The really early E-types are known as 'flat floors'. Up to the first 500, these cars all had a flat floor. The car currently in the shop has welded-in louvres in the bonnet as well. As far as I know, this was only done to less than the first 200 cars! (Correct me if I am wrong). This makes it a very early car. Really sought-after and for once, one to be labelled as 'potential investment'.
This car was sold by a nearby classic car dealer and the men in the workshop will take care of all sorts of small details before the car is delivered to its owner. Handing over the car is done after Boxing Day. This week it is 'Crossing the t's and dotting the i's' (is the phrase I think). This is a very well restored and sprayed car. Nothing wrong with that. No hidden problems I presume. The restoration came with a 5-speed BMW gearbox. The very early E-types didn't have a fully synchronised gearbox. So this modern-day 'box is a useful upgrade!
afbeelding bol com
It's a nice job, coasting down to Christmas, this being the last week the shop is officially opened. Other jobs to be done are installing the overhauled engine for the XK140 (oval cylinders).
2019 will kick off with the overhaul of an MG engine. And oh, I found some time to put the winter tyres on my VW Up. Forecasts talk about snow and black ice this evening/night.
Menno
Last edited by thieuster; 15th December 2018 at 15:35.
Hi Menno
Such lovely cars the E Type I bet that was a joy to do. It reminds me of the one at Classic Car show at the NEC this year, up for sale at £175k lots of nice upgrades to make driving easier. Keep up the good work
Paul
A pic of the one from the NEC
Hi Menno,
The E Type is lovely, but the prices have gone really silly thesedays.
I missed my chance to own one approx 18 years ago!
I am still experiencing trouble with Postimage and Tapatalk. More pics to follow asap.
I know that this car was for sale for about 180k euros... I don't know what the owner has paid for it. I don't know where it's going to; lots of these rare cars end up in collections and are never been seen again.
Menno
It’s a shame when they disappear but that’s life. Enzo Ferrari called the E Type the most beautiful car ever made and he was not far wrong
There is no discussing taste. I for one think the car .... well, ugly. In mý eyes the thing looks unbalanced from just about every angle but worse from the front or rear when it is like a bathtub with the wheels way too far inwards. But hey, that is taste for you.Originally Posted by hilly10
Quite!
Stunning car Menno and the paintwork looks superb. It’ll be a shame if it disappears but would certainly look good in any motor museum/collection.
This one is for sale at a garage near me:
https://newforestclassiccars.com/car...-type-fhc-lhd/
They have several E-Types available for £250k and a bit more, most of which appear to be left hand drive.
I was once offered a ropey hard-top E-Type in exchange for an immaculate Mark 1 Golf GTI. I was never sure whether I did the right thing by declining.
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
I know its subjective but you are the first person in all of my 64 years that as disliked and described an E Type to be unbalanced and like a bathtub, cannot see it myself
@ Backward point: looks to be its brother! Same period and still (?) with the non-synchromesh 'box. A lot more expensive than the one in the workshop.
@ hilly 10: I agree with you. I remember seeing my first E-type in 1964. It was a red roadster with a black interior. 54 yrs later, I can still point the spot where it was parked. A life-lasting memory.
Menno
Someone has to be the first.
Imo it is also highly subjective to ´me too´: In the case of the E-type no classic car enthusisast can say not to like it and be accepted among peers. Well, tant pis. Don´t like it, never did and yes I can remember when I saw the first one over half a century ago. Also a roadster and the driver was too tall, looking rediculous, making it all worse still.
That said, the car in the workshop is a real gem Menno. Hope the owner will use it and not keep it as a safe dweller investment.
Like many folk from my generation I’m a fan of the E Type, but I get the point about the wheels no filling the wheelarches. I wouldn’t put it as strongly as Cilla, but from some angles the car does look a bit odd. Taking an objective view, the bonnet is a few inches longer than it needed to be and that does unbalance the look of the car from certain angles. Early +2 s looked a bit odd, this was improved on the Series 2 by altering the rake of the screen. It could be argued that the wheelbase was a tad too long.........minor criticisms!
I’ve met classic car fans who didn’t like the E Type........but they are a minority.
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