The place where a car lives is sometimes as interesting as the car itself. This pair of Jaguar E-Types have apparently been summer-only drives in Alaska for decades, and are both offered up as part of an estate sale. One is a four-speed roadster and the other is a soft-top with an automatic, but both come with rare and desirable hardtops. The Jaguars are listed here on craigslist in Anchorage with best offers requested.
Normally, I frown on the “send us your best offers” approach, but I understand it in this case. Both of these cars will attract international appeal, and especially when in survivor-grade condition as these E-Types appear to be. The 1970 Series II roadster has the preferred four-speed manual gearbox and has been in single ownership for 36 years. There are some blemishes noted but reportedly no rust, and the seller confirms that it has been run on an annual basis and used solely in the summer months.
The blue car is a later 1973 Series III roadster with the V12 and an automatic transmission. It has been repainted in its factory colors, and is the epitome of a grand tourer. The hardtops are fascinating to me, as I can’t recall the last time I saw one E-Type let alone two with these OEM-like roofs that give a convertible all-season compatibility. The seller notes that this E-Type has also been treated to annual maintenance and only used in the summer, and has been under single ownership for 37 years.
The preserved nature of both cars and the long-term ownership chain indicates that these E-Types have been together for some time. They’re almost like siblings at this point, and it seems tragic to separate them. Whenever a decrepit barn find E-Type comes up for sale, I’m amazed at how quickly it sells for what seems like an insane price, so I am sure there’s a cache of buyers salivating at the chance to own two survivor-grade specimens with presumably excellent histories. What do you think this pair of Alaskan E-Types is worth?
North to Alaska, I’m in dude!
Once you come to Alaska, you will never want to leave. I be a territory Baby from this grand State.
Going to check em out online right now.
Yep Michael I agree. Have found Alaska to have the coldest weather and warmest hearts anywhere. Get up there to work with electric utilities at least once a year, usually in January
Two beautiful cars. Too bad the family is not hanging on to them.
omg….
I wonder if the Commando is for sale?
Why do these things always pop up when I don’t have the money? And yes, Alaska is beautiful but can also be deadly!
I had a 68 XKE that I purchased from Anderson Foreign Motors. It had dealer miles on it. A nice-looking car, maroon and biscuit convertible.The car sat in my garage for a month because the water pump let go. The pump came from England. Once the job was done, it was gone. The following year, I purchased a Corvette. That had a bullet proof drive train.
Frank: I believe you might be getting caught up in nationalistic stereotypes that might not be all that accurate. The six cylinder Jaguar engine IS BULLETPROOF…when serviced regularly per the manual and by a mechanic who is trained and competent on that powerplant…as opposed to a traditional American V-8 mechanic who would not know a Zenith-Stromberg from a fruit fly. My well-looked-after ’69 E Type roadster has all its maintenance records since new from all four owners, and its water pump has never been replaced, with the number stamped on it confirming that. Have a look through U-Tube for Jay Leno’s videos on Jags and you will hear him say that the XK six cylinder powerplant “is bulletproof”.
As for Corvettes, I have had two, and while not junk and I enjoyed owning them (one with a 350 and the other with a 454) they were both far from trouble-free and spent their fair share of time in repairs. No one can expect sports cars from multiple decades ago to be quite as trouble-free as a new utilitarian car of 2023.
I’ll chime in as well. I had a 1967 427 Corvette, and a 1967 Jag XK-E convertible. The Jag I restored from a basketcase. The Vette was mostly intact although I had to rebuild the tri carbs and the transmission. The Jag was iffy on the hydraulics for the brakes and the clutch. No other problems in all the years I had it. Same with the Vette after the affore mentioned carb and tranny rebuilds. Both engines were bulletproof as far as I was concerned.Wish I still had them both.
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Were two used XKE’s in a barn near Anchorage
The Cremation of XKE! My dad introduced me to Robert W. Service a long time ago, well done!
What do you think the shipping would cost to get one or both down in the other 48 states?
In my brief research for shipping quotes, I was offered the following by Alaska Car Transport. From Fairbanks to Ohio, $6,950.00 for BOTH vehicles. Roughly $3,500.00 apiece. I have not researched any further at this time.
Alaska and western Canada are similar in that they are so cold in winter salt is not used as it is ineffective as an ice melter.
I have no doubt that these cars are solid unlike where I live Bruce County Ontario and surrounded by Huron and Georgian Bay. It gets cold here too, but the lakes moderate temperature and our cars get an often fatal dose of tin worm due to salt which is applied very liberally from November till April.
What happened to “No Politics” John Eder? Hmmm?
What politics? Some folks like blue cars, some like red cars. It’s a free country, by gosh.
Comparing a Vette to an E Jag is comparing apples to oranges!