E Type History

My older brother and I in 1976 working on my dads front valence, see how much rust there is when the car was only three years old and had only been subjected to dry use.

 

A chip off the old block

 

Having been brought up and brainwashed by the old man (Tom Fulford) believing the Jaguar E Type to be the best looking car ever to grace the road, I have finally followed his footsteps. I have enclosed a picture of my, then younger, Dad and brother Lee taken at Donington in 1977. Some E Type register members may recognise the V12 Roadster in Signal Red, registration TOM 32.

 

At that time my Dad was Treasurer and Registrar to the E Type Register, back in the early days. In 1981 the whole family went on the first Geneva E Type Celebration tour - which my Dad helped to organise along with George Gibbs and Mike Copper - to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the E Type; but we had to take the XJ-C as we could not all fit in the Roadster.

 

Twenty-two years later I have achieved my dream having bought a 1974 manual V12 Roadster, coincidentally in Signal Red. The car has covered 43,000 miles and still has a completely original interior, and even the key attached to the bulkhead. The car has had various bits of paintwork over the years but, other than that, appears to be a very genuine car.

 

I have since stripped the engine down to replace the leaky rear main oil seal to find everything looked very original and in place. A little cosmetic attention may be needed on the rear arches, but apart from that the car is an absoloute joy to drive and has turned many heads thus far.

 

The second photograph was taken last summer, with my wife looking rather comfortable after Sunday lunch at the pub. I hope there is some interest in my old timbers story, and I look forward to getting more involved this year in some of the upcoming events.

 

Paul Fulford - Extracts from Jag Driver May 2004

 

 

E Type History

 

 

The E-type was initially designed and shown to the public as a grand tourer in two seater coupé form (FHC or Fixed Head Coupe) and as convertible (OTS or Open Two Seater). The 2+2 version with a lengthened wheelbase was released several years later.

 

The model was made in 3 distinct versions generally referred to as "Series 1", "Series 2" and "Series 3". A transitional series between Series 1 and Series 2 is known unofficially as "Series 1½".

 

In addition, several limited-edition variants were produced:

 

* The "'Lightweight' E-Type" which was apparently intended as a sort of follow-up to the D-type. Jaguar planned to produce 18 units but ultimately only a dozen were reportedly built. Of those, one is known to have been destroyed and two others have been converted to coupé form. These are exceedingly rare and sought after by collectors.
* The "Low Drag Coupé" was a one-off technical exercise which was ultimately sold to a Jaguar racing driver. It is presently believed to be part of the private collection of the current Viscount Cowdray.

 

Series 1 (1961-1968)

 

The Series 1 was introduced in March 1961, using the triple SU carburetted 3.8 litre 6-cylinder Jaguar XK6 engine from the XK150S. The first 500 cars built had flat floors and external hood latches. These cars are rare and more valuable. After that, the floors were dished to provide more leg room and the twin hood latches moved inside the car. The 3.8 litre engine was increased to 4.2 litres in late 1964.

 

All E-Types feature a fully-independent suspension for improved ride and handling, and power-assisted disc brakes on all four wheels, features that were uncommon for cars from that era.

 

The Series 1 can be recognised by glass covered headlights (up to 1967), small "mouth" opening at the front, signal lights and tail-lights above bumpers and exhaust tips under the license plate in the rear.

 

3.8 litre cars have leather-upholstered bucket seats, an aluminum-trimmed center instrument panel and console (changed to vinyl and leather in 1963), and a 4-speed gearbox that lacks synchromesh for 1st gear ("Moss box"). 4.2 litre cars have more comfortable seats, improved brakes and electrical systems, and an all-synchromesh 4-speed gearbox. 4.2 litre cars also have a badge on the boot (trunk) proclaiming "Jaguar 4.2 Litre E-type" (3.8 cars have a simple "Jaguar" badge).

 

A 2+2 version of the coupé was added in 1966. The 2+2 offered the option of an automatic transmission. The body is slightly longer and the roof angles are different. The roadster remained a strict two-seater.

