1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Coupe

With just three former keepers, ‘UML 475M’ is an automatic 1973 Series 3 Jaguar E Type that is finished in Carmen Red with a Biscuit hide interior and chrome wire wheels. 

That’s already quite the specification but when you learn that it was fully restored in 1996 by XK Engineering, restorative work that was topped up by Eagle E Types in 2002, you start to appreciate what a find this one is.

The seller bought it in 2016 from the chap who’d bought it direct from Eagle and has continued to lavish love, time and money on it over the past eight years. However, he’s now struggling to get out of it and feels now is the time to pass it on to its next custodian.

If XK Engineering and Eagle E Types are looking for a car to demonstrate the enduring quality of their work, then this example would make a great poster child. Still sporting great shutlines and nigh-on perfect alignment, it’s worth zooming in to see how well the bonnet and door fit; we see a lot of E Types here and those gaps are as good as we’ve ever seen.

The cherry on the top – almost literally given how wonderfully cheery the colour is – is the Carmen Red paintwork that was also clearly applied with uncommon skill. 

It's obviously been carefully curated over the years too, and the recent mop polish and ceramic coating have merely continued what seems to have been decades of cherishing; the seller tells us it has always been stored inside and under cover since he’s owned it, something its current condition supports.

The chromework is straight and shiny too, the lamp lenses are free of damage, the badges are nice and shiny, and the window glass is excellent.

As for the 15-inch chromed wire wheels, they’re not only in an excellent condition, they’re fitted with a matching set of Dunlop SP Sport tyres, all of which still have plenty of tread on them. That said, they‘re getting on a bit now and we can see some cracks and perishing between the tread blocks, so a prudent owner would budget to replace them.

Nonetheless, 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. 

All of which means that, tyres aside, we can’t see anything for the new owner to do other than to continue to treasure it.

The care and attention to detail that went into the E Type’s restoration is also on display in the cabin. Beautifully trimmed and impressively maintained over the years, you could be mistaken for thinking the work was months old rather than almost three decades.

The expansive Biscuit hide is all excellent, with only the gentlest of creases to the front seat facings marking the passage of time. The 2+2 rear seats are in an even better condition, and moving even further aft, the boot, which is one of the first places to betray a careless owner, is truly excellent with barely a mark on it.

The leather-trimmed carpets are also excellent, the door cards are pristine, and a wood-rimmed Mota-Lita steering wheel takes pride of place in front of that iconic dashboard with its huge rev counter and 160mph speedometer.

A modern but retro-looking headunit sits in the centre console and it plays through upgraded modern speakers.

Again, nothing in here draws the eye, which means the car’s new owner can just get on with enjoying it rather than fretting about working their way through a long list of jobs.

The thermostats have been replaced recently, and a manual override has been fitted for both radiator fans that allows them to be switched on at will. 

This modification builds on previous maintenance and servicing work by Marathon Motors Ltd, who replaced the sparkplugs in October 2023, with an oil service having been carried out four months prior to that.

Other invoices for work by the same firm include a full ignition service in July 2021 for £605, fettling of the engine and cooling system in June 2021 for £2,264, work to the braking system in April 2020 and cost £239, carrying out a full service in March 2020 for £1,169, and working on the fuel and exhaust system in May 2019 at £1,129. 

There are also plenty more invoices on file for earlier work from well-known specialists such as Moss Jaguar Limited, XK Engineering, Eagle E Types, and Ken Jenkins.

All-in-all, the seller tells us that the history file is around six inches thick and his investment in the past eight years is somewhere in the region of £12,000.

All that hard work has paid off because the video demonstrates not only how well the V12 engine starts and runs, but also showcases one of the most glorious exhaust notes we’ve heard in 2024 so far.

Cosmetically, the engine bay is pretty good with clean components and a workmanlike air to it that is reassuringly low maintenance but still easily good enough for you to pop the bonnet should anyone want to see what you keep under there.

The underside is equally impressive, with a wrapped stainless-steel exhaust and a painted, rather than undersealed, finish. 

The boot contains a bag of spares plus the original steering wheel.

The E Type doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the marker for a change of colour from blue to the red it wears now.

The Jaguar E Type has been popular for decades for a very good reason: It’s as good to drive as it is beautiful, and there’s a huge network of enthusiasts, specialists, and suppliers there to make restoring and running one as painless as possible.

Not that this one is likely to need much in the near future. Beautifully presented, that it looks this good after 28 years speaks volumes about both the quality of its initial restoration and its subsequent care. 

As to value, we think the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £40,000 and £50,000, and given the reserve is even lower, you might just be able to snaffle a bargain in time to enjoy wafting around this summer.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the seller in Borehamwood. To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.