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V12 Project: 1972 Jaguar 2+2 E-Type

It’s a sad state of affairs for this 1972 Jaguar 2+2 E-Type. It’s stated that this esteemed British tourer has been off the road for “many” years and it certainly looks like it. We cover E-Types with some amount of regularity but this is the first 2+2 that I have experienced and best of all, it’s a V12 engine-equipped edition. Found in Richmond, Virginia, this parked-for-twenty-years example is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $6,800, reserve not yet met.

No idea what this Jag was doing twenty years ago but it looks like it was following a concrete truck a little too closely. The finish is a mess though, the body panels, what little can be witnessed via the few images provided, seem straight. There is some surface rust that is evident but it doesn’t appear to be serious. Other than the missing headlight beams, the exterior trim appears to be still where it belongs. Styling is always subjective but the 2+2 roofline isn’t as svelte as the fixed-roof coupe to my eyes but the lines still flow well. Note the wheels – no wire spokes here, these look like stamped steel pieces.

Having a 272 HP, 5.3-liter V12 engine, means that this Jaguar is a Series 3, one of approximately 7K 2+2 body styles built during that Series’ 1971-1974 production run. Unfortunately, running is not this car’s forte as the seller claims, “the engine was said to be running rough when it was parked“. Well, to state the obvious, it would appear that there are quite a few parts missing perhaps as a result of the search for the mysterious engine miss. The transmission type is not revealed but the shift selector looks like one utilized with an automatic gearbox, an available option with the V12 engine.

The interior is pretty well obscured and the obligatory box of whatever is positioned in the driver’s footwell. The carpet is a shambles and the center console cover is missing but the beige leather seating upholstery still shows well though it is in need of a thorough, deep cleaning. It would be nice to get a look at the instrument panel, always a Jaguar treat, but there’s only a partial image and it’s not too revealing.

It is suggested that this car is a, “Very restorable E-type with documentation, new parts included…” There’s no detail around what the “parts included” comprises but that engine is a concerning matter and a single item could steer the direction of this E-Type’s resurrection in different directions. Just about any old car is restorable, the unknown is always at what price, right?

Comments

  1. Avatar Kurt Seidler Member

    Interesting. Looks complete. But how does wet concrete get on a Jag?

    Like 6
  2. Avatar leiniedude Member

    The box in the driver’s footwell looks like a new Prime shipping box Jim. I see it says Jag sharpied on it. Who knows what treasure is in the box. I never had a problem with the 2+2 looks.

    Like 5
  3. Avatar JudoJohn

    This will take a lot to get it restored. I hope the right person buys this and does right by it. Cool cars, these E types.

    Like 2
  4. Avatar wuzjeepnowsaab

    The most expensive car you can buy is a cheap E Type. Hats off to whoever takes this project on board.

    Like 7
    • Avatar Kurt Member

      All things considered, what would be the most expensive part of an E type restoration?

      Like 0
      • Avatar CJinSD

        https://www.mckennasgarage.com/xke/

        What price is peace of mind worth? McKenna had restored an incredibly complex car before. He started with a lovely and complete E-type that makes everything sold as a project today look like shredder-bait. He spent years and a fortune trying to make it right before disappearing with the end seemingly in sight. His incomplete restoration blog is definitely worth a read.

        Like 2
      • Avatar butchb

        Thanks CJ for the very interesting link regarding the McKenna Jag restoration. I think Mr. McKenna easily had 1000+ labor hours in his restoration project!

        Like 0
  5. Avatar Kurt Member

    There’s restored to factory specs, and restored to Pebble Beach standards. Unless one possessed the skills and machinery necessary to accomplish at least one of these objectives, I.e. no work needed to be subbed out, this car looks like a no-go for me. Sure is tempting, however, as I have seen near PB versions and…wow. Sex on wheels.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Stephen

    If you can get beyond the 2+2 lines (I cannot) and the endless expense that will be required to make this right, the automatic is and ender. Hard pass.

    Like 1
  7. Avatar Tony B.

    Having just a “little” experience with this, I would say that the Jag either broke down, and was towed out of a field…or was stored in a field previously. Mud the height of the sidewall, and the hood spatter points towards this.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Little_Cars Member

      NOT CONCRETE! Hood splatter and deeply imbedded earth on the wheels and tires is one of the many headaches of towing a classic car out of a mud bog. Pretty clear this is what happened. I bet you that paint would clean right up with a lot of elbow grease.

      Like 1
  8. Avatar JimB

    Twenty years ago, these Jag 2+2s were just old used cars. This was probably someone’s daily driver until it broke down. They loved the car so much, they couldn’t have it towed to the junkyard so in the garage it went. Although they are slowly picking up in price, the 2+2s are still upside down as a investment when you consider the cost to restore one. Spend the money to buy a running and driving one if you want one. Don’t invest in a project like this one.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Lee

      “Spend the money to buy a running and driving one if you want one.” No better advice to anyone wanting a Hot Rod, Muscle Car, or a Sports Car. Find a car that someone has already spent their kids inheritance on!

      Like 3
      • Avatar Kurt Member

        Good idea. The problem is that most sellers expect to recoup every dime they put into their project and are very disappointed when the market just doesn’t support their asking price. I should know, I am one of those sellers!

        Like 2
    • Avatar JimB

      The cost to restore and XKE is now well north of $50K. You can buy a daily driver 2+2 XKE for around $35K. Once you add the cost to buy the car, you are sitting very close to $100K or possibly over that. That makes sense for a Series I 2-seater but not for the 2+2.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar John

    This body always looked like a pregnant version of the original. Having seen a 10 point 63 E-Type coupe, it’s just hard to see what it was allowed to evolve into. Still, I hope someone will love it enough to return it to service.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Laurence

      John: when the Series 1 2+2 first appeared in ’66, it too looked very compromised compared to the original wheelbase coupe. However, Sir William Lmaticyons was in the business of making some money for his company and his shareholders. For a while, the 2+2, including about half with automatics, became the BEST-SELLER of the E Type range. Tall people such as John Wayne could now fit into an E Type; women who would never drive a manual gearbox now could drive an automatic E Type and get some shopping in the back, and those two small seats with almost no leg room in the back, could now do what the ads of the time in Britain said. The 2+2 E Type could “…extend Daddy’s youth by a couple of years”.

      Back in the day these cars were not being seen as art, to the extent that they are today. Back then if you didn’t like the 2+2, the OTS (open two seater) and the FHC (fixed head coupe) were available. The same philosophy applies today: if you can’t live with the looks of a 2+2, the other subvariants are still out there. Personally, I would never buy a Series 1 or 2 2+2, but for the right price I could enjoy a Series III 2+2. Yes, from some angles it does look a bit like a coupe in the family way, yet from others it looks quite impressive…and unlike an also-elongated Aston Martin DB-6, it has a V-12.

      Like 3
  10. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Ended:Dec 02, 2021 , 9:30PM
    Winning bid:
    US $16,251.00
    [ 57 bids ]

    Like 2
    • Avatar Kurt Member

      Sold to a brave soul for sure.

      Like 0

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