Lost in Gloucestershire: 10th ever Jaguar E-Type 4.2 REBORN

The 10th ever Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 Coupe has been brought back to better than new after languishing for three decades in a field in Gloucestershire.

It’s seems astonishing that ‘Barn Find’ Classic Cars still keep popping up on a regular basis, but this one’s a bit more than just a Barn Find – it’s an ‘In a bush in a field’ find.

Found languishing in a bush on an Estate in Gloucestershire, this 1964 Jaguar E-type Series 1 4.2 RHD FHC – believed to be the 10th built – had rotted away to almost nothing after three decades open to the elements. But it’s been brought back to life by E-Type specialists E-Type UK and is now, astonishingly, better than new.

The body of the E-Type may have rotted away to useless, but the matching numbers running gear and suspension units were salvageable, making this a viable restoration as long as deep enough pockets were on hand.

The task meant finding period-correct floor pan and bulkheads, and E-Type UK’s in-house body shop sorting the panels, fitting a roof and tailgate and a new set of specially fabricated outer C-post panels too, and then treating the whole body to an Opalescent Silver Grey paint job with 60 hours of polishing. 

The interior has been given new electronics, dashboard, leather seats, dials and pedal box, all of which were sourced or built in-house.

Under the bonnet, the original heads and rocker covers remain – brought back to better than new – in the 4.2 litre engine, with a new uprated stainless steel exhaust with tubular manifolds, high-lift cams, balanced and lightened crank and a five-speed manual gearbox.

The result is magnificent. But it won’t have been cheap.