Upon the presentation of the Jaguar E-Type to the world at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961, a striking new motoring icon gained instant acclaim. The E-Type would be a worthy successor to the British marque’s legendary XK series, which had previously dominated sales in the sports car class. Highly designed and revered for its stunning looks, the E-Type embraced the boldest performance engineering methods of its time. Early Series 1 examples displayed unique features that did not last the entire production run; these features included outside-bonnet latches, flat floors, and welded louvres. In total, it is believed that just 385 early examples left the factory with these features, making them rare and highly desirable among collectors.

Chassis number 875272 was built on 21 July 1961. It left the factory finished in Carmen Red with a black interior and black convertible top. It exhibits the desirable early design features including outside bonnet latches, flat floors, and welded louvres. It was imported via Jaguar Cars of New York and is documented to have spent all its life in the warmer climes of the West Coast of the United States, having been delivered new to a customer in San Jose, California. The second owner, also residing in San Jose, bought the Jaguar in the mid-1960s and would hold onto it for nearly 20 years. In 1984, the E-Type was taken to European Motorsports Ltd, a Jaguar specialist in the Bay Area, for restoration. The garage closed for business while the car was undergoing restoration, it was subsequently moved to a workshop in Los Gatos, California. At that point, the E-Type was sold to Jaguar collector Mark Miller, and would go into storage, where it would remain until it was sold again.

In October 1998, the new owner had the car’s body and paintwork restored with Dave Ferguson of Images Auto Body in Campbell, California. The preliminary restoration work, documented by photos that will be offered in the sale of the car, was completed in 1999, after which the E-Type returned to storage. In 2014, Images Auto Body completed the nut-and-bolt restoration that would cost nearly $160,000.

Shown in its original shade of Carmen Red over Black with a Black convertible top, this E-Type exhibits numbers-matching chassis, engine, and body, as documented by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust certificate accompanying the car. The Jaguar is presented alongside a restored hardtop in matching red and a tool roll that includes a Shelley jack and knock-off hammer.