Tool Time – Jaguar Classic

As anyone with a classic car knows, the upkeep and running can be an expensive part of the hobby. However, that expense isn’t limited to the daily running of our classic machines, it also seeps into our ongoing need to make sure we have all the right kit, too. By that, we mean the period accessories, or perhaps the original brochures or owner’s manuals. That kind of thing. There’s a pleasing warmth that comes from collecting all those bits, too. 

A case in point would be the original, factory fit tool kit. Every car had one. For some it was nothing more than a tyre iron and a screwdriver, whereas for others it was a leather-wrapped feast of metallic wonder. The latter was typically the reserve of the more luxurious end of the market, so Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and of course, Jaguar. 

Sadly, owing to the fact the tool kits aren’t bolted to the car, the passage of time often leads to them going walkabouts. A case in point would be the leather-bound tools of the Series 1 and 2 Jaguar E Type. It was designed to suit the needs of the owner, and featured an impressive amount of kit with everything from pliers to a tyre pressure gauge. However, they almost always vanish from the E Type’s boot. Those that do still exist fetch premiums of anything up to five grand, and that’s just ridiculous.

Enter stage left, Jaguar Classic. The team there has recreated the tool kit of the Series 1 and 2 E Types and done it to the highest possible standard. Gone are the days of scouring eBay for an overpriced, and probably battered original set. Now you can buy new, and direct from Jaguar. It doesn’t get more authentic than that. 

Dan Pink, Director of Jaguar Classic, said: “The original E-type toolkit has become a collector’s item thanks to its rarity and historic appeal. We’ve had customers across the world contact us about obtaining one, which is why we decided to manufacture the toolkits again to their original specification. It’s the perfect finishing touch for E-type aficionados.”

The tools included in the Jaguar Classic E-type Toolkit are:

• Adjustable spanner
• Tyre valve key
• Pliers
• Tyre pressure gauge
• Points screwdriver
• Feeler gauge
• Three-piece screwdriver
• Spanner ¾ x 7/8 AF
• Spanner 9/16 x 5/8 AF
• Spanner ½ x 7/16 AF
• Spanner 11/32 x 3/8 AF
• Box Spanner 7/16 x ½
• Box Spanner 9/16 x 5/8
• Box Spanner ¾ x 7/8
• Sparking plug spanner
• Tommy bars (one short, one long)
• Valve timing gauge
• Grease gun
• Handbrake adjusting wrench
• Brake bleed tin and tube

Admittedly, it’s not cheap at £732, but it is cheaper than trying to find an original. And as we said, it’s been made to incredibly high standards, so should outlive the car in which you place it. And of course, there’s nothing to say you have to put it in an E Type. We’re sure it would be right at home in a Mk2, or an XJS, or a big, old MKX. 

We love that Jaguar Classic has taken the time to make this, and we’re sure it’s bound to fly off the shelves. For information on how to buy, and to also discover a vast world of classic parts, head over to Jaguar Classic’s website.