After having sourced this vehicle last year, it’s been sat in storage whilst we’ve worked on two other classics belonging to the same client. Now it’s time for this Californian dream to be restored. With a big re-design coming it’s way, the first step is to dismantle the E-Type. By removing the chrome, trim and lights, our technicians can start working on parts of the car.
Pressure test:
The compression test also came back positive, with all the readings as they should. A compression test gives you an indication of the health of your engine, its valves, valve seats, piston rings and whether these parts are wearing evenly.
The tests should show the compressions at 110-115 psi. The test shows how much volume of air and fuel goes into the combustion chamber. If there’s not enough, for example, if only 80 psi were passing through, it would give you an indication of a serious fault in the valves. If the valves aren’t seating correctly, the air and fuel can seep out of the cylinders and lead to more serious faults.
Our lovely maroon 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 is back in for a small dent repair and a check up. We’ve worked on this classic in the past so its nice to have it back in for a freshen up. Mauro has discovered a rear differential leak in the rear axel so he’s taken its apart, stripped and cleaned it and will then replace the seal before re-building it all again and fitting it back into the E-Type.
Unfortunately our lovely E-Type had gained a small dent in its rear quarter panel. Chris and Matt have been correcting this by filling the dent, applying epoxy and primer before then repainting and polishing it so it looks brand new.
By the time Chris and Matt were done with the rear quarter, you would never know there had been a dent there. Good as new!
This stunning 1959 Jaguar MKI arrived today for some restorative work with us. Before we know what needs to be done, we will carry out a thorough assessment to understand where we need to focus the TLC.
Stay tuned for updates!
The MKI jaguar was an influential pioneer in the luxurious motors market as it spearheaded the way for other sophisticated yet practical saloons to follow. It was compact, good to drive and relatively quick for the contemporary market of the 1950’s.
Our stunning green Jaguar E-Type Series 2 4.2 has almost completed its thorough service. This morning Mauro was carefully replacing the carburettor rubber that fits around the air filter. This was the solution to the engine idle not running correctly.
Mauro has also fit new brakes, new back suspension arms, new front upper suspension arm ball joint and added in some high performance silicone spark plugs that allow the engine to perform at a higher level.
Mauro has also been working on modifying the steering column to remove the extra movement. Once he’d altered the steering column, he could fit the wheel back on as shown below.
Our experienced Auto Valet technician, Colin, From Viper Auto Valets has finished the jaguar project but thoroughly cleaning this stunning motor. The nature of the paint means that once polished, it’ll look good as new.
Here are the photos of the elements for the suspension and steering column.
Mauro has been continuing his work on our 1970 Green Jaguar E-Type Series 2 4.2 edition. He has recently replaced the Rocker cover gaskets due to an oil leak and has fitted some high performance Silicone spark leads.
Today marks the 60th anniversary of Jaguar’s iconic E-Type, known for its long linear styling and irresistible British charm which became synonymous with the sixties. To celebrate this anniversary, Jaguar is releasing six limited-edition matching pairs of restored 3.8 E-Types. Inspired by the iconic 9600HP and 77RW examples that featured in Geneva’s 1961 Launch.
The limited-edition 9600HP E-types will be finished in a timeless Flat Out Grey paintwork with Smooth Black leather interior as well as unique 1961 tribute details. The six 77RW E-Types will come in a classy Drop Everything Green styled with Suede Green leather interior and will also come with 1961 tribute details.
All models will come with limited editions 60th details such as a commemorative 60 logo on the bonnet badge, fuel cap, chassis plate and tachometer clock face which has been designed in conjunctions with Julian Thomson, the Jaguar Design Director.
Along with the limited edition badge, these 60th anniversary E-Types also come with bespoke designed and engraved centre consoles by artist King nerd to celebrate the grandeur of road trips taken by Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis and PR man Bob Berry who are to thank for E-Types 1961 launch.
