Barn find Jaguar E-Type restored to 1962 glory

[Jaguar Owners Club]

 

Robert Buchanan and Ralph Boonstra are restoring a 1962 E-type Jaguar in Ralph's garage.

The story of how a vaguely worded ad led to a once-in-a-lifetime deal for a Jaguar fanatic A vaguely worded classified ad, saying only “Jaguar for Sale,” resulted in a once-in-a-lifetime deal for an Edmonton-area E-Type Jaguar enthusiast

 

Rob Buchanan, a life-long lover of the iconic hard-top coupe, spotted the ad in September 2013. It turned out to be a 1962 Jaguar E-Type 3.8, located in Calgary. Buchanan immediately sped south, and by 7 p.m. had made what he calls his own “barn find deal” with the seller.

Hours of work and countless dollars are required to bring the 1962 E-type Jaguar back to life.
 

He bought the chassis, frame, engine plus a spare, and all the parts – which had been cataloged and stored in boxes – for less than $7,000, knowing it was worth a great deal more. The seller also knew the real value of what he was selling but said he wanted it off his hands.

“I’ve loved the E-Type my whole life, and there isn’t anyone between ages of 45 and 70 who hasn’t at one time looked at this car and said ‘wow’,” explained Buchanan, a welder and pipe-fitting instructor at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Edmonton.

Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, Buchanan owned his first E-Type at age 19 after making good money in the U.K. Oil industry. His love for that car was such that when he and his then-girlfriend, now-wife Nora had a tiff, she knew just how to hurt him and kicked his E-Type’s passenger door as he drove away. “She knew how to cause me pain and I asked ‘Did you really have to do that?’”

The 1962 E-type Jaguar is now grey instead of its original red.
Greg Southam, Edmonton Journal

The E-Type Jaguar is no ordinary sports car. It’s an engineering marvel and a work of art, and has earned places in the Smithsonian Institution and the New York Museum of Modern Art. It made a stunning debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961 and on its release was described by Enzo Ferrari as “the most beautiful car ever made.”

Back then, Britain was still in the shadows of the austere 1950s. The Swinging Sixties were a few years away. But behind the scenes, Jaguar’s mathematician and aerodynamics expert Malcolm Sayer was toiling to create a sports car with an almost perfect aerodynamic body. The result was the sensational E-Type Jaguar, which offered superb handling and speed, too.

The new Jaguar shocked conservative drivers in Britain, but thrilled many more with its sensual styling. But there was a catch: Jaguar chief Sir William Lyons wanted the E-Type to lead Jaguar’s leap into the U.S. market, thus the much-desired sports car was hard to come by at home.

Buchanan’s car was No. 625 off the production line, and one of only a handful sold in Britain. It was originally bought by someone in London, and in the early 1980s shipped to Calgary by its previous owner. It spent the past 30 years in a garage, awaiting repair. Fortunately, Alberta’s climate is dryer than Britain’s, so it didn’t rust and the main components stayed in relatively good condition.

The restoration work is proceeding at a phenomenal pace, given that the average car restoration can take years. But Buchanan, 60, has exceptional knowledge about the vehicle, having owned four E-Types in the past. He had to sell those cars at various points over the years to pay for things like his children’s university tuition.

He’s also being helped by a friend, Ralph Boonstra, a retired mechanical technician who’s restored 15 E-Types in the past.

The project has been a life-saver for Boonstra, who had a massive heart attack two years ago and whose passion for the car has given him a sense of purpose. “This project really pepped up my life and gives inspiration every day,” said Boonstra.

The very early E-type Jaguar is being completely restored.
Greg Southam, Edmonton Journal

The men began in September and the car will be on the road in early summer, 2014. The only significant change will be the will be the colour. Buchanan’s car was originally pillar box red, but he’s resprayed it gunmetal grey.

Buchanan refused to be drawn into revealing the cost of the restoration, and chuckled as he said  “that’s something I turn a blind eye to.” When asked what’s been the most challenging aspect of the project, he paused for a moment and then replied: “Nothing really. We just love this work.”

Buchanan loves the E-Type’s history almost as much as the car, and knows many details and facts. E-Types have a “crash gear box,” meaning first gear is non-synchronized and drivers had to come to a complete stop to shift the car into first. But impatient drivers would jam the stick shift into first, hence the phrase “crash gear box.” The 3.8 had three carbs, making it faster than the 4.2 produced later. It had a basic interior and seats, but these features were overlooked by enthusiasts, who never fell out of love with the coupe’s style, performance and affordability.

 

We’ll check back on this on this E-Type restoration project, and will feature plenty of images of the restored car when it hits the roads in 2014.

 

Jaguar E-Type 3.8 by the numbers:
Model years 1961 – 1964
Body styles Fixed head coupe, roadster
Manufacturing details 15,490 of that model built in Coventry, U.K.
Engine and Transmission 3,781-cc, six-cylinder four-speed
Max speed 149 mph
Launch Price £2,098, approximately $5,780 Canadian
Value after restoration $80,000 – $90,000

By Sheelagh Caygill, Driving

[Karl Jones]

Hi Guys

First of all well done. I'm really made up for you guys. I love to read and watch when an old lady gets a second chance. It amazing the amount of hours you guys have put in so far and I wish you all the best for the oncoming weeks ahead. Would really like to see her when she's all done.  I'm glad to see Ralph is getting stuck in because I know what a life changing accident or illness can do to a person. I had an accident back in 2007and my life will never be the same, that's not to say I don't get 110% out of every day. It just means I do it a little slower.

Take care and I look forward to more photo's.