2013-05-06 19:03:41 | pauls writes:

Car was at auction 4/13
www.cheffins.co.uk/lot/-663963-vintage-0

Auction description:
Lot 857
Circa 1965 Jaguar E-Type Mk1 Reg. No. DEA 615C Chassis No. IE20916 Engine No. 7E55939 A restoration project, mostly untouched and apparently complete the green E-Type has suffered externally during the passage of time as the sunshine floors bear testimony to. However, the interior is all present, original and in very good order, it's very rare to be able to start a build with such a complete and desirable car. A project of this type does not present itself on a regular basis. The engine and gearbox are supplied along with a pallet of E-Type parts and an expired V5 and tax disc. (1977).15000-18000

2022-02-10 08:58:04 | pauls writes:

Car offered at:

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1965-jaguar-e-type-series-1-42-fixed-head-coupe-8 ...

Auction description:

1965 Jaguar E-type Series 1 4.2 Fixed Head Coupé

Colour Opalescent Silver Blue

Odometer 86,966 Miles

Engine size 4235

Town Chelmsford

Location Essex

Country United Kingdom

Comprehensively restored from a derelict state

Finished in its original colour scheme

Runs and drives beautifully

JDHT certificate

The E-type offered for sale here, chassis 1E 20916, was built on 31st August 1965, leaving the Jaguar factory in Opalescent Silver Blue with Dark Blue interior. Issued with the West Bromwich registration DEA 615C, it was despatched to the distributor P. J. Evans of Birmingham, and then supplied to the Dartmouth Garage dealership.

At first, it must have been the hottest thing in Dartmouth, but after 10 or 15 years had passed, the E-type fell on hard times. Someone painted over its beautiful Silver Blue with a rather questionable sort of tree-frog green, and even upset the elegant slope of the fastback by grafting a spoiler onto the boot hatch. It subsequently fell out of use, and only resurfaced in recent years after suffering heavily from the ravages of time and poor storage. Around 1980, it was owned by one John Edward Knowlden of Biggin Hill, Kent.

Mercifully, succour was at hand, and the car now appears recently restored to its original specification and looking as splendid as ever any Series I E-type did having passed through the capable hands of restoration workshop CL Classics and finished off by Woodham Mortimer.

The Paperwork

The E-type comes with a slim folder containing a smattering of documents, including the current V5, an older Vehicle Registration Document from Mr. Knowlden’s ownership, a Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate issued in 2018 and some photographs of the car prior to its restoration.

The Interior

Stepping through the low doorway, sinking into the supple Dark Blue leather and laying a hand on the sporting wood-rimmed steering wheel, the E-type feels every inch a gentleman’s motor-car, and the beautiful condition of every component is testament to the high-quality of its recent restoration.

The leather still looks very new, and the rest of the interior complements it. The door cards are spotlessly clean, and even the accoutrements like the door handles and window winders look like they have only ever been handled while wearing white gloves. 

The same may be observed of the dash, with its aircraft-like arrangement of switches and gauges illuminated by a soft, warm light, and also of the centre console. The carpets set the whole scene off very nicely in with their deep, rich royal blue hue, and the grey headlining looks brand-new. A few parts, such as the rear-view mirror and horn button, do have a light patina.

Lifting the boot reveals a load space that’s almost too nice to use. Indeed, it doesn’t look like it has seen any use yet. The parcel shelf lifts away to reveal a gleaming spare tyre and one of the nicest boot floors you’re ever likely to see.

The Exterior

As one might expect from a car so recently restored, the E-type’s external appearance is on a par with the very best of them. The Silver Blue paint looks as if it could have been applied yesterday, and all the chrome on the car is as good as any we have seen. Even the wire wheels have been kept scrupulously clean, and one can look straight through them and see that the brakes don’t let the side down, either. All the glass on the car is in excellent order, too.

Peering underneath proves reassuring: the semi-monocoque body has a clean and thoroughly solid underside, and the front subframe assembly is almost as attractively finished as the car’s external panels.

The Mechanics

Rather a lot of people would say that the Jaguar E-type ought to be considered a work of art. Others would say it ought to be thought of as two, for is the engine not a beautiful piece in itself, seemingly the work of an artist as much as an engineer? Scarcely do we see one looking better than the unit fitted in this car. 

Evidently, the car’s restoration involved stripping the engine and cosmetically refurbishing every item, hence we can gaze admiringly on the beautiful gold paint of the engine block, the sheen of the polished camshaft covers and the stout, purposeful look of the three beefy SU carburettors.

As would be expected, it runs beautifully. The engine fires up obediently, and the car pulls away onto the road with a keenness which belies its 57 years. This is a machine which should have many miles of happy motoring ahead of it.

As the E-type has not been issued with an MoT post-restoration, we would advise that bidders satisfy themselves as to its condition before taking it on the road, but we have observed its brakes and are satisfied as to its roadworthiness.