Ask Tom

•Questions & Answers•
FALL 2020 NEWSLETTER

QUESTION from Mark H. in Calabassas, CA: During the pandemic I found myself driving my E-Type Coupe daily driver around Los Angeles County more and more over the course of the very hot month of August. A fellow enthusiast and Jag owner mentioned that you can have a good Air Conditioning system installed; I wasn't aware of this option and am very interested in this; what is involved in the process, and will it increase or decrease the value of my E-Type?

QUESTION 1

ANSWER: Yes, we can install a complete A/C system and it would go exactly where the factory installed A/C systems in series 1s and 2s. It is better to install the A/C system while a car is being restored, but it can be retrofitted either way. With the A/C system, we always upgrade the radiator to aluminum, and add an auxiliary fan to help with cooling. We also recommend installing sound deadening to reduce heat and noise, and a special radio console will be fabricated to adapt to the space where the A/C will go. This addition will only increase the value for another party that wishes to have A/C.

QUESTION from Frank S. in Phoenix, AZ: With the global pandemic going on, what are your thoughts about the state of large auctions and car shows like those held in Scottsdale and Monterey each year? Do you think online auctions will be the wave of classic car sales, or do you think things will go back to where they were before the pandemic started?

QUESTION 2

ANSWER: The interest in classic cars has rapidly increased since the pandemic started, and we don’t expect this to stop. We are booking restoration work several years out. Classic cars are not affected by the effects of the pandemic, and people have been able to enjoy them without interruption. We think the future will be a combination of live auctions being held with increased safety restrictions, as well as the continuation of large increases of online auctions which will continue to grow. We see this combination as becoming the new normal for the industry.

QUESTION from Jack in Rochester, NY: I've been a fan of the E-Type since I was a child in the 60s, and I've followed your website for a number of years. My question is, what was it that made Jaguars a specialty for Classic Showcase, as opposed to other marques like Ferrari or Rolls Royce? Did you always set out to focus on Jaguar, or did it just gradually happen that way?

QUESTION 3

ANSWER: From a young age I’ve always admired the E-Type in its design, features and styling. There are not many cars that can beat a Series 1 XKE. Many years ago, there were not great sources for buying and restoring classic Jaguars, so we decided to fill that niche, and brought in skilled craftsmen to create a team to achieve high level restorations on these wonderful cars.

QUESTION from Sharon in Chicago, IL: I recently inherited a family member's Jaguar XK-120 that has been sitting in his garage since the mid-1990s. I have been thinking that it would be great to have it freshened up or restored so my family and I can enjoy it for weekend drives and possibly showing it at local shows and events. My uncle purchased this from the dealer when new, and I know that he took great care of the car. Where should I start?

QUESTION 4

ANSWER: Since the car has been sitting untouched since the mid-90s, the first step will be getting the car to us to do a complete evaluation and let you know the condition of the vehicle now and all of its systems. If any rodents have moved in in the last 30 years, they can cause a great deal off damage, and will need to investigate that, as well as the condition of everything else. We would do a complete report with photos showing issues, and then will have a meeting with you to discuss it and give you recommendations for moving forward. This is the best way to approach this project.

QUESTION from Henry in San Diego, CA: I own a 1962 Series 1 XKE that is Opalescent Silver Gray and have always wanted to get a hard top for it. Is this something Classic Showcase can acquire for me, color match, and install on my car?

QUESTION 5

ANSWER: Yes, most definitely. We have several hard tops available in stock for a Series 1. If you don’t have some extra paint, we can have it color matched and restore the hard top to the level of your car. This will take 2 months or less to perform.