1961 Jaguar E-Type S1 Roadster

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1961 Jaguar E-Type S1 Roadster – Flat Floor

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Sold Price

£93,810

Mileage5 (on clock)
TransmissionManual
Engine3.8L
LocationNottingham

SOLD

1961 Jaguar E-Type S1 Roadster – Flat Floor

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Glyn Parry

Professional Consigner

One of the most desirable E-Type variants - an original 1961 flat floor car in roadster form with the 3.8-litre engine - a big deal car.

The Jaguar E-Type was initially launched in 1961 and was at first limited to export only, however due to popular demand it was released to the domestic market just four months later.

This particular example is a left hand drive U.S model, originally sold by Jaguar Cars in New York in November of 1961. Of course being a ‘61 first year of manufacture car makes it much rarer and more desirable, with its flat floors and 3.8-litre six cylinder engine. The engine outputs an impressive ~265bhp, delivered to the rear wheels via its 4 speed manual gearbox.

Stephen has owned the car for the past 18 years, originally buying it in the U.S - during those years he has personally seen to the restoration of his Series 1 E-Type from the ground up - including engine, gearbox, chassis, suspension, and interior.

The car has not been used for about five years and as such needs a light recommissioning to bring back into daily use.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Glyn after meeting Stephen the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

My first attraction to the E-Type was at a young age when I sat in one for the first time, I fell in love with that huge bulge in the bonnet and knew that I had to own one someday.

Stephen could not be any more proud of his Series 1 E-Type, having owned the vehicle for the last 18 years he has spent the majority of that time lovingly restoring the vehicle to its original splendour.

Speaking to him about his time with the car he tells us he has quite literally cleaned every nut, bolt, and washer on the car, restoring the suspension all round, rebuilding the engine with brand new internals, renewing the gearbox with new synchros and bearings whilst also replacing the layshaft, had the seats and seat frames reupholstered and refurbished, and stripped and rebuilt the rear axle along with a list of tasteful modifications to better suit the car to modern day driving.

It’s clear to see that Stephen has boundless enthusiasm for the car and were he more able to drive it as it deserves to be driven, there is no doubt in our minds that he would be holding onto the car for as long as possible.

The car has been sitting in Stephen's garage for circa five years without use - as mentioned, this is due to health issues on Stephen's part meaning the car's priority was lower during that time, so understandably this has led to the reluctant sale of his pride and joy of nearly two decades.

Stephen

Vehicle Owner

Stephen saved £16,740* when they
sold their Jaguar with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

From the curvaceous and illustrious design, to the Opalescent Silver Grey paintwork, this Series 1 Jaguar E-Type turns heads wherever it goes.

Wheels and Tyres

The wire spoke wheels of this E-Type are in remarkable condition, showing no visible signs of damage, corrosion, or repair. The timeless design only serves to add to the beauty of the vehicle, and the condition only stands to lend itself to the overall condition of the car.

The tyres also look good, with plenty of visible tread left.

The sidewalls are free from any signs of age or cracking, showing the rubber to be in great condition.

Bodywork

The bodywork really is hard to find fault with, given the work that Stephen has put into the car over the last 18 years this is hardly surprising.

The panels were all straight and true, with no dents or ripples either. The gaps are generally good but need a little fettling to bring them up another level - please study the photographs and videos to see the detail.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The Opalescent Silver Grey paintwork really is a sight to behold, a stunning colour from the factory in 1961, this car absolutely does it justice.

The paintwork itself appears to be in very good condition, of course it's not 10/10 concours, but there are no visible chips, scratches, scuffs, or dings that we could see on the day of our visit. Importantly the paint is even in finish and colour along all the panels - even in direct sunlight, i.e. there is no mismatched paint that we could see.

Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the paint for yourselves. The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass on the vehicle was again in grand condition, with no major chips, scratches or cracks to any of the windows or windscreen, and the chrome trim pieces were all in equally good condition, with no extreme signs of age, weathering, or oxidation.

There is one wiper arm missing as you can see in the images.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Having been reupholstered during its multi-year restoration, the interior looks to be in brilliant condition with the red leather beautifully offset against the grey carpet.

Seats and Carpets

Having had the seat frames stripped and powder coated, followed by the seat covers being reupholstered in stunning red leather, the seats are in great condition with no rips, tears, or cracks that we could see during our time with the car.

The interior carpet is in good condition too, showing very little signs of age, wear, or discoloration on both the floor mats and footwell carpets.

Dashboard

The dashboard is adorned with multiple gauges and clocks all displaying relevant information and whilst the design may be simple it sits beautifully inside the car.

The dash itself is in good condition along with the rest of the interior, showing no visible scuffs, scratches, or other such damage.

There are just a couple of under dashboard trim items to be installed that haven't been actioned yet.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The wooden steering wheel features a chrome T-Piece centre, all drawing into the classic checkerboard Jaguar E-Type badge in the centre. The wheel itself is visibly looked after, with no signs of damage to the wooden rim, and the chrome T-Piece is not suffering from any surface wear and tear either.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

With rebuilt engine, gearbox, suspension, and rear axle, this Series 1 Jaguar E-Type is mechanically sound to say the least - powered by the 3.8L triple SU carburetor six cylinder engine, this example presents perhaps one of the best classic driving experiences money can buy.

