Lot Ended
Description
Imported from America in 1990; sympathetically restored and converted
to RHD; just two owners since, the current for 13 years; well-maintained and in
regular use; insured for £65k; a much-loved 'matching numbers' E-Type,
ready to enjoy
While everyone agrees that the
Series One E-Type is the prettiest, they also know deep down that the Series Two
is a better car to drive. All-synchro gearbox; twin cooling fans; better seats;
better brakes; improved switchgear; more room in the cabin – not to mention a
significantly lower price. It all adds up to a mighty tempting
package.
Power still came from the same magnificent 265bhp 4.2-litre
triple-carb XK engine which endowed the car with a top speed nudging 140mph.
During the short two-year lifespan of the Series Two, only 8,628 were produced
as open top roadsters, all but 776 in left-hand drive, before it was replaced by
the V12-powered Series 3 in late 1970.
This
lovely Series Two Roadster was originally one of those LHD cars and spent its
first 21 years in America – always a good thing as UK cars tended to start
rotting away within a few years of leaving the factory.
The Heritage Certificate shows that it left the Browns Lane works in
July 1969 finished in Regency Red with a black interior and a black hood
destined for British Leyland of New York. It returned to these shores from
Kentucky in 1990, being imported by a Mr F Ashworth who owned Hall Street Garage
near Rochdale,
He sympathetically renovated and
uprated the car, some of this work being documented by invoices on file but
clearly more was done than is apparent from the bills. This included conversion
to RHD and fitment of triple SU carbs in place of the power-sapping Strombergs
fitted to American-spec cars.
It also got new
Martin Robey floor sections and outer sills; new seat belts; headlamps; bumpers;
new radiator; new heater; a new hood and presumably a complete interior retrim
too plus a multitude of minor parts and maybe a respray – who knows?
Mr Ashworth kept it for the next 21 years and
had it MOT’d annually but it seems he rarely drove it, the MOTs showing that it
only covered 1,800 miles up to August 2001 when it was showing 50,298 miles, but
the speedo must have developed a fault because the August 2002 MOT showed 41,669
miles, slowly rising to 42,725 miles in 2012 when he finally sold the
car.
Our vendor (who is only the second UK owner)
acquired it from Blue Butts Classic Cars of Clitheroe in June 2012, the ad
stating that the car was “in simply delightful condition” with uprated brakes, a
stainless steel exhaust and five new tyres.
During his 13-year ownership our vendor has looked after the car
assiduously, keeping it tucked away in a nice dry garage adjoining his house and
using it lightly, clocking up only 12,500 fine-weather miles, the odometer
currently showing 55,227 miles.
Owner of many
fine classics over the years with a well-equipped garage, our vendor has
maintained the car himself with numerous invoices and spread sheets for new
parts fitted, although it has never needed anything other than routine service
items. It had a new electronic fuel pump in 2023 and was last serviced in August
2024 since when it has only covered around 300 miles.
MOT tested every year (apart from during Covid), the current MOT is
valid until September 2025 with no advisories recorded. A useful quantity of
spares are included, along with a Haynes workshop manual, a Radiomobile CD
player fitted in the centre console of the dash, many old tax discs and two sets
of keys.
The car attended a Hagerty Insurance
valuation day at Brightwells in April 2019 when it was showing 50,747 miles, the
detailed report on the Jag giving it an agreed insurance value of
£65,000.
Driven some 30 miles to the
sale, this 'matching numbers' E-Type has been starting promptly and
driving beautifully as we have hoofed it around our large 10-acre site, with
bags of performance and healthy 45psi oil pressure.
A lovely car all round, it is only reluctantly for sale due to the
advancing years of the owner and will be a fine way to scoot around during the
long hot summer that lies ahead of us.
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – [email protected]