1964 E Type roadster (AS) Team CJ restoration

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Specification (briefly) for this project is as follows: Total restoration with Stage One engine, CJ5 five speed, Team CJ cooling, suspension and brakes, etc, etc.

 
The owners of this 64 roadster flew in to take delivery of their 'new' E Type and immediately set off on a 3000 mile road trip from Texas to Canada, via Southern California. Keep your fingers crossed for our intrepid travelers!

		Bon Voyage!

More sounds....

	Arm rests now re-trimmed and installed	Security cut-off switch hidden  beneath steering column
Wiring and terminal for I-Pod

Your stereo CD/DVD?Sat Nav system has now been installed. I am pleased to report that the sound quality is outstanding (CD player). Click on the large photograph to see a video clip of the DVD screen opening up!

	Stereo head is a tight fit inside stock 3.8 console
Sat Nav unit will live under passenger seat		Antenna for Sat Nav. We couldn't bring  ourselves to mount it on the dash
Tweeters under corners of dash

Your CD - DVD - Satellite Navigation system arrived on Friday and we will be installing that for you early next week.

As you can see, we have now installed your new soft top boot. Tomorrow we will be installing the full tonneau cover.

Door handles and window winders being installed	Radio console awaiting the arrival of your stereo system!
Note red piping on the soft top boot	Flash makes the hide look lighter  than it is

Tacking the rear edge into place	Using heat to remove wrinkles around  the stitching for the zip-out window
Tonneau cover arrived this  afternoon		A lot of care was taken to obtain the best  possible fit between window and top cantrail seal

Trimming out the header bow, installing the top frame and trial fitting the new canvas top. Look for more photos tomorrow of the completed installation.

	Trimming out the header board
Positioning the bows with new webbing		Pressing out major shipping wrinkles
	New top features a zip  out rear window	Trial fitting the new top

Time to restore the convertible top frame and install the new top, etc.

Installing and trimming out the rear tack strip	Installing the re-trimmed interior light panel	Painting the convertible top frames
Trial fitting the restored frame

We investigated the possibility of using one of the factory dash switches to operate the heated seats, although that proved impossible due to electrical resistance issues. In the end we decided to install the switches discreetly beneath the dash (see below).

Note wiring for tweeters	Switch for heated seats	Installed discreetly under dash
Switch for heated passenger seat	New steering wheel looks good	12 volt power outlet
Installed in the glove box

The following photographs show the seats actually being trimmed and the installation of the custom heated back and base pads.

	Padding seat back	Heat pad is held in place with Teflon adhesive tape
	Wiring for heated pad is concealed  at bottom of seat back	Gluing seat bottom covers
Installing seat bottom covers
Note wiring for heated seats	Sam installing the passenger seat
V12 seats will be much more user  friendly than original 3.8 buckets		Driver's seat goes into place

Installing the underfelt, carpeting, moquette and hardura panels.

With the major road testing now completed, it is time to install your new interior. When you get a moment, please give me a call as I would like to discuss how we can best help you regarding the routing of any stereo related wiring. You may even be able to persuade me to install the stereo for you 

Wheels and tyres are a tight squeeze in the rear arches		Dash top and chrome finishers now installed
Screen pillar pads installed		We have installed stereo speaker cabling to the centre console and both footwells

Final nut and bolt, then into the trim room	V12 seats now recovered
Dash top being trimmed		Custom heated seat bases
	Trial fitting the restored dashtop

Over the last week we have been doing a lot of road testing and I am pleased to report that the car is running beautifully. As you can see from the photograph below, we have now installed the MSD 6AL ignition and it is working perfectly. Next stop the trim room!

Temporary seat and wheel used for road testing	MSD installed	We set the rev limiter at 6000

Your dash panels have been trimmed out in red vinyl, per your request.

Having sourced a pair of V12 seats, we set about modifying the original 3.8 seat runners to work with the later model reclining seats and with a view to providing you with as much legroom as possible. I am pleased to report that we have succeeded in providing a lower than stock seating position with the absolute maximum possible rearward seat adjustment.

Screen was installed so we could assess  eye level in relation to new seat base	3.8 seat rails were modified to fit V12 seat bases	Adjuster arm was shortened
		Seat now lower and further back than stock 3.8 seats
V12 seats are also recliners

As you can see, we have now installed your rebuilt engine, CJ5 transmission, CJ headers, cooling system, rear bumpers and lights...and even the original California black plate.

As you can see, the doors and boot lid have now been installed and we have begun the installation of your new wiring harness.

Installing the Dynamat in the cabin area		Gunmetal looks great in the sun light
	Installation of the new wiring loom is already underway

As you can see, the bonnet is now painted and the car is having its front and rear suspension installed. Sorry some of my photographs are a little blurred!

Trial fitting bumpers and headlamps	Holes had to be welded  up and new holes drilled and  tapped in the new bonnet	New beefed up IRS tie plate
Installing the front engine frames	Grade 8 hardware thro'out
Rebuilt IRS about to be installed	Installing replated front suspension	On its rear wheels
Bonnet now painted	Gunmetal looks great!

Yesterday we painted all the outer panels (except the bonnet) and I could not be more pleased with the finished result. The Opalescent Gunmetal looks truly stunning.

As you can see, we have now 'cut in' the cabin, the boot area and the underside of the floorpan. Because this car is likely to see a little track time, we gave it a little more 3M rocker guard protection than usual, especially behind the rear wheels/under the boot floor.

We are hoping to paint the outer panels by the end of the coming week. Watch this space!
 

Blue tape shows rocker guard line under boot floor	Guillermo masking off the body	3M rocker guard provides great protection under the car
Extra rock guard coverage under  boot floor		Cutting in cabin and boot compartment
Extra rocker guard coverage hardly noticable when painted

It has been a while since I updated this page - for which I apologise! As you can see, however, we have been making good progress with your car and should be applying the first of the Opalescent Gunmetal within the next few days.

The photos below show the car just after it received two good coats of the Evercoat Polyester Slicksand and a guide coat. The next stage will be blocking with 120 then 180 grit paper, followed by two coats of high build BASF Powerfill primer. That will then be sanded with 320 dry followed by 600 wet - at which point it will be time to apply the paint. Not long now!

The new bonnet has now been massaged into place and the majority of the lead loading has been completed along the side bulkhead and the upper sill line.

It is now time to install the new CJ engine frames and your new bonnet.

Lead loading around rear apron	Putting the car onto one of the engine frame jigs
CJ engine frames, picture and hinge frames installed	New bonnet trial fitted

Time for some lead loading. Click on the larger photograph to view a short video clip of Lawrence in action!

The following photographs show the installation of the outer sills as well as Lawrence fabricating and installing the LH outer bulkhead panel. We prefer to make this panel rather than use an aftermarket replacement as the available panels are shorter than we would like, and we make ours from heavier gauge steel which resists deformation from welding heat.

The yellow sustance you can see on the inner sill is Wurth Body Wax, which we apply to all inner panels and box sections during the course of CJ restorations.
 

Wurth Body Wax	Trial fitting out sill	This seam is also spot welded
Bulkhead (side) panels will be fabricated	First the requisite contour is formed
Next the flanges are formed	The flange around the curved section is a little trickier
Another trial fitting...	Once welded in place, the new sheet metal is primed

More sheet metal progress....

Butchered driveshaft tunnel had to go!	New section fabricated and welded into place	The rear floors are generally pretty solid....
Although they will need some repair  before the new front  floors can be installed	Section of rear apron was cut out and replaced	Trial fitting the new front floors
Spot welding the driver's floor into place	Reaction plate and trans mount must be trial fitted at this stage
With the new floors secured.....	It is time to trial fit the new outer sills

Starting in with the bodywork....the short video clip below shows Lawrence making a repair panel for the rear apron to the side of the license plate panel.

We are starting at the  rear of the car	This panel will obviously be cut away	A replacement panel is fabricated and trial fitted
With the panel welded in place, we trial fit the boot floor	Gas tank bracket is spot welded into place	Video Clip!
The planishing hammer leaves a smooth and consistent curve	Spot welding the repair panel into place	Time to install the boot floor...
Trimming the boot floor priot to installation	Spot wedling the new floor into place

As you can see, we have been busy rebuilding the IRS and your front suspension as your body waits its turn in the CJ Coachworks.

