If you were to compile a list of desirable British sports cars, the Jaguar E-Type would be close to the top of that list. It offered performance that was a match for anything produced by Ferrari at the time, it cost buyers substantially less than vehicles that emerged from the Maranello factory, and Enzo Ferrari himself admitted that it was more beautiful than anything his company had to offer. This 1967 E-Type Fixed Head Coupe has fallen on hard times. A previous owner parked it in a shed in 1980, and it has sat largely forgotten ever since. The seller has removed it from storage and discovered a relatively solid classic that is a prime candidate for restoration. If the buyer performs the work to a high standard, it has the potential to achieve a six-figure value. Located in Rutledge, Tennessee, you will find the E-Type listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has soared to $20,100 in a No Reserve auction.
The seller notes that this Jaguar rolled off the production line in Coventry, England, wearing Black paint. Its previous owner performed a color change to what appears to be Warwick Grey. The company offered that shade from the 1965 to 1972 model years. That doesn’t necessarily need to be a major concern because this classic will need to be stripped to the last nut and bolt if this restoration is to be performed to a high standard. That offers the buyer an opportunity to reapply Black paint if they aim for a faithful restoration. The car is complete, with distinctive features like the headlamp covers intact. The panels are straight, but as is often the case with these classics, there is rust for the buyer to tackle. However, it doesn’t appear to be extensive. It has afflicted the usual places like the lower doors and rear valance, and some small spots in the area around the rear hatch opening. The underside of this Jag wears a heavy coating of surface corrosion, but there is no evidence of significant penetrating rust. It isn’t 100% rust-free, but the issues appear minimal. If that is the extent of this car’s problems, addressing them would be no more complicated than any other classic from this era. The glass looks pretty good, while the trim and beautiful wire wheels all appear to be a restorable proposition.
Tilting forward the Jag’s hood reveals its original 4.2-liter DOHC six-cylinder engine that would have produced 266hp in its prime. That power found its way to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission, allowing the vehicle to cover the ¼ mile in 14.9 seconds before finding its way to a top speed of 149mph. The owner admits that this E-Type does not run and that he has not attempted to revive it. I suspect that it hasn’t fired a shot in anger since 1980, and it isn’t clear whether the motor turns freely. Even if it does, the buyer will probably need to budget for a rebuild to return it to a mechanically sound state. This won’t be a cheap undertaking, but it should be worth it when you consider the potential value locked away in this car.
As with every other aspect of this E-Type, the interior will require nothing short of a total restoration. Time has not been kind to the upholstered surfaces, and I can see some cracks in the dash pad. By the time the buyer sources a complete trim kit in the correct material and color, along with a replacement dash pad, it will lighten their bank account by around $8,000. That is hardly pocket change compared to kits for many American classics, but it would return this interior to a factory-fresh state. The dash offers one characteristic that I feel defines the interior of a classic British sports car. While Jaguar equipped later examples of the E-Type with rocker switches to meet legislative requirements, this vehicle features iconic toggle switches. It’s only a minor detail, but I have always felt that it makes a huge difference to the interior character of a car like this.
The person who tackles this 1967 Jaguar E-Type restoration will require two main strengths. They will need to possess the patience of a saint because the car will need to be dismantled to the last nut and bolt if the work is to be performed to a high standard. They will also require a healthy bank account because this restoration will not be cheap. However, the reward at the end could be worth the time, effort, and expense. If you believe Hagerty and NADA, they rate perfection as carrying a value of $200,000 or more. However, I prefer to wander out into the market and check recent “real world” sales results. They reveal that Jaguar E-Types, especially Series 1 vehicles, regularly sell for sums above $100,000. On a good day, that figure can nudge beyond $150,000. With No Reserve in play, that makes this a project worthy of serious consideration for anyone with the right amount of money sitting in the bank.
When you see daylight peeking in through the floors..well…that’s a bad sign.
Going to be grotesquely expensive to get this thing into shape. That being said, it will be a stunning collector car when completed. Or…convert it to electric and drive it every day !! Isn’t there a company in England that does E-Jag. conversions. Didn’t one of the Royals drive one ?
A car that will not be for the faint of wallet. This will easily swallow up $100k, but will be a stunner in the end if done right.
Not much rust? Ha. These cars cost six figures minimum to restore to a level that Hagerty claims they are worth. All their prices are way over inflated. I would rather put that money in a mutual fund.
Looks like a flood car. That’s a lot of rust in all the wrong places.
Jaguar has, for a while, been in the classic Jaguar restoration business, just like the present-day Aston Martin factory is doing the same for its classic icons. If this car were to be re-made by Jaguar itself, then a value of over a quarter of a million dollars could be expected, with such a remanufacturing pedigree. This then makes it academic: a potential buyer asks what a total nut-and-bolt restoration will cost…and then bids incrementally up to the point where it is still worth it.
By the way, Adam Clarke, 4.2 E Type coupes could do 153 mph. Yes, over the decades there has been A LOT of confusing back-and-forth as to whether the 1961 3.8 E Types could really do 150 mph. The little-known answer is yes and no! Shall we settle this whole controversy here once and for all?…
The original 1961 roadster tested in 1961 could just about hit 150 in one way runs, because it had been TWEAKED slightly. Let the truth be told, in 1961 a standard, unmodified roadster could only do a tad over 145 with the top and the windows up. The first coupe tested by the press, unmodified, could just about hit 150 in two way runs, because of sleeker aerodynamics. Starting in 1963, though, something weird started to happen: some E Type roadsters were recording 150 mph–although barely. The engines were not putting out more power, but all the cars starting to hit the elusive 150 mph, all had one thing in common: they were using Pirelli’s brand new cinturato radials. It turns out that E Type designer Malcolm Sayer had assured Sir William Lyons in the late 1950s that the new E Type would indeed do 150, but that it would need radial tyres (spelled “tires” in America, I know). Sir William had then approached Michelin, the only manufacturer at the time who made radials, the famous Michelin X, and had been assured that by early ’61 a fifteen inch version of the existing 16 inch version would be in production. That didn’t happen, and the 150 mph potential of the roadster was temporarily undermined by being obliged to use BIAS-PLY tyres. As pointed out, with the advent of radials in ’63, the E Type was able to fulfill the true 150 mph potential of its original specification. In 1965 two English automotive magazines, Autocar and The Motor, both decided to settle the E Type’s true top speed by test driving RANDOMLY SELECTED cars from two different dealerships–not cars supplied by Brown’s Lane. Both E Type coupes slightly exceeded 153 mph.
These Ser I coupes are absolutely stunning in black (perhaps I’m biased, I had one for 19 years). I can’t believe someone did a color change away from black, especially to gray or baby blue or whatever that is.
Idiots have no boundaries. Don’t believe Hagerty or some of the brainless idiots on BJ , just because some moron over pays for a car doesn’t mean it’s worth it . That goes for any car . Most of the people (buyers) on them shows have more money than brains.
Ended:Jan 13, 2022 , 8:00PM
Winning bid:
US $39,000.00
[ 46 bids ]