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But It IS An E-Type!

j1

Admit it–you’ve secretly coveted an E-Type for a long time, haven’t you. But they’ve quickly moved out of reach price wise. You’re pretty handy, in fact you’re willing to take on huge mechanical challenges to get what you want–that’s why you just finished your third semester at the local community college body shop program learning how to bend that dream car back into shape. Guess what? This is your car–or at least part of it! It’s listed here on eBay and is located in Redmond, Washington. Although you might have expected Van and Julie to have submitted this one as the patron saints of Jaguars that need a lot of work, this one actually came from frequent finder Jim S.

j2

Looking at this tub, it’s going to take a more dedicated person than I am (or a LOT of money) to bring this car back. Amazingly to me, it’s got one bid at $3,500 already and there’s no reserve, so someone will be trying to bring this back (or parting it out). The seller tells us that it doesn’t have a title, nor does it have an ID plate. So there are even more challenges than what initially meet the eye. But it’s an E-Type, honey!

j5

On the bright side (ok, I had to search for a while), most of the paint is gone so you can see the body filler and damage. It’s hard for me to believe that a previous “craftsman” covered up what I see here on the right rear fender with body filler.  Oh my.

j6

This is probably the best of the car, but even this isn’t perfect. The seller identifies this as a 4.2 liter engine, but the head and block are not matching (but are close). The transmission is a 4.2 Moss box. The seller does note that they probably have all the other parts you would need as well (gee, I wonder where they came from?) but you’ll have to pay extra for them. Ultimately, this isn’t the project for me. But it might well be for someone that’s always dreamed of an E-Type! I’m guessing it’s not the project for most of you, either. So if not you, do you know someone that would take this on?

 

Comments

  1. Avatar Jesse Staff

    Looks like the perfect donor for something like this: http://www.tomharrison.photo/editorial/hotrod-e-type/

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    • Avatar Jamie Staff

      Jesse, thanks for sharing that one. You’re right, this would be an interesting place to start something like that…and I’d rather see a project like that one versus just letting it rot away!

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  2. Avatar MacVaugh

    This has to be some kind of April Fools joke. Bidding is at $5200, and there isn’t a valuable piece in the whole mess. There is more existing bondo left on that body than there is sheet metal. The seller thoughtfully shows the holes in the floors looking like van Gogh’s Starry Night painting.

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  3. Avatar Chris

    Actually, the Celica in the background caught my eye!

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    • Avatar Mike H

      I was thinking the very same! I’ve been on the lookout for an early Celica, lift back preferred. That one looked like a 75 or 76 maybe?

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    • Avatar Jack

      I saw the Celica in the background, looks very nice, I wonder if that is for sale? The Jag looks like it has been through the car crusher already, what a shame.

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  4. Avatar Dolphin Member

    OK, it’s an E-Type, or at least a few parts of one, but that hot rod E-Type / BMW that Jesse linked to in the magazine story is amazing. If you’re going to save a bashed up body you might as well do it the way the fellow in the ‘Practical Performance Car’ magazine story did it. Low $$ but a decent chassis and engine, and the look of something out of Mad Max. I can believe that it was the magazine’s most controversial feature car of 2014.

    To top it off it has the best Brit license plate I’ve seen in a long time.

    And the magazine’s sub-title—‘Performance Tuning For Grown Ups’—is priceless.

    I know a few boy racers who should start reading it.

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  5. Avatar Jack NWPA Member

    Please let me add my opinion on what I see on the body of this Jag. Yes it had a little “bondo” and some thick primer and paint THEN it was wercked and someone did try to push and hammer it into a recognisable shape. Also there is still some silver duct tape on it that was used to hold plastic to it to pervent futher rust. I believe it’s the tape that some think is body filler. It may be a good firewall donor yet is far too expensive.

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  6. Avatar Bob in Bexley Member

    Here’s a one that got away story… I was 16 & my mind was buried in sports car mania. I had parted out a 356 & had $800.00. The ad in the local paper was ’65 E-type convt $1,100.00. Went & looked & man, that car was something ! Maroon, black leather. Guy wouldn’t budge on price. Hindsight is everything. I would have buried myself in learning the hardway. E-types rot where the front rails meet body. You can always work with it mechanically/the body-frame…ehh- entirely different skill set. By the way Saab 900s’ rot in the same way.

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  7. Avatar Rick

    Back in 1988 I had a chance to buy a ’66 E Type coupe, hadn’t been driven for several years, but it even started up and ran, had some body rust in the rear pan under the rear bumper and pitted chrome on the wire wheels, plus it had been painted several times but was otherwise straight, anyhow I coulda had it for $3K, I even made a deal with the seller that I could flip it as long as he got his asking price. So I put an somewhere offering it for $3500,and some guys from the Jag club saw my ad and showed up to look at it, and after giving it the once over said they weren’t interested. So I figured if the Jag club wasn’t interested, then nobody wanted it, so I passed. Over the subsequent years I stayed in touch with the daughter of the seller and even offered $6500 a couple years later but was turned down. Then I got a call from her in ’92 and I got all excited because I though she was going to offer me the Jag, but no she was just calling to say hi, and when I asked about the Jag, she said they decided to keep it. I shoulda bought it and put it away, but I didn’t have anywhere to put it, plus I didnt have much extra money in those days (not that I do now) anyhow other than the ’60 Corvette I traded away in 1974, and some other 60s muscle cars I got rid of, the Jag is probably one of my biggest car regrets . . .

