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I think it was maybe in WWII that infantry soldiers came up with the phrase “hurry up and wait”. It might have been a reflection on the chaotic situation of wartime, where maybe they were in a forced march to reach a strategic location, only to arrive there and sit around with no further action … Continue reading
When I read about restorations of significant cars by high end shops, there is usually a discussion of the significant time spent on “research”. Typically, the story seems to revolve around some old racecar that has been located that is being restored to a specific appearance it had when it gained its significance on the … Continue reading
In my previous article, I discussed the specifics of selecting an upholstery kit for the restoration of my 1963 Etype FHC. For this article, I’ll try and make some more general recommendations regarding upholstery. Of course, if your car is relatively new or a well maintained older car, your job is simply to preserve the … Continue reading
As my wife Kelli correctly points out, when it comes to making a good first impression with one’s car, after paint upholstery is key. And since I am done with paint on the 63 Etype, we are going to talk about upholstery quite a bit. As noted in previous articles, after 2 years of work … Continue reading
After completing paint work on my 1963 Etype FHC restoration, I moved the body shell into a different garage for “mechanical assembly”. Basically, the rest of the restoration will occur in this garage, where I have it on a lift. In addition to the major components remaining to be installed, i.e. the engine, transmission, driveshaft, … Continue reading
As I noted in a previous article, I had sent the engine for my 1963 E-Type FHC to Dick Maury at Coventry West for a rebuild. I also sent a transmission and clutch to be rebuilt and assembled on the engine. Dick notified me in June that the work was complete. I drove down to … Continue reading
Wow, I really am thinking I should tackle a less controversial subject, like religion or politics! But here goes. Trust me, this won’t be a definitive answer to this subject but I hope to at least provide some food for thought, so to speak. By the way, let’s say that Authenticity and Originality are basically … Continue reading
A recent milestone for the restoration of the 1963 E-Type FHC is the completion of the independent rear suspension aka the IRS. The IRS on the E-type was an improvement over the solid axle design of the XK-120/140/150 series cars. It is “independent” in the sense that each wheel can respond to suspension movements independently … Continue reading
Many folks, when they are thinking about the restoration of a car, think about both improving theappearance of their car for sure and maybe the reliability. How much emphasis you place on eithercategory of course depends a lot on the starting point you are working from. In the case of my SomeAssembly Required car, this … Continue reading
When I left off in Part 8, we talked about getting ready for paint. Unfortunately, I continue to draw closer to being able to spray actual color but I am not there yet. This is discouraging but also explains why top quality paint jobs cost so much. In my case, to tell a little story … Continue reading
New Hill Garage 