E-type déjà vu. The second rebuild

[lowdrag]

Camoradi said:

That fan is a beauty. Make sure you have the handbrake firmly on when parking up on a hot day, otherwise when the fan cuts in the car will be on it's way without you!

But why, it must be asked, is it better thought out, better engineered, than products made here in the UK? If you are looking for a concours restoration then the old two bladed windmill is obligatory, but if a driving car are you going to spend £250 on a fan that is attached to your car by two cable ties going through the radiator matrix or £150 on a fan that bolts into place exactly like the original but with less current drain and ten times the power? Another point is the early alloy finned radiator; £1,260 in the UK with a month's wait or £650 including FedEx charges from the USA and off the shelf to boot?

I am sure that in the years to come I'll be doing more business with Welsh Enterprises Inc, and their telephone manner and help was first class. If you need parts for any Jaguar it's worth a look:-

http://www.welshent.com/index.php

[Hooli]

Didn't most E-Types end up in Yankshire? if so that could explain why parts are easier to get & cheaper over there.

[lowdrag]

Correctamundo dear sir. More than 40,000 of the 72,000 ended up over the pond, but it still doesn't explain the 100% price difference. I expect I'll have some import duty to pay, but still a lot of moolah left in my pocket.

[IroningMan]

I fitted a fan using the cable tie method once, took around 500 miles to chew a hole in the (new) core: never again.

There are, I think, a lot of classic owners in the UK who are rather more focused on the price of parts than they are on their quality - the inevitable result is that cheap tat becomes the norm while real quality becomes hard to find, volumes drop and prices go through the roof.

The prevalence of cheap 'n' nasty bits makes ownership of run-of-the-mill classics a real bore sometimes.

[Twoplus]

Thanks for the thread, fantastic.
I fitted a coolcat fan to my tired old 2 plus 2 a few years ago and its been great, even in our antipodean summers, never a worry. I also replaced the otter switch with their thermoswitch and that was perfect until recently , however replacement was simple as it is a common replacement part bought locally( mitsi or similar IIRC)which threads into their adapter plate. The data for the part being furnished by the coolcat website. Good company .

[lowdrag]

The radiator is already in the UK! No idea where of course, but I must now register with customs as a "dealer" since according to FedEx I am only importing the radiator to enhance the value of my car to sell on for a profit.

I have received five pages of forms, two of explication and three to fill in, and they are going off to HMRC tomorrow. I'll have 20% VAT to pay as a "dealer" and then the total cost will be about £700. I knew this in advance, but it is still an amazing saving and also full credit to Welsh Inc for the rapidity of their service.

[a8hex]

Twoplus said:

Thanks for the thread, fantastic.
I fitted a coolcat fan to my tired old 2 plus 2 a few years ago and its been great, even in our antipodean summers, never a worry. I also replaced the otter switch with their thermoswitch and that was perfect until recently , however replacement was simple as it is a common replacement part bought locally( mitsi or similar IIRC)which threads into their adapter plate. The data for the part being furnished by the coolcat website. Good company .

I used their otter switch replacement on my XK, I was really impressed. The otter switches I'd bought over here were so flimsy they bent as soon as you started to tighten them down so getting a decent seal was a pain. The Coolcats one was intended for an E-Type which works differently to the one on an XK, but I wanted it to manage the cooling fan so it did what I wanted perfectly. It has nice chunky brass plate, no problems with it distorting and screwed into the top is a standard modern thermostat so as you say replacements should be easy.

[jith]

a8hex said:

Twoplus said:

Thanks for the thread, fantastic.
I fitted a coolcat fan to my tired old 2 plus 2 a few years ago and its been great, even in our antipodean summers, never a worry. I also replaced the otter switch with their thermoswitch and that was perfect until recently , however replacement was simple as it is a common replacement part bought locally( mitsi or similar IIRC)which threads into their adapter plate. The data for the part being furnished by the coolcat website. Good company .

I used their otter switch replacement on my XK, I was really impressed. The otter switches I'd bought over here were so flimsy they bent as soon as you started to tighten them down so getting a decent seal was a pain. The Coolcats one was intended for an E-Type which works differently to the one on an XK, but I wanted it to manage the cooling fan so it did what I wanted perfectly. It has nice chunky brass plate, no problems with it distorting and screwed into the top is a standard modern thermostat so as you say replacements should be easy.

Just a wee tip you might find interesting A8. On all my engines or on anything that requires a water or oil tight seal I use Dirko paste. It was developed by Audi during the rally years on the Quattros and is the best sealing compound on the market. It has adhesive properties as well as sealing so you don't have to overtighten items like the Otter switch. It also peels off on strip down leaving a spotless surface. You can get it from any VAG dealer or Euro car parts.

J

[Le Mans Visitor]

jith said:

Just a wee tip you might find interesting A8. On all my engines or on anything that requires a water or oil tight seal I use Dirko paste. It was developed by Audi during the rally years on the Quattros and is the best sealing compound on the market. It has adhesive properties as well as sealing so you don't have to overtighten items like the Otter switch. It also peels off on strip down leaving a spotless surface. You can get it from any VAG dealer or Euro car parts.

