Wake-up call
A one-owner 1962 Jaguar XK-E Series 1 3.8 has emerged from a 20-plus-year slumber in a French barn.
It will cross the block at the Rétromobile show, which returns to the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, in France’s capital, from February 5-9, 2025
Next chapter
One of the classic cars in the Artcurial Motorcars sale, this fixed-head coupe – which has been used sparingly since the mid-1980s – will be offered with no reserve on February 7.
It’s expected to fetch €50-70,000 (cUS$52-73,000). Let’s take a closer look.
And, of course, the model was only known as the Jaguar XK-E in North American markets; elsewhere it was sold as the Jaguar E-type, which is how this example is badged.
Doctor’s orders
This Jaguar E-type Series 1 3.8’s sole previous owner bought the car new more than six decades ago.
This keeper was a young doctor, and used the car to travel between Paris and their clinic in Tours.
African adventure
Not long after taking delivery of their brand-new Jaguar E-type, they embarked on a 1500-mile-plus adventure to visit family in Meknes, Morocco.
Here, the car picked up a small dent from a lamp post, after the owner forgot to apply the handbrake while parked on a hill.
The sale includes an invoice from a Moroccan body shop.
French fancy
Back in France, other cars eventually replaced the Jaguar E-type for daily-driving duties, but the French doctor clearly had a fondness for the 3.8-liter coupe.
Rather than selling it, they stored it at their house in northern France.
Back to life
The final tax sticker, dated 1973, suggests it’s had little use since then.
Repairs were carried out in the 1980s with the aim of making the Jaguar roadworthy once more.
Learning the ropes
The Jaguar E-type’s second wind didn’t last long, though.
By the late 1990s, it was driven only on the paths around the owner’s house.
They allowed their grandchildren to get behind the wheel to learn the basics of driving.
Under the hood
This Jaguar E-type still has its original 3.8-liter engine.
The 269HP straight-six motor will likely need a fair bit of work before it’s up and running again, though.
Make do and mend
Apparently, most of the components appear to be original, from the torn driver’s seat to the patinated bodywork and three-spoke steering wheel.
Crucially, a lot of it looks like it could be salvageable.
Round again?
The odometer shows 26,285km (16,333 miles), although the seller suggests this might actually be 126,285km (78,470 miles), and the Jaguar is on its second time round the clock.
The car still wears its original Parisian license plate: 4119 ND 75.
The nitty-gritty
This example is from the second year of Jaguar XK-E/E-type production, when cars were fitted with a lower floor, replacing the ‘flat-floor’ models.
The Moss gearbox fitted to 3.8-liter cars has no synchro on first gear, so remember to double-declutch.
Road-trip ready
This Jaguar’s easy trunk access, with a decent capacity, makes it a somewhat practical choice, even if the glazing means your luggage is always on show.
Perhaps this was a factor in its original owner’s enjoyment of this car over so many miles (or kilometers).
It would also help its winning bidder recreate the first custodian’s Moroccan odyssey.
Helping hand
Restoring this Jaguar E-type might require a big budget, but there’s no doubt the project will be a rewarding one.
Thankfully, there are scores of marque specialists ready to help.
Get bidding
If you’re tempted to take it on, you can find out more about this fixed-head coupe, and all the other classic cars for sale in the Artcurial Motorcars auction at Rétromobile, by clicking here.
This Jaguar will go under the hammer in Paris, France, with no reserve, on February 7, 2025.
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