'67 E-Type OTS Restoration Thread | FerrariChat

'67 E-Type OTS Restoration Thread

Discussion in 'British' started by rockminster, Dec 18, 2012.

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  1. rockminster

    rockminster Formula Junior
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    Earlier this year I began the search for a '67 OTS to restore. I sourced a solid running car in the late summer and the restoration started at the end of September. The work is being perormed by David Ferguson, who has done over 100 E-Type restorations. In this thread I'll post up post up photos of the restoration process.
     
  2. absent

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    Love this thread!
    Please, keep them (pics) coming!
     
  3. f308jack

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    Very nice work. I like the fact that they've done a good number before, and have jugs to keep it all straight even with cut-out floors and sills.

    Are you keeping her to original spec, or will you modify certain areas, color, interior, mechanicals?
     
  4. Edward 96GTS

    Edward 96GTS F1 Veteran
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    whos doing the engine work?
     
  5. msdesignltd

    msdesignltd F1 World Champ
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    Bravo...

    My # 1 favorite car

    This is the British equiv of the 250 GTO..but prettier!
     
  6. rockminster

    rockminster Formula Junior
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    #12 rockminster, Dec 19, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    My goal with the restoration is to have the car be mostly orginal spec but to make certain changes that will improve the usability of the car. I do plan to drive the car, so that is my primary focus, although I expect that I will show it on occasion and don't want to do anything that looks too terribly innapropriate.

    Here is a list of the primary upgrades/changes that are scheduled:

    1. Electronicignition
    2. Sport cams
    3. Lightened flywheel
    4. Gear reduction strarter
    5. 2.87 rear end (I'm keeping the 4 speed tranny in order to preserve the longer gears so the 2.87 RE will knock the revs down on highway cruising).
    6. Stainless exhaust with diminished baffles to improve exhaust note
    7. Aluminum radiator with 12 balde cooling fan
    8. 4 piston front calipers
    9. 6" center laced Dayton wire wheels
    10. Hella flat face headlamps
    11. 1967 Motorola radio rewired for Iphone compatibilty
    12. Dynamat sound and heat insulation throughout cockpit

    One of the nice things about this generation E-type is that the original color combination is not listed on the build plate, making it easier to justify color changes. As best we can tell, the original color is the red/black that the car was wearing at the start of the project. This is a nice look but I prefer something different.

    Over the course of several months, I spent a fair amount of time thinking about color options and looking at pictures on the web. Dave Ferguson was very patient working with me and helping me undertand what my factory options were. Back in the day Jaguar had a program that would allow you to use any exterior or interior color, so in reality the options are limitless. I decided that I wanted to use standard colors that the car would have been produced in, so if nothing else that did help me narrow the options quite a bit.

    At first I was focused on the Opalescent color options, which were basically the early metallic colors. As Dave and I talked about these options, he commented that one of the considerations is that modern metallic paints are so good that painting an older car in a current era metallic makes the car look "too modern". I thought this was an interesting observation and definitely impacted my thinking and I decided against an Opalescent color.

    In the end, the first decision I made was to go with a red interior. I love the other E-types that I've seen with a red interior and decided to configure the car from the inside out. That also helped to further define my exterior color options to those that would look good with a red interior. I considered black and various versions of silver/gray, but elected to go another direction because of upkeep concerns (black) and wanting something more unique (black and silvers are plentiful).

    I ultimately decided on a color called Cotswold Blue. This is very much a period appropriate "fifties or sixties color" and is akin to a robin's egg blue. It was a standard E-type color option through either '63 or '64, but with that was an available factory optional color in '67. If you had ordered a Cotswold car in '61 to '64 your only interior option would have been Blue. So, my Cotswold car with a red interior was never a standard factory combo, but was a car that could have been ordered, similar to how Ferrari and other manufacturers have "out of range" ordering options.

    We have not yet decided on the color of the covertible top for the car. It will likely be either tan or blue.

    Below are some photos of the clamshell hood for my car in Cotswold. This is one of the early paint and assemble steps, as Dave paints the underhood bodywork before assembly to ensure all metal surfaces, inlcuding those that are not visible, get thorough coats of paint.
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  7. absent

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    Can't wait to see it finished!
     
  8. Edward 96GTS

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    I've seen his cars in this color before. One of my favorites. In my opinion, having seen it before, the tan top does not look good. Dark blue much better. Black may be best however. The navy blue top next to the Cotswold may not play well off each other. Take a large piece of blue and black and lay it over the blue to simulate the top. Then choose.
    Also, the large white wall tires do not look good with this blue, pencil thin white wall works best IMHO.
    Regarding the red interior, play with standard red and darker red to see which works best.
    In any event, you are in good hands. She will be a beauty.
    Ed
     
  9. rockminster

    rockminster Formula Junior
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    Thanks Ed, I really appreciate the counsel! Because I've never seen the color combo that I'm doing, I have some anxiety about how it will look and what to do on some of the finishing details.

