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Closed Auction- Unsold

1968 Jaguar E-Type S2 FHC (Manual)

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  • Mileage~74,562
  • TransmissionManual
  • Engine4.2L
  • LocationLeamington Spa

AUCTION CLOSED

1968 Jaguar E-Type S2 FHC (Manual)

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Introduction

Glyn Parry
Professional Consigner and Photogropher

A superb Fixed Head Coupé that ticks all the boxes: original UK car; known history; manual and in its original Old English White colour - there's a lot to love about this car and its investment potential.

There's nothing to say here that's not already been written about the E-Type, arguably one of the most document British cars of all time. So we'll just get on with the job of explaining this car, its history and condition for you to see if it's the next car to add to your collection.

Registered on the 1st November 1968 making it an early Series 2 car with just 1,071 RHD / FHC ever made. Chassis numbers for this car ran from 1R20001 - 1R21071 and with being chassis number 1R20018 makes it the 18th car to come off the line.

The car has been owned by Adam, the seller, for nearly eight years and it has an interesting history to hear about in the Meet the Owner video, as Adam's dad once owned the car from it being two years old up until 1983.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Glyn after meeting Adam 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

This is an emotional sale as my father previously owned the car from circa 1970 until 1983 - I saw it for sale and bought it back to the family, however, now I'm planning a life abroad, so sadly this is my last car to sell.

That's right, Adam's dad bought the car back in the early '70s and had it until 1983 after which it was sold to an enthusiast to restore, due to being off the road for a while. Fast forward to 2014 and Adam saw the car advertised for sale and bought it back into the family. He had to sell a 1968 Light Blue 2+2 to make way for the repatriation of his father's old FHC!

Please take a moment to watch the Meet the Owner video to hear Adam talk about the story in more detail.

So after nearly eight years of ownership Adam has made the difficult decision to sell the car. Life changes and spending more time abroad are forcing the sale, as the car has been hardly used in the last few years. Adam has already sold two of his 911s last year, making the step towards his new life, and now this E-Type is the most emotional sale by far, and the one that he's left until last!

Adam will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have in the comments below.

Adam
Vehicle Owner

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CONTACT OWNER

Exterior

Finished in its original Old English White with gleaming chromework - it really does look special and turns heads wherever it goes.

Wheels and Tyres

The chrome wire wheels are in good condition across the car. We understand they were replacements made during the restoration before Adam bought the car. The chrome is generally in good condition with a little pitting in the hard-to-reach areas. We think they would be further improved by a bit of elbow grease and some Sunday patience.

The tyres show a good amount of tread remaining.

Please take time to assess the condition of both items in the media pack.

Bodywork

The bodywork is good across the car with no visible signs of rust or bubbles. The gaps and shut lines look good too - we just noticed that the driver's door could do with a bit of fettling to sit better when closed. But apart from that all the other shut lines are nice and tight with the bonnet, doors and rear boot opening and closing nicely.

The bonnet was sourced by the previous owner, Ray, during the restoration which he carried out between 2008 and 2011. Ray told Adam that the bonnet came from Pinewood Studios, as apparently they had a number of unused bonnets in stock that had been sat in a back lot for many years. The fit of the bonnet is good and opens and closes just as it should.

The underside, i.e. floors, boot floor and sills are all solid, as you'll see in the images and videos.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-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 colour of this car really looks the business with the beautiful curves - we think it has a proper period look and contrasts well against the chrome trim and red leather interior.

The paint looks good around the car - the colour and texture is consistent across the panels. There are very few marks to speak of, mainly due to the fact of such little mileage has been made since its restoration over ten years ago now.

Being picky, we did notice the lower panels below the rear bumper are slightly different colour and it could be a simple future job to improve the appearance. However, as you can see in the images and videos, the panels are in good shape, together with the boot floor - so it's just a matter of preparation and painting if the new owner wishes. Adam decided not to have that done as it's not noticeable unless you really look hard.

The inside of the bonnet is also very good - there's just a couple of areas where the top coat has come away but the panel under is good and covered in the undercoat.

Again, we have taken hi-resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the paint for yourselves.

Glass and Trim

A similar story with the glass and trim - there are no real issues to note with all being good.

During the restoration the bumpers must have been re-chromed, or replaced - so they are in very good condition. The window surrounds do show some signs of pitting but could be improved further if the new owner wishes.

Interior

Arguably one of the most distinctive interiors every made - and this example looks great with its deep red leather seats.

Seats and Carpets

The seats and carpets are in very good condition. These were tackled during the restoration and new carpets were fitted and the seats were recovered in a deep red leather.

Also, the carpets have thick underlay that dampen the road noise well.

The headlining is in excellent condition. Again, being picky some of the finish of the fabric and vinyl that covers metal parts could be improved further with a bit of time and patience.

Dashboard

The dashboard is in lovely original condition.

Back in 2016 Adam took all the clocks out and stripped them down and restored them to almost 'as new' condition - complete with the little sticker over the speedometer. The finish was restored and he also re-fitted with new rubbers and extra bright bulbs that really illuminate the dash at night.

Little things like the map and interior lights work as they should.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The original steering wheel is present and looks in very good condition for its age.

The gear knob has been replaced by Adam in the past to a period correct item.

Mechanics

The car goes like a dream with the 4.2-litre engine running super smooth and providing a good pick-up of speed.

Engine and Gearbox

The original engine is fitted and some history is known about it.

In circa 1979 Adam's father had the engine rebuilt as the car was using a lot of oil / blowing a lot of smoke. So it had a full rebuild and after that the car was used sparingly for a couple of years, until it was laid up in the early '80s. This would have been around 65k miles and the car has now done 75k miles. You'll see an MOT in 1985 with 70k miles recorded - it's likely this was the first MOT after Adam's father sold the car.

