Charred 1971 Jaguar E-Type Coupe

While there’s a long list of vintage Jaguars that could be considered British royalty, the E-Type is one of those that easily falls into the iconic category, offering a stunning appearance and great performance in one exceptional package.  It’s a sad occurrence when any vehicle falls victim to an accident, but doubly disastrous when it’s a bona fide classic like this 1971 Jaguar XK-E here on Facebook Marketplace, which was damaged in a garage fire.  However, it still runs and drives, so hopefully someone with the skills to address an issue like this will bring this one back to its former glory.  Priced at $15,000, this unfortunate Jag is in Tucson, Arizona, and we’d like to say thanks to reader T.J. for bringing it to our attention!

Everything the owner notes about this Jaguar has already been covered in the first paragraph, so there are no further specific details to report, and many unanswered questions remain.  It’s unknown how long ago the accident happened or the exact circumstances, but what’s probably as important as anything the seller could write is the video supplied, which shows the E-Type making three successful dirt-track laps.  Hopefully, the blaze was extinguished before it spread too far under the hood, and perhaps the damage to the engine is minimal.

For the most part, the rear section of the exterior appears more baked than the front, but I’d say it’s got burns on at least 50% or more of its body.  I’ve performed quite a few sheet metal repairs over the last few decades, but never on a car that was a fire victim, and I’m guessing that creates a whole new set of challenges.  If there’s any good news here, it seems the panels were in good condition before the accident, so hopefully someone experienced in dealing with this kind of damage will make the necessary repairs and get this poor Jaguar looking presentable again.

No details are provided about the interior either, and while the top of the dashboard and part of the steering wheel are cooked, it appears the upholstery and some other components were spared from devastation.  That’s not to say they won’t need attention, but at least most aren’t burned to a crisp, and perhaps a few of these parts are still salvageable enough to work with.  This is a unique situation, and I hope this one’s not too far gone to be considered a viable project.  Is this 1971 Jaguar XK-E one you’d have any interest in mending?