2002-12-22 02:42:55 | Anonymous writes:

Christie's auction, London, England, 11/20/2000 lot #187. Sports Car Market report:

Jag dealer John Coombs commissioned this prototype from Frua. Nose 10 ins. shorter, scoop rather than bonnet bulge, different grill, shortened rear, upswept side windows and larger rear window. Though unique, huge cracks to orig paint.

2003-06-06 11:50:14 | Lofty writes:

1966 verkauft an Roy MacCulloch, 198X noch in seinem Besitz

Restaurierung durch Michael Shannon-Brisby (Bericht in Practical Classics)

199X Besitzer in Belgien

199X Besitzer Gerd van Helden, Direktor des Autotron in Rosmalen (NL)
17.–18.3.2001 zum Verkauf angeboten bei der British Cars and Lifestyle am Autotorn in Rosmalen (NL)
20.11.2000 angeboten auf Christie´s Auktion in London (GB) als Lot 187, Schätzwert 14.000–18.000 GBP, nicht verkauft
19.6.2001 angeboten auf Poulain & Le Fur Auktion in Paris (F) als Lot 13, Schätzwert 150.000–180.000 FF, nicht verkauft

11/2001 Besitzer Paul V.J. Koot (Red Willow Racing), Duiven (NL)
12/2001 zum Verkauf angeboten in Classic Jaguar World (Cahill 2001)

2003-06-08 21:38:32 | Steven D. writes:

TRanslation from babelfish for those of us who are german challenged :-)

1966 still for sale at Roy MacCulloch, 198X in its possession Restoration by Michael Shannon Brisby (report in Practical Classics) 199X owner in Belgium 199X owner Gerd van Helden, director of the Autotron in Rosmalen (NL) 17.?18.3.2001 offered for the sales with the British Cars and Lifestyle at the Autotorn in Rosmalen (NL) 20,11,2000 offered on Christie's auction in London (GB) as Lot 187, estimated value 14.000?18.000 GBP, does not sell 19,6,2001 offered on Poulain & Le Fur auction in Paris (F) as Lot 13, estimated value 150.000?180.000 FF, not sold 11/2001 owner Paul V.J. Koot (Red Willow Racing), Duiven (NL) 12/2001 offered for the sales in Classic Jaguar World (Cahill 2001)

2004-09-14 20:34:47 | pauls writes:

This car was offered, not sold at auction in '03

www.motorbase.com/auctionlot/by-id/1569058902/

Auction description:

Jaguar E-Type 4.2 (1965)

Auction Exceptional Motor Cars and Automobilia including Property from the Ado Blaton Collection

Christies, Concours d'Elégance Paleis, Amsterdam

Lot Number 68

Estimate £35000-£45000

Year 1965

Condition rating 4

Registration number

Mileage -

Chassis number 1E21041

Engine number 7E63889

2004-11-11 17:40:44 | pauls writes:

Additional information about this car is found at:
www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame.php

Text:
Jaguar's E-Type is considered by many as one of the best looking cars ever designed, so any custom modifications made could be considered tinkering with perfection. Jaguar dealer John Coombs did not agree and asked Pietro Frua to modify a red Fixed Head Coupe E-Type. The result was still unmistakably recognisable as an E-Type. Coombs planned to market the Frua E-Type as special model in his line-up.

A completely revised nose was the most obvious design change carried through by Frua. Around 25 cm was chopped off and a whole new grill was fitted. The power bulge on the hood was replaced by an air-scoop which increased the car's cooling considerably. On each side of the scoop two grills were fitted on the hood as well. The rear was equipped with a new bumper and also slightly shortened by Frua.

It made its debut at the 1966 Earls Court Motor Show, repainted silver by Frua. Unfortunately for Coombs, his Frua Jaguar was not the success he hoped it to be. Chassis no 1E 21041 remains the only E-Type modified by Frua. Today it remains as one of the very few restyled E-Types on a production of well over 17,000 for the Series 1 model alone.

Christie's offered the Frua E-Type in original, but far from perfect state at the 2003 Paleis 't Loo Concours d'Elegance auction. It was estimated to sell for a price between $40,000 and $51,000, but offers made failed to meet the reserve set. The Frua E-Type is seen here at the Christie's auction and the 2004 Interclassics in Maastricht. WM

2006-02-24 09:40:38 | Anonymous writes:

Additional information about this car is found at the site of the coach builder 7 car designer who did the finishing touch on the car:
www.pietro-frua.de/italsuisse/1965_e-type.htm

9.–11.1.2004 for sale at the booth of Jaap van den Broek (Classic Jaap), Nieuwleusen (NL), at InterClassics in Maasticht (NL) for 35.000 Euro

(1/2005) (64.450 mls) available for sale at
www.classicjaap.nl

also interesting another modified car 1E11078:
www.pietro-frua.de/italsuisse/1965_e-type-roadster.htm

2006-12-23 23:33:43 | pauls writes:

Car to be at Coy's auction 1/07
www.coys.co.uk/auctions/lot.php

Auction description:
Grandes Marques - Maastricht
An Important Auction of British and Continental Sports & Touring Cars and Collectors Items
Saturday 13th January 2007
Lot 144
1966 Jaguar E-Type S1 4.2 Fixedhead by Frua
Registration no: KPH 4C
Chassis no: 1E 21041
Estimate: €45,000-55,000

The Coombs modified Jaguar Mk 2 's are well known and even in period were much sort after due to enhanced looks and performance, however the work carried out to the Coombs E types are less documented although many cars were enhanced for customers by the Guildford based Jaguar dealer / specialist.

