1961 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Series 1 'Flat Floor' Roadster

Registration No: 715 HGX
Chassis No: 850164
MOT: Exempt

• Highly desirable ‘home market’ 3.8 'flat-floor' Roadster manufactured in 1961 and sold by Henlys of London
• The 164th right-hand drive Roadster ever produced
• Said to be fitted with a later full-synchromesh four-speed gearbox for driveability
• Previously subject to extensive cosmetic and mechanical attention
• Displaying matching chassis, engine and cylinder head numbers

Launched on 15th March, 1961, at the Parc des Eaux Vives during the Geneva Motor Show, the new Jaguar E-Type was nothing short of a revelation. Having been driven there flat-out by ex-racer and Jaguar PR man Bob Berry, he arrived in ‘9600 HP’ with 20 minutes to spare, much to the consternation of Sir William Lyons. Test drives proved so popular that the services of Norman Dewis were called upon to rush over from the factory with an additional roadster to ease the load. He completed the journey in just 11 hours, averaging some 68 mph. Thus, with its heady blend of supercar performance, breathtaking styling and low price tag, the newcomer left rivals reeling and customers clamouring. The launch was a total success and the canny Sir William had even managed to have the event paid for by the Society Of Motor Manufacturers & Traders! Some 500 orders were taken – double the number Jaguar thought total production might amount to in just one week.

Early sports car racing successes in the hands of Graham Hill and Roy Salvadori, plus the Briggs Cunningham-Roy Salvadori drive to fourth overall in the 1962 Le Mans 24 Hours, helped cement its reputation. Built as a monocoque with a front subframe to cradle the engine, the model's combination of all-round independent suspension (torsion-bar at the front and a coil-sprung rear) rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes gave it excellent roadholding and handling capabilities. Fed by triple SU HD8 carburettors and topped with a "straight port" DOHC cylinder head, its indomitable 3,781cc straight-six engine was quoted as developing some 265bhp and 260lb ft of torque. Allied with a four-speed Moss gearbox (with synchromesh on second, third and fourth), it reputedly enabled the E-type to sprint from 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds and on to 150mph. Achingly beautiful yet capable of being viciously quick on the open road or docile around town, the E-type remains for many the greatest ever production Jaguar.

For connoisseurs of the E-type, a 3.8-litre “flat-floor” Roadster is one of the most desirable variations one can own, representing the model in its earliest and perhaps purest form. There is certainly no disputing the desirability of this delightful example, which is only the 164th right-hand drive Roadster ever built, a fact indicated by its chassis number 850164 – Roadster numbering started at 850001. It is also original to a reassuring degree, retaining its matching chassis, engine and cylinder head numbers. It is complete with a Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust certificate which provides confirmation of its authenticity, and reveals that it was originally finished in Black with a Black leather interior and sold viâ Henlys of London.

Sadly, little else is known about its early life, but by December, 2018, it had had just four recorded keepers, the last of whom had owned it since February, 1985. The then-owner concluded his time with the car by treating it to an extensive overhaul which took place between 2014 and 2018. The work was predominantly completed by Xtreme Jaguar Restorations in Woodchurch, Kent, and included an engine rebuild and overhauls of the carburettors, front suspension and steering. A new bonnet frame was fitted and the car was entirely repainted in a colour we believe to be Opalescent Silver Blue, a hue correct for the age of the car and undoubtedly one of the loveliest colours offered for the E-type, available from 1961 to 1968. When the Jaguar was sold upon completion of the overhaul, it was noted: “Electronic ignition is the only deviation from factory specification.” We are, however, advised that a later, all-synchromesh four-speed gearbox has been fitted at some stage to enhance the car’s useability.

Since 2018, the Jaguar has been kept on static display by the owner, hence some light recommissioning will be in order before it can be returned to the road. A cursory inspection of the car will show that the ten-year-old renovation has held up very well, with the paint, interior and engine bay all appearing in lovely order. The interior especially is a lovely feature, with upholstery which appears to be original and well-preserved, and a period-correct Motorola radio.

For more information, please contact:
Lucas Gomersall
lucas.gomersall@handh.co.uk
07484 082430