Description
Details:
Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a very early factory right hand drive Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12 2+2 with the desirable manual gearbox. Jaguar officially introduced the Series 3 in April 1971. A small number of cars was produced in 1970 and they are commonly referred to as the pre-release model. Based on the chassis number, this is the 12th factory right hand drive pre-release car built in 1970.
The Heritage Certificate on file confirms this particular example was delivered to its first owner through Henlys in London, UK. The car was manufactured on 9th September 1970 and dispatched on 24th March 1971. The car was delivered in ‘warwick grey’ with a red interior. It was first registered in the UK with the registration JGP 2K. The Heritage Certificate also confirms this car was built with a manual gearbox and that it still retains its original ‘matching numbers’ V12 engine.
The early history of this car is not known, though it is understood to have come to Australia very early in its life. We pick up the ownership trail in the early 1980’s at which time it was owned by Mr JD Staines from Chermside in Queensland. At that time the car was registered as 800 NMZ. He sold the car in March 1984 to Mr Ronald Hughes from Ballina in NSW. In Hughes’ ownership the car was registered in NSW as RH 4696.
Following the purchase, Hughes embarked on a cosmetic restoration. The body was stripped to bare metal and repainted. The interior was also retrimmed at that time.
Hughes enjoyed the car for a few years before selling to its next owner, who was then based in Valla on the mid north coast of NSW on the 1st March 1988. This E-Type has been retained in the same family ever since, during which time it has clearly been loved and cherished. There are numerous receipts on file showing all the work that was done to the car over the last 35 years. It has been religiously maintained and whenever something needed to be done, it was done. The car now resides in Brisbane and in more recent times it has been maintained by classis Jaguar specialists Classic & Prestige. To make it more usable in the hot Queensland climate air conditioning was installed in 2020 and the side and rear windows have been tinted.
Today the car presents beautifully. Walking around it, first impressions are very positive. The colour combination is ‘just perfect’ and really suits the car. The ‘regency red’ paintwork has withstood the test of time very well and it retains a nice gloss finish and a strong depth of colour. This car has been used and enjoyed, so yes there are a few very small imperfections here and there but you have to look closely to identify them. Generally, the bright work on the car is in very good condition, though there are some very small scratches on the bumpers, but again you have to look closely. The lights and lenses are all in good condition. The same can be said for all the glass.
This car retains its steel wheels with the chrome Jaguar hub caps running Bridgestone Conselfa 205/ 70R16 tyres all around. These should be replaced based on age.
Open the door and you are welcomed by a very good looking interior. The biscuit upholstery provides a perfect colour contrast with the ‘regency red’ paintwork, giving the car a very sophisticated look. The seats are very comfortable and all in very good condition with no rips or tears evident. The rear seats appear to have hardly been used over the years. The door cards and the carpets are also in good condition. All the instruments present well. They are clear and in good working order. LED bulbs have been fitted to ensure excellent illumination at night. The aftermarket air conditioning system has been discretely installed and it works very well.
As with all Jaguars from this period you need to use the choke when starting the car from cold. The carburettors have recently been overhauled by the Independent Jaguar workshop and as a result the big V12 starts easily and it quickly settles into a smooth idle. After a short time you can slowly back the choke off and use the throttle to warm the engine.
These Series 3 E-Types are very comfortable, but with the 4 speed manual gearbox they are also great fun to drive. They are completely different to the 6 cylinder early E-Types. When introduced, the Series 3 cars were targeted at the lucrative American market. They are slightly bigger, a lot more comfortable and they also feel much more like a GT car than a sports car. But, make no mistake, when pushed they go hard!
Given how particular the current owner is about this car it is not surprising that it is an absolute delight to drive.
The 5, 343cc 12 cylinder engine has loads of power on tap and the gear changes are smooth and easy both up and down the box. Once warmed up, the engine purrs. This car handles well which is no surprise as the shock absorbers and bushes have recently been replaced. The car is equally at home on a windy mountain road as it is cruising the motorway. The brakes on the car work well and pull the car up quickly and in a straight line when needed. The brake boosters and the master cylinder have both been replaced in 2020 and the car has only been used sparingly since that work was completed.
To keep the car running cool during the hot Queensland summer the owner advises us he had recently installed a new radiator with new coolant hoses and new radiator fans. The alternator was also reconditioned. The car has recently passed a Queensland roadworthy inspection.
Accompanying the car is an extensive history file dating back to 1984, an operating, maintenance and service handbook, a book titled ‘E-Type an End of an Era’, some period magazines, a spare wheel, jack and toolkit. There is also a car cover and some miscellaneous spare parts.
We are genuinely excited to be able to offer this fabulous car for sale. It won’t win the concours, but as a car you can use and enjoy it would be hard to find better! It would make a very good impression at any classic Jaguar event or Cars and Coffee.
Highlights:
- Factory RHD example, with ‘matching numbers’
- Desirable 4-speed manual gearbox.
- Beautifully presented car that is just a delight to drive.
- Ready to use and enjoy.
Price AUD $116, 950
Background:
The Swallow Sidecar Company was founded in 1922 by William Lyons and William Walmsley. In 1934 Lyons formed SS Cars Limited to effectively take over the operation from Walmsley. The SS brand was quite successful, though their cars had a reputation for having ‘more show than go’. The Jaguar name first appeared as a model name on an SS 2½ Litre Sports Saloon introduced in 1936. For political reasons, Lyons changed the name of his company to Jaguar Cars in 1945.
The SS100 built between 1936 and 1941 is today regarded as one of the great pre-war sports cars, however, it was the launch of the legendary Jaguar XK120 at the London Motor Show in 1948 that really put Jaguar on the map. The car caused a sensation, which persuaded Jaguar founder and design boss William Lyons to put it into production. The XK120 morphed into the XK140 and ultimately the XK150 and in total, just over 30, 000 cars were built over 15 years of production.
In 1961, at the Geneva Motor Show, Jaguar introduced the E-Type, which like the XK120 all those years ago, took the motoring world by storm. The body styling was simply gorgeous and technologically the E-Type was an engineering masterpiece and it set new standards in all areas.
Whilst automotive styling is somewhat subjective, the E-Type is often ranked atop lists of ‘the most beautiful cars’ and in fact it has been described by Enzo Ferrari as ‘the most beautiful car ever made’. And it’s not just about the looks as the E-Type is often at the top of other lists such as ‘the best sports car ever built’ or ‘the most significant cars’. It is truly a motoring icon.
As a testament to the success of the E-Type, production evolved through three series from 1961 until 1974 during which time circa 70, 000 cars were built.
