1961 Jaguar E Type 'Flat Floor'

Said to be the 113th right-hand drive example built and the very first E-Type to have factory installed seat belt provision, this Carmen Red ‘flat floor’ model was built in December 1961. Sold by Ritchie’s of Glasgow in early 1962, it still wears its original six-digit Glasgow registration number.

Given that nugget, it won’t come as a surprise to hear that it also still has its original chassis number of 860113 along with matching engine block, cylinder head and gearbox numbers.

It sports numerous features not found on later cars including welded-in bonnet louvres and a white plastic gearbox cover and air vents, plus various internal fittings, tags, date-stamped relays and electrical items, etc.

With just six owners from new, the previous keeper had it in his care for 35 years, having bought it in September 1985. The seller has had it since September 2020, treating it to a sympathetic recommission over the past 12 months. As a result, it tells us “it starts on the button, runs perfectly, drives well, and can be used straight away”.

A car’s quality reveals itself in many ways: as regular readers will know, we like to see matching, high-quality tyres on a vehicle, for example. Other useful pointers are panel fit and alignment as many a bodged restoration reveals itself with indifferent shutlines and a general air of something-not-looking-quite-right.

This E-Type, on the other hand, exudes quality. With great panel gaps and the sort of fit and finish Jaguar probably struggled to achieve on the production line, it says only good things about its care over the decades as well as that recent recommissioning.

The Carmen Red paintwork gleams but then this is a car that’s been treasured and only lightly used over the years, seemingly more at home on the show circuit than race circuit.

The chrome is sharp, shining brightly and with nary a trace of rust or damage. The badges are good too, as are the light lenses and the glazing.

We also like the welded-in bonnet louvres; see #97 and #265 for detail shots.

The recent recommission saw the original 15-inch spoked wheels painted rather than chromed (another good sign, in our opinion…) before being fitted with a set of new Dunlop Sport Classic tyres in the correct 185VR15 size.

And, subjectivity aside, it’s a helluva looker, isn’t it?

There is some pitting to the door handles (e.g. #98 and #102) but this is minor and could be dealt with at your leisure. Other flaws include the minor paintwork issues you can see in slides #308, #309, and #310.

The low-backed, heavily sculpted bucket seats hark back to another era, an era before manufacturers felt the need to over-egg their sportscar puddings with improbably shaped racing-style seats and lurid graphics.

The seats here are as beautiful as they are effective, hugging the driver’s and passenger’s hips in a suitably elegant embrace. The red leather facings are in a good condition and their underlying structure is still supportive and comfortable.

The door cards, rear quarter panels, tailgate, and sills are trimmed in the same leather. All look terrific.

A vast, wood-rimmed steering wheel sits in front of the driver, separating them from the instrument panel. It, like everything else in here, is in great shape and shows a gorgeously light patination.

As for the dashboard, it’s every bit as wonderful as you’d hope for with the neat array of instruments and toggle switches allowing you to fulfil every Biggles-fantasy you’ve ever had – and there are plenty more lovely little details in there including a genuine Lucas rear-view mirror and a Radiomobile twin-spindle period radio.

We are told that “everything works!”

The boot is good too, although we note the tyre on the spare wheel is age-perished and will need to be replaced (#318 and #319). The boot floor is utterly solid though, and there’s a useful jack and copper-faced hammer as part of the tool kit.

NB: As for the claim that this is the very first FHC to have the provision for seat belts built-in at the factory, the sources are no less than Malcolm McKay with his book Original Jaguar E-Type and Phillip Porter’s book of the same name.

Both list this very chassis number as the very first fixed-head coupé to have “provision made for the fitting of safety harnesses by the incorporation of attachment points in the body structure” in the latter book, with the former listing it as “Attachment points for lap/diagonal seat belts provided.”

Of course, those attachment points have been put to good use with a pair of grey, three-point Jaguar seatbelts.

Flaws are few. There is some light pitting to the sun visor surrounds (#124), a trace of grubbiness to the headlining (e.g. #125 and #141), a slightly tatty grab handle (#190), and the centre tunnel/armrest would benefit from some TLC (#211).

We’re going to list the stuff that’s been sorted in the Jaguar’s recent recommission but you might want to make a brew because there’s a lot to go through:

• The braking system was overhauled with new brake lines and hoses, plus front and rear brake cylinders, front and rear brake pads, and new rear brake discs.
• The fuel tank was removed, checked and painted before being refitted to the car along with new tank seals plus the original, albeit refurbished, fuel pump. New fuel lines were used and the filter was replaced. Of course, the SU carburettors were rebuilt.
• A new ‘Marston type’ alloy radiator was fitted along with new coolant hoses, heather pipes, and coolant flush.
• The engine was serviced with fresh engine oil and new oil and air filters.
• The ignition system as treated to a set of NGK spark plugs plus new points, condenser, rotor arm, and distributor cap. The HT leads are thought to be the originals.
• The gearbox was drained and refilled with the correct (for a Moss box) gearbox oil. The limited-slip differential was filled with the correct Castrol oil.
• Various new suspension bushes were fitted.
• The electrical system was checked and tested and the dynamo was rebuilt and reinstalled with new drive belts.
• New exhaust manifold gaskets join the new/old stock QH mild steel exhaust system.

As you can see – and would expect - it starts readily and settles into a 500rpm idle with no fuss whatsoever. It revs as it should as has a lovely exhaust note courtesy of the two machine gun-like tailpipes.

The engine bay is beautifully presented and would need very little effort expended to get it fit for the showground again.

There are some lovely little details under the bonnet such as the label for the washer fluid bottle that advises the use of soft water and two measures of methylated spirits per bottle. Not forgetting the period-style battery, age-stamped relay, Champion HT leads, and triple SU carburettors.

The underside is just as lovely; of course, being able to peel the bonnet forward like this exposes the front half to easy view but it’s worth crawling underneath to admire the rest.

Oh, and despite not needing one, the E-Type not only has an MoT but the certificate runs for a full year and was gained with no advisories.

The E Type’s history file includes many old invoices and MoT certificates. Crucially, there’s a Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate confirming its numbers and original build specification and colour.

Wonderfully, it also has a huge selection of rosettes and other bits and bobs gained during its show career, all neatly presented on two huge shields along with a selection of photos of it being shown.

Look, we all know this isn’t going to be a cheap E-Type, don’t we?

With confirmed numbers and the cherished ‘flat floor’ status – not forgetting its place in history as the first production E Type to have provision for seat belts – it wouldn’t be an inexpensive car even if it were a wreck.

When you factor in its condition and recent mechanical recommission, we think the dust will settle somewhere between £90,000 and £100,000, which still seems like good value to us because the market cherishes what it knows, and few cars are more revered than this.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Chertsey, Surrey. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.