Series II E-type roadster

Here are a couple of good websites that specialize in E-type info:
- http://www.xkedata.com/
- http://www.jag-lovers.org/

There is a pretty good list of things to look for and think about when buying a Jaguar here:
- http://www.jag-lovers.org/technical/used_car.html

Here is a web page showing the various pros & cons of the different Series of E-Types:
- http://www.xkedata.com/catalog/models/

I own a 1970 E-Type FHC (fixed head coupe) which is a Series II car. I've owned it for 1.5 years now. It has 52,000 original miles on it.
Here is the fchat thread about buying the car (plenty of pics in it):
- http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173221

The most significant things about owning an E-Type are:
- They are relatively small on the inside, not sure they fit tall people too well. The 2+2 model and Series III cars have a longer wheel base so are a little roomier on the inside.
- The gas pedal & brake pedal are small and very close to one another. Good for heel-and-toe braking I guess, but it will take a little getting used to when you first drive the car. You'll learn to press on the gas pedal with just the toe part of your right shoe.
- The horn is not in the center of the steering wheel. You push in the turn signal stalk (on the left side of the steering wheel column) to beep the horn. Note that "push in" in this case means toward the steering wheel column, not toward the front of the car.
- They have in-bound rear disc brakes (mounted near the differential) which makes the price of a brake job higher than normal.
- The long hood flips open toward the front. It is easily damaged and can be expensive to repair it correctly if it isn't good when you buy the car.
- Also, the clutch is not easy to get to if you need a clutch job. I think the entire drivetrain has to be dropped to get to it and I think that requires the removal of the exhaust system. Obviously, a non-trivial amount of $ to do that.
- The original wire wheels require tubes inside the tires (the spokes are not designed to hold air inside a modern tubeless radial tire). I replaced my wheels with slightly wider Dayton wire wheels (a common upgrade) and then mounted modern P4000 Pirelli tires on it. This makes for a significant improvement in the ride and handling quality of the car. Of course, I saved and stored the original wheels for the next owner in case he or she would want them.
- They are one of the most beautiful cars ever designed and people will react to it where ever you go, such as at gas stations, red lights, etc. It is kind of like driving around with someone famous, like Pamela Anderson, in the passenger seat.
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Yes, prices for E-Types are all over the place right now. It really depends on how much someone wants to buy vs. some one wanting/needing to sell.

My Series II car is probably worth $28k - $33k in this market. And it is a fairly nice car (but not a concours car).
A Series II OTS car (Jaguar speak for roadster, "OTS" = "open two seater") is probably $10k - $15k more in similar condition. So, maybe $38k - $48k is a good price range.

The Series 1 cars are the top priced ones, except for the 2+2 body style.

Doc's Jags website usually has several nice E-Types to sell and represents the "retail price" market for them.
- http://www.docsjags.com
For example, here is a 1970 OTS for $67,000:
- http://www.docsjags.com/sales/e-types/series_2/series_2.htm#2031004
Here is there full list of cars for sale:
- http://www.docsjags.com/docsjags/new_listings.html

The concours level cars still get big money, even recently. A "former JCNA winner" 1961 OTS sold for $72,600 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas on October 16, 2008. It was red/tan in color with 63,656 miles on it.

BTW, a tan interior is called "cinammon" in the Jaguar color chart. My car is a British Racing Green (BRG) exterior color with a cinammon color interior. My shade of BRG is a repaint using a metallic color, the original BRG is a flat non-metallic color.

Good luck.

 

Stay away from "Series 1.5" - this isn't official Jaguar nomenclature, they really are bastard cars that many E-Type experts have problems with. Between Series 1 and Series 2, these cars had undocumented permutations and combinations of changes that give owners / mechanics fits.

Also, rust is your major problem. Lucas electronics can be fixed / replaced - E-Type parts are readily available, albeit at a price. Since the E-Type is a unibody (with a front sub-frame), any major rust damage is going to be a bear to fix.

While a Series II isn't as desirable as the early models, that translates into a deep discount over Series I models. The major differences are the headlights / tailights, interior, and engine. Primarily, the 2 Strombergs that replace the 3 SU's of the Series I. If you can look past that, you've made a good choice. The average shmo on the street wouldn't know the difference, and as Toggie said, these things draw a crowd like flies to poop.

If you are looking for a bargain, then shop the Series 2 FHC (fixed head coupe) - they will be the cheapest, especially if you are buying someone else's restoration (your best bet). However, $67K for a Series II, even fully restored, really is all the money. Toggie noted, his car is worth about $30K in this market - that's a screaming deal for one of the most historically significant cars ever made

 

http://www.autabuy.com/Vehicles/Details.cfm?VID=285177&Year=1971&Make=JAGUAR&Model=XKE

 

I don't want to take this thread into the weeds with fear, uncertainty and doubt regarding a particular dealer, but I would advise a pre-purchase inspection of ANY car sold by anyone. Enough said.

 

Good advice. For the record, I have never purchased an E-type from that dealer (actually any dealer) - only through a private party sale. So, I don't have any direct experience with that particular dealer's cars.

Obviously, a PPI is a great idea when you are thinking of buying a sports car more than 30 years old.

 

+1 - there are horror stories when neglecting to do this. An E-Type is no different, and given some of it's vulnerabilities, a PPI is a necessity.

 

What's been your experience in terms of the (in)famous British reliability? Myth or reality?

I remember my MGB pretty much ate parts, but they were cheap.

 

Reliability has been okay, not great, but not the horror stories you hear. Mostly the little electrical things are what happen on an old E-Type. I've learned if something goes out, like an interior dome light, to check the fuse. Often the fuse is okay, but if you roll it in its clamp mounting, sometimes the light will start working again. Weird stuff like that.

Lots of places to buy better replacement parts. For example, for under $100 there is a guy that will take the clock (the one in the dash) and rebuild it with a quartz movement and run the power from a AA battery in the back (instead of the current clock which drains a battery in a few weeks time).

Once things get fixed, they seem to stay fixed. That's a good thing.

 

Dome lights can be annoying, but I was thinking more in terms of geysers underhood every time the car got warm. Sounds like that is not the case.