BUYING AN E-TYPE JAGUAR

BUYING AN E-TYPE JAGUAR

Retro-Gnome on E-Type Jaguars

IT’S DANGEROUS to mess with the opinion of the majority so, if ninety-nine per cent of the population vote the E-Type Jaguar ‘most desirable car in the world’, who in their right mind is going to argue? Well me for one.

To begin with it’s important to remember there were several models but the one that immediately springs to mind is the colloquially named 1964 series ‘one and a half’ with its 4.2 litre engine, all-syncro gearbox and uprated brakes. Think sleek and sensuous. The definitive Coupe, painted gunmetal metallic with red hide interior and sitting on chrome wire wheels. But, and here comes the but, only a few of these exist. And the others? Well, the rest are just plain average.

Classic pose for a classic car
A major problem was Jaguar always relied on America and the follow up cars were a genuflection of that fact. In 1966 for example, the podgy 2 + 2 version of the E-Type was introduced, presumably to cater for podgy children. At the same time and as if to prove my point, automatic transmission also appeared for the first time. The extension to the body, longer doors and higher windscreen, did nothing to ingratiate the car with the sporting fraternity while the slushy Borg-Warner three-speed auto badly blunted performance. Denis Jenkinson described the car as ‘gormless’ and when it was launched in Switzerland one could almost sense the hard earned racing heritage slip away. Malcolm Sayer, creator of the original shape, was visibly shaken.

Moving on another five years to 1971, and the E-Type was still plodding on, an apt phrase as the car had now become unforgivably overweight. So fat she needed power steering, so fat and heavy the reasonably efficient 4.2 litre twin cam waved the white flag and had to be replaced with a gas guzzling 272bhp V12. Performance gain? None. The factory naturally blamed the whole thing on newly introduced US emission laws and maybe they were right.

Under bonnet view reveals the heart of the beast
But there was more to the decline than that. Here in the UK the average garage mechanic, still trying to work out how many new pence there were to a pound now had double the number of sparking plugs to change. A real problem for somebody raised on a simple diet of Marina and Austin 1800. To this add rubbish quality, rude staff and union agitation. Loyal customers walking the streets found solace in the showrooms of BMW, Audi and Mercedes. And because the last ‘commemorative’, black painted E-Types had nothing in common with the British Racing Green cars that raced for glory at Le Mans Jaguar died on its feet. Desire is a fickle thing.

So by now you’re thinking that I’m not a big fan of the E-Type. Not strictly true, but I am a cynic. Back in 1961 the sports car to end all sports cars was advertised as being easily capable of 150mph, which was a fib, if not a downright lie. In Belgium and under perfect running conditions the prototype, fitted with specially selected engine and running on 100 octane fuel fell way short. When a non-standard lightweight tailgate, racing tyres and low drag front section were added Bob Dewis, against all hope, just hit the magic figure. Relief all round. But no standard production Coupe ever achieved 150mph. They cheated, and for that I will never forgive them. Even worse, bearing in mind its less conducive aero-dynamic shape, what chance did the Roadster ever stand?

I will admit, however, that the car sitting on the stand in Switzerland looked bloody fantastic, and not just me, the whole world fell in love with the E-Type Jaguar from the moment 9600 HP appeared at the Geneva Motor Show. It could have been fitted with a one-horse power, boat engine for all they cared. The car looked a million dollars but actually cost just a few pennies more than £2,000. This was great value when compared with say, a Facel Vega (£4,951) or a Mercedes 190SL (£2,839). Only the Porsche 356B, in reality a far better car, came close on value at £2,169. Surprisingly the roadster version of the E-Type, or ‘open two-seater’ as Glasses Guide referred to it, was a full hundred pounds cheaper. Indicating just how many extra man hours were required to assemble a Coupe.

Laziness, bad management and shoddy workmanship always lurked uncomfortably in the background during the sixties and sadly it showed in the way Jaguar cut corners in their attempts to save money. The early 3.8 E-Types suffered a host of deficiencies. For example, they leaked badly and the Dunlop disc brakes were quite simply hopeless, much too small and incapable of stopping the car after just one high speed application. It was scary. Worse thing is the factory must have known but chose to ignore the fact. A shame because in other areas the car was very good. It was not unheard of for example to get twenty-five miles to a gallon and the engines, though they used a lot of oil, were flexible and capable of moving between twenty mph to maximum speed in the same gear. Ownership, however, was a fussy and expensive business. As well as frequent poor servicing, small things like the exhaust was always blowing and the front wheels needing constant re-balancing. Remember early cars relied on cross-ply tyres. Insurance was sky high and depreciation heavy. After three years the average 3.8 litre E-Type was down to £750. This of course made it the ideal ‘crumpet catcher’ for the likes of Jimmy Greaves and the dodgy man in the sheepskin jacket. If you’re thinking it was the Bentley GT of its day, then ten out of ten.

