1968 Jaguar E-Type S2 FHC

Originally exported to the USA and converted to RHD during its recent restoration back in the UK, we are delighted to auction a 1968 Series 2 example, presented in delightful Regency Red. This Jaguar E-Type fixed-head coupe (FHC) has been the subject of a bare-metal, ground-up restoration by its talented owner.

The work, which was carried out between 2018 and early 2020, was comprehensive and included many new panels, a professional respray in its original colour, a new interior and much, much more. Freshly finished and running beautifully, it is a matching numbers example with the Jaguar Heritage certificate to prove it.

In need of nothing other than an appreciative owner and a tank of high-octane petrol, it is only being offered for sale as the owner wants to leverage his hard work into a contribution towards his next project, a convertible E-Type.

The bodywork was stripped down to a bare shell and any corrosion cut away. New panels were let in where necessary and the work included a complete floorpan, inner and outer sills, a boot floor, rear lower quarters, and fresh door skins.

Meticulously reassembled, we know some of you think we’re obsessed with panel gaps but we’re convinced that anyone taking the time to get them this consistent can be assumed to have completed a better-than-average restoration – and when a shape is this simple and unadorned, you really do need to get the details right.

Which is why the paintwork was the one aspect of the restoration the owner commissioned out; knowing his limitations, he paid a considerable sum for a professional respray, a move that paid off as the finish is really quite stunning. Regency Red is an unusual colour but one that lifts this beautifully finished example head-and-shoulders above others. Nigh on flawless, it needs nothing other than continued care and appreciation. (And it drew quite a crowd when we were photographing it…)

The external chromework is largely new and so in a fabulous condition, as are the chromed wire wheels. Gleaming and running true, they’re shod with a set of hideously expensive Avon tyres, all of which have good tread.

As we will never tire of explaining (yes, this is another of our hobby horses…) our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you an insight into their attitude towards maintenance.

A new windscreen and rear screen have been fitted, along with new wiper arms and blades.

As part of the interior’s complete refurbishment, the front seats and centre console were recovered in the original Aldridge leather material; as you can see they look sensational and are still like new. Firm and supportive, they’re utterly sublime and add greatly to the E-Type’s legendary driver appeal.

The door cards and most of the rest of the interior trim - including the dashboard - have been replaced too, along with the installation of a new black headlining.

The cockpit, with its trademark row of rocker switches and comprehensive array of Smiths gauges, is a wonderful place to be largely thanks to the adroit manner in which the vendor has balanced the old with the new.

Because the steering wheel looks to be the original. Lightly patinated, its inclusion nods at the car’s past and provides an important link to those who’ve driven it over the past five decades.

Not that he’s been slavish in his adherence to the car’s originality because, brilliantly, the period Motorola radio has been modified to incorporate an auxiliary input allowing MP3 and iPod compatibility. Updated Blaupunkt speakers have been discreetly fitted either side of the centre console, too.

The boot has been skilfully trimmed and it is a credit to his patience in getting it looking this good. So good, in fact, that if it were ours we’d be scouring eBay for period leather luggage to fill it…

Work to do? Well, if we’re being hyper-critical then the seat release levers have seen better days and there is a little untidiness around the front door seals, but other than that we think it’s gorgeous.

Every single mechanical component has been removed, inspected, stripped down if necessary and then refurbished, restored or replaced as necessary with new bearings, rubber mounts, gaskets, and seals being used throughout.

The brake calipers were refurbished and the braking system rebuilt with new discs, pads, and the handbrake mechanism. The steering rack and joints are new, as are the springs and dampers.

The 4.2-litre straight-six engine was stripped down and rebuilt with a skimmed cylinder head, new inlet and exhaust valves, camshaft bearings, timing chain and adjuster, oil pump, and a stainless-steel exhaust. It starts on the button, quickly settles into an even tickover, and offers sprightly performance.

A new heater matrix and heater body (including a Fiero heater motor) have also been fitted, along with an uprated 90A alternator. The starter motor, wiper motor, and fan motors were refurbished as well.

The engine bay is exquisitely detailed, and the underneath is the owner’s favourite part of the whole car - and having admired it ourselves, we can see why. A genuine labour of love, it is as neatly finished as any we can recall.

Wonderfully, and possibly almost uniquely, this E-Type doesn’t leak. At all – and if that isn’t testament to the care with which it has been reassembled then we don’t know what is.

In fact, the only work we can see that the new owner might like to carry out is to level the exhaust tailpipes – or is it just us?

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 the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, 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 E-Type comes with a V5C, Jaguar Herirtage Certificate, some invoices and a comprehensive list of the parts purchased for the restoration, along with thousands of photographs of the restoration being carried out, some of which are in the gallery.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this work, along with the paperwork, to support our claim that this car has been restored to a very high standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please contact the owner and ask if they can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like them to concentrate on.

This is your chance to buy a very well-restored, ultra-solid, beautifully finished Jaguar E-Type S2 fixed-head coupe for a lot less than you would have had to pay only six months ago.

Because there’s no denying that the market has softened a little since then, which means we think the hammer will fall somewhere between £46,000 and £55,000, which market followers will recognise is not a lot of money for a car that would have fetched considerably more only recently…

And remember, when the market softens, investors and collectors default to what they know – and everyone loves and knows the E-Type, which should make it a canny buy in the long-term when the world starts to make its way back to normal and investors realise just how little their money is earning in interest these days.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller in Swansea; 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’.