Hello, I'm looking at purchasing a 67 e-type coupe and have a few questions for those with expertise in this area.

The reviews I have gotten about this car have been mixed. They range from those who have had great experiences with XKE's to those who claim that they are beautiful but a huge money pit. I assume the truth falls somewhere between.

To be more specific about the actual car I am looking at. As I said its a 67 series 1 4.2L fixed head coupe....it has 79k miles on it and I am told it has been garaged for the past 25 years. The car is in decent (for me) condition. It has been repainted an original jag color about 7 years ago. The engine has had no restoration and neither has the interior which is a bit worn but definately driveable, mostly worn grey seats (used to be navy) and no carpet. I have not had an expert inspect the car as of yet, and my personal experience is limited. From what I can see there is no major rust on the body, wheel wells, floorboards, etc. Some of the weatherstripping, is dried out but appears to be easily replaceable.

Mechanically I'm told the car is in good condition and that the only issue theyhave dealt with since purchasing the car is debris in the feul lines.

Now for my concerns. When i pulled out the spare, It appears that someone a while back painted a tar of some sort in the bay that holds the spare. I assume that there were corrosion issues but its hard to tell whats going on under all the tar. The trim is in good shape but starting to pit in some areas.

the dealer is looking for 11,900$$ USD

I understand that the information I have provided is limited but I would lke your feedback if at all possible. I do understand that these cars are tempermental but I think it a reasonable payoff to drive such an exquisute automobile.

Should I decide to inquire further about this car, my next step will be locating someone in my area (philadelphia) with expertise to look over the car.

I thank you in advance for your replies

Peter

Submitted by CotswoldJR@aol.com on Mon, 10/10/2005 - 10:28

Found My Dream Car - "1968 Opalescent Maroon E Type OTS"

Well then it was not meant to be your car. You will find a better one, keep looking. :-)
There is a lot of knowledge and fun to be had in the chase.

Submitted by bill.beiswinge… on Thu, 09/15/2005 - 13:12

Peter,

Plain and simple, call Wayne Tubbs of Hilland Motor Cars. He runs a small restoration shop in Thornton PA (near West Chester) 610-399-0895. He is one of the best. He gets all his work through customer referrals. (satisfied customers) He could possible even go to where the car is and look at it for you.

Wayne will give you a very honest, straightforward evaluation of the car. He a member of the Del. Valley Chapter of the JCNA. Any of the officers of the chapter will vouch for his intgrity.

Good Luck and welcome.

Bill
1969 E-type

Submitted by deadliftr20@aol.com on Tue, 09/13/2005 - 02:47

Thanks for the advice guys.....I combed over the hemmings site but only found individuals who do appraisals, but not inspections...

After several calls today, I tracked down a jag dealership who has an older gentleman skilled at working on XKE's. He is willing to do a 2 hr inspection for 190$ if I can bring the car down to him. This would entail the car being flatbedded to and from the dealer. I'm not yet sure how this will go over with him.

thanks again guys, ill keep you updated

Peter

Submitted by NE52-32043 on Mon, 09/12/2005 - 11:44

Peter,

I'm not sure what kind of "dealer" you are talking about. Most of us buy these older cars from private sellers. Usually, vintage car dealers only sell the higher end, restored cars. It's possible they are selling one like this, but they obviously don't do restoration work if they don't have a lift. There are lots of sources for good cars. Don't feel you are limited to "dealers."

As for mechanics, it can vary. Most good ones want the car brought to their shop, so they can put it up on the lift, they have access to their tools, etc. to check things out. If they have to go to someone else's shop, they will be pressed for time and have someone breathing down their neck while doing the inspection. And if you are paying for a report, it's good to ask that the mechanic include estimated repair costs. Helps with negotiations sometimes.

Steve

Submitted by deadliftr20@aol.com on Sun, 09/11/2005 - 23:13

Thanks to both of the above posters for your advice....I will definately try your source for a skilled mechanic here in philadelphia...

