1963 XKE Restoration inspired by a visit to British European motors

It’s funny how casually a car restoration can begin. For every take-charge owner who knows from the start what he wants and how much he’s willing to pay for it, there are many others who enter the process with some uncertainty, not quite sure how far they’ll want to take it. But people like that can end up pleasantly surprised at how well restoration can be tailored to their individual personality and needs.

For example, BEM is currently working on the gradual restoration of a classic 1963 3.8-liter XKE roadster. It’s owned by a Santa Rosa businessman. who, up to only a few months ago, had never visited BEM despite having the shop regularly service his 1998 XJ8 sedan. The ’63 had been the pride and joy of his wife’s late godfather for 30 years. When it was passed on to the client after the godfather’s death, he began periodically driving the white XKE around its Lake Tahoe location. But knew that it needed a tune-up, some detailing, and restoration of worn body parts and elements of its black interior.

At first, he wasn’t quite sure how to go about doing these things. He decided to approach Mark Singleton at BEM after seeing how well the shop had treated him and his XJ8. “I was already impressed with how BEM would pick up my car, service it, wash it before returning it to me and then hand the keys to me personally when they brought it back. All of this despite the fact I’d never set foot in BEM.”

He called Mark and asked him what he knew about old Jaguars. “I remember Mark laughing when I asked that, then inviting me down to Rohnert Park to get an answer. When I got there, he greeted me, then opened the door to the shop and walked me into the back. I counted six cars undergoing restoration.”

That was enough to persuade him to sit down and start talking about what BEM might do.

Due to the car’s rich history Mark knew that the restoration would carry a heavy emotional component. The owner’s late father-in-law had been a member of the U.S. Air Force’s famed Flying Tigers squadron and had flown combat missions in Korea. When a heart condition ended his flying days, he asked to head the unit’s motor pool and used the new job as an occasion to plunge into club circuit racing. Along the way, he purchased two Jaguars (one of them the ’63 XKE) and a Porsche. “My wife was 10 years old at the time her father began racing. She remembers driving all around France with her father on the circuit, meeting drivers like Stirling Moss.”

The father died young, at age 42. Several years later his widow sold her late husband’s cars. “My wife’s godfather got the roadster, which was shipped to the U.S. in the mid-60s. He had no kids – the roadster was his baby, and he owned it for more than 30 years. When he passed away, the car came to us.”

It came in nearly original condition. The only thing not original was the exhaust pipe system (it had four instead of the conventional two).

After talking to Mark and looking over the shop (where he noticed a ’64 Jag was undergoing complete restoration), the client asked for references and began asking around about BEM. “Everything came up top drawer,” he says. Then, Mark began to put together a restoration plan. “He asked me, ‘What are your goals and plans for the car?’ I told him I wasn’t looking for a concourse restoration and didn’t want to hand over a blank check. Instead, I wanted to learn over time about the car and enjoy its improvements.”

Mark arranged for the car to be trucked down to Rohnert Park. “When I first saw it,” says Mark, “it was in great original condition so I knew it was a prime candidate for restoration.” He subsequently delivered an estimate, telling the client it would take $15,000 to $20,000 to restore the car. “We started with a $15,000 budget,” recalls the owner, “and began checking basic parts. The idea was to get it up and running, then come back and play with finer things.”

Mark describes the restoration steps he and his client have agreed upon that will allow the man to enjoy the car over the summer before he returns it in winter for more intensive work. “The first step is safety, getting the car back in service after so many years by restoring brakes and suspension, and installing three-point safety belts to replace the old lap belts.

“The next step is engine maintenance, including upgrading the cooling system. This ‘freshening up the engine’ could take two months. The engine doesn’t need a major overhaul, but it does need new seals, piston rings and a water pump. After that, the customer will want the engine compartment completely detailed, which will involve removing the engine. Finally, we’ll clean up inside: clean the carpets and replace frazzled old carpeting with smooth, shape-conforming, black compound covering.”

The client says he looks forward to having the engine detailed and tricked out, “but I don’t want it done to concourse-level specs – I still want the greasy parts to be greasy.”

He says he knows he can go on the Internet and find his own parts, but is happy to leave those details to Mark. “I’m busy enough as it is, and didn’t want this restoration to become another chore. I love polishing the damned thing, but not changing the spark plugs.” He says that Mark is good about calling and telling him he’s found little items for the restoration. “He’ll say, ‘That leather boot we were talking about? I’ve got one for you!’ His perspective is great – he communicates and does little extra touches – he’s really taken care of me.”

Mark’s enthusiasm has done much to reassure his client that restoration doesn’t have to be painful or nerve-wracking. When done right, the process becomes enjoyable. “As he comes back after each step, he wants more done,” says Mark. “His confidence level rises as he sees the changes and our efforts. In fact, sometimes he gets withdrawal symptoms and doesn’t want to be separated.” Mark sees that as a sign that the restoration is endearing the car even more to its owner, “because the beauty that was already there is now starting to come out even more.”

The owner appreciates one other service Mark is performing: staying flexible. “By improving my car’s mechanical and driving reliability, we’re crossing the line regarding originality. For example, installing new fuel pumps, an electronic ignition and a 5-speed transmission. Mark has answered any concerns I have by suggesting we save the old parts, which can always be refurbished and reinstalled if I change my mind.”

Basically, the owner said, “I want it to be a Sunday touring car that I can put 50,000 miles on over the next 20 years. I want to use it for Sunday drives in wine country or to the coast, or evening drives to Healdsburg for dinner.

“I love the car – it’s like a motorcycle with two seats. It still has some old-fashioned touches, such as a manual choke and starter button, and thin door panels. It’s a raw, not a cushy, car. And it’s one of the sexiest out there.”

*The owner has asked to remain anonymous. ■