“Sixty years after its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961, the talented team at Jaguar Classic are releasing the ultimate birthday present to the E-type: The E-type 60 Collection. The attention to detail demonstrates how this project has been a labour of love for our designers, engineers, craftspeople and partners. Exquisite detailing combined with enhanced usability ensure these E-types will be coveted and enjoyed for decades to come by their discerning owners, starting with a once-in-a-lifetime Coventry to Geneva pilgrimage for our six customers and their guests in Summer 2022.”
DAN PINK – DIRECTOR OF JAGUAR CLASSIC
Each limited edition motor features a specially developed close ration five speed manual gearbox with a 3.8 litre in-line six cylinder Jaguar XK engine.
In the summer of 2022, the 6 customers and their guests till take part in a once in a lifetime Coventry to Geneva road trip experience to parade the new motors.
Our 1954 Jaguar MKVII has had its wheels painted in Epoxy primer and then painted in its final cream colour. These have been hung up and sprayed in the paint shop and worked on by Chris and Matt.
Our 1970 Jaguar E-type Series 2 4.2 is currently have its service. Mauro has been taking care of this project and is in charge of ensuring that this charming classic is back on the road asap.
Mauro has fitted new rear anti roll bar, link and bush as well as repaired the rusty fuel lines. Mauro has also been carefully reassembling and rebuilding the rear axle, fixing an oil leak by fitting new seals, fitting new brakes, discs and pads. Once he had finished rebuilding the rear axel, Mauro could fit it back in.
James and James have been working on shrinking and re-shaping the panels for our 1954 Jaguar MKVII however they’ve taken to doing it the traditional way. Using heat, a hammer and cool air, they can effectively reshape anything they need to in a precise and neat manner. By heating up the metal, it balloons and softens the surface, allowing James to hammer it into shape and then use cool air to set it.
James is focusing on making the outside layer of the rear quarter panel, which is made by hand and hammered into place.
After finishing the re-shaping, James could then start with applying the lead primer and then the Tallow Medium and Nealetin, all of which are applied using heat. The tallow medium, traditionally made from goose fat, is heated up and melted so it resembles a spreadable ‘goo’ that can then be worked into shape to provide a flat finish.
We did some filming with James in the workshop where he explained to us what’s going on with the Jaguar in the fabrication bay. Here’s some behind the scenes.
Every now and then, these classic cars surprise with hidden treasures. Whether its personalised dashes, objects stashed down the side of seats or a pair of driving gloves in the glove box, its always a pleasant discovery. On this occasion, we found two embedded tool kits in the door cards of our 1954 Jaguar MK VII, containing original and well-used tools, including a grease gun, bulbs and brake fluid. The two hidden tool kits seem like time capsules to 1954. We had worked hard to loosen the bolts and catches to unlock the tool kit and we’re now glad we did!
The job in hand for the two James’ in our fabrication bay was to strip down the doors to bare metal, taking off all the fixtures and sand down the sides. With a lot of rust visible, we’ve applied a filler primer that tackles rust and prevents it from spreading.
The doors first had to come off before they could be dismantled and stripped.
Kath has been working on repairing the seat squabs on our 1954 Jaguar MKVII. She has repaired the rear seat squab as the vinyl had started to come away from the squab. She applied contact adhesive and stuck it back down in place, making sure that the vinyl was sticking neatly around the edges. Kath also had to rip underneath the seat to fit a piece of calico on to the material to stop it from getting any worse.
Ady has also been carrying out a thorough engine service which includes replacing the spark plugs and spark plug leads as well as the oil filter, oil and a new water hose.
This morning, we welcomed a beautiful green 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 (2+2) 4.2 in for a service to address MOT advisories. Jaguar E-Types are among the most popular classic cars we receive, with a large majority of our projects being E-Types. These classic motors are well recognised and well-loved, with their value increasing every year.
With iconic styling and excellent road manners, the Jaguar E-type design was perfected by aerodynamics of Malcolm Sayer and the keen eye of Sir William Lyons. Series 2 coupes are among the rarest of the bunch, with fewer than 5000 being built.