J

Sounds like I need some of this. Cheers for the tip.

[a8hex]

jith said:

a8hex said:

Twoplus said:

Thanks for the thread, fantastic.
I fitted a coolcat fan to my tired old 2 plus 2 a few years ago and its been great, even in our antipodean summers, never a worry. I also replaced the otter switch with their thermoswitch and that was perfect until recently , however replacement was simple as it is a common replacement part bought locally( mitsi or similar IIRC)which threads into their adapter plate. The data for the part being furnished by the coolcat website. Good company .

I used their otter switch replacement on my XK, I was really impressed. The otter switches I'd bought over here were so flimsy they bent as soon as you started to tighten them down so getting a decent seal was a pain. The Coolcats one was intended for an E-Type which works differently to the one on an XK, but I wanted it to manage the cooling fan so it did what I wanted perfectly. It has nice chunky brass plate, no problems with it distorting and screwed into the top is a standard modern thermostat so as you say replacements should be easy.

Just a wee tip you might find interesting A8. On all my engines or on anything that requires a water or oil tight seal I use Dirko paste. It was developed by Audi during the rally years on the Quattros and is the best sealing compound on the market. It has adhesive properties as well as sealing so you don't have to overtighten items like the Otter switch. It also peels off on strip down leaving a spotless surface. You can get it from any VAG dealer or Euro car parts.

J

Thanks Jith, I can't remember which sealant I was using, but the three otter switches I went through after the original one, all bent under very small amounts of torque, the plates didn't seem much thicker than tin plate. The Coolcat's one was a nicely made piece.
In the XK, the otter switch is used for the AED, I wanted to use it to drive the cooling fan so I needed it to switch the other way, which is why I was replacing it (The I wanted to switch the AED manually). The switch that had been fitted for me had dissolved due to the wrong combination of metals to use in a positive earth car. I can't remember where I got these otters from but I think they were intended for use in an E Type.

[lowdrag]

Well, the radiator arrived today and I leave you to draw your own conclusions. It was recommended by friends as well worth it but by the same token it was a shot in the dark. Would it be up to the mark? Would the quality be there? Would, in effect, I lose my bet and my money? Let me know your opinions please.









Yes, I know it has to be painted, but that will be done tomorrow.. The end tanks machined from a solid billet and even the Marston tag. But I am unsure as to what number should be tapped thereon. Advice please.

[lowdrag]

More photos. The tank on both sides and in situ.







Now another reason why my car can never be concours:-



Yes, it's the new chrome I know, but that number plate with that union jack has accompanied me everywhere over the last 25 years. It is my GB plate and always will be.

Now some interesting news. Barratts are now offering a new immersed pump with (I'm not quite sure on this yet) a more efficient and solid state drive. And at £150 a lot cheaper than a new standard one. I've ordered one anyway.

[Hooli]

That 'tired' number plate is the sort of thing I'd never get rid of off a car, it shows it's history & functions fine as intended

[lowdrag]

Finally, after four months, Tortoise Cables have returned the gauges. We have also received the modern immersed fuel pump:-

[Le Mans Visitor]

Popped in to see progress today and a massive milestone has been achieved. I will let Tony tell all as to what has happened.

Well done to Lee for the astonishing workmanship.

[lowdrag]

Yes, the cat has purred for the first time in six months. Sounds good too.

[Le Mans Visitor]

She sounds stunning Tony. You're going to be very happy with it.

Lee said he sent you a video. Can you upload it to YouTube and link it here?

Dave

Edited by Le Mans Visitor on Friday 11th April 06:22

[lowdrag]

I don't think it's worth going that far Dave! It's only one of a few hundred thousand XK engines out there; not as if it is a Maclaren F1 for example. Hopefully in another month or so she'll be finished and lots of people can enjoy the exhaust note as I pass them on the road.

ETA One thing I noticed from the bill accompanying the instruments was that the clock has changed religion. It used to be of the traditional Smiths family standard electric type, and as such was always guaranteed to be correct at least twice a day. However, I note that the clock has changed allegiance to the quartz family and as such is probably guaranteed to be wrong all the time now.

Edited by lowdrag on Friday 11th April 08:59

[e600]

lowdrag said:

Finally, after four months, Tortoise Cables have returned the gauges. We have also received the modern immersed fuel pump:-

Very impressive build quality, however, is the picture of the centre switch/gauge panel the before or after shot as it isn't in keeping with the quality elsewhere.

just sayin'

Edited by e600 on Friday 11th April 12:25

[a8hex]

lowdrag said:

However, I note that the clock has changed allegiance to the quartz family and as such is probably guaranteed to be wrong all the time now.

That's just a matter of geography. I'm sure if you were driving on the right road it would be OK, whether it would be possible to always be in the correct location to match the clock is another matter, but it would be a great excuse for some long drives.
Darling, the clock says I should be in Moscow now, I might be a little late home for tea.