Engine and Gearbox

As mentioned, the car has been sitting in Stephen's garage for circa five years without use. However, we know how important it is for you to see the engine running and car moving, so we sent Glen one of our photographers that used to be an engineer for Jaguar Classic along to get the car running and complete the photography.

Glyn checked over the engine and put fresh petrol in and got the petrol pump to work (it may need reconditioning / replacement in the future). After some basic checks the car fired into life with no hesitation and we were able to record the video of it starting from cold.

It ran well and up to temperature with the fans kicking in and good oil pressure was seen. We did hear a slight ticking from the top of the engine and presumably it needs the valves checked and shimmed.

During his ownership, Stephen has stripped the engine down to nuts and bolts, replacing every internal component with brand new components. This is evident when you see the vehicle start from cold during our ‘On The Road’ video above, the car starts on the first turn with absolutely no hesitation.

The gearbox can tell a similar story, having been dismantled and had all synchros and bearings renewed, along with a new layshaft. Stephen tells us there is absolutely nothing he can fault with the gearbox when in operation.

Importantly the engine block is original / matching numbers with the cylinder head having been changed at some point in the past.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension has been stripped, renewed, and powder coated by Stephen during his restoration, leaving no doubt as to the condition of the vehicle's suspension and the standard brakes have been upgraded to Wilwood four pot callipers for additional stopping power.

The Drive

As mentioned, we didn't take the car for a drive due to it not being used for a long time - light recommissioning will be required for safety reasons and to protect the car, e.g. an oil change will be required and fully checked over.

However, Glyn did drive the car around the drive and commented to us that everything felt good, with the clutch working well and good bite point. But as the car hasn't been driven for over five years then we recommend a full recommission and service is actioned.

Talking to Stephen you can quite vividly imagine the experience this car provides for the driver. With its 3.8L engine, rear wheel drive, and ~265bhp this 1 Series E-Type is bound to be buckets of fun, class, and style, all bundled up in an iconic and instantly recognisable design.

Electrics and Other

The electrical systems on the car are few, however those that are present work entirely as expected. The only exceptions are the interior lights (they need wiring up) and the clock.

All gauges and clocks on the dashboard appear to be in fully working order, along with lights, indicators, and radio which has been upgraded to a more modern unit.

The odometer isn't working and we are told that it is due to an issue with the speedo cable. We asked Stephen about this and said, "With regard to the differing mileages on the MOTs, this is down to the fact that the speedo cable angle drive unit failed and unfortunately never got replaced. I only had the vehicle MOT’d for my own safety satisfaction and so that I could apply for a registration number. In 2018 I had the vehicle inspected again, the speedo still wasn’t fixed so we just added twenty miles for the trip as the vehicle went straight back into storage. Apart from a couple of short test drive outings the vehicle has been nowhere, always too worried someone might run into me, you see for me its was always about building the car not driving it".

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History and Paperwork

For nearly two decades Stephen has dedicated his time to restoring this stunning example to the condition you see here today.

Stephen originally bought the car in the U.S when he was working there around 2003 - he actioned most of the work over there, before importing the car and registering it here in the UK in 2016. Since 2016 Stephen has not really used the car and it's been laid up in his heated garage on axle stands.

The car was initially sold by a dealer in New York before spending most of its time in New Mexico. Stephen tells us that prior to him purchasing the car it was owned by one family before, and when the husband died he left the car to his wife, and when she passed then their son acquired the car in the will.

Given the work Stephen has carried out, we think the prior history lends little to the current condition of the vehicle, which it's safe to say is owed entirely to Stephen's hard work. And with plenty of receipts to back him up and recent MOTs too - there’s little doubt left as to the condition of this vehicle.

Stephen has given us a complete list of work carried out, and additional modifications made which can be seen here;

Rebuilt and powder coated the suspension front and rear;
Rebuilt the engine with all new internal components;
Stripped the gearbox and renewed all bearings, syncros, as well as replacing the damaged layshaft and installing a new clutch assembly;
The rear axle assembly was stripped and new bearings installed;
New brake discs, pads, and Wilwood callipers all round;
New wheel bearings all round;
Seat frames stripped and powder coated before being reupholstered;
High torque starter motor;
Modern electrical cooling fan;
Custom made alloy coolant header tank;
Wider wire wheels;
Uprated steering rack.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in high resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
See paperwork

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Key Details

ModelE-Type S1 - Flat Floor
TransmissionManual 4 Speed
Manufactured Date09.11.1961
Dispatched Date28.11.1961
UK Reg. Date24.08.2016
CC3,800
Mileage5 - On Clock
ColourOpalescent Silver Grey
Interior ColourRed
Interior TrimLeather
Chassis #876701
Engine #R2047-9
Matching #s (Frame / Engine Block / Gearbox)Yes - Seller Confirmed
RestoredYes
Engine RebuildYes
MOTExpired on 06.06.2019
MOT ExemptYes
Road Tax ExemptYes
HPi ClearYes - Clear
UK Former Keepers1 in UK
Tyre TreadGood
BrakesWilwood Callipers
LHD or RHDLHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned~19 Years
Key FeatureExtensive Restoration
Auction ID501005

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Ask Questions

Seller : RStephen Sale Date 31.08.2022

Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.

