# MK1 E Type



## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)

Evening all!! :wave:

I've been asked to try and bring back to life a colleges MK1 E Type coupe!! It was in a garage for the best part of 30 years and has had a re-spray in it's life time. 

I saw the car last week and I was horrified at the condition of the paint work. There is a slight shine to the paint but it's very faded and flat in places, has thick coats of grime and crud on the bonnet and by the fuel cap cover!! The chrome isn't too bad in places and the spokes are either greased or have surface rust. 

The interior isn't too bad to be honest and has that nice old car smell. That just needs finishing off by the garage, ie replacing the window winders and trim etc. 

I've been told by an old chap who used to work on Jags back in the 50's and 60's that the paint will "just need a going over with a mop......" I'm terrified of machine polishing 30 year old plus paint work and getting "strike through"

I'm thinking of a good coat of snow foam to loosen the worst of the dirt and crud. A Citrus de-greaser or Bilberry for the wheels and all worked in with a soft brush to loosen all the crap round the windows and trim.

Wash with Meguires gold class shampoo using a 2 bucket method.

Rinse off and then clay bar with Meguires clay, rinse.

Towel dry.

Now.... Either Meguires Ultimate Compound applied by hand OR Meguires paint restoration kit.

Wax with either Collinite 915 or Zymol Titanium.

Chrome and wheels. Autosol via a microfiber cloth.

Tyres, Zaino tyre dressing.

Glass / windows. Auto Glym glass polish.

Leather, Zaino Leather Twins

Trim / dash, 303 Aero Space protector.

Carpets. Damn good hoover and protect with 303 Aero Space dressing.

What do you think? Comments and suggestion more than welcome. My mate is of the opinion "Polish a turd, it'll still be a turd" the Yorkshireman in me recons "Where there's muck, there's brass!"


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## Forsh (Jun 13, 2014)

Top Gear Dog said:


> What do you think? Comments and suggestion more than welcome.


I think and suggest you get some pics up! come on lets see what "we" are dealing with!


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## Caledoniandream (Oct 9, 2009)

If the car has been painted in cellulose, you will struggle by hand.
Your best bet would clean as much as possible, decontaminate, and measure paint thickness.
If thick enough, have a good go with a mschine polisher.


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## eibbor (Sep 8, 2015)

We want pics! 


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## Alfa male (Jun 16, 2009)

Pictures ??


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## AdamC (Jan 31, 2013)

We want to see it!


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

This is right up my street when bring old cars back to life.
1- find out when it was resprayed.
2- check for rust and rubber seals around the windows, making sure there not damaged (this will determine if you should do a pre wash& 2BW )
3- if the car is getting new windows and the interior sorted out, then wait till its out from the garage before you start.
4- After the car has been cleaned and clayed, then you will see the true finish of the paint, then you need to speak to the owner and see what percentage of defects he wants removing.
5- if using a machine to polish, then you might have take some paint measurements to see how much clear you have, if by hand then you will be ok.
6- look up on E Type forums, this will give you lots of ideas on how to restore different parts of the car.
7- you need to put up some pictures on here so we can help in what products to use, remember this is not a modem car, so cleaning and materials will be different.

Like I say, get some pictures up of the car.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

What a dream project


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## Welshquattro1 (Dec 6, 2013)

Like said above pics would help.If there is one person on here I would go to for advice on a classic car it would be Chongo.


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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)

I'll try and upload some pictures later....


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## Berylburton (Sep 14, 2013)

I think you will need a good few applications of diluted APC to start with before Snow foam. Once it is clean and decontaminated, I think you should try something like Megs No7 before getting the machine polisher out. This may sort out a lot of the faded paint before you start abraidng


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## realist (May 11, 2011)

One of my favourite cars, where are you, if you're near me I'd gladly give you a hand:thumb:


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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)




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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)




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## The_Bouncer (Nov 24, 2010)

What a sorry state 

Should come up looking amazing but will need many, many hours on it.

Slow and patience is the key


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Just doing something now, be back in 30 mins. Nice car, and where are you?


