Some recent pictures taken today while I was visiting the shop to check out the progress on this and the 76 Silver Shadow. Driveline, suspension, brakes, steering pretty well installed. Interior started and dash in now. Can't wait to ride her. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Visited the girl yesterday. I forgot my I-phone so was not able to take pictures - will do so next week. Dash and interior in, driveline completed. Being prep'd for polish. After that install glass, mouldings, soft top installation, new tires, and a custom exhaust ending into the OEM quad outlets. Discussed with shop time line and they are comfortable this will be ready for end of this month. Thinking about wire wheels and store the steel OEM's. I am optimistic driving this car will improve my looks and therefore cosmetic surgery will not be required.
Thanks. Decided to stick with the stock Chrome/painted rims. I was going to go with wire wheels and store the originals but I have to stay the course with originals.
Hi, I think that's wise, I personally would love to have original chrome/painted steel wheels, but my car despite having been one of a handful of cars sold originally in continental Europe was always equiped with wire wheels. You were probably told that it's not as easy as just changing the wheels as you would have to change all four axle hubs. All Jaguars (and even most SS's) that had wire wheels from the factory have splined hubs and all steel wheels used the same five pin bolt hub (except some race cars that had peg drive, like the D-type and E-type Lightweights). You know that in Europe wire wheels were considered very old fashioned in the 1970's (or even late 60's) like all supercars or the era showed. Race cars went from wires to alloy wheels already from 1954 (Jag D-type) M-B 300 SLR and Ferrari also after 250 Le Mans and all new Maseratis, Lamborghinis and Ferraris were presented with the latest and greatest alloy wheels and I think CWW's remained popular only in America. The steel wheels are stronger in case you'd really like to push the loud pedal and use the torque available with the V12. Spokes do get fragile and can break under heavy load over time. (Even in my 6-cyl Series 1 2+2 I replaced ca. 10 spokes and one complete wheel in 16 years and 50k miles) And once complete, with the lovely dark blue paint you have, that car will stand out from the stereotypical restorations (BRG/Beige & CWW) as being true to the era it was made in. I am considering getting new repro Lightweight style alloy wheels from Imagewheels in the UK for semi slicks in case I'd try the standing mile or a few laps around the Ahvenisto track, and an old black hardtop. Or then perhaps not, I hope to make a few laps in Europe with the 456 GT which is still a gentleman's car but should be pretty fast on the German Autobahn and possibly the Mulsanne straight despite chikanes. Cheers, Pekka T. (and 1S20183) Fin.
Hi Pekka. If I had gone to wire wheels, I would have used the 5 bolt reproduction ones. This way easy enough to switch back to the OEM steel if required. But as I thought more, went back to my objective of what the restoration is about. Just like sitting in an outdoor cafe watching the girls go by, look but don't touch.
Visited the old girl last week. Now in the final stages of assembly. Engine started for first time and it was a sweet sound without the exhaust system on. Restoration shop custom fabricating an exhaust system to end in the same quad OEM tip. I could not take pictures as I had dropped my Iphone in the sink (water) and it is not up to speed on all functions. Hardtop will not be ready until the end of the summer but do not need it to enjoy the vehicle as still have soft top (or top down).
It is a shop in Kingston Ontario. Their speciality is British cars. They are doing both this e-type and my 76 silver shadow. In one of the pictures you can see their name. If you want contact particulars just PM me.
With a lot of projects on the go, the E-type was delayed. Now down to the finishing touches with the interior and top. The conversion of the over-riders from the bulky pieces to the finer chrome ones turned out well. I was in UK recently and I dropped into a Jag dealership. They were ecstatic to talk about this vehicle and the parts department gave me 1974/75/76 stickers for the W/S for the UK yearly licensing. May get to drive it before the weather takes a down turn. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
love the fan tail and the modifications for the rubberless over-riders. Image Unavailable, Please Login
some pictures taken yesterday. the hold up is a piece of convertible top frame rail which needed to be replaced and decided to replace the cardboard door cards, both of which are ordered and waiting for arrival. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Over the years I have collected odds and ends as spares. One item I found were the seats. So these spare seats were recovered in cheap leatherette for regular use with closest matching colour, and the originals are wrapped and sitting on a shelf.
