1970 Jaguar E Type S2 4.2

Registered in May 1970 as VRW 242H, this Light Blue Roadster was delivered to Henleys in London, but it didn’t spend long in the UK, promptly travelling to Paris with its first owner under Jaguar’s Personal Export Delivery Scheme. It didn’t return to the UK until June 1974 and seems to have been sold not long afterwards. Up until 1977, it was quite enthusiastically used (according to the old MoT certificates in the history file), with its mileage totalling 28,681 - a total of 4037 miles per annum for the first seven years of its life. But then it all went very quiet, and for the next 41 years, the E Type was only lightly used as part of a private collection. Over the next 38 years, it covered just 8677 miles - to put that into context compared to its first seven years, that’s an average of just 228 miles per year.

The car changed hands again in 2015 and went to Ireland. But by now, what was 45-year-old very original E Type wasn’t going to start burning up the roads again, and travelled just 250 miles until 2020, when it came to its current owner.

It’s the originality and low mileage that really make this E Type stand out. There are elements of work which have been carried out over the years but it has never been re-built so the interior is original including carpets and under felt showing hardly any wear. “The engine even has its correct and original hose-clips,” says the vendor Martin of the Jaguar.  The steering wheel had a tie-on leather cover fitted, for the 41 years of its third owner, who worked on the Jaguar line at Browns Lane, and he wanted a car that had been on the track when he was an apprentice in 1970.  I have now removed the cover which reveals a perfect wood rim. The seats and head rests are original and in excellent condition, as are the hood and hood cover.”

You get the general idea, but this car goes even beyond that. Martin recalls from his days as a Jaguar apprentice that under the bonnet on later E Types, a spare ignition key was fixed by a self-tapping screw to the small bulkhead behind the air filter body and covered with black tape. Remarkably, on this car, not only is that key still there, but still covered in its (presumably) original black tape.

Being still so much as Jaguar built it, the car was recently photographed for well-known motoring journalist Malcolm McKay’s newly-published Original Jaguar E Type: Restorers’ and Enthusiasts’ Guide to 3.8, 4.2 and V12 book - a copy of which will come with the car. There are around 50 pictures of the vehicle in the book, with Malcolm referring to it in correspondence as “being such an original and attractive example, it was an ideal candidate to display so many details that I needed”.

The current odometer reading, which is backed up by the MoT certificates, is 60,615km (as the speedometer is marked in kilometres). This equates to 37,660miles over on this side of the English Channel.

The Light Blue paint is one of the few things not original on this Jaguar. One of the documents in the paperwork file makes reference to the car having travelled from Ireland to the UK for a repaint in July of 2020, when the odometer showed 60,563km (37,630 miles). However, there’s no indication of how extensive this work was. Martin reports that “the finish has some tiny micro-blisters in places, but to my mind, this contributes to the original feel and polishes up very nicely”.

The repaint has been careful not to take remove too much originality. So in areas such as underneath opening panels, inside door shuts, beneath the spare wheel and underneath the carpets, you’ll find the paint has been left as it was. Naturally, the finish here does show some marks of age and use, but it’s what you would expect of a 51-year-old car that has seen limited use over the years and has been looked after. The panel fit is good all around, and there are no dents or damage.

All the chrome trim is in very good order and remains shiny, with next-to-no deterioration. Two upright bars are screwed to the bottom of the front air intake, presumably where badges were mounted in the past. They’ll look better with badges added to them again. There are a few spots of missing paint underneath the ‘mouth’, where it looks like the paint finish was left as it was. The wire wheels are chrome and in excellent order, as these were refreshed by Motor Wheel Services during the custodianship of the second owner. Michelin 185 HR 15 XVS tyres - from Michelin’s classic range - are fitted throughout, and all are free from sidewall damage with plenty of tread left. However, the spare wheel is still shod with its original Dunlop SP Sport tyre.

The hood has survived very well, with the rear plastic window free from scratches or any cloudiness. The E Type also comes with its removable hard-top, in the same colour as the body, which fits perfectly.

