Time to get caught up with the XKE S2 project at Porter’s Garage.
We have completely rebuilt and delivered the 4.2 engine in standard Series II spec.
Gary got the car rolling and we have assisted with items like the massive wiring harness sourced from the experts at Autosparks.
The rocker switches were somewhat fussy to rebuild and add complexity over the more basic Series I cars.
When working on a project like this two things are always going on at once while at the same time trying to plan to avoid future production delays. Lists are a must as is a good stock of SAE hardware.
The last time we posted about the 1969 Jaguar E-Type restoration it was in baremetal under summer sunshine at Porter’s Garage.
Since then the steady progress of assembly has turned a tub into a E-Type. Here a few pictures of the 2015 progress. The color has been changed from Primrose to Gunmetal Grey and the red leather interior from BAS will be very striking once installed.
This week we secured ownership of a very interesting 1967 Jaguar E-Type Coupe, serial 1E32915.
It had toured Victoria in the 1970s or early 1980s fitted with a Shelby Cobra engine. Fortunately the install was uninvasive, leaving the engine frames and picture frame intact. Futhermore, by some miracle, the original jaguar bits were saved for the XK engine including the harness rolled up near the firewall.
From what we can tell the car was painted from Primrose Yellow to bright red in the 1980s and the car was never put completely back together. So it sat for 35 odd years until just recently.
Upon close inspection this appears to be a Black on Black car from the factory which was somewhat rare. The mileage of 45XXX could be accurate aswell.
Plan is to use our MkX engine for this car and get it on the road. More to come.
Today the Keno Brother’s will stage their first autmotive auction in New York and offer 40 of the finest cars they could find. One is this first-year 1961 Jaguar Series I Roadster chassis 875323 with an estimate of $390,000 to $590,000USD.
Having just benefitted from a ground-up restoration by Classic Showcase in Califronia, this Opalescent Bronze roadster on white-wall tires really stands out. Classic Showcase are the predominant E-type restorers in America and took special lenghs to ensiure accuracy with the Butler license lights, voltage regulator, generator, starter, Dunlop master cylinders, sealed-beams.
Being among the first 400 E-Type’s produced chassis 875323 has many interesting one-year features such as the outside bonnet latches, a pumpkin-colored cylinder head and black-oxide fasteners.
A service shop full of nothing but E-Types and a parts department to build an entire new E-Type: XKs Unlimited has it all.
As a precursor to our Monterey Car Week, we headed down to San Luis Obisbo to XKs Unlimited. This is the same company that has saved our bacon in a pinch and provided the many specific parts E-Type parts on request. Pete in ordering knows every E-Type part number off the top of his head.
The facility itself is setup into two distinct operations, that being service and parts. XKs does full service and restoration work, leaving only the paint work outsourced. The parts take up a bulk of the space and are ordered in a small showroom. This time around we spotted the E-Type racecar owned by XKs Unlimited president Jason Len.
In this building is nothing but Jaguar Parts.
a peek inside the parts warehouse.
Jason Len’s E-Type racecar in the showroom.
A closer look at Jason Len’s potent E-Type racecar with bespoke bits everwhere.