7 Comments

RStephen

Seller

2 years ago

Hi, sorry vehicle not available for viewing at this time, I’m sure the listing supplies more than enough information & excellent photography of the vehicle.

gold350sl

RStephen

2 years ago

If I am not allowed to view the car (which is disappointing) I have a few questions:

1. There are no images of the boot floor and fuel tank area. The underside of the boot floor isn’t painted with top coat. Is the floor corroded and ‘full of filler’ on the outside?

2. Have the rear arch to wheel tub seams been bent/manipulated to allow the wider tyre fit?

3. What are the tyre sizes?

4. Are the sills and floor and floor pans original?

5. When the engine was stripped, did you have the rear crank seal mod carried out (teflon seal)

6. Does the engine and gearbox leak oil after rebuild and if so, specifically where from?

7. What over size pistons/bearings were fitted?

8. Was the head overhauled and specifically, the valve shims checked and in tolerance? Any corrosion damage to the head waterways especially near the head bores? Did you clamp the tappet buckets to the head on the exhaust side (known mod)?

9. Did you replace the engine frames and picture frames? They look original. If you didn’t, how did you check their structural integrity as they rot from the inside?

10. Did the car always live in a dry State in the US?

11. No seat belts? I know they are not required by law but did you fit any?

12. Is there a tool kit and jack?

13. The rear radius arm front bushes look in poor condition. When it was on axle stands for storage, were the wheels clear of the ground or just touching?

14. Were the con-rods balanced?

15. Is it the original radiator (looks original)? If so, what did you do to check the overall condition of it?

16. Did you replace any of the wiring looms?

17 any reason you dint convert to RHD when you restored it?

I have a lot more to ask, but its a start and i would appreciate full answers please. I have just finished a 3 year total rebuild of a S1 FHC and am looking for a solid OTS. I have the same feeling for the car as you and enjoy the mechanical aspect of working on them.

Many thanks

RStephen

Seller

gold350sl

2 years ago

In answer to your questions:
1. You will find 11 photographs of the boot interior in the listing under INTERIOR. The underside has been refinished with additional coat of schultz to prevent stone chips.
2. the new wheels & tyres fitted with no need for body alterations.
3. 205/70/15
4. This car is rust free & all the body panels & tub are original as far as I’m aware. it was once commentated by a series one specialist to be the best conditioned tub he’d ever come across.
Sills & floors all original
5. & 6. Oil leaks obviously it does have some minor seepage from the rear of the engine & gearbox & diff, nothing serious or abnormal for this vintage of vehicle & the amount of time spent parked up.
No it did not have the rear main oil seal modification.
7. check out the bills & receipts, XK Unlimited invoice 01376464 dated 12/02/2004 for piston & shell sizes.
8. check invoice Cylinder Head R4575-9 for cylinder head overhaul.
9. Again due the climate the vehicle lived in rust was not a factor, the frame work was solid & in good condition.
10.Tthe vehicle spent its time in ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico.
11. Didn’t fit seat belts as not required & didn’t want them.
12. As noted with upgrades list, No spare wheel, tool kit or jack.
13. Radius arm bushes were renewed as the radius arms were cleaned & powder coated.
The vehicle was raised on axle stands to allow access to the underside the wheels were about six inches off the floor.
14. the original factory con-rods were used as to whether they were balanced I have no idea.
15. the original radiator was replaced with anew one supplied by Northampton Auto Radiators.
16. A complete new wiring harness was installed.
17. I kept the vehicle a LHD because that is what it is, having spent many years living in the U.S & originally purchasing the vehicle there I saw no reason to change it.

Hope this has been of help, thanks Stephen.

Adam Purrier - Trade Classics

Admin

RStephen

2 years ago

Viewing Update – I’ve just spoken to Stephen in the phone. He was just meaning today. Of course you are welcome to view the car. We have a standard process to verify potential buyers. Please send an email to hello@tradeclasssics.com requesting a viewing with a copy of photo ID and a matching utility bill and phone number. We will need a quick phone call to understand your specific reasons to view and get your availability. Then we’ll speak to Stephen for his availability and get you booked in. One of our questions in the phone will be to make sure you’ve studied all images and the 30mins or so video footage. Cheers Adam

gold350sl

2 years ago

Is it possible to view the car?

Ayadoh

2 years ago

Can it be driven away or will it need transporting and recommissioning?

Adam Purrier - Trade Classics

Admin

Ayadoh

2 years ago

Good morning – well the car does start and drive but as it’s not been used on the road properly in five years then we’d definitely recommend transportation and then give the car a light recommission before driving any longer distance. Of course you could drive it away but it’s a high value car and would strongly recommend taking our advice. Cheers Adam

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