 

There was a transitional series of cars built in 1967-68, unofficially called "Series 1½", which are externally similar to Series 1 cars. The new features were open headlights, different switches, and some de-tuning (with a downgrade of twin Zenith-Stromberg carbs, from the original triple SU carbs) for US models. Some Series 1½ cars also have twin cooling fans and adjustable seat backs. Series 2 features were gradually introduced into the Series 1, creating the unofficial Series 1½ cars, but always with the Series 1 body style.

 

Series 2 (1969-1971)

 

Open headlights without glass covers (Earlier cars had problems with misting, despite gaskets), a wrap-around rear bumper, re-positioned and larger front indicators and taillights below the bumpers, better cooling aided by an enlarged "mouth" and twin electric fans, and uprated brakes are hallmarks of Series 2 cars. De-tuned in US, but still with triple SUs in the UK, the engine is easily identified visually by the change from smooth polished cam covers to a more industrial 'ribbed' appearance. Late Series 1½ cars also had ribbed cam covers. The interior and dashboard were also redesigned, with flick switches being substituted for rocker switches that met U.S health and safety regulations. The dashboard switches also lost their symmetrical layout. New seats were fitted, which purists claim lacked the style of the originals but were certainly more comfortable. Air conditioning and power steering were available as factory options. It was available in FHC, OTS, and 2+2 versions.

 

 

Series 3 (1971-1974)

 

A new 5.3 L 12-cylinder Jaguar V12 engine was introduced, with uprated brakes and standard power steering. The short wheelbase FHC body style was discontinued and the V-12 was available only as a convertible and 2+2 coupe. The convertible used the longer-wheelbase 2+2 floorpan. It is easily identifiable by the aggressive, slatted front grill in place of the mouth of earlier cars, flared wheel arches and a badge on the rear that proclaims it to be a V12. There were also a very limited number of 4.2 litre six cylinder Series 3 E-Types built. These were featured in the initial sales literature. It is believed these are the rarest of all E-types of any remaining.

 

Low Drag Coupé (1962)

 

Shortly after the introduction of the E-type, Jaguar management wanted to investigate the possibility of building a car more in the spirit of the D-type racer from which elements of the E-type's styling and design were derived. The first car was built to test the concept. It was designed exclusively as a coupé since aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer understood that a closed-top car is easier to make light and aerodynamic - unlike previous Jaguar racers which were exclusively build as open-top cars. Unlike the production E-types which used steel bodies, the LDC used lightweight (but more expensive and difficult to produce) aluminium. The chassis remained steel. It used a tuned version of Jaguars 3.8 litre engine with an experimental cylinder-head design they had tested in Le Mans racers.

 

The vehicle was complete in summer of 1962 but was sold a year later to Jaguar racing driver Dick Protheroe who raced it extensively and eventually sold it. Since then it has passed through the hands of several collectors on both sides of the Atlantic and now is believed to reside in the private collection of the current Viscount Cowdray.

 

Lightweight E-type (1963-1964)

 

In some ways, this was an evolution of the Low Drag Coupé. It made extensive use of aluminum alloy in the body panels and other components. However, with at least one exception, it remained an open-top car in the spirit of the D-type to which this car is a more direct successor than the production E-type which is more of a GT than a sports car. The cars used a tuned version of the production 3.8 litre Jaguar engine with 300 bhp output rather than the 265 bhp produced by the "ordinary" version. At least one car is known to have been fitted with fuel-injection.

 

The cars were entered in various races but did not earn any victories in Le Mans or Sebring like their illustrious predecessors.

 

The Jaguar E-type was very successful in SCCA Production sports car racing with Group44 and Bob Tullius taking the B-Production championship with a Series-3 V12 racer in 1975. A few years later, Gran-Turismo Jaguar from Clevland Ohio campaigned a 4.2L 6 cylinder FHC racer in SCCA production series and in 1980, won the National Championship in the SCCA C-Production Class defeating a fully funded factory Nissan Z-car team with Paul Newman.