There are so many specialty skills that go into a professional classic car restoration – body specialists, paint specialists, interior specialists, engine specialists, driveline specialists, chassis specialists, and the list goes on.
So when it came to writing the “ultimate” manual for restoring an early Jaguar E-type, Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth, UK, engaged specific members of its own restoration staff to each write a chapter based on that person’s expertise.
The technicians based their chapters on the full nut-and-bolt restoration by CMC of 1961 E-type chassis No. 60, a very early “flat-floor” model. The car was in original condition when the British owner, Chris Anderson, brought the roadster to CMC for the full treatment after buying it at auction in 2013.
The result is an award-winning Jaguar and a 224-page book, titled simply E-Type Jaguar Restoration Manual, that not only documents the restoration but explains the steps in the process through the writings of the experts.
“CMC wanted to provide the ultimate E-Type restoration manual, and they decided that the best way to do it was to allow individual specialists to write their own chapters,” David Barzilay, chairman of CMC and editor of the manual, said in a news release.
The E-Type was the 60th car off the assembly line as Jaguar started up production of its iconic sports car in 1961. The 3.8-liter roadster is one of the earliest right-hand-drive models known to survive.
The restoration took 3,500 man hours to bring the Jaguar back to factory condition, according to CMC, and the car since has received many prestigious awards. The restoration process is shown in the manual with more than 700 photographs.
Prices for Jaguar E-Types are continuing to climb, from excellent restored cars to needs-everything barn finds. The repair manual could be a fitting companion for owners and restorers alike.
For more information about the book, visit the publisher’s website.
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