1965 E Type FHC (DZ)
Team CJ restoration

 

 
Specification (briefly) for this project is as follows:

Driver restoration with a full compliment of Team CJ performance upgrades

 

 
Click on the photo below to see a video of the car being road tested in the Texas Hill Country




The following Dyno sheet relates to testing done in the CJ workshop on Friday 8/8/14, when the ambient temperature was well over 100 degrees F (25% humidity), and then very early this morning (8/11/14) when the temperature was 86 degrees (with stifling 61% humidity). The HP and torque numbers shown are at the rear wheels, equating to approximately 307 HP and 355 ft/lbs of torque at the flywheel. If we had tested the car on a cooler, less humid day, the numbers would no doubt have been higher. That said, whatever the conditions, these are impressive numbers for a Stage One E Type.
Final weigh in




Another completed Team CJ restoration homeward bound..

 
 
   

 

Installing the last of the replated chrome...

 
 
 Window Weld glue applied for chome gutter rail
 

 
 
 

 
 
 Right side of car now virtually complete
 

 
 

 

  
 
Testing the third brake light - because the 
customer is always right 

 
 

Trimming and installing boot boards, luggage rail runners, a discreet power outlet and a third brake light switch...

 
 Manually operated third brake light switch and
an auxiliary power outlet
Power outlet and third brake light switch wiring hidden
in (custom) front section of the arm rest cubby box

 
 
 

 
 
 Trimming boot boards
 Note attention to detail even on areas that will be 
hidden from view

 
 
 

 
 
 
 It is important that that the luggage rails are perfectly 
spaced and aligned

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 With rails secured it is time to install rubber inserts

 
 
 

 
 
 
 Luggage compartment now almost completed

 

Custom front bumper blades, more interior progress...

 
   
   
   

More progress in the trim room...

 
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
   


 
Restoring and trimming center console cubby box.

 
   

 

 

  
   

 

Trimming center console, shifter tower, boot boards, hatch hinge covers and arm rests, etc...

 
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
   

 

In the process of trimming your seats we have carefully reduced the thickness of the base and seat back foam cushions in order to create a little more room for the taller driver. The difference is subtle, but significant...

 
Note lower profile of LH seat base
Difference in height is subtle, but significant

 

 

  
 
Sculpting a custom seat back foam cushion

 

 

  
Note slightly more pronounced curve of seat back
  

 

Click on the thumbnail photo below to see a video clip of your car being test run on the Dyno earlier today. Initial firing went very well - no problems!

 

Per your instructions, we have installed the new exhaust with the rear resonators and tail pipes as close to the boot floor as possible...

 
 
   

 

 

  
   

Assembly in progress...

 
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
   

Engine, transmission and driveshaft now installed...

 
   

 

 

  
   

 

We have started installing the chrome and brightwork...

 
   

 

 

  
   

Getting close to installing the engine and five speed transmission...

 
   

 

 

  
   

I am pleased to report that your car is now rolling once again!

 
   

 

 

  
   


 
We have now sanded and buffed the new paintwork and the car is ready for assembly...
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
   

 

Painting in progress...

 
   

 

 

  
   

Yesterday afternoon we painted the underside of your car. Later today we will start painting the outer panels.

 
 
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
   

 
 

When cutting out the rear wheel arch bump stop brackets, we found corroded sheet metal lurking behind the brackets. Oscar cut out the offending sheet metal, fabricated replacement panels and welded them in place. We also took the opportunity to clean inside of the rear "chassis legs" and applied primer and Wurth Body Wax inside the box sections, before sealing them up with the repair panels.

Fortunately, as you can see in the third photo in the sequence below, the corrosion was limited to the area immediately behind the bump stop brackets, which of course are a bit of a mud trap, up inside the rear wheel arches. The rest of the chassis legs were completely rust free.


 
 
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
   

 

 

  

 
 

Applying the first of the Opalescent Gunmetal...

 
 
   

 

 

  
   

With your car now in high build Glasurit primer, it is time to trial fit the chrome. Per your instructions, we have welded the front bumper blade finishers to the main bumper blades and eliminating the front bumper overriders and the bonnet mouth badge bar altogether. We hope to be applying the first of the Opalescent Gunmetal next week.

 
Car is now in high build primer
Bonnet mouth finishers welded to the front bumper blades

 

 

  
Eliminating over riders creates a look reminiscent
of some of the very early press road test cars
You will still have the option of installing the
badge bar, if you wish

We have now completed the bodywork and blocking stage and your car is now in Slick Sand. It will soon be time to start mixing up the Opalescent Gunmetal...

 
 
 Bodywork complete, body now better than new
 

 
 

 
 
 Bonnet fits perfectly
 

 
 

 
 
 Door gaps are also perfect
 

 

I am pleased to report that we have now completed the sheet metal repairs and your car is now ready for the filler and blocking stage.

