Classic Motor cars brings together two rare 1961 E-Types, one in pristine condition the other not so.

The Inside Story: Two Jaguar E-Types built on 24th August 1961 reunite after 55 years at Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth

Two Jaguar E-types that were built on the same day, 24^th August, in 1961 on the production line at Browns Lane in Coventry have been reunited at Classic Motor Cars (CMC) of Bridgnorth in Shropshire, United Kingdom, to celebrate their 55^th birthdays.

One E-Type was the first production inside bonnet lock right hand drive fixed head coupe; the other was the first production inside bonnet lock right hand drive roadster.

But these very early E-Types have lived different lives: the coupe is in pristine condition after having been restored by CMC; the roadster, a bit worn-down, has been off the road for 20 years, forgotten in a barn in Ireland until CMC found it and purchased it, and now requires a full restoration.

Peter Neumark, Chairman of CMC, said: “This world is full of coincidences; that both the first inside bonnet lock RHD coupe and roadster to end up in the same restoration facility is one thing, but then to discover they were both produced on the same day - August 24th 1961 - is remarkable!”

CMC brought the two cars back together on Wednesday 24^th August and even provided a birthday cake to celebrate the reunion.

Jaguar produced just four highly sought after external bonnet lock coupes in RHD form before switching to an internal lock arrangement.

Stuart Cardwell, owner of the E-Type Coupe Chassis No. 860005, brought it to CMC several years ago and embarked on a rolling restoration: mechanical first, he took it away to enjoy it and brought it back for a bare metal body restoration, then repaint and finally back for a full retrim.

Subsequently, the car was entered to the prestigious Salon Prive event and concours at Blenheim Palace in September 2015, where it was awarded runner-up in its class.

Stuart Cardwell said: “This is the first time the two cars have been next to one another after they parted company 55 years ago. In the case of my car, it has been all over the world. It was dispatched to Jaguar Cars New York in September 1961, sold to a Japanese collector in Tokyo in 1996 and repatriated back to the UK when I purchased it in 2012.”

He added: “CMC restored my car, which is now considered to be exactly as it would have left the factory in 1961 – no doubt they will do a stunning job bringing Chassis No. 92 back to life.”

The roadsters, on the other hand, went into production much sooner than the coupes hence some 91 outside bonnet lock cars were produced in RHD form and some 350 in LHD.

Neumark said: “We shouldn't be surprised to learn that the decision to switch to internal bonnet locks cars was applied across the board and implemented on the same day in 1961.”

E-Typer Roadster Chassis No. 850092 was dispatched to a Jaguar dealership in Dublin and has spent all its life in the Republic of Ireland. It was brought to the attention of CMC's Peter Neumark by a good friend in Co Navan, who was convinced it was Chassis No. 2.

Neumark was highly skeptical as the records stated it was destroyed in period after spending a hard year or two as a development car. Finally, the friend got good access to the car and discovered it was Chassis No. 92.

Neumark said: “The car had been off the road for over 20 years but with an impeccable history of five owners and with just over 24,000 miles on the clock, I was hooked and so was the car. An interesting negotiation with the canny Irish farmer was concluded with a handshake and a glass of Whiskey!”

He added: “It was only when the Heritage Certificate arrived from Jaguar that the same production date as the coupe was discovered. So we decided to invite Stuart with his car for a celebratory photo call with his car and the roadster.”

E-Type Roadster Chassis No. 92 requires a full restoration but has never been apart and has very little rot. It is for sale as a restoration project with CMC.

A pair of barn find jaguar E-Type Mark 1's are up for auction and restoration at the next CCA sale.

Two early Jaguar E-type barn finds, both ideal candidates for restoration projects, will be auctioned by Classic Car Auctions (CCA) at the June Sale on Saturday 18^th June at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa.

The first of the pair is a 1963 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Series I Fixedhead Coupe. Clearly a well-loved car, the first owner kept it for 30 years before it was passed on to its second owner in 1993. Driven for only two years, the car was then tucked away in a barn and has recently been discovered an amazing 20 years later.

This early E-Type is an original, highly desirable, UK right-hand drive manual now in need of some TLC.  Beneath the dust, this blue E-type presents in partially dismantled condition with the bumpers, headlamp covers, engine air filter and interior carpets removed. The bodywork appears to be sound with the original dashboard,glass and wheels still in place.

The car now offers an exciting opportunity for an E-type enthusiast to bring it back to life when it goes to auction this month with an estimate of £25,000 to £30,000.

Speaking ahead of the sale, Guy Lees-Milne, general manager of Classic Car Auctions, commented “The Jaguar E-type is one of the most recognised and iconic cars ever produced and is extremely popular among classic car fans. Barn finds such as these offer the chance to purchase a beautiful car at a great value price and bring back to its former glory, a labour of love which could also be a very savvy investment.”

