A New Ferrari Plan

This restoration was indeed a sorry state of affairs. Dale started the brakes in May 2018 and here it is July 2020. As with Ferrari restorations, parts take time to obtain and it just goes on from there.

So fast forward nearly 2 years to April 15, 2020. Dale and I were preparing to leave for Canada hoping to arrive there before the pandemic got worse. We’d hoped to spend 7 months in Canada in order to qualify for the National Health Care. Dale had 1 brake completely done, the 2 fronts were mostly done and 1 rear needed to be started. We were a little disappointed as we were going to be leaving the Ferrari unable to be moved and any real restoration started.

Our oldest son was staying with us off and on as he was working nearby. As we sat at our kitchen table, we mentioned that we were so disappointed to have yet most of another year without much progress on the car. As we talked our son had an idea of sorts; we’d stay home for the next few months, his oldest boy, a college student and very mechanically minded, would come to stay with us and help get the car restoration underway. 

As colleges had just gone on-line, our grandson, Elias, could study mostly then help with the car in his spare time. We could pay him, not what a Ferrari mechanic would make but something more in line with the work he’d be doing.

Dale pulled out his books and a list of necessary repairs, a list he’d made back in the late ’80s when we had to put the car into storage. He and Nate poured over the list, adding this and that.

That evening we called our grandson and proposed the plan to him and, of course, he jumped at the opportunity. Elias moved into our house the following week. He liked the idea of a quick walk from the garage to his room or to the kitchen.

I must add that when Elias was a little boy, he would call the car “my carrari car”. He loved the prancing horse symbol so it was only fitting that he should help with the restoration.

It's Only 1 More Thing

We took a break from inspections to visit our Jag. We were able to watch as Peter started the car with a push of the button.

Wheels are beautiful, the dash is in and looks great. Seats were waiting to be rebuilt, the newest hang up.

It was anticipated that the car would be ready within the next couple of weeks. Alas, nothing is guaranteed with a 60-year old car.

We made plans for picking up the car after a quick trip to Atlanta. We planned to take the car, with our grandson, to lunch in San Luis, then head off to friends in Cambria, travel up the coast, visit friends in Morro Bay, then head home. That was the immediate trip along with lots of other ideas for the future.

Friday, as we were flying back from Atlanta we got a call from the shop. As we only got a message to call back we were so hoping that the message was to come to pick her up.

We called the shop 1^st thing Monday morning to find out that the car was having overheating issues and needed additionally driving to find the problem and uncover any other issues.

We called again today for an update: the heater core went out causing the overheating. Another part went out causing the newly rebuilt generator to fail and a metal bar on the rear snapped. We do not remember what went out to cause the generator to fail nor the name of the metal bar.

We are glad that the parts failed in the control of the shop, as we don’t want to start driving our car only to have it towed immediately. It is nevertheless a bit discouraging.

So we wait.

A 3rd Visit To Our Jag

We went and had another visit with our Jag. Fortunately, we are always welcomed at the shop, or at least made to feel welcome. Peter stops what he is doing and goes over all repairs and future repairs with us.

We found the fuel tank installed and wiring in place in the motor. The wiring is sticking out of the dash area waiting for the gauges.

Peter proudly showed us the used wheels that had been dull when we 1^st saw them. The shop had detailed the wheels and they are now good as new, shiny and perfect. We were shocked by how perfect they now are as they look completely unused. Another wheel, a spare, isn’t quite as nice but it was given to us so we won’t complain at all.

Apparently, the radiator could not be installed as a piece of shrouding was missing, like totally gone. We have no idea what the previous owner did but a new one has been ordered from the UK, the only place that this shrouding is available. We should have brought one back with us when we returned a couple of weeks ago.

The dash has been recovered with red leather, as it was when new. The dash now makes the remaining interior look shabby. We do have a plaque that goes on the dash, a plaque that a fellow Jag-Club owner knew about. I’ll have to look up what he told me about the plaque but for now, we need to get it over to the shop to have it installed on the dash. The dash is waiting for the gauges before being reinstalled.

We asked the shop to give us an estimate to rebuild the seats. We’d planned to do that ourselves but would like to have the option of them having this done. I’m sure that I can do rebuild the seats but just am not sure about the time. Besides, the shop will include some other interior repairs that I can’t do.

The floorboards have been discarded, they were rotted. We knew about the damage and thought that we could do that later, but it seems that they had to go sooner than later.

We had hoped the Jag would be ready by our wedding anniversary. But as we are both sick, the weather is cold and rainy and not at all good for a picnic at the coast, we will celebrate living when our Jag is ready to drive.

The Jaguar Restoration Begins

We were in Mesa Verde when we got the call from British Sports Cars that our Jag restoration was beginning. When we got the first call we were getting ready to drive to a trail-head for our hike into a site. There was very little service, so the call went to voicemail. Since we had to get to the trail-head we did not have time to drive down the hill to find service and return the call.

We did the hike, picked up our RV, then finally made it to the Visitor Center, where we found phone service. By then we had a second voice mail waiting for us.

We excitedly phoned British Sports Cars and discussed the car’s condition. It needed a steam cleaning and we discussed the next steps. We told them that we’d come in the next week or so.

When we got to British Sports Cars, we found that our car was off to be cleaned. But some parts, like wiring, had arrived and were ready for installation.

