A company in Kent has restored a rare 1964 Jaguar E-Type that had been sitting in a garage for four decades, transforming it to showroom condition – plus a couple of custom touches.
The 1964 Series 1 3.8 FHC model hasn’t been valued, but similarly restored cars can easily fetch in excess of £100,000 at present. The work, undertaken by E-Type UK, was meticulous. It took three days just to strip the car down and assess the extent of the damage – and turns out the car wasn’t in ideal condition, having succumbed to the damp English weather and been repaired on the cheap in the past.
As much of the original chassis and body work as it was possible to save was kept, with the team replacing non-salvageable parts and strengthening the chassis. After that, the shell was skimmed and block sanded before being finished in Opalescent Silver Blue paint – the original colour of the car.
Originally the interior was blue to match, but the owner opted for contrasting Oxblood Red leather upholstery, as well as a red vinyl bonnet mouth – done in homage to the E-Type Lightweight model. New chrome trim and light surrounds were fitted too.
A few mechanical upgrades were performed to improve day-to-day usability and longevity, including uprated brakes and suspension, a new five-speed gearbox, an aluminium radiator and a stainless steel exhaust system.
The 3.8-litre engine was upgraded significantly, including high-lift cams, a balanced and lightened crank and new seals.
Marcus Holland, E-Type UK founder, said: “A restoration like this is a real challenge for our team – 40 years of inactivity takes an enormous toll on every single part of a vehicle. But customers come to us to make their dream car a reality, so we will take it apart piece-by-piece, clean and improve everything we can save and replace everything that we can’t with better-than-original quality.
“Not only are we delighted to have delivered our client a car they’ve always wanted, but we’re honoured to have played a part in keeping this piece of British motoring history on the road, and being used regularly, for many years to come.”
Keyword: In pictures | Incredible Jaguar E-Type barn find restoration