When you come across a sports car that has actually been used as intended with all the hallmarks of a life well lived, it’s near impossible to resist its charms. The 1968 Jaguar E-Type shown here is a Series 1.5 coupe that seemingly comes with a colorful history showing it has been displayed as a concours specimen and also used as a vintage track car. It remains numbers-matching to this day and is offered here on eBay where bids have risen to $14,000 with no reserve.
The seller notes that his family has owned the E-Type since 2006, and that the owner prior to them purchased it from well-known classic car dealer Fantasy Junction. The E-Type came with badges and other paraphernalia that indicated it was a regular participant in club events, if the custom “1968 XKE” vanity plates from California didn’t already offer a clue that this car belonged to an enthusiast. The seller notes the chrome trim has been mostly stripped off, which would make sense if it was used as a track car for a spell.
The interior is all business like in every other E-Type, but you can see the transition to the less sexy switchgear that was reserved for the sought-after Series 1 cars. Still, an E-Type is an E-Type, and most of us wouldn’t complain about a view like this. The seller notes the center console has been removed and that there is evidence of a fire suppression system that is no longer hooked up; this makes sense considering the seller believes it spent time as a vintage racer. Among the handful of flaws disclosed by the seller is a thermostat that doesn’t read correctly and will likely need to be replaced.
The listing also notes an impressive list of recent maintenance performed on this E-Type, such as an engine tune up that included a new hoses and upper and lower fan belts; rebuilt radiator, carburetors, and brake master and servo; new oil pan and valve cover gaskets; flushed gas tank; fresh clutch hydraulics; and more. As a running, driving manual E-Type with excellent history and a deep list of recent repairs, this Jaguar will have plenty of bidders competing for the chance to bring it home.
Yeah, this one will empty your bank account if you go for a full restoration, But it does run and drive, so might be a way into the XKE club for relatively cheap.
I’ll be watching this one.
The engineering on these is as impressive as the appearance. However, inboard rear disc brakes and all the bits and pieces of rubber bushed suspension that gave such great handling is not cheap to maintain or restore. I knew a restorer in New England and their parts were neither shabby or cheap.
$18K with one day left.
Unless there’s a flurry of bids at the end someone may get a terrific deal on a legendary model machine.
GLWTS