Refection of an E-type hard top

[lowdrag]

Back in the day when E-types were everyday cars and used 12 months of the year, companies started making hard tops for the winter months. Jaguar of course made them and you can still buy new ones if you so desire, but back in the 1960's two companies in particular decided to make hard tops that turned the roadster into a coupé, thus providing more luggage space. These companies were Ashley (who made them for Midgets and MGB's as well as E-types, and Williams and Pritchard, who also made alloy body shells. Many years ago I started searching for one made by Williams and Pritchard, but all I found was part of one in vermilion metalflake green, Here is a copy of the W&P advert produced in 1964:-



Until last year when one turned up on Ebay, Bought by a chap up north who raced an E-type, he decided to repaint it and so took it apart and put it in his garage, and there it stayed for forty years. This is as it was found:-

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Here are more photos now it is esconced in Hastings, and where it will be rebuilt and sprayed gunmetal grey, the same as the car:-







So now you will have an idea as to how it will look when finished. Maybe you like it, maybe not, but I am glad that after 30 years I have found one since it is believed to be the only complete one left in the world. More anon as work progresses.

Edited by lowdrag on Wednesday 12th April 16:36

[Yertis]

How does the boot work? Do you remove the original one?

[lowdrag]

Yes, we shall remove the boot lid and hinges

Edited by lowdrag on Wednesday 12th April 15:41

[aeropilot]

Well, its different, and as you say, is likely to be a unique survivor.

[What The Deuces]

Joined to watch the resto. Its a good looking thing!

[Yertis]

Hardtops are bit 'Marmite' I think. If I'm honest I don't like the way this one looks, it's a bit XJ-S too with those buttresses. I was excited to restore and fit a hard-top to my TR, but every year I put it on and almost immediately want to take it off again. With the definite exceptions of the Stag and Merc 107 I've realised I just don't like hard-tops.

[Astacus]

Interesting looking thing and being W&P probably ly well made. Am I right in thinking it’s fibreglass?
It doesn’t look like it will give you additional boot space, but you will certainly have a unique car.
Please keep us updated with progress I am keen to see what it looks like when finished

[lowdrag]

The hard top will be brought over to Le Mans for the Classic at the end of June and we'll fit it and it'll be parked up inside the circuit at times. This has been a bee in my bonnet for a long long time but even I am not sure whether I'll like it when on the car! It didn't cost much (two bids) on Ebay so it isn't really that important. It is just a bit of Jaguar history I guess. It is fibreglass and those tiny rear windows plexiglass. Not that light though!

Edited by lowdrag on Thursday 13th April 11:17

[Mikebentley]

As others have said very reminiscent of an XJ S. I wonder if it was the inspiration for the XJS Buttresses..

[lowdrag]

I did some research on a number of styles of cars of that period and one that it resembles greatly is the 206 Dino, but there were a number of cars with this type of styling. I wonder if in fact Jaguar used the hard top as a model for the XJS.

This a photo of the competitor, the Ashley hard top which is very different as you can see.

[threespires]

lowdrag said:

I did some research on a number of styles of cars of that period and one that it resembles greatly is the 206 Dino, but there were a number of cars with this type of styling. I wonder if in fact Jaguar used the hard top as a model for the XJS.

This a photo of the competitor, the Ashley hard top which is very different as you can see.

I think they both look good. This blue one with it's Britax? sunroof would be my peferred option though.

[OLDBENZ]

The Ashley top gives the car the look of a big Marcos to my eyes.

[Yertis]

Beware the rubber seals marking the paint on the car, if left on for any length of time.

[bumskins]

OLDBENZ said:

The Ashley top gives the car the look of a big Marcos to my eyes.

Good call, same here

[Mike-tf3n0]

In Hastings! Anybody I might know Tony?

[lowdrag]

Most certainly Mike!

[aeropilot]

Mike-tf3n0 said:

In Hastings! Anybody I might know Tony?

Funnily enough, a week or so ago, my best mate, who has now lived in California for the past 20 years sent me some photo's of the famous ex-race Cobra raced by Ken Miles in '63 that a mate of his has just finished working on after rebuild a lot of the body....and said his US mate is another ex-pat, called Mick, who was originally from Hastings and used to work at Lynx

[lowdrag]

Lynx had over 50 employees at one time, and the rump of the old Lynx are now at CKL Developments in Battle, but there are other offshoots from that company and theoretically Lynx is restarting in Coventry.

[Sebring440]

lowdrag said:

but all I found was part of one in vermilion metalflake green,

What did that colour look like then? Vermilion is an orange/red and green is, umm, green. Was it green with vermilion flakes?

Any photo of it? I'm trying to image what vermilion metalflake green looks like!

[Gemaeden]

I don't see any drainage holes for the boot surround, which could lead to a very damp boot. Might be an idea to put a couple in, with lengths of plastic pipe to drain it somewhere sensible, a la Lotus Elan S1. (Unfortunately, these tended to get blocked, which is why the Elan boot was redesigned for the Coupe and S3 DHC onwards)