Ask Tom - Summer 2020


QUESTION 1: 

I live in Southern California, and own a restored XKE. I would like to drive to it Las Vegas in July, but am

concerned  about high temperatures in the desert. I do plan on driving it at night, but what are some other

precautions I can take for driving my E-Ttype?



TOM'S ANSWER: 
It depends on how hot your E-Type runs, and there are a lot of things you can do to make it run cooler. For example, it is best to replace the existing Radiator with an Aluminum high-output Radiator. Add an auxiliary
fan to help push the cool air through, add new anti-freeze, and just pay attention to your temperature gauge
and don't let it overheat.


QUESTION 2:

I've been thinking of buying several cars to start a collection. Have the values of classic cars dropped since the

start of Covid-19?



TOM'S ANSWER: 
Possibly. The value of cars on the market could be better than they  were before the pandemic, but if it is  a very high level and rare car, then the value is probably the same. Each car needs to be analyzed individually, but
otherwise, this is a very good time to add cars to your collection. The price of cars are a little bit lower today than before the start of the pandemic as well. However, the cost to restore it will actually be the same.


QUESTION 3:

I'm a 30 year old professional that has followed Classic Showcase for some time, and I love looking at your

cars on a regular basis. I'm thinking about purchasing one for myself, and would like to know what you think

would be a good entry level  XKE to own, drive, and collect?


TOM'S ANSWER: 
We reccomend a Series 2 E-Type. Those are the more affordable of the XKE series, and you can buy an average
one and fix it up over time. This will be a great investment, and one that you can truly grow with.


QUESTION 4:

I've inherited a 1963 XKE from my Father, and I noticed that there is an aluminum plate situated next to the

Data Plate that says "J63" riveted in place...Wwhat is this plate, and what does it designate? 


TOM'S ANSWER:
When the XKE was first introduced, the California DMV didn't think there were enough digits in an XKE's
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), so they added a 'J' for Jaguar, then added the year in which it was made; they did this up until the early 1970s. Ultimately, this plate proves it is in fact an original California
car. *Please note these extra data plates will not be listed on a Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate - but
the DMV might have slipped and put those letters and numbers on your title and registration. You can  either leave it intact, or you can create a statement of facts, and go back to the DMV with your JDHT and verify it with them.