The second E-type ready for resurrection is a 1966 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 Coupe 2+2, a model which is currently increasing in value on the market. The right-hand drive, manual example with a 4-speed gearbox is an abandoned restoration project which ran out of steam some 15 years ago.

The car presents today as partially stripped with the bodyshell described as solid and in good order, currently partially painted in a grey oxide undercoat. The interior has been restored at some stage and can easily be returned to good condition. Though the Webasto roof is in a poor state, the car is up on its wheels with the engine, exhaust, gearbox, and steering all fitted.

The Jaguar Heritage Certificate confirms that the car was manufactured on 11^th July 1966 and originally finished in Opalescent Dark Blue. The chassis number also ties up and its original registration number was 'DSO 672E'. This unfinished project car comes with bags of potential and an auction sale estimate of between £12,000 and £15,000 for the ambitious prospective new owner.

1961 Jaguar E-Type recreates an iconic speed test in Belgium, and achieves 146mph, just shy of the 1961 figure.

1961 Jaguar E-Type chassis 860001, the very first right-hand-drive production Fixed Head Coupé restored by Classic Motor Cars Ltd (CMC), has been driven to 146 mph on a German autobahn by British Hill Climb Champion, David Franklin.

David was recreating for Octane magazine’s 150^th issue one of the most famous road tests ever undertaken, attempting to match the 150 mph a Jaguar E-Type reached on a Belgian motorway in 1961, and he nearly made it!

David said:  “I saw 146mph and it was still accelerating when I had to back off because of cars and lorries in the distance.  When you’re travelling at that speed you have to err on the side of caution. You’re catching other traffic up quite quickly and you have to remember that there’s no ABS, although the brakes felt strong and progressive.It would comfortably have reached 150mph. Of that, I have absolutely no doubt.”

In 1961, Autocar took E-Type 9600HP to Belgium for a high speed test, looking to assess Jaguar’s claim that a standard roadgoing E-type could achieve 150mph.  This claim was validated in the historic road test, and Octane ventured to recreate the event using a similar car, E-Type 1VHP, chassis 860001.

The car was restored in the early 2000s by CMC, one of the world’s leading restoration companies, and is regularly serviced and prepared by the company.

Nick Goldthorp, Managing Director of CMC, said: “For safety’s sake, we could leave nothing to chance with the preparation of the car.  The demands of running at 150mph are very different from those required at half that speed.”

For this occasion, the team at CMC went through the car with a fine attention to detail, fitting new wheels and Avon CR6 ZZ tyres and checking every mechanical element. The car’s engine was even dyno-tested on a rolling road and a higher capacity fuel pump was installed as well.

Peter Neumark, Chairman of CMC and owner of the car 1VHP, said: “Chassis 860001 was built on 10 July 1961 and despatched on 26 August to Henlys in London as a demonstrator, which makes you wonder how many famous personalities sat in it during the first few weeks. We restored it to factory condition in the early 2000s and I drive it a lot.”

David Franklin, who has been competing in motor sport since 1965 and has been a champion in disciplines ranging from HSCC Historic GTs to hillclimbs and sprints, was incredibly impressed with the condition of the E-Type.  He said: “It rode very well, and the engine seemed notably smoother above 3500rpm.”

The official reading on E-Type chassis 860001 was 146.49mph, a result that greatly impressed Peter, who said: “I thought it would do well to get to 135, maybe 138mph, so I’m absolutely delighted. Well done to David Franklin!”

The mega rare Ferrari will no doubt gain a huge amount of interest at the upcoming Hexagon Classics.

• Hexagon presents a stunning collection of classic cars at Salon Privé, headlined by a one-off Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ Shooting Brake
• Unique Ferrari stars in the Post-War Coachwork concours class
• Hexagon is also presenting a 1966 Maserati Mistral 4000, a 1970 Mercedes Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, a Jaguar E-type 4.2-litre Series 1 Fixed Head Coupe and a 1972 Aston Martin AM Vantage Coupe
• For more information about Hexagon Classics visit http://hexagonclassics.com

From a one-off Ferrari to the finest examples of icons from Maserati, Mercedes, Jaguar and Aston Martin, Hexagon Classics has something for all tastes at this year’s Salon Privé.

The leading London car dealer is showing off several cars from its classics department at the Blenheim Palace event, ranging from a 1966 Maserati Mistral 4000 to a 1970 Mercedes Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, a Jaguar E-type 4.2-litre Series 1 Fixed Head Coupe and a 1972 Aston Martin AM Vantage.

Undoubted highlight of Hexagon’s collection at Salon Privé is its 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Shooting Brake, entered in the Post-War Coachwork concours class.

