{"id":11014,"date":"2015-01-28T08:44:18","date_gmt":"2015-01-28T13:44:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.monocoque-metalworks.com\/main\/?p=11014"},"modified":"2015-01-28T16:45:23","modified_gmt":"2015-01-28T21:45:23","slug":"another-monocoque-metalworks-e-type-going-back-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monocoque-metalworks.com\/main\/2015\/01\/another-monocoque-metalworks-e-type-going-back-together\/","title":{"rendered":"Another Monocoque Metalworks E-Type going back together!"},"content":{"rendered":"

I just received these photos last evening from our customer from a few years ago – Bud…<\/p>\n

Bud’s car is the earliest E-Type I have ever worked on – although not by much!\u00a0 We are putting the finishing touches on the monocoque shell for the 43rd LHD E-Type Coupe just now – but Bud’s car is just a tad earlier than that – being the 41st!<\/p>\n

When we met Bud, his car was already underway at another restoration shop, but he was starting to feel that because of the extremely low serial number of this E-Type, that the restoration should probably be taken up a notch…\u00a0 Let me tell you – since then, Bud has taken it up about TEN notches!<\/p>\n

He started out by asking us to build a perfect example of an early, welded-louver and welded-flange bonnet – you can read about this work in detail in our blogs – look in the category “1961 Welded-louver bonnet” on the right…\u00a0 We painstakingly built this bonnet using an original welded-louver center section, original R.H. and L.H valence and air duct assemblies, and original front under panel assembly — reproducing even the finest details based on another early \u201961 OTS that was in our shop at that time.\u00a0 Patterning the wider, and slightly different flanges was very time-consuming – some of these flange patterns were re-drawn FOUR times!\u00a0 Since then, we have used some of the patterns occasionally to reproduce these flanges for the restoration of other early bonnets around the world – call us if you need some!<\/p>\n

Once the bonnet was completed, we restored his frame rails, and then fitted the new bonnet to his existing monocoque shell, which was already restored and in primer – we did not do any of the work on the shell (but I did take a TON of photos of the nuances of it – which came in REAL handy for #43!).\u00a0 Finally, we delivered the completed shell to a new restoration shop in Virginia…<\/p>\n

Over the past few years, Bud has struggled to find the proper restoration facility for this early FHC…\u00a0 Finally, Bud chose \u201cClassic Showcase\u201d in Oceanside, CA – a well-known E-Type restoration facility where several of the high-dollar E-Types sold at auction in the past few years have been restored.\u00a0 I think he is at the right place now, and coming down the home stretch!<\/p>\n

One thing I should note about this project is that doing an early car like this – correctly – is NOT for the faint of heart!\u00a0 It requires a great deal of research, AND parts scrounging!\u00a0 Compounding Bud’s restoration are two factors working against him in my opinion:<\/p>\n

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  1. The car was missing a few early parts when he started, and he has literally scoured the earth for the correct early bits and pieces.<\/li>\n
  2. Bud is a FANATIC about doing the car 100% perfectly correct!\u00a0 In his quest, I think he could rewrite the book on these early cars – he is continually calling me and others I know searching for original parts with obscure little differences!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Luckily for me, while the car is in California currently, Bud does not live that far away, and I promise you that I’ll be dashing down there to see this car when it is completed!\u00a0 The car will be finished in its original color scheme of Opalescent Gunmetal (matched against an original 1961 Jaguar paint swatch…) and red interior, and it will be very close to the original E-Type show cars unveiled to the world in 1961!\u00a0 Sitting in this one, restored, is as close as you can get to experiencing the newborn E-Type!<\/p>\n

    Hang in there, Bud – can’t wait to see you cross the finish line with this one! – Chuck<\/p>\n