1969 Jaguar E Type FHC – Project Profile

Are you topped out on tenacity? Are you maxed out on motivation? Are you precluded from procrastination? Did you pop your bravest of brave pants on this morning? If you’re proudly nodding along, this 1969 Jaguar E Type FHC 4.2 is the car for you. This once magnificent big cat is not going to be back on the road after a couple of weekends of work. This is a huge, unrelenting, ground up restoration. But, it’s an E Type Jaguar, so it’s absolutely worth taking on. If you have the skill, the time and importantly, the money.

Yes, that is the same car as the lead image. It just happens to be blue on one side and yellow on the other, because of course it is. And yes, you would be right to observe that the engine and, well, the entire front clip are both… floating. This really is a restoration of two halves. You may look at this and wonder what the point is, or you may think it’s too far gone. We would argue differently though, because E Types in worse condition have been restored in the past. This one might be in bits, but it’s all there. It just needs a loving, passionate new owner to step up.

What is it? 

It’s a 1969 Jaguar E Type FHC 4.2 Series 1.5. Many consider the Series 1 and 1.5 versions to be the purest, and most elegant. We would be inclined to agree. Okay, so this particular E Type FHC is somewhat lacking in elegance as it has more rust and damage than your average example, but it’s still an E Type. While many fawn over the drophead, the reality is that the fixed head coupe is just as special. Plus, you can take it out in the rain. As coupe styling goes, a Series 1 E Type is pretty hard to beat. This one, even in its dilapidated state, still draws the eye.

Why is it a project? 

Well, um, that’s pretty obvious is it not? This is more Airfix than car, but instead of sprues with nice new parts waiting to be assembled, this particular kit is a bit worn and weather-beaten. But, it’s still a rewarding kit to undertake. The seller is confident that everything is there, including the original engine that still turns, the front suspension, the interior (though this will need renewing) the glass and the wheels. It is, as we understand it, a complete car that was stripped in readiness for restoration, but that’s as far as it got. It’s been this way for some time. The car comes with a Heritage Certificate from Jaguar confirming its particulars, too.

It’s going to need a lot of work. There is no escaping that fact. Look, for example, at that sill above. Why has someone cut it out with the scissors they let you use at infant school? It’s clearly had a troubled past, the poor thing. But, all is not lost. This is one of the last Series 1.5 cars ever made, it has the credentials to back up what it is, and finding parts for an E Type is no more difficult than finding parts for a Nissan Micra thanks to the massive following the car has. It may look daunting, but this car can indeed be saved.

What should you look for? 

Trying to assess something like this on your own can be a bit daunting. Not in this case though, as this 1969 Jaguar E Type FHC is on Car & Classic Auctions, meaning we have done all the hard work for you. As such, you can pore over the detailed listing and the many, many high resolution pictures and be sure that you know exactly what you’re bidding on.

Why should you do with it? 

Restore it, of course. But treat it as a blank canvas. This E Type is obviously going to be a bargain compared to a running, driving example, and that means you can do whatever you want with it. You could restore it to factory specification, with the trim and colours that you want. Or, and this is what we would do, you could build it up to be a race car. Imagine it. Tuned engine, full roll cage, bucket seats, sticky rubber. This could be a real monster with the right vision, and nobody could accuse you of ruining a once mint E Type. Basically, whatever you do to this old beauty, you’re going to make it better.