1968 Jaguar E Type Series 2

‘RNW 752G’ is finished in an unusual – and unusually fetching - shade of Sherwood Green with a green suede interior, the same colours it left the factory in. A genuine UK car that’s still in its original condition, the patina it wears only adds to its (already considerable) appeal.

Fitted with the venerable 4.2-litre straight-six engine, it also benefits from a replacement gearbox with synchromesh on all the ratios and overdrive on third and fourth. This change makes for more relaxed cruising and easier city centre driving – but originality buffs needn’t worry because the original transmission comes with the car…

With just three previous owners and a full year’s MoT, it’s been in the hands of its Jaguar enthusiast owner for around five years – and because his collection includes an S1 and an S3 too, it’s fair to say he’s a dab hand at spotting a good ‘un.

A reluctant sale, only the presence of both an earlier and a later example led to him choosing this as one of the cars that has to go in an attempt to thin his ever-growing collection.

We’re pretty sure this is the first Sherwood Green E Type we’ve had pass through our hands and what a beauty it is. As you can see from the history file, it’s an original colour too, which only adds to its charm.

Because many think cars like this actually benefit from a gentle patina. Classic cars are about romance and history and the indefinable spirit of yesteryear and ripping the heart out of a car in a bid to get it looking “better than new” is rarely a successful strategy.

Not that there’s much to complaint about, because there isn’t. The panels are in great shape, they fit together nicely, and the paintwork shines. It’s a lovely old thing and all the better for being allowed to wear its years so lightly.

There’s a full-size Webasto-style roof, which is finished in green to complement the coachwork. It fits well too, and slides fore and aft easily. It’s also got a pop-up Perspex wind deflector on the leading edge and the whole kit and caboodle looks to be free of damage, so it’s all good news on the sunroof front.

In fact, the seller singled out the sunroof for praise, saying it gives almost all of the benefits of driving a full-blown E Type convertible with none of the drawbacks; he said he prefers the subtlety it gives over the LOOK AT ME! feeling he gets when he’s driving one with the roof down.

The chromework is pretty good too, with a nice shine to it and no damage. There is a little pitting and a few light scratches but it’s not bad enough to demand your attention just yet.

Of course, it’s got wire wheels (is it even an E Type without them?) and they, like everything else, are in a decent condition with only light pitting and the odd minor rust spot.

They’re also fitted with matching Dunlop SP Sport tyres, although the MoT tester did comment on some age-related perishing to the sidewalls.

That’s pretty much it for the flaws though because we’d be happy to leave everything else as it is.

Oh, and despite the presence of indicator repeaters, this is a genuine UK car as you can see from the Jaguar Heritage Trust production trace certificate.

The Coupé’s 2+2 green leather interior is every bit as period-authentic as the coachwork. Wonderfully relaxed and yet still eminently presentable, it is every E Type fantasy you’ve ever had made real.

The driver’s seat is a little more worn than the passenger’s but that wear takes the form of a slightly crumpled appearance rather than any actual damage. It’s still comfortable and the passenger’s seat is less creased. A very good armrest sits betwixt the two.

The rear seats are in an even better condition, and the carpeting throughout is excellent. The door cards are good too, as are the sill coverings and the headlining.

The instruments, switches, and controls are in great shape, and the steering wheel is a suitably vast and utterly lovely wooden number.

A previous owner fitted an auxiliary oil pressure gauge. The factory item is known to be, er, shall we say ‘less than reliable’, so he installed a back-up gauge to make sure he could monitor the engine’s health. How’s that for fastidious?

This one operates by capillary action too, so any inaccuracies on the part of the sender unit-driven O/E gauge can be easily identified. Both are said to show a minimum of 50psi, even at idle, which is great news.

A modern Bluetooth headunit to stream music and phone calls.

The boot is nicely trimmed and home to the tool kit plus the spare wire wheel.

As for flaws, there are a couple of what look like cigarette burns on the passenger’s seat; we did say it is authentic.

(Oh, and speaking of authentic, have you noticed the Pye speakers in the rear? We don’t mind telling you that seeing those took us back a few years…)

Other things to consider include the sunvisors, which have seen better days.

Want to take a guess at what the engine bay’s like? Yup, you’ve got it: nicely presented, largely original, and not overly fussy. You could easily live with it as it is or, for the valeting buffs among you, you could spend some time detailing it to your preferred standard.

There’s a recent-ish battery under there, and the seller assures us that it starts, runs and drives as it should: “it drives really well!”

Part of that is the due to the all-synchromesh gearbox, which boasts overdrive on the top two ratios. The seller tells us that this helps cut noise and revs, making it surprisingly effective at ticking off big distances.

(As we mentioned earlier, the original, matching-numbers gearbox comes with the car.)

The underside looks good but it does show some rust here and there, which will need catching sooner rather than later to prevent it developing into a bigger problem.

The exhaust looks excellent and makes a lovely noise.

The Jaguar Heritage Trust production trace certificate confirms the car’s colours as being original, as is its Leeds registration number as well as the engine, chassis, and gearbox numbers. Matching numbers AND colours – that’s pretty cool, isn’t it?

The E Type’s MoT certificate is valid until the 24th of August 2024 and the car comes with some old MoT certificates plus plenty of invoices dating from its current ownership in addition to a comprehensive wiring diagram.

The E Type is an icon for a very good reason; few classic sportscars offer a better support network and none are better looking.

They’ve been a good investment over the years too, with the most desirable having breached six figures years ago – and make no mistake, this one as desirable as they come.

Because it presents well, with lovely mellow patina. The seller was keen to maintain its originality, an originality that’s kept the desirable aged look of a carefully maintained and used example; not for him an over-restored ex-US car with no history...

And, for many enthusiasts the S2 has become E Type of choice, which makes our guide price of £45,000 to £55,000 seem like good value to us for a car that would be as comfortable at Goodwood as it would your favourite B-road route.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Hayling Island, Hampshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment. 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’.