During this time John Coombs asked Italian designer Pietro Frua to modify a Series 1 4.2 litre Fixedhead E-Type Coupe with the idea of producing a special ' Coombs' edition car as special model in his line-up. This would be the Frua E Type.

A completely revised nose was the most obvious design change, although the result was still unmistakably recognisable as an E-Type. Around 25 cm was chopped off the front and a whole new grill was fitted. The bonnet bulge was replaced by an air-scoop which greatly improved the cars cooling, and on each side of the front scoop two grills were fitted to the front as well. The rear of the car was equipped with a new bumper arrangement and also slightly shortened.

The car made its debut at the 1966 Earls Court Motor Show, painted silver in all its glory. However at the time it did not receive the accolades it deserved and orders for the car were not forth coming, thus chassis no 1E 21041 remains unique. Never the less this car is an important E Type in the history of Jaguar cars.

Having resided in a private European collection for the past few years the car remains in largely original condition, but in good general order. Featured in almost every book on E Types this is a great opportunity to purchase a significant and famous Jaguar, very collectable indeed.

2008-09-24 05:46:04 | Anonymous writes:

Seen at the Brooklands Double Twelve in June 2008. Car now looks to have had a full nut & bolt, yet sympathetic, restoration. Interior still original with the exception of new carpets. Saw it go up the 'hill' a couple of times and it sounded and looked great!

2009-02-04 12:44:49 | Philippe writes:

Car for sale on www.classic-auctions.com/lotdetail.php

1965 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 Coupe 'The Coombs Special'

Unique Frua/Italsuisse Prototype

Estimate:£85000 - 95000

Registration No:KPH 4C

Chassis No: 1E21041

Engine No:7E6388-9

CC:4200

Colour: Silver

Trim Colour:Black

MOT:T.B.A.

2009-04-20 07:04:03 | pauls writes:

Ebay item 4/20/09
www.autocherish.com/Classic/detail.asp

Sellers description:
Better known as an entrant than a driver John Coombs nevertheless put up some spirited performances behind the wheel of various single-seater Coopers and Connaughts before settling down to make Coombs of Guildford one of Britain’s most successful Jaguar dealerships. A frequent visitor to Browns Lane who had the ear of Sir William Lyons and Lofty England among others, he was instrumental in both fine-tuning the MK2 as a saloon racer and developing the Lightweight E-type. Capitalising on the success his cars had achieved in the British Saloon Car Championship, Coombs offered a wide range of tuning options for road going MK2s. However, the cosmetic alternations which typically characterised a Coombs Jaguar such as a louvered bonnet and cutaway rear wheelarches were all too easily copied by a host of period imitators (not to mention numerous modern restorers).

Perhaps recalling the unique bodied XK150 that he had commissioned Bertone to create for Tony Hubbard during the late 1950s, Coombs approached another Italian carrozzeria, Frua, with a brief to create a fresh stylistic spin on the E-type; one that would defy the counterfeiters. Very much en vogue Pietro Frua was already working on projects for Maserati, BMW, Glas and AC by the time Coombs approached him in 1965. Unable or unwilling to give the project his full attention, the designer’s initial attempts fell short of his client’s expectations (though, some would argue that Frua’s task was akin to ‘improving upon’ Boticelli’s The Birth of Venus). While, the new one-piece rear bumper he devised was both visually striking and easy to fit, his reworking of the front end was highly labour intensive. Frua proposed cutting twenty centimetres from the bonnet’s nose and ten centimetres off its rear (thirty centimetres in total) as well as turning the power bulge into an air scoop flanked by two decorative faux-grilles and scalloping the wheelarches (better cooling being a welcome side effect). A new, more aggressive radiator aperture and Italianate covered headlamps (with echoes of the Ferrari 275 GTB) completed the makeover.

Coombs was not best pleased with Frua’s design (Commission Number 343) as he explained in a 1989 interview with author Philip Porter "The idea was to have a new front which would have come to us as a complete nose and a new tail which was going to virtually slide onto the back of the old one. There was to be no major surgery involved. The idea was to do it in a couple of days of modifications and you were back on the road again". Nonetheless work on the project continued with the prototype, chassis number 1E21041, being dispatched to the Swiss based coachbuilder Italsuisse for final preparations / alterations ahead of its debut at the 1966 Geneva Salon. Frua and Italsuisse had longstanding links but with just two days to go the 'Coombs Special’ E Type was still sat at the latter’s Geneva premises awaiting paint. Speaking to freelance journalist Paul Walton from his Monaco home, Coombs recalled that work on the bespoke Jaguar “was left until the last minute and so, in typical Italian fashion, it was a disaster. I had dinner with Bob Berry (Jaguar's head of Public Relations) the night before and he asked about the car, but I replied it wasn't going to be ready in time. However, at 7.30 am the next morning Berry called me and said 'Get downstairs - it's arrived'".