February 16, 2021 12:12 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Paul has taken a look at our 1954 Jaguar MKVII and made sure all the brakes are stripped down and ready to be overhauled. The rear brake pipes have been removed and replaced with new components.
February 12, 2021 9:45 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Ady, our engine specialist has been working hard to restore our Jaguar MKVII.
He’s repaired the fuel tank plugs and filters by adding new seals. The fourth image shows the fuel tank plug and filter being screwed into the fuel tank after being repaired. The final image shows the fuel tank sender unit being removed, so Ady could fit a new gasket.
February 8, 2021 12:25 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our side of the trim work has been completed for the 1958 Jaguar XK150. Our job was to only fit the fabric to metal pieces as the customer is restoring the majority of the car himself. Although we previously made the seats, the customer is fitting them himself. Our trim team have done yet another fantastic job to restore the interior in this iconic classic, with the finished product looking spectacular.
The foot pedal carpet did not fit properly so Kath made a new template and cut out new set. She found that her new design glued and fitted in a lot neater. The front tunnel section was also completed by adding some deadening as well as the trim however it originally didnt fit right as it came up too big, so Kath had to pack out tunnel with some extra foam. The trim team cut some millboard out to go over the inspection chamber and screwed it in place. They found that the tunnel was a funny shape so had to modify the design and add some extra foam until the cover fit perfectly. Kath then fit the next part of tunnel by trimming around hand brake gaiter and gluing it all into position to clamp in place.
We’ve diagnosed an oil leak in the Jaguar MKVII as a result of a faulty component. Take a look at the walk through below to see what the issue was and how we resolved it…
Image 1: MK7 jag engine with the sump off to allow Ady to start working his way into the engine. The sump, or the oil pan, is a metal dish that covers the bottom of the engine block and holds the engine oil when it is not circulating.
Image 2: Oil filter housing.
Image 3&4: The engine sump
Image 5&6: This is the cork seal which we discovered has been fitted incorrectly which lead to the engine leak.
So now what? We’ve identified the issue, its time to fix it!
The cork sealant had been attached incorrectly, meaning it had twisted and more importantly, been let oil out. Ady, our engine specialist has got some more cork and new gaskets to fit either end of the oil sump and across the edges, meaning that the oil will stay where its meant to be.
February 4, 2021 11:15 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our stunning Jaguar XK150 partial trim restoration is progressing well as the trim shop finish the boot carpet and continue with the other sections inside the made body.
The pre-existing carpet pieces are carefully glued in bit by bit, making sure that each section fits well and sticks.
The process included glueing the hardheaded sections into boot sides, which, once glued in, left room for the boot floor mat to be fitted. Brian then glued the vinyl around the edges of the rear seat and around the hatch to the boot. He made the millboard panel for the hatch and glued the hardheaded sections to the billboard.
February 3, 2021 12:50 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The stripping process has begun for our Jaguar however the preparation procedure itself isn’t a quick job. There are lots of parts that need our attention before it sees the paint shop.
Ady has been working to restore the fuel tanks. Our 1954 Jaguar MKVII has two fuel tanks rather than the standard one however one of the fuel tanks is suffering from severe rust which we are beginning to tackle.
The chrome has also been removed and the parts ordered to fix the engine leak issue. Once these bits have been fixed, this Jaguar can get ready for paint.
Tom has been attending to the wiring in the front of the Jaguar, especially the front headlights which he’s been removing.
February 2, 2021 12:19 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
We’re working on a full restoration for this lovely Beverly Hills 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12. Originally sourced by us from Beverly Hills Car Club in America, we imported it for the client. The importance of it being from California is that we know it’s been living in a dry state, meaning that the chassis and body work is more likely to be in the best condition. The client aims to keep this e-type over in Germany to be used in Europe, hence the need for a left-hand drive.
The restoration will lead with Californian classic to take on a more traditional British Fern Grey with an Olive or Moss interior. The engine also needs to be rebuilt.
