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5.3 Liters Of Fun: 1972 Jaguar E-Type

1972-jaguar-e-type

I’m not sure if it’s an optical illusion, some type of distortion in the photo or if the front end of the Jaguar E-type is just that long, but that nose looks incredibly long being pulled free from this barn! It’s been parked for at least the past 15 years, possibly more. The same family has owned it since ’76, but it’s time for it to go to a new home! It has plenty of issues, but looks really good peeking out of this barn. If you’d like to give it a new home in your garage, it’s set to cross the Classic Car Auctions’ block on September 24th in Warwickshire, England. More information about the event can be found here at CCA.

1972-jaguar-e-type-v12-engine

Series III E-Types are the least desirable generations of these cats, but there is still considerable demand for them. The V12 isn’t quite the same experience as the amazing inline 6 found in earlier cars. Power numbers were still respectable from the first years of the V12, around 250 horses and lots of torque. That’s only a few ponies shy of the top performing 6 cylinders, although it is heavier.

1972-jaguar-e-type-interior

I wonder why this car was parked so early on in its life, it has just 43k miles on the dial. The auction house can’t confirm that the mileage is correct, but given the condition, I wouldn’t be surprised if it is correct. Perhaps it was a mechanical issue, maybe the seller’s father just couldn’t get in and out any longer, but hopefully they can tell us why it was parked in the first place. Restoring this is going to be a challenge as it is, so let’s keep our fingers crossed that the engine is sound!

1972-jaguar-e-type-v12

This auction is coming up soon, so if you are interested in taking a closer look at it or want to place a bid, be sure to act fast! The preview is on the 23rd, so hopefully some questions can be answered by then. So do you think it will go for the estimated £35,000-40,000?

Source: Motor1

Comments

  1. Avatar Alan (Michigan)

    Well, just hoping that the engine is OK would be a huge mistake for any bidder at the auction. I’m pretty sure that the photo taken from the back of the engine compartment shows the top tank of the radiator to be severely rusted out. I don’t know what the block was made of for these cars, but if iron,I’d be quite concerned about the condition of any passage which was used for coolant.
    There appears to be significant body rust as well. Basically, that means the car is in need of a ground-up restoration, and significant financial commitment. Am I wrong that this series has not yet reached the collectible status to warrant that, at the $45.5K – 52K pre-auction estimate?

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    • Avatar Charles H.

      That top tank is a coolant reservoir separate of the radiator. Standard replacement item costing around $100 today. The block is aluminum with steel cylinder sleeves. Besides the right-hand drive, this differs from most US models in that it has no air conditioning and has steel wheels instead of wire wheels.

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      • Avatar Ross W. Lovell

        Greetings All,

        The block is steel with liners and aluminum heads, always has been.

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  2. Avatar Kman

    All I know is that back in the early eighties we had one come into the shop with cracked out laquer paint and the owner wanted it repainted in urethane enamel. So, the strip down began, all I can say is, never again, and my 68 Torino drove and handled better.

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    • Avatar Frenchy

      The block on a V12 is aluminum with removable iron liners The bare block is 116 pounds lighter than the 4.2 liter Six but the need for 2 heads, 12 con rods /Pistons etc adds back in weight until the result is 30 pounds lighter that a complete six cylinder
      While the earliest Six cylinders had a claimed 265 horsepower to the 242 of the first gen V12 the six cylinder engine had ponies with real skinny legs compared to the Clidesdales of the V12. Only a very few six cylinders would go an actual 150mph stock. Those that did benefited for special attention at the factory however the bigger heavier Series3 could do it far easier without requiring factory attention

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  3. Avatar ClassicCarFan

    @Kman – not doubting your observations but I can only guess that maybe the example XKE you encountered was truly worn out or damaged. Very few cars can match the combination of ride quality and handling of the IRS Jaguars if they are in correct shape…?

    I’d agree with comments above though, this one looks like it potentially needs a lot of work and neither the V-12 motor nor the complex monocoque body are easy or cheap to overhaul. This one seems over-priced to me taking into account the additional barrow-load of money needed to get it back in good shape. How does that saying go?….. “There’s nothing quite as expensive as a cheap E-type.” (and this one isn’t really priced as “cheap” anyway).

    Despite the high prices asked for really clean or well-restored E-types, that is still the most economically way of getting into a good one in the long run.

    Shame though. The write-up is correct. The SIII E-types may not be as highly valued by the collectors or the sports cars purists but by any reasonable standard they are still very desirable. Accepting that some of the design purity and clean-ness of styling of the early cars was lost in this series – it’s still a beautiful sexy shape, and there is something very attractive about V-12 power even if it is more of an exotic “GT” than agile sports car. I even think the pale “primrose” yellow looks good on this model.

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  4. Avatar Ross W. Lovell

    Greetings All,

    Please humbly accept my apologies on stating the V12 block was made out of steel.
    All these years have been hearing about the heads being a bear to remove, thought it was the steel block, alloy head cathodic reaction.

    Sorry…My Bad!

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    • Avatar Frenchy

      You are correct a badly neglected V12 could have problems removing the head. But the issue is with the 29 studs per side that hold the head on. Those are a high strength steel and if the antifreeze has been neglected long enough there is the potential for reaction between them and the aluminum.
      The solution is to pull the engine and use lubricants on each stud patience and long pry bars used with care results in success

      Like 0

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