1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 Litre FHC ***Well Presented Great to Drive***
Details
Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 Litre Fixed Head Coupe.
The Heritage certificate on file confirms this particular example was delivered new in Germany through well known Jaguar distributor, Peter Lindner in Frankfurt. The car was manufactured on 9th July 1965 and despatched on 21st July 1965. The Heritage Certificate also confirms today this car still retains its original ‘matching numbers’ engine (both cylinder head and block). The car was delivered in Carmen Red with a black interior, a colour combination the car still carries today.
Being a European delivery, this car left the factory, as it is today, left hand drive.
Very early in its life the car was exported from Germany to the USA. There is a State of North Carolina Certificate of Title of a Motor Vehicle on file for this car which was issued on 20th November 1973. The car remained in continuous ownership for the next forty four years! There are some service receipts on file which confirm that the engine was rebuilt in 1999 and the cylinder head was reconditioned in 2002. In 2005 a new exhaust was installed.
It is understood the car was repainted in the US some 15-20 years ago. It is also understood that at that stage a section of the driver’s side floor was replaced.
In 2017 the car found its way to Australia when it was purchased by a motor dealer and collector from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. There is an import approval on file dated the 1st February 2017.
The current owner acquired the car in 2019. At that time the car, which was a very original and unmolested example, was in very good condition. The exterior and interior of the car presented essentially as they do today. The car’s new owner is real Jaguar enthusiast and very pedantic. He wanted to make some improvements to the car to take it to the next level.
Some of the more significant work he did was as follows. In May 2020 the brake master cylinder was reconditioned, new front shock absorbers and a new stronger front sway bar were installed. In June 2020 four new Dunlop SP Sport 205/70/R15 tyres were fitted to the car. In December 2020 4 new rear shock absorbers were installed.
With all the work completed the spares were acquired from Jaguar specialists, including SNG Barret, Jagdaim, V&A Spiteri and Martin Robey.
Last year the owner noticed the jacking points had some minor rust in them and he decided to have them both repaired.
Today this Jaguar E-Type present really well. The paint is in excellent condition, particularly considering the car was repainted 15-20 years ago. It has a strong depth of colour and a deep gloss finish to it. Whilst this car has clearly been cherished it has been used and enjoyed. It was never a trailer queen and therefore when you look closely, you’ll find the odd stone chip and minor blemish on the car. Panel gaps on E-Types were never great, but on this car they are very good and present evenly all around the car. The chrome wire wheels are all in excellent condition and are shod with Dunlop SP Sport 205/70/R15 tyres date stamped week 43 of 2019. Underneath the car benefits from a stainless steel exhaust and of course the forementioned new shock absorbers. The car is also very clean underneath, another sign that it has been well looked after by its owners.
Behind the wheel of this E-Type is just a nice place to be! First impressions are very positive. The interior presents well and is generally in a good condition. The seats present well and there are no cracks or tears in the leather. Importantly, the foam is still in good condition and they provide ample support. The wooden steering wheel is in good condition as are all the instruments which appear to be in working order. The odometer currently shows 87,751 miles. The car is fitted with a classic look after market radio. We did notice a few marks on the top of the dashboard on the passenger’s side. The carpets and door cards, as well as the headlining are all in good condition. The same can be said for the boot section, which looks to have been sparingly used. In the boot you’ll find a spare wheel, jack and hammer. Open the bonnet and you are welcomed by a well-presented and clean engine bay.
After having familiarized ourselves with the interior it is time to take the car for a quick test drive. Getting behind the wheel of an E-Type is always a great way to start a day!
As with all E-Types you need full choke to start the car when the engine is cold. Once the carbs are primed you press the starter button and the 4,235cc six cylinder engine burst into life. Even from cold the car starts easily and fairly quickly settles into a smooth idle. After only a few seconds you can back the choke off. First impressions are good, really good. The engine sounds fabulous. After having given the car a little bit of time to warm up its time to take it out on the road. This E-Type certainly doesn’t disappoint . . . it is very quickly apparent that this cat wants to go! The engine feels strong and responds quickly to only the slightest touch of the accelerator. The gearbox is smooth and you can easily and precisely change gears up and down the box. The recently replaced shock absorbers and the upgraded sway bar make this car feel very solid on the road and at the same time very easy to drive. The steering is direct and responsive. The brakes work equally well and pull the car up quickly and in a straight line.
We have had the pleasure to have plenty of E-Types pass through our showroom over the years and none of them drove better than this example. There is no doubt that this is one well sorted E-Type.
The current owner has enjoyed and now completed his journey with this car. As a result, it is now ready for its next keeper.
Highlights:
- Matching numbers Series 1 Jaguar E-Type 4.2.
- Three owners since 1973.
- Very original and unmolested example.
- Beautifully presented car in its original and popular colour scheme.
- Fantastic car to drive
Price –
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.
Specification
- -
- Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 Litre FHC
- 1965
- Fixed Head Coupe
- Manual
- 87,742 miles
- 4235cc
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