Photo: E-Type.uk
Developed from the D-Type family of racing cars, the E-Type is a bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful sports car penned by legendary engineer and aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer. The first generation – dubbed Series 1 – is the most collectible of them all because it features the purest lines.
Offered between 1961 and 1968, the XK-E, as it was called in America, was available in three body styles: fixed-head coupe, 2+2 fixed-head coupe, and canvas-top roadster. The car we’re covering today is an FHC that flaunts a no-expense-spared refurbishment carried out by the experts at E-Type.uk.
Sourced from a mountainous region of Norway, the left-hand-drive cat underwent 3,500 hours of restoration. The specialists first examined the body panels for signs of rust, then sandblasted every panel to remove the original paint. After tons of metalwork fabrication that includes brand-new floors and sills, the Kent-based company applied rust inhibitors and primer.
With the metal shell complete, the British outfit then applied filler to ensure arrow-straight panels and gaps across the vehicle. Left to rest for several weeks to ensure that everything is hardened prior to painting, this fine-looking blast from the past now sports Pearl Gray, its original finish from 1964. The XK-E’s beauty, however, isn’t only skin deep.
A central element to the restoration process is the independent rear suspension, which is joined by brand-new bearings, universal joints, and coil-over shock absorbers. Four- and six-piston brake calipers with performance-oriented pads also need to be mentioned, along with an independent handbrake system, five-speed transmission instead of the original four-speed box, and electronic fuel injection for the six-pot motor.
The straight-six engine is a 3.8 with heritage throttle bodies and concealed injectors, thus retaining the period look. An uprated alternator, electronic ignition, crankshaft sensor, high- and low-pressure fuel pumps, and an oil catch tank make this E-Type far more reliable than it used to be originally.
As for the cabin, the peeps at E-Type.uk went for Dark Blue leather on the seats and dash, the same finish the vehicle flaunted nearly six decades ago.
Sourced from a mountainous region of Norway, the left-hand-drive cat underwent 3,500 hours of restoration. The specialists first examined the body panels for signs of rust, then sandblasted every panel to remove the original paint. After tons of metalwork fabrication that includes brand-new floors and sills, the Kent-based company applied rust inhibitors and primer.
With the metal shell complete, the British outfit then applied filler to ensure arrow-straight panels and gaps across the vehicle. Left to rest for several weeks to ensure that everything is hardened prior to painting, this fine-looking blast from the past now sports Pearl Gray, its original finish from 1964. The XK-E’s beauty, however, isn’t only skin deep.
A central element to the restoration process is the independent rear suspension, which is joined by brand-new bearings, universal joints, and coil-over shock absorbers. Four- and six-piston brake calipers with performance-oriented pads also need to be mentioned, along with an independent handbrake system, five-speed transmission instead of the original four-speed box, and electronic fuel injection for the six-pot motor.
The straight-six engine is a 3.8 with heritage throttle bodies and concealed injectors, thus retaining the period look. An uprated alternator, electronic ignition, crankshaft sensor, high- and low-pressure fuel pumps, and an oil catch tank make this E-Type far more reliable than it used to be originally.
As for the cabin, the peeps at E-Type.uk went for Dark Blue leather on the seats and dash, the same finish the vehicle flaunted nearly six decades ago.
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