1971 Jaguar E Type S3

In the seller’s care since 2019, ‘BVM 283K’ is a series 3 Jaguar E Type fitted with the V12 engine and a manual gearbox. Still finished in its original colour of Ascot Fawn with a red leather interior, as a later car it also benefits from 2+2 seating.

It started life in New York, leaving these shores on the 31st of December 1971. It then spent 42 years in the same pair of hands in Kansas. It returned to the UK in 2014, where it was treated to a full respray and retrim using the original panels and wheels, as well as most of the chrome.

With just two previous UK owners, further positives include regular fettling and a history file that includes a Jaguar Heritage Trust Production Record Trace Certificate confirming it specification today is the same as when it left the factory.

The Ascot Fawn bodywork presents very well indeed but then the odometer suggests it has only travelled around 3,500 miles since its first MoT test after being repainted in 2014.

It helps of course that the panels are not only straight but align nicely, but the decision to retain the car’s original colour was inspired as its very of-the-period hue makes a refreshing change from some of the more commonplace colours we see.

The 15-inch steel wheels are in a good condition. Painted silver, they’re enhanced with chrome rim trims and chrome Jaguar hubcaps. There is some slight pitting and corrosion to the brightwork but it’s minimal and could easily be chalked up to a developing patina.

The rest of the chrome is good; the later cars do wear a little more in the way of decoration and this one looks lovely, the chrome trim complementing the factory colour very nicely. Sure, there is some very light pitting here and there such as the offside rear quarter bumper, but it really is minimal and wouldn’t concern most people.

The tyres are Kenda Komet Plus KR23 all round. They have plenty of tread left on them but date back to 2013, so they’re probably due for replacement on the grounds of their age – and if that doesn’t bother you enough to change them then perhaps the alliterative double ‘K’ will…

Other woes are few. There is some light bubbling on the top of the nearside front wing, plus some rust at the top of the offside door where it meets the window frame, the lower section of the nearside rear wing, the inside of the rear door, and the nearside sill.

Less urgent is the rubber seal on the rear door, which has perished. There’s a small chip in the windscreen too but everything else, including the lamp lenses, window glazing, and badges, is all good.

The black and red leather interior is striking and provides a good contrast to the subdued coachwork.

Like the coachwork, it’s in great shape following its restoration and still shows firm and taut seats, an undamaged dashboard, and one of the nicest luggage areas we’ve seen in a while.

The (very good) door cards and carpets are red to match the rest of the cabin, and the lettering on the instruments and controls is still a nice, bright white.

The replacement steering wheel is covered in black leather and it, along with the three dainty foot pedals and simple black gearknob, provide a tactile interface between the driver and their sportscar.

Of course, the traditional E Type styling cues of a row of rocker switches and minor instruments across the centre of the dashboard are present and correct, as is a period-authentic push-button radio.

The boot is, if anything, in an even better condition than the rest of the cockpit; we doubt it’s seen much in the way of use in the decade and 3,500 miles that have passed since the car was retrimmed.

A nice touch is the design of the rear seat mechanism, which allows it to be moved forward to increase the available space for luggage. Ideal for a long road trip – maybe to Classic Le Mans? – the extended boot has plenty of room to bring back some liquid souvenirs in addition to the suitcases you left home with.

There’s also a neat tool kit in there and a full-size spare wheel.

Which leaves very little for the new owner to put right. If you’re looking for a job, then the headlining has the odd wrinkle in it and is sagging in places, the nearside door card has a small tear near the door handle, and the boot is missing one section of rubber floor trim, but these could easily be a job for Future You if you wanted to procrastinate.

The JAG SHOP has undertaken most of the work for the seller since he’s owned it; two of the invoices are on file and we’re trying to hold of the other, which the seller tells us is a big one of around £3,000 and included a new fuel pump and starter motor. Originalists will appreciate the fact the seller has kept the originals.

Prior to the JAG SHOP looking after his E Type, Southern Classics fitted a new alternator in November 2019 following a breakdown, taking the opportunity to go through the car while it was with them. The result is documented in the history file but the net result was an invoice for £4,774.

Even earlier, Robinson Motors had rebuilt the Powerlock differential and fitted a new clutch in 2016. This led to a bill of almost £3,000.

Ash Engineering rebuilt the engine too, incurring another bill for £4,721. This can be seen online and the correspondence details the work it carried out.

As you can see, the engine starts and idles well. It revs very nicely too and makes a cracking noise through the distinctive quadruple exhaust tailpipes.

Performance is strong: we didn’t break out the stopwatch but the factory figures at the time were 272bhp and 303lb.ft of torque, enough to pass 60mph in around six and a half seconds on its way to a top speed of 148mph, which means you should see 150mph with speedo error. Oh, and fuel consumption probably isn’t as bad as you might think, although it’ll never win an efficiency run.

The engine bay is nicely presented, and few would find fault. Those of a fastidious nature might like to replace the few rusty fasteners that lurk under that long bonnet but that’s very much a #firstworldproblem

Besides, jobs like this are very easy and even more satisfying. Running a classic is about far more than admiring it and driving it and jobs like this help you connect with them in a way that a modern car simply doesn’t; plugging in a laptop might be an efficient way to diagnose a problem, but nothing beats unfurling a tool roll and taking your time to work your way methodically through a problem. There’s a reason folk like the seller keep their classic cars for years, and this kind of slow-burn, intimate relationship is why.

The underneath of the E Type looks strong, solid and well protected by underseal. Sure, there is the odd patch of flaking protection, and some light corrosion on some of the paintwork, but it is limited in scope and resolving it should be straightforward.

The Jaguar doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the markers for being an imported car and having finance against it. The seller tells us that the latter point should be clear by the time the auction starts.

The history file includes its Kansas title in addition to the Jaguar Heritage Trust Production Record Trace Certificate, a V5 registration document in the seller’s name, the Operating, Maintenance and Servicing Handbook, and invoices for the work that’s been carried out over the years.

There is also a photo album documenting its restoration back here in Blighty.

Cars don’t come any more iconic than the E Type, and this one would be ideal for someone looking to dip their toe into the classic Jaguar world.

For long-distance continental touring too, something the E Type’s four seats and V12 engine would further facilitate.

And, with a guide price of between £37,000 and £42,000, it’s likely to be a cost effective way of driving an icon, too.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.