Thinking of trading my 308QV for an E Type

Depends on what you want out of the car, E types are gorgeous and are arguably the best looking car of all time (not in my opinion), the one thing I will say about the E type is the handling, when driving it don't think you are in a 308 as you might come a cropper, the handling is nowhere as good, Jmho ;-)

 

If the E-type is well restored, I'd do it, it's a classic. But remember it's a 60's sports car, perhaps a bit ahead of its time, but net you're going backward in build and handling.

 

What year? IMO, the '66 was the best year. 4.2L, close ratio gearbox, glass headlight covers. Lots of work to keep one of these running in tip top shape. The English design great cars, but the build quality is not what you would hope for. The car is approximately 40 years old and is powered by the Prince of Darkness (Lucas). You are guaranteed endless surprises of an electric/ignition nature. However, when the car is running well, it is a magnificent performer. The suspension was WAY ahead of its time, but the tires/wheels were not. Widening them is really not an option if you care at all about the integrity of the original styling. If it's the right example and you have a TR, the Jag is a wonderful alternative.

 

Agreed!

It depends on what you're looking for out of the car. I love XKEs, in fact I have one sitting in my shop now, albeit a Series III V-12, but still a very cool machine. I do like the '66-'67 cars the best, and the 4.2 "XK" engine, when fitted with triple DCOEs is one awesome performer given the car's era. Having worked on a few E-Types, I can say that anything having to do with the brakes will be very expensive, as access to things such as the booster requires removal of a lot of components and panels, the master cylinder isn't so bad but still not fun. Then of course you've got the rear brakes which require removal of the entire rear suspension if you need to change rotors or calipers (bleeding operations and pad replacement can be done through access holes in the rear parcel shelf panel). Engine cooling systems were weak, although now places such as XKs Unlimited have developed better radiators to help that problem, and as I saw mentioned earlier on this thread let us not forget the Lucas electrical system, which can be full of gremlins, unless the car has had a rewire. The Jag will be high maintenance, dare I say even more so than the 308, but it will reward you with an excellent driving experience and more attention than you care to have drawn to you. I've always said that if you want to be inconspicuous, don't drive an E-Type!

They're super cool cars, I had the chance to buy a gorgeous '67 coupe once until a tree fell on it!

Good luck with the decision. You're a lucky man if your hardest decision of the day is whether to drive an XKE or a TR.

Cheers,
Aaron Greenberg
owner- MB Classic Sports Cars
Cincinnati, Ohio

'82 308 GTSi

 

With the collection of vehicles you've got, I say get the Jag. If you no likey, you can always find another 308QV that will suit your needs/tastes in the appropriate condition. I know *great* 308s are getting harder to find these days, but there will always be enough on the market to satisfy even the most demanding search. The opportunity to have such a diversified collection of automobiles is limited to a select group of individuals (to which you belong), so why not enjoy it!?! We've only got a short time on this-here rock...might as well make it count.

Aaron

 

There is a company here in the Uk I think they are called Eagle cars or something similar and for around £100k they will upgrade all the suspension, brakes and other components to modern standards

 

I say trade the 308 if you are not using it. It could be enjoyed more by someone else, and you can get another car you would get some use out of.
BT

 

Rust is the biggest issue with them, I think they have gone up in price alot though lately as it seems it takes about $70k for a nice first series conv't.

 

I've owned 7 vintage Jags in my time. If the swap is reasonable I'd do it in a second. That vintage of Jag is a fine ride.

 

Dont I just bought a 1974 V12 E type and there are tons of issues that make Ferrari look like a Honda to maintain

 

William - I currently own 2 xke's ( a '64 3.8 cvt & a '67 4.2 coupe), I also have a 246 gts. I bought the Jags & the Dino as I loved the shape of them. I have owned several British cars and restored most of them. I got very familiar with the design and engineering incorporated in British cars. I then bought the Dino and am in the process of restoring it. They are a completely different type of car and build mentality. I have a blast with the Etype's and have loved the Dino. If you are thinking about getting an Etype the most desirable are the 1961-1967 series 1 (not the the series 1.5 or the later ones and certainly not the v12's). The cars are easy to work on,simple to upgrade and have tons of websites devoted to them. In short they are great cars and fun to work on. I can't tell you to get rid of the 308 as I think those are great too(I might buy one after I finish the Dino) but certainly don't avoid buying the Jag due to misconceptions about them. If you check out Jag Lovers website you will find tons of helpful info on them. However, like anything do your homework first.

