1961 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Roadster
- Engine
- 3.8L inline-six, four-speed manual
- Colour
- Gunmetal
A December 1961 first-year 'flat-floor' Jaguar E-Type roadster, retaining its original matching-numbers engine and gearbox. Delivered new to Max Hoffman's New York dealership in Opalescent Gunmetal over red leather — a combination it still wears today — the car was imported to the United Kingdom in the late 1980s, converted to right-hand drive, and comprehensively restored in 1991. It has covered only around 800 miles since 2011 and was recently fully recommissioned by Paul Lanzante Ltd.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold £195,500 (≈ $244K)
- —Auction saleEstimate £145,000 – £185,000
- 1961-12-01 →Factory deliveryMax Hoffman Jaguar Dealership, New York Citypartial documentation
First recipient of the car upon new delivery; a prominent American importer and dealership that handled the car's initial distribution in the US market.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownUnidentified UK-based owner post-importpartial documentation
Car was brought to the UK sometime in the latter part of the 1980s and converted to right-hand drive; a full restoration was completed in 1991.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownPrevious owner prior to consignorpartial documentation
Kept the car in carefully maintained condition using specialist firms including GTC Engineering, BPA Engineering, and Paul Lanzante Ltd; used the car only sparingly in the five years before sale.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1991Restoration
A full, high-standard restoration was completed, returning the car to its original Opalescent Gunmetal over red leather specification.
Described as carried out to exacting standards; workshop not identified in the catalogue.
- —Modification
Following importation to the UK, the car was converted from left-hand to right-hand drive configuration.
Carried out in the late 1980s upon arrival in Britain; exact date and workshop not recorded in the catalogue.
- —ServiceGTC Engineering, BPA Engineering, Paul Lanzante Ltd
Ongoing maintenance and servicing performed to a high standard by marque specialists over the ownership period.
Multiple specialists involved at different points; work kept the car in excellent condition through years of very light use.
- —ServicePaul Lanzante Ltd
A comprehensive recommissioning was carried out covering all aspects of the car's readiness, with documented invoices totalling in excess of £30,000.
Completed within one year of the sale; undertaken after a period of only occasional use spanning approximately five years.
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