1974 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 Roadster - Manual

The Jaguar Legacy Collection.

A carefully collated collection of landmark sporting Jaguars from the past 65 years, each one bringing something special, museum quality, very low mileage, value for money motoring or some simply being the 'best of breed'.

According to its Heritage Certificate, this lovely Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12 Roadster was built to UK right-hand drive specification, fitted with a manual gearbox and tinted windows and finished in Signal Red with soft black hide, a black mohair soft top and unusually, a factory hardtop also finished in Signal Red. We understand that the optional ‘Works’ hardtops were always painted in black, however there were one or two influential customers who persuaded Jaguar otherwise and apparently, this is one of two finished in Signal Red. We also understand that it was fully treated with Ziebart Protection from new.

The car’s date of manufacture is listed as 26th October 1973 and it was duly despatched to the supplying dealer, Leigh Park Motors of Datchet, on 14th December 1973. There is a timeline of ownership with parts of old V5Cs in the history file and from that, we can establish that the second owner enjoyed the V12 for 28 years with a later owner keeping it for an eight year period.

We understand the underside of the bonnet had been Ziebart protected but, in addition to adding unnecessary weight, it quickly becomes unsightly so a previous owner had the bonnet off and washed the underside in petrol regularly for a week in order to remove all the black Ziebart from the underside, leaving the bonnet paintwork completely original. At the same time as the bonnet was off, the engine was removed, the space frame repainted and the rear engine seal and clutch were replaced. There is an invoice in the file detailing this work which was carried out at c.27,000 miles. We offered and sold this fabulous car in May 2020 and our then vendor was the sixth keeper and having bought the car on 16th August 2016 at a warranted mileage of 28,600.

When we sold the car in 2020 the following works had been carried out with the original factory special order Signal Red hardtop fully restored by Classic Restorations of Alyth retaining the original rear screen with its supplying dealer sticker. Five new MWS, 74-spoke, chrome wire wheels with period correct Pirelli tyres, complete with new bearings, hubs and knock-off spinners were fitted. The interior using Jonathan Skinner specially manufactured materials was recarpeted, the rear parcel shelf/lid and armrest box re-covered and seat foams and base support, sun visors and headrests replaced. Whilst retaining the original, a special order leather-covered Moto-Lita wheel was fitted together with a DAB Pioneer sound system (original Radiomobile retained).

Further work included powder-coating the independent rear suspension (IRS) frame and the differential was rebuilt by Hardy Engineering in Leatherhead. The shock absorbers were replaced with GAZ fully adjustable units, new springs for the IRS, a poly-bushed front end and the ride height reset to factory-spec. Attention to the braking system included new rear brakes and the front brakes rebuilt and the Brake Pressure Differential assembly and master cylinder were replaced. Additionally, the oil pressure control valve and sender unit were replaced, new diaphragms and damper cap assemblies fitted to all four Strombergs, the engine was serviced with new spark plugs, filters and Valvoline specialist 20:50 oil at 34,700 miles, with some 500 miles covered since.

Our 2020 vendor really had enjoyed the car during his four years of ownership covering just under 6,000 miles in that time including a couple of London to Brighton runs and a visit to the Aberdeen Exhibition Centre (TECA) in September 2019 when it won 'Retro Car of the Show' against over 800 others. When we sold it in May 2020, the car joined a very special Collection of Jaguars. The history file contains extensive documentation including maintenance and service invoices, brown wallet, owner's manual and service records, older MOTs, documented previous ownership and the Heritage Certificate.

This delightful Series 3 ticks all the boxes. It's an original UK-supplied, right-hand drive, matching numbers car with a manual gearbox and 35,208 miles at the time of cataloguing. It's in a classic colour combination with good bodywork, Ziebart corrosion protected from new, with sound shut lines, is supplied with a rare and valuable factory hardtop in body colour and has been fastidiously maintained in all respects.