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  8. Avatar Van

    You thought of me because?
    I looked at a 1965 E back in 1980 that would do circles in its lane to the left, and required six lanes to the right.
    Stop signs were welded to the bottom for floors, and as scraps to weld the frame in the front.
    Looked great when I checked it in the dark.
    My brother sat behind me on the rear deck. I couldn’t figure out why the car was shaking so badly even when I stoped. It was 45 degrees and he had on a sweater.
    He was glad to be stuffed behind the seats when I put the top up.

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    • Avatar Jamie Staff

      Van, Julles, I’m looking forward to your next update on the D-Type! :-)

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  9. Avatar Julles

    How did you know I am going to take a body shop class? I’ve got to figure out how to make an aluminum body for my Jag. I’m also planning on taking an auto upolstery class. So the buyer for this etype can contact me.
    Honestly though, this etype gives you pause. A bonnet is 10,000 and the tub probably 15,000. Even if you did a good job of pounding out the dents, you would still have the Bondo Bandito. But damn a roadster for under 5,000! But it would cost more in the long run than buying an old series 3 roadster with an automatic.

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  10. Avatar OhU8one2

    You can get a brand new bonnet from Jaguar Classic Part’s for $14,000 and maybe the quarter panel’s. Yes new relatively new owner’s Tata Group has started looking for supplier’s to make a lot of the older Jaguar part’s. They are just getting started,but in the near future if you have a car needing part’s. What I want to know is,what in the /$&@ did they do to this E-Type?

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    • Avatar DrinkinGasoline

      That started out as “CH1OU812” It used to be a telephone exchange.

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      • Avatar OhU8one2

        Really? A Buddy of mine back in high school had it on his personalized license plate. Ain’t that just something.

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      • Avatar Mike H

        It’s also a 1988 album from the band “Van Halen”. I’d always assumed that was the common origin, for you and the buddy in high school.

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  11. Avatar Rancho Bella

    Since I sat in one forty some years ago I ceased wanting one.

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  12. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    I’m crumpling up two large pieces of tin foil and offering them up on e-bay as a 1963 Jaquar XK-E Type Roadster…one of 1,680, crumpled in ….ummm, 19…not sure. Usual patina as expected of pieces of tin foil of this era.
    Starting bid is 16,789.00 USD. Here’s Your chance to own a piece of Reynolds Wrap….errr… I mean….. automotive history !

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  13. Avatar Alan Brase

    You guys are all so negative. It might take $12k and 1000 hours of your time. That’s a year, 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. Of course, if you have a shop and the skill and can sell that spare time, just rake in the $100k and pay uncle Sam and buy a tatty 12 cylinder Ferrari with the $60k you have left.
    Or go watch tv and whine.
    Myself, I’m now in the 4th semester of auto body collision repair at the COMMUNITY COLLEGE. (Spooky they would say that.)
    And I have the school’s frame machine tied up for a long time. Perhaps making as many as 50 pulls on one tub.(A 67 Porsche SWT, not an E!) And metal finishing. Not sure I’m gonna get done, but at least I’m making progress. And learning!

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    • Avatar Jamie Staff

      Terrific, Alan!!! Share some project Porsche pictures with us!

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      • Avatar Rando

        YES! PICTURES PLEASE!!!! Love that you’re learning and MAKING something.

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      • Avatar Alan Brase

        Surely a thread about a crashed, rusty E-type is not quite the right venue to show pics of my very bent 1967 912 Targa? Actually, my Targa is one of those “too far gone” cars everyone else passed on. But I bought it 37 years ago for $200 without the engine and windshield. So, I’m not into it too bad. It was wrecked badly in 1973(?) in Des Moines, Iowa and is not rusty at all except a small place in the driver’s floor where I left it outside a few months. It is so incredible to take apart and the bolts are shiny under the nuts! (Every car I work on, my number one tool is a TurboTorch and MAPP gas, just to get the bolts out without breaking.)

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      • Avatar Jamie Staff

        Alan, send us pictures and we’ll write it up as a separate post! :-) We always like to feature reader’s finds!

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      • Avatar Rando

        Alan,

        I don’t care about Porsches particularly, but would like to see pictures of the WORK you are doing. More about the passion you are putting into this car than the car name or anything else. It needs a new post of it’s own. Haters gonna hate, but I can appreciate the work you are putting into a heap of parts to try to bring it back for you or someone to enjoy.

