What is your vote for the most challenging operation on an E-type?

Exactly, I suspect some things they did seemed like good ideas but ran into unexpected difficulties. Happens any time you change a procedure. They then had to decide whether to stay with it or not or if it could be again modified to be cost effective. Of all the cost saving measure taken its my guess swapping to open headlights was the hands down winner. Not only did it save money in less parts but given the war stories stated here about putting the chrome surrounds on, even tho the factory had to be expert, they no longer had to do that. And lighting was better to boot.
pauls

I wish that he had shown a production line photo of the first system as the photo’s on page 163 of his E-Type Definitive History is certainly not a production line photo.

Bob
889076
Plymouth, Mi.

I have one. FYI…reverse light are spectacular.

Ĺžremoval of the 3.8 fuel tank? seems to bind on the front and back of the trunk. does everything including trunk latch and reverse light screws need to be removed?
thanks
ed

that would be whatever job I am doing at the moment…

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+1.

(Have I said recently how much I detest the 20 character limit?)

That is what the like button is for.

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After spending 2 days on removing a cylinder head from a 4.2 using hydraulic jacks and plenty of penetrating oil I think this is the most challenging job I have done on any car. Onward now to, what I suspect, is an even more challenging job of dealing with two broken head studs way down in the water jacked.
Hugh

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There was a gentleman a few years ago on this forum whose name now escapes me, but I lent him my special tap.He may have a writeup someplace about it. I was very impressed.
He went to a hobby shop and bought a number of brass tubes with telescoping tubes to fit inside each other, like a telescoping radio antenna. The largest tube fit over (or perhaps in the hole?) the remainder of the stud down in the bottom.
He also bought a number of gun drills (long drill bits). He began with the smallest gun drill he had which fit into the smallest of his telescoping brass tubes. He installed the set of tubes and carefully drilled the smallest hole into the end of the broken stud. Next, he removed the innermost brass tube and stepped up his drill size etc. and went to the next size tube. He repeated this until he got to the stud size-almost. He ended up with a drill bit which was the tap drill size for the thread. He then was able to use my long T-handle tap and clean out the remnants of the stud. It worked and he never removed the engine.
.

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Nice trick- thanks for posting it.

How much of the stud is left in the block (you mention “way down”)?

If it’s just the end of the stud, perhaps it might be worth inserting a
trimmed new stud on top of the remaining old piece. This might suffice
until a major overhaul is required??

Hi Ed, My previous 69 2+2 had the same problem. I very carefully hack-sawed a small portion from the rear area to get the tank out where it was binding. Painted to match. The new fuel tank slid in perfectly. Nothing is easy !
Todd

In an effort to end this conversation the most difficult operation on a six cylinder E is the rear main seal–body work aside!

Getting my fat belly in and out of the car with the soft top on and a 16 inch steering wheel.
Abe

Honest Abe! Characters to get to 21

I believe the most challenging operation on any E-Type would be to sell it ! I have had my Series 3 for 43 years, and can’t bring myself to sell it. Much too much of a challenging operation.

Hopefully you’re not in a situation where you need to sell it.

Out of curiosity, which do you consider more difficult: giving up the car yourself, or determining if the car is going to a good home?

With the exception of people who are forced to sell the car for financial reasons, almost all express some concern that the car is being passed on to an appreciative owner. I know a few people who have trimmed their collections and chosen to sell their car(s) for a lower price because they felt that they owed something to the car.

Selling the car to a good home. I was driving the car less, felt guilty and had a ready buyer I knew wanted the car badly, it made the sale very comfortable. I’m still in contact with the buyer, he has done exactly what I expected. It will be in much better condition cosmetically when he’s done. It was already in good mechanical and physical condition.
pauls

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My Jag stays with me to the grave. Great car, perfect condition, drive it weekly for 43 years. I was injecting a bit of humor to the proceedings.

Getting it off the ceiling.

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