2003-04-24 14:36:46 | Anonymous writes:

Seen on eBay, 5/2003. Ad reads:

"Current labor rate for Jaguar specialty restoration shops start at around $65 per hour. To do a rotissary frame up restoration, it could cost between $70,000 to $100,000.

Jaguar XKE 2+2 Coupe. One of the very last in production run. Car has received a three year comprehensive reconditioning totaling over 450 hours in labor which at current labor rates is $29,250, not including $17,000 in parts (with receipts) and the original purchase price of $12,000. I purchased the car because it had not been wrecked and had minimal rust to repair. The engine has excellent oil pressure (75/45 PSI). Rare 4 speed manual trans. 59,000 actual miles. V12 engine runs smoothly. Reconditioning includes the following: bare metal respray using Dupont polyurethane primers and catalyzed high gloss Signal Red centari. Car had super straight body to begin with. Car came from Texas. Complete black Connelly leather seat kits with new foams and diaphragms. New carpet floor mats. New tires, tubes, brake lines, hydraulics, a/c compressor, dryer accumulator, 134a coolant, a/c hoses, tensioner pulley, and fittings. Distributor is new HE (GM electronics) system from Jaguar with new coil and module as per factory specifications. New plugs and plug wires. Rebuilt carbs., new electronic SU electric fuel pump to replace the original points style fuel pump, cleaned fuel tank, new fuel filters, new air cleaners, rubber connectors, clamps, vacuum hoses, heater hoses, all cooling hoses, purge tank and upper cooling pipes, and proper thermostats. Changed all fluids with Castrol products. New battery, custom stainless steel battery box, new voltage regulator, new Butec alternator, rebuilt slave cylinder, new slave hose, new steering rack boots and front end alignment. New oiling system seals on front of engine, transmission rear seal and differential seal. Custom polished stainless steel rain deflectors. New OEM old style knock off spinners. Highly polished chrome wire wheels. New grill assembly and rubber overriders. New lenses, tag bracket, complete exhaust system with new stainless 4 way fan tail extension, new Blaupunkt stereo system and new antenna. New rear window seal, hatch seal, lower driver's door seal, and other seals as necessary. New bonnet gas shock stay. New interior escuteons, A/C knobs, and labels as necessary. New Series I 16" reproduction walnut steering wheel, polished aluminum hub and Jaguar horn push with matching burr walnut shift knob from British Autowood. New cooling fan override switch, relay and LED light tastefully mounted on center console (for control freaks). Sand blasted and detailed electric fan brackets and much, much more detailing in engine bay. This has been a labor of love. Not built to be concours winner just an extemely nice driver that one would be proud to show and should not have to worry about the ignition system failing ever.

I believe that this is a true $45,000 restoration and my loss is your gain. There are still some details to be worked out mainly cosmetics, ie the headliner is still original. It looks very nice but its life is nearing its end. The rear hatch needs the upholstery replaced and the factory Wilton wool carpet is slightly faded on the center console. The dashboard top is perfect with no cracks, but the forward section has a couple of small ones. All in all, a very sweet car for the age. Not much to finish off the cosmetics. Anyone who enjoys tinkering can do it at home and this car should not to go into the shop for months and months.

Vehicle Condition

The car runs and drives excellent. I have taken it on a couple of 300 plus mile journeys and have always returned safely. The engine is smooth and quiet. The transmission shifts smooth and is quiet. The clutch is tight with no jutters. The rear axle is quiet. There may be one brake rotor that is not perfect, but generally the braking is excellent with no issues of calipers hanging up or leaking at this time. The condition of the body is excellent. It is arrow straight with absolutely no dings, chips or imperfections. Since the paint is less than a year old, it has not yet been buffed for those who expect mirror perfection, although you can see yourself in most places just fine."

2003-06-01 13:58:56 | Lofty writes:

ebay Item # 2417676073 6/1/03
Seller comment:
Jaguar XKE V12 2+2 4 speed Coupe. Car has received a three year comprehensive reconditioning totaling over 450 hours in labor. V12 engine runs strong, smooth and quiet. Car has 59,500 acutal miles. car has not been wrecked and has minimal rust to repair and the engine has excellent oil pressure (75 cold/45 hot PSI). I was factory /dealer trained in the '70s by two British Leyland dealerships and have been restoring British cars for over 25 years since.

