1974 Jaguar E Type S3

Located in Mondelange, France this late left-hand drive Series III Roadster has spent much of its life in the USA. The car was imported into Europe by the vendor in 2013 and as such, still appears to be very solid. The condition of the underside and floors certainly suggest that its time Stateside was spent in a dry climate. Thankfully, the associated cracked interior trim – from too much time in the sun – is not present here. As a car originally destined for America however, it’s hardly a surprise to see the optional three-speed automatic transmission fitted. There are also those gorgeous wire wheels, in this instance wrapped in attractive – and popular in the US – white wall tyres.

This SIII’s showing just 47,899 miles on its odometer – though with no early history from America to prove categorically, the dial might have gone ‘around’ – though the vendor and the car’s condition suggest otherwise. Built in March ’74, this is a very late E Type, in fact it left Browns Lane just three months before the end of all E Type production in June 1974. To put that in a wider perspective, this was little more than a year before the XJ-S was introduced in September 1975.

Many a Jaguar fan will tell you that the earlier E Types are the prettiest. While there’s no denying that the original Series I had a simplicity and elegance that was diluted as time went on, by the Series III, a muscular charm emerged, that’s highly appealing in its own right. The optional wire wheels and excellent chrome work on this example still make it feel special, before we even mention its mighty engine. The latter is hard to ignore, especially when it emits a thunderous soundtrack out of its optional quad ‘fish tail’ back box.

It’s a little tricky to spot at first – as it seems the photographer on this shoot got caught out in the rain – but though the bodywork appears to lack any significant rust, there are still a number of blemishes to the paint. There are some poorly matched touch ups to the offside rear wheel arch and some areas of thinning paint along the flanks, shown up by lighter green patches. The lower third of the car in several places shows scuffs and scratches in the paint, the worst of which is aft of the offside rear wheel. These haven’t gone down to bare steel however and the good news is that the panels all seem to be straight and dent-free.

The chrome work all-round this E Type seems to be in excellent condition with a highly reflective, mirror-like finish. There’s almost no staining, damage or pitting to be found anywhere and as most classic fans will know, curing bad chrome is a tricky and expensive pursuit. There’s some trim that’s less than perfect, of course. There’s a hole in the offside rear light lens and a crack in the bottom driver’s corner of the windscreen, plus a few rubbers hanging off or cracking, but the overall impression is still one of a very sound Jaguar.

The later E Type has an opulence that would embarrass its early siblings. There’s a big bank of auxiliary lights, equipment, dials and comfort options that really reinforce the long-legged touring ability of this Jaguar. Being destined for America, this E Type was also fitted with air-conditioning, which the vendor informs us remains fully working. The Series IIIs also got power steering as standard. When you combine all this with a bigger and more comfortable cabin plus an automatic transmission, you’ve got the perfect recipe for effortless classic touring.

Those seats appear to be in really fine order and even have the optional headrests. As mentioned already, the plastics on the dashboard and centre console haven’t suffered the usual import model UV damage. The vendor reports that since he’s owned the car (2013 remember) it’s been kept garaged. Door card vinyl is largely still in great shape as a result, with just a small patch of peeling at the top edge of the passenger side card to report.

Both the hood and the factory hardtop (the latter has a storage stand) appear to be in great shape, although the fit of the former doesn’t appear to be as good as it should be. Perhaps it was the hasty actions of the photographer, trying to keep the rain off the cabin, but we think that the fit of the rear of the hood could be a little snugger. Both the hood and its cover however, are finished in highly desirable mohair.

There are a few additions to this cabin that aren’t Jaguar approved, mainly the aftermarket stereo and the copious number of extra badges. We counted seven of the latter in here alone! That stereo is certainly in keeping however, and with an AUX-out connection on the front panel, it’s ready for modern devices. The steering wheel is also an aftermarket addition – though in this case a popular Moto-Lita wood-rimmed masterpiece. If you prefer the plastic original (which would be odd) it’s included in the boot.

Carefully propping open that vast front end you’re greeted with a glorious V12 sight that’s looking resplendent in this engine bay. There’s clearly been a lot of money poured into the mechanical elements of this Jaguar. The history file comes with a myriad of invoices from world-renowned UK Jaguar specialist SNG Barratt. There are bills for everything from carburettor linkages to a crank damper pulley. This engine is covered in replacement hoses, clamps, fixtures and gaskets. It also appears to be a lot drier and less leak prone than the majority of Jaguar’s we’ve seen from the Leyland era.

The vendor informs us that the car has also recently received new engine, transmission and differential oil, as well as the accompanying filters. He does admit however, that there’s still a leak from the gearbox and the engine sounds a bit rough so needs a tune-up (you can hear it in the video). Other than the signs of that transmission weep, we were pretty impressed by the condition of the underside of this E Type. The floors and sills look solid and straight, with the latter showing just a few of the scuffs and scrapes mentioned earlier but very little sign of corrosion. There is a spot of rot, just getting a hold, on the bottom of the passenger side front wing however, which appears to be in the early stages.

There’s a lovely stainless-steel exhaust that helps give the V12 its correct purr and there’s also a pair of excellent GAZ coil overs up front, allowing you the perfect adjustability for your desired mix of comfort versus performance. Oddly, we did notice a block of wood attached to the bottom of the front subframe by some metal ties! We can only assume it’s to protect from a particularly militant local sleeping Gendarmerie…

As is common with a lot of imported cars, documents have unfortunately been misplaced. Therefore, there’s very little that accompanies this car from before 2013. There’s a genuine original parts catalogue and a repair operation manual, plus some wiring diagrams that will no doubt come in handy at some point. These machines were never known for their attention to build quality after all.

There’s some up-to-date documentation in the form of a Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust certificate. Beyond this, there’s that pile of parts receipts from SNG Barratt, though sadly the images taken here are all too low-res for us to read them. However, the vendor informs us that they are for the following new parts; cooling hoses/expansion tank plus fresh coolant, power steering hoses, gearbox oil hoses, front shocks and a complete modern ignition setup. To name just a few…

The vendor is keen to point out that this is a complete car without the usual missing or broken bits of hard to find trim. While it’s clear that this car appears to be generally sound and has a good interior, there’s still a bit of cosmetic work to do to bring it up to peak condition. The final touch of some localised paintwork (or even a full repaint) would make this E Type a show stopper. That’s why we think it’s fair to give it an estimate of €65,000 - €80,000.

Inspection is always encouraged, with this particular car located in Mondelange, France. 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’.