We understand the car was then laid up again for a long time until a full restoration happened between 2008 and 2011. During that time, Ray, the previous owner, had the carbs rebuilt, cylinder head off to de-coke and re-skim. It also had new exhaust valves, re-shimmed, new valve springs, three cam followers, front crank seal and timing chains No other work was needed as the piston rings and bearings were said to be in excellent condition, so Ray didn't change them.

Fast forward to today and the car runs very well with no smoke on start up or under acceleration. The oil pressure rises well on cold start to well over 50lb and settles down nicely to around 30lb when hot and running at around 3,000rpm. On a hot day and after a lot of use the oil pressure will read about 10lb on tick over and rises up well when revs are increased - to around 30lb @ 3,000rpm.

The gearbox performs well and goes into all gears nicely with no issues.

A Kenlowe fan has also been fitted to aid cooling with a manual switch under the dashboard - the car is also fitted with a stainless steel exhaust.

The car also runs on electronic ignition with no issues and Adam tells us the car never fails to start in all the years he's had it.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension was overhauled as part of the restoration (you'll see all work in the history file) and of course was checked out thoroughly in the recent MOT.

The IRS was rebuilt and you'll see it's in excellent visual condition with the brakes working well. In fact during the MOT the brake resistance on each side were nearly perfectly matched - front and rear. Thea handbrake works well and holds the car.

Adam had the brake servo and master cylinder replaced in 2015 by Tom Lenthall (E-Type specialist) and he tells us the system works well and without fault.

Also, at the same time as the brake work, Adam also had both torsion bars replaced - the bill for all the work was over £3k as can be seen in the receipts.

The Drive

Please watch the On the Road video to see the car being driven by Adam with an explanation.

The car drives well and you'll see all the gauges reading their results as the drive progresses.

One small thing to note, Adam does recommend that the tracking is checked as it's been quite a few years since that was last done, and he thinks it would further improve the handling.

Electrics and Other

In addition to electrics that are tested during the MOT, all other electrical items function, e.g. heater blower, interior lights, radio, dash lights - even the low fuel light works properly.

Adam tells us the only item that doesn't work is the clock. This is usual as it's a battery operated clock in this early year of S2 and prone to failure. A usual repair is to send it away to get converted to 12v, however, that would lose originality, so Adam decided not to do that, and instead have it fixed properly one day, but he didn't get around to it.

History and Paperwork

The history and ownership of this car is quite unique - with a lot of its early life being known and being owned by one family.

A Jaguar heritage Certificate comes with the car that shows its numbers together with its original registration number too. The engine number matches and the car is still in it's original colour of Old English White. The only change is that the interior was changed from black to red by Ray, the previous owner, in 2011. Ray simply preferred red and said the black leather was just too far gone to repair.

The frame number that is usually stamped on the O/S flange is blank, however, it's due to the fact the frame has been changed at some point as Adam's father remembers an issue with it that needed repair. So it's thought a subsequent restorer may have changed the frames.

So in summary, this is an original UK / RHD / Fixed Head Coupe in near original specification that as well as providing enjoyable ownership, may also prove to be a sound investment too.

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 hi-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
18.06.2022 Oil Service 74,557
16.06.2022 MOT - No Advisories 74,555
13.07.2019 Oil Service & Water Flush 74,201
29.03.2017 MOT 73,959
13.05.2017 Oil Service 74,047
10.08.2016 Oil Service 73,900
18.08.2015 MOT 73,661
16.08.2015 Oil Service 73,650
14.06.2014 MOT 73,269
07.02.2013 MOT 72,877
19.11.2011 MOT 72,318
04.09.2010 MOT 71,646
12.09.2009 MOT 71,004
20.05.2008 MOT 71,042
14.07.2007 MOT 70,391
20.06.1984 MOT 70.311
Key Details
  • ModelE-Type S2 FHC
  • TransmissionManual
  • Reg. Date01.11.1967
  • CC4.2-litre
  • Mileage~74,562
  • HistorySee Media
  • ColourOld English White
  • Interior ColourRed (Originally Black)
  • Interior TrimLeather
  • Chassis #1R2018
  • Engine #7R 1836-9
  • Matching #sYes (Replaced Frame)
  • Last Service18.06.2022
  • RestoredYes - 2008 - 2011
  • Engine RebuildSee Engine Description
  • MOTYes - Exp. 15.06.2023
  • MOT ExemptYes
  • Road Tax ExemptYes
  • HPi ClearYes
  • Former Keepers5 (Family was one)
  • Tyre TreadGood
  • Tyre BrandMichelin
  • Tyre AgeOver 10 Years
  • LHD or RHDRHD
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned7.5 Years
  • Key FeatureOriginality
  • Auction ID447713






Auction Closed

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This car didn't meet its reserve price and may soon be available as a private sale - please contact us for more information.

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2 Comments
baggy887
baggy887
2 years ago

Hi Adam. just watched your video. Great story, looks like a solid example. As I’m sure it is for many ‘petrol heads’ an E Type has been on my wish list for ever! When I came back from my last tour of Afghanistan, unable to afford one, I got a 2003 XKR as a treat for surviving! lol. I love it, it’s currently in the shop being given some TLC but it still is a great car. I retired in August after 38 years in the Army so will place a bid (as another treat – perhaps I should brief the wife first!) – doubt I will win it or even make the reserve, but will keep my fingers crossed – as miracles do happen; they must do, I serviced almost 40 years in service and my body is still in one piece – totally knackered, but intact! Lol.

As you mentioned in the video, yes you can have a guaranteed buy back – but you will have to wait until I’m dead as if I get it, I’m not letting it go!
Cheers

Lloyd
(baggy887)

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Vehicle Location

Leamington Spa

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