1969 Jaguar E Type Series II Roadster

This ‘matching numbers’ Jaguar E Type S2, a status confirmed via a Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate, was imported from the United States by its previous owner in 2018. Once back in the UK, he set about a full rotisserie restoration of the body that included new floors plus inner and outer sills before being refinished in British Racing Green Metallic, a change from the factory colour of Regency Red.

He also stripped the engine and rebuilt the bottom-end, refurbishing the independent rear suspension at the same time. Sadly, a family bereavement caused the project to stall and he sold the car to the vendor at the end of 2021.

The seller has completed the mechanical work, converting the car to right-hand-drive in the process. (See later section for full details.) He’s also fitted a new interior to the car, including new leather seat covers, new carpets, a leather-covered centre console, and a new dashboard.

Now finished, it is still in its ‘running in’ phase and has been standing for a couple of months, so it would benefit from a good valet and a general tune-up once everything has had a chance to bed in.

The full rotisserie restoration, which classic car enthusiasts will recognize is the only way to do a thorough job of restoring a car’s bodyshell, has left the E Type as solid as it is good looking.

As you can see, the panel alignment is good and the metallic BRG paintwork shows why this colour has become so iconic, the hue allowing those gorgeous lines to shine. The vendor reports the car draws a crowd wherever it goes, and you can see why.

The quality of restoration goes much deeper even than this though, as new seals have been fitted where needed in addition to a new green tinted windscreen.

The chromework includes new items such as the rear overriders and centre section and elements of the front bumper; he tells us that the rest responded well to being cleaned, so was left in place.

The black folding roof is new and, as you’d expect, it furls and unfurls neatly and fits well. That it is in an excellent condition goes without saying.

The wire wheels are in a similarly good condition and are fitted with a matching set of Goodyear Eagle NCT tyres. These look like they have legal tread on them but they are getting on a bit, so a prudent bidder would budget for a new set of rubber for all four corners.

Other faults? The seller admits that there are a few areas where the paint has blemishes under it, but says these are not serious, summarizing the condition as “good, not perfect but very presentable”.

These areas are hard to photograph but the E Type is with its owner in Neath, south Wales so please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button to make an appointment to view to judge for yourself.

With new carpets, seat covers, centre console, and dashboard, you’d have every right to expect the Jaguar’s cabin to be a special place – and it is.

All the familiar stylistic cues are there, just in a better condition that most examples you see. The seats are firm and supportive, and the little bits and bobs of trim that have been carried over are in no way overshadowed by their newer brethren.

The dials were all refurbished, we are told, and while the radio might look period-appropriate it actually has an input for a modern phone.

The boot is good, and contains a spare wire wheel and Michelin tyre.

As part of the second part of its restoration, the following mechanical work was undertaken by the vendor:

• front suspension completely refurbished,
• new exhaust system connected,
• radiator re-cored,
• new steering rack installed,
• new brake servo and brake master cylinder fitted,
• new clutch master and slave cylinder fitted,
• new alternator installed, and
• cylinder head skimmed and then refurbished with new valves, timing gear etc.

As you’d expect given such a significant investment in time and money, we are told that the big cat fires into life quickly, and makes all the right noises – and none of the wrong ones.

The 4.2-litre straight-six engine has only covered around 50 miles since being completed so needs another couple of hundred under its belt before the carbs are set up and the ignition tweaked. The handbrake will likely need adjusting as well.

The engine bay is neat and nicely presented, and the underside of the bonnet has a good paint finish to it.

A US-spec car, it has the relevant importation paperwork and a V5 registration document in the owner’s name. There are plenty of photos of the car in its original condition, which is a lovely touch and one that adds to the car’s rich history.

It also comes with a Jaguar Heritage Trust production record trace certificate that shows the original factory build specification for the car as well as its sales destination.

The E Type 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…

With all the heavy lifting already done and still being run in, this lovely Jaguar E Type offers its new owner the opportunity to own a very well restored E Type with just a few minor adjustments required, but these are the sort of jobs that are part and parcel of classic car life and they offer its new owner the chance to bond with the car over the coming winter.

As to value, we think the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £55,000 and £70,000

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Neath. 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’.