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    • Avatar Ross W. Lovell

      Greetings All,

      Alan, have a Facebook site for you and any body out there that does metal work, it’s called Metalshapers, you might want to check it out. Be advised, they have a seperate tool site to talk about different tools, Moderator pretty clear on that point.

      There is an incredible amount of talented people out there doing some amazing work. Tons of stuff that will interest both what to do and what not to do. IF you plug in my last name and SS1 Frame in the search archive, you see the current project.
      You might want to post at the site.

      The 912 is a neat car, as no one will bother you for building a VW engine. Bored and stroked and sporting either a Rayjay or a Schwitzer will yield you 200plus HP for about 1/4 – 1/3 the cost of the rebuilding a Porsche power plant.

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  14. Avatar Ross W. Lovell

    . Greetings All,

    No data plate, no way to register legally, though there are ways around it, but frowned upon if caught.
    Would be interested to know if the engine actually originated in an E?
    No “picture frames” to hold the engine and front suspension, no diff, no bell housing, intake or carbs, no exhaust, no interior of any kind.
    Probably have just doesn’t do it for me, pictures do.
    I’ve more parts sitting on shelves that would make more, and they were take offs, and still better than these.

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  15. Avatar Coventry Cat

    I guess I’d rather see a POS E-type with stupid money being asked for it than another Porsche.

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  16. Avatar Chris

    I have to say that this is like looking at a train wreck. You just can’t take your eyes off of it. I’ve worked on quite a few Jags over the years and I’m not exactly sure what you’d do with this wreck. It looks like its been in a roll over at some point. What I am just stunned by is the amount of filler on the rear of this car (as well as the rest of it). Outside of the engine and gear box I’m not sure the rest of it has much worth. If it had a data plate I could see someone buying it to “restore” but without it I can’t see the point.

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  17. Avatar Mark S

    Crashed hard then bondoed up and crashed even harder ( hope no one died ) looks like a role over to me. Then it gets striped to its bare bones including vin tag now some crook is trying to bleed some sucker out of his hard earned money, disgusting. This deal stinks this POS needs to be cubed before another rip off takes place. Just MHO, end of rant.

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  18. Avatar Alan Brase

    Why do you feel so strongly about this? Why do I need YOU or anyone else to have this cubed to protect me from wasting my time and money learning to make a bent car straight? Do you fear that I might do such a good job you will inadvertently BUY THIS VERY SAME POS at Barrett- Jackson and waste a tremendous amount of your kids inheritance on it? Part of the VERY reason these cars bring such high prices now is because much better ones were scrapped years ago because it was not cost effective to “bondo them up” after minor collisions. Very likely only half are still extant.
    More than likely you regret passing on better cars for a fraction of the money and you are still in denial that a 99 point early E roadster is really worth $200-300,000.
    The main thing bothers me about this car is that it is really stripped. The data plate missing is just sad, but there are certainly legal ways to obtain and prove ownership.
    No, not the project for a flipper, but for the guy with more time than money, or one wanting to build his skills before making mistakes on a more valuable car, this could make sense. Or to complement another car needing those parts.

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    • Avatar Ross W. Lovell

      Greetings All,

      Alan, as you mature you’ll find that just because it can be “rebuilt” doesn’t mean it should. At some point you’d be so upside down in this car with your labor and materials exceeding even a 50 year out value.

      Big difference between day in day out body repair and a restoration of this nature.

      Yes, by all means jig this puppy up and then tell me, what do you do after you pull it apart because of the rust damage? Or, do you plan on undertaking that work without having good datum points?

      Car has no VIN, so what are you restoring. At best you are building a clone from parts that are somewhat questionable in light of some of the panel suppliers.

      So we have a guy with no money but lots of time……what about talent and experience?

      I could build this car from scratch, including the tub and bonnet, other than engine and tranny and source the rest mostly chrome, switches, etc but what will it be?

      Some cars have are worth rebuilding some are not, you need to learn why?

      Cube it!!! Agree with the other poster.

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  19. Avatar erikj

    what a mess. Only for the truly one in love. narrow o more to say. Hope the girl I meet tomorrow is better

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  20. Avatar Joe Nose

    E-type? No. Eeeeek-type. Only thing running is me, away…

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  21. Avatar Horse Radish

    These are crappy cars when they were complete.
    As said: the advantage here is flippers will stay away.

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  22. Avatar Van

    What’s that show that only restores mopars.
    They will replace so much sheet metal the car should be considered Chinese.
    Oh and a jag 6 is a Hemi.

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  23. Avatar Alan (Michigan)

    “Cube It”
    That comment is not without precedent, actually.
    Some decades ago, I read a bit of a bio on the brothers Carradine. From my recollection, David was basically at-fault in a serious intersection accident, driving his XK-E. Brother Keith was said to have been the party which bought him out of it with copious application of $ to the victim (and, perhaps also the local constabulary). But as a lesson of the “Never Forget” variety, Bro had the car cubed and put inside the house as the base for a glass-top table. The writer was relating the relative intensity of how the Carradine family lived….

    Like 0

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