Jaguar Offers Reproduction Toolkit

+1. I restored my E-Type in 1984-87, before the 50s 60s vintage sports car craze took off. Back then, these were just used cars. I was able to get NOS parts, and labor was reasonable back then. To build a tool roll with all the tools, all you needed to do was go to a swap meet and pick up any pieces you were missing. There were no reproductions, as all the bits were readily available. The beater cars were being parted out back then. Now those beaters are barn finds. Go figure!

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As has been said, this whole thing is being driven by the Concours requirement for detail and the purists who have a desire and the need for original parts and tools. Whilst people in this area of our classic car hobby are prepared to pay the prices, then for sure the people that have these items will continue to dictate the prices.
In the UK like elsewhere I guess, we have a growing number of sellers of tools for classic cars, who buy up and refurbish old tools and then retail them at crazy prices. I was asked by one such guy to let him have access to my original tool roll for a Lotus Elan, so that he could establish the genuine manufacturers of each tool, to then produce kits himself. During the conversation he told me that he attends sales and auctions of all types, automobile, motorcycle, machine tool and agricultural. He takes along a young lad of around 12/13 years of age who’s task it is to rummage through all the boxes of tools and parts, to spy out the tools this chap is looking for. Having purchased the boxes and removed the tools he wants, he then re auctions the remainder.

However, to my amazement he showed me a blank signed cheque from a chap in Europe, the purpose being to source a very rare early tool from a Rolls Royce, the open cheque had no limit set on the price of the tool, the client being prepared to pay a five figure sum (as he had previously for another tool), to obtain the missing tool to complete his tool roll. This clearly demonstrates that some owners have the funds and are prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to buy what they need, with the consequential impact on prices for the rest of us. In the UK at the moment if you have an early Shelley jack from the first E Types, the asking price is around $1200-1300. and that does not include the handle. This however has given rise to Shelley jacks from other marques that are not correct for an E Type being painted up and sold to unsuspecting owners at inflated prices.

I guess the laws of supply and demand have rather taken a hold in our hobby, but what will the Concours judges make of these new Jaguar kits, will they pass muster as not being original to the car, I wonder?
Tony

I always spy out for tools in wrecked MKVII, (same as XK120)
havent had too much luck, but have ratted almost a full set with some duplicates
The adjustable spanner with Garrington and Jaguar is the holy grail, dont have that
I do believe some buyers would pay $A400 for that

I have the complete tool kit for MKX- 420G, which is the same as contiguous E-type,
but in a swanky case that is custom fitted in the boot

without this toolkit in your car, you are nothing

Time for me to go look in my toolbox: I think I have some of these goodies.

The adjustable spanners, air pressure gauge with Jaguar wings, and one of the spanner sizes have been selling for high prices for a fair while…think it is the 1/2" x 9/16"…must get used and lost

Wonder if Jaguar are selling individual spanners…and if the finish will be the same as original
I know Rover tools are also keenly sought after by collectors

Likely pre-P6: they only ever came into the NADA with a jack and jack handle.

Meh. I’ve been called worse.

:sunglasses:

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David,
I read this with interest. My 68 did not come with a tool set and I assumed it got lost somewhere along the way. If it didn’t come with one, that completely eliminates my “ tool roll envy” and saves me a few $$ as I no longer feel like I should have one…
I thought the S3 cars came with one, so I’ve always assumed that they all did.
Robert

In my experience, due to judging time constraints, the judges give the tool roll the onceover, and don’t mark you down if it appears complete. They don’t necessarily check every tool. But…that was my experience in the 1980s and 90s. Back then, the hard-to-find item was the adjustable wrench. I made a point of specifically looking for that little guy when I judged a car. Less than 50% of the concours attendees had it, and they’d substitute a counterfeit from their local Ace Hardware.

Reminiscing further, I loaned my tool kits from both my E-Type and MK2 to concours friends when I wasn’t showing.

My ‘68 E-type did come with a very ratty and incomplete tool roll tucked in beside the original spare tire. The jack and ratchet handle were also present in a ratty hardura bag. I cannot attest to originality of either, having acquired the car with 40K or so on the clock and almost 14 years from new. When I related that to one of the British car tool vendors at Hershey he suggested only US-market S1.5 cars lacked the tool roll.

Hmm, seems there is a little business opportunity to put together a couple Concours-perfect tool kits and rent them out. Charge something like $200 plus shipping, take credit card with a $4000 charge if lost or damaged. After a year or so of shows, someone else has basically paid for your nice kit.

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apologies Nick, my answer was in 2 parts

The 2nd sentence referred to MKX owers who do not have the ornate toolbox

I did not, nor would not describe you as a “nothing” :grin:

My E had the cool plastic cased toolkit, that fit niftily in the spare tire. Dad got it from some junked sedan.

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Not authentic! Mark him down .5 on the score sheet!

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Ah yes. Clear now. The “indefinite you”, my senior high school English teacher would have said “will obscure the message”.

I’d like to have a complete tool roll for my XK120. That would be a nice touch. Sort of the cherry on top. It’s a matter of priorities, however, and at this point it’s down there.

If you are tool nerd?, such as myself, they will be pleasing.

Obtaining them at a reasonable price also makes sense, as they are “collectible” with resale value

Maybe you and Paul should PM, do the deal!

Robert I bought my car from the original family in 2000 and I think it came to me unmolested and complete. It did not have a tool roll like is being talked about here. It just had the tire changing tools and the spark plug spanner and Tommy bar all in the black jack bag. For a time I thought I was supposed to have the full tool roll but when I saw how much they were going for back then I did some checking and looks like I have all the tools the '68s originally came with. See page 37 in link below. This is what I am going by. (I also think I have an original fan belt in there too)

https://www.jcna.com/sites/default/files/files/e-type1_5(1).pdf

David
68 E-type FHC

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the more I look at this expensive tool roll , I am willing to bet the day after Jaguar Classic stops offering it these will double in value. just a hunch.

even tho my S2 never came with the full set it makes me consider ordering one just as an investment to re-sell in 5 years

Bob F

Given how most of their toolkits are showing as out of stock or not available, it shouldn’t be long, so I bought one. By the way, the price on the website includes VAT, so ordering from the US is 20% less than the price listed.

Well, hopefully you got yours if you wanted one as it’s already out of stock. Received mine very quickly after ordering it.

https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/e-type-toolkit-bd11023.html