Nobody can argue with such a sensuous shape
The only version of the E-Type I would consider buying was announced in October 1964 when the heavily revised more powerful series one and a half was launched It still retained its classic shape i.e. faired in headlamps, but here at last was a British sports car that could accelerate to sixty in seven seconds on its way to a genuine top speed of 150mph without frightening the driver to death. And with its bigger brakes it could also stop. Dealers were over the moon. But stupidly, the company still cut corners. When ‘Motor’ magazine tested the car it was necessary for the team to make several roadside stops to cure misfiring. Not good. And the seats were of the fixed, non-reclining type, hardly in keeping with a long distance Grand Tourer.

I was seventeen when I first drove an E Type 4.2 and by golly it was a step up the ladder, having until then only been entrusted with ‘ordinary’ cars. It was plush, dignified and with lots of sound-proofing, almost silent. In some ways quite un-sports car like, with its full leather trim, push-button radio (an extra) and deep cut pile carpets. Somehow from such a high performance car, I expected less luxury. Yet it was possible to change gear with a nominal flick of the wrist and enjoy the raw power. She was a flyer, no doubt about it.

The updates ran more than skin deep. To begin with the six cylinder engine received a major re-design, more than just bigger pistons. In fact to achieve such a large increase in capacity the bore centres had to be moved and new crankshaft introduced, better balanced due to revised bearings and the fitting of a torsion damper. The primitive bellows brake servo was also replaced, with a decent vacuum type necessitating the fitting of a revised inlet manifold, not easy when you consider it also had to carry three enormous SU carburettors. But why did Jaguar not fit fuel injection?

But perhaps the biggest gain in ownership terms came with the fitting of an improved all synchromesh gearbox, at last it became a delight to use. Small but essential upgrades included a more efficient starter motor and the fitting of an alternator while chrome wire wheels and Dunlop RS5 tyres (easier to balance) finally became standard. Getting in and out of an E-Type was always a bit tricky (high sills and low stance) and in this instance there was no change, only shorties like me can simply put out one arm and pirouette. But for everyone leg room is no more than mediocre thanks to the wide transmission tunnel and limited seat travel. Surprisingly the steering column has a small amount of built-in adjustment.

Wonderful in-car expose
Another incongruent feature is the wood-rim wheel, it looks fantastic, even workmanlike but in practise it’s unpleasant to the touch and during hard driving proves both slippery and sweat inducing. Jaguar can take small comfort from the fact that Ferrari drivers of the time suffered the same malady. Visibility was and still is a problem thanks to that ultra-long bonnet. While at speed the flimsy windscreen wipers lift clear of the glass. But all things taken into account and remembering how average the average car was in the mid-sixties, this version of the E-Type was a joy to own.

Today it is the open top model that commands the highest price, with the Coupe not far behind. But beware, only the very best sell and as with all ‘classics’ buying a forty year old E-Type is fraught with danger. Corrosion is no respecter of age, whatever the price. Flaky metal can reduce a grown man to tears and his bank balance to dust. And remember, imports, even from the sunshine states of America don’t guarantee structural integrity.

Yes sir, finding the right car can, and sometimes does, take a lifetime. And even a simple restoration will almost certainly include (deep breathe), rebuilding of the engine/ gearbox/ rear axle/ rear suspension/ body/ interior/ sub-frame/ electrics and brakes. Oh, and don’t forget five new tyres and a set of 72 spoke chrome wire wheels.

Finding a competent, honest restorer is just as difficult. Naturally you only want the best so eventually you will run out of time, cash, and patience. Maybe even run out of wives and/or girlfriends and lose the house. Look on the average dream Jaguar ‘light’ restoration project as a life long struggle and prey that the car under the tarpaulin is not a 2+2 or a white automatic V12. If it is, get used to buying it a birthday card, because it’s yours forever.

My old grandad once said to me, “My boy, if you forget everything else I ever told you, remember this, the best Jaguar will only ever be as good as the worst Ferrari.”

God, he was right.

Useful Web Sites:-
www.justjagsuk.com     Spares
www.davidmanners.co.uk     Spares
www.jagweb.com/     Classic spares

Clubs:
www.jaguardriver.co.uk/      Jaguar Drivers Club
www.jaguar-enthusiasts.org/      Jaguar Enthusiasts Club



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