    I share your concern on the tan top. I've seen an older somewhat grainy picture of a Cotswold car w tan top that David took to pebble many years ago. He says the combo is stunning but it looked a little busy to me. I will look at black as well - thanks for the suggestion.

    We haven't yet talked about the tires. If I get the wide white walls, that would be on an extra set of tires for show only. For the regular use, I could go w blackwall, thin whitewall, or thin redwall. Perhaps the thin redwall would be a nice tie to the red interior. Interested in feedback on it.

    Here is a sample of what the red interior is supposed to look like. I would call it a medium red, somewhere between bright red and burgundy.

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  10. Edward 96GTS

    Edward 96GTS F1 Veteran
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    Yes the pebble bch car was busy, especially with the extra grill lights.
    Try a sample with the darker red.
    Red sidewalks reminds me of 60's corvettes.
    An Italian friend describes color combos such as blue/red as bold, Italian. He says the French would never do that. The French are "smooth" and would do blue/ blue, blue/ gray, blue/ black. Not harsh combos.
    But, I like harsh, just be careful with other details such as tires. Don't make too many items scream for attention.
    Ed
     
  11. Edward 96GTS

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    Also, since you will have orig 5" wires for show, consider 6" borrani wire wheels. Totally different look.
    3 eared spinners too a possibility.
    Ed
     
  12. rockminster

    rockminster Formula Junior
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    Hmmm. Dave had suggested the 6" Dayton center laced. I believe the primary reason was that for performance, the center laced Dayton's minimized wheel slop relative to the outboard laced stock 5" wheels. Any feedback on borrani vs Dayton?

    We also discussed the option of putting d-type style wheels, but that doesn't appeal to me for this car.
     
  13. Edward 96GTS

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    Ferrari raced on borranis, whereas jaguar raced with steel wheels in the 60's. Borranis should be fine for the street. I prefer the polished aluminum rim to the dunlops chrome.
    I too do not like d- type wheels on a stock e-type.
    Did you see post 16?
    Ed
     
  14. rockminster

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    I agree that sometimes less is more in choosing colors and accents. If I was choosing today I think I'd go with blackwalls. Better frame for the wire wheels.
     
  15. f308jack

    f308jack F1 Rookie

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    Paint:
    I see your restorer has a big BASF banner on the wall, so I assume he is using either Glasurit or RM paint products. The difference between modern metallics and the Jaguar opalescent paints is that the former uses flakes (in various sizes) and the latter very fine pearls, making the effect less harsh. Both Glasurit and RM paints can be formulated to look right. If you're stuck on blue, I'd definitively choose an opalescent, it greatly enhances the beautiful curves of the E body. I also think it'll work better with the red interior.

    Wheels:
    The Dunlop wheels had an alloy centre with a steel outer rim.
    The Dayton centre-laced wheels look like centre-laced Borrani's. They look great on an E, but don't put anything other than blackwall tyres on them, as it will make the car look like a christmas-tree (quite in season though)

    Your list of upgrades makes sense to me. You can do what Eagle does, but the end-product is far removed from the original, and part of the experience gets lost. You'll still have an E, just with better brakes and more sound.
     
  16. Edward 96GTS

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    Blackwalls will work fine, but what other sportscar can wear a whitewall as well as an e-type?
    Agree that the opalescence a perfect choice for the paint too.
    Ed
     
  17. Face76

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    Bravo on the color combination. My first Elise was ordered in a blue/red combination. The blue was much darker than yours. The open canopy will allow everyone to see how this beautiful this combination really is. The Elise was too confined for anyone to really see the interior.

    As to top color, have you ever considered white? I do not know if that was available OEM but a swatch laid across the back bonnet before making a decision could really help you.
     
  18. rockminster

    rockminster Formula Junior
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    #24 rockminster, Dec 20, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Paint will be Glasurit 90 line.

    I do appreciate the feedback on color options and preferences. The E-type is such a beautiful car that it's both hard to make a bad choice but also hard, for the same reason, to make any choice. Heading into the project I was inclined to do some flavor of blue and was leaning toward Opalescent Silver/Blue with Opalescent Dark Blue as a close second. I think that they are both great colors and at some level I expect I'll always have second throughts.

    That said, some version of those Opalescent colors are used by many mainline manufacturers today. I thought it would be special to do a color that was somewhat unique to the era in which the car was originally produced. And, in full disclosure, the Cotswold Blue was always the first choice of my 12 year old daughter. Those of you with little girls know how persuasive and compelling they can be!

    On the tires, I expect that we'll be able to model black, white and redwall options prior to making a final decision. Because the exterior and interior colors are quite bold, my gut tells me that blackwalls will be the way to go. That said, you'll see from the photo below of what will be a stablemate to the E-type, that I'm not afraid to make a statement with wheels and sidewalls!
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  19. rockminster

    rockminster Formula Junior
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    I don't believe that white was ever an option. Even if it was, I think that would be too much for me given the exterior and interior.
     

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