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)




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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

This is what you can achieve after 6 weeks by hand only.^^^^^


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Hi mate, right this is going to take you awhile doing this detail.
A car of that stature needs to be done right and no short cuts can be made, because it's not your normal wash, polish and go, you have to respect the different finishes on the car, if you use a product and it makes it worse then that's it. I will make a list of things you can do by hand only as I can't see the paint in question. It helps if it's done inside the garage.

1- get a blower and vacuum to remove all the lose leaves, and standing dust,dirt.
2- on the E type, you can remove the front lights to get to the dirt, remember to tape up the wire connected to the lights, and side indicators, also the front and rear bumper can be removed as well.
3- mix up some APC and mix some degreaser in another bottle, and go around every nook and cranny with APC and clean, on more stubbin areas like the fuel cap, use degreaser, once your happy then move onto the wheels.
4- now the wire spokes look in bad state, you can use some APC and degreaser to clean them, but that won't be enough, so remember these are chrome plated, you could use a very fine grade of wire wool and metal&chrome polish but this would take you a long, long time to do, so you could speak to the owner and see if he would like them rechromed by a specialist, because if the wheels look crap the car won't look as good if they were done properly.
5- because the car has not been washed for a long time, I would go for a rinse less wash with ONR, two buckets grit guards and lots of MF towels, wash mitt, spray bottle with a mixture of ONR in, drying towels, then clean the cars paint.
6- get a medium clay bar and ONR in spray bottle and clay the paint, and Windows and bright work .
7- I would give it a final ONR wash again, then dry.
Come back when you have finished that stage. Cheers


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Chongo certainly knows what he is talking about mate. Do what he says and you won't go far wrong. 

Beautiful car, so don't forget to post some more pics. 

Cooks

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


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## Chris Dyson (Feb 29, 2012)

Great project, looking forward to hearing and seeing how you get on. Good luck.


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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)

Loads of great advice here!! Thanks folks. At the risk of sounding stupid...... What's ONR? &#55357;&#56869; I'll run and hide now!!


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

There are quite a few abbreviations around here lol. It took me a good while to figure them out. Some still catch me out lol. 

ONR ID optimum no rinse. Very highly regarded, rinseless wash. Actually a very good call by chongo advising to use that. 

Cooks

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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

The list could probably do with updating a little but may help...

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...&share_tid=134803&share_fid=5052&share_type=t


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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)

Oh dear, I'm going for a lie down..!!


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

thats a series 2, 2+2, not a series 1(i presume you meant that with the MK1) and not a coupe, a coupe is a fixed head with only 2 seats not 4

that colour is opalescent silver blue, so it will be clearcoated. all id say it steer clear of jetwashing around the doors, windows, rear hatch, and possibly the windscreen, they dont seal, and WILL leak water :lol: 

you have drain holes in the tops of the doors, make sure they are clear, run a thin metal rod down it, if they are bloked, it will just run down onto the sill and in the car. same with the boot hatch.

try not to blast into the bonnet vents, water goes straight onto the inlet / carbs

be careful jetwashing the engine bay, fragile electrics. avoid the dizzy and coil 100%

dont worry about the wheels, if they are rusty, not alot you can do.

id literally cover that in G101 and jetwash it off, then do your normal wash process on it. just be aware of rust bubbles etc


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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)

It's not that either!! It's a Series 1 1/2.. Only 650 of them ever made, according to my mate.


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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)

Cookies said:


> There are quite a few abbreviations around here lol. It took me a good while to figure them out. Some still catch me out lol.
> 
> ONR ID optimum no rinse. Very highly regarded, rinseless wash. Actually a very good call by chongo advising to use that.
> 
> ...


This stuff?

http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/optimum-no-rinse-wash-and-shine-8oz-new-2012-formula.php


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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)

chongo said:


> Hi mate, right this is going to take you awhile doing this detail.
> A car of that stature needs to be done right and no short cuts can be made, because it's not your normal wash, polish and go, you have to respect the different finishes on the car, if you use a product and it makes it worse then that's it. I will make a list of things you can do by hand only as I can't see the paint in question. It helps if it's done inside the garage.
> 
> 1- get a blower and vacuum to remove all the lose leaves, and standing dust,dirt.
> ...


