1961 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Roadster

The Jaguar E-Type was designed by Malcolm Sayer and William Lyons, and used many of the D-Type styling cues, this time in steel. The first example was driven directly from England to the 1961 Geneva Salon by Jaguar tester Norman Dewis. The hood was one piece and hinged forward. The front and rear subframes were attached to a strong center section. The headlights were located under glass cowls and taillights were placed across the top of the rear bumpers. Power was from a 3.8-liter dual overhead cam six-cylinder engine offering 265 horsepower. Zero-to-sixty mph took just 6.5 seconds with top speed in the neighborhood of 150 mph. The suspension was an independent setup with disc brakes all around, with the rear brakes mounted inboard. Pricing for the coupe was listed at $5,895 while the roadster sold for $5,695.

Inside, the dashboard featured a large speedometer and tachometer in front of the driver.

Production of Series 1 models included 7,827 coupes and 7,669 roadsters.

This example is an early 'flat floor' example, with welded louvers in the hood. It was originally delivered to marque distributer Charles Hornburg of Los Angeles. The car has been given a recent restoration. It rides on Dunlop high-performance period tires on chrome wire wheels with stainless steel spokes.

The exterior is finished in Indigo Blue and the interior is upholstered in blue-gray leather, with a gray top, and gray boot. There are blue carpets and rubber floor mats, and a period-correct radio.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2014