STORY OF OUR 1968 JAGUAR E-TYPE:

Offered for sale is our beautiful original California rust-free,  A 1968 Jaguar E-Type Fixed Head Coupe (FHC) with only 33,069 miles, original primrose yellow and original black Connolly leather interior. This meticulously kept original car is VIRTUALLY  how it left the factory from England over 45 years ago with its original lacquer paint, original black Connolly leather interior and the original Wilton wool carpets, we introduce to you the perfect 1968 E-TYPE with performance in mind and reliable upgrades to make it the perfect collector car !!  

This stunning jag is not a respray or an interior done by somebody out of a shop somewhere, but a fine example of how this JAGUAR E-TYPE was delivered in 1968!

      It is my opinion that an original JAGUAR E-TYPE with the original lacquer paint and original Connolly leather seats, along with the original Wilton wool carpets has so much more to offer a collector when you know this is the way it was delivered in 1968 from England. It is becoming so scarce to find a Series I or a 1.5 in there original state!! Accordingly, the car has its share of imperfections including but not limited to soft dings, a scratch here and there, but that is what gives its authentic heritage. Every scratch, every imperfection tells its own story. If I were to choose between a car with a new paint job, seats, carpet etc..I personally would choose a car with heritage and a story.  I was at a car show a few weeks ago and people could not believe the paint is original, someone came to me and said "I knew this paint is original" he knew because of an identifying mark that only the factory can makes when they corrections on the assembly line back in England.  Rust has clearly never been allowed to invade either the car’s body or its undercarriage, being a California car and always garaged that is too be expected. The brightwork is in excellent condition, as is all the original glass.  The car’s interior is equally as clean. Despite the car’s age the black leather seats are all in good original condition, the drivers seats has a small rip in the stitching and could be easily repaired. Interior panels and black carpets are all decent,  showing merely the patina one would expect of a well-cared-for original example.  The headliner is good as is the center console and dash housing all of the original switches and original Blaupunk radio.

STORY OF THE OWNER OF THIS 1968 E-TYPE:

My father and mother (now 82 and 80) were both school teachers, my father was the head varsity basketball coach for a local southern California High School and my mother taught 2nd grade. They are both alive and well, still living in the same city they moved to in 1959!
In or around 1968 my dad was notified from one of his basketball players that his father (who owned a dealership) wanted to sell his newly acquired 1968 E-TYPE that he had owned for only 6 months since it was driven off the show room floor to buy another one, but with air conditioning.  My dad knew this person, as his son played basketball for him. With only 1800 miles he knew it was still virtually new. After settling on a price my parents were the proud owner of a stunning 6 month old XKE JAGUAR.
My folks thoroughly enjoyed the Jaguar taking weekend trips to Las Vegas, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Palm springs and many other weekend getaways. As being a weekend car, the miles were kept very low. My brother and I now 50 and 52 spent our childhood in this car. We used to ride in the rear of the jag, illegal now of course, but only having two seats where else would we sit when we went for a family drive!! :) In the early 70 or late 60s my father and I were driving down Pacific Coast Highway when an old man (probably my age now) cut in front of us and clipped the R rear quarter panel, I was so mad I was only 9 years old.."how dare you dent my dads car"!!  It was a minor accident and that is why to this day there is a small differences in paint color on the R rear quarter panel and door. Every night when doing homework or watching Brady bunch or Partridge family, I would hear the rumble of the exaust as my dad would drive the XKE into the garage, to this day I will never forget that sound! The sound that only an E-TYPE can make.

THE 1968 E-TYPE IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER!

But then in 1982 it blew a head gasket and it sat on blocks for the next 30 years in the garage waiting to see daylight of the Southern California roads again. So in 2009 we agreed that after 30 years it was time to not only to have the head gasket fixed but to make it a reliable and the "fast" car that it was meant to be.. before emissions took hold...and we did!!
My dad turned 80 a few years ago and I decided to bring my mom and dads XKE back to life, myself being the owner of 3 E-TYPEs in the past, (1967 coupe, 1968 convertible and a 1968 coupe), I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

