[ad_1]
We’ve seen a few classic cars that have fallen into decrepitude in the past but this 1965 Jaguar E-Type is one of the shabbiest yet.
Being just the 19th right-hand-drive 4.2-litre Fixed Head Coupe ever made, it’s an early example of the Series 1 Jaguar that even Enzo Ferrari – founder of the Italian marque – hailed as the most beautiful car ever made.
However, we’re not sure if he’d have been so full of praise if he saw this particular one after it was left to crumble into a state of disrepair in the car port of a Yorkshire property, before being found by a builder.
Still, someone paid a staggering £41,625 for it at auction at the weekend – though that’s just a fraction of its potential value if returned to like-new condition.

Ramshackle rare Jaguar: This is the 19th right-hand-drive Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 Fixed Head Coupe built by the British car manufacturer in 1964, and it’s seen better days
While records might state that this is a 1965 model, it was actually built toward the end of 1964 before being used as a display car in Henly’s London Piccadilly showroom for five months.
Registered on 27th January 1965 when it was sold to the first owner, the last 53 years look to have taken a significant toll on the once sleek coupe, neglected for much of its recent existence.
No exact details of how long it has been stood in a dilapidated state are available, but the auctioneers – H&H Classics – confirmed to MailOnline and This is Money that it was recently discovered at a Yorkshire property by a builder who was working on the owner’s home.
And while it might look like a ‘barn find’ classic, it was actually stood in the car port at the side of the building – which goes a long way to explain the oxidised exterior and general weathered appearance.
Fortunately, the vintage vehicle was uncovered just in time for it to be salvageable.
Described as a ‘perfect project’ ahead of it going under the hammer at the Imperial War Museum Duxford sale at the weekend, it will need some serious attention if it’s to be returned to its former glory.
And while £41,000 might sound a lot for a vehicle in this battered shape it might just turn out to be a little goldmine.
Should the winning bidder recommission it back to an original state it will be worth more than three times what he or she paid for it.
In pristine condition, Hagerty Classic Car Insurance estimates that this very model could be worth at least £128,000 – a value increase of more than 200 per cent.
However, Jaguar E-Type specialists said the owner could risk going into the red if many of the parts are not useable.
Previous barn-find projects have cost between £140,000 and £150,000 to complete, one UK restorer said. However, the values for these machines are still likely to continue appreciating into the future, so even with high costs it could still be a strong investment over the long term.

A classic car collector purchased the car at the weekend and the H&H Classics Imperial War Museum Duxford sale at the weekend for just over £41,000

Found at the owner’s property by his builder having stood in the car pool neglected for years, it has fallen into a state of disrepair and is in desperate need of a total restoration

This is what a Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Fixed Head Coupe 4.2 looks like in pristine condition. It could cost as much as £150,000 to return the just-sold model back to this condition
That’s because the earliest E-Types produced with the 265bhp 4.2-litre six-cylinder XKI6 engine at its heart are a rare find these days.
The larger capacity motor replaced the original 3.8-litre unit from October 1964, around the time this one was completed.
Despite the increase in size, performance compared to the 3.8-litre six-cylinder motor was almost unchanged.
The 4.2 was promised to have the same top speed – 150mph – and an equivalent sprint time from zero to 60mph in 6.4 seconds to the powerplant it succeeded.
And back then, little would have matched it in a head-to-head race, with the E-Type the pinnacle of sports cars of the late ’60s.
H&H Classics claims this early example even boasts a number of ‘crossover features’ that show the switch from the old motor to the bigger substitute, and has matching chassis and engine numbers that are still visible to the naked eye – a sure-fire guarantee of its future value if it is eventually polished back to showroom condition.

It is one of the earliest examples of models to feature the larger-capacity six-cylinder 4.2-litre engine, which succeeded the 3.8-litre motor

Engine and chassis numbers are still visible, which can be used to guarantee its value

And despite being in a rickety condition today, the car could be worth up to £128,000 once reconditioned back to showroom standards – that’s more than three times what the winning bidder paid at the weekend
Other changes as part of the 1964 update included a faster-shifting all-synchromesh gearbox, better brakes and electrics system, and more comfortable seats – not that you can tell from the heavily worn leather chair in the vehicle in question.
Despite it being missing in these images, the E-Type was sold with the clamshell bonnet cover included – which we assume is also in a corroded condition – and plenty of other original parts that have dropped off the car over time.
That includes body panels, engine components and sections of the interior, all of which have been left in the boot compartment to gather a coating of cobwebs, dust and dirt.
The whereabouts of the missing passenger seat is unknown, though.