Ok, so once I've done this, what next please


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Hi mate, your next stage is to remove any contaminates from the paint, tar remover, claying- clay bar, if you have tiny black spots around the lower part of the car, then you can remove them with some tar remover, just get a cloth and pour some onto it and dab the area, leave it to work then remove it with another damp MF cloth, then once your happy then move onto claying.

2- get yourself some medium clay bar like Bilt hammer 200g and as for lube, well you can use a bucket of water as lube, but I would mix up some ONR in a spray bottle and use that, it will give you an slicker lube to work with. 
3- now being its never been clayed in a very long time, you will find that your bar will pick up a lot of crap so it's best to have another one. Pick a panel to start and lube it up well, you will have to apply some light pressure so you can remove all the crap, you may find that in some parts you might marr the paint with the bar, but don't worry this can be sorted out later. By any chance you still feel some bits are still left on top of the clear coat, then go over it again but use a fine clay bar.
REMEMBER you have to make sure the paints surface is as clean as possible before you even think about polish or corrective work, so this stage is the most important part.
4- once done, give it a quick ONR wash again then dry. Now you should be left with paint that is very clean, and then you will see what the true finish is like.

Are you doing the engine as well? Now once you have completed all these first stages you will be ready for the next process of the detail. PS take some before & afters photos and also put some on here as well. Can you get PDG to measure the paint! Don't worry if you can't .


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Top Gear Dog said:


> This stuff?
> 
> http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/optimum-no-rinse-wash-and-shine-8oz-new-2012-formula.php


Yes mate:thumb: but get the bigger one as you will need it.


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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)

chongo said:


> Hi mate, your next stage is to remove any contaminates from the paint, tar remover, claying- clay bar, if you have tiny black spots around the lower part of the car, then you can remove them with some tar remover, just get a cloth and pour some onto it and dab the area, leave it to work then remove it with another damp MF cloth, then once your happy then move onto claying.
> 
> 2- get yourself some medium clay bar like Bilt hammer 200g and as for lube, well you can use a bucket of water as lube, but I would mix up some ONR in a spray bottle and use that, it will give you an slicker lube to work with.
> 3- now being its never been clayed in a very long time, you will find that your bar will pick up a lot of crap so it's best to have another one. Pick a panel to start and lube it up well, you will have to apply some light pressure so you can remove all the crap, you may find that in some parts you might marr the paint with the bar, but don't worry this can be sorted out later. By any chance you still feel some bits are still left on top of the clear coat, then go over it again but use a fine clay bar.
> ...


I don't have a PDG. I am intending to do some thing with the engine bay, even if its a light clean just to spruce it up... Steam cleaner, de-greaser for example. I've been trawling Elite Car Care for products and seem to have chosen pretty much what you're suggesting, spooky!!


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## jj9 (Jun 11, 2015)

Funny how back in the day when the E-type was made a bottle of T-Cut was all you needed to make it look like new again.


Cheers.


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Well crack on and get back once you have completed the 1st-2nd stage then get some close up's of the paint and bright work post on here again so we can see were we go from there.


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## Matt_Nic (Apr 15, 2011)

jj9 said:


> Funny how back in the day when the E-type was made a bottle of T-Cut was all you needed to make it look like new again.
> 
> Cheers.


It wasn't 50 years old nor were there better things available then.


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## jj9 (Jun 11, 2015)

Matt_Nic said:


> It wasn't 50 years old nor were there better things available then.


You miss the irony in my post


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## Top Gear Dog (Nov 28, 2008)

Just a quick update... The car is still at the garage where it is being sorted out mechanics wise. It will be taken to another location (to be sorted out) as soon as the issues are resolved.

Once its there, I'll get all the stuff needed to do the initial clean and decontamination. And once that's completed, I'll post photo's and take feed back from you guys.


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