1961 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 3.8 OTS Flat Floor
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Highlights
- Extensively restored including a recent £40,000 interior retrim
- One of the first 500 LHD Flat Floor cars
- Retains many of its early Flat Floor features
- Long MOT to September 2024 with no advisories
- Just 60 miles covered since restoration completed
- Matching numbers with Heritage certificate
The Appeal
Jaguar wasn’t prepared for the success of the E-Type. The car was engineered for low volume, virtually hand-built production. As demand soared, that approach had to be rethought.
It resulted in ongoing changes to the cars to improve production efficiency. That makes the first cars beloved of purists. They are collectively known as ‘Flat Floor’ E-Types because of their defining feature. Only 2,214 examples were built across LHD and RHD configurations.
But even among this rarified group there are ‘Flat Floor’ E-Types and then there are pure ‘Flat Floor’ E-Types. Only the first 500 retained all the original features of initial production like the side locking bonnets.
This is one of those cars, number 403 of the run of 1,583 LHD ‘Flat Floor’ cars. Its Heritage certificate confirms it was built in September 1961 and delivered to the USA.
It returned to the UK in 1984 and has been comprehensively restored across the entire car, covering just 60 miles since the work was finished. This included a recent £40,000 retrim by Jaguar specialists CMC in Bridgnorth. The work very closely replicates the factory specification and the photographs confirm. The car has a long, advisory-free MOT.
This is a beautiful and exceptionally rare early E-Type in restoration-fresh condition. As such it is a gem for any enthusiast to add to their collection.
The History and Paperwork
- Factory specification recorded on Jaguar Daimler Heritage Certificate number 3761:
- Confirms that this is a matching numbers
- Originally Gunmetal metallic with red interior and black roof
- Built on 26th August 1961
- LHD car despatched to British Leyland New York on 13th September 1961
- Repatriated to the UK on 3rd September 1984
- Just two registered keepers in the UK since returning
- Vendor acquired the car on 5th October 2023
- Little history is known of the car prior to vendor’s acquisition
- Invoices from CMC dated 2020 to 2023 covering retrim and mechanical work
- We are told the car has been dry stored since the restoration was completed
- Factory correct car except for sill strengthening added during restoration to improve rigidity
- Current MOT valid to 11th September 2024 with no advisories and 24 miles showing on test
- Currently UK registered with V5C in vendor’s name
Flat floor cars have many unique features not found on later models, which this car retains in full:
- Flat floors (of course) with no footwells - (some of these cars were converted by dealers to have footwells)
- This car had the passenger footwell so converted but has been returned to correct factory specification
- 500 early cars had side locking bonnets, flat floor cars retain the body pressings for this system but have internal locking
- Rubber boot lid seal is on the boot lid rather than on the body
- Straight bulkhead behind the seats without a cut-out
- Short exhaust tailpipes
- Small bottle jack and original handle
- Early type steering wheel where you can see the metal and with finger positions differently located to later cars
- Round brake and clutch bottles
- Interior has early rear view mirror rod, early aluminium trim patterns and early type glove box lid
- Hessian under carpet
- Original bucket seats
- No sun visors
- Aluminium floor-hinged accelerator with no rubber trim
- Bumpers bolted inside out rather than outside in
- Second version of door chrome with ribbed bottom edge
- Door skin constructed in two parts
- Twin bullet door mirrors
The E-Type’s story is well known, but that of the flat floor cars perhaps less so. Jaguar did not expect the car to be as successful or as long-lived as it was so early ones were not engineered for volume. Consequently they have many features subsequently lost as the cars were re-engineered for mass production.
The first 1,583 E-Types off the production line from 1961 were equipped with ‘Flat Floor’ rather than footwells. This shorthand is now used to describe very early cars, which inevitably are the most sought-after. The first 500 of these cars had side-locking bonnets. This car retains this feature and its chassis number indicates this is factory correct.