Body
bare metal respray using catalyzed polyurethane primer and Dupont catalyzed high gloss Signal Red Centari. Car had nice straight body to begin with which spent most of its life in sunny Texas. Excellent bonnet, boot, and door gaps. I repaired some areas in the forward section of the dropped floor area where the carpets retained moisture. I also repaired the areas behind the rear wheels at the bottom back side of arches where there were bubbles just starting. Metal was cut out, sized, fitted, butt welded and dressed with very minimal filler. Special attention was paid to the detail of the rocker panels where they meet the floor to give a high quality professional look and also so there was enough paint down there. replaced the chrome as necessary with new pieces but mostly is nice original. replaced the entire grill assembly due to age as well as the rubber that fits over the front bumper guards. New lenses, rear tag bracket, rear window seal, hatch seal, lower drivers door seal and other seals as necessary and lastly a new bonnet gas stay shock and new chrome rear mounted XKE antenna.

Powertrain
installed the new HE (GM electronics) system from Jaguar with new distributor assembly, coil and module (an exact look-a-like) as per factory specifications. New plugs and plug wires, rebuilt carbs., new electronic SU electric fuel pump, cleaned fuel tank, new fuel filters, air cleaners, rubber connectors, clamps, and vacuum hoses. Changed all fluids with Castrol products. New battery, custom stainless steel battery box (will never rust) to OEM specs, new Butec alternator and matching voltage regulator, rebuilt slave cylinder, new slave hose, new o-rings on the oil system pick up, new timing adjuster plug, new transmission rear seal and differential seal. Custom polished stainless steel rain deflectors to replace the thin aluminum units that bend

Exhaust system
Replaced with OEM system from Jaguar with new hangers and deluxe polished stainless steel 4 way fan tail extension.

Suspension
New steering rack boots and front end alignment. Checked all bearings and seals. New tires, tubes, brake hoses, and brand new OEM Jaguar knock-off spinners to replace federal wrench-offs.

Cooling system
New main purge header tank and upper curved steel radiator pipes. Replaced all cooling system hoses and many with extra heavy duty 3-ply. New thermostats. New new cooling override switch, relay and LED light tastefully mounted on center console. Sandblasted, painted and detailed electric radiator fan brackets and fan motors.

Heat and A/C
New A/C compressor, dryer accumulator, 134A coolant, A/C hoses, Jaguar tensioner pulley and fittings. Blows cold and doesn't leak down. New heater thermo control valve.

Interior
Complete new black Connelly leather front seat kits with new foams and diaphragms. This includes the head rest foams and leather. New front floor carpet mats. Replaced the entire rear seat assembly with a very nice unit from a car from New England that had not received extreme heat and sun damage. New Jaguar Series I 16" reproduction walnut steering wheel, polished aluminum adjustable hub and matching Jaguar horn push. New matching burr walnut shift knob from British Autowood. New A/C knobs, escuteons and dashboard labels as necessary. New Blapunkt stereo system. New shift gator and leather shift boot.

Even though this is a $45,000 restoration in progress, my loss may be your gain. I have lowered the reserve. There are still some details to be worked out, mainly cosmetics, ie the headliner is still original. It looks nice but it's life is nearing its end. The rear hatch needs the upholstery replaced and the factory Wilton wool carpet is slightly faded on the center console. The dashboard top is perfect with no cracks, but the forward section has a couple of small ones.

2003-06-07 09:46:22 | Steven D. writes:

With three days 5 hours left on the above auction there have been 6 bids and the price is currently at $25,000.00 (reserve met)

2003-06-08 15:00:09 | Steven D. writes:

Some pictures of this car look like duplicates but they are actually larger copies of the smaller pictures.

2003-08-28 20:50:01 | Steven D. writes:

Auction did finish with 6 bids at the above price. URL for auction is:

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll