1970 Jaguar E Type Series 2 Roadster

‘FBY 498H’ is a Series II Jaguar E Type Roadster that’s presented in the iconic colour scheme of black coachwork, chromed wire wheels. and a red leather interior.

Still boasting matching engine and chassis numbers, the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust (JDHT) certificate confirms it was completed at Jaguar’s Browns Lane works on 11 September 1969, leaving the factory on the 7th of October before making its way to Ernest W. Hatfield, the Jaguar agent for Sheffield.

The E Type later joined The Factory Fresh Collection, from whom the seller purchased it for his collection. He arranged for it to be extensively recommissioned – we’ve uploaded invoices totaling more than £28,000 – and it now drives every bit as well as it looks.

We applaud anyone who buys a black classic – and salute anyone who changes the colour to black, which a previous keeper did back in 2015 when they changed it from the factory cream to the hue it wears today. 

Because no colour is less tolerant of scuffs, ripples, and dinks than black, using the power of the sun to shine a spotlight on any flaw, no matter how minor.

And yet, when a car is as well presented as this – it did, after all, come from the aptly named Factory Fresh Collection followed by thousands of pounds-worth of detailing and repairs – there are few colours to rival it, especially when it’s applied to a car as sleek and beautifully sculpted as an E Type.

The opening shots of the video use reflections very cleverly to highlight the car’s wonderfully straight flanks, and it’s worth concentrating on that part of the film to appreciate just how straight they are.

Part of the recommissioning involved stripping the bonnet to remove a dent, welding up some old numberplate holes, and repairing underneath the nearside front bumper. The paintwork was then meticulously matched before being expertly sprayed. It was a top-notch job that came with the bill to prove it. 

The fit of the bonnet was later tweaked, and the hood pivots tightened. Meticulous, as we said.

Note too the straight bonnet louvres, plus the tight and consistent shutlines, the perfectly aligned exhaust tailpipes, and the glossy and patina-free chromed bumpers fore and aft. 

In fact, all the chromework is to a better-than-average condition, including the 15-inch chrome wire wheels, which are in an excellent condition being free of rust, pitting, and kerbing damage. 

They are also shod with 185/65R15 Dunlop Enasave tyres. These all have very good tread left on them, and have a build date of 2022.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

The lamp lenses are all bright and free of damage, the badges are all nice and shiny, and the windscreen is free of chips and cracks. 

The matching black hood is free of rips and holes, the rear screen is clear and uncreased, and the stitching still looks taut and complete. It rises and falls easily too and sits nice and taut when it is erected. 

In fact, the worst that can be said of it is that it has faded in places and a short section of the fabric has come free above the rear wing directly behind the driver’s door. 

All-in-all we can’t see many people feeling the need to do anything to the exterior other than keep it clean and polished. 

The red leather interior isn’t only in the same beautifully preserved condition as the coachwork, its vibrant hue provides a stunning contrast to the sober metalwork.

And it really is in a stunning condition, with the leather seat facing being free of any real wear, even the outer edges of the driver’s seat, which shows nothing more worrisome than light creases. 

The matching red-and-black door cards are every bit as good as the seats, and even the sill trims are free of the scuffs and scrapes these items invariably collect along the way. 

The top of the dashboard is absent the cracking we sometimes see too, and the switches and controls have retained bright, white lettering. 

The rev counter has been replaced, and this part alone set the owner back £850.

A wood-rimmed steering wheel adds yet another dash of style, and this too is beyond reproach, as are the carpets, which look like they were fitted yesterday.

A period Resident air-conditioning system is fitted but untested.

The boot is as clean and beautifully presented as everywhere else.

The only issue – and we use that word in the loosest possible sense – is some loss of chrome from the lid of the ashtray that sits between the seats and a slight scuff to the nearside door card in a partial arc around the window winder handle, with another couple on the offside upper edges of both front seats.

The 4.2-litre engine starts easily and quickly settles into a subdued idle. It revs beautifully too, and makes all the right noises, especially from the twin exhaust system. 

The engine and underbonnet area are both very clean indeed, with a finish that isn’t a million miles away from being concours standard. In addition to evidence of that recent recommissioning, we also spotted an alloy radiator as well as what seems to be fresh protection in the front wheelarches.

In fact, it’s worth leafing through the invoices for the full details of the recommissioning work as it was both thorough and fastidiously executed; there might only be nine pages, but they add up to a staggering £28,662.

The underside is, and you’re ahead of us here we’re sure, similarly impressive with bright and clean components that include new rear suspension bushes and drop links plus new steel brake pipes. The steering rack was also removed, stripped, greased, reassembled, and refitted.

The exhaust system looks recent too, and the springs and dampers still have a colourful and bright finish. 

Some of the floor panels were replaced as part of the recommissioning too, and they’ve been protected with a careful application of Dinitrol RC900 in February of this year. 

It won’t some as a surprise to learn that the Jaguar’s MoT, which is valid until July 2026, was issued with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar a marker for a change of colour from cream to black in 2015. 

As well as the invoices we’ve already mentioned, the history file also includes a Production Record Trace Certificate from the Jaguar Heritage Trust that confirms its build specification, engine, chassis, gearbox, and body numbers.

Everyone loves an E Type, and for many the Series 2 is the model that best balances a modicum of modernity with that classic profile, not forgetting, of course, the iconic pairing of the more powerful 4.2-litre engine with the four-speed manual gearbox.

Throw in beautifully refreshed coachwork as part of a recent £28,000 recommissioning and you’ve got one of the best examples we’ve seen in a long time.

Which means it isn’t going to be cheap.

But it does represent good value, which is far more important when you’re thinking of investing between £50,000 and £60,000 on the car of your dreams.

Buy once, cry once. 

Buy cheap, buy twice.

Choose your own cliché, but remember, it is always better to let someone else do the heavy lifting – and this one has had an awful lot of heavy lifting in the past couple of years. 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.