FALL 2024 NEWSLETTER
Question 1 from Joe S. in Studio City, CA:
I have a Jaguar XK-150, and want to restore and show it, but I don't
want to receive any point deductions, or worse - de-value the car. Does
changing the color of my classic Jaguar deduct points in Jaguar Club of
America competition? Will the new paint color result in a devaluation of
the car?
Tom's Answer:
You can change the color to any of the official Jaguar colors that were
used by the factory for the year of your car without receiving any
deductions. Judges consider all of the "official" color schemes from the
factory to be fully authentic.
Question 2 from James S. in South Lake Tahoe, NV:
I have a 1965 E-type that is missing one of the horns; How do I tell which one is missing?
Tom's Answer:
The E-type had two horns located on the frame just behind the radiator,
one a High note, the other a Low note. The horns will have a “H” or an
“L” engraved in it, so you can determine which is which. Once you have
determined which one is missing, then it can be purchased easily at one
of many Jaguar suppliers.
Question 3 from Ronald P. in Los Gatos, CA:
I've noticed several Jaguar XKE's on your website that include recessed
driving lights in the
Bonnet; I really like the look and am interested in achieving something
similar for my XKE. Is this look easy to replicate on XKE's? How is this
look achieved?
Tom's Answer:
I have fabricated driving light assemblies for XKE's that recess into
the front of the bonnet and are very efficient in operation. In fact,
the XKE's original factory wire loom includes an extra wire incorporated
into it for an auxiliary light system such as this. I am currently in
the middle of preparing several assemblies for installation in various
alloy and steel bodied bonnets of Series 1 XKE's. Please contact Classic Showcase if
you would like to achieve this kind of sleek look for your E-Type.
Question 4 from Diane S. in Santa Cruz, CA:
I recently acquired a 1967 Jaguar Mark 2 from a distant family
member who had kept the car sitting in their garage for the last 15
years; I know very little about classic cars, do not work on them, and
would like your advice on the first steps to take in waking up the car
so my family and I can enjoy it on special occasions. The car appears to
be in excellent aesthetic condition, but has not been on the road in 15
years.
Tom's Answer:
I'd recommend transporting the car to Classic Showcase for a total and complete evaluation. They will carefully analyze it, take photographs of the issues and see and create a
report that will show you options available. Once you
receive our report, you can go through it and then pick and choose which
items you would like us to address and they will give you quotes on the
parts and labor fees for the work. Please note since the car has
been sitting for many years, all systems will need to be checked,
possibly serviced and/or replaced. Also keep in mind that there are
several items that will always need replacement after long periods of
inactivity, which includes the car's battery, tires, as well as all
fluids, fuel lines and filters, and brake hoses.
Question 5 from Paul H. in San Diego, CA:
I've
been a fan of the E-Type since I was a child in the 60s, and have 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?
Tom's 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.
