E-TYPE

This is an early Series One E-Type with a particularly interesting history. Chassis 875763 was a “normal North American Market Export model but fitted with a speedometer calibrated in kilometers per hour rather than miles per hour.

Assembled at the end of the Summer break and completed in October of 1961, then flown new to Japan the last week of October, 1961. Jaguar Club Japan records confirm that this is one of the earliest E-Types imported to Japan and further indicated that it was a “Motor Show Car” from new and then on display with Jidosha Jaguar Cars Japan for promotional events at various other shows, races and trade events before finally being sold and delivered to the first owner.

Normally we would have expected an E-Type sold new to the Japanese market to have been a right-hand-drive model but the Daimler Jaguar Heritage Trust records confirm that this E-Type was ordered specifically as a Type 875 (Left-Hand-Drive) “Export” version. It has been well known in Japan since new and we were only able to learn about the car and complete the purchase as a result of buying another early E-Type a few months ago.

Until our purchase and importation, this E-Type was always in Japan which makes it even more unique but not enough to change the value… unless you are a Japanese E-Type enthusiast.

This Series One OTS Roadster has all the ultra early “odd-ball” features of the hand assembled first series cars except it is just late enough not to have the outside bonnet latches. The welded in bonnet louvres are the easiest give-away that it is one of the earliest of the cars built. A peak under the car reveals the flat “floor pans” as well and the interior and trunk details are also dead-giveaways to the car’s early construction nature.

Both accident and corrosion free, this is a fantastic matching numbers example.

The vehicle is available to be viewed in Kent by appointment.