We returned to see the car on the following Thurs. We were distracted by a Lotus 7 (we want one) and when we looked over we were ecstatic to see our baby, hood up, being repaired. We found the car with a wonderfully clean motor. The new radiator and gas tank were sitting nearby, wiring in the front seat ready to be installed and the dash out.

Peter pointed out that the dash had been red leather and we could see that it was still visible on the back. He will replace the leather with new red leather. He insisted that the old leather would not be appropriate for new gauges to be installed on. So new gauges will be ordered and installed.

We agreed that the wheels should be replaced with some used ones in the shop and tires replaced sooner than later. I didn’t see any reason to wait for tires as they must be replaced anyway so why wait.

Hopefully, the business that provides DMV service will come by soon to start the paperwork for the registration.

For now, we wait but we will visit again soon.

The Ferrari Restoration Begins

The Ferrari has been on hold for nearly as long as the Jag. This is the car that Dale feels he can handle, at least some of the restoration, himself. The dream was that he would do as much as possible. We have a mechanic, Bob Klingenberg, who we trust implicitly who can handle the items that we cannot. Dale bought a workbench so that is not an issue or excuse any longer.

1^st item to tackle is the brakes. We do not want the car crashing into the front bar of the car trailer.

Dale got the tire off and washed the wheel. He thought that we might need to buy new wheels, but he now feels that ours are fine.

The Ferrari books came out and the 1^st brake will come apart tomorrow.

Off For Another Chapter in Life

After handling claims for the wildfires I was talking to our auto insurance agent about some of the classic cars we’d seen that had burned. She said that the insurance company for our exotic cars now had a requirement, that the cars must be garaged when at home in order for coverage to be afforded. This will affect our plans for trailering cars here and there.

On Sunday night Dale moved the RV to the front of the house and put the car trailer in front of the garage door. Our plan was to load the car first then leave, hence, leaving the car in the garage until the last minute. This was a good plan but took so long. Figuring out how the tie downs were put together was only one of the time-consuming tasks.

Loading the Jag this time was so much different than when we took the Jag to British Sports Cars in 2013, just to have them start it. (you can read about that in my blog from 6-10-13.) In that case, it took a neighborhood to help. This time we had an electric winch so we didn’t need to round up our neighbors.

Dale stood on the trailer with the winch while I sat in the car and steered. Sitting there I remembered how much I love this car!

Getting the car onto the trailer

It's a Jag

An old truck, old guy and old car

On the way to British Sports Cars, I called ahead, this time speaking to the owner. He assured me that they would be there when we arrived.

Upon our arrival, our grandson, Elias, was waiting outside the shop. He lives nearby and having us as grandparents, has developed a love for cars! We wanted for him to be involved in the restoration process so that, if we are called away to work, he can be our eyes and ears. Of course, Elias was assured that he could visit the car whenever he wanted.

I went into the shop and let them know we had arrived. I saw Justin, the son and part owner, and introduced myself. He remembered coming to our house to look at the Jag and then starting it back in 2013. He rounded up the mechanics and they all came out to help unload the car from the trailer.

Offloading using muscle power

After the car was unloaded we reminisced with Peter, the dad, how they started the car for us back in 2013. He remembered that he’d wanted to unlock the trunk with his master key but Dale had told him not to worry about it. He really had wanted to do that and regretted that he couldn’t. We assured him that we didn’t want for him to spend his time on a project that he was not getting paid for.

 Unfortunately, the shop is very busy at this time so the restoration project will be on hold for another couple of weeks. But what are another 2 weeks after the old girl has waited patiently for 30 years.

Waking up in 2013, it takes a neighborhood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB9xKLU0UKU
A quick start up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmkldSmFdVo

Restoration Time on a Very Old Jag

Well, I see that it was about 4-1/2 years ago that Dale worked on the latch and we thought that we’d get the car running then. I’m guessing that we were called away to work and for the past 2 years we have been busy the entire time.

Feeling very British with my pint while blogging

When we got home from claims in Toronto and then helping in Oregon, we decided enough was enough. Time to work on cars!

We assessed the situation, the Jag has an immense amount of work, most of it trying to figure out how to repair the 60+year old handmade car. We decided that we’d involve professionals who could get this done within our lifetime. We had discussed the 2 repair companies who we are familiar with and decided to go with British Sports Cars in San Luis Obispo. This is a 2-1/2 hour drive from us.

I gave Dale his cell phone and insisted that he call to set an appointment to bring the car in. No more messing around. He called and set an appointment for this coming Monday, July 9. We will trailer the car over in the morning.

Looking up the phone number for British Sports Cars

Now Dale decided that we should try to have the seats recovered prior to our trailering the car. Unfortunately, bolts under the seat are bolted in and rusted so it became a project that was not really do-able in the short amount of time. We will let British Sports Cars remove the seats and then Dale can rebuild the frame and we can have them recovered.

Unfortunately, 4-1/2 years ago, as blogged, Dale took the latching system apart. This had to be put back together. Only 1-1/2 days were needed for that little chore.

Now we are getting the car ready for her big trip to San Luis where she will get ready for some fun driving. What is really fun is that our boys are 200% behind our driving these cars, as Nate said: "I hope you race it".

We are looking so forward to joining a local Jaguar Club or 2 and participating in their activities. And just maybe I'll even retire a little bit so we can drive.