2019-03-12 08:41:57 | Herman Stöver writes:

The 26th left hand drive Fixed Head Coupe (the 31th in total, LHD 8850001 up to and including 885025, RHD 860001 up to and including 860005 were made before the 885026)

Got all the features of the early cars, i.a. flat floor, welded-in louvres, white plastic defroster vents, fibreglass glove box, angular rear-door hinges without covers and roadsters seats.

One of the first cars which got the internal hood latches (this happen at the end of August 1961, LHD FHC up to and including 885020 RHD FHC up to and including 860004), but the pocket on the transmission tunnel to store the T-key for the external hood-latches has been applied on 885026...! I suppose the trim departement of Jaguar had already made some interiors when the production change was made to the internal hood latches...

885026 is currently under restoration. The body and the complete rear suspension are already done.

2019-03-12 12:16:16 | Stefan writes:

Very nice, very early.....

Pocket for the T-key: is the same with 875521 (similar engine no: supposedly approx same production time)

Welded louvers: are these the original early louvres or have they been replaced with e.g. the ones from Martin Robey or other repros? Profile of louvres are different. Not sure, but your louvres look like the later profile. But I also could be wrong...... apologies if so!

2019-03-13 00:34:03 | Martin Robinson writes:

In a photo of the car prior to restoration start , the open hood clearly shows that the hood does not have welded louvers , so is not original to the car . Welded louvers appear to have been added to the non original hood in the restoration .

2019-03-13 06:46:14 | Herman Stöver writes:

Hello Martin,

Don't draw conclusions if you don't no the facts...(-;

The car came with a non-original "aftermarket" glassfibre hood. During restoration it turned out that the front subframe was deprived. So the car must be in a big accident at which the original hood must be severely damaged. What happend after is something what often happen when a once expensive car isn't any valuable anymore... (in the seventies and eighties...) Fix it for a penny... The interior was done at the same way, re-coated with cheap vinyl...Which you can also see on the "before" pictures.

So the hood you see in the restorations pictures is a meticulous "recreation" of a original early "welded louvers" E-type hood.

2019-03-14 00:13:41 | Stefan writes:

Herman: where did you get the louvres from? And where did you get the bonnet flanges from?

I am asking as the louvres really look like the ones from Martin Robey and they simply are not 100% right. Moreover, you cannot take the glued flanges and weld them if you really want to recreat a welded louvre bonnet as close to original as possible.

You now invest a lot of money. If you never want to sell her, fine. But every expert will see it and when you intend to sell the car, this might be the driver for a no sale or only with a massive discount.

2019-03-14 02:13:07 | Daniel writes:

Maybe I'm wrong, but according to the picture of the body on the rotisserie, it seems that the rear bulkhead of the body shell has recesses behind the seat backs.

This feature appeared on FHC #886092.

So this body seems to come from a later car.

2019-03-14 05:57:49 | barrie wood writes:

In actual fact I think the recessed panels behind the seats are the original straight panel which has been modified with a big hammer. If you look at the photo looking through the windscreen you can see the pressings which are flattened out in the modification. Also visible in the photo is the early corner boot floor panels (behind the tail lamps) which have a smaller hole than later production.

2019-03-14 10:22:15 | Herman Stöver writes:

Hello Stefan,

Thanks for your comment about the louvres. I will take this up with my restaurateur

2020-09-27 06:43:51 | Miguel writes:

Restoration to concours-spec continues