1968 Jaguar E Type Ser 1.5

Welcome to our latest auction, a recently restored ‘Series 1½’ Jaguar E-Type finished in one of the nicest colour combinations we’ve ever seen: Opalescent Racing Green with a tan leather interior.

Fitted with the bonnet from a Series 1, complete with the faired-in headlamps, the finished car oozes a subtle retro-mod vibe alongside the timeless elegance the E-Type has made its own. Bought from the United States a couple of years ago as a retirement present to himself, the vendor commissioned the restoration – and then didn’t retire.

Now still working and as busy as ever, he’s doing the sensible thing and passing the baton on to an enthusiast who has the time and motivation to complete it. Almost completely restored, it needs only minor fettling to finish.

He also reports that this left-hand-drive example is a ‘matching numbers’ car, which makes an already appealing car all the more so. Being offered with a sensible reserve, this might be your chance to get your hands on a very desirable Jaguar E-Type for something of a bargain price.

The Opalescent Racing Green coachwork looks magnificent. With very good panel alignment and possibly better shutlines than it would have ever worn in period, the colour suits the car’s lines very well.

Clearly applied to a very good standard, it’s in a stunning condition with nary a mark on it. The gloss is deep and even, it’s a fantastic choice and one that looks even better in the flesh than it does in the photos.

The flanks are also straight and free of ripples, the doors open and latch easily, and the chromework is excellent. The restorer really has done a very good job, and the boss rates the bodywork as a solid 9½ out of ten.

More chrome comes by way of the wire wheels are in great shape, as are their Series One eared centre spinners. And while it’s true that there is a little rust on some of the nipples, what there is is very minor and in no way detracts from the car’s overall appearance.

The new folding tan-coloured hood is in great shape, opening and closing as it should. It is a little grubby but seals well and provides good weather-resistance, extending the E-Types working season, so how about using it to go skiing this winter? One things for sure; it’s going to make more of an impression than any Audi or Mercedes SUV ever could…

The tyres are all age-perished and have started to crack on their sidewalls so will need replacing. Still, it’s a common size and a cheap enough job – and at least it allows you to pick the tyres you want rather than having to put up with the brand the previous owner preferred, so every cloud, eh?

Other work to do seems to be limited to replacing the glass in the door mirrors as it has discoloured, and sorting out a strange mark on the fuel filler cap. The former would be a cheap and easy job, while we’re almost certain that the latter should just buff out.

The tan leather interior, supplied by well-known specialists Aldridge Trimming, is glorious in its opulence and ticks all of our E-Type boxes; with its low-back leather seats, aircraft-style row of rocker switches and instruments, and straight-arm driving position it feels more like piloting a vintage fighter plane than a sportscar.

It’s all in great shape, too. The seats are firm and supportive and have been recently recovered. The door cards are still like new, and the leather-bound cream carpets are in good shape - and lifting them reveals only clean, rust-free metal.

The original wooden steering wheel is huge and heavily patinated, as are the painted bezels on the dials, the handbrake lever, ashtray and the gearshift trim; the Jaguar was restored on a fixed-price basis, and rather than bodge what was left when the money ran out, the restorer wisely left the dashboard in its original condition. You will note that from the Gallery that some of the new parts appear to be there, but not fitted and still currently ‘stored’ in the boot along with all the old black door cards/seat covers etc.

The new owner can see exactly what still needs doing; if it ain’t perfect, then it still needs sorting! And, as most classic car suppliers are still open for mail order business, you could order what you need now and get it all fitted while we’re still in lockdown.

Other imperfections include a patch of wear on the nearside edge of the passenger’s seat, and a small area of wear to the nearside trim behind the driver’s seat, which looks like it has snagged on the folding hood mechanism. Both are minor and barely noticeable and we only include them for completeness.

The folding hood and associated mechanism and frame itself is in good shape, and works as it should. The fabric of the hood is very clean, and the hood is taut and free of wrinkles and damage.

The boot is very clean and solid, and is home to the car’s fuel tank and spare wire wheel. The boot floor is solid and free of rust, and some of the old interior trim, along with a few bits and bobs that have yet to be fitted, are in there too. Please take a look at the photos to see exactly what is included.

Oh, and the radio is missing so this might be your chance to fit something like an Autosound twin-spindle DAB radio.

Lifting the front bodywork reveals the 4.2-litre straight-six engine in all its glory. It is clean and orderly with an impressively well finished chassis and what looks to be an all-new suspension system and exhaust. In fact, the vast majority of the car’s underside is very clean and tidy; someone has clearly spent a lot of time and money on new components and finishing it off to a very good standard.

There are a number of photographs of the restoration work being carried out on the car’s bodywork, interior and mechanical components. They, along with the quality of the car’s finish and the brand name parts - Boge, Borg & Beck etc. - that were fitted, along with the quality of the workmanship reassures us that it was all done to a very good standard.

However, just like the interior, some of the minor details are not quite as tidy as the rest of the Jaguar. It’s in a workmanlike condition but we can see that the car’s new owner might want to expend a little effort in cleaning and detailing the engine itself. Still, that’s one of the nicer jobs to carry out on your new classic, so it’ll be no real hardship.

We believe that the engine was found to be in a decent condition, so hasn’t been touched. We do know that it features the Euro-spec, Series One carburettor set-up with three SUs as opposed to the two carbs the Americans made do with.

It starts and runs and, as you can see from the attached video, it ticks over evenly. Those twin exhaust pipes not only look good, they endow it with an appealing exhaust note that is just the right side of raucous.

Work to do: the carbs & throttle linkage need setting up, and the engine needs a service and tuning. The new Borg & Beck clutch needs pumping to work, and the suspension geometry could probably do with honing. No doubt there may be the odd other niggle to fix once a shakedown can be done.

The car will need to be trailered away because of the condition of the tyres. For this reason, we haven’t been able to test drive it and so our findings are based on a static inspection, albeit with the engine running.

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…

Sadly, the car doesn’t come with any paperwork other than the single item shown in the listing. For this reason, bidders should satisfy themselves as to its current condition rather than relying on a paper trail to guide them. The V5 confirms first registered in the UK in Nov 2019 and no previous UK owners.

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 give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Or, even better, why not contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call? You get to direct us in real-time, giving you a virtual personal viewing experience while maintaining the lockdown. We like to call it ‘The Market’s 2020 Vision’…

With only a few minor cosmetic details to sort out over what would probably only be half-a-dozen weekends, this is your chance to buy a well-restored and very solid example of the much sought-after Series 1.5 E-Type for a lot less than you would have had to pay only six months ago. And in what is our new favourite colour scheme.

This is because there’s no denying that the market has softened a little since then, which means we think the hammer will fall somewhere between £75,000 and £85,000, which market followers will recognize is not a lot of money for a car that would have fetched six-figures 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 realize just how little their money is earning in interest these days.

This left-hand-drive example would also be perfect for inter-continental touring, or for leaving in storage at your place in the sun for you to use on holiday. And, for our European friends for whom a LHD car is a bonus, can we remind you that we can offer a door-to-door or port-to-port service, too, once lockdown is over?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.