2013-09-12 04:07:57 | Simon Welch writes:

This car belong to my stepfather from 1971 - it was the car that started my lifelong passion with E Type's. The car was passed onto me when I was 26 (1994) when I was restoring it.
The car had led a hard life as my stepfather drove it in all weathers and 'flat out' where ever he could - he had the engine rebuilt 3 times and covered over 150k miles!!!. He survived a rear blow out at 135mph on the M4 and an accident when a lorry smashed into the back of it in Bear Road, Brighton (1976/7) knocking my 6'2 stepfather out sending him and the car careering down the hill into the back of a brand new car which the owner had not even washed!!! It was touch and go whether the insurance company were going to deem the car as a 'write off' but fortunately they didn't and it was repaired and back on the road for a few years.
Sadly it was laid up for many years due to personal circumstances (much to my dismay as a youngster) - but resurrected in the late '80's ...badly...but it did not worry me as I was allowed to drive it at 18 years old! even though it did catch fire once but, quick thinking, I dashed over to a nearby garage, grabbed a fire extinguisher squirting the contents through the louvres (remembering my stepfather telling me of a guy in London who's E Type caught fire and he unwittingly opened the bonnet.....lots of air and fire...not a good combination - car was destroyed) I managed to extinguish the fire..phew damaged limited to a few scorch marks on the bonnet and smoke damage to the bulkhead.
Being a typical UK car it was very rusty - eventually I reluctantly took the decision to have a new Martin Robey shell and bonnet made to rebuild the car as the original shell was beyond economical repair. I had Rob Beere (can't recommend highly enough) rebuild the engine and gearbox and Chris Steel help me with the IRS etc.
Eventually completed the car after 4 years and 30k + spent and went on to sell it to Eagle (Henry Pearman) who also had been extremely kind to me when I was rebuilding it allowing me access to other S2's to photograph as reference as I had stupidly not photographed my car when I dismantled it!! (days before digital photography).
I believe the car is still in the same ownership from when I sold it to Henry and I hope the current owner will cherish it as I did from a 7 year old boy!