1970 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 Litre Coupe
Recently completed exhaustive, 2,500-hour restoration

Registration No: BHY 906H
Chassis No: 1R27431
MOT: March 2026

• Treated to an exhaustive, 2,500-hour restoration by the vendor, a Licensed Aircraft Engineer, in 2022
• Invoices on file totalling c.£30,000 for replacement parts and specialist services alone
• Presents beautifully having covered just 1,000 post-refurbishment miles
• Matching numbers example
• Accompanied by a hardback book which pictorially documents every stage of the restoration in detail
• Offered with a history file including the Jaguar Heritage Certificate

At launch the Malcolm Sayer-penned E-Type was the fastest production car of its time – its 3.8-litre straight six engine allowing a 0-60mph acceleration time of a whisker over seven seconds and a top speed of circa 150mph. Despite this, the engine size was increased from 3.8 to 4.2-litres in October 1964 and, with the change, came a sweeter all-synchromesh gearbox, better brakes and more comfortable seats. Introduced in August 1968, the Series II version of Jaguar’s immortal E-Type sported redesigned bumpers and lights. Less noticeable was its enlarged front air intake which in conjunction with dual cooling fans made the newcomer better behaved in hot weather and heavy traffic. With its 4235cc DOHC straight-six engine developing a quoted 265bhp/283lbft, the Jaguar was reputedly capable of nearly 150mph and 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds. Available in open two-seater, fixed-head two-seater and fixed-head 2+2-seater guises, the American market accounted for the bulk of Series II production, with the fixed-head two-seater being the rarest of the three variants.

Factory finished in Regency Red with Beige leather upholstery, the same combination it pleasingly sports today, chassis ‘1R27431’ was dispatched from Browns Lane to distributor British Leyland, New York on 12^th February 1970. Spending its early life in Arizona (with the corresponding registration plates remaining on file), the E-Type is reputed to suffered sandstorm damage whilst being driven to Northern California in 1974. Despite the paintwork being refreshed and a new windscreen fitted, the E-Type was placed into storage where it remained for the subsequent c.40 years. Re-discovered in 2014, the E-Type was repatriated to the United Kingdom in 2019 and shortly after acquired by the vendor, a licensed aircraft engineer, having been advertised as a "never been welded" example with a recorded mileage of 39,000.

The vendor reports that the engine was running (albeit poorly), and the clutch release bearing had failed. Transported to his aircraft engineering facility, a comprehensive assessment of the car's condition was carried out, and remarkably, the seller informs us that no evidence of repaired corrosion was found anywhere in the body-shell or doors, with all the floor and footwell panels being original. The only perforations discovered were two small areas on the edge of both footwells with repairs grafted in. The shell was sent to RP Automotive for a full bare metal repaint, with the engine frames bead blasted, primed and painted in their original colour before re-fitting. All frame mounting points on the bulkhead were inspected and deemed completely corrosion-free.

When the repaint was completed all box sections and closed panels including doors were injected with aviation anti-corrosion fluid and, although the original underseal was revealed to be almost entirely in excellent condition, a coat of Raptor two-pack bed liner was added to the car's underside. A new wiring loom to the original specification was installed and the Jaguar converted to right-hand drive including a new steering rack, with windscreen wipers also converted to UK-specification. The factory-fitted engine was entrusted to Scholar Engineering of Diss where it benefited from a re-ground crankshaft, new cylinder liners, new oil pump, modified rear crank seal, new timing chains and tensioners, core plugs, and much more. The cylinder head overhaul included hardened valve seats, new camshaft buckets, bearings, and pressure testing, etc, with the block and head being lightly skimmed. A new water pump, thermostat, rejuvenated starter and alternator, spin-on oil filter conversion, a new inlet manifold, and new triple SU carburettors were all fitted, as well as uprated Acu-Spark electronic ignition.

The gearbox internals were inspected and judged to be in good condition, with the input and output shaft seals and speedo drive gear renewed. Further provided with a new stainless steel exhaust system, the suspension was inspected and refreshed with four new shock absorbers and springs, four driveshaft and prop shaft UJs replaced, and the front suspension components removed, bead blasted, and re-painted. The wheel bearings, anti-roll bar bushes, and handbrake pads were all renewed too. The independent rear suspension cradle was re-fitted with new trailing arm bushes and mountings. The brake system was provided with a full overhaul including a new master cylinder and servo unit, new stainless steel calliper pistons, seals, brake pads and four new discs, as well as new flexible hoses together with copper-based hard lines fitted front and rear. Finally, four new spoked chrome wire wheels, spinners and tyres were installed.

A complete interior re-trim was carried out by Howard Sands of Stonham Suffolk, with the excellent upholstery and fittings supplied by Aldridges Coventry Ltd made to original Jaguar specification and materials. The restoration encompassed extensive further new parts, with some of the notable ones including an overhauled heater system, new windscreen washer assembly, new radio console/fascia with period Radiomobile push button radio, and much more!

With invoices on file for c.£30,000 in parts and specialist services alone, the aircraft engineer vendor has devoted some 2,500 hours to the exhaustive project, with the end product being an excellently presented example, above and beyond many restorations. A matching numbers example, chassis ‘1R27431’ is accompanied to the sale by a large history file that includes a hardback book which documents pictorially every stage of the restoration in detail, the Jaguar Heritage Certificate, aforementioned restoration invoices, and a current V5C document. Completing just 1,000 post-restoration miles so now showing a believed genuine 40,000 miles on the odometer, the vendor also comments that the engine and gearbox wear levels when stripped were indicative of the mileage being genuine. Starting readily and both running and driving well during our recent photography session, this notably nicely restored E-Type is not one to overlook if you are in the market for an excellently restored example. This lot is offered with a no advisory MOT certificate until March 2026.

For more information, please contact:
Paul Cheetham
paul.cheetham@handh.co.uk
07538 667452