Click
Here for more photos and information on my E-Type.
Around march 99, we decided to get a second car
but somehow I didn't want just another car. The other cars I really
liked were the XK8 (can't afford), or the Boxter (2 seater, can't
drive both kids to school). Since I watch Speedvision a lot, I was
also thinking about a "classic" but had always dismissed the
idea because of parts, maintenance, etc... I also remembered the
E-type, pictures seen here and there was I was growing up, and a
roadster which I had admired last year when getting a 96 XJ6 at The
Collection in Coral Gables. A few evenings of reading and searching on
the Net and decision was made to get an E-type.
Then at the end of march, after only 4 weeks of searching ( from
specialized sites to major papers classifieds ), I came across a post
on the Jag-Lovers.Org E-type mailing list from a list member in
Atlanta who needed to sell his 72 2+2. Getting maintenance info on the
car was easy thru the mailing lists archives as the owner had been
posting questions during the past 2 years as he was repairing the car.
A couple of phone calls and E mails on thursday, a ticket to Atlanta
on the first saturday morning flight and by 11 am I was on I 75
driving the car back to Miami ! The car had turned out to be exactly
what I expected: very clean, almost new interior, strong engine, good
(not great) paint. The previous owner had fixed a lot of things and
had been very truthful about the car, even about a clonk noise in the
rear end. Made it home around 8pm, with 3 fuel stops and no problems
at all, the hardest part of course was resisting the temptation to see
how fast it could go...
It is not a concours car, I enjoy driving it too much.... and as
such I will modify / upgrade a few things. Already replaced the aging
leather steering wheel with a Nardi wooden wheel (sorry if I offend
any originality fanatics out there...). The ignition system was also
upgraded for reliabilty purposes with an MSD and Optical pick up
system (
see
info in the Members contribution section
)
Right now ( early july 99 ) the automatic transmission has just been
replaced by a new 5 speed ( JT 5 ): take a look here for pictures
taken during the installation ! it is now a completely different car !
see
Members Files for an article on this subject.
At the same time, a lots of things were improved on the car,
including rear suspension rebuilt with new spax shocks, new Daytons
tubeless wheels with Michelins MXV4 215/70, new starter, etc...
Pascal
Gademer
Miami, FL
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