This car returned to the UK in 1984 and had one owner to October 2023. At some point during that period it was extensively restored, as the photographs show. There is little history with the car but we are told it was dry stored on completion and the odometer records just 60 miles. Between 2020 and 2023 high-end Jaguar restoration specialist CMC of Bridgnorth attended to the car and completed a £40,000 retrim alongside some other mechanical work documented in the photographs of the history file.
The Condition
- Comprehensively restored car refinished in popular Golden San metallic with tan interior
- Finished to a very high standard as shown in photographs
- Retains its ‘flat floor’ features which can be checked against the list above
- Tan roof with matching tonneau cover
- Recently retrimmed at cost of £40,000 by CMC
- Interia reel seatbelts fitted and upgraded Motorola radio but otherwise standard inside
- Structurally excellent as confirmed by recent MOT
Such is the minutiae that differentiates ‘flat floor’ cars from later models - even ones produced within the ‘Flat Floor’ run - that restoring an early ‘Flat Floor’ E-Type is the work of experts. This car has clearly been renovated by experts.
It retains many of its original early E-Type features such as the short exhaust, side locking bonnet, rubber boot lid seal on the lid rather than body and absence of sun visors. We were unable to check every detail but the presence of these features indicates the level of care applied during the work.
It has been finished to a very high standard in Golden Sand metallic with a complementary tan leather interior, retaining the slim bucket seats of the early cars. Much of the recent work since 2020 has been done by CMC, one of the best-regarded specialists in the Jaguar restoration world.
The car has covered such 60 miles since the work was completed. The condition throughout is immaculate, giving the buyer an opportunity to acquire a showroom-standard example that has been very carefully restored.
The Mechanics
- 3.8litre XK engine with triple carburettors
- 4spd ‘Moss’ gearbox
- Engine and gearbox have been rebuilt
- Retains the early flat floor features such as the round brake and clutch bottles
- MOT to September 2024 with no advisories and just 46 miles covered since test
- Has only been drive 60 miles since the mechanical restoration was completed
- Extensive invoices from CMC covering mechanical and fuel system overhaul
- Matching numbers car confirmed by Heritage certificate
The mechanical specification of this early E-Type will need no introduction. The car’s key features are its matching numbers status - as confirmed by the Heritage certificate - and the comprehensive mechanical refurbishment it has received. We are told the engine and gearbox have been fully rebuilt - which the photographs support - and there are reams of invoices from specialists CMC relating to further mechanical refurbishment since 2020.
The mechanical restoration has clearly paid attention to the detail specification of these early cars - even the round brake and clutch bottles typical of ‘flat floor’ cars are replicated.
Since completion the car has covered just 60 miles. It therefore arrives with the buyer in ‘box fresh’ condition.
BEFORE YOU BUY
This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following:
✓ If the seller is registered as a private seller, consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not apply. Car & Classic’s return policy applies.
✓ A non-refundable deposit will be payable if you are the winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted, refer to FAQs and T&Cs for details.
✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is, Where Is’ basis and without warranty. A full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase and bidding is highly recommended. Photos and descriptions are for guidance purposes only.
✓ VAT is included in the buyer's deposit. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing.
✓ UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check, to verify that they show no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and have no finance owing.
✓ Buyers are responsible for vehicle collection or delivery.
Vehicle specification
- Year 1961
- Make Jaguar
- Model E-Type Convertible
- Colour Gold
- Odometer 31 Miles
- Engine size 3800
Auction Details
- Seller Type Private
- Town Richmond
- Location Surrey
- Country United Kingdom
43
bids
- Mo•••• £115,000 21/03/24
- an•••• £114,000 21/03/24
- an•••• £113,000 21/03/24
- Mo•••• £112,000 21/03/24
- an•••• £111,000 21/03/24
- Mo•••• £110,000 21/03/24
- Je•••• £109,000 21/03/24
- Mo•••• £108,000 21/03/24
- je•••• £107,000 21/03/24
- Mo•••• £105,000 21/03/24
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