Another E-Type has risen from the dead…I just posted my 1964 FHC on xkedata and also wanted to introduce the car (and, in distant second place, myself) briefly here. I bought the car in 1985 out of a barn near Dayton, OH. I was 24 at the time, had been working at my first “real” job for a couple of years, and had saved enough money to pay for the car I had dreamed about since first seeing it with my Dad at the New York Auto Show in the late 60s.
I did a bit of work on the car over the next few years, drove it occasionally and towed it frequently. Then a cute redhead entered my life, followed by 5 children, and the car spent 30 years gathering dust.
In 2018 I looked around and saw that the kids were thriving, the redhead was as cute as ever…but the car (and me)? Time to get to work. Step One was to rejoin the Nation’s Capital Jaguar Owners Club. Step Two was to recognize my own limitations and find professional help.
I took the car to an excellent vintage/classic car repair shop here in Northern Virginia to get it back to driving condition. Lots of work to do: new fuel system from tank to carbs; new cooling system; new ignition; bodywork to give the trailing arms something to hold onto; new hubs, wheels and tires; brake rebuilds; and on and on. In the midst of all the tragedy there were a few gleams of sunlight: the engine is reasonably sound and the clutch still works (mostly).
I drove it home yesterday. The highlight of my day/week/year.
I plan to drive it for awhile to try to make up for lost time. Yet I’ve also begin thinking about the bigger job(s) yet to come. The body definitely needs work…the sills are rotten, someone welded new floors over (under?) the original rotted floors, and there’s Bondo lurking in several other spots. The interior looks its age and then some. Like its owner.
I’ve been a passive observer on Jag-lovers these past several months and am amazed every day at the expertise, patience and good humor of all of the posters. In the future I will almost certainly have questions, and maybe some day I will be able to offer some answers too.
Welcome Bob! Your story sounds very reminiscent to mine! You will find this forum to be your best source of knowledge, expertise, encouragement, and support you will find anywhere. If you don’t have the shop manual and parts list for your '64, that is an absolute must. There are many more books and resources out there to be found. Again, welcome and enjoy the ride!
Welcome Bob, always good to hear another one rises from the netherworld rather than return to dust. Since you’ve been following JL for a while you know there is no limits on questions and no dumb questions, just ask. Good luck with your car!!
pauls
Welcome Bob. I joined the forum last year and have found everyone to be very helpful and patient. There is none of the nastiness that is often found on some of the forums for other brands. You may also find it helpful to follow the etypeuk forum as there is a wealth of information there also.
Welcome, Bob. Bodywork isn’t everything but it’s the most important thing. You describe a typical monocoque in need of extensive restoration. Rotisserie the best way to go.
That personal provenance you have with the car is special.
Welcome aboard: you may want to compare notes with @69Cat, Steve.
He is going through a similar situation and, of course, this website is likely the best collection of knowledge, available anywhere.
Collecting all the relevant shop manuals will go a looooong way to helping with the mechanicals… if you are not afraid of bodywork, again, the knowledge available here will help tremendously.
Welcome. This is a great forum with very knowledgeable people willing to share their experience. You’ve definitely come to the right place.
Are you by any chance referring to R&R over in Sterling with Rob Carter and his team?
Winter time is a great time to undertake some work since soon there will be rust-inducing salt all over the roads. At this point I take my 1963 OTS out if the sun is even thinking about coming out and the roads are bone dry. Top never goes up. And the heater actually works well enough that I haven’t had to wear gloves yet.
In any event, good luck and glad to have you onboard and glad you are back in your Jag.
Bob, welcome to the best E-type forum on the planet!! All your time, efforts and dare I say money will be well worth it when the work is done!! Hang in there, it’s likely to be a long and sometimes rough ride.
Welcome, Bob. As others have said, you have definitely come to the right place. I bought my first E-Type in 2011 and it changed my life for the better. I’ve gotten great advice on the forum, met several new friends and toured with them. My second car has come a long way from when I purchased it and it was due not only to the advice I got here, but hands on help from several people here. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Welcome to the forum, Bob. We have several members on the forum that live in your area as I’m sure that you know. We’re more than happy to swing by and give hands on help whenever needed. Just be aware that some know what they’re doing and some of us are just dumb muscle.
Hi Bob,
Glad to hear another E’s been resurrected, and even better, in the DC metro area. I think my car kinda’ matches your description of “scruffy driver” in that I’m having a tough time completing the restoration when it’s such great fun to just drive it as is (mostly metallic interior and some primer on the body)! Just installed an overdrive in a S1 OTS (terrific fun), and weekend drives take me all over the backroads of the Mid-Atlantic area. Always looking for similarly-minded, cruise oriented E-type owners.
Tim
Baltimore
'67 OTS
Welcome, you’re in the right place. The folks here helped me in so many ways when I was restoring my 64 OTS 18 years ago…wow so long. It’s a gauntlet to run but you’ll be very happy you did it the first time you drive it into the sunset.
