1961 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Roadster early Series 1
- Engine
- 3.8L inline-six
- Colour
- Triple black
Chassis 875155 is an exceptionally early left-hand drive Jaguar E-Type 3.8-litre Roadster, completed on 30 June 1961 and originally dispatched to its first California owner that July. The 155th such roadster built, it retains numbers-matching chassis, body, engine, and cylinder head, and displays all defining early Series 1 attributes — covered headlamps, exterior bonnet locks, flat floors, and welded ventilation louvers. Its documented history spans California, the United Kingdom, France, and Monaco.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$179,200
- 1961-07-18 →Factory deliveryMr. J. Fletcherpartial documentation
Original owner based in Oakland, California; vehicle dispatched through Jaguar Cars New York and delivered in triple-black specification.
- → 1980Acquisition unknownMr. James Hosfordpartial documentation
Los Angeles-based owner who had a partial engine rebuild carried out by a local specialist shortly before offering the car for sale in 1980.
- 1980-03-31 →Private saleMr. Roger Stylesfull documentation
Kidderminster, UK resident; bill of lading confirms delivery via Southampton. Invoices document over £4,000 spent on chassis work between March and December 1980.
- 1984 → 2000Private saleMr. Christian Arraultfull documentation
Purchased with warranty from Bavaria Motors dealership in La Valette, France; car received its first French road registration the following month and remained with this owner for approximately sixteen years.
- 2003 → 2006Acquisition unknownFrench couple, suburban Paris and Brittanyfull documentation
Cosmopolitan couple with residences near Paris and a coastal property in Brittany; invoices show over €5,650 in maintenance sourced from specialists in France and the UK.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownConsignor, Monaco residentpartial documentation
Most recent prior owner based in Monaco; car was recently brought back to the United States from this residence prior to the auction.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1980Engine rebuildLos Angeles local specialist
Partial engine rebuild carried out by a local Los Angeles specialist, commissioned by the then-owner prior to the car being offered for sale.
Work undertaken shortly before the 1980 sale to Roger Styles.
- 1980Mechanical
Substantial chassis work undertaken between March and December 1980, supported by handwritten notes and a collection of invoices totalling more than £4,000.
Work carried out during Roger Styles's ownership after the car arrived in the UK.
- —ServiceVarious French and UK specialists
Various supplemental maintenance items procured between 2003 and 2006, with invoices exceeding €5,650 from multiple specialists in France and the United Kingdom.
Invoices addressed to the French couple's Paris-area and Brittany residences.
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