Jaguar E-type: four series, from 1961 to 1975
The E-type — Type E to the French, XK-E in America — was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961 as a coupé and a roadster. It took the 3.8-litre XK straight-six and the lessons learnt in racing with the D-type: a central monocoque tub, with a tubular front subframe bolted to it that carries the engine and front suspension.
Its career divides into clearly identified series:
- Series 1 3.8 (1961–1964): triple SU carburettors, covered headlamps and a four-speed gearbox without synchromesh on first; the very earliest cars have flat floors;
- Series 1 4.2 (1964–1968): 4.2-litre engine, all-synchromesh gearbox, revised brakes and electrics; the longer-wheelbase 2+2 arrived in 1966;
- Series 1½: the informal name for the transitional cars of 1967–1968, with open headlamps;
- Series 2 (1968–1971): larger air intake, lights moved below the bumpers, improved cooling;
- Series 3 (1971–1975): 5.3-litre V12, long wheelbase for both the roadster and the 2+2, flared arches and a grille in the intake.
What are the common problems with a Jaguar E-type?
A sound E-type is a robust car, but its design concentrates a few well-known weaknesses, which the workshop checks systematically:
- rust in the tub: box-section sills, floors, crossmembers, boot floor and door bottoms, often hidden by earlier repairs;
- the tubular front subframe, its mountings on the bulkhead and the condition of its tubes, which carry the whole front of the car;
- the bonnet, very large, in one piece and tilting forwards: its panels, fit and hinges are checked carefully;
- the rear brakes, mounted inboard beside the differential: a weeping seal can contaminate the discs, and reaching them often means dropping the rear suspension cage;
- cooling, a sensitive point on both the six and the V12 in slow traffic;
- the wiring loom, instruments and switchgear, all of another era.
How is an E-type restored?
An E-type restoration begins with an inspection and an estimate itemised line by line. The tub is then stripped to bare metal and the front subframe and rear cage removed: it is the only way to judge the metal under the paint, the old welds and the alignment of the structure.
The metalwork rebuilds the box sections and floors to their original form, before protection, primer and paint. The bonnet and door gaps, the signature of a well-restored E-type, are set during a trial assembly before the final paint. The approach, shared with other classic Jaguars, is described on our Jaguar restoration page.
XK six or V12: the E-type’s mechanicals
The XK straight-six of the Series 1 and 2 is a twin overhead camshaft engine with an aluminium cylinder head. Its rebuild involves stripping and measuring: head and valves, timing chains and tensioners, bearings, oil pump, then setting up the carburettors.
The Series 3 V12, which fills the entire engine bay, is judged first by its cooling and its four carburettors. In both cases the gearbox, clutch, differential and independent rear suspension are overhauled alongside the engine, and the original numbers are preserved.
Coupé, roadster or 2+2: trim and finishing
The E-type came as a fixed-head coupé, as a roadster with a soft top and optional hardtop, and from 1966 as a 2+2. Each body has its own trim: hood and hood cover on the roadster, side-hinged tailgate and luggage-area trim on the coupés, rear seats on the 2+2.
The upholstery, made entirely in the workshop, recreates the original leather, colour and stitching, or a combination of your choosing if you prefer an interpretation. Bumpers, trims and wire wheels are sent for rechroming arranged by the workshop.
What the workshop does for an E-type
Since 2017, the independent workshop in Mougins has welcomed E-types for servicing, mechanical recommissioning or full restoration. The same team follows the car from start to finish, photographs reach you at every key stage, and any additional work waits for your approval.
The E-type shares its era and its admirers with the Aston Martin DB5 and DB6, the other great British grand tourer of the 1960s. The marque’s other models are presented on our Jaguar page; for a remote opinion, ask for an estimate from photos and videos.