My intentions for the car are (should everything work out) exactly as you stated....to keep it driveable for now and slowly restore it over time...

Thanks again for your expertise....as of today the dealer claims that someone else is ready to buy with check in hand. If so then ill keep on looking as I'm not about to throw my $$ down before I know what im getting into...

regarding the inspection, is it customary to take the car to the mechanic, or are some willing to go offsite to come to the dealer? Im thinking the latter as the dealer does not have access to a lift to inspect the undercarraige.

Ill keep you posted.

Thanks again

Peter

Submitted by NE52-32043 on Sun, 09/11/2005 - 19:43

Peter,

Taking liberty with the old saying about real estate, when you are looking to by an E-type, the three most important things are: RUST, RUST AND RUST. Rust is the major enemy of E-types, and is what ends up costing the most money, in most cases, to fix. And rust doesn't always attack from the outside in. More often, it works from the inside out, especially in the sills. Since the car doesn't have a chassis, the sills are the support for the car. You must have someone who really knows these cars confirm that the "monocoque" is in good condition. Otherwise, you are looking at costly repairs.

As far as the mechanical things go, and stuff like the interior, are fixable and not prohibitively expensive. And these cars are not so terribly complex that if you're handy you can't do a lot of it yourself. It's fun to work on the cars and then drive them.

You really need to find a good Jaguar mechanic who knows E-types to look at it for your and give you a realistic evaluation. There is a great Jaguar restorer named Terry Lippincott in Sinking Spring, PA, just west of Reading. You can reach him at 610-678-6775. If you can't get the car to him, he might be able to refer you to someone in the Philly area. $12K for a '67 FHC could be a great price, or not, depending on the condition of things. And remember, you don't have to do everything all at once. Most of us take on discrete projects and work on parts of the car, then move on to something else. Get the car running well, drive it, and keep working to make it better.

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing.

Steve Weinstein
'70 XKE FHC, '69 XKE OTS

Submitted by jrwalker@ev1.net on Sat, 09/10/2005 - 06:42

Let me try to cover some general things to look for. There must be a competant shop somewhere in Philly area who can go over the car and give you a report on rust, mechanical, etc. Certainly you should do that if you do intend to purchase.

These cars can be a money pit but very decent examples are out there also. It varies. Don't pay attention to the claims that all Jaguars have electical problems, All E-types overheat, etc. Well sorted and maintained cars are perfectly fine. If this car turns out to have problems and you decide to pass on it don't worry, there are always E-types for sale.

Rust is a big concern for any old car. E-types suffer rust in many areas due to both their design and the fact that in the 60's no manufacturer worried about building rust resistant cars. Common areas to check are the box sections at the front bulkhead, the sills, the floors, boot (trunk) floor. Also common for rust to occur in the front lower section of the bonnet (hood).

Mechanically these cars are pretty tough, if maintained. Check Compression, or have it checked. Readings should be in the 170-180 range. Check hot with the carb butterlflys fully open. Debris in the fuel system most likely indicates a fuel tank with internal rust. This is not uncommon. You can have the tank cleaned and coated on the inside or replacements are available. Also, the design of the car allows for rust on the boot floor under the fuel tank. You can get an idea of the codition of the boot floor by looking at the underside of the floor. Check for bubbles, evidence of bondo, etc. Again any good Jaguar mechanic can assess the mechanical condition.

Weatherstripping can be bought and is not really expensive. Carpet can be readily found and is not really expensive either. Just about all interior components can be had for a price. Some are priced suprisingly low, some aren't. Pitted chrome is pretty common on a 38 year old car. It can be rechromed.

Besides this website you might want to also look at jag-lovers.org. That is a free site with multiple forums (there is one specifically for E-types)tips pages, etc.

Also, sometimes, if you ask, someone on either forum, here or Jag-lovers, may be willing to look at a car with you.

Regards, John