1970 Jaguar E Type Series 2 2+2

We know this car, because it’s been our way before.

Brought to us by a vendor who has a collection of fine and interesting classics, it was sold to him through us in June 2021.

As is often the way with even the best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men, his initial goal of thoroughly overhauling the car’s mechanicals, re-doing the interior and spending his summers exploiting its practicality to convey him and his surfing gear to and from the coast…well, they never quite made it to fruition. 

Consequently, the car has sat in a dry, secure storage space for the last 5 years.

The vendor employs his own mechanic to attend to the needs of the various vehicles in his rather classy fleet, and entrusted him fell with the task of ensuring that the car is up and running and now has tuned and balanced carbs.

But that’s pretty much all that’s materially happened to the car in the last few years, save for the odd spin around the block to blow away a cobweb or two.

The one thing the vendor was resolutely NEVER going to do to this car was repaint it.

In fact, he bought it precisely because the car’s rare Willow Green paint has a gloriously evocative, time-served patina to it that speaks to the car’s authenticity and proudly carries the dinks, scuffs and nudges of 56 years of life like badges of honour.

Had he decided to keep the car, the vendor was going to seal the finish in, preserving its characterful wrinkles, creases and blotches in perpetuity.

Another reason the vendor bought the car in the first place is the fact that, underneath all the charming patina, the car is rock solid and mercifully free of any rot or compromises to its structural integrity. 

This US market Jaguar E Type - known Stateside as the XK-E - was built in March 1970, making it a Series 2 2+2 Coupé. 

It was shipped out to British Leyland New York the following month. Powered by the 4.2-litre XK 6-cylinder engine, this car is fitted with a 3-speed automatic transmission (only available on the 2+2) and is left-hand-drive. 

In early 2017, it was imported from California (where it had been for some 40 years) to the UK by Bure Valley Classics of Norfolk to be sold as a project car for restoration. 

It is a matching numbers car. 

The body work looks solid and correct, and the panel gaps and shut-lines are reassuringly crisp and consistent.

Although it’s not without the odd dink, dent, crease or ripple here and there, none of them is even remotely beyond redemption and all should yield to the subtle and nuanced attentions of a decent bodywork whisperer. 

The Willow Green paintwork is, to our eyes, delightful.

Yes, it’s flat in places, there are scratches, scuffs, cracks, blemishes and marks here, there and elsewhere, and the finish lost its claim to any shine or lustre quite some time ago – but, somehow, it works.

No, it’s not perfect. Yes, it has plenty of wrinkles, creases and age marks.

But it’s characterful.

It’s the automotive equivalent of Keith Richards’ face, and it’s all the better for it in our opinion. 

The chrome-work is intact and there are no big dents or cracks to contend with, but there’s foxing, pitting and tarnishing to be found in numerous places.

The section of front valance below the bumper looks a bit bashed about.

The 15-inch wire wheels were refurbished in March 2019 and look to be in accordingly good order - although one or two of the knock-off spinners have begun to dechrome in places. 

The matching Bridgestone Insignia tyres look decent but they’re pretty long in the tooth now, as are the rather ragged rubber seals around the windows.

The lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings are in generally reasonable condition.

That said, we tried and failed to get the headlights to work.

The Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate states that the beige leather upholstery and trim were originally black, so they’ve evidently been replaced at some unknown point.

Either way, the time is fast approaching when some or all of that replacement work will need tackling again, as there are various splits, nicks and other deviations from perfection to be found on the front seats. 

The back seats have been subject to some attempted repairs in the past, but they’re clearly in need of some remedial attention.

The door cards are rather tired and grubby but seem to be largely intact and together. 

The same can be said for the carpets, mats, and the floor of the rear luggage deck. 

The headlining is holed in several places and stained pretty much everywhere else.

The dashboard has some damage to the top-roll on the passenger side and there are a couple of splits and a hole to the trim around the gear selector. 

As far as we can tell, the dashboard switches, buttons, knobs, gauges and dials all do what they’re supposed to do and, aside from the odd patch of missing paint, they all look fairly decent.

The passenger seat is missing its tilt handle. 

The car’s undersides look relatively, clean, dry and free of anything likely to raise a frown or force a tut.

There’s the odd spot of what looks like surface rust here and there, but that’s hardly abnormal on a 56-year-old car.

Everything in the engine bay looks present, correct and capable of springing into life without too much encouragement or coaxing.

The history file has a few bills, invoices and receipts attesting to work carried out by a previous owner from 2019-ish to 2021-ish. The brakes and suspension were particular areas of focus.

Other than those, there’s not a great deal of history to see.

We don’t know what it got up to in the USA. We do know that it hasn’t done much since it returned to Blighty.

There’s no definitive proof that the odometer reading is accurate, but we’re entirely open to the suggestion that the 90,872 miles indicated are wholly in keeping with its condition and patina.

There is a certificate of authenticity from the Jaguar Heritage Trust, a V5C, a recent HPI report, a few photographs and a copy of an MoT certificate from 2020.

As ever with a classic car, once you’ve bought it you can do what you like with it, broadly speaking.

This one gives you options.

You can brace yourself, dig deep and set forth on a journey of full restoration.

Alternatively, you can seal-in the patina, get the car mechanically sorted and fettled, and enjoy it as the uniquely characterful car it undoubtedly is.

You pays your money and you takes your choice.

We know what we’d do.

We’re confident to offer this fine car for auction with an estimate of £18,000 - £23,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.