This Utterly Ruined Jaguar E-Type Has Been Stunningly Restored

When just the 10th Jaguar E-Type 4.2 ever built was discovered lying in a Gloucestershire forest after over 30 years of abandonment, any normal person would take a look and dismiss the chances of it ever driving again. But a car like this just has to be saved, and where there’s a will, there’s a way.

The body of chassis number 10 was beyond saving, sadly. The A-pillars had corroded, the roof had collapsed and the metal itself was unfit to be salvaged, but amazingly the car still had its original, numbers-matching drivetrain and suspension.

Specialist restorer E-Type UK undertook the mammoth task. They had to source or hand-make almost everything apart from those key core parts that remained, starting with a period-correct floor pan and bulkheads. The panels were beaten in-house, a roof was sourced and the whole lot was assembled on a specialist body alignment jig.

The body was then painted in Opalescent Silver Grey; a finish that was then polished for 60 hours in order to get the right shine. The original cam covers and cylinder head were salvaged and machine polished to a much higher standard than they were when new, but most of the rest of the engine parts had decayed beyond saving.

Since a lot of the car was technically new anyway, E-Type UK pushed the boat out and fitted a stainless steel sports exhaust with tubular manifolds that “creates a beautiful 4.2-litre symphony.” At the same time, the new owner footing the restoration bill changed a few more items. High-lift cams for more high-rev power, a balanced and lightened crank and a modern five-speed gearbox make this an E-Type that’s even nicer to live with.

E-Type UK founder Marcus Holland released a statement saying:

“We have seen and completed a number of ‘bush-find’ restorations, but this must be one of the most significant E-Type UK has ever undertaken. Learning of its wonderful history, and being able to restore another Jaguar classic to its former glory has been a pleasure.”