A lot of the missing original parts have been stored in the boot like a treasure chest of forgotten rusting loot

Even the passenger seat is missing from the car, meaning the buyer has their work cut out trying to source original parts
Just 7,770 4.2-litre Fixed Head Coupes were ever built between 1964 and 1968 and 1,957 of these were right-hand-drive examples.
And as well as being hard to find these days, not many examples have covered as few miles as this one.
Because while it might look like it’s been run into the ground, the tachometer reads just 60,410 miles – which H&H Classics has verified.
That works out at an average of 959 miles covered each year since it first went on the road.
Being such an early edition, this crusty banger could return a handsome profit if the buyer is willing to splurge big on a full restoration job and hold onto it for long enough.
CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST
-
ROB HULL tests the closest thing to F1 for the road – the Honda NSX
-
Plug in and splash out! First test of Range Rover’s new hybrid
-
Our sneak drive of Jaguar’s Tesla challenging electric I-Pace
-
Slower, cheaper and fewer cylinders: We test the latest Jaguar F-Type
-
RAY MASSEY drives the £166k split-personality Ferrari Portofino
-
Bentley’s 180mph Bentayga SUV is king of the snow
-
BMW’s X2 aims to attract a new breed of younger buyers – we test it
-
Turn over a new Leaf: We drive Nissan’s nippy new electric runaround
-
Super SUV triple test: These are the raciest 4x4s on sale today
-
Honda defies the scaremongers to launch a diesel Civic you’d want
-
Skoda’s new smaller SUV the Karoq is tasteful and ultra-safe
-
Kia’s Stinger is a proper humdinger. We test Korea’s new muscle car
-
Which is best out of the Audi Q2, Ford Kuga and Seat Ateca?
-
We get behind the wheel of the first reborn Alpine, the A110
-
Meet the new DS7 Crossback: RAY MASSEY tests the French SUV
-
What’s it like to drive BMW’s electric family car? Improved i3S tested
-
Jaguar’s E-Pace baby SUV is the small cat that’s expected to sell big
-
Can the new BMW M5 match it’s legendary status? We try it
-
The new Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII from the driver’s seat and the back
-
Want to buy a 7-seat 4×4 that isn’t a diesel? Skoda Kodiaq reviewed
-
Behind the wheel of Korea’s new hot hatch – the £25k Hyundai i30N
-
We test the electric Super Soco bike with a removable battery
-
Aston Martin’s DB11 V8 is nimble enough to get Bond out of tight spots
-
What’s it like to drive a 60-year-old Fiat 500 today?
-
Testing a hot diesel Range Rover Sport SDV8 across Europe
-
Is the Ford Fiesta still the best small car? We put it against rivals
-
We take Volvo’s smart, stylish XC60 family SUV for a drive
-
The 10 best hybrids: From the sports car, to the family SUV
-
Suzuki’s Swift hatchback is both easy on the eye and bank balance
-
The best used small executive saloons for under £10,000
-
Ten of the best city cars you can buy for less than £10,000
-
The Range Rover Velar takes on the Norwegian mountains
-
The new Qashqai tested: A quality upgrade but what’s it like?
-
Is the Tesla Model X the ultimate family car? We put it to the test
-
Don’t want an SUV? Ten of the best family cars of 2017
-
The Giulia’s big test: Can the Alfa hold its own against Audi and BMW?
-
Top 10 used junior executive cars for a bit of bargain luxury
-
What’s the secret of Honda’s hottest ever Civic Type R hatchback?
-
Safe and sound: The cars that scored full marks from expert reviewers…
-
Ray Massey gets behind the wheel of the new Alfa Romeo Giulia
-
Who needs an estate car? We take a Jaguar XF to the Alps
-
Congratulations, Fiat, you cut the excitement from the Mazda MX-5…
-
We meet a Lamborghini salesman… and take one for a test drive
-
The new Land Rover Discovery put through its paces off-road
-
It’s slow and runs out of fuel every 80 miles: Harley Forty-Eight
-
Ray Massey test drives the Volvo V90 Cross Country estate
-
Does Mercedes’ latest E-Class tick all the exec-car boxes?
-
What’s it like to use a £300k car every day? Rolls-Royce Wraith test
-
Jaguar F-Pace and Porsche Macan in a battle of SUVs
-
New Honda Civic can be a source of pride in a post Brexit era
-
Could an F1 legend’s favourite car really be this electric Renault?
-
Do you really need an SUV? Premium estate cars packing space
-
Is a Porsche 911 Turbo civilised enough to use every day?
-
Could the Honda Civic be a genuine family car?
-
Mini goes totally maxi with the new Countryman – we try it
-
Is £23K too much for a Fiesta? The ST200 is a real hot hatch
-
When a £78K 550bhp estate car isn’t enough: Our Audi RS6 test
-
Audi’s range of SUVs expands – we test the new Q2 and Q7
-
Best used execs? £17K Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes test
-
Ford’s first right-hand drive Mustang is brutishly brilliant
-
Jaguar F-Type against Porsche 718 Cayman and Audi TT RS
-
We put the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 head-to-head
-
‘Basic, agricultural, old hat – I hate it.’ Dacia Duster review
-
Budget execs: Ford Mondeo vs Skoda Superb vs Volvo S60
-
Which is the best used family saloon for under £10k?
-
Three of the best used hot hatches for around £5,000
-
Three of the best used family hatchbacks: Astra, Golf, Focus
-
Can we recommend a Range Rover Evoque? Find out
-
Bentley’s new diesel Bentayga is efficient luxury
-
Maserati’s Levant could be the coolest school-run car
-
As fast as a Lambo – Tesla Model S tested long distance
-
Is the Audi A4 worthy of the ‘Car of the Year’ accolade?
-
Who is the chief executive? Three car showdown
[ad_2]
Source link