Commissioned by Luigi Chinetti (Coco), Jr it features coachwork by Panther Westwinds. Built at a cost of approximately four new Daytonas, this particular 365 GTB/4 was the 805th off the line. A standard Berlinetta, it was finished in Rosso Dino with a Nero leather interior. When completed, it was shipped to the United States and received by Chinetti Motors in the US.

The idea to turn it into a shooting brake came about in the early ‘70s,  when real estate developer Bob Gittleman strolled into Chinetti Motors asking for something a bit different — and Coco was only too happy to oblige. With the drawings completed, Coco decided on Panther Westwinds in Surrey, England, and two years later the car was shipped to the UK.

Panther Westwinds modified the Daytona into a striking shooting brake. Unlike traditional shooting brakes, this Daytona estate avoided a traditional rear tailgate by using gullwing-style rear side windows for access to cargo.

The interior was also substantially new, with the instruments mounted centrally in the opulent wooden trimmed dashboard. Even the cargo load floor featured wooden decking.

Delivered to Gittleman in Florida in 1975, it remained in his possession until 1980. The car passed through various hands, including those of Texan car collector and race team owner John Mecum, and was then acquired by New Jersey Ferrari collector Bill Kontes in 1988. A decade later it was with a different owner in France.

In 2000 it was displayed at the Concours d’Elegance at Paleis Het Loo in Holland and a year later it appeared at the Cartier Style et Luxe Concours at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Showing fewer than 4,000 miles on its odometer and in concours throughout, this one-of-a-kind custom Ferrari is spectacular and unique in virtually every way.

Hexagon Classics acquired the car in 2014 and set about a comprehensive restoration, employing the very same artisan who built the car while working at Panther in period. It has also benefited from a bare metal repaint and mechanical restoration by an official Ferrari service agent – and is in concours condition. It is for sale through Hexagon Classics.

Another Italian car capable of turning heads is Hexagon’s 1966 Maserati Mistral 4000 Coupe. Offering the highest horsepower of the Mistral series, this model has a 265bhp 4.0-litre straight six-cylinder engine.

Painted in its original colour of Argento Auteuil and supplied new to a Mr Luigi Serra of Genova, Italy on the 22nd April 1966, this particular Mistral is one of only 298 produced and is presented in superb order today.

It has benefitted from sympathetic restoration and remains thoroughly original, coming with the original owner’s manual and maintenance manual among other documents, plus also Maserati Classiche Certification. Without doubt a rare opportunity to acquire one of Maserati’s most highly sought-after models. 

One of the best four-seater convertibles ever made is this 1970 Mercedes Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet. Presented in near concours condition, it is also extremely rare being one of only 68 right-hand-drive cars produced.

Offering a thoroughly modern and easy to use driving experience, with a snug-fitting six-layer convertible top, excellent sound-deadening and a whisper quiet V8 engine along with power steering, it also benefits from the highly desirable option of a floor-mounted four-speed automatic gearbox, power windows and front head rests. 

Accompanying the car is its original handbook with the detailed pictures of a recent restoration by Australia’s leading Mercedes Benz restoration company Sleeping Beauties of Brisbane.

Many people’s idea of the perfect classic car is the Jaguar E-type – and one of the most desirable examples is on Hexagon’s Salon Privé stand, a 4.2-litre Series 1 Fixed Head Coupe.

Combining the classic lines of the original with a noticeably better driving experience, this particular car was completely restored in 2013. Like all 4.2-litre E-types it received a number of improvements over its predecessor, with an all-synchromesh gearbox, better brakes and more supportive seats. Of course, though, the highlight is the 4.2-litre engine, with its greater torque and refinement.

Another British icon is Hexagon’s Aston Martin AM Vantage Coupe. One of just 70 cars produced, it comes in Cairngorm Brown with Connolly Natural Hide and was supplied new on 18th September 1972. Its last owner, a British Airways Captain, has had the car for 19 years and has maintained it through Oselli Engineering, who recently rebuilt the engine to 4.2-litre unleaded fuel specification.

Hexagon has carried out a bare metal re-paint and a complete re-trim using the correct Connolly Hides throughout. With the car also getting a final mechanical sales preparation by an official factory Aston Martin Heritage Service Centre, it is now ready to be enjoyed to the full by its new owner.

Paul Michaels, chairman of Hexagon Classics, said: “Salon Privé always represents a fantastic opportunity to share our cars with like-minded enthusiasts. 

This year we’re showing some of the more varied machines that Hexagon offers – from a one-off Ferrari to the finest examples of classics from Maserati, Mercedes, Jaguar and Aston Martin. All are for sale through Hexagon and we look forward to welcoming all car lovers to our stand in the majestic surroundings of Blenheim Palace.”