February 2, 2021 11:11 amPublished by Craig Ranson
This iconic 1958 Jaguar XK150 is known as the grandfather of classic cars, the epitome of class and the ever chased after classics. With only 6,713 ever produced, it lay claim to the greatest post-war sports car ever made. Known for its superb performance, its true testament to great British engineering.
Its currently with us for a partial trim restoration.
January 28, 2021 12:39 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
We recently shot with local race car driver, engineer and enthusiast, Mike O’Connor, who took our amazing custom built Jaguar E-Type for a spin. These supplementary visuals go hand in hand with the shots we captured of the car itself which can be seen here.
December 10, 2020 12:51 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our trim team has been fitting the rear centre section in place, cutting out sound deadening and glueing it to bodywork behind where seats go.
The rear squab section has also been fitted in place, the carpet has been cut to be placed in front of the rear seat base, the rear seat section has been fitted in place, and the leather has been glued to the seat subframes.
Sound deadening has been installed in the rear footwell & tunnel sides, passenger side, passenger side bulkhead, and the front footwells.
The door frames are also undergoing some modifications so that the window glass sits more comfortably. The doors will need to be taken apart and re-welded back together.
Peony Red Jensen
Our Peony Red 1960 Jensen 541s has had new door catch fixing plates installed. Our technicians have also made a cover to go over them to stop them from falling down into the sills of the car. They have then been welded into position.
TR6
The Triumph TR6 is on the road to recovery with the final tweaks being done. The engine levels have been checked as have the gearbox and rear axels. This stage is mostly a pre-drive service to make sure everything is in the right place and ready for the car to be driven for the first time. The battery holder needs to be installed and the engine to be tuned. Once these last details are done we can turn it on and see how it drives and address any teething problems that may arise.
Amphicar
The Amphicar is currently going through another in-depth stage of troubleshooting the electrics. Much like the TR6, our technicians’ are applying the final checks in preparation for starting the car up for the first time.
Peugeot 504
The Peugeot 504 is almost finished! The exhaust and break lines have been installed as well as the seat belts which have been added by our technician Scott.
Black Jensen
The black 1960 Jensen 541R has come out of paintwork recently to address the corrections made. All the chrome has now been re-installed so it’s looking shiny and new!
1984 Lada 1200
Our Lada is one of our most recent patients. We diagnosed it with rusting sills and floor, which is being addressed and corrected by one of our fabricators, Ant. These refurbishments are done through a series of stages that include welding and applying filler to resolve the ageing. Think of it like getting a dermatological facial!
1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12
Our blue jaguar e-type is awaiting its chrome bumper and new steering rack to be fitted. The sun roof has also been fixed. This included taking apart the faulty switch and cleaning the components and then insulating the terminal. Once fitted back together, the sun roof was back to working perfectly again.
Gold Jensen
Our gold and red 1962 Jensen 541S has had its oil changed and water purged from the engine by our engine specialist, Ady.
Austin 7 Nippy
Ady is also working on the Austin 7 Nippy engine which is currently at COLTEC to be assessed.
Nissan 300ZX
The exhaust has been reinstalled into our Nissan as well as the link pipe between the two exhaust manifolds.
We’ve welcomed another beautiful Jaguar E-Type for a check-up at Bridge Classic Cars, this week. This one is a 1973 Series 3 V12 E-Type.
Upon further inspection, our technician Pete discovered that both the Clutch Slave Cylinder and the Power Steering are both leaking fluid and will need to be replaced.
“It’ll fail its MOT if this isn’t addressed” Pete told us, standing underneath the car which had been raised onto one of our ramps.
Although the car is technically drivable, these issues would not only cause the car to fail its MOT, but could also lead to more series issues such as loosing control and access to the gears.
The next step to address these issues is to completely replace both the Power Steering and the Clutch Slave Cylinder.
The front bumpers are also going to be removed and replaced to give the Jaguar an extra shine.
November 19, 2020 9:52 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our 1967 Black E-type Jaguar had its final re-wiring before we sent it off purring back to its owners yesterday.
Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, this E-Type came in way back in 2016 for a full restoration. We’ve worked on her over the past 4 years for regular maintenance and repairs.
She’s come a long way from the total rebuild we received in 2016! It’s always a pleasure to have such an iconic vehicle in the workshop.
November 5, 2020 10:49 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1967 Jaguar MKII lives on to purr another day.
This 1967 Jaguar MKII arrived after having been broken into and its interior gutted. After some careful surgery, the Jaguar’s interior was repaired to its previous pristine condition.
The next stage was restoring the paintwork that had suffered over the years. A small job for Chris in our paint-shop, he’ll have this beautiful classic looking her very best in no time.
With the paintwork done, the Jaguar can move onto its final stage of restoration; nursing those bumps and scratches out.
The exciting restoration project continues on our 1958 Jaguar XK150. This week the interior has been with our expert trim shop who have been working on the seats, and other interior panels.
Brian starts by cutting the foam to the right size for the front seat squab frame. “I then mark where the cover needs to sit” Brian explains “gluing the cover into position, sticking the calico flap in place”.
Brian adds extra foam bolstering, to give the seat it’s comfortable shape. He then pulls the second calico flap over the frame and pulls the cover into position.
Brian then begins gluing and stapling the top and side of the cover onto the frame. “I’ve glued the bottom edge of the outer side of the frame” he explains “gluing the outer flap, then tucking in the piping and gluing the inner flap”.
Brian then staples the inner edge and bottom flap neatly into place, carefully hiding the glue and staples from view.
The back of the chairs is next up, where Brian tacks the fabric to the back of the frame. “I’ve made the side and top panels out of mill board” he tells us “finishing them off by covering them with vinyl”.
He then screwed the top and side panels into place.
Some other interior panels have also has Brian’s magic touch. Including the boot hinge cover, the transmission inspection plate and the petrol pipe cover. All hand crafted and finished in a matching vinyl.
All these sections and the seats are now ready to be fitted back into the car. How sharp does this interior work look?
Our Jaguar XK150 is in the trim shop this week having it’s seats re-upholstered and new foam fitted.
Our clever classic car technician Brian has been building the seats. “I added the backseats foam to the wooden boards” he describes “then pulled the cover over tight, stapled it into place and cut off the excess.”
Next up, Brian moved onto the central armrest. “I glued the cover to the armrest board” he explains “ensuring I’ve lined up the flutes centrally.” Brian’s left some flaps of material loose so once it’s fitted into the car they can be glued to secure the armrest in place.
He’s then done something similar with the base of the seat, gluing foam to the wood and securing the cover over the top. He’s marked a centre line on the cover and foam to ensure they line up, then glued the flap under the bolster.
“I then pulled the cover round tightly” Brian tells us “again stapling in place a very neatly trimming off any excess leather.”
And there they are! Some gorgeous grey leather seat for the Jaguar XK150, all ready to seat their first passengers.
Our superstar seamstress Kath in our trim shop has been designing and manufacturing a bespoke gear knob for the 1967 Jaguar E-Type Racing car.
She’s use the existing gear knob to create the pattern. “I make sure I leave the thread tails,” explains Kath, “as I’ll use these later to sew them together later.”
“I’ve then put all the pieces together and used those thread tails to sew the pieces together in a crisscross and pull tightly to secure.”
We’re super impressed with the final look. Now it’s time to couple the gear knob with the gear shift gaiter Kath made earlier and this part of Jaguar E-Types restoration is complete!
September 10, 2020 7:49 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The very special 1967 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 race car has had Kath’s magic touch today receiving a bespoke leather gear shift gaiter.
“There was no original gaiter there for me to go by” explained Kath “I had to design a completely new pattern”.
A bold orange leather has been used to compliment the cars exterior paint work, while grey cotton stitching has been used in contrast but also to be in keeping with the newly painted centre piece also in grey.
Looking superb so far!
September 1, 2020 4:08 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
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