2013-04-15 09:58:04 | pauls writes:

Ebay item 4/15/13http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Absolutely-Gorgeous-1969-Jaguar-E-type-4-2L-Roadster-/16 ...
Current bid $30,100, no reserve, 2 bids 9 days left in auction.

Sellers description:
31,000 original miles.

All number matching.

Absolutely no rust.

3 owners.

Car was purchased new by a doctor in Atlanta.

Purchased in 1973 by a graduate student in Georgia and driven sparingly until moving home to rural North Carolina in 1979 to take over family farm (see GA 1979-80 safety sticker still on car). The Jag was put into careful long term, dry, covered storage. Car was started every 3 months, fluids changed annually.

In 2002, I wasn't looking for a car and had never even driven an E-type (although I thought they were the most gorgeous car ever made). One weekend, I saw a newspaper ad and on a whim drove 60 miles into the NC countryside to check it out. After 22 years, the top, seats and interior were totally shot. The tires were all flat and dry rotted. Through a thick layer of dust, the original willow green paint had faded to nothing, but the body was straight as an arrow and there was not a single piece missing on the entire car.

The owner pulled a battery from a truck and hooked it up to the Jag. When it started in under 10 seconds and ran perfectly, I called my wife, got permission and bought the Jag at the asking price.

I thought it would be fun to restore a classic car. A shop that specialized in classic British cars went through the mechanicals until everything was perfect. I took the car home intending to get it ready for a new interior and paint, but I had 4 young children and despite the occasional flurry of energy and drives around the block, the Jag effectively went to sleep again for 8 years.

In 2010, I figured out I was never going to do this myself so I had the Jag prepped and painted and it was stunning. I took it to a shop and had a new seats, interior dash, trunk, everything redone. It looks fantastic.

The path has been more interesting than the destination. I use the Jag seldom and it's time to give it a new home.

New paint.

New leather seats.

New interior.

New soft top.

New dash.

Radiator and gas tank removed, cleaned and re-installed.

Engine bay neat and clean, but not overly detailed.

Engine starts great, runs completely smooth and never runs hot.

Excellent and even compression in all cylinders.

Perfectly straight body - Never in any kind of an accident.

Clear title and even includes the original keys.

While highway driving may not be the ideal way to truly enjoy an E-type roadster, on the way to have the soft top installed, it cruised for 40 minutes on the highway at 70mph without even a hint of shimmer.

What is not perfect - The Chrome - Nice and straight and OK from 10 feet, but the chrome does not match the quality of the rest of the car. There is a fair amount of glazing and pitting. I never got around to it, but rechroming someay would be a good idea.

The original clock doesn't work.

Other than that this is a fantastic car that has always been well cared for and needs almost nothing.

Very reasonable reserve.

Available to be seen in Chapel Hill NC.

2013-04-23 09:19:46 | pauls writes:

Complete URL for above:
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Absolutely-Gorgeous-1969-Jaguar-E-type-4-2L-Roadster-/16 ...