In an attempt to disguise the E-type's now obvious Italian sports car look 1E21041 had been repainted from red to metallic silver grey. Displayed on the Italsuisse stand ‘The Coombs Special’ also known as the ‘Frua E-type’ or ‘Italsuisse E-type Coupe’ proved somewhat controversial and received mixed reviews. Despite getting a couple of orders Coombs decided to cancel the project due to the high cost of conversion. The unique coupe was put on show again later that same year at Earls Court where it was sold to Roy MacCulloch of MacCulloch & Wallis, a London W1 haberdashery firm. No further examples were built. Roy MacCulloch kept the car until 1984 when it was transferred to Ruth MacCulloch (presumably as a result of bereavement). Bought by the Weybridge Performance Centre soon after, it was then retailed to Barrie Dempsey of Totnes, Devon. Acquired by professional car restorer, Terry Rudd, in December 1996 plans for its extensive refurbishment had to be shelved because of other work commitments. Passing to Peter Sweggers of Belgium the following year, 1E21041 is believed to have formed part of a private Dutch collection from 2000 onwards. Repatriated to England during early 2007, the Jaguar was in a sorry state with huge cracks all over the paint work. However, I was pleased to discover any neglect was seemingly purely cosmetic and that the coupe drove as well as its genuine recorded mileage of 65,000 suggested it should. Clearly mechanically it had been extremely well maintained. Surprised by the “free revving engine (thanks to a lightweight balanced flywheel), light gearchange, superb acceleration and taut handling”, I decided that ‘The Coombs Special’ deserved a well overdue comphrehensive but sympathetic “nut and bolt restoration” with particular emphasis on retaining it's authenticity, originality and soul!

Fortunately, once the body had been blasted and its heavily distressed paintwork removed the underlying metal was found to be remarkably sound. Indeed apart from some minor bonnet and rear valance repairs, 1E21041 retains it's full complement of original body panels. Continuing the conservation theme, the original brightwork was repaired and rechromed, the original red paint hidden behind the trim and footwells painted black has been left much the same as when it was shown at Geneva whilst the factory fitted interior was sympathetically refurbished. All in all the work took over a year to complete, the result being a unique car that looks, feels and drives much as it must have done back in 1966. The Geneva Salon has a very special place in the E-type legend and as such it seems highly appropriate that the 'Coombs Special’ E Type debuted on the same hallowed ground. A fascinating ‘what if’ not to mention a unique piece of automotive history, this striking Jaguar has the potential to elicit invitations to some very prestigious motoring events whether rallies or Concours d’Elegance. Riding on period correct silver painted wire wheels, it is offered for sale with two binders of documented history which include a FIVA Passport, restoration photographs, a copy of the Nov '08 Jaguar World magazine (5 page feature) ownership history details and sundry invoices.

2009-08-12 08:30:13 | Pekka T. writes:

Aug. 2009 for sale again at: www.classicdriver.com by dealer AutoCherish.

2009-10-14 11:09:57 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction in London 10/09
www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm

Auction info:
Automobiles of London
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
1965 Jaguar Coombs E-Type GT

LOT: 221
Estimate:£55,000-£75,000
Chassis No. 1E21041
Offered Without Reserve

2014-07-30 10:49:20 | pauls writes:

Car was at auction in '08
www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm
Sold for £50,600 at above '9 auction.

Auction Description:
Automobiles of London
28 October 2009
Lot 221
1965 Jaguar Coombs E-Type GT
To be auctioned on Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sold for £50,600
Chassis no. 1E21041

2018-07-04 14:06:35 | John Elmgreen writes:

The subject of a one page article in Jaguar World magazine of February 2018 (page 114). 1966 Geneva Motor Show and 1966 Earls Court Motor Show. Also reference to content re this car in a Jaguar World Monthly magazine of 2008.

2019-11-21 08:46:12 | Michael SCOTT writes:

The first owner, Roy MacCulloch wrote an article in the "Jaguar Driver" magazine November 1972 outlining the early history of the car and gave his impressions of how the car drove/handled making many long journeys saying the car cruised comfortably at 110 mph. He had the car resprayed at 31000 miles retaining the same grey shade. He concluded by saying that the car had now(1972)done 43,000 miles, apparently without any major problems.

2021-09-20 14:22:34 | Anonymous writes:

Now back up for sale: collectingcars.com/for-sale/1965-jaguar-e-type-series-1-4-2-fhc-2

2022-12-19 22:16:17 | Clive writes:

As at December 2022, the Pendine Historic Cars Ltd website states that this car has been sold.

pendine.com/cars-for-sale/1965-jaguar-e-type-series-i-4-2-by-frua/