1966 Jaguar E-Type Series I 4.2 Roadster

4,235cc DOHC Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
3 SU Carburetors
265bhp at 5,400rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*Beautifully restored example of the classic Series 1 E-Type
*Desirable, end-of-the-run, 4.2-liter covered headlight E-Type
*Stunning factory Opalescent Silver Blue over Dark Blue livery
*Accompanied by Heritage Certificate, owner's manual and restoration records


THE JAGUAR E-TYPE

"If Les Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans has been responsible for the new E-Type Jaguar, then that Homeric contest on the Sarthe circuit will have been abundantly justified. Here we have one of the quietest and most flexible cars on the market, capable of whispering along in top gear at 10mph or leaping into its 150mph stride on the brief depression of a pedal. A practical touring car, this, with its wide doors and capacious luggage space, yet it has a sheer beauty of line which easily beats the Italians at their own particular game".

There have been few better summaries of the E-Type's manifest virtues than the forgoing, penned by the inimitable John Bolster for Autosport shortly after the car's debut. Conceived and developed as an open sportscar, the Jaguar E-Type debuted at the Geneva Salon in March 1961 in Coupé form. The car caused a sensation - spontaneous applause breaking out at the unveiling - with its instantly classic lines and a 140mph-plus top speed. The design owed much to that of the racing D-Type, a monocoque tub forming the main structure while a tubular spaceframe extended forwards to support the engine. The latter was the 3.8-liter, triple-carburetor, 'S' unit first offered as an option on the preceding XK150. Aerodynamically, the Coupé was superior to the Roadster and the better Grand Tourer, enjoying as it did a marginally higher top speed and the considerable convenience of a generously sized luggage platform accessed via the side-hinged rear door.

Its engine aside, only in terms of its transmission did the E-Type represent no significant advance over the XK150, whose durable four-speed Moss gearbox it retained. The latter was replaced when the 4.2-liter engine was introduced on the Series 1 in October 1964, a more user-friendly all-synchromesh gearbox and superior Lockheed brake servo forming part of the improved specification together with the bigger, torquier engine. Apart from '4.2' badging, the car's external appearance was unchanged, but under the skin there were numerous detail improvements, chiefly to the electrical and cooling systems, and to the seating arrangements. Top speed remained unchanged at around 150mph, the main performance gain resulting from the larger engine being improved flexibility.


THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This beautiful example of the classic Series 1 E-Type Roadster was completed near the end of production of the original, covered-headlight manufacturing run, thereby benefitting from the enlarged 4.2-Liter engine and fully synchronized transmission. According to the Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate on file, this stunning E-Type was completed at Jaguar's Browns Lane plant on November 16, 1966. The Roadster was finished as it appears today, in the stunning Opalescent Silver Blue over Dark Blue livery, fitted with a blue convertible top, and configured with a left-hand drive steering arrangement. The new Jaguar was dispatched on December 5, 1966, and destined for the US market, where Jaguar Cars of New York would distribute the car to the first owner on record, a Dr. John Moe of Hopkins, Minnesota.

A comprehensive restoration was performed during previous ownership, and it is apparent at a close inspection that the work was carried out to a very high and factory correct level. The exterior was re-finished in the as-delivered Opalescent Silver Blue color, while the interior was trimmed in Dark Blue to match. An abundance of restoration receipts can be found in the history file, and documents extensive work performed by various specialist shops, including Predator Racing of Largo, Florida.

Chrome wire wheels are fitted, trimmed with thin red-line tires. The E-Type Roadster is offered from a renowned Virginia-based collection of exceptional classic sports cars, where it has been maintained and enjoyed among other great cars. One of the most iconic sports cars of all time, this E-type Roadster retains its original, matching-numbers engine. Included with the sale of the Jaguar is an owner's manual, the Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate, a comprehensive history file with receipts and records, a tool kit and jack.