And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
I, my friend, and his dad left one at Jaguar of Cleveland in 1970. a two (?) year old XKE, lemon yellow, 4K. my friend was picking up the MGB hus pops bought him for graduation. the three of us bemoaned not buying it for years,
We used to say Lucas, the Prince of Darkness; the reason England drinks warm beer. I got my Navy (flying) call sign because I couldn't afford a mechanic for the thing on an Ensign's salary so I was always working on it out in the parking lot.
You needed an ambidextrous senior mechanic with a Phillips screwdriver in his left hand and a straight in his right with someone reading from the 8” thick 3 ring binder Owner’s Operating Manual in order to tune the 3 - two barrel Weber down draft carburetors …..until finally it purrs like a kitty….but wait until it’s no longer overcast or no longer sunny and it’s back to the Owner’s Manual.
Nice to look at but like beautiful women they will keep you poor. 4.2's blow head gaskets but I gather some New Zealand guy came up with a fix that makes it reliable in that area. I think I'll listen to advice from my dad's mate that worked for a Jag dealer who said stay away from Jags despite looks.
Dad used to carpool with a guy that had a red 72 with the V12. They would alternate weeks to drive. Most of the time the other guy would drive a beater Nova but once a month he would drive the XKE. Dad was a gear head and had a 340 Dodge Dart Twister.
Back about '69, I coulda had one but I didn't. Again, in about '78 we bought my wife a new car instead. I was pissed for eighteen months. She said, "You should have told me." I told her to put on my headstone, "He should have bought the Jag."
Early '80's, rural Illinois, on tour with Jag Club (in my XK120). One of the E-Types was tagged for 85 in a 55. Owner said later "I did not have the heart to tell him I was in third gear & slowing down when he got me."
It's supposed to be green!
ReplyDeleteOnly if Stirling Moss is driving, or maybe Jackie Stewart.
DeleteThe peak of Jaguar engineering. Those gents formed metal to look like silk draped over a woman's body. True beauty.
ReplyDeleteI had one; it was champaign gold. You had to play the right music when driving it to get the full experience.
ReplyDeleteI, my friend, and his dad left one at Jaguar of Cleveland in 1970. a two (?) year old XKE, lemon yellow, 4K. my friend was picking up the MGB hus pops bought him for graduation. the three of us bemoaned not buying it for years,
ReplyDeletemy friends wife bought him one several years ago.
Enzo Ferrari said that E-type was the most beautiful car ever made.
ReplyDeleteA true work of art.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful car! But, the Dark Lord Lucas...
ReplyDeleteRight, but the lads from the Midlands say they’ve got that sorted…
DeleteWe used to say Lucas, the Prince of Darkness; the reason England drinks warm beer. I got my Navy (flying) call sign because I couldn't afford a mechanic for the thing on an Ensign's salary so I was always working on it out in the parking lot.
DeleteMissed a shift or two, did you?
DeleteBeautiful. But the coupe is hideous.
ReplyDeleteYou need to DX your eyeballz.
DeleteThe coupe is everything the convertible is times two.
You needed an ambidextrous senior mechanic with a Phillips screwdriver in his left hand and a straight in his right with someone reading from the 8” thick 3 ring binder Owner’s Operating Manual in order to tune the 3 - two barrel Weber down draft carburetors …..until finally it purrs like a kitty….but wait until it’s no longer overcast or no longer sunny and it’s back to the Owner’s Manual.
ReplyDeleteNice to look at but like beautiful women they will keep you poor. 4.2's blow head gaskets but I gather some New Zealand guy came up with a fix that makes it reliable in that area. I think I'll listen to advice from my dad's mate that worked for a Jag dealer who said stay away from Jags despite looks.
DeleteE-types are like violins, they need to be tuned every time you use it.
Delete7.0 liter ls swap and a 6 speed manual. Fuel injection and new wiring to banish the prince of darkness to the curb.
DeleteNo need to keep a jag mechanic on retainer, plus the ones familiar with these jags has to be long in the tooth or retired years ago.
"The greatest crumpet catcher ever made."
ReplyDeletesaid David E. Davis
DeleteI never had much time for the Series 3. The Series 1, however, will forever be perfection.
ReplyDeleteThe only car I was ever in where, when it was driven "properly" you could watch the fuel gauge needle drop!
ReplyDeleteThe E-Type is my favorite, but the C1 Corvette is a very close second.
ReplyDeleteRemember "Route 66"?
Dad used to carpool with a guy that had a red 72 with the V12. They would alternate weeks to drive. Most of the time the other guy would drive a beater Nova but once a month he would drive the XKE. Dad was a gear head and had a 340 Dodge Dart Twister.
ReplyDeleteBack about '69, I coulda had one but I didn't. Again, in about '78 we bought my wife a new car instead. I was pissed for eighteen months. She said, "You should have told me." I told her to put on my headstone, "He should have bought the Jag."
ReplyDeleteEarly '80's, rural Illinois, on tour with Jag Club (in my XK120). One of the E-Types was tagged for 85 in a 55. Owner said later "I did not have the heart to tell him I was in third gear & slowing down when he got me."
ReplyDeleteDated a girl in college who had one of those. Fun to drive but lousey for making out.
ReplyDelete