 

I've never driven a 308, but I own and drive a '66 E-type FHC. They are wonderful cars to drive, look at, etc. I'd go for a Series I instead of a Series 1.5 just because I think the design is purer. The 66-67 models have all of the SI upgrades but still maintain the character of the car. I've had mine for 20 years and never had an electrical problem (knocking on wood now). There is something truly magical about the sound of that big straight 6 with no emission controls. It is truly a rolling work of art. It draws lots of attention wherever it is, although I did have one guy ask if it was a Porsche.

I think you'd be very happy with one.

 

Do it. Great car I had a 66 coupe and it was great. I was to young to realize I should have kept it. Enjoy the ride.

 

Dear William,

I realize that this is not a problem in your situation. However, you are aware, I'm sure, of the attraction that an XKE has on women, no?

Dale

 

William, having owned a Series 1 3.8 roadster, and rebuilt it from the ground up, I can tell you that while these cars are lovely to look at they're ponderous and pretty basic compared to the 308. While my 3.8 was a serious crumpet catcher, as the Brits say, it would be left in the dust on a curvy road compared to a 308, and my Jag was very well sorted out.

In the Jag's favor, the build quality is very high and everything bolts/unbolts together logically - you don't have to have tiny hands to perform major mechanical work as is sometimes the case on Ferraris.

The Series 1 and 1.5 look great - the glass covered headlights with the small bumpers is the only way to go. Mine was BRG with tan top and black interior - a lovely combination. Incidentally, you can put a triple DCOE weber set up in place of the SU carbs and get a nice boost in performance. Good luck!

 

My dad had two XKE's when I was growing up. I inherited one when he passed away (I couldn't afford to keep them both). These are supremely beautiful cars but require an unbelievable amount of patience and a truely bottomless check book. Neither example was a 100 point show car, just very well maintained original drivers that had regular maintenance, no accidents, no rain and no snow or salt. The roadster I ended up keeping (for one summer) had 38,000 miles on her when she became my charge. If you think working on an 80's Ferrari is expensive, you ain't seen nothing yet. Both examples I have direct experience with were V-12's and mostly they only ran well one way... wide open.
I don't hate these cars, I actually would love to own one again. But I can honestly say there isn't a single mechanical or electrical system I would consider "reliable" in any sense of the word. I strongly suggest you find your local Jaguar club and talk to some people before you take the plunge.
In my case, the lure of the beauty wore off after one summer of 1100 miles. That fall, I totaled the bills for the car and was on the high side of $8,000 worth of work and this was in 1991!

That particular seductress has crossed my path several times since and I occasionally regret having sold her. However, even in my present financial situation, I would have second thoughts about owning another one.

 

If you didn't have the Tr, I would have said to keep the 308. If you're going to go with an E-Type...the series II is the way to go.

 

William, as you know i have a 308... dump it and get the Jag. You have other Fcars and the 308 is lackluster (at best) compared to other Fcars. The Jag is a sweet looking, fun car and makes for diversity in your collection.

 

I was looking at XKE's and Corvettes back in the early 70's, price was only slightly higher (about $1000) at the time, so I was having a hrd time making up my mind- so I called 3 Jag owners with cars for sale and all three said - "if you don't mind working on it every weekend get the Jag, else buy the Vette."
So basically if you can afford the time for maintenance and the cost , go with the Jag.

 

Purely from aesthetics, I would keep the 308, sell the TR and get a triple carb E-Type. I currently have both cars – the E-Type for over 24 years. I’ve raced them, rallied them and just drove the doors of the E-Type. It always got me home. I’ve “restored” it twice, the last time when I retired it from the track. (I still use it for slaloms). The key to these cars is using them. Let them sit and the gremlins move in. There is nothing like a windy road in the country with the top down and pushing an E-Type through the gears. Life doesn’t get better than that ( unless, of course you have a 250 GTO…..).

As for cost of ownership, the E-Type is a fraction of what it takes to maintain a 308. I am currently in the middle of rebuilding my 308 engine/trans and the cost of parts are thousands more than the comparable Jag parts. I’m still trying to get over the sticker shock.

Find a good E-Type and you'll never regret it.

 

William, Get the XKE!! You have been debating this for years now. I have both an 65 jag (have it 6+ years) and a 308 QV. Enjoy both for different reasons. Only problem I had with jag was a distributor and I replaced it w/ a Mallory which makes a huge difference plus upgrades to the suspension with better spings(rear) and adjustable shocks - originals gave a vintage caddy ride. My onlt advice spend the money up fronton a restored car and enjoy it for years.

 

What about this baby!

http://www.themiamigarage.com/detail.aspx?iid=919407