I addition to everything others have offered: Take an inspection mirror with you, a couple of really good flashlights and penlights. Gloves, hand cleaner and rags. And don’t let the current owner of the car cause you to rush your inspection.
I’d go through this thread and use it to make a list of all the things to look at or look for.
Are you thinking about the “cut and paste” function??
A step backward, after making a wrong turn, is a step in the right direction.
Kurt Vonnegut
I’m not sure what the symptoms of “fussy” are, but I am on my second set of Vredsteins and live in Vermont (it gets cold here too) and have had no problems.
Cheers,
Rod
Thank you, Rod. The Coker site carries a warning that these tires will crack (the casings, I presume) if the polymer is stressed at temperatures below 20F. But no one on this blog can verify that the cracking really happens so I will conclude that it is a rare problem and not one to be overly concerned about. So far there have only been positive comments regarding the Vred tires. I might just try a set myself.
Best,
Perry
One of the first things I did after I got mine home. When all I found in that area was one small spot of surface rust on the “shelf” under the plastic tray it gave me a good feeling I maybe had really found an E with no real rust problems.
David
68 E-type FHC
My 1973 MGB spent five winters in central Massachusetts on Pirelli Cinturatos and they were great. They even worked well in the snow…as long as there wasn’t more than a few inches because otherwise things under the car started to drag in the snow. Never had an issue with cold temps. And with modern compounds I assume it would only be better. The Pirelli’s are more expensive than others, but given what we pay for these cars, it seems like a small price to pay for original size/tread, etc. That’s just an opinion. I’m not saying anything bad about the other tires mentioned and certainly many folks have the other tires and like them. For me, it’s the Pirelli’s if for no other reason than it’s what my first British sports car wore and the fact that the Michelin XAS tires on my 1971 E-type coupe were useless if someone even thought about spitting on the road in front of me. I liked the Pirelli’s. I’ve had other Pirelli’s on several other sports cars and always liked their tires. Never had a problem with them.
OK, free advertisement ended. Just my $.02 and worth every penny of that.
Hi Kevin,
Here’s my 2 cents worth, I had Pirelli P4000’s on my 68 and 73. Maybe it was just the P4000’s but they were terrible in the wet and even dry a poor second to the Vred’s I have on the '68 and the Kumoho’s on the '73. As Jerry used to say “YMMV”.
Cheers,
LLynn
Yes, each manufacturer has “good tires” and “bad tires” for given conditions. I hated the Michelin XAS tires from the '70’s, but they make some amazingly good tires now. I never tried the P4000’s, but I’ve heard similar things from friends who tried them…terrible in the wet. I used the Cinturatos (CA67) on my MGB and on later sports cars used P-Zero’s and P-Zero Corsa System tires (which were brilliant in summer months and useless in the winter). As you say, YMMV. I hope I will like the Cinturatos on the Jag. Hope to get them mounted in the next few weeks and I’ll report back. I won’t be able to report on wet weather usage because my '63 OTS isn’t going be out in the rain if I can help it. Why temp the rust gods more than necessary.
I ran Cinturatos on my Alfa 156 daily driver. They were fine tires, the only objection I can think of is they squealed horribly on sealed concrete in underground parking.
Andrew…too funny…I had forgotten about that aspect of those tires, but remember mine doing the same thing.
You sure that wasn’t the valet guy doing burnouts? 
Don’t pull a core (freeze plug) because you will never buy it…
Does that mean (buyer) only for E’s with 3.8???
I stopped over today to try to get a closer look at a few things on the Jag. Overall I’m encouraged. The body seems really straight and rust free. One of the louvers is bent because a ceiling tile fell on it. It appears the bonnet may have been a replacement, as there’s some red showing under some peeling paint. I’ll dig deeper on another day, but no real bad surprises yet.
I took a few photos. They’re not great, because the lighting is poor. It looks pretty sad sitting on 30 yr old flat tires, but I can see past that. Here’s some exterior shots.
A few interior shots. Some damage to the seats, but the sale includes a “new” interior kit which is likely at least 20 years old. I haven’t seen the condition of that yet.
Underneath the back and one of the rockers. Couldn’t really get any good under shots on this trip. There’s a lift just to the left of the car, but it’s been holding the same Daimler three feet off the ground for the four years I’ve been visiting.
I see nothing to fear and plenty to like.
The red under flaking paint might be primer (often a dark orangy red).
I asked my friend if the engine was numbers matching. He said “I have no idea; it never mattered to me.” I didn’t do any further investigation while I was there, but I zoomed in on an engine pic later on and was able to read the number on the head. It at least matches the number on the data plate.
Next time you’re there open up the electrical panel where the gauges are (2 thumbscrews at the top of the panel). You’ll be able to see if it’s red back there and tell you if the bonnet is original. How is the bonnet fit when it’s latched up? The lines should be narrow and even, and the curves should flow nicely. That’s another clue as to whether it’s original. Be sure and feel around inside the mouth if the bonnet. That’ll tell you if it’s been pranged. Body shop never fixed those right after a collision and just filled the dents with tons of bondo. The hatch fit looks great. Not sure about the door since it doesn’t look fully closed. Your biggest enemy with these is the sills, and floors, and frames. Spend lots of time in those areas. Use a magnet, look for original spot welds. Rap on them and listen for rust.
The interior looks salvageable with a lot of scrubbing and conditioning.
