Jaguar E-type 3.8
1962 Jaguar E-type 3.8 fhc
Owned by Phil Bell (phil.bell@bauermedia.co.uk)
Time owned 11 years
Latest/total mileage 118/108,231
Latest/total costs £10/15,843
Previously Mostly replaced the ageing and cracked two-piece hatchback seal
When I tell you that the recent run of bright but cold weather prevented me from replacing the rubber seal that the E-type’s hatchback closes onto, please don’t email immediately to call me a wimp. My predicament was caused by haste to get the job started which resulted in me removing the old seal before reading the instructions for the recommended E6000 glue. Yes, I know. It turns out that it’s best applied and left to cure at temperatures of at least 10 degrees Celsius. As I write, it’s still cold enough for our local gritting lorries to be out regularly.
I hoped that my infrared workshop heater would come to the rescue, but I don’t have space to put it a couple of good strides away from the car to avoid melting something expensive. Maybe it’s overspecified for a domestic garage, but you know what it’s like when shopping for tools and equipment.
Suddenly, it was Drive It Day, a nationwide initiative to showcase the joys of classic vehicles as positive PR for the scene and industry. But come Sunday morning, I’d only had enough warm weather to fit one half of the new seal and driving the car in that state would have left the hatchback rattling violently against its catch. With a few strips of gaffer tape holding the old seal in place I poked the starter button, bracing myself for a bout of the endless churning normally needed to get ignition after a fortnight of inaction. Three goes later and it fired, so I grabbed Mrs Bell and headed out for an unplanned foray across Beds, Herts and Cambs in search of other Drive-it-day revellers.
We struck lucky while stopped for a photo on the A603 when a stunning 1932 Triumph Southern Cross pulled in behind us, piloted by Adam Bennett and son Monty. They were on their way to a pre-1940 Triumph Motor Club pub meet in nearby Guilden Morden so we decided to gatecrash what turned out to be a friendly bunch who didn’t seem to mind the arrival of an interloping Jaguar – but then, their region leader Cecil Willcocks had arrived by MGB.
Other cars spotted on the road included a Jensen C-V8 and Morgan Plus 8, Triumphs TR3, 2500 estate and Stag, a couple of MG Midgets and Mazda MX-5S and one MGF. If you spotted me, yes the E-type was carrying several weeks of garage dust, but driving is always a priority over washing it.