Rebuilding the differential		Suspension components have been Nickel plated
	Larger calipers installed on the rear	Assembling the front suspension

More engine photographs together with a complete on-line Blue Print. The first two photographs demonstrate how much work was required in order to weld up and the cut and re-shape the water jackets on the underside of the cylinder head. I think it might be about as impressive a 'before and after' series of photographs as I have ever put on the webpage!

Click here for full engine specifications
 

This is what your cylinder head look like when we started	Today, after a great deal of work!	30 cfm increase PLUS a significant increase in velocity
Cometic gasket brought compression to the desired level	Stage One Cams	ARP head studs

As you know from our various telephone conversations, your engine really was in a sorry state! The cylinder head was not only very badly corroded but it was also severely warped. As you can see from the photographs below, all of the various problems have now been dealt with and the engine is now better than new!

This page will be updated as the engine goes together throughout the day.

Head was warped - off by 0.018"	Water jackets were very badly corroded	Combustion chambers were pitted and required extensive welding and re-shaping
	Block will be re-sleeved after cleaning	Getting the block cleaning  underway
Items to be Nickel plated	Assembling pistons and upgraded rods	Measuring deck height to calculate compression
Deck had to be welded	Installing the pistons
	Look for more updates  throughout the day!
Off to the powder coaters..

Drilling out the spotwelds for the front floors	We will fabricate a repair to the tunnel, rather than replacing it	Removing the firewall kick panel

Time to start the sheet metal and panel replacement....

Timing chain cover will be replaced...
Last few bits of rusty metal are cut away	Drilling out spot welds and removing  remainder of outer sills	Your new bonnet is in the crate in the background
	Cutting out the old boot floor

The following photographs show the car being primed earlier today. The also show why you really have to install new engine frames. The problem is they rust from the inside out. You can see below how an apparently innocuous pin hole is only the tip of the iceburg. Tapping the metal surrounding the pin hole with a blunt, lightweight awl gave a clear indication of the internal condition of your frames.

		Screw hole in one frame
X marks an a small rust hole	Tapping with an awl	Pin hole marks weak point  in frame
You can see he rust inside this hole...	This is STILL only the tip of the proverbial iceburg

As you can see, we have now had the car bead blasted and disassembled the last of the mechanical components. No huge surprises after the blasting process, although we obviously have a fair amount of sheet metal replacement ahead of us.

IRS disassembled	Back from the blasters!	Bootlid excellent
Doors almost as good!	Inner sills surface rusted	Outer sills (inside out)
	New boot floor required...
		The car was in a knife fight (and apparently lost!)
	New treatment recently introduced in CJ Coachworks
	DP90 epoxy primer applied immediately after DX1791

Block now completely stripped	Front of head was cleaned and...	Major pits sanded out prior to machinework

As you can see, the car came apart without any drama, although the engine is one of the grungiest we have come across in a while! The head has suffered some significant corrosion damage and will need some additional welding, although there really isn't anything to worry about. It was most unusual to find the lower half of the oil dipstick snapped off inside the oil pan!

Car now completely apart...
Note snapped off dipstick in the oil pan!	Some of the head studs are  corroded solid
Cyl head is a bit of a state!		Mains, rods and pistons are all factory standard sizes

Main floors are exceptionally solid		Boot floor has had some untidy pop-rivetted repairs
Trans tunnel has been cut away from the main floor!		Engine and trans removed...
IRS about to be dropped out

The restoration is underway! We have already set aside a new bonnet for your project, as well as new bonnet hinge and picture frames. The jury is still out on the engine side frames....

Starting to come apart...	Bonnet hinge frame has been badly bashed about	Trans tunnel has also had its share of pain
Picture frame needs replacing	Note lower section of picture frame in this photograph	Main and boot floors appear to be very sound

I am delighted to report that you car has arrived safely at Classic Jaguar and we will be getting the restoration underway in the next few days. I hope you enjoy watching the car come together over the coming months!