 After many conversations with XKs unlimited, Sola motor works,  British European Auto and many others, we decided on the perfect combination of performance and reliability. This started with a complete motor overhaul including new balanced 9 to 1 pistons and rods, balanced and blueprinted crank, a new rebuilt ported and polished performance head, including fitting larger diameter inlet stainless valves, so we can run the XKE on 92 unleaded octain pump gas all generating more bhp than stock . A new clutch was fitted, new brakes, new alternator, new hoses, new racing exaust manifold and glass packs with dual exhaust that throws in your face the  “racing big cat howl", ensuring your experience is thrilling from behind the wheel.  More performance upgrades includes replacing the US emissions motor choking duel strombergs and installing aluminum 3.8 performance triple manifolds paired with triple SU carbs. To completely eliminate the problematic overheating problem, we installed a racing performance polished aluminum radiator with duel fans. The original 6" crome spoked rims were replaced with 7" polished Daytons and knock offs wrapped with top of the line pirelli P-4000 radial tires to give you the wider stance and grip you will need.
This E-TYPE is exhilarating to drive with a 0-60 that is mind blowing, and 60-100 that makes you want to take it to the track.  The 4.2L inline 6 cylinder engine with a shaved performance head fires up easily, idling ominously with a pair of high performance semi race cams that lets you know you better grip tight. The gearbox’s 1- 4 gears working and pulling intensely as you shift easily through the gears..revving the motor to 5000-6000 rpm imaging you are about to take the competition on the next corner..realizing, your just going to the super market for some milk.

The sale comes with most all of the original parts including original stromberg carbs and manifolds, original rims, ribbed valve covers and lots of extra parts we accumulated performance and original.



 JAGUAR E-TYPE WRITTEN BY WIKIPEDIA:
 

Series 1 (1961–1968)

Series I
Overview
Production	1961–1968
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupe 2-door 2+2 coupe 2-door convertible
Powertrain
Engine	3.8 L XK I6 4.2 L XK I6
Transmission	4-speed manual; 3-speed automatic (automatic available 1966-onward, 2+2 model only)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	96.0 in (2,438 mm) (FHC / OTS) 105.0 in (2,667 mm) (2+2)
Length	175.3125 in (4,453 mm) (FHC / OTS) 184.4375 in (4,685 mm) (2+2)
Width	65.25 in (1,657 mm) (all)
Height	48.125 in (1,222 mm) (FHC) 50.125 in (1,273 mm) (2+2) 46.5 in (1,181 mm) (OTS)
Curb weight	2,900 lb (1,315 kg) (FHC) 2,770 lb (1,256 kg) (OTS) 3,090 lb (1,402 kg) (2+2)

The Series 1 was introduced, initially for export only, in March 1961. The domestic market launch came four months later in July 1961.The cars at this time used the triple SU carburetted 3.8 liter six-cylinder Jaguar XK6 engine from the XK150S. Earlier built cars utilized external bonnet latches which required a tool to open and had a flat floor design. These cars are rare and more valuable. After that, the floors were dished to provide more leg room and the twin hood latches moved to inside the car. The 3.8-litre engine was increased to 4.2 liters in October 1964.The 4.2-litre engine produced the same power as the 3.8-litre 265 bhp and same top speed (150 mph), but increased torque from 240 to 283 lb·ft.  Acceleration remained pretty much the same and 0 to 60 mph times were around 7.0 seconds for both engines, but maximum power was now reached at 5,400rpm instead of 5,500rpm on the 3.8-litre. That all meant better throttle response for drivers that did not want to shift down gears.

All E-Types featured independent coil spring rear suspension with torsion bar front ends, and four wheel disc brakes, in-board at the rear, all were power-assisted. Jaguar was one of the first vehicle manufacturers to equip cars with disc brakes as standard from the XK150 in 1958. The Series 1 can be recognized 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 number 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 Moss four-speed gearbox that lacks synchromesh for first gear ("Moss box"). 4.2-litre cars have more comfortable seats, improved brakes and electrical systems, and an all-synchromesh four-speed gearbox. 4.2-litre cars also have a badge on the boot proclaiming "Jaguar 4.2 Liter E-Type" (3.8 cars have a simple "Jaguar" badge). Optional extras included chrome spoked wheels and a detachable hard top for the OTS. When leaving the factory the car originally fitted Dunlop 6.40 x 15 inch RS5 tires on 15 x 5K wire wheels (with the rear fitting 15 x 5K 1/2 wheels supplied with racing tires). However the 4.2 Fixed-head Coupe fitted Dunlop 6.40 x 16 RS5 tires and the 4.2 2 + 2 Automatic fitting SP41 185 - 15 tires.

A 2+2 version of the coupe was added in 1966. The 2+2 offered the option of an automatic transmission. The body is 9 in (229 mm) longer and the roof angles are different. The roadster remained a strict two seater.

Less widely known, right at the end of Series 1 production and prior to the transitional "Series 1 1/2 " referred to below, a very small number of Series 1 cars were produced with open headlights. Production dates on these machines vary but in right hand drive form production has been verified as late as March 1968. The low number of these cars produced make them amongst the rarest of all production E Types.

