Hoping someone out there keeps stuff like I do for “just in case someone needs it”…
I have a '70 OTS non-running that I need to move across the country. It has the hood sticks but no top material. I really want to cover as best as possible and thought if someone has an old top I could use temporarily for the trip it would be ideal. Even if it needs duct tape to make it whole, I’d be interested!
To head off the obvious - no, I don’t have time to get it running or put on a new top. It has not been on the road for decades and needs total restoration. Yes, I could transport it in an enclosed carrier, but find one to move a non-runner is really tough.
I like the shrinkwrap idea. Depending on when you move it from where, a trailered car can catch a lot of road salt in winter months. Up north here there are many companies that shrinkwrap boats for winter, and doing an E Type would be a small job for them.
Thanks for all the ideas! Yes, shrink wrapping is certainly weather tight - did it many years when I lived in cold climates - but not sure if the trucking company would appreciate it since they need to get the car on/off the trailer.
I’m thinking I’ll make a temp top with plastic and duct tape… not pretty but should get the job done.
Thinking more about this, I would consider purchasing a HT for the car, but having had them for other cars I know they are a royal PITA to store when not in use. So, if anyone is considering purchasing a HT from the SoCal area and wanted to get it to the southern east coast, I wonder if it would be workable to allow me to put on my car for transport. Essentially free shipping from SoCal to south east!
Brian you say the car needs total restoration and you want to make it weather tight …… if it’s not going to be in weather for an extended period of time use a tarp inside the car if it has the windscreen in it will mostly have wind deflection as it’s being driven …if it get a little wet inside for a little while it’s not the end of the day just remove the carpets to dry and mop up ……. There again maybe you could containerise it
So, sitting at dinner last night, my wife and I were talking about shipping the Jag and my dilemma of no top and she says “why not use a tonneau cover like you did on the rest of the cars you’ve restored” - DOH!
I looked up tonneau covers for the e-type and they exist! I haven’t seen how exactly they attach, but I’m guessing it involves adding posts for LFD fasteners or simply snaps.
Has anyone done this / have one on their car? If so, pics please!
I have not followed this thread so I am not sure if you have checked into getting it shrink wrapped for transport or not. You can probably get the whole car wrapped for less cost than a tonneau and all the clips required to keep it attached and then the whole thing would be protected completely for the trip.
Hey Geoff. The trouble with shrink wrapping is, in my experience in shipping non-op vehicles, the transporter needs access to the steering wheel to move the car on/off trailers. It makes total sense to wrap it, but my gut tells me they will cut it open to access then leave it flapping in the wind. I’ve had really bad experience with that!