1968 Jaguar E Type S1 4.2

*This Jaguar E-Type S1 4.2 will be sold with No Reserve*

The vendor inherited this smart Jaguar E-Type S1 4.2 from his parents, after his father passed away five years ago. Since then he has used the car regularly, as well as carrying out some small upgrades during the Covid pandemic.

“Unlike me, my parents had little real interest in classic cars, so I was surprised when in late 1999 they decided they wanted one. They then went out and bought this very nice and very shiny E-Type,” he explains. “It was a US car that had just been restored and converted from LHD to RHD.”

His parents enjoyed the car using it purely for pleasure and covering a small amount of mileage each year. They also kept it garaged and ensured that it received regular maintenance. “It wasn’t money no object by any means, but it did have the necessary financial outlay when work was required. As you’d expect, the restoration isn’t as sharp now as it was 23 years ago but it still presents well and it’s lovely to drive.”

Having enjoyed the car himself, he now feels the time is right to part with his parents’ old classic. “It is a bit of a shame but I have other cars and you can’t keep them all. I am happy to put it at no reserve, as I have confidence in the car and in The Market platform to achieve the right price.”

This is a lovely example of a smart, usable Series 1 E-Type. Panel fit remains on point and the paint finish is generally of a decent quality – helped here by a recent detailing, which as you can see from the photos has brought it up nicely.

The vendor is very honest in his description of the car. “The body is very good. It hasn’t been painted since 1998, which means it does have a couple of dinks; there’s a crease in front of the driver’s door caused when the door check strap was missing for a while and an indentation at the top of the rear wing behind the driver. There are some paint imperfections on the nose around the number-plate and some tiny little bits of paint blistering (not rust!), although you don’t see them from 10 yards. It’s still a sharp looking thing.”

The E-Type’s Heritage Certificate and the car’s birth date both suggest the chassis number as a S1.5 (even though Jaguar itself doesn’t recognise that series designation) but the car wears, and has always worn, a S1 bonnet, which is arguably better looking.

The chrome is good but again the passage of time since restoration means that it’s showing a tiny bit of age here and there. The roof material is sound but a little faded.

“The interior is tidy. A few bits of trim and carpet aren’t too sharp but there is nothing that smacks you in the head! The backs of both seats are a bit ripped from getting scuffed when the soft-top is raised and lowered. The backrest on the driver’s seat rotates a little bit but doesn’t tilt forward as it should.”

The cabin remains very pleasant, with the black leather seats having developed a nice level of patina. The few signs of age and wear are, as you’d expect from a car that’s been enjoyed.

The supplied black tonneau cover is a touch faded in colour but still does its job more than adequately. At the back, the boot is trimmed in a tan colour carpet, which is a touch stained. Lift it and you’ll find the spare wheel and tools; pop that up, and you’ll see that the floor panel remains solid.

“It drives very nicely,” says the vendor. “The XK engine fires up every time, as and when required, and always on six cylinders; it’s lovely and smooth, and as good as any. It’s on triple SU carburettors, so UK spec. The gearshift is very good and brakes are progressive, and bring the E-Type to a stop effectively. Suspension too is in good fettle, making for a very good overall driving experience”.

The engine number (7E16743-9) is visible between the banks on the cylinder head and where it should be for a 4.2 S1, but the block is a different number (7R38965-9), “I believe it’s a S2 E Type block which is what happened in normal life back in the day to keep these cars going. I believe that the’-9’ means that it is a UK spec block with the correct compression ratio. Underneath the car there is nothing to be scared of; it is generally black and well protected”.

As noted earlier, the vendor carried out a number of projects himself on the car during the Covid pandemic. “The heater pipes go into the bulkhead and out the other side and are made from mild steel; they tend to rot from the bulkhead out and that’s the demise of most E-Types. I bought some stainless steel ones but they are a bugger to fit – I think Jaguar started with the heater pipes and built the car around it! However, by employing the services of a child with small hands this example now has stainless steel pipes fitted."

“I needed to partially take the dashboard apart for the heater pipes, so took the opportunity to fit ducting to the windscreen demist, so it’s actually usable. Up front I put in a beautifully-crafted aluminium header tank, a full set of new silicone water hoses and flushed the radiator. Finally, I bought and fitted an LED lighting kit, so all lights (including headlights, taillights, dashboard and instrument cluster lights) are nice, sharp, and super bright. The Lucas ‘Prince of Darkness’ was often a dim companion!”

The E-Type comes with an extremely comprehensive history file, although please note that it starts from the time of introduction to the UK in 1988. As such, there are the all-important photographs; these show the E-Type undergoing its body restoration, as well as other period shots of the car once it had been completed.

Accompanying this are invoices from Auto Bodies of Chichester, Sussex, which carried out the bodywork duties, and Taylor’s Rolls-Royce and Bentley Specialists, also of Chichester, who oversaw the restoration and carried out the mechanical works. There are also a whole host of parts invoices from SC Parts Group Ltd, which it is well worth prospective bidders flicking through to get a thorough idea of the range of components replaced at the time. Invoices for the past 22 years of ongoing attention and parts receipts for the recent works are also included aplenty.

The car’s V5c document is present, as are plenty of expired MOT test certificates, expired tax discs, and a Jaguar 4.2 ‘E’ Type and 2+2 Operating, Maintenance and Service Handbook. A recent vehicle history check showing no outstanding issues (finance, history, etc) with the car is also included.

The cherry on top is the invoice from the vendor’s father’s purchase of the vehicle from Thoroughbred Cars, Essex back on the 31st of October 1999.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of the paperwork to support our claim that this car has been restored and then looked after to a very good standard.

This is an older restoration of a US import that still presents in very nice fashion and most importantly, drives beautifully. It’s one to buy and enjoy immediately. (It was at Goodwood Festival in 2022, time to add a few more destinations?)

Our vendor has been transparent about its condition, summing up its strengths and pointing out small cosmetic imperfections on both the interior and exterior. It also has a good post-restoration history from its time in the UK.

We believe that this lovely old girl will realise somewhere between £50,000 and £70,000, which is a very fair price range for an E-Type in this specification and condition and one that can slot straight into its next owner’s life.

There is a reason why the Jaguar E-Type was, and remains, the UK’s favourite classic sports car – is it time to sample one, and find it out?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located with the seller near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.