I knew buying my E Type would add another enjoyable hobby, but I didn’t expect it to release previously unknown OCD to such a degree. While I have no intention to turn it into a trailered show car (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I love to drive it), I’ve found myself doing many tweaks and fixes to the car, striving towards perfection.
Last week I needed to replace the heater thermostatic valve, and since that required draining the cooling system I decided I’d take advantage and paint the upgraded radiator black to better match original. While that was out of the car, I looked at my nice new black Koni shocks and thought they’d look better if they were the original RAF blue/grey color, so I picked up the correct paint and replica Girling stickers and did the front shocks, and of course that led me to pull the rear ones off and redo those also. And of course while doing all that I found myself fixing any tiny nicks or chips on the suspension and underside.
It funny that my whole life I haven’t been too OCD about anything. In my career I was a good delegator and didn’t micromanage the details. And in my home life I’m not obsessed either - our home is nice but not a show place, and the yard has some weeds. But stick a nice E type in the garage and something in my subconscious clicked and is obsessed with getting rid of flaws. I’d like to think it’s just that these cars are just so inspirational, but I suspect it’s more a case of unleashing a deep personality flaw. Perhaps there’s a treatment program. Something that has steps other than pulling out the credit card and calling SNGB!
Welcome to the club - sick thou it may be. Wonder if Jag Lovers could put a support page on with a resident psycho analyst on 24 hour call. Bye the bye your car is beautiful.
Probably defeats the purpose since everyone on here are enablers. And thanks…I’m really happy with my car and so glad I made the jump.
I thought I saw it referred that way someplace, but it really isn’t a thermostatic valve like used in a shower to maintain temperature. It’s just a valve. A heater valve.
Thanks for the offer, but I went the route of making the Konis look like the original Girlings instead. The “BS681C-633 RAF Blue/Grey” looks good with the silver-blue car color.
The IRS used on these cars has to be the best looking rear suspension on any car, and often looks fantastic with things like red shocks. It’s no wonder it was popular with old hot rodders who would chrome plate everything.
All so true. I’ve always taken great pride in the hidden details that no one often sees, like a perfectly formed cotter pin, a perfectly wrapped wire bundle in a server rack, or perhaps a clean sweat fitting on home plumbing. It makes me the feeling of a hint of being a craftsman instead of simply being handy.
Don’t know if this was meant to be a subtle joke, but I sure thought it was funny. As a great exemplar of detail obsession with a humorous disregard to the central issues of a project.
My car’s just a driver but I also enjoy addressing the details no one will see.
Opening the glass fuses and inserting the little slips of paper ‘Lucas 30amp’, using individual caps on the battery cells, wiring the no-tamper lead seals on the ZS carbs, sourcing vintage style valve stem caps – the list goes on. Helps pass the time between real problems.
I only had 5 on my car and the part supplied by one of the usuals was not at all correct, so I made the 6th one from shrink tubing with a shiny finish added.
