The Cambodian Commission

Catering to all types of restoration commissions, this Cambodian client dreams of owning a highly useable and reliable 1960s classic. With a specification agreed upon and budgets set, the donor roadster arrives at our facility, ready to be built to the client's exact specifications.

• Full matching numbers example.
• Originally delivered to New York, finished in Opalescent Silver Blue over Red trim.
• The pursuit of performance and reliability.
• Commissioned to build a 'daily driver' packaged into a 60's body.
• To be fitted with a fast road engine, 5-speed gearbox and AC.

Everything must go

With the customer's dream specification agreed upon, our technicians begin to fully strip the chassis, cataloguing all parts and preparing the car for media blasting. 

• All interior is removed, revealing previous and believed to be original body colour of Opalescent Silver Blue.
• Removing the engine bay and interior components highlights past restoration work.
• Original 4.2L straight-six is removed and stored ready to be rebuilt too fast road specification.
• IRS is removed, noted in dire condition with excessive overspray across it.
• Once stripped, the level of corrosion begins to show itself. More will come to light once blasted.

the road ahead

Returning from being media blasted the E-type reveals its true self. While initially there were some signs of past restoration work, the E-type shows rot and corrosion on nearly every body panel. Using professional and trusted industry suppliers, remanufacturer body panels are ordered to be fabricated and fitted. Required panels include:

• Engine frames
• Complete floor plan
• Inner & outer sills
• Complete rear bulkhead
• Complete Boot floor plan 
• N/S & O/S inner and outer wings
• The list goes on...

Metalwork Begins

The team remove all unsalvagable panels, leaving the front bulkhead, lower gearbox tunnel and N/S / O/S kick panels. With the arrival of the new body panels, the metalwork team begins trial fitting the panels and making adjustments to ensure all panels meet and match. The E-type shell will be moved to the alignment jig before metalwork can commence ensuring correct square fitment.

Metalwork PT2

The importance of starting a restoration correctly with a bare metal shell should never be overlooked. As solid as a classic vehicle may appear on the surface you can never be sure of the quality of past restoration and repairs, and this E-type roadster is a prime example of this. Following a long list of brand-new panels required to ensure the safety and longevity of this classic into the future, our metalwork technicians are rounding the corner of this phase of the E-type restoration.

The next steps include body reshaping to ensure perfect bodylines and gaps, primer, and then a brand new coat of.... you'll have to wait and see.

Shape & Colour

Our in-house bodywork specialists have spent 4 weeks surfacing, priming and sanding back the E-type, building the perfect surface that will produce that desired concour finish. With this stage complete the final step... paint. An important decision for any client, what colour do you go for. Do you stick with a heritage correct colour scheme, follow the factory original colours or do you create a custom "non-Jag" colour and make it your own. Well in the instance of the Cambodian Commission, the owner has decided to stick with an original Series 1 E-type colour and finish the Roadster in an eye-catching Opalescent Silver Grey.

BUILDING THE SPEC

With the E-type Roadster shell painted and machined to polished to a high gloss finish, the E-type marks its time in the bodyshop as done and is transferred to the workshop to start its assembly. In the following months, the E-type will undergo an extensive restoration programme, seizing the opportunity and fitting many desirable upgrades that include:

• Fast Road spec 4.2 engine
• 5-speed gearbox
• E-Type UK sports front brakes
• Adjustable front and rear suspension
• Performance ignition
• Sports cooling
• Stainless steel exhaust system with tubular manifolds

AND MUCH MORE... watch this space

FITTING THE HEART

The team install the original and recently rebuilt straight-six engine, finished to full 'Fast Road' specification, perfectly paired with a new 5-speed gearbox.

YOU CAN SMELL THE LEATHER

With all major mechanical components in place, the team finish the necessary assembly before the E-type can be trimmed. It has been decided to pair the fabulous Opalescent Silver Grey with a luscious Tan cabin - stunning!

SHAKEDOWN / ROAD TEST

Painted, built and trimmed, the E-type hits the road to start covering the final stage of our Geneva Principle - LEARN MORE.