2018-04-04 12:12:25 | pauls writes:

Car was at auction 10/17
www.brightwells.com/classic-motoring/general-information/classic-vintage-past-re ...

Auction description:
Lot number 51
Sale Price £44,500
Make & Model Jaguar E-Type S2 4.2 Coupe
Registration LTU 236G
Year 1969
Colour Regency Red
Engine Size 4,283 cc
Chassis No. 1R26471
Engine No. 7R5922-9
V5C; Heritage Certificate; large file of invoices and old MOTs; owner's handbook

As the accompanying Heritage Certificate confirms, this S2 Coupe was built in June 1969 for the American market and was originally Silver with a black interior. Nothing is known of the subsequent history of the car until it was imported back to the UK by Fosters Classics of Chester in April 1990 from whom the vendor bought it very shortly afterwards, his plan being to use it for Continental touring, hence the choice of LHD.

At this point the car was showing around 67,600 miles on the clock (as evidenced by an old MOT) and was described on the purchase invoice as being "an excellent rust-free Jaguar, runs and drives nice", although the dealer took care to put "no warranty implied or given" at the foot of the invoice. Which was probably a smart move because when the vendor took it to his local garage for a post-purchase checkover, it was found to have virtually no oil pressure...

Despatched to trusted spanner-man Dave Griffiths Performance Cars of Shrewsbury, one thing quickly led to another and before you could say 'caveat emptor' the car had been completely stripped down and rebuilt. This included a full engine rebuild with new pistons, conversion to triple SU carbs etc; rebuilt gearbox; new clutch; new brakes plus numerous other items.

While the mechanical parts were all off the car, the shell was sent to Chris Regan Bodywork Services of Shrewsbury for a glass-out, bare-metal repaint in Regency Red, although it seems that little or no welding was required so at least the car lived up to the "rust-free" part of the sales pitch. All the work is detailed in many invoices on file although some are a little faded and hard to decipher.

Over the next dozen years the E-Type was used and enjoyed exactly as the vendor had always intended, successfully completing many tours and road rallies both here and abroad, as recorded on around 20 rally plaques hung from the walls of the garage, plus another four on the glove box lid, the last event being the GAM Euroclassic in 2002.

Numerous invoices show regular upkeep over this period, much of the maintenance being carried out by good old Dave Griffiths. It was also treated to a second repaint in September 2001 by Bellbrook Bodycraft of Shrewsbury (invoice on file). A combination of advancing years and ill health meant that the car was very little used over the next 10 years, being finally parked up for good in 2012, the odometer currently showing some 108,000 miles.

Remaining in commendably straight and sound condition throughout, with excellent panel gaps all round, this much-cherished and 'matching numbers' E-Type, with just owner for the past 27 years, now only needs another caring owner who can carry out the recommissioning required after five years in storage. It could be converted to RHD if desired using a kit of parts readily available from the many specialists who serve this model.