1973 Jaguar E-Type S3 V12 Roadster

Description

Current owner 20+ years; exceptionally well-maintained car with a vast history file; factory hard top and recent new soft top; forced sale due to illness

Undoubtedly one of the most pampered cars in this auction, this beautiful E-Type V12 Roadster comes with a vast history file extending back to the mid-1980s.

The Heritage Certificate confirms that it was built in August 1973 and was supplied new via Henlys of London finished in Rhodium Silver with a dark blue interior and was originally registered as UCK 590M. A DVLA print-out of previous owners shows that it became RNB 28 in 1975 (when owned by a Richard Brown of Surrey) becoming XGC 142M in 1979.

The previous owner, a Mr B Manning of Purley, bought the car at a Coys auction for £79,000 in July 1989 when it had covered just under 50k miles, the catalogue stating that it had been “a highly-placed Concours contender at club meetings over the last four years”, the history file containing at least three JDC concours certificates from 1985 – 1987 (2^nd place; 3^rd place; highly commended). It was also featured in the Classic & Sportscar calendar of 1986. Old MOTs (of which there are 22) imply that the car was not used at all from 1989 – 1997.

Our vendor, proprietor of a well-known Herefordshire body shop, bought the car from Mr Manning for £37,500 in 2002 when it had covered 50,455 miles. Before buying the car he had it professionally inspected, the report concluding: “This vehicle is quite superb. It has undergone some work to a high standard, but on the whole is relatively original. The vehicle structure is sound, the cosmetics and interior good, and the mechanics on the whole very useable. There are, however, some areas where further examination is recommended. In particular I suspect some attention will be required to the transmission, brakes, steering and suspension. Generally, the attention required appears to be on the whole minor. Some recommissioning is required as the vehicle has had little use”.

A member of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club, our vendor has looked after the car meticulously ever since, entrusting all the work to those excellent chaps at CMC in Bridgnorth. There are literally hundreds of invoices on file and it is impossible to give anything other than a brief summary here. Highlights include:

2003 – entire front end of car repaired and repainted following a pheasant strike with new headlights and chrome surrounds etc (photos on file); new chrome luggage rack; new bonnet gas struts; Sigma alarm/immobiliser fitted.

2004 – major £7,564 spend at CMC including engine removed and detailed with various new parts; engine bay/A frame cleaned, painted and detailed (photos on file); gearbox reconditioned; rear subframe overhauled; diff rebuilt; new drive shafts; new brake pipes; alternator rebuilt; new coolant hoses; ride height checked and adjusted; road test and tune up.

2005 – 4 new road springs and 4 new shock absorbers.

2006 – full service at CMC; new exhaust system.

2009 – propshaft replaced; major £2,115 service at CMC.

2010 – new front bumper and over-riders; steering overhauled.

2011 – gearbox removed and serviced.

2013 - rolling road tuned at c.65k miles; new front seat squabs, foams and diaphragms from BAS International.

2014 – new rear bumper and over-riders; full service and underseal treatment.

2015 – full service at CMC at 66,588 miles which included a new blue mohair soft top, front suspension bushes, new cam cover gaskets, new inlet manifold gasket plus much else besides.

During his 20-year ownership our vendor used the car regularly, including tours of Europe, and it has now covered 70,267 miles. Sadly he then became unwell and the car has been lying unused in a heated garage for the last three or four years, although it has been started and run regularly to keep everything free. The last MOT was issued in June 2019 at 69,643 miles which it passed with no advisories, nor has it had any advisories since at least 2007.

Fitted with a new battery immediately before the auction, it has been starting promptly and running beautifully as we have moved it around on site, with good 70psi oil pressure when cold (notes on file state that it runs at 40psi when hot). Given the period of inactivity, we would advise some precautionary recommissioning before the car is pressed back into regular use – the brake fluid, for instance, is very low.

Supplied with a factory hard top in good condition, the car also comes with a large amount of technical literature relating to the model, original handbooks, parts catalogue, maintenance chart, wiring diagram, sales brochures etc. It also has two sets of keys and an agreed insurance valuation of £90,000 dated 2020.

A most attractive E-Type all round, with a reassuringly vast history file, it now only needs an enthusiastic new owner who can continue to enjoy and pamper it in the manner to which it has become accustomed.  

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com