 'ironed out' many of the glitches etc of some of the earlier cars (apparently as a result of many compaints from the less than tolerant US customers).
However my favourite still has to be the Series 3 V12 Coupe..................lovely!!
I'd be interested to hear how you get on as have always fancied an E-Type, but as yet have never 'taken the plunge'!
Best of luck,
Cerby4.5
However my favourite still has to be the Series 3 V12 Coupe..................lovely!!
I'd be interested to hear how you get on as have always fancied an E-Type, but as yet have never 'taken the plunge'!
Best of luck,
Cerby4.5
I love E-Types but my wife hates them with a vengeance so I'll never have one but if I did I would generally say that to my eyes they got progressively worse to look at. So ideally I'd have an early 4.2 Coupe with faired in headlamps and triple wipers. IMO by the time to V12 was introduced they had become over-blown pastiches of the beautiful original. 
I have a series 1 3.8 roadster and have had a series 1 2+2, feel free to give me a call, drop me an email for my number and i can go through all the models and the changes, it's really too much to type, if you're local to reading, come pop buy and drive mine.
As a rule you'll either love them and never part with it or hate them, depending on your expectations and what you like in cars, your budget with may well partially make the decision for you
There is a whole market and the cars can be updated, i've driven lots of e types and they vary in thier feel enormously
pk
As a rule you'll either love them and never part with it or hate them, depending on your expectations and what you like in cars, your budget with may well partially make the decision for you
There is a whole market and the cars can be updated, i've driven lots of e types and they vary in thier feel enormously
pk
triple7 said:
Sacralige I expect, but I was watching a Top Gear episode on the telly the other day when they had that 'updated' E-Type costing £90k, which I would love. Who did the mods to the cooling system, brakes etc.
G
G
Eagle I think, they are usually who Top Gear use for E-Types. They also supplied the E that JC took to meet the neighbours.
www.eaglegb.com
richb said:
I love E-Types but my wife hates them with a vengeance so I'll never have one but if I did I would generally say that to my eyes they got progressively worse to look at. So ideally I'd have an early 4.2 Coupe with faired in headlamps and triple wipers. IMO by the time to V12 was introduced they had become over-blown pastiches of the beautiful original.
Ar*se my car was that colour originally and some berk decided that red was better. YUK
I like my 3.8 - but the moss boss is a bit of b*gger and the whole thing is very vintage handling and hard work to drive frankly. I am around 5'10 and about the tallest comfortably as the car has flat floors.
Be careful - there are a lot of shiny looking examples that are very rotten underneath. Sometimes the wings bonnet etc are great but the floor needs replacement.
Also consider will you do all the work or will you use a garage - they do cost more to maintain than some classics although parts are actually not bad.
XKRacer said:
Beacham jaguar in New zealand do a great E Type based on XKR power terrific retro car by most counts but as a rule of thumb for me doesnt matter what one you end up with make sure its a convertible
I looked at one of the Beacham Mk2s they had in at RacingGreen a year or so ago and I must say it didn't do it for me. It looked like someone had dropped a Mk2 body on something else and in so doing had lost the look of the thing. I've not seen one of their E-Types.
I think this one looks fantastic:
www.coys.co.uk/showroom/show_stock.php?id=4563
www.coys.co.uk/showroom/show_stock.php?id=4563
K Lo said:
I think this one looks fantastic:
www.coys.co.uk/showroom/show_stock.php?id=4563
www.coys.co.uk/showroom/show_stock.php?id=4563
yes please.... that's real car porn
a8hex said:
XKRacer said:
Beacham jaguar in New zealand do a great E Type based on XKR power terrific retro car by most counts but as a rule of thumb for me doesnt matter what one you end up with make sure its a convertible
I looked at one of the Beacham Mk2s they had in at RacingGreen a year or so ago and I must say it didn't do it for me. It looked like someone had dropped a Mk2 body on something else and in so doing had lost the look of the thing. I've not seen one of their E-Types.
I was in at RGC today to pick up my XJ and they had one of the Beecham V8 E-Types in the showroom. Peter wasn't around so I couldn't get any details but it looked pretty good. It was parked next to a straight Series 3 E and it doesn't look like Beecham have had to mess with the exterior of the body at all to fit the modern engine etc... The only exterior feature was the 'R' style mesh grill. Personally I'd have kept the original E type one but that's just personal preference. I certainly preferred it to what they need to do to get the XJR mechanicals under the MkII body.
See www.racinggreencars.com/classic/stock/details.asp?VehicleID=368 if you're nosy like me
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