 
 
 Bonnet was too short and had to be lengthened
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 Bottom edges of both front wings were rusty
and had to be repaired

 
 
 

 
 
 
 Repair panels were fabricated, completed wih steel beading

 
 
 

 
 
 
 Repair panels were first tack welded in position

 
 
 

 
 
 Seam was then TIG welded
 With TIG bead ground away, repair is invisible

 
 
 

 
 
 Right door skin was too short - should be level with top of B post
 Extension panel was fabricated to raise the height of the door

 
 
 

 
 
 
 As with the wing repair, the panel is first tack welded in place

 
 
 

 
 
 The joint is then TIG welded
 Door skin now the correct height

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 Wurth body wax applied inside cowl
Welding the replacement side cowl panel in place 

 
 
 

 
 
 Top and bottom seams will be lead loaded
 

 
 
 

 
 
 After lead loading, the bare metal is sealed with epoxy primer
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 

The paint and leather samples below are winging their way to California for your consideration.

 
 

The following sequence of photos show Darrell carrying out some rust repairs on the tailgate. We actually used a rust free section from an alternative (used) tailgate.

 
Rust pin holes in tailgate frame
 Lower section will be replaced

 

 

  
Offending section cut away
Replacement section is blasted and trial fitted

 

 

  
 
Body wax applied to inner surfaces

 

 

  
Replacement section a perfect fit
Replacement section welded in place

Repairing inner and outer rear wheel arches...

 
 
Repair panel first tack welded in place...
  

 

 

  
Then TIG welded...
  

 

 

  
Then metal finished....
Then sealed...

 

 

  
Wurth Body Wax sprayed between inner and outer panels
Inner repair panel welded in place

 

 

  
Trial fitting left hand wheel arch repair panel
Tack welded....

 

 

  
TIG welded...
Sealed...

 

 

  
Overriders welded to bumper blades !
  

 


 
 
 Installing rear floor brace
Preparing to install boot floor assembly 

 
 

 
 
 License plate 'roof' panel is installed first
 

 
 

 
 
 New boot floor assembly (rear clip) now welded in place
Time to deal with rust in rear arches 

 
 

 
 
 Inner wing is rusty
Cutting away inner wing 

 
 

 
 
 New inner wing will be fabricated and welded in place
 Trial fitting outer arch repair panel

Installing new outer sills...

 
 
Trial fitting sills in conjunction with re-skinned doors
  

 

 

  
Wurth Body Wax is applied to all enclosed box sections
 If only Jaguar had done this to your car in 1965

 

 

  
Underside of car held together with hundreds of spot welds
Left hand outer sill now welded in place

Installing new floors, skinning doors....

 
 
 
 Trial fitting floors

 

 
 
 Reskinning doors
New skins are first spot welded 

 

 
 
 Then flanges hammered over the frame
Darrell spot welding floors in place 

 

 
 
 
 

While dealing with some rust in the vertical rear bulkheads behind the seats, we took the opportunity to provide the car owner with a couple of extra inches of leg room.

 
 
Rear bulkheads require a little surgery
There are a couple of inches of extra legroom to be had
by relocating the bulkhead panel

 

 

  
Repairing rust issues on IRS side of the bulkhead
  

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
Silver marker pen shows where we will position new bulkhead
Fabricating the new repair panel

 

 

  
 
Shaping the flanges of the new panel

 

 

  
 
Welding up a few unwanted holes in upper rear bulkhead

 

 

  
 
Installing new engine frame mounting brackets

 

 

  
   

 

 

  
Rear bulkhead now repaired and extended
A small but worthwhile increase in leg room

 

Replacing the right hand inner sill....

 
Cutting out old inner sill
  
   
 
Trial fitting new panel
   
 
Spot welding new panel in place

 
 

Time to get this body restoration underway....

 
Drilling out old spot welds to remove inner sills
  

 

 

  
Applying body wax to inner box sections
  

 

 

  
Left hand inner sill is first of many panels to be replaced
  

Back from the blaster, there really aren't any nasty surprises. The bonnet is definitely serviceable, which is great news.

 
 
 Bonnet and tailgate both serviceable

 

 
 
 
 Door frames will need some work

 

 
 
 
 Boot floor looks very clean...

 

We now have your car completely disassembled with the main monocoque on one of the rotisserie jigs. Off to the blaster tomorrow!

 
 Disassembling the bonnet
Door skins cut away

 
 
 

 
 
 Belly pan may be beyond economical repair
 

 
 
 

 
 
 Darrell melting away old lead
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 Floors and inner/outer sills will be replaced

I am delighted to report that your car has arrived safely in Austin and we will have the restoration underway in the next few days!

 
 Body will be blasted back to bare metal next week
 Engine frames will be replaced
 

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