Doing It Right, Or Doing It Horrible?

"McMike" (mcmike)
03/18/2015 at 18:59 • Filed to: Jag, etype, hotrod, ratrod

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Not sure what to think of it.

When Richard Fairbairn acquired this Jaguar E-type it was nothing more than a decoration in someone's field; with no doors, no windows, no bonnet and no identity it had been left to dissolve and was well on its way. But Richard, no stranger to custom bikes and hotrods, saw his one chance to create a Frankenstein's monster from a national treasure and seized it.

Looks to be a series 1 2+2, but that's only from the firewall back. That bonnet looks like a series 3, though. Makes sense, since the story said the original was missing.

He probably grabbed the first one he could find. At this point, matching numbers anything really doesn't make much of a difference.

The rescued shell sat dormant while initial build plans were discarded and a Reliant Scimitar chassis came and went. It was when Richard met Mike Hill from Survivor Customs that the ball started rolling. Mike is undoubtedly a talented fabricator but importantly he had the artistic flair that Richard was looking for. When Richard was convinced that he and Mike were on the same page regarding the concept, Mike was given full creative control over the Jag. It then started to grow organically around Mike's day job.

Then it gets weird.

The most significant step forward was deciding on a donor vehicle. Mike purchased a BMW E30 Cabriolet from a friend, which proved to be an excellent starting point. The E30 Cab features particularly robust sills, which provided a solid point of contact for the frilly E-type shell. The engine in the BMW had already been replaced with the 24v, iron blocked M50 from the later E36, delivering 190bhp in standard trim. And most importantly, the dimensions in terms of wheelbase and track, were close enough to make it work with relatively minor modifications, despite Mike losing count of how many times he had to fit and remove the shell and bonnet.

There's more information about the build at the link below.

http://www.survivorcustoms.com/2014/11/the-su…

I like E-Types, so this should bother me. However, it was a left-for-dead 2+2 in a field that probably would have just rotted back into the earth if he didn't do anything with it.

I just hope he sold the rest of the car he didn't use.

So, what do we think?

DISCUSSION (16)

TheBaron2112 > McMike
03/18/2015 at 19:04

Kinja'd!!!

The stupid Frankenstein stitching looks like ass. I know what he's going for, and it's just goofy.

Rainbow > McMike
03/18/2015 at 19:09

Ew. I'm trying to find something about it to like, but it's all horrible.

deekster_caddy > TheBaron2112
03/18/2015 at 19:09

I like it. It looks like something I'd make... Yes it looks like ass, but it's supposed to and I think it works!

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > McMike
03/18/2015 at 19:09

You forgot to post a picture of the owner and his girlfriend.

Kinja'd!!!

Jedidiah > McMike
03/18/2015 at 19:17

Kinja'd!!!

This crap kills it. If they at least attempted to make it look factory/stock, then it would have been a cool rat rod.

At least it was a 2+2 and not a terrible loss.

Frank Grimes > McMike
03/18/2015 at 19:19

I lost interest when I got the the part about the E30.

Coty > Jedidiah
03/18/2015 at 19:30

This.

speedygopher > McMike
03/18/2015 at 19:48

The bonnet lump is a little weird, but I like it overall. I'd drive the snot out of it. Only thing that would be better is if it was a diesel with a straight pipe sticking out of the hood. The ultimate fuck you to purists.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > speedygopher
03/18/2015 at 19:54

No, ,that would be if he did it monster truck 4wd style.

Luke Murphy > McMike
03/18/2015 at 20:32

I hate this. If I could I'd probably buy it off him just to put it back the way it was supposed to be. Normally I love this sort of stuff, rescue a car and turn it into your own vision but just not an E Type. A Volkswagen sure, not an E Type.