Which classic to buy?

That's what I thought when see how the UK economy is doing and yet car prices seem to be defying reality. Only attraction now is the exchange rate with the Sterling getting a hit vs. the Asian currencies but that can be hedged.

 

Here's your car:

http://bringatrailer.com/2010/03/05/earls-court-show-car-1960-facel-vega-hk500/

 

You'll never get bored driving, or looking at, a Series I OTS E-type ...and if its red most kids today think its a Ferrari! 1966 or early 67 are the best years (synchro mech gear box).

 

Within the budget you can't go wrong with any 2-seater E-Type Jaguar. It looks great, drives great, sounds great, parts are commonly available. It's not for nothing that prices for such a high-volume car are so relatively high.

 

While I am as committed an advocate of the S1 E-type as can be found, that Facel Vega in Australia looks like a screaming buy. If the photos don't lie it is by far the best original example I've seen in years, and have you seen auction prices lately ?

 

I wouldn't think too long on that one. Blink and it'll be gone.

I'm a *huge* fan of the E-type but this Facel-Vega is on a totally different level.

This one is in your price range, in your neighborhood (broadly speaking), rhd, rare, fast, and well engineered (all disk brakes and 360hp and 4spd manual, in a car made in 1960!?). The only thing it doesn't have is a racing pedigree, but is there much vintage racing where you live?

For drawbacks, you'll have to spend much more money on things that would be cake on a jag, like sheet metal and trim bits. But if this one is all there, so much the better, just don't park it shiny side down or drive it through a salt water bath.

http://www.sportscarmarket.com/Profiles/2007/September/Etceterini/

 

That FV does look like a rare opportunity.

E-Types are my first love and I got my first one in coffee cans when I was 15. The only negative from a collector standpoint is that they built 75,000 of them. Otherwise, there are very few cars of any vintage or price range that offer the same level of engineering and sophistication: That wonderful twin cam 6 really makes the healy's engine look like the draft horse it is, the semi-monoque-tube frame is a generation apart from it's peers, the rear suspension remains a unique engineering marvel and even the front torsion bar suspension was a creative and unique solution to pack a double wishbone design under a low hood. Inboard disks, perfect weight distribution, wonderful details all over (hood releases, door handles, goofy english instructions on knock-offs) and of course that double-take styling that is still arresting 50 years later.
No, the only reason E-types aren't $600K like a 300SL is that they were built to a price, manufactured in huge numbers, and finally, don't really have much of a place in golden-age racing history books.
But in absolute terms, they are a world class car, and the fact they aren't scarce is a blessing to enthusiasts everywhere. In fact, so many were over-restored in the late 80's collector car bubble that they are still available for less than the cost of their restorations.
So you hear my vote...

 

Meh - the Facel Vega doesn't do it for me. Maybe I am biased as an E-Type owner, but I would definitely take an S1 E over that FV.

 

Doesn't do much for me either....kind of like a Ghia-Chrysler or Dual Ghia, except French and not Italian.

 

68 E with tri carb swap is actually the best driving E.