Following the Series 1 there was a transitional series of cars built in 1967–1968, (unofficially called "Series 1 1/2 "), which are externally similar to Series 1 cars, but to American pressure the new features were open headlights, new toggle switches, and some de-tuning (using two Zenith-Stromberg carburetters instead of the original three SUs) for US models. Some Series 1 1/2 cars also have twin cooling fans and adjustable seat backs. Series 2 features were gradually introduced into the Series 1, creating the unofficial Series 1 1/2 cars, but always with the Series 1 body style. A United States federal safety law affecting 1968 model year cars sold in the U.S. was the reason for the lack of headlight covers and change in switch design in the "Series 1.5" of 1968. An often overlooked change, one that is often "modified back" to the older style, is the wheel knock-off "nut." U.S. safety law for 1968 models also forbid the winged-spinner knockoff, and any 1968 model year sold in the U.S. should have a hexagonal knockoff nut, to be hammered on and off with the assistance of a special "socket" included with the car from the factory. This hexagonal nut carried on into the later Series 2 and 3.

An open 3.8-litre car, actually the first such production car to be completed, was tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1961 and had a top speed of 149.1 mph and could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. A fuel consumption of 21.3 miles per imperial gallon was recorded.

The cars submitted for road test by the popular motoring journals of the time (1961)such as The Motor, the Autocar and Autosport magazines were specially prepared by the Jaguar works to give better-than-standard performance figures. This work entailed engine balancing and subtle work such as gas-flowing the cylinder heads and may even have involved fitting larger diameter inlet valves.

Both of the well-known 1961 road test cars: the E-type Coupe Reg. No. 9600 HP and E-type Convertible Reg.No. 77 RW, were fitted with Dunlop Racing Tires on test, which had a larger rolling diameter and lower drag co-efficient. This goes some way to explaining the 150 mph maximum speeds that were obtained under ideal test conditions. The maximum safe rev limit for standard 6-cylinder 3.8-litre E-type engines is 5,500 rpm. The later 4.2-Litre units had a red marking on the rev counter from just 5,000 rpm. The maximum safe engine speed is therefore 127mph (3.31:1 axle) and 137mph (3.07:1 axle) at the 5,500 rpm limit. Both test cars must have reached or exceeded 6,000 rpm in top gear when on road test in 1961.

Production numbers from Robson:

• 15,490 3.8s
• 17,320 4.2s
• 10,930 2+2s

Production numbers:

The series1.5 is the rarest of all

	FHC	OTS	2+2
S1 3.8	7,670	7,828	0	15,498
S1 4.2	5,830	6,749	3,616	16,195
S1.5	1,942	2,801	1,983	6,726
				38,419 LOTS OF EMAILS: Statement: Nice presentation; especially the story of your father / car history. Wish you the best of luck. Gene Jag Connection Minnesota Q: Do you have a picture of the interior driver’s door and the spare tire well? A: I think there is a pic of the drivers door in there but let me double check, and I didnt take a pic of the wheel well I will do that first thing in the morning, along with I think I can get into the side area where the accident was to give you an idea before you fly out!! Q:On the driver’s side between the bonnet and door on the cowling panel it looks like there is a nice vertical dent. please clarify. Are their many door jobs on the both sides. I will call you tomorrow A:Yes there is a vertical dent about 3-4" on the drivers door only. Q:On e-bay you do have a picture of driver’s door showing the missing lower chrome pieces. Is the drivers wind screen bolted/screwed to the chrome window frame?  A:The missing chrome pieces to the door are in the glove compartment. They have a small dent that I have been meaning to straighten. The "after market" wind deflectors are installed by 2 screws. I have both screen deflectors, the other one is in a box with other parts. Looks like I have two jobs in the morning.. pic of the wheel well and straightening the chrome piece!! Funny.. when my dad (6'3") would exit the car, he would clip the chrome on the door with his foot, sometimes knocking it off the door...I wasn't sure if I wanted to fix that, Its him and what he used to do :) Part of the "heritage" so many jag enthusiasts say to leave alone.

For U.S. buyers a 10% non-refundable deposit is required within 3 days of the auction’s end, the balance to be paid within 7 days of the auction’s end. Foreign buyers must pay in full within 7 business days of the auction’s end. Buyer is responsible for shipping, however we’d be more that happy to help with recommendations and arrangements. The car is listed locally and we reserve the right to end the auction at any time should it sell prior to auction’s end. Thanks for your interest.