What did you do to your E-Type today? (Part 1)

Looks like the door isn’t shut all the way like in the other pictures.

Right…I was busy getting various shots of the mirror and mount in a confined space and the door wasn’t latched, The reflection of whatever was on the shelf next to the car was skewed accordingly.

I figured something like that. The car looked to be too nice to have some kind of ding there.

Spent the day making a tool for adjusting the valve clearances on the V12. They require a tool to hold the chain tensioner up to relieve the chain tension and allow you to remove the sprockets.IMG_5516
If your interested you can see the gory details on my blog:
https://tinyurl.com/yatfatag
Cheers,
LLynn

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Thanks for sharing Lynn.
I have similar plans and will certainly check yours out.

Just tried, but have no rights to read your blog.

Cheers … Ole

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Here’s a photo of that area…

Oh…my…god. You put in AC. Retro-air? Got any photos of how the interior turned out? How many hours and gotcha were involved? Mine will likely go in mothballs around May. I just can’t hack the 110 degree days any more.

Here’s a fairly recent photo of the dash with the Retroair unit installed. Still needs some detail work around the “ashtray” console (a radio will fit), and a closeout panel under the glove box.

It’s a fairly labor intensive task…not exactly bolt in, but well within the skillset of any do-it-yourselfer. Obviously the bonnet has to come off to fit the condenser. I have dozens of photos and will send them to you if you decide to go for it. Also have some tips beyond what Retroair supplies. A personal preference item is deleting the “chrome” accent on the vents. I wanted the unit to disappear as far as possible. And the factory unit was all black. My car is in the Arlingon area if you’re ever up here and would like to take a look.

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I guess with that unit one must choose between a tiny radio or an ashtray. I’d have to measure any future passengers for compactness though :wink:

I don’t really have room in my tiny garage to dismount the bonnet but presumably the links can just be removed and tilt it up straight. No a pleasure to get it in that way, but might be possible.

I think you could do what @MartinScherz did, in his tiny garage: tilt the bonnet up, remove the pins, make sure the bonnet is secured somehow and then push the car back as many inches as the garage allows…


I barely fit the E (who does…) The factory ac is pretty much the only thing I’m not hitting though. Doesn’t bother when driving, of course.

Unfortunately that isn’t possible for me. It’s a single stall garage. The short wall at the front of the car is lined with tools and cabinets and shop table. One day I’ll have something bigger…one day.

His door is ahead of the car, the tools behind it. The (single) garage exactly fits my xj and doesn’t leave space for working on it. The E is a bit better, and trust me anything is better than having no garage! Why doesn’t it work when you reverse?

Ahh therein lies my second issue. My driveway is so steep, I had to build wood ramps to boost the car up for a few feet so it doesn’t bottom out on the edge. I’m timid about attempting it going forward. I haven’t dared try it in reverse. It’s a real nuisance.

Oh no. That leaves you with the option of throwing all tools on the ground so you can reach them; or couldn’t you remove the bonnet, then drive into the garage? That has to work! Please don’t tell me that’s also not an option :neutral_face:

There’s plenty of room under the A/C for long legs, big feet, etc. Not an issue at all.

I don’t believe you could manage a lower bracket for the condenser even with the bonnet straight up.

I find ‘straight up’ is great for engine bay work and so simple I put it that way with the slightest excuse. Raising the front (about 5") is probably necessary but the result takes no more space than the car when parked:

I have a length of bar stock that connects the bonnet to the ‘ear’ where the spring bracket was removed - this assures it stays upright & locked. Before I used that bracket a bit of rope to a ceiling hook did the same job.

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I guess it could come off outside yes. I’d worry about leaving it outside for long but for a reasonably short job that could work. Thinking about it more, I seem to recall some people tilting straight then detaching it and tying it to the ceiling vertically. I could then back up a few feet away from it, more if the tail stuck outside. Yep that could happen!

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Ha you were pasting a photo of what I was just describing :wink:

edit: oh my what a nice collection.

The stripped tub section of my car hung from the garage ceiling for 25 years.

That’s called provenance!