Highlights

Meticulously maintained early flat floor E-Type
Highly original with many unique flat floor factory details still intact
Part of an extensive classic car collection and maintained accordingly
For many the most desirable version of the iconic E-Type
Just three owners from new
Massive history file including heritage certificate

The Appeal

It is fitting for a car as sculptural and aesthetically fulfilling as an E-Type that, for some, they are like the work of a great painter. For those people, there are E-Types and then there is the flat floor E-Type, the earliest and purest iteration of this iconic car.

Jaguar didn’t seriously expect to sell many E-Types so never properly engineered the cars for mass production. That only happened after the first cars were built when the firm could see the car’s potential. This led to some of the features of the first cars being altered to make them easier to produce. Consequently, the first cars, dubbed ‘flat floor’ for shorthand due to their lack of footrests, are particularly sought after.

Just 1,583 flat floor E-Types were built. This is car number 1,523. Sold new into the the USA before being returned to the UK 10 years ago, it has had just three owners. Restored along the way it fortunately retains the key features that differentiate these exquisite cars from later models. For lovers of the very finest classic cars, this is a fantastic opportunity.

The History and Paperwork

VIN records indicate that this car was produced in early 1962
They also confirm that this is a genuine flat floor car
It was manufactured in LHD painted silver metallic grey and exported to the USA
MOT expired on 24th August 2017 but the car has covered less than 200 miles since

The VIN records indicate that this car was manufactured in early 1962, likely mid January, and was one of the last flat floor E-Types to be produced. The car was sent as a LHD export model - as most E-Types were to Canada where it was acquired by a young newly qualified dentist. He was bought the car by his father as a graduation present, however it was painted silver metallic grey and he wanted an Old English White sports car. It was duly repainted and has retained this finish ever since.

The original owner kept the car for many years before it passed to a Canadian collector who undertook running repairs, including a mechanical overhaul. It was then acquired in around 2016 by the seller to add to his classic car collection. Imported by Abbas Classics, which specialises in high end classic car sourcing and importation, it is correctly DVLA registered from 1st September 2016.

The car has subsequently been used sparingly and maintained by Jaguar specialists, including renowned Butlins & Sons. The vendor has replaced the floor pans - retaining the correct flat floor profiles of course - and also rectified some paintwork blemishes.

Flat Floor characteristics:

Internal bonnet release mechanism but retains fittings for earlier external release
Rubber boot lid seal on lid rather than on body
Short exhaust pipes
Small bottle jack and original handle
Round brake and clutch bottles
Early aluminium interior trim
Hessian under carpets
Bucket seats
Aluminium accelerator pedal with no rubber trim
Bumpers bolted from the inside rather than outside
Ribbed door chrome
Two part door skins
Flat bulkhead behind seats
Early steering wheel design

Inevitably it is not possible to run this checklist against this car fully without dismantling it. However, an inspection of the photographs reveals that most of the visible flat floor characteristics are present and correct, for example the bonnet mechanism with its earlier fixings for exterior release, the short tail pipes and the early aluminium trim finish.

The only deviation from original that we could spot from this list was the boot rubber, which is affixed to the body of the car rather than - as would be correct - to the boot lid itself. Fixing the trim to the body was a later alteration.

The Interior

Interior blends refresh with originality
Original flat floor aluminium trim finish
Plain aluminium accelerator pedal with no rubber trim
Slim bucket seats appear to be the correct design for these early cars
Steering wheel looks to be the correct early flat floor type
Speakers fitted but blanking plate across radio aperture
Boot area very presentable and trimmed in tan

The E-Type’s rapid transition from Le Mans racer to showroom star is most obvious in the interior, where there is a focus on function over form. And yet it became something of a design classic with its beautiful blend of aluminium, leather and Smiths dials.

Aficionados will look for certain features to confirm the originality of any flat floor. The interior of this car has been restored but clearly with real sympathy as those features have been retained along with a gentle dose of patina. So the slim early E-Type bucket seats have been retrimmed but the switchgear retains its 61 years of character.

The original features are in very good condition, including the fragile aluminium trim - which has the correct early E-Type pattern - and the beautiful wood rimmed steering wheel, which again appears to be the early style.

Elsewhere the door cards, carpets and fittings are in very good, mostly original condition. It all contributes to a sense of care exacted by the low owners to ensure this important car stays true to its factory specification.

The Exterior

Originally factory supplied in silver metallic grey
Repainted very early in its life in what appears to be Old English White
The paintwork is likely to have been refreshed in places but appears to be mainly original
There are some indications of age on various panels but it is minor
Floor pans replaced by vendor shortly after purchase with correct flat floor panels
Very good panel fit, particularly the doors, indicates careful maintenance and use
Fitted with wider chrome wire wheels than factory standard
Correct ribbed chrome door trim as fitted to early E-Types

Rather than being extensively restored, this valuable early car has been treated to sympathetic ongoing restoration which likely explains why it retains so many of its original features. It also gives this beautiful car a gentle character of age that is surely part of its charm.

The off-white paintwork is not factory original - it was originally silver metallic grey - but it has been on the car from its earliest days. The second owner undertook some restoration work, which the current owner has continued, rectifying bodywork blemishes where required and resolving corrosion issues, such as with the vulnerable floor pans which have been replaced.

The overall condition is very good, with excellent panel gaps and shut lines and no visible corrosion. There are some areas where weeps of rust are visible but there appear to be no structural issues or indeed any work immediately required. The underside tells a similar story.

The car is fitted with chrome wire wheels which are slightly wider than standard, a common upgrade to fill the car’s arches and widen the stance.

The Mechanics

3.8litre Jaguar XK straight six engine
Triple carburettors
4spd ‘Moss’ manual gearbox
Engine restored by second owner
Neat details like the spare spark plug tray

Early E-Types such as this one used the 3.8litre displacement XK engine with the 4spd ‘Moss’ box. This is a particularly strong unit although one more suited to slower changes.

We understand that the engine was restored by the second owner. Since its return to the Uk the car has been maintained by Jaguar specialists such as Butlins and Son in Derbyshire.

The MOT expired in August 2017 but the car has covered less than 200 miles since the last test.

Summary

Early E-Types display a wealth of intricate details that gradually disappeared as Jaguar geared up for mass production. When buying one of these cars the key is whether over the life of the car it has managed to retain those features.

This late flat floor E-Type certainly has, from the aluminium interior trim to the round brake and clutch reservoir bottles. It wears the care of its three owners and will surely be a magnificent addition to any classic car collection.

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