Hi, Looks really great. I don't know if you had a chance to drive her yet, but I hope you do soon. Now the car looks like 1971 and 1972 models, which there weren't too many of, except of course under bonnet where a few changes had occured. But that does not hurt one bit, it really looks the way it should. BTW I do love the chromed steel disc wheels, quite rare to see them nowadays, especially in North America. After all, at the time they were more modern than the wire wheels that were optional, but pretty much became the norm. Great project, almost finished! Cheers, Pekka T. - 1S20183 Fin.
Thanks for the comments. While it is a nuts/bolts/clips restoration, it is not a concourse resto. I am aiming to drive and enjoy and won't sell in my lifetime. So let the next generation worry about concourse and values. Having said that, the few items That were changed, I kept the original parts. The non standard changes were the bumpers, exhaust (installed an aftermarket 'louder' one), a better radiator, better tires than the dunlops, and an improved firing system. Other than the bumpers, which would require work to retro fit, everything else can be easily changed back. Oh, and a CD deck in the boot running of the stock radio. I talked with the shop recently and still looking good for End of Jan delivery. We just had 6" of snow so will flat bed it back the 240km. At least I know it will be in the garage waiting for spring. On an ending note, the significant other advised me yesterday she is taking this car as her own personal car as I promised her a collector one decades ago and she was waiting for the right one and she has decided this is the one. So now I will have to ask her permission to drive it!
Hi, Great! Oh, that's one of the nicest parts of Sir William's heritage! Ladies like 'em too! Our '72 V12 OTS (1S20183, I'm not sure if you have yours also on XKE Data - Keeping track of every Jaguar E-Type - Jaguar E-Type (XKE) information, articles, photos and register) in THE ONLY car so far that my wife told me not-to-sell, ever. She would like me to get rid of all the rest, but probably knows I would keep both V12's, the E-type and the 456 GT. I am sure you both will enjoy the ride. Cheers, Pekka T. Fin.
Interesting asides Vince and Pekka..Mrs dude is a touch of a car gal,whose fond memories include drafting her Duke blue V-dub behind 18-wheelers downhill on the interstate to reach that magic mark of 70mph which of course was unobtainable unaided and her four door Corvair with the column mounted auto shifter..it was never unsafe in her hands. Anyway,she has her definite favorite amoung my collection of putt-putts and it's the E,by far and away,the E...and it's certainly not hard to understand...they are glorious modes of conveyance. Keep up the good work Vince,your efforts are inspiring. Cheers RE
Good day Pekka. I have registered the car with XKE Data - Keeping track of every Jaguar E-Type - Jaguar E-Type (XKE) information, articles, photos and register. The message advises it may take a few days to update on the site. The Vin on mine is UE1S24468BW - UE = North American; 1S=OTS; BW=Borg Warner automatic. The motor number is 7S1591LA (7s=5.3 liter e-type standard engine; LA=8.1 compression ratio). Gearbox is 16289 adn body number is 4S7377. As far as my reading advises, the last Series III was vin 26120 and the series III vin range was 20001 to 26120, so 24468 is about 60% of the way through production. I will order the Heritage Certificate (unlike ferrari, jaquar's fees are reasonable at under $100), and expect that the build date was probably late August to early Sept. 1974. Based on my late friend's records, she ordered the vehicle specially to her taste. It was ordered through the dealership in late March 1974 and the car was delivered (and she finalized the paperwork) on Oct. 14, 1974, and set up pickup for Nov. 2, 1974. So from this it appears that from the time of order to the time of delivery, it took 6.5 months. No internet in those days! I know that the hardtops usually came from the factory in standard black. She ordered direct from factory the colour keyed hardtop and the charge was $950. The automatic was only $350. On Dec. 9, 1974, she had already put on 1,182 miles and an oil change was completed which cost $26.32 (including $1.22 in tax).
