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Another stunning example - sold for ?62,000

The last E-Type Jaguar rolled off the production line in 1974, yet the model still has a unique ability to excite enthusiasts of all generations, its Malcolm Sayer-penned lines thought by many to be among the most striking ever to adorn a motor car. Indeed, only three years ago the Daily Telegraph ranked the E-Type top of the '100 most beautiful cars of all time'. Like the XK150 before it, it was born of Jaguar's competition successes on the race tracks of Europe. This was no ordinary motor car - it was a true thoroughbred.

The E-Type, or XK-E as it was known in the USA, made its debut at the Geneva Salon of 1961. From birth, the car was available either as a Fixed Head Coupe or a two-seat Roadster. Like the XK120, at launch the new Jaguar was the fastest production car of its time - its 3.8-litre straight six engine allowing a 0-60mph acceleration time of a whisker over seven seconds and a top speed of circa 150mph. Despite this, the engine size was increased from 3.8 to 4.2-litres in October 1964 and, with the change, came a sweeter all-synchromesh gearbox, better brakes and more comfortable seats.

With Jaguar's enviable racing history it was only a matter of time before the E-Type took to the tracks. In fact it happened almost immediately after the launch: the venue was Oulton Park and the drivers were Graham Hill and Roy Salvadori. The result was victory first time out, with Hill winning in the Equipe Endeavour car ('ECD 400') and Salvadori in the Coombs example ('BUY 1') coming home third behind the Aston Martin DB4 GT of Innes Ireland. A few weeks later the E-Types of Salvadori and Jack Sears outstripped the Ferrari 250 GTs of Whitehead and Parkes at Crystal Palace. The dye was cast and after gaining useful experience through the 1961 and 1962 seasons, the factory decided to get more serious for 1963 and build a run of 12 lightweight competition E-Types - the majority of which were Roadsters with hard tops. Piloted by a mix of amateurs and such aces as Graham Hill, Roy Salvadori, Jackie Stewart, Briggs Cunningham, the cars achieved numerous national victories but, unlike the illustrious C-Types and D-Types, were denied the development required to beat the all-conquering Ferraris in international events.

Though the 1966 Fixed-Head Coupe on offer would probably more than match those early racers for performance, it has been upgraded for fast road use rather than out and out competition. The shell was refurbished by RS Panels with new floors, inner and outer sills (complete with additional stiffening), back panel and bonnet. The doors were reskinned, the arches flared to admit wider wheels and additional axle cage mountings added to the monocoque. The finished body was then reprayed in Opalesecent Blue and the interior trimmed in red leather.

The engine was increased in capacity to 4490 cc, and equipped with a tuftrided crank, balanced rods, big-valve head and genuine D-Type camshafts. Additional upgrades included: a four-core alloy radiator; alloy header and expansion tanks; 16 in Kenlowe fan; 13-row oil cooler; a competition distributor; modified sump baffles and engine mountings, and a large bore competition exhaust from front to rear. The resulting ouput is said to be 320 bhp. The transmission comprises an AP competition clutch cover and plate, a five-speed Getrag gearbox and a limited slip differential with uprated power lock and competition cradle mountings. Front braking is courtesy of vented discs and four-pot calipers, while the thicker-than-standard rear discs are operated by Series II calipers and a modified servo system.

The front suspension features genuine Lightweight E-Type torsion bars, Koni dampers, XJS front uprights, thicker stub axles, anti-dive geometry and a thicker anti-roll bar. The rear has 325 lb springs, adjustable Koni dampers and an anti-roll bar. The E-type rides on Magnesium peg-drive wheels - 6.75 inches front and 7.5 inches rear, which are shod with Pirelli P 6000 tyres. The fuel and oil lines are fully Aeroquipped and the wiring loom has soldered connections throughout.

The owner regards this rapid cat as having "excellent" coachwork, paintwork, transmission and interior and tells us it has covered 21,000 miles since the restoration / upgrade programme. If you like the idea of giving latter-day Porsches and Ferraris a shock with a 1966 Jaguar, this could be just the car for you!

Picture of the rear of my Ford Focus Zetec showing recently refurbished alloy wheels in very dark metallic grey. Towbar is currently in bits being painted black!