Any E type owners in?

[birdcage]

http://pistonheads.com/sales/951820.htm

Looking at this, automatic works for GF so apart from that does it look good value, is it advised to get these checked out by a specialist prior to buying?

And can they handle long trips like London to Cornwall with ease, and fianlly is there room for a baby and is teh boot capacious? looks it?

Thanks!!

[fatboy b]

My cousin had one of these. He used to drive from Scotland to the Midlands, so I'd guess they're good for touring - as long as you can keep up with the fuel!

He had to get his engine rebuilt, which was around the £5K mark, so be careful there. That's all I know.

[a8hex]

There are a few E-Type owners here, but you might find more in the "Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes" forum.

[Wacky Racer]

Looks nice, but beware of the dreaded rust bug on E-types, it's what you can't see that you have to be worried about, also brakes and suspension repairs can be very expensive...expect 15mpg at best.

The mileage seems very low for a 36 year old car, that's less than 2000 a year....

Buyer beware as they say......

[pr100]

My friend drives his to Antibes and back every year.

[cardigankid]

I used to have an S3 E-Type Roadster. Some people are down on the V12's but to my mind they are the best of the lot. I would happily have driven mine across Europe. The handling I didn't find bad at all, the V12 was like a turbine, and it's not cramped which the S1 & 2 are imho. It is in its element as a tourer.

They can be great cars, but they weren't particularly well built when new and you have to get a good one where someone has spent the money and got it sorted out. There are an awful lot of tatty ones out there. This looks very pretty, but it seems very cheap. Sable is a beautiful colour - it is a very subtle brown with a hint of green, and the hide, which was known as cinnamon, suits it to a T.

If you do get a good one, and make sure that all the running gear, the engine and the ancillaries have been maintained and/or changed when necessary, it will be a pleasure to drive anywhere in. There won't be seatbelts in the back. You are expected to use the back seats for luggage, you won't get a lot on the rear shelf, plus your kid will get nutted when you brake.

I would say four things:-

1. Get someone who knows about these things to check it over and give you a written report. if you are buying the car for £15k you can afford a monkey for a report.
2. Ask for all the documentation, receipts etc and see exactly what has been spent on it - Ziebarting in '73 was all very well, but the car has to have been looked after in the intervening period.
3. Go over the thing personally with a fine toothcomb - and get into all the nooks and crannies - you will soon tell if the car is clean or if it has been bodged up. Look under the fuel filler cover for example - is it all clean painted metal and is the drain hose present and clear? Or is it full of underseal? Look at all the gutter lines and under the bonnet, get the spare wheel out of the boot and look in there. Make sure all the bits are there. The moment you encounter resistance from the seller just walk.
4. Have a drive in it and see if it feels right.

Edited by cardigankid on Wednesday 8th April 07:58

[lowdrag]

London to Cornwall? That's just round the corner. I went from Le Mans to Rijeka in Croatia in a day in mine, top down, all 1,170 miles of it. I've done well over 100,000 with but two breakdowns that were potentially crippling, both times a dynamo bearing, but by running day time only and push starting we got home before the battery died. E types are tough old birds and take any amount of punishment. My only concern here is - can you afford the petrol? This will guzzle it at about 12mpg average. One of the least sought after E types now, road tax payable, and not a much liked colour. If as described, £10/12K should get it. The V12 is extremely long lasting if looked after properly but you must, I repeat must, check the level of antifreeze since this is an alloy engine and corrodes easily if not kept topped up. Make sure the car is cold when started and listen for noises, then warm her up and see that it doesn't overheat. That is a sign of corrosion usually. The gearbox should change smoothly and not snatch even when cold. Check the kick down works too. Apart from that all the usual rust problems. Worth paying an expert to have a look.

[cardigankid]

I agree that it is one of the least popular variants, but I would argue that is a result of fashion and the accepted wisdom that the best of the E-types was the S1 Coupe, which for some purposes it probably is. The S3 coupe is still a very good looking car and has a lot of road presence, particularly coming towards you. This is the without a doubt the one I would go for, and if it's cheap, great, as long as it has been maintained properly and is as good as it looks. At 12k I would have thought that a dealer would buy it, if it really is that good, and put it up for around £20k, even in today's climate.

If it spent 20 of its 33 years with the first owner in a barn, for example, it could well have some of the issues Lowdrag mentioned.

Let us know how you get on.

[Trommel]

cardigankid said:

Sable is a beautiful colour - it is a very subtle brown with a hint of green, and the hide, which was known as cinnamon, suits it to a T.

Agreed, although I appear to be in the minority. I also like BMW Sepang Bronze on the M6, and I was puzzled by the fact that the trade doesn't want green/saddle Continental GTs ...

[cardigankid]

Cypress / Saddle. Perfect. There is a bias against green cars, though it is a very subtle metallic dark grey, and the trade is just reacting to that I imagine.