Ray Parrott, an Essex haulier and E-Type fanatic, has created the last ever authentic E-Type Jaguar from a collection of spare parts that has been gathering dust in a garage since 1974, when the last E-Type rolled off the production line at Browns Lane.
Ray was contacted by Mike Wilkinson of M & C Wilkinson Spares, a classic Jag parts specialist in Yorkshire, who had dealt with Ray on many occasions for parts for the E-Types he already owned, to tell him that he had been able to secure this huge range of parts, all brand new and unused, from the guy who had bought them from Jaguar in the ’70s And so was hatched a plan.
The New E-Type Jaguar belonging to Ray Parrot
Between them they realised that there were at least 95% of the parts needed to build an E-Type from scratch, including the bodyshell, brand new V12 engine, gearbox and rear axle and even an unopened canvas top for the Roadster. All the parts were transported to Ray’s home in Essex, and Mike undertook to source any original parts missing.
It took eight months working every waking hour to complete, but Ray is now the proud owner of E-Type Jaguar #72,530 – a black Roadster with Tan interior. And it really is brand new and to Jaguar’s original spec. And you can bet it’s put together with a lot more care and attention to detail than the ones British Leyland threw together in the last days of the E-Types.
It’s thanks to enthusiasts like Ray, who aslo owns other E-Types, a Sunbeam Tiger (the 4.2 version of the Alpine) and a DB6, amongst others, that classic cars survive at all for us to enjoy on our roads. For an avid enthusiast, what could be better than putting an extra model of such a Classic Marque as the E-type back on the road?
Thanks, Ray. We take our hats off to you, and we’ll be keeping a sharp eye out, as we drive round the Essex countryside, for a glimpse of your new E-Type.
Have your say - leave a comment