1969 Jaguar E-Type Series II OTS Roadster
In reading the large binder with all the original paperwork on this stunning E-Type Series II Jaguar, I can't help but be filled with emotion when I read the note dated May 11th, 1988. “I, John J. DiN., relinquish the ownership to Fred W. for this 1969 XKE Jaguar.” There's no price on it....there's no amount of money of what it was sold for or how long it took for them to come to an agreement on this vehicle (6 months)! Now years later- it's been weeks and the seller and I have gone back and forth with what to sell this most beautiful car I've ever seen! How do you put a price on a car where with those words- “ I relinquish my car” as if to give up your soul? No wonder the owner and I have struggled with a price, because, really, this car is priceless!
“A CAR IS ONLY ORIGINAL ONCE” the owner told me of this example of one of the most seductively beautiful cars ever built. Pale Primrose with a black leather interior and black convertible top( black cover)1969 Jaguar E Type Series II LHD 2 seater. This E-Type Jaguar OTS is a time capsule/survivor. The body is straight and no evidence of rust having been inside a garage all its life. The chrome is overall in good condition. Panel fit is very good and chrome wire wheels with period correct narrow whitewall radials. The black interior is in very good condition. Minimal work in upkeep and repair on this car during 28 years of ownership by the current owner. Based on information that the original/previous owner provided- it is not evident that this car has had any major work done on it anywhere of any kind! The only paintwork is on the left rocker panel. It was re-sprayed in the battery area due to battery acid dripping down the rocker. Lead filled seam between rocker and rear wing/quarter panel are all part of standard 1960’s production of these cars by Jaguar Motorcars. You would never see this in a fully restored or concourse car -sometimes over improved . In this case, the factory did it all, because this car is the benchmark from which a car should be evaluated.
All of the coolant hoses were replaced under the bonnet, and during this process had all of the factory original hose clamps (Chaney) cleaned and re-plated (clear cadmium). Wright, wrong or indifferent, never considered this restoration, just preservation. Also, the entire rear suspension was removed from the car and completely gone over it including painting (powder coated) the cage that supports all of the suspension. The rear chrome resonators were found to have some pin holes in them when the car was initially acquired by Mr. Wright which provided an opportunity to install an free flow exhaust system typical of the day, i.e. ANSA, Abarth and Stebro due to their wonderful sound, appearance and added performance of a free flow exhaust system. In this case a complete ANSA exhaust system was installed. However, the original exhaust system, excluding the rear resonators, is still in-tact and available to the new owner.The original oil gauge was changed out with a more accurate direct reading gauge that looks identical in the dash as the original (original oil gauge available with sending unit to the new owner) along with the European front and rear lenses to personalize the car and also since it sports a European front license plate. This car was originally registered in Europe so that it could be driven for some period of time without being subjected to VAT (yellow border around UK license plate as seen in photo's) there’s a good chance that this car originally had European lenses when it first came to the US that were changed by the local Jaguar dealer in order to legally inspect the car. All of the lenses and headlights are factory Lucas lenses. US specification front and rear Lucas lenses available to the new owner.
This car is impossible to replace!! This E-Type aka XKE is well documented with history from day 1, including books, tools and records and VAT tags. It has the complete original document file with all booklets including its very rare service stamp book.
Matching Number
Car Number 1R7820
Engine Numbers 7R2818 -9 on manifold
ER 351 stamped between overhead cam and head
Original Jaguar Specification
Length 4.45m (14'7")
Width 1.66m (5'6")
Weight 1270kg
No. Built 775 Right Hand Drive, 7852 Left Hand Drive
The 1961 Geneva Auto Salon marked the first appearance of Jaguar’s revolutionary E-Type before stunned audiences. The replacement for the ageing XK150, this advanced new car was designed by a small team led by Jaguar boss Sir William Lyons and his chief aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer. With lessons learned from the D-Type sports racing car, the new E-Type employed a semi-monocoque tub with ingenious bolt-on front subframes to support the engine and independent front suspension. The rear was handled by Jaguar’s clever modular independent rear suspension, pioneered on the Mk10. The E-type boasted four wheel disc brakes, torsion bar front end, and a 3.8 liter twin-cam inline six. This high tech chassis was wrapped in a gorgeous body that was quite unlike anything that had been seen before, equally beautiful as a coupe or two-seat roadster. Interestingly, co-designer Malcolm Sayer had no interest in making the car beautiful, his concern was that form would follow aerodynamic function. Ironically, the E-Type was not very aerodynamically efficient, but it was achingly beautiful. In 1965, Jaguar updated the E-Type for even better performance. The engine was bumped to 4.2 liters and 265 horsepower and the Moss gearbox was replaced with a smooth-shifting, synchronized 4-speed. The addition of a servo added some shove to the 4-wheel disc brakes. These improvements meant the E-Type could hang with a contemporary Ferrari or Aston Martin, but it still cost a fraction of the price. Long considered one of the most beautiful production cars of all time and with the performance to back it up, the E-Type is a perennial favorite among collectors and drivers alike. The subtly restyled Series II E-Type appeared in 1968 with exposed headlights, larger tail lights and a tweaked cockpit design. There were also some minor mechanical upgrades, including a switch to dual Stromberg carburetors. The Series II once lived in the shadow of the earlier cars, but the styling has aged well and values have risen across the board, with serious collectors taking notice.
This Jaguar is priced at $149,900 based on its provenance and condition. I guess what I really want to do is find that right owner for this car, this magnificent piece of machinery.. art-drive-able art ...hereby relinquish my car to the soul that is deserving. But this car ..this vehicle.. this mode of transportation.. this representation of freedom on the road with the top down with the wind in your hair...simply awesome. Van Gogh or Stradivari. There could very well be nothing like this again, as there are very few remaining examples from this era written with an unbroken chain of care.P.S. The author has taken liberties but intends to convey the authenticity of this car no matter how long winded.
Please Contact for further Information and photos: Suzanne 610-444-2222This vehicle is being sold as is. A warranty can be provided at an additional cost. The seller is not responsible for the correct description, authenticity, genuineness, or defects herein, and makes no warranty in connection therewith. Our cars are sold worldwide and we do our best to represent them accurately.