The Dark Blue leather interior is in factory spec, albeit with a period Blaupunkt transistor FM radio fitted, which the vendor believes was installed while the car was with its first owner in Paris. Its speakers are unobtrusively in the inner footwell walls, either side of the unit. The seats display very few signs of use, with minor creasing the extent of the patina. Head restraints are fitted; the provision of these mandated by a 1969 US law which necessitated new seats for Series 2 E Types. They’re just as good as everything else.

The dashboard and controls are in equally fine nick, with all instruments in fine fettle as well. The leather ‘glove’ that protected the wood-rimmed steering wheel for so many years has done its job well, and the condition of the steering wheel is one of the several stand-out features of a cabin - well, more cockpit, given that this is a two-seater open car - that is really very good indeed. There are protective over-mats in place over the carpets which do display some inevitable marks from decades of shoes, but they’re what you would expect from a car of this age. Actually, scratch that - we keep forgetting that this car has been around for over 60 years, such is its overall condition, so we’d say that the carpets are much better than would be typical for something of this vintage. With the hard-top in place, it’s very snug inside, and there are no issues with the removable roof’s headlining.

Turning to the boot, the beige lining does show some indications of use, but it’s very minor. The original jack and tools are with the car, with the latter in their original leather tool roll. The collection appears complete - there are no unoccupied compartments once you unfold the tool roll fully.

Looking underneath, there are some areas of undersealing and other spots where the body-coloured paint remains, but there’s no apparent damage while any rust is limited to just surface corrosion here and there. Being an un-rebuilt XK engine, there’s some evidence of oil leakage but nothing excessive and “they really do all do that, sir”. Besides, a light coating of chassis oil is quite desirable, as it helps preserve the metal. The exhaust looks to be a fully stainless steel system.

Under the bonnet, everything appears to be stock; even the spark plug leads are Champion-branded items, while the ribbed cam covers and triple SU carburettors have been well-polished. The wiring looks standard - no bright, modern hues here - and of course, there are those correct and original hose clips, among other items that date back to the cars earliest days. Overall, the engine bay presents very well.

Martin tells us that the E Type starts, runs and drives very well - remember, this is an XK engine that has yet to see 40,000 miles, and while it has been used and enjoyed throughout its life, that usage has been sparing.

Inside the history folder, you’ll find a substantial number of MoTs which help to confirm the mileage. These also trace the car’s identity; the original registration was VRW 242H, which changed to ADH1 under the second owner. When it passed on from him, the registration was changed to NJT 507H. At the moment, the Jaguar is on Irish plates, 70 D 120010, but Martin believes it can be easily returned to a UK registration.

The handbook, wallet and other books are present, as is a photocopy of the original green logbook. The manual for the Blaupunkt is also included, although it is in French. There are sets of spare keys too, which means you won’t have to disturb the one under the bonnet. And, of course, there’s Malcolm McKay’s book, with the bonus of lots of high quality detail shots of the car. A letter from Malcolm fills in some of the earlier history of the E Type, plus there’s some correspondence from a previous owner which chronicles the mileage (or rather the lack of it) over the years.

“If somebody appreciates originality, then this is the car for them,” says Martin of his car. “It must be one of the most original unrestored E Types left in existence and I know it is very close in every detail to the day it left the factory.” We’d completely agree with that summary. How standard this car is, and how few miles it has covered during its long life, are the highlights of what is really a very special machine indeed. 

We’ve put an estimate of between £95,000 and £115,000 on this E Type because it is such a rare beast - an E Type that, while it has been repainted to some extent, hasn’t received a full restoration as so many others have. And there’s that low mileage too. This is a Series 2 E Type that is almost exactly as Jaguar intended back at the dawn of the 1970s, complete with fantastic details such as the spare key still secured in the engine bay. It deserves a home with a collector who appreciates just how remarkable and rare it is.

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this car is located at THE MARKET headquarters near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.