1970 Jaguar E Type Series 2 4.2 Coupe

When the owner, Martin, bought this two-seater coupe back in 2010, he was looking for a ‘touring classic’. ‘Plus, it’s an icon,’ he adds; ‘and I’ve always had a hankering for one.’ He already had a classic 911 and Lancia tooled up in rally spec, but wanted something ‘to drive down to the south of France’. The E type fits the bill superbly, though, in some degree, due to world events, the Jaguar has seen less use than he and his wife intended. Naturally an always garaged and cherished classic, the car has only driven about 3000 miles under his stewardship.

The car also comes with an interesting history; in the mid-naughties, it was bought by fashion designer Jeff Banks. As well as undergoing a thorough mechanical overhaul, in 2007, the car was repainted (it was originally red) and its interior reupholstered to coordinate with a new fashion line (jeans) that Banks was launching. The car, with door decals (don’t worry, they’re not still on it), took part in photo shoots and events - you’ll see some of the pictures in the history file.

These days, it is simply a quietly rakish Sixties GT, though if you open the door, you will see a reminder of its glamorous past stitched into the seats. So how the new owner will downplay or broadcast that aspect of its life will be up to them. Either way, this is a thoroughly sorted E-type - in the purer two-seater form - that has led a very gentle life since its refurbishment.

That should set you thinking…

Finished in non-metallic black, this car possesses a sultry, quite sober elegance. It has been largely repainted in the past five years and the finish holds that nice balance of a pleasing gloss finish, without forfeiting that slight patina that give a nod to its years.

The finish and lustre are consistent across the car, with the paintwork retaining a deep shine. The Jaguar’s complex curves throw up no major flaws, no matter which angle you view the car from. The same goes for the panelwork. Those aforementioned curves can give rise to some tired silhouettes after many years on the road, but this example retains its true E Type form. There are no dents or sagging, and panels - notably that big clamshell bonnet - line up as they should.

Of course, the E Type comes from an era when chrome was still kind, and therefore sports its fair share of brightwork. This is in very good order across the car. There are no signs of condensation-induced pitting or scratches from overzealous polishing in either the bumpers, the mirrors or the window surrounds. Those big, scooped headlight mountings look very good and headlights are clean. Below them and both front and rear, the bumper overriders are straight and the rubber seals behind them solid. You’ll notice that window/door seals are likewise of a good colour and fit snug to the metal - no perishing or shrinkage. Joins and folds in the chrome show no discolouration or corrosion.

The Jaguar doesn’t display a concours finish - there are a few tiny scuffs - but it is very presentable and offers a nice blend of period patina and refreshment.

On opening the door, you are essentially looking at a 13 year-old interior - and a very well executed one at that. You’ll see from the bills that the whole of the interior was recovered in a particular (non-standard) shade of blue at that time, complete with ‘those’ seat crests and a modern Alpine sound system. Cushions were repadded and one or two panels had to be reworked to accommodate the speakers. Door cards were remanufactured and the dash roll top reworked. The leather and carpets are therefore those of a sparsely and carefully used 10 year old car. The hides and carpets retain all of their colour and show no significant scuffs or marks.The cargo deck is like the rest of the cabin, more or less as new with no scuffs from cases or bags.

Dashboard panels (the black ones), switch gear and metal parts are original and show a little more patina (the steering wheel looks newer). There isn’t a clash between the new and the old (not like there is between the colour of the seats and them seatbelts!), and the whole ensemble blends together well.

The issues enthusiasts might have with the cabin aren’t ones of quality or condition, but more about originality. There isn’t anything that couldn’t be returned to standard E Type, but with a fair few other E Types out there, it might be more interesting to keep this one as it is… but maybe with black seat belts.

Everything underneath the car appears mildly weathered and understandably dust-coated, but everything looks solid and very robust. Nowhere in the underside of the body do there appear to be any perforations from rot (though one small patch is peeling) nor significant dents of any kind. Undersides of wheel arches look clean and sturdy. Most of the underside retains a good coating of paint/weathersealing, with the odd chip or scuff and a little surface rust on one or two edges. Bolts and brackets fixed to the underside look secure and servicable, and the exhaust (with a little surface rust) securely mounted. Chassis rails look sturdy, as do suspension components; wishbones, springs and dampers. All look to be in very good form. Likewise, joins and bolt look like they will cooperate fairly readily with a wrench and nothing looks like it has been overlooked for any length of time.

Similarly, the engine has that same workmanlike air. All components appear serviced and servicable. Again, all the bolts look they have been tightened with a spanner rather than welded into place with rust, and there are no signs of leaks from gaskets or around the engine sump. The triple SU carburettors are clean, with again, no signs of corrosion in screw heads nor stains from leakage. Hoses look pretty new and their retaining clips clean - no signs of perishing or cracks in joins. The wiring looks a little older in places, but again looks robust and tidy.

The attractive wire wheels look to be in very good shape; clean - even around the joins in the spokes, and sporting bright knock-off spinners all round.

The E Type has a big history file that goes way back, and someone has even taken the time to painstakingly list most of the work it has had done and when. What will be of significant interest of course is the restoration work carried out for Jeff Banks in 2007 (including the new interior). All the receipts for that are here, along with notes and descriptions of the work undertaken - its a pretty comprehensive list of replacement and refreshing as well as a general and thorough fettling (such an important word). The resent owner, Martin, also had some work done; including an exterior repaint, and a new clutch in 2018. He also returned the car to the original spec ignition (on the advice of enthusiasts/specialists) after its electronic ignition caused problems. There are one or two photos from Banks’ time with the car as well as a posed car/model shot from the jeans campaign in which it was used. Interesting.

A very sound and sorted car with an interesting history. As we said in the ‘on the inside’ section, what will have enthusiasts wondering is that (fairly slight) deviation from standard issue E-type. It would be a shame to return it to text book Series 2. As we also said, there are plenty (relatively) of those out there, but this car has its own story. In a sense, this example has carried on what the original E-type was designed to do - to be part of ‘the scene’ and to be part of whatever was going on in the fashion and style world. This car has done that and has the photos to prove it - so embrace that. Whether those modifications and the history add to the value is for you to decide, but you can at least be certain that you are bidding on a fairly recently restored and well-sorted 4.2 coupe. As such, we feel its value is between £45,000 and £55,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Kingston on Soar, Nottinghamshire; 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’.