Hi everyone,

I'm just a couple months away from taking ownership of my dream car: a Series 3 E Type 2+2! The one I'm purchasing is a 1972, and while she's a runner, she's a little rough around the edges. The body rubber seems original; where it still exists on the car it's very perished. I'll need all the body rubber replaced before I dare drive her in the wet! I feel like it's a fairly safe bet that since the body rubber is perished, I'll also need a engine & transmission rebuild to make sure all the gaskets and bearings are fresh and not leaking.

I'll need a competent garage to tackle these tasks and would appreciate any recommendations from you folks!

 

Before you take the car (apologies if you've already paid) I would suggest you take an expert to view the car, and give you an idea of costs to bring it up to scratch. It might be more terrifying than you think. I'm obviously not In LA, but I'm sure there must be members who know someone who could do this for you.

 

That's really good advice, Dibby! I'd very much appreciate another set of eyes on the car, especially from someone who knows what they're looking at.

In case there's anyone here in this forum willing to take an online look at the car, this is the 1972 in Old English White that I'm keen on. I only see surface rust under the spare tire; things otherwise look rust-free. The interior needs a lot of work. The engine is missing parts like the air cleaners for the carbs. It runs and stops, at least! I fully anticipate immediately needing to spend $15-20K after purchasing it to get it mostly sorted, including the engine & transmission rebuilds, the body gaskets, and a new windscreen. That probably sounds like a small sum to many, but this car is intended to be a driver and not a Concourse quality restoration.

I'm tall, so the only E Type I fit into comfortably is the Series 3. I live in LA and therefore prefer to have an automatic transmission. My wife and I prefer the lines of the Series 3 2+2 over the Roadster. As far as I can find, there are only 3 E Types in the USA that fulfill these basic wants: the 1972 in Old English White that I linked above, this 1971 in Sable also at Beverly Hills Car Club (bad rust in floor pans and under spare, otherwise looks nice,) and this 1971 in Regency Red (really nice condition and only an hour away). We're very fond of the Old English White, are terrified of the rust in the Sable, and haven't yet seen the Regency Red one in person yet.

 

Do remember that you have another choice. The series 2 2+2 has the same wheelbase and higher roof as the series 3! I'm tall as well, which is why I got my S2 2+2. Also, the S2 2+2 of course has the 6 cylinder engine, which I think is much more manageable than the V12 of the S3. Obviously though, if you prefer the look of the S3, then that's a different matter.

 

Oh, wow! I truthfully did not know that! Thank you

I just mentioned this fact to my wife and she gave me a mean look, so we're sticking with the V12's.

 

Where are you in Los Angeles County?

 

Hi, NBCat! I live in San Pedro, but I don't mind driving for a good mechanic.... that is, unless my car is on a trailer

 

Nora,

One of the best Jaguar Shops in LA is in San Pedro, Call Jeff or Dana at British European Auto 310.833.1525, 1525 S Pacific Ave, San Pedro (www.britishcar.la)
I bought a Regency Red 1973 E Type 2+2 in LA last year. Jeff did a pre-purchase inspection before I bought the car and completed a few repairs before I picked it up and drove it home. He runs a Five Star Shop! Everything from maintenance to restoration. Where is the Regency Red one you are looking at? I may have looked at it last year.

Avoid any E Type that has a lot of rust. It will take deep pockets to have it repaired.

Brian

 

@nora, several British vehicle owners I know have good experiences with JP's European Autos in Huntington Beach. It's a bit far from San Pedro though.

Have you spoken with British European Auto on Pacific Avenue in San Pedro? There's also Al's Jaguar and Repair and Torrance Jaguar and Rover both in Torrance.

I have no experience with any of those shops, but it may be worth it to speak with them.

 

Thanks for mentioning them! I literally live about 8 blocks from there and I always drool at the cars they have in their showroom. It seems like Pedro really does have everything I could ever need

It's at a place up in the valley called West Coast E Type. I spoke with the owner a couple of weeks ago and he said that it had been sold, but it's still up on the site, so maybe it hasn't!

 

Hey Nora,

so sorry, but I ended up buying that Regency Red one you linked too at west coast e types early this year!

did you end up getting one? I’ve got a couple of places for servicing / mechanic work in the LA area I can suggest if you still need them.

Mike

 

Hey Mike, congratulations! That was a beautiful car

I haven't gotten my E Type yet. I test drove a 74 Roadster this past weekend and I absolutely adored the car. I expect to be giving the fellow a deposit about 2 weeks from today, and it should arrive on my doorstep on the week of June 27th. As you might imagine, time just isn't passing quickly enough for me!

Regarding finding a mechanic, because British European Auto is just a few blocks away from me, I dropped by there the other day. I was pleasantly surprised with their operation! They have (I think) 8 lifts there, and each one was holding a beautiful vintage British motor. The mechanics were busy, it was clean, and it had a good vibe. I spoke with a fellow named Dane Couto and he seemed like a good guy. Right away we want to replace the original radiator with one of the aluminum ones from Moss Motors, so we'll be giving them a shot

 

Thanks so much!! Really happy to get it. We did a few upgrades, new breaks and power steering rack and all new hoses etc. But otherwise, it's a really solid car.

Thats amazing news on the Roadster! HUGE congrats! Love to see some photos of it.

And good to hear you found someone. I just took a look at their website, and it looks like they have a great set up.