2023-05-02 12:34:52 | pauls writes:

Car at auction 5/2/23
themarket.bonhams.com/en/listings/jaguar/e-type-series-iii/a7e1f496-e2e2-4f22-8b ...

Auction description:
Seller pogle
Location: The Market HQ, Abingdon, United Kingdom
Seller Type: Private
Odometer Reading: 71000
Chassis Number: 1S1033
Engine: 5343
Gearbox: Manual
Steering position: Right-hand drive
Colour: Blue
Interior: Black
Estimated Price: £65,000 - £75,000
An original right hand drive V12 E-Type Convertible is a rare beast, but that’s what we have here. This E Type is only on its fourth owner – and the current custodian was best friends with the previous owner too. The car has been cosseted since new and garaged all its life. It had some restoration work back in the 1990s, but whether it was ever used on salty roads is a mystery – its condition suggests possibly not.

Most 5.3-litre Jag V12 engines are mated to a three speed automatic gearbox, but this one is a rare manual car making it a more exciting drive than the slush-box version. On top of all this, the car has covered just 71,000 miles in its 50 year life, and its lovely condition reflects this. This original UK car was first registered on October 5th 1971.

On the Outside

This is about as dark as blue gets before it becomes black. It’s a stunning hue and one that suits the car perfectly. The overall impression is beautiful and you have to look closely to fault the paintwork.

There are slight marks on the nose around the air intake grille and some paint deterioration on the scuttle panel behind the bonnet on the nearside. On the offside there’s a tiny mark where the vast bonnet has rubbed on the shell, and also on the bottom of the leading edge of the driver’s door.

The nearside door has paint chips to its trailing edge, near the door handle, and the edge of the bootlid has similar small marks. The offside rear wing has some micro-blistering, and there is a similar area on the offside front wing too. In general the car has small marks associated with it being enjoyed, rather than polished and locked away.

All the brightwork is excellent and that includes the fabulous the chrome wire wheels. The hood could do with a clean up but looks undamaged and perfectly sound. There’s also a full length tonneau cover with the car, which is in great shape.

On the Inside

A wonderfully original interior awaits as you leap over the door and into the cockpit (or just open it if you’re not feeling dramatic). It’s in lovely order and what wear there is just adds to the feeling of history and specialness.

The driver’s seat show signs of use but is still in great condition, the dash is lovely and the removable wood rimmed steering wheel and gear knob just add to the period charm (both original parts come with the car).

There’s a mark on the passenger door card where the window winder sits, and some scratches on the driver’s seat belt clasp, but these are very minor items, as is the slight tarnishing of the clamps that secure the canvas soft top.

Overall, the interior is wonderful – original, unmolested and ready to sit in and enjoy.

Underneath

The E Type V12 is a car that could quite easily work with a see through bonnet – open the steel one and the sight is glorious. Jaguar’s masterpiece was the first mass-produced V12 car engine and they got it spot on from the get go.

The history file includes a bill for an SU carburettor conversion kit (over £700) so the Strombergs that the car originally had fitted are gone – a good thing as the SU is a superior instrument, with better breathing and reliability. E Types were fitted with both, so this doesn’t affect originality.

The car’s underside reveals a stainless steel exhaust system and a very sound looking shell. We couldn’t see anything at all to worry about under here.

History Highlights

The E Type comes with its original buff logbook, plus a V5 certificate and a stack of old MoTs going back to 2007. In addition there are a number of historic invoices for work carried out over the years, amounting to many thousands of pounds, plus a bill from January this year for a gearbox overhaul and new cutch unit – £2748.

A Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust certificate confirms that the car was built on August 30th 1971 and sold to a B Stuart Mooney of Chorley Wood in Hertfordshire, by HR Owen of London. This is accompanied by a 2007 letter from DVLA confirming that the car is now on its original registration plate. In addition the Jag comes with all its original handbooks and two sets of keys.