1974 Jaguar E Type S3

If you are going to have a Jaguar E Type, you most likely want one in a favoured colour combination and what could be finer than British Racing Green, paired with a cinnamon leather interior.

Our lovely Roadster left the Browns Lane factory in March 1974 in left hand drive form and was dispatched to New York. It must have cut quite a dash in the day, and we can only imagine the joy it must have brought to its lucky original owner.

The car returned to the UK we believe in 1999 and at some stage in its new life it was converted to right-hand drive.

The car was supplied to the last owner some five years or so by XK Engineering in Coventry, a renowned classic car restoration business established in 1981. They specialise in Jaguar, by the way.

The car then formed part of the owner’s extensive collection of classic cars and was used sparingly covering just 700 or so miles during his ownership.

That being the case, we are now delighted to offer it for sale and do hope that the next lucky owner will put plenty more miles on the clock. After all, cars are meant to be driven and what could be nicer on a warm summer’s day, than a drive in the countryside in a convertible E Type?

It’s a manual too, so all the better to harness the power of that formidable V12 engine.

Overall, the paintwork is in pretty good condition and undoubtedly the colour suits the car well.

We would mention the scratch on the bonnet beneath the front number plate. We also note some small areas of bubbling paint close to the chrome strips which run along the front wing. Also to be noted is a small area of marked paintwork on the nearside rear wing, on the leading edge.

We also note some bubbling of the paint and small rust spots on the front valance.

The paint is a little dull in places and would no doubt benefit from a professional polish.

The mohair hood is a tad creased, a little grubby and has a small hole in it on the left-hand side. The Perspex window is a little jaded too.

There is lots of chrome on the old Jag and it looks to be in good condition. Be prepared to stock up on chrome cleaner though.

No classic Jaguar looks right without wire wheels and our car boasts five. The road wheels boast a set of matching Dunlop tyres, with an Avon adorning the spare.

As we never tire of saying, matching quality tyres are usually a good indication of careful and considered classic car ownership.

What could be nicer than hunkering down in the comfortable leather driver’s seat, firing up that sonorous V12, slipping the gear-lever into first and wafting off into the sunset. Perfect!

The seats themselves, probably the originals, look a little tired and would benefit from some professional attention to restore them to their former glory. For those of a handy disposition, some hide food and dye would undoubtedly much improve them.

The driver’s seat also has a couple of holes on the back, unusual.

Door cards are also cinnamon coloured for that coordinated look.

The hood shows signs of water staining, though it may of course be possible to remove the marks with some elbow grease. With the external hole already mentioned, we suspect the car’s new owner will most likely want to fit a new hood.

Carpets are ok, though a steam clean would undoubtedly improve them.

The boot houses the aforementioned spare wire wheel together with an assortment of tools.

We always include plenty of photos of a car’s underside for your delectation, so pause a while and take a look. There’s underseal aplenty, always a good sign with the UK’s variable climate.

There’s some dirt, a little surface corrosion in places, but nothing we can see to cause much due concern. And of course, you are always welcome to inspect the car in person.

That V12 engine is always an impressive sight, and the engine bay is quite presentable. The underside of the bonnet could be improved though.

The battery is a little weak, we put it on trickle charge, so it's possible you'd want to fit a new one.

We just drove it for the photography however, it drives as you'd expect an E Type from this era - which is well.

We should mention at this point that this is a matching numbers car, which we like.

You will also see in the paperwork that XK Engineering ordered a Heritage Certificate from Jaguar, which confirms the car’s details.

The car has had three registered keepers during its time in the UK, the last for over five years.

Sadly, there is no other paperwork with this E Type.

This is an honest V12 E Type, one that was made during the final year of production.

The colour combination is just perfect for an archetypal British sports car and with a little tlc in places, this car will be set to delight its lucky new owner.

We estimate the car will sell for between £51,000 and £61,000.

This year is also the 60th anniversary of the start of E Type production. So why not buy this car and